Journey Through Vietnam
Vietnam - 14 Days
Private Journeys
Journey Details and Highlights
Journey Through Vietnam
Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi
Arrive early at Noi Bai Airport and transfer to your hotel (early check-in not included). Discover Hanoi, a city rich in history where traditional Vietnamese culture blends seamlessly with French colonial architecture, evident in elegant villas, tree-lined boulevards, and lively coffee houses. Enjoy a full-day sightseeing tour including Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (morning visits only; closed Mondays, Fridays, and annually mid-June to mid-August), the One-Pillar Pagoda, the Museum of Ethnology (closed Mondays), the Temple of Literature, and the Old Quarter. The tour concludes with a one-hour pedicab ride through the city center. In the evening, attend a traditional Water Puppet Show, a distinctive art form originating in the Ly Dynasty, featuring skillfully controlled puppets performing on water.
Overnight in HanoiDay 2: Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hanoi (B)
Travel south to Ninh Binh, approximately 100km from Hanoi, an area celebrated for dramatic limestone landscapes and cultural heritage. Visit Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s 10th-century capital, often referred to as the “inland Halong Bay.” Explore temples dedicated to King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh before enjoying a peaceful sampan cruise through rice fields and limestone grottoes adorned with impressive stalactites. Continue to Bich Dong Pagoda, a 17th-century cave pagoda built into a mountainside. Return to Hanoi in the late afternoon.
Overnight in HanoiDay 3: Hanoi - Halong (B, L)
Journey to Halong Bay, about 170km from Hanoi, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site famed for its emerald waters and nearly 2,000 limestone islets. Enjoy a six-hour cruise through the bay, visiting two limestone caves filled with striking stalactites and stalagmites. A fresh seafood lunch is served on board as you take in the serene scenery. After the cruise, transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Halong.
Overnight in HalongDay 4: Halong - Hanoi - Hue (B)
After breakfast, transfer to Noi Bai Airport for your flight to Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam under the Nguyen Dynasty. Upon arrival, begin sightseeing with a visit to a traditional garden house, showcasing a wooden home set amid lush greenery. Continue with a 40-minute Dragon Boat cruise along the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue’s most iconic religious site. Admire the seven-storey Phuoc Duyen Tower and the tranquil monastic area behind it.
Overnight in HueDay 5: Hue (B)
Start the day at Dong Ba Market before visiting the Imperial Citadel, completed in 1833 and once home to Nguyen Dynasty emperors. Explore key structures including Thai Hoa Palace and surrounding ceremonial halls. Experience local life during a one-hour pedicab ride within the citadel area. In the afternoon, visit the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, set within a peaceful pine forest and renowned for its refined royal architecture. Continue to the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh, notable for its fusion of Vietnamese and European design elements.
Overnight in HueDay 6: Hue - Hoi An (B)
Travel south to Hoi An via the scenic Hai Van Pass, offering sweeping views of mountains, clouds, and coastline. Upon arrival, enjoy a walking tour beginning at the Museum of Folk Culture, followed by the local market and the Fujien Chinese Assembly Hall, built in 1697. Wander through lantern-lit streets lined with historic houses converted into shops, then visit the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, constructed in the early 17th century. Conclude with a visit to a preserved old house in this UNESCO-listed town.
Overnight in Hoi AnDay 7: Hoi An - Dalat (B)
Transfer to Danang Airport for your flight to Dalat. Upon arrival, visit the Bao Dai Summer Palace, the third residence of Vietnam’s last emperor. Built between 1933 and 1938 in Art Deco style, the palace sits atop a hill surrounded by pine forest. Explore its well-preserved interiors, including royal living quarters, family portraits, and historic furnishings.
Overnight in DalatDay 8: Dalat (B, L)
Discover Dalat’s countryside, known for its cool climate, fertile land, and agricultural diversity. Travel along scenic mountain roads to Nam Ban, visiting local farms including a seasonal cricket farm, where traditional snacks and local rice wine are produced. Continue to a silk worm factory and a coffee plantation that also distills rice vodka. After lunch, visit an organic flower farm before ending the day at Elephant Waterfall. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon.
Overnight in DalatDay 9: Dalat - Saigon (B)
Travel overland to Ho Chi Minh City, passing rubber plantations, pine forests, and extinct volcanic landscapes along the way. The remainder of the day is free at leisure.
Overnight in SaigonDay 10: Saigon (B)
Travel to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See, the spiritual center of the Cao Dai religion. Admire its colorful architecture blending Asian and European influences, and attend the midday prayer ceremony. Continue to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an extensive underground network used during the Vietnam War for shelter, supply routes, and living quarters. Explore a section of the tunnels before returning to Saigon.
Overnight in SaigonDay 11: Saigon - My Tho - Can Tho (B)
Depart for My Tho in the Mekong Delta. Enjoy a river cruise with visits to local homes, fruit orchards, and palm-lined canals by sampan. Sample seasonal fruits, honey tea, and enjoy traditional southern folk music. Continue by road to Can Tho, the heart of the Mekong Delta.
Overnight in Can ThoDay 12: Can Tho - Saigon (B)
Visit the Cai Rang Floating Market early in the morning, where boats trade fruits and vegetables displayed on tall poles. Experience the lively atmosphere of this wholesale market before returning to Saigon.
Overnight in SaigonDay 13: Departure (B)
Enjoy a city tour of Ho Chi Minh City featuring the former Presidential Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Post Office, Dong Khoi Street, Opera House, City Hall, and the History Museum. Free time for last-minute shopping before transferring to Tan Son Nhat Airport for departure (late check-out not included).
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Included Services
All described sightseeing as in program above
Transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle
Accommodation in hotels with daily breakfast
English-speaking local guides
Domestic flights HAN-HUI and DAD – DLI
Admission fees to indicated sights
Meals mentioned in the itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
Domestic gov’t tax and service charge
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Excluded Services
International air tickets
Flights & visa fees
Travel Insurance in all kinds
Meals not mentioned in itinerary
Compulsory Meals
Drinks during Meals
Tip, drinks, any personal expenses
Early check-in and late check-out
Peak season surcharges
Compulsory meals on 24 and 31 Dec
