Best of Vietnam

7 Days Private Hanoi – Halong Bay – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Day 01 Arrival in Hanoi
Today your flight will land at Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport (NBA). Our expert local guide will meet you at the airport, holding a TravelChinaGuide welcome sign on which your name is written. Then the guide and driver will transfer you to the hotel in the city center and help you with the check-in procedure. The rest of the day remains free for your leisure. On the way from the airport to the hotel, the guide will provide you some information on Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.

Day02 Hanoi
Today you will spend the whole day exploring the highlights of Hanoi. First we come to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum Complex in Ba Dinh square. President Ho Chi Minh was the revolution leader in Vietnam. He led the Vietnamese people in the revolution, and finally achieved freedom and liberation of the nation. So he was the founder of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. In the mausoleum, his remains have been well kept for people to commemorate and pay respects. Then we continue by visiting Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House on the northwest side of the square. On the left side of the mausoleum is a grand three-story yellow building. It is the Presidential Palace built more than one hundred years ago. This French colonial building witnessed many historically important events. Our guide will then take you to visit the One Pillar Pagoda and Temple of Literature.

After lunch, we will visit the Museum of Ethnology, which exhibits the diverse cultural arts and folklore of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups. One can fully experience Vietnam’s culture and understand more about the people’s life by viewing many kinds of articles for daily use and life-size models and structures. Then we will go to explore the Old Quarter, a must-see destination for all tourists. Although it is a bit noisy with motorcycles as the main mode of transportation, it is full of local color. Cafes, bars, restaurants and shops can be found everywhere. Today’s dinner is on your own, so you may want to taste some local food here. After that, we will transfer you to watch a traditional Water Puppet Show, a quintessential part of Vietnam with a thousand year history.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day03 Hanoi – Halong Bay
After breakfast, we will leave for Halong Bay, so please check out of the hotel and take all your belongings. It takes about 3 to 4 hours for the whole journey. Upon arriving at the pier, we will board the Indochina Sails cruise. The expected boarding time is at 12:15 pm. After checking in, you can take a short break at your cabin. Then the cruise will gather all clients together in the dining room to give a boat and safety briefing and itinerary introductions. At the same time, you will be greeted with a welcome drink. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Halong Bay is reputed to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Therefore, the highlight of your trip is coming as you set sail.

Lunch is served at 13:00 on the cruise. It is a nice combination of a Vietnamese and an international set menu. The cruise will first sail through Bai Tu Long Bay, where you will have a shore excursion to visit Cua Van Fishing Village. There are optional activities of kayaking through the village or taking a small bamboo boat to visit the village. Return to the cruise ship and continue sailing. You have some free time to relax. After that, there is a cooking class held on board. All guests are welcome to join in and learn to cook some traditional Vietnamese food.

Dinner is served at 19:30. It is a rich buffet dinner. Guests can take time to enjoy it. After dinner, you can choose to relax by yourself or attend some activities held on board. If you feel tired, a massage service is available at any time.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Indochina Sails  – Superior Cabin

Day04 Halong Bay – Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh(Saigon)
In the early morning, Tai Chi lessons will be held on the sundeck. If you are interested, you may get up early to join in. At about 07:45, we will disembark for a walking tour excursion. Free time is available for you to relax on the beach or take a swim. After that, return to the cruise ship and enjoy a big brunch. Pack your luggage and check out at about 11:00. Our guide will meet you on board and transfer you to Hanoi Noi Bai Airport, where you will take a flight to Saigon. On arriving, our guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals: Brunch

Day05 Ho Chi Minh City Tour
Ho Chi Minh city, also named Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam. Today you will start to explore this ancient but modern city. The Thien Hau Temple is your first stop. It is a Chinese Buddhist temple with over two hundred years of history. It is one of the grandest and oldest historical heritage sites with cultural value. Then we will go to the famous Binh Tay Market, a large market with all kinds of goods: food, clothing, souvenirs and much more for retail and wholesale. Lunch is served. In the afternoon, we come to the War Remnants Museum to visit many objects left by the wars and to read some war history, from which one can fully experience the cruelty of the wars. This museum is well worth being explored, so we will leave you plenty of time. After that, we continue the tour to the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace, and its nearby attractions, including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, the Opera House and Ho Chi Minh City Hall.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day06 Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta Day Trip
Today you have a chance to experience the famous floating market of Vietnam. Cai Be is one of the three largest floating markets in the Mekong Delta. We will get up early this morning. After breakfast, we head to Cai Be. You will take a boat to start your tour. On both sides, you will see many local people selling all kinds of fresh fruits, vegetables and other items from their barges. This is a very traditional way for them to do business. It is also a good opportunity for you to get close to the local people’s life. You will also visit the local orchards and workshops. Lunch is served with delicious food at a local restaurant. After lunch, we will travel further into the countryside via traditional rowboat and see peasants planting fruits and vegetables in their farmland. At about 15:00, we arrive at Vinh Long. After walking through the Vinh Long market, you will get to the dock, where our driver is waiting to transfer you back to Ho Chi Minh city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day07 Departure from Ho Chi Minh city
This is the last day of your Vietnam trip. We know that you will have many beautiful memories of Vietnam. If your flight is late in the afternoon, you still have some free time to do some shopping or to see more of this city. Our guide and driver will meet you at your hotel lobby at the appointed time according to your flight schedule and transfer you to the airport for your onward journey or flight back home.

Meals: breakfast