The beauty of Vietnam

Hanoi arrival & free (D)

Meeting on arrival by our guide and transfer to hotel.

The rest of day is free at leisure or for a first discovery of the city by yourself. 

Welcome dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi

Hanoi/ Visit & walk - Lao Cai by night train(B,L,D)

Breakfast at hotel.

08h30: Your guide meets you at hotel and start by visiting the Museum of Ethnology which includes costumes, tools, musical instruments and some houses of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups (closed on Mondays). Then we visit the Temple of Literature, the "first university of Vietnam" and Tran Quoc Pagoda built in the 5th century.
Visit the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son temple. A walking tour in the Old Quarters of Hanoi allows you to understand the local life before attending the evening Water Puppets Show.
Dinner in town and then transfer to the station for the night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on train, soft sleeper 4 berth sharing cabin.

Lao Cai - Sapa/ Visit & Walk (B,L,D)

Arrive early in the morning around 05h30 at Lao Cai Station then be transferred by private car to Sapa, we admire the rice terraces hidden behind the clouds of the morning. Located 1,650 meters above sea level, with the temperate climate, Sapa was an old resort created by the French in the region of Mount Fanxipan (3143m) which is considered as the roof of Indochina. This city interest visitors in the mosaic of minorities H'mong, Red Yao, Tay, Dzay Safo... For hundreds of years, they live together and conduct their ancestral life despite modernity.
Rest at the hotel and lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon, we trek to the Black H'mong villages: Lao Chai and Ta Van where we have opportunities to discover the specific culture of each ethnic group. Back to Sapa and overnight at hotel.

Sapa/ Discovery + trekking - Lao Cai - Hanoi/ Night Train soft berth (B,L,D)

In the morning, we visit the daily central market of town where ethnic groups come to exchange their agricultural products or sell their traditional costumes made meticulously by women's hand. It is also a place well-liked by young couples. Then we are going to climb the Ham Rong mountain (Dragon Jaw) where we can not miss the opportunity to take great photos of the area. An interesting walk takes us to the theatre where we will have the opportunity to attend the dance performance of five ethnic groups of Sapa.
After lunch at local restaurant, return to Lao Cai, we drive to Ta Phin village where we discover the old traditions Red Yao. Before going to the station, a stop at the Sino - Vietnamese border where we see the confluence of the Red River (red) belonging to Vietnam and Nam Thi River (green) to China.
Boarding the overnight train back to Hanoi at around 20h30. Overnight on train/soft sleeper 04-berth sharing cabin.

Hanoi arrival - Halong Bay (B,L,D)

Arrive in Hanoi at about 05h00. Have a shower at the hotel and breakfast, then depart straight to Halong Bay, passing the traditional Vietnamese countryside with its villages, markets, rice fields. Stops for short break, a workshop manufactures ceramics and a school of training of all traditional artisan crafts of Vietnam. Arrival in Halong around noon, boarding the cruise.
Having lunch on boat with seafood while admiring an extraordinary landscape, "one of the wonders of the world," nearly three miles of limestone islands and fantastic shapes: turtle, sailing sampan, etc ... scattered in the emerald water with a surface of 1,500 km².
Stop at the Suprise cave, we visit a mysterious atmosphere by thousands of stalagmites and stalactites, then climb the top of Titov island or go swimming at the beach if time permits. Back to cruise, admiring the sunset on the sundeck of the Junk, attend the cooking class and enjoy the Happy hour (buy two drinks, get one free). Seafood dinner and overnight on board.

Halong Bay - Ninh Binh - Tam Coc (B,L,D)

After breakfast, continue the cruise through the Bay passing very beautiful places in return direction, and before landing we take lunch Brunch on board early. Back to cross the Mekong delta. On the way, visit and explore the city of Hai Phong: Flower Market and Du Hang Pagoda built from the 17th century.
Arrival in Ninh Binh at the end of the day. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight at the hotel.

Ninh Binh - Vinh (B,L,D)

In the morning after breakfast, drive or take a bicycle (about 2km) go through a typical village with a stop to visit a traditional home. Boarding small boat for cruising for 2 hours through the spectacular scenery of rice fields.
Having lunch there before taking the national road No.01 to go to Vinh - the hometown of President Ho Chinh Minh.
Late arrival at the hotel. Dinner at the local restaurant and night at the hotel.

Vinh - Phong Nha cave - Quang Binh (B,L,D)

Having breakfast, leave for Phong Nha cave, continue the national No. 1 and a part of the Ho Chi Minh trail. Stops along the way for admiring the beautiful scenery and taking the photos.
Arrive at Phong Nha around noon, lunch and take cruise trip in the river to visit the most beautiful famous caves of Vietnam, Phong Nha cave formed, there are more than 250 million years formed and is recognized by UNESCO as a Natural World Heritage Site.

Transfer to the town of Quang Binh where we pass the night at the hotel.

Quang Binh - 17th Parallel - Hue (B,L,D)

After breakfast, depart for Hue, continue the national No.1 and cross the bridge at the 17th parallel that divided the country in two for 21 years after the Geneva Accords.
Continue the trip to Hue for the first visit in the city's history: Imperial Citadel with all the palaces. All this corresponds to the extension of the power of Vietnam to the south. A short boat trip for an hour in the Perfume River and then visit the Thien Mu Pagoda, located at the edge of the river.
Back to town for lunch at local restaurant and then discover Dong Ba market (Cho Dong Ba), the largest of the city.
Enjoy special Royal Dinner - wearing the royal costume alike emperor, queen, princess or prince and with live traditional music performances. Overnight at hotel

Hue - Pass of the Clouds - Hoi An (B,L,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, visit a village of the family making incense sticks and conical hats and tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. Then drive toward Hoi An via the famous Hai Van pass where you have a beautiful view of Danang and its surroundings.
Stop on the way to visit the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Danang with its famous art collection of Hindu influence. Continue to Hoi An. Arriving in Hoi An at the end of day.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Hoi An - Beach extension (B,L,D)

After breakfast and lunch at the hotel, we make the discovery of the ancient city Hoi An with its monuments: Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation, fish market, Japanese bridge and a traditional Vietnamese house and then a cruise on the Hoai River to see more activities in the real fishermen life and countryside outside the city.
Free time at the beach at the end of the day. Overnight in Hoi An.

Hoi An - Quy Nhon (B,L,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, take the national road No. 1 to the south along the coast. Lunch on the way. Photos during the rest. Check-in Quy Nhon, an orientation tour of this beautiful coastal town. Overnight in Quy Nhon.

Quy Nhon - Tuy Hoa - Nha Trang (B,L,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, it's the second day of the national road heading south along the coast.
Lunch at local restaurant. Photos during the rest. Arrival in Nha Trang - one of the most beautiful coastal cities with beautiful resorts. An orientation tour of the city. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Nha Trang/Visits & cruise (B,L,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, we visit the Po Nagar Cham Towers and Long Son Pagoda. Ranked among the 29 best bays in the world, the sun shines all year round with an average temperature of 23°C. Nha Trang is always the first choice for relaxing at the beach.
Afternoon, we take a boat trip to Hon Tam Island in Nha Trang Bay where we can go swimming in the emerald water, dive underwater to discover beautiful nature. We cruise to the Tri Nguyen Aquarium in Bong Nguyen (Hon Mieu Island) to admire the most comprehensive collection of fish, crustaceans, mollusks and sea turtles. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Nha Trang - Po Klong Garai - Dalat (B,L,D)

Depart for Dalat, through Phan Rang where we visit  Po Long Giarai Cham towers, dedicated to Cham king in the 13th century, we continue our journey by taking the road through the Splendid pass (Ngoan Muc).
A stop at the top we will be really fascinated by the beautiful nature. Descending from the pass, we go to Dalat. The city is found in 1897 by the famous Dr. Alexandre Yersin - the author of the anti-plague vaccine. Its name means water of Lat (an ancient tribe). At the altitude of 1500m, it deserves the name "City of Eternal Spring" because the climate is ideal, Dalat flowers throughout the year. It's also famous for its waterfalls, lakes, valleys of flowers, its green meadows and pine forests.
After lunch, we visit the Dalat Flowers Garden, the Valley of Love and Xuan Huong Lake.

Overnight at hotel.

Dalat - Bao Loc - Saigon (B,L,D)

We leave the city of poetry and love to continue our journey to Ho Chi Minh City, we can say that this route is the most beautiful road trip: roses, daisies and all kinds of flowers decorating during the distance of 300 km. Fields of coffee, tea, rubber look like a romantic and big carpet at the same time. Stop at Bao Loc for break, we have the opportunity to taste the local specialties.
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the late afternoon, the biggest economic center of Vietnam. Located in the heart of Cochinchina, it is the largest city with the population of more than 8 million. Free in the evening, have dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Saigon - My Tho - Ben Tre (B,L,D)

Depart for Mekong Delta in the early morning. Arrive in My Tho, take a boat to the tropical islands planted with orchards and cross the channel. At the other end of the canal, horse carts await you for a ride in the villages.
You will visit an orchard where you can enjoy the fruits and drink tea with honey. Then you will board rowing sampan to move into a smaller creek.

At noon, board Turtle Island for lunch in a restaurant in the middle of the forest of mangroves. In the late afternoon, arrive at the homestay and free time at leisure. Dinner and overnight at homestay.

Ben Tre - Sa Dec - Long Xuyen (B,L,D)

Breakfast at homestay, then walk in the orchard with the owner. You will then go to the village market and join the preparation of Vietnamese dishes with the owner and then have the pleasure of serving.
Landing in My Tho. Depart for Long Xuyen via Sa Dec, where Kien An Cung Pagoda, Huynh Thuy Le's house (lover of Madame Marguerite Duras). Visit Trung Vuong school where her mother, Mrs. Donadieu had taught. Continuation of the road to Long Xuyen. Arriving in the late afternoon. Overnight at hotel in Long Xuyen. 

Long Xuyen - Saigon (B,L,D)

Early morning, we visit the floating market in Long Xuyen, lively and authentic. We discover the daily activities of people living in the Mekong.
Visit Ong Ho islet, take small boats through several arroyos. Back to Saigon. Overnight in Saigon.

Saigon tours - Departure (B,L)

After breakfast at the hotel, full-day sightseeing in the city: visit Notre Dame Cathedral, red brick building in neo-Romanesque style, which was consecrated in 1880. Central Post Office built by Gustave Eiffel, the Opera and City Hall beautiful French and then depart for a walk-in Chinatown Cho Lon architectures.                  
A multitude of small family businesses thrives today in the "Chinatown" dedicated to trading and money. The richly decorated pagodas and Chinese temples are very different in style of Vietnamese sanctuaries.  
Visit the Thien Hau Pagoda and Binh Tay Market wholesalers. Free time for shopping or your own activities before transfer to the airport. The room is available until noon only.