• Classic
  • 11 days 10 nights
  • Popular
  • 4
  • 5

Visit: Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Hue, Hoi An, Hanoi, Halong Bay
From the South to the North, you will explore Vietnam’s culture in very local ways. Join in activities with locals like weaving mats, cooking local dishes, cruising on the beautiful lagoon, or tasting local familiar ingredients of local dishes. Through the tour, you will stay in the way locals stay, do what locals do for their life, eat best of what locals eat in the very local way and learning stories of locals. How could this be more real ?

 
 

 

 

  • Day 1 - Ho Chi Minh City Arrival

    You will be warmly welcomed at the airport and transferred to the city for hotel check-in. From 14.00 onward room is available. You have the whole day left free at your leisure. Take this time to discover the unique culinary world of Ho Chi Minh city. Night at the hotel.

     

  • Day 2 - Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta (B,L,D) - Overnight at a home stay

    In the morning, drive about 2.5 to 3 hours (130km) towards Mekong Delta of Ben Tre (130km). Upon arrival at Phong Nam pier, hop a boat and cruise along a branch of the Mekong of Chet Say river. Along the trip you will explore how the local economy works, as we visit various local workplaces. The brick kilns for the first. Then you will see the marvelousness of coconut as it is so useful for local people’s daily life. Visit a charcoal factory to see workers put coconut shell into high heat kilns to produce coconut charcoal. Our next destination is a coconut processing workshop. Sample fresh coconut while discovering how they turn every single part of this versatile nut into food and other products.

    Afterwards, cruise through the small canals to have a clearer picture of the local life. Take a short walk at a quiet village to fall into the real Delta village life. Stop at a mat weaving house where you will see people use a hand loom to weave straw mats and you can even give a try to weave for yourself.  Board your xe loi (a kind of motorized rickshaw) or go cycling into the village. Let yourself immerse in the peace of those farms, rice fields and vegetables before having lunch at a local house. You will be filled and pleased by such delicious local specialties as elephant-ear fish and river shrimp. Have it with some cold drinks or beers.

    After lunch, board a sampan and enjoy your time while cruising along narrow canals. Back to the pier on a boat and transfer to your homestay place on the main road. Dinner and overnight at homestay.

     

  • Day 3 - Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City (B,L)

    This morning we drive about 1 hour to Cai Lay (50km). On the way you will see fruit farms and lush rice paddies – typical landscapes of this region – emerging alongside the highway. End of the drive trip, a beautiful wooden boat will be waiting for you to cruise along and have a better view of river life and countryside landscapes. Then, disembark and take a short  bike ride (7km in total) over flat terrain along narrow village lanes to see peaceful simple life of the locals amongst cottage industries and fruit orchards. Stop at the home of a tropical-fruit planting farmer to see the rich of the orchard by taking a walk around and don’t miss this chance to sample fresh-picked fruits. Finish this day with a slowly cruising along tropical canals on a small sampan boat. Upon completion of this itinerary, a short walk takes you back to the car and transfer back to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

     

  • Day 4 - Cooking Class - Cu Chi Tunnels - Ho Chi Minh City - Hue (B,L)

    At around 7.30am, departure for your interesting story today. There are many areas in the agricultural villages we will visit, and each has its own produce that you can see through its name: big herbs, spices, vegetables and mushrooms areas, Cow and buffalo areas, lush rice fields,… Get on a Vietnamese traditional hat, pick up a lot of vegetables and mushrooms, herbs and spices on the garden and you will experience the feeling to be a real Vietnamese farmer. Around 10 am is the time for cooking challenges. Join in the cooking course and give a try with three dishes and 1 dessert.  It will be so exciting to enjoy your own results. You will also be shared great healthy cooking tips and gave nice certificate, recipes, and souvenirs for congratulation.

    After lunch, take a visit to rice paper village, where you will learn how to make rice paper and also practise to make one for yourself. Then you will also learn benefits rubber tree bring for people as we visit rubber tree forest. At around 2.00pm, departure for Cu Chi Tunnels for another interesting trip. During the wars, over 16,000 Vietcong guerrillas use this incredible system, covering almost 250km in length, as their shelter. Initially they started to built it in 1948. In that time the tunnels were just used as shelter against the French air and ground sweeps. Throughout the American war, the network even contained supply hospitals, storage facilities, communication routes and living quarters for Vietnamese fighters. Vietcong guerrillas used to live there and they had to face such harsh conditions.  If you are interesting, descend into the tunnels and you will have a closer look to their situation. As we are close to end this today trip, have a break and taste boiled tapioca, served with Vietnamese hot tea. Then transfer to Ho Chi Minh Airport for your evening flight to Hue. You will be met at Hue airport and be transferred to your hotel for check in. Hue has a unique and colorful cuisine. Discover it for your own dinner. Spend your night at the hotel.

     

  • Day 5 - Hue City (B)

    Along the Perfume River there lies the majestic Imperial Citadel of Hue. It will be our first destination today. Afterwards, you will be welcome by a charming Vietnamese couple upon arrival at a beautiful garden house. A guided tour leaded by the landlord will be taken first. Along the trip, you will see many buildings dating back to centuries ago, and then be invited the traditional cakes, served with a cup of tea.

    In the afternoon, continue your journey to discover Tu Duc tomb - one of the most beautiful tombs in Hue. End of the day with a stroll around Dong Ba market.
    Have good meals here on your own, and overnight at the hotel.

     

  • Day 6 - Hue Sightseeing (B)

    Transfer by private vehicle to Thanh Tien Village in the morning. It’s possible upon your wish to hold our steps for a few minutes to capture typical moments of local life and beautiful landscapes (French cows, churches…). Look around those pagodas and churches, those ancient villages, as well as rivers covered with lotus flowers (depend on weather conditions ) .... to enjoy a real and peaceful beauty of Hue countryside. Along the Perfume River there lies Thanh Tien village. Dating back to 400 years ago, this village has been well-known for its traditional handcraft production of paper flowers. Take pictures of their work and if you want, a craftsman will help you make your own creation of flowers. Return to your hotel around noon and free at your leisure.


    At around 03:00pm, take a 1.5-hour guided bike ride in a distance of about 12km from Vinh Ve village to Chuon Lagoon – a part of famous Tam Giang Lagoon – along poetic Nhu Y River. Visitor will be strongly attracted by the scenery of the ancient village with the traditional architectural beauty of old pavilions, the sophisticated pattern of family temples with charming dragon carvings, rustic winding paths, meandering streams of river leading visitors through golden paddy fields stretching as far as Chuon Lagoon. Here, hop a boat to discover this amazing famous lagoon. Cruise along to feel the beautiful scenery while being told interesting but also poignant stories about the daily floating life of local people on the lagoon. Then, enjoy a great menu of grill seafood, washed down with local beer, as we stop at 1 or 2 local stilt houses built on the lagoon. At around 06.00pm, return to your hotel by our car. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

     

  • Day 7 - Hue - Danang - Hoi An walking tour (B)

    This morning, we drive about 2-2.5 hours (105km) to Danang acrossing the Hai Van Pass, which is also a great scenic. From the pass, you will have the perfect view out over the central coastline – an excellent panoramas in Vietnam. At your next stop, immerse in the breathtaking sight of the long white sandy Lang Co beach. Check in your resort right after arriving in Hoi An. After time for a short rest, take a stroll along Hoi An town, to understand why this town is recognized  as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, to feel the marvel that every other visitors felt when they look at all those unusually well-preserved ancient streets and homes. More than two-century-old Chinese houses that you can explore while walking through the quaint cobblestone streets of the town. The Chinese Temple, Japanese Bridge and Phung Hung Chinese-style trading house are also the places that should not be ignored. Stop at the local market where you will experience the daily activities of Hoi An people in the most authentic way. Have an exploration of this colorful cuisine, as our guides will invite you some of the best dishes they know.
    Finish you day with memorable moments of great tea or coffee and relaxation at a very exceptional atmosphere of an ancient house – "Reaching Out Tea House". It’s soul values by what you can be most attracted, not only by fabulous snacks and drinks. Have your own exploration at this cuisine. Night at the hotel.

     

  • Day 8 - Hoi An Eco tour - biking in rural areas (B,L)

    Depart from the hotel to explore the surrounding of Hoi An. Hop a boat and you will have chances to see those fishers throw fishing net and trade their products – their daily works – as we cruise to the mouth of Thu Bon river. Then, after 30 minutes of cruising you will reach a fishing village. We will then discover a distinctive mangrove forest so it’s necessary to change to a smaller bamboo boat (a coracle). Adventuring in this mysterious forest with rarely the sunlight can shine the ground, let yourself be curious and excited to explore its interesting secrets. Along the excursion you can also approach activities of skilful fishermen working in the forest. Back to the tourist boat for your lunch with the menu of Hoi An’s local food while floating in the middle of the river.

    In the afternoon, board a local boat in a pier in Hoi An heading to Cam Kim island. You will reach the village of Kim Bong for the first, and then learn the art of sculpting, taught by M.Huynh Suong, a famous sculpting artist, right at his workshop. Have 13-km bike ride after that to visit the mat weaving village of Duy Vinh and enjoy beautiful landscapes of bamboo fields, rice fields, and shaded paths along the way. Upon arrival in the village, you will have chances to observe their detailed work steps and discover traditional and special skills of weaving mat passing from generation to generation while enjoying a cup of tea and seasonal fruits at a local house. Before sunset, back to your hotel you have the rest of day free to do whatever you want. Enjoy meals on your own, and overnight at the hotel.

     

  • Day 9 - Hoi An - Danang - Hanoi - Street food (B,D)

    Transfer to Danang Airport for a short flight to Hanoi. Our will be waiting for you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check in. Have your own lunch here.

    A street food tour is activated. Starting in the mid afternoon, you will be guided to see some of the Vietnames local’s usual markets and establishments. Most of them are not well-known with tourists or listed in the guidebooks, just the familiar ones to Vietnamese. Afterwards, you will have chances to taste and learn about some of the ingredients used in the local cuisine, as we transfer to a nearby local market. You will also have great advices from our guide and some of the vendors about how to purchase items to take home reasonably and non-wasted. Plenty of chances to take nice photos of buying and selling rituals and the bustling sights around.

    Pull up a stool and enjoy Vietnamese Cà Phê (coffee) or Trà (tea), example Café Giảng, Cafe Thọ (or Cafe Xe Co near Truc Bach Lake if we go to Châu Long), to experience theVietnam’s  very special way of enjoying coffee at one of the many sidewalk cafes in the historic Old Quarter. Through our chat you will receive the overview of the Vietnamese food scene, especially in Hanoi, and discuss the daily life and culture of Vietnam.
    Transfer after by car or on foot to Truc Bach lake for a traditional snack of Phở Cuốn, rolled rice paper with fresh herbs and grilled beef, along with some other favorite local snacks.

    Move to one of Hanoi’s Bún chả establishments for your dinner like a real Hanoians with this traditional dish: grilled pork ball and rice vermicelli noodles with  greens and fresh herbs and crispy spring rolls (nem rán). Back to your hotel for overnight.

     

  • Day 10 - Hanoi City - handicraft village (B,L)

    Spend half of your day for the capital city. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed every Monday and Friday), to hear about the elderly mighty father of Vietnam, who led Vietnamese to independence from French colonial rule. You will also visit the revered One-Pillar Pagoda and a traditional stilt house, which used to belong to Ho Chi Minh. Then we move a short way to the thousand-year-old Temple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university. Enjoy a cozy lunch at a local house to experience the daily life of a Hanoian family.

    A walking tour around Bat Trang ceramic village will be arranged after lunch. Visiting family factories of the village, you will directly observe the art of making ceramics by hand. Then, upon reaching at the Dinh Bang communal house, you will hear about stories of a community house . That house is like the heart and the brain of every villages in Vietnam. Traditionally located in the center of the village, all decisions regarding village matters were made in that house. It connected everyone to the village and was the core of Vietnamese culture.
    Return to your hotel and free time for you onward. Have your own dinner, and overnight at the hotel.

     

  • Day 11 - Hanoi - Halong Bay (B,L,D)

    Departure for Halong Bay (180km – 3.5 - 4 hour driving) to see a  fabulous World Heritage site recognized by UNESCO. More than 3,000 islands of towering limestone with different fantastic shapes, dotting the bay and Gulf of Tonkin. Board a beautiful boat when you arrive and have an overnight cruise on Halong Bay Fresh seafood, which is one of factors to make Ha Long Bay famous, will be served for your lunch and dinner right on the boat. Have a good night on board !

     

  • Day 12 - Halong Bay - Hanoi departure (B)

    Early morning is the best moment to enjoy the aquamarine water of the bay. Wake up early and after a tea break, we take a quiet cruise through amazing caves and strangely shaped islands hidden in the fog of the bay. In the late morning, back to the harbour and disembark, then after a brunch you will transfer directly to Hanoi Airport for your onward flight. Meals on your own. Our services end here.

The price includes   The price excludes

• Accommodation in the category chosen or similar (subject to availability).

• Meals as mentioned in the program. B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner.

• All local boat rentals and cycling as mentioned in the program. Cruise on Non-private junk in Halong bay.

• Transfer from and to the airports by private vehicle with A/C. Transportation by private vehicle with A/C.

• All entrance fees and sightseeing as mentioned in the program.

• Local English speaking guide(s) in Vietnam.

 

• Meals and drinks are not mentioned in the program.

• International flight tickets and airport taxes. All internal/ regional flight tickets in economy class as mentioned.

• Visa fee upon arrival in Vietnam.

• Tips & personal expenses. Personal insurance. Any service not clearly mentioned in the program.

 

  • Classic
  • 11 days 10 nights
  • Popular
  • 4
  • 5
From: 890$

Simillar Tours

Related Blog Posts