Vietnam Essential 10 days - Small Group Tour

Upon your arrival in the bustling Ho Chi Minh City, still called “Saigon” by many locals, your guide will welcome you at the airport and then transfer you to your hotel for check-in. Your room is at your disposal.

Check-in time at the hotel is at 2:00 pm, and in case that you would like to secure an early check-in, an additional charge will be applied.

Optional: We introduce the one-of-a-kind traditional performances which are found nowhere else than in Vietnam: Water Puppet Show where puppets are performed on water stage with folk music, presenting ancient tales, folklores, and daily life in the Vietnamese countryside. If you're interested in the shows, please contact our travel consultants to book.

Note: Please be advised that both international and domestic might be crowded sometimes during the day, so in case that you arrive and cannot find our representatives, please be presented at Pole No.10 (Outside the Terminal gate) and contact us, so we could easily search for you.

08.00: Pick up at your hotel in Saigon and travel to Ben Tre Province.

The boat will cruise along the Ham Luong River (a branch of the Mekong) and stop off at various local workplaces to give you a picture of how the local economy works, including brickwork - where bricks are still painstakingly made by hand; a coconut processing workshop - where you can sample fresh coconut and see how every single part of this versatile nut is turned into food and other products; and a mat weaving house - where straw mats are woven using a handloom – you can even have a go at weaving yourself!

The boat will then stop at a quiet village where you can have a short walk to experience real Delta village life, before boarding your 'xe loi' (a kind of motorized rickshaw) and traveling into the forest where you can visit fruit orchards before stopping at a riverside restaurant for a delicious and filling lunch, featuring such local specialties as elephant-ear fish and river shrimp, washed down with some cold drinks or beers. It’s time to board a sampan boat for a relaxing trip along narrow canals.

Around 17:00 Back to your hotel in Saigon.

Meet our tour guide at the hotel’s lobby, and let’s start our journey to Cu Chi Tunnels, which is about 70km far from Ho Chi Minh City. The attraction is a collection of underground tunnels and construction, from hospitals, bedrooms to ammunition storage used by North Vietnam’s army during Civil War (1955 – 1975) as a military camp. 

Lunch is served at a local restaurant on the way we return to Ho Chi Minh City.

In the afternoon: Enjoy the attraction of Ho Chi Minh City. Sightseeing examples of French colonial architecture and exploring Vietnam’s turbulent past at the War Remnants Museum. Our guide will show you the most interesting sights that Ho Chi Minh City has to offer. Depart from your hotel to the Reunification Palace; this beautifully preserved palace was the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam. On April 30th, 1975 the American War officially came to an end here.

Afterward, we visit Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, which was built in 1880, and the Old Post Office, which was built sometime between 1886 and 1891. It is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture. Our last stop would be at a local market where you can practice your bargaining skills while shopping for souvenirs. Discover local life and culture. You’ll find some of the friendliest, liveliest, most convivial people in the city in here.

Back to your hotel and enjoy your free time before transferring to the airport in Ho Chi Minh for a flight to Da Nang.

Pick up at the airport in Da Nang then transfer to hotel in Hoi An for check-in

Hoi An is an old port town, which was founded with a mixture of different cultures from Vietnam to Japan, China, and Europe. Fortunately, most of the ancient constructions in this town have been conserved at unspoiled condition (although some of the buildings are now used for commercial purposes), so travelers will have a complete understanding of the history and diversity in the culture of this historic place. Our half-day excursion is simply walking.

We will wander along old streets, cross several old houses; see how the daily lives of local people are, and witness how historical elements of the town merge with modernity. We will also visit some of the ancient monuments from other nations, like the Japanese Covered Bridge or Fujian Assembly Hall of the Chinese. And after some walking, a cold glass of traditional herbal drink from a street-side shop is the best way to refresh and enjoy the true taste of Hoi An on your tongue.

If we have enough time, we will also pass by a handicraft store, at which you could directly see the creation of the most notable souvenirs in town, and take some of them back to your hometown.

Enjoy a free day in the world heritage listed Hoi An. You may like to wander the Central Market and the street stalls selling paintings, woodwork, ceramics, lanterns, and much more. Hoi An is also famous for its talented tailors who can make beautiful items to order within a few hours. For those still feeling adventurous, why not hire a bicycle and tour the surrounding countryside? Other optional activities include a day trip to My Son Cham (elaborate World Heritage-listed temples that reflect the rich cultural traditions of the Cham civilization), a cruise along the Thu Bon River, and a trip to the nearby Cua Dai Beach. 

Optional: We introduce some ways to explore the beauty of Hoi An. You can choose one of the below options:

• Option 1: Discover My Son Holly Land Half day: My Son Sanctuary - a collection of Champa ruins nestled amongst the mountains in a geological basin of the Quang Nam province. Price from $ US50/ person
• Option 2: Life as a Farmer in Cam Thanh village: Join the farmers in preparing and fertilizing the land. Get to know the villagers’ daily working routines, like raking the ground, sowing, watering, and picking greens, and many more gardening activities. Price from $ US70/ person
• Option 3: Hoi An Vespa Tour Price from $ US80/ person

Transfer to the Da Nang airport to take a flight to Hanoi.

Upon arrival, our driver will wait and transfer you to the hotel in the center of the city. Check-in hotel and free at leisure to relax.

Morning or afternoon departure depends on availability.

Half-day Hanoi city tour (by car or by motorbike – upon client’s interest) - Routes can change subject to the client’s interest.

Begin the first day of the trip with a tour of Hanoi. Depart from the hotel for a visit to Vietnam’s first university: the Temple of Literature. Founded in 1076, Quoc Tu Giam was established within a temple to educate Vietnam's royalty, mandarins, and members of the elite.

Continue with a visit to the iconic One Pillar Pagoda, one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples. Nearby is the Mausoleum of the historic father figure of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, and his modest house on stilts. (Sites are viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Jun - Aug)

Visit the picturesque West Lake and its sixth-century Tran Quoc Buddhist Pagoda. Tran Quoc Pagoda is regarded as the most ancient pagoda in Hanoi with its history line of more than 1,500 years.

After visiting, you will have a meal at an authentic Vietnamese Restaurant. Free time at leisure for rest of the day.

After breakfast at the hotel, the driver picks up and transfer to Halong Bay, listed as a World Heritage of outstanding natural beauty, known in Vietnamese as “Dragon descending to the sea”.

Upon arrival, the boat crew welcomes you and check-in then enjoy a cruise in Halong Bay with a delicious local seafood lunch served on board. You can also behold thousands of limestone islands and grottoes rising from the clear, emerald water.

Following the break, depending on each cruise’s itinerary of the day, you’ll join some activities on the boat to discover the beauty of the bay such as visiting a cave, doing kayaking, or enjoying swimming in the sea before getting back to the junk for relaxing and dining. Overnight on board.

You might start your 2nd day in Halong with an early tai-chi class, or simply wake up and witness the amazing sunrise on the bay. After breakfast, the cruise takes you to explore the most stunning caves in Halong.

The early lunch will be served on the way to getting back to the main dock for transferring to Hanoi.

You will have free time for visiting Hanoi Old Quarter and try Vietnamese street food by yourself.

Free at your leisure in the morning.

You room is available until 12:00. Our driver will transfer you to the airport to take your departure flight. End services. Hope to serve you again!