Wow Vietnam

Today you will be met by your guide and taken on a private tour through the city’s skyscrapers and to a glistening lake, highlighting the past that has created Hanoi’s mesmerizing present. Beginning at the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (outside only) to pay respects to Uncle Ho and learn about his incredible life. The adjoining Presidential Gardens and One Pillar Pagoda are the next stops on the tour. You can then choose two places from the Temple of Literature, the Fine Arts Museum, Hoa Lo Prison, the Military Museum, and the Ethnology Museum. After lunch, you will pay a visit to a local coffee shop called Hidden Gem Coffee Shop to learn how to recycle things from unused or second-hand items. Located on a small valley off Hang Tre – Hanoi Old Quarter, 95 percent of the items here have been recycled. Discarded wheels, singer sewing machines, and plastic items have been turned into interior decorations. This activity aims to protect the environment. A cup of traditional Vietnamese coffee, especially coffee with eggs, is highly recommended there. 

In the late afternoon, you start your walking tour at Hanoi’s largest covered market, Dong Xuan. Along the market’s perimeter, dozens of street hawkers sell a staggering variety of produce from live seafood to exotic fruits and spices. Your expert English-speaking local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture including details on the ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes. Step out of the market and back onto the streets in search of more daily snacks which are displayed along the roadside. Stop to taste a piece of fresh spring roll or a crispy pancake before wandering through narrow streets to the corner with the full flavor of bun cha, fresh rice noodles with grilled pork. Continue to savor the Vietnamese dessert with traditional sweet cakes made from some kind of local herb or a little cup of fresh fruit mixed with greasy coconut milk. With a better understanding of Hanoi street food, return to the hotel. Overnight in Hanoi. 

After breakfast, you depart for Sapa, following the Noi Bai – Lao Cai Highway. You will have a chance to contemplate the beauty of the northwest mountains in that terraced fields are sparkling in sunlight or dim in thick fog. Take a quick break for 30 minutes before continuing on your journey to Sapa. You are dropped off in the lobby of your selected hotel at noon.

The highest point in Vietnam, Tram Ton Pass, is reached after a 40-minute journey. From there, you will enjoy stunning views of the highlands and verdant forests of Hoang Lien National Park. You must then make a 30-minute jungle journey from there. There are numerous opportunities to see wildflowers along the road. Trekking along the stream, you will arrive at the Love Waterfall. It is the best place for relaxing in Sapa. Then return to Tram Ton and drive back to Sapa. Overnight in Sapa.

This morning, you leave Sapa for a 30-minute, winding road transfer to Ban Khoang Valley. Along the journey, soak in the stunning panorama of the Tonkinese Alps, also known as the Hoang Lien Mountain Range. As you get closer to Ban Khoang village, you can see the picturesque view of the valley from above. Take some great photos of this impressive and beautiful landscape. Then, stop for an easy walk to visit a village of the Red Dao ethnic at Ban Khoang. The local women there are very skilled in making their embroidery and their beautiful traditional costumes. After hundreds of years in the mountains, the people here still maintain their culture of farming rice with buffaloes and maintaining a self-sufficient system. Depart from Ban Khoang Valley for an 8-km road transfer to Ta Giang Phinh Valley and enjoy a local lunch there. Take a relaxing walk in the picturesque Ta Giang Phinh Valley this afternoon. Take a stroll down the village route that meanders through the stunning valley, which is home to the Blue Hmong ethnic minority. Visit some local houses to see some handicraft workshops and observe villagers working in the fields tending their crops with buffalos. Transfer back to Sapa town in the late afternoon; the rest of the afternoon and evening are free. Overnight in Sapa.

Note: Good hiking shoes are highly recommended. The detailed itinerary can be changed slightly depending on weather conditions.

Early morning, depart with the guide for a half-day trekking tour to Hang Da and Sau Chua Villages, just about 8 km east of Sapa, where the Black Hmong people have been living their traditional and unique way of life despite the recent changes and effects caused by the fast development and tourism boom in Sapa town. Enjoy walking with the guide along the quiet, narrow pathways through the countryside and past the scattered, modest houses of the Black Hmong people. Please note that the trekking route can be adjusted depending on energy levels, fitness, and weather conditions. Return to the hotel to check out by noon, and then there is some time to spend at leisure for lunch and a last-minute exploration of Sapa town. By mid-afternoon, you will drive back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

One of Vietnam's most symbolic images is the landscape of Halong Bay, where thousands of limestone islands protrude bizarrely from the emerald sea. To experience this beautiful Halong Bay, taking an overnight cruise is the best idea.  

9:00 Our driver will meet you in the hotel lobby. Today, our driver will send you to Halong Bay for an amazing 2D1N cruise trip.

12.15 Boarding our boat at Tuan Chau Port – enjoy a welcome drink, receive a cruise briefing, and receive safety instructions.

13.15 – 14.00 Tourists enjoy the sumptuous Vietnamese set-menu lunch. Massage service is available after lunch and throughout the cruise. Please book in advance with your Cruise Manager.

14.00 – 16.00 Take a cruise through Halong Bay and see some of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the areas such as Incense Burner, Dog Stone Islet, Fighting Cock, and Finger Islet.

16.00 Arrive at Surprise Cave, one of Halong Bay's largest and most magnificent grottoes. The mouth of the grotto is reached by ascending about a hundred stone steps.

17.30 Depart, then sail for approximately 30 minutes, anchor overnight.

18.30 – 19.00 Attend our Head Chef's Fruit and Vegetable Carving Lesson. The chef will demonstrate fruit and vegetable carving as part of the session, showing the visitors how to prepare and decorate some traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

19.30 Dinner is served.

20.45 Evening activities. There are also massage services and board games like cards or Parcheesi offered (massage service is available throughout the cruise). On the boat, everyone is also welcome to try their luck at squid fishing with assistance from the crew.

21.00 – 23.00 Happy Hour! Buy one beverage, get one free (wine by the bottle excluded).

23.00 End of Program for Day 1. Overnight on board in Ha Long Bay.

Note: Each cruise operates a different itinerary, and onboard facilities may vary. Our travel consultant will be very happy to discuss each option with you

06.30 Coffee, tea, and breakfast pastries are served in the dining room.

06.45 Participate in a Tai Chi class on the sundeck (lasting about 30 minutes).

07.45 – 09.00 Tourists are transported by tender to Titov Island. On the island, visitors spend about an hour, with enough time to ascend to the peak for a stunning 360-degree panorama of the bay (there is also an expansive viewing deck halfway up). There is still time to unwind on the beach and go swimming after the ascent.

09.00 Tourists will have 30 minutes to get ready and complete packing once they return to the boat. Please get all of your things out of the cabins and leave large bags outside the cabins. The staff will take the bags straight to the pier.

09.30 Enjoy a hearty breakfast. Bills are paid after breakfast as we approach the pier, chilling on the sundeck or in the dining room while enjoying the bay's beauty.

11.00 Arrive at Tuan Chau Port, our private driver is waiting for you at the dock to send you back to Noi Bai Airport. Today, you will make your flight to Da Nang or Hoi An. As soon as you land at the airport, a driver will pick you up and take you to your cozy accommodations. Overnight in Hoi An.

At 8:00, our guide will see you in the lobby for an orientation walk in Hoi An ancient town. Step through the fluctuation of narrow and wide cobblestone streets to find the Tan Ky House that has been preserved for two centuries by seven generations; walk to the Sa Huynh Museum to see the exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history; visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, one of the most famous landmarks constructed in the late 16th century. After walking, you will participate in a lantern-making class and learn how to make a colored lantern to bring back home as a souvenir. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before coming back to the hotel to rest. Free afternoon at your leisure. Overnight in Hoi An.

At 8 a.m., the tour starts by cycling along level ground to the Thu Bon River to visit a local fishing village.

Ride along country lanes at a peaceful pace, viewing local life and pausing to see farmers toiling in their rice fields using centuries of farming practices. Peddle your way through palm forests, bridges, and fields of water buffalo. Take a short break with a local family at Cam Thanh Village before enjoying a 1.5-hour ride on a Traditional Wooden Boat in the Water Coconut Palm Forest. Learn to sail the basket boat, then spend your time in the Canal capturing fish and "purple crabs." Continue to ride our bikes to Tra Que Organic Vegetable Village where a large variety of vegetables are produced for the local community. In the village, you will be shown the environmentally sustainable practices the local villagers have used for centuries and are still being used extensively. Take part in a Hoi An-style cooking session before sitting down to a sumptuous lunch. After lunch, we cycle back to the hotel, and the afternoon is free at your leisure. Overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast, you will be collected by your private guide and transferred in a private vehicle (approximately 4 hours) to the Royal City of Hue. 

You will stop to visit Marble Mountain, Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village, and My Khe Beach, home to American Gls during the war. Then, you are driven over the Hai Van Pass. It is the highest and most beautiful pass in Vietnam (about 500 meters above sea level), and there are some amazing views and great photo opportunities from the top. Arrive in Hue after midday and have lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, you will go on a tour to visit Hue, the imperial city. Our adventures continue at the Hue Citadel for exploration of the Imperial Capital. You will wander around the mysterious, ancient Citadel that dates back centuries, contains the historic Imperial Palace. Your day comes to an end at the royal tomb of Khai Dinh King. The tomb was designed in traditional Vietnamese style with a European touch, making it unique from the other tombs in Hue. Overnight in Hue.

In the morning, your professional guide-rider will pick you up from your hotel and ride to Thanh Toan 300-year-old bridge in the countryside of Hue. You have the chance to visit a village market where people buy and sell their fresh produce and learn about a farming technique that has been passed down for generations in a farmer’s family. The ride continues to take us through small alleys and backstreets to one of the oldest pagodas in Hue before taking us to incent and conical hat village. Later in our trip today, you’ll hop off the bike for a short walk to the old war bunkers on top of a hill to have a panoramic view of the Perfume River. After our tour, we'll enjoy a wonderful lunch at a restaurant on a quaint riverbank with the best local cuisine.

After the tour, you are transferred to Phu Bai airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s commercial capital. You are met at the airport by your private transfer and taken to your selected accommodation, located within the center of the city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast, your private tour guide and driver will take you to the wartime legacy of the Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by the Vietnamese resistance fighters during the long struggle for independence. The Viet Cong's victory over the Americans was greatly aided by their ability to take control of a vast rural area surrounding HCM City thanks to their enormous network of tunnels. You will watch a brief introductory video at the Cu Chi Tunnels, followed by a walk through the reserve. Crawl inside the Cu Chi Tunnels, and we'll show you how awful life must have been and explore the three beneath-ground levels. A terrifying display of the traps and weapons used against the American GIs will also be on display. Return to the city center for lunch after visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels.

In the afternoon, you start the city tour to explore the great architecture in one of our largest cities in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City's architecture is a beautiful fusion of French colonial mansions and contemporary steel and glass monuments, representing Vietnam's historical background. The most popular tourist attractions were built when Saigon, the "Pearl of Indochina," served as the nation's capital. Since then, more artifacts have been added to the cultural heritage, and the future of modern architecture seems promising. Our guide would be more than happy to bring you to the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Reunification Palace. If time permits, you also visit the Saigon Opera House, Saigon’s city hall. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

The Mekong Delta, known as "the rice bowl of Vietnam," is crucial to Vietnamese agriculture. As the mighty Mekong River approaches the coast at the end of its journey from China, it begins to spread out into myriad tributaries that bring life to the whole region. Explore these big and small tributaries, and witness a life lived almost entirely on water!

08:00 The journey to Ben Tre begins with a pick-up at the hotel and departs from the busiest city. after you reach Ham Luong Pier (Ben Tre town). Take a boat on Ben Tre River – one of the tributaries of the Mekong River, sightseeing lively activities along the river, such as fishing, water transferring… Visit the brickwork area to learn how to print and bake bricks in the practical traditional method. Visit one of the workshops along the canal that processes coconuts. To reach the village, turn on the natural scissors creeks, which appear to be getting smaller and smaller. Take a walk to the family workshop to make sleep mats and enjoy some fruits and tea. To experience real life and learn about tropical culture from Peasants, take a biking trip (or xe loi) on shady paths, passing through green rice fields and vegetable plains. Lunch at a neighborhood restaurant. Take a rowing boat down Water Palm Creek in the afternoon and return to Hung Vuong Pier. Disembark and return to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

The morning is at your leisure, allowing you to venture back into the city for one last visit to the Old City. You'll soon arrive at the airport and be prepared for your flight back home thanks to your private transfer.