7-day Highlights of Vietnam

Brief information

Tour type: Private, classic tour

Hotel options: 2-star; 3-star; 4-star

Duration: 7 days

Departure/end: Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City or vice-versa

Highlights: Hanoi city, Halong Bay, Hue ancient capital, charming Hoi An town, Ho Chi Minh city, Mekong delta with hand-rowed sampan, historic Cu Chi tunnels.

Features:
- Various means of transportation: car, flight, boat, cyclo
- Accommodation: hotels
- Combination of activities, landscape, life style, climate in different parts in Vietnam.

Price: From US$541 p.p.

Brief itinerary and service:

Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi arrival
Our guide and driver will welcome you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in Hanoi. We will then arrange a cyclo to take you go around the Old Quarter in about one hour; this is an unique traditional mean of transport that you might hardly find outside Vietnam, take your time to get to know the city and stop sometimes for photo shooting or shopping. After that, you will be dropped off at Water Puppet Theatre for an other 1 hour puppet show. This art show is a tradition that dates back as far as the 11th century when it originated in the villages of the Red River Delta area of northern Vietnam.  When the rice fields would flood, the villagers would entertain each other using this form of puppet play. The puppets are made out of wood and then lacquered. The shows are performed in a waist-deep pool. A large bamboo rod supports the puppet under the water and is used by the puppeteers, who are normally hidden behind a screen, to control them. Thus the puppets appear to be moving over the water.

Finally, the cyclo will pickup you after the show and bring you back to your hotel. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi city tour - Halong
You have breakfast at your hotel then our tour guide will take you for a half day city tour. First, we will head to the West lake to visit Tran Quoc pagoda, the Oldest one in Hanoi located in a semi island on the lake, enjoy tranquil atmosphere. Then, we will visit Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and his stilt house to learn about his life attached with the two Vietnamese Wars. Visit the One Pillar Pagoda nearby which was built in early 11th century under the Ly dynasty and is regarded as one of the most iconic temples in Vietnam. Continue to visit Literature Temple, the first university of Vietnam, built in 1070 at the time of King Ly Thanh Tong (Ly dynasty). This ancient site offers a lake of literature, the Well of Heavenly Clarity, turtle steles, pavilions, courtyards and passageways that were once used by royalty. Visiting the Temple of Literature you will discover historic buildings from the Ly and Tran dynasties in a revered place that has seen thousands of doctors’ graduate in what has now become a memorial to education and literature.

After lunch at local restaurant, we proceed to Halong Bay. Arrive Halong city in late afternoon, get your free time to hang around the city. Stay overnight at hotel in Halong city.

Day 3: Halong Bay boat cruise - Evening flight to Da Nang - Hoi An
After breakfast at hotel, your car will transfer you to the dock to embark a boat tour and start your cruise to discover this World Nature Heritage Site. Within 5 hours, we will cruise through the tranquil emerald water, passing thousands of wonderful limestone islands and outcrops in different shapes and sizes emerging unevenly out of the water. We will also visit Heaven Palace - Driftwood cave, explore one of the most famous grottos of Halong Bay. Lunch with seafood will be served on board while the cruise gliding slowly on the Bay.
Back to the dock and get your transfer back to Hanoi. You will have some free time for dinner on the way at your own cost before continue your trip to the airport for departure flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival, get private pick-up and transfer to Hoi An. Stay overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

Day 4: Hoi An city tour - Hue
We will visit the charming Old Town of Hoi An this morning with ancient houses, Japanese Covered Bridge, Assembly Hall of Cantonese Chinese Congregation, handicraft shops...Then you will have about 2 hour boat cruise on Thu Bon river to visit handicraft villages (pottery and carpenter).
Car continues to transfer you to Hue, arrive at your hotel in late afternoon. Free time for dinner (at your own cost) and relax. Stay overnight in Hue.

Day 5: Hue city tour - HCMC
After breakfast at your hotel our guide and car will transfer you to the dock for a nice boat cruise on Perfume river. The boat will stop in front of Thien Mu pagoda, a historic architecture that is considered the symbol of Hue. Take your time to make a visit into the pagoda then continue by car to discover Imperial Citadel from where the Nguyen’s Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945 including Flag Tower, Noon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, and Forbidden Purple City. After lunch at local restaurant, we will visit royal tombs of Emperor Tu Duc or Khai Dinh, given a deep understanding about King’s philosophy of geomancy and how this affected royal life.
We will take evening flight to HCMC. Upon arrival, get private transfer to your hotel in the city center. Overnight in HCMC.

Day 6: HCMC - Mekong Delta
Pick up at the hotel at 8:00. Take 2 hour drive to Tien Giang Province (around 75km west of Saigon). Upon arrival, take a private boat on the upper part of the Mekong River to visit a fish market and enjoy the view of Dragon Island, Phoenix Island, Unicorn Island and Turtle Island. Then land to the island to discover the real life of people in Mekong Delta by walking on local paths, visit Coconut candy making family. Continue to a bee farm by horse cart and taste some special product from the garden. The rural sampan will take you into the small canal to enjoy the view of Water coconut tree, the typical of Mekong Delta. A big boat takes you back to the Dragon Island for lunch at a local family. After lunch, back to the city, continue to visit Vinh Trang Pagoda before coming back to HCMC.
Free time in the evening to discover the city, stay overnight at hotel in the city center.

Day 7: HCMC city tour half day - Departure
Today's morning we will have half day city tour to visit Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum and Notre Dame Cathedral. You will also admire many beautiful French colonial buildings such as the Main Post Office, the formal Hotel De Ville (City Hall)… If time permit, we will visit Giac Lam pagoda, one of the oldest pagoda of the city before heading to the airport for departure flight. End the tour and hope to see you again. 

2020 Quotation & Services

Hotel categories	Net rate in US$/person in group of					Single supplement
	1	2-3	4-5	6-7	8 up
Tourist **	1413	903	676	586	541	87
Superior ***	1514	953	726	636	591	126
First Class ****	1728	1060	833	743	698	209

Note: The price is not applicable on National Holidays, Christmas and New Year.

Includes:
Accommodation:
- 6 nights twin/double sharing at hotels with daily breakfast.
Transportation:
- Land transfer by private A/C vehicle for whole trip.
- Private boat for Halong Bay sightseeing.
- Boat on Perfume river and Mekong river.
- Air tickets and all taxes: HAN-DAD, HUI-SGN
Others:
- Meals as mentioned. B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: dinner
- English speaking guides.
- Admission fees for all sightseeing places on tour.
- 1 bottle of mineral water and wet tissue per person on touring day.
- Free Vietnam visa approval letter.
- Service charge and Government taxes
Excludes:
- International air tickets.
- Visa stamping fee.
- Personal expenses.
- Drinks.
- Tips and gratuities.
- Services not clearly mentioned above.

LIST OF HOTELS ON TOUR