Vietnam Tours | Culture Tours

Discover Vietnam in Style 10 days
Trip Code: VCDV10D

Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An & Danang, Nha Trang - Hanoi

Travel the length of Vietnam on this 10-day tour, stopping in Ho Chi Minh City (in the south), Hanoi (in the north), and the beaches and small towns of the central coast in between. Begin in dynamic HCMC (formerly Saigon) , the country's commercial center and home to a growing number of upscale restaurants and shops. Visit Chinatown, the Thien Hau Pagoda, the Reunification Palace, the Opera House and Hotel de Ville. If desired, also visit the powerful War Remnants Museum. Explore colorful outdoor markets and Dong Khoi Street, the city's upscale shopping boulevard with fashionable boutiques and accessories designed by contemporary Vietnamese designers, hilltribe crafts, high quality linens and housewares. Try HCMC's strong Vietnamese iced coffee and a banh mi (baguette sandwich). Take a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels and watch an eccentric religious ceremony at the main temple of Cao Daism , a unique fusion of world religions, in Tay Ninh. Alternatively, spend the day cruising the narrow canals of the Mekong Delta .

Next, fly to the resort town of Nha Trang to spend several days in a seaside hotel/resort overlooking beautiful Nha Trang Bay at the Evason Hideaway Resort at Ana Mandara. Snorkel or dive among the coral reefs in crystal blue waters, hike nature trails, cool off in your private plunge pool, indulge in spa treatments or just relax on the white sand beach and admire the unspoiled mountain and sea views.

Fly to the charming town of Hoi An, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site and rive town crammed with historic homes, tiny museums, cafes, and bustling silk and fish markets. Nearby, see ancient sculpture in the Cham Museum, and tour Buddhist cave temples in the Marble Mountains. Opt to stay at a luxury beach resort in nearby Danang, or a boutique riverside hotel in the heart of Hoi An.

Wrap up in Hanoi, Vietnam's artistic and intellectual capital. Explore the fascinating Old Quarter and its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquerware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, ride a cyclo to dinner, and watch the performance at the Thang Long Puppet Theater. Dine in a French colonial villa converted into a gourmet restaurant. Enjoy people watching at stylish cafes. Shop for impressive modern art in the city's numerous galleries. Also visit Hanoi's main cultural attractions, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Fine Arts Museum and the Temple of Literature.

Day 1 Arrive HCMC (D).

Arrival transfer to hotel for two-night stay. Afternoon private city touring of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon), is the largest and busiest city in Vietnam with a population of 7 million people. Much of the daily life takes place on the streets, which are lined with shops, stalls and vendors with their wares spread out on the footpath. Don't miss the bustling Ben Thanh Market - a fantastic place for bargains of every kind! There are several interesting sights in HCMC.

The War Remnants Museum has a wealth of images from the wars, the most moving being a gallery entitled 'Requiem' which is dedicated to Vietnamese and foreign journalists and photographers who perished during the French and American conflicts.

The Reunification Palace was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975 when the North Vietnamese tanks came crashing through the front gates, bringing the U.S.-Vietnam War to a dramatic end. Close to the Palace some of the best examples of French colonial architecture are represented in the forms of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office.

Notre Dame Cathedral was built between 1877 and 1883 and the stone used to create it was exported in its entirety from France . Next to the cathedral stands the Central Post Office, finished in 1891. It is another fine example of French architecture and is Vietnam 's largest post office. For all its French colonial history though, Ho Chi Minh City is by far and away Vietnam 's most modern city. It has numerous shopping malls, cinemas, discotheques and a bewildering number of bars.

Overnight in HCMC.

Day 2 Mekong Delta Excursion (B/L/-).

The Mekong Delta is the southernmost region of Vietnam . It is often referred to as the rice bowl of Vietnam as it produces three crops of rice per year. The fertile Mekong Delta is also famous for its tropical fruits and flowers.

The Delta area marks the end of a 4,500 km journey made by the Mekong River after having traveled through six countries. Traditional transportation in the Delta is by boat along a vast network of canals and channels. Boating along these canals and visiting the floating markets always proves to be a fascinating and rewarding experience for all visitors.

Leave HCMC to lush My Tho where we cruise on a private boat through the green vegetation of the canals to an orchard, where we are treated to a delicious lunch in a bonsai garden in the heart of the Mekong , complete with tropical fruits. We also visit the snake farm Dong Tam that breeds snakes for, among other things, snake wine and enjoy a bonsai garden in Trung Luong before heading back to HCMC.

Overnight in HCMC.

Tentatively You can visit Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temples .

Day 3, 4 and 5 HCMC - Nha Trang Beach Holidays (B/-/-)

This morning take flight to the resort town of Nha Trang to spend several days in a seaside hotel/Resort overlooking beautiful Nha Trang Bay . Snorkel or dive among the coral reefs in crystal blue waters, hike nature trails, cool off in your private plunge pool, indulge in spa treatments or just relax on the white sand beach and admire the unspoiled mountain and sea views.

Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 6 Nha Trang - Danang - Hoi An (B/L/-).

Transfer to airport and fly on Vietnam Airlines to Danang. Upon arrival at Danang you will be greeted by our guide who will begin by escorting you on a tour of Danang City , including the Cham Museum where you can find out more about this ancient but advanced civilization.

After leaving Danang we will make our way the short distance to the Marble Mountains , where there will be the opportunity to climb to the top and admire the temples that have a commanding view over the surrounding district. We will continue to the delightful town of Hoi An, approximately 30km away. Once in Hoi An we will check into our hotel and have some time to explore Hoian by foot. Hoi An is now one of fifth UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites in Vietnam.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 7 Hoi An - Da Nang - Hanoi (B/L/-).

Today, Hoi An is a quaint riverside town, popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailors shops, and numerous cafes. Some of the buildings in the narrow streets have remained unchanged for more than a century.

We enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200- year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge. Transfer and flight to Hanoi for three-night stay. Free timee, optional ride cyclo around the Old Quarter then go to dinner at a super restaurant in the French Quarter of Hanoi. In the evening enjoy a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show.

Overnight in Hanoi .

Day 8 Hanoi (B/L/-)

The colonial capital city Hanoi is a unique Asian city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and oriental pagodas and temples. This full day tour takes you around Hanoi's most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and his Stilts House, Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda nearby, and the Old Quarter also known as a shopper and photogapher's maze of 36 streets and craft guilds. Also on the tour - the Lake of the Restored Sword and Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, peaceful West Lake with lovers street Thanh Nien, the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple and one of the city's museums, either the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 9 Halong Bay Excursion (B/L/-).

You will be met atyour hotel at 8:00 am. We'll drive to Halong City , approximately 3 hours away. Once at Halong City you will board our private boat for a four-hour cruise of this stunning area, stopping along the way to visit one of the limestone caves in the area. As we cruise, our boat staff will serve you a sumptuous local seafood lunch on boat. After 4 hour navigation we sail back to harbor and drive back to your hotel in Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 10 Departure (B).

There are no activities planned for today. You enjoy your free time until transfer to airport for your onward flight.

Tour price includes:

•  All private transfer and transportation
•  Accommodation in twin share basis with daily breakfast
•  French or English Speaking Guide
•  Domestic flights: Hanoi/Hue & Danang/Saigon and airport taxes
•  Boat trip in Halong Bay
•  Meals as stated in the itinerary
•  Sightseeing tickets
•  Visa and visa fees
•  Services charges and government taxes

Tour price excludes:

•  International flights
•  International departures taxes
•  Personal expenses, tips and gratuities
•  Travel insurance
•  Meals and beverage

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