Vietnam Highlights Tour – 9 Days 8 Nights

You’ll receive a warm welcome to Vietnam’s financial hub of Saigon. Arrive in the late morning and enjoy a fantastic tour through Saigon’s busy streets as you are taken to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure to recover from the inevitable jet lag, or even explore the city on your own!

After breakfast, a one and half hour drive takes you to a slice of darker, slightly violent history behind this fantastic country; the Cu Chi tunnel. A massive complex of over 200km of tunnels which allowed the notorious Vietcong troops to live, flank and outmaneuver their American opponents during the Vietnam War. All in time for a great lunch back in Ho Chi Minh City. Following this, a short sightseeing tour of Ho Chi Minh City awaits, taking you to several fantastic attractions, including: The War Museum, The Hundred Years Red Cathedral, The Old Post Office and The People’s Committee Hall. Enjoy a great piece of Vietnamese cuisine on the Saigon River, accented by a show entertainment to finish off your busy day.

The Mekong Delta awaits, a day trip atop the waters on your way to explore the rich culture and panoramic landscapes. Your guide will meet you at your hotel and take you to Cai Be where your cruise will begin. You’ll witness the locals conducting their business among the floating markets. Take a walk through some local workshops just in time for a delicious lunch in the cool shade of An Binh Island’s orchards. And by the afternoon, you’ll be taken by rowboat deeper into the countryside, through the iconic narrow canals and natural, tranquil surrounding landscapes. The cruise will conclude at Vinh Long mid afternoon. As such, your driver will be on hand to take you back to Saigon.

After a great breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport to get on your way to the next leg of your journey. Your driver will meet you right there at the airport to bring you on the short drive to the lovely riverside, Hoi An. A half day among the narrow streets and ancient quarter awaits, heading to the Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Hall, Tam Ky ancestral house and the famous Japanese Bridge. And that’s not all. You’ll be rounding off a beautiful sunset atop the waves of a cruise down the river, enjoying the cool breeze and the twilight in one of the most beautiful cities in the nation.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before check-out. From here, it’s a panoramic and photo-rich drive over the 500m-high Hai Van pass on your way to Hue. You’ll have a good break in the tip to indulge in the scenic Lang Co Beach for a drink and a breath of fresh air. The afternoon shall be spent on an enriching walking tour through the city and all the sights it offers, such as the Royal Citadel, the Imperial Museum and the Mausoleum of King Tu Duc.

You’ll be hitting the waves once again, with a private boat cruise down the romantic Perfume River to visit the Lady Pagoda. Then it’s onto Dong Ba Market for the chance to grab some memorable souvenirs. Though you’ll need to head onto the next leg of your journey, a trip to the capital city… orchestrated by a drive to Phu Bai Airport to catch your short flight. Upon arrival in Hanoi, your English speaking tour guide will transfer you to your comfortable hotel in the city centre. From there, you’ll be free for the rest of the day to explore at your leisure! Make sure you spend it well!

Now that you’re here in the enigmatic capital, with its great sunshine, tree-lined streets and boulevards and exciting mix of Viet-Franco architecture, it’s time for a tour! Your tour will take you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Ho Chi Minh Complex, the Presidential Palace, Temple of Literature and the West Lake. When it hits the afternoon, you’ll enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique staple of cultural art that stems from the Ly Dynasty, almost a millennia ago. A water puppet show depicts the daily activities in Vietnamese rural life and is a great attraction for any tourist. Each water puppet is hand-carved and given five layers of lacquer paint to protect the puppets from the water and to add vital colors to the performance.

Enjoy a great breakfast at your hotel, because you’ve got quite the breathtaking day ahead of you atop the waves of Halong Bay! It’s capable of being the eighth wonder of the world, and it’s all for you to see onboard a traditional junk and 24 hours on the water.

You will arrive at the dock around noon and board your assigned junk, just in time for a scrumptious gourmet lunch of fresh seafood as you head out into the mystical bay. Your cruise will take you around some of Halong’s many islands, as well as take you on a tour of one of the largest caves in the area. If the weather holds up, you will even stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach which you might be lucky enough to take a long and invigorating swim in before sundown. And if that tires you out, you can pass the night on your junk in your own private cabin with the waves to calm the senses.

For those of you interested in martial arts, you can indulge in a spot of Tai Chi on the top deck or simply kick back and shoot the breeze to a majestic sunrise over the bay, cup of tea or coffee in hand. And to top off the cruise, you will take a trip by rowing boat to some of the neighbouring islands, returning just in time for a nutritious brunch. From here, it’s using the sundeck as your own personal front row seat of the amazing islands on your way back to the docks.

Though it is here where we will to sadly part ways with you. But it need not be goodbye, once your driver meets you at the dock to take you to Noi Bai International Airport to catch your departure flight home. We know you’ll be back soon, and we really hope you book with us again soon!