Vietnam Tours - Local Vietnam Tour Operator

Vietnam Classic Tour 20 Days - 19 Nights

Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (/D)
Our tour guide and driver will welcome you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel in Hanoi. Free at leisure for relax, welcome diner and overnight in a hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour – night train to Sapa (B/L/)
Depart at 8:00 am from your hotel by van. We will begin our day by visiting Uncle Ho, learning about his great life at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, and his residential place. Next stop is the nearby Temple of Literature. The site of Vietnam's first University, built in twelfth century, to teach Confucius's theory to royals. Here we will also have a chance to see a traditional music performance. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant for a taste of authentic Hanoi Pho (noodle soup). In the afternoon, choose one from the numerous museums or temples around Hanoi  (Museum of Ethnology, Women's Museum, History Museum or Quan Thanh Temple). In the late afternoon walk around Hoan Kiem lake and Hanoi's fascinating Old Quarter for some great fun, shopping, and street side traditional food, maybe to try one "hanoi bia". This is your chance to be part of typical Hanoian style and its traditional Vietnamese culture. We finish our relaxing but informative day by attending a Water Puppet Show, a favorite experience for all visitors to Vietnam. We can help you to get back to your hotel if you wish, but often our guests would rather just spend the evening enjoying a drink with a view of the city. Have dinner on your own until transfer you to the train station for the night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on the train.

Day 3: Lao Cai Train Station – Sapa – Cat Cat & Ta Phin Villages (B/L/)
Arrive at Lao Cai Train station at about 6:00. Have breakfast at a local restaurant. Drive about one hour to Sapa and relax before exploring Sapa Town. In the afternoon, take a 2km trek to Cat Cat Village, home of H’mong Ethnics. Meet & talk with locals to learn more about their daily life. Then continue the ride to Tafin village (12km from Sapa) home to the Red Dzao minority. Visit Tafin Cave, Tafin handicraft shops and explore the daily life of Red Dzao. Here you have good choice to buy woven and textile brocades, which are hand made by ethnic people. Visit a small hamlet of Black H'mong people here too. Go back to Sapa for overnight.
 

Day 04: Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van Villages (B/L/)
Breakfast at hotel . You’ll use a private car to visit Lao Chai village of Black H’mong people. Then trek about 3 km to visit Ta Van village of Dzay ethnic people. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 5: Sapa – Hill tribe Markets (B/L/)
Tuesday: Coc Ly Market
Wednesday: Cao Son Market
Saturday: Can Cau Market
Sunday: Muong Hum or Bac Ha Market

Day 6: Bac Ha – Ba Be Lake (B/L/D)

Have breakfast at the hotel, check out and drive a long way with beautiful mountainous landscapes to Babe lake. Diner and home stay in a Tay family.

Day 7: Discover Ba Be Lake by boat – Visiting Caves (B/L/D)
Wake up by the bird chirping, this will be the scarce moment of tranquility that we feel the isolation from the cities bustling and very close to nature. Breakfast then start discovering the subtle and imposing beauty of the area just on the local boat. We glide along the lakes, river and through the pretty cave to a powerful waterfall, the whole journey offers great natural scenery. After lunch at a food stall nearby the waterfall, we boat back into the tranquil Ba Be lakes for its majesty, great and so fresh swimming here. Trek after that through the ethnic minority villages back our home. Dinner then sleep the second night at the house on stilts.

Day 8: Ba Be Lake - Hanoi (B/L/)
In the morning, take the moment of fresh air in the village and the lake. Have breakfast leisurely before taking last walk into the park (A bike or motorbike ride alternatively is also a great fun). Do the check-out, say goodbye to the host and leave this small village for Hanoi  by 10.00 am. If we are lucky to be on Sunday, take a chance to visit kermis - a typical local market in highland areas. Take lunch on the way, we arrive at Hanoi by around 5.30 pm. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 9: Hanoi - Halong Bay Overnight on boat (B/L/D)
Arrival in Hanoi  in the early morning at round 5:00 am. Please find your way by foot back to a mini hotel near the Tran Quy Cap station gate to have shower and basic set menu breakfast. Depart, 8: 00 - 8:30 am on a shared van from your hotel to Halong  city. After 3.5 hours driving and viewing simple, country side, rice paddy life, we arrive at the at port. At 12.00, the junk crews welcome guests on board at Hon Gai Wharf. Check- in, enjoy welcome drink & cruise  briefing. Lunch with fresh local seafood while cruising to Bai Tu Long bay via Indochina film studio, Teapot islet, Blockhouse islet, Goat Head islet. Stop for swimming, visit mysterious Thien Canh cave. Relax at a wild beach, swim & kayak to explore the bay. Back to junk to enjoy relaxing or the sunset. Dinner and overnight on board nearby Vong Vieng village or Trinh Nu cave.

Day 10: Halong Bay - Hanoi (B/L)
Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet breath-taking beauty of Bay's landscape. From 7.30 to 8:00 am have breakfast in the fresh air then visit Vong Vieng fishing village by a rustic row-boat. Meet the locals, visit floating school & fish farms. More time to swim in the middle of the bay. From 10: 15, we serve on a La-Carte-Menu, you can order any dishes in the menu whenever you want for breakfast and lunch. Continue cruising through the bay, along the way seeing more of the fascinating formations. 11: 45 check out cabin while cruising back. By noon at 12:00, we will be ashore then hit the road back to Hanoi at around 4:00 pm. Free at your leisure till pick you up for the evening train to Hue. Boarding at 7:00 pm.

Day 11: Hue Arrival - City Tour (B/L/)
Arrival Hu? at around 10:00 am. Station pick up then transfer to hotel to take a short rest, have late breakfast before visiting the former Imperial Citadel. Lunch is next at a local restaurant. Then in the afternoon is our visit to the splendid royal tombs, there are actually more than 6 tombs but we will choose to visit two of three tombs as below: Minh Mang, Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. After that we walk/transfer to the boat dock for our cruising on the Perfume River, viewing the city and the tranquil villages on the riverbank. We will walk up to visit the Thien Mu pagoda, a nicely located pagoda, overlooks the Perfume River and the beautiful scenery beyond, where you get to learn more about the Buddhism in Vietnam. Transfer back to your hotel. Check in hotel. Free time to relax, shower and stay overnight at your hotel.

Day 12: Hue - Cyclo tour - Hoi An Ancient Town (B/L/)
After breakfast at your hotel. 9:00 am. We will go on a relaxing Vietnam  cyclo to visit Dong Ba market around 1 hour then transfer to Hoi An. From here it will take us about 4 hours to get to Hoi An. There is fabulous sightseeing en route and we may make stops at: Lang Co beach, Hai Van pass, Cham Museum, and the Marble mountains. Then onto Hoi An, overnight in here. This is also a very good chance for you to get nice tailor - made clothes at a reasonable price.

Day 13: Discover Hoi An Ancient Town by walking (B/L/)
The center of Vietnam is home to many of World Heritage Sites and Hoian is one of them. Here in this ancient town of Hoi An, 30 km south of Danang, lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. 9:00. Hotel pick up then we walk around the town with your tour  guide to visit the old charming Hoi An. We will visit the old Tan Ky House, the famous Japanese Covered Bridge, the stylish Phuc Kien Assembly Hall...Drive back to your hotel then free time to relax, go to Cua Dai Beach which is only 4km away from Hoi An. Stay overnight at your hotel.
 

Day 14: Hoi An - Nha Trang Beach(B/)
Breakfast at the hotel then transfer to the airport in Danang for noon-flight to Nha Trang. Airport pick up then transfer to your hotel, it is free to chill out on the beautiful white sand beach.

Day 15: Nha Trang Beach - Island boat trip (B/L)
Morning pick up from hotel and transfer to the boat station (45 minutes). Hop on the boat and begin a day on the water. The first stop will be at Mum Island. This is one of the best places for snorkeling in Nha Trang. Hold your breath for as long as you can and dive deep into this colorful world of fish and coral. Next stop, Tam Island, for sun bathing and relaxing on the off shore beach. Lunch will be served at a nearby fishing village with a selection of fresh seafood. After lunch we will visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium then take the boat back to Nha Trang  city. Free time in the evening and overnight at your hotel. Note: We may need to fly to Saigon this afternoon (4:45 pm) if our next morning flight is not available. Note: We may need to fly to Saigon this afternoon (4:45 pm) if our next morning flight is not available.

Day 16: Nha Trang - Saigon City Tour (B/L/)
We take an early flight this morning at 7:45 am, arriving to Saigon at 8:40 am, transfer down town and check-in at our hotel before our city tour  of this bustling Saigon started. Visit the Binh Tay Market in Cho Lon; stopover at Thien Hau, a 150 year old Chinese Temple; then to a Lacquer wares workshop and the Jade Emperor pagoda. In the afternoon visit the War Remnants Museum, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic Central Post Office, we'll drop you off at your hotel around 5:30 pm.

Day 17: Saigon - Tay Ninh - Cu Chi tunnels – Saigon (B/L/)
Departing Saigon at 8:00 am from your hotel for a morning excursion to Tay Ninh to the Great Cao Dai Temple (a place to worship a mixture of Buddhism, Confucius, Taoism, Hinduism and Christianity). We see the noon mass at the temple (1 hour). Lunch in Tay Ninh. In the afternoon we visit the Cu Chi  outdoor museum to learn about the infamous tunnel systems of the Viet Cong. Take this opportunity to get a unique understanding of the guerillas underground fight strategies during the war and crawl through 50 - 100 meters of the 200 km tunnel system. On the way back to Saigon, local rice paper workshops, and views of Vietnam countryside and paddy fields are pleasant sights. We'll drop you off at your hotel around 5:30 pm.

Day 18: Saigon - Mekong Delta (Cai Be, Can Tho) (B/L/)
Pick up at your hotel in Saigon 8.00 am and transfer to Cai Be. 11h30 -12h.00 boarding LE COCHINCHINE boat. Enjoy welcome drink . Transfer to a local boat for an extensive visit of Cai Be: the floating market, the mazes of waterway , local pop-rice and sweets production. Visit of colonial buildings, old houses, delightful flower gardens and local coconut candy and rice paper manufacturers. Le Cochinchine continues its cruise to Cochien . Lunch served on board .Embark on  a  pleasant walk or cycle on the footpaths of the countryside to discover tropical fruit orchards and the local people's activities. Visit a cottage industry , a local farm  and sample seasonal fruits .Leisurely cruise on the Mekong River while taking in the beautiful scenery . Enjoy an aperitif over the sunset. Dinner and night on board.

Day 19: Can Tho – Saigon (B/L/)
Breakfast on board . The morning bobbling commotion of Mekong river life comes to life for another lovely day our boat set sails to Cantho through tributary and canals.  Transfer to Cairang: one of the most bustling floating markets in Mekong. We go for a walk along the canals and the palm-shaded creek to see local houses and green orchards, ship building yards, rural and water activities in full swing. Boarding back at noon, with a welcome-back drink. 11 h00 Disembark in Cantho.Transfer back  Saigon City. Overnight in a hotel in Saigon.

Day 20: Saigon Departure (B/)
Breakfast at hotel. Depending on your flight you may have sometime for some more shopping. Then we will transfer you to the airport for your flight home. Goodbye and hope to see you again soon!

Tour includes:

• English/French speaking tour guide, other languages are available on requests
• Transportation – car or mini van with A/C
• Hotel accommodation and home stay in hill tribe villages
• All meals as mentioned in the tour program (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D= Diner)
• All entrance tickets and permits in the areas that needed
• Air and train tickets during tour
• Overnight junk boat in Halong bay and Mekong River Delta – joined group
• Boat trip in Hue
• Bottled drinking water during the trip (02 bottles/person/day)
• Government tax and service charges

Tour excludes:

• Travel insurance
• International airfare and departure tax
• Personal expenses such as telephone, laundry, drinks at restaurants,…
• Tips and others not mentioned clearly in the tour program