Vietnam Trail tour (19days/18nights)

Cities on this tour: HCM City, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Qui Nhon, Da Nang, Hue, Vinh, Hai Phong, Ha Noi.

Scheduled itinerary for this tour

Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City

Meet on arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport. Pick up and transfer to your hotel. An afternoon tour round Ho Chi Minh City, formerly called Saigon, features the History Museum, the Binh Tay Market in Chinatown, Thien Hau Temple and a lacquer workshop. O/N in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City – Da Lat (B/L)

Leave Saigon for Da Lat . Enjoy the smooth drive with the beautiful landscape. Stop for photos at the La Nga lake and the floating village. Visit the Dambri waterfall. Lunch at local restaurant. Proceed to Dalat, visit the tea and coffee plantations in Lien Khuong. Free at leisure in the late afternoon . Dinner not included. Stay overnight at your hotel in Da Lat.

Day 3 : Da Lat City tour (B/L)

Breakfast at the hotel . Star sightseeing tour in Da Lat with Bao Dai summer palace , Hang Nga gallery and valley of Love , Flower gardens . Lunch at local restaurant. Then drive to Langbian mountain to visit the Lat ethnic minority village , horseback riding at Lake of Sighs . Dinner not included . Stay overnight at your hotel in Da Lat.

Day 4 : Da Lat – Nha Trang (B/L)

Breakfast at your hotel . Drive to Nha Trang with a stop over Phan Rang to visit Po Klong Garai Cham Tower . A nice chance to discover the Cham culture and history . After check in at hotel , we will have lunch at local restaurant . In the afternoon , take half day city tour to Hon Chong Rock , Thap Ba Ponagar , Long Son Pagoda , Stone Church . Dinner not included . Stay overnight at your proposed hotel in Nha Trang .

Day 5 : Nha Trang and its off shore island (B/L)

Breakfast at your hotel . Transfer from your hotel to Cau Da port . Mun Island is the first place to visit . Here you will have exciting time of snorkeling to sea the see life of colorful corals and fish . The next stop is Mot Island – where a fresh seafood lunch and Cocktails waiting for you . Then continue to Tam Island for relax, sunbath and swimming . On the way back , you will visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium on Mieu Island . Free at leisure . Dinner not included . Stay overnight at your proposed hotel in Nha Trang .

Day 6: Nha Trang – Qui Nhon (B/L)

Leave for Qui Nhon (250km) by car across picturesque coastal plains. Stop over at the Dai Lanh fishing village, Cham towers and coconut farms en route for snapshots. Qui Nhon, known for ruins of the ancient Cham capital of Chaban, has changed dramatically for the last few years to the new holiday destination with new resort projects. O/N in Qui Nhon.

Day 7: Qui Nhon - Hoi An (B/L)

Leave for Hoi An (250km). Stop over at Tam Ky and visit the Chien Dan Towers, a group of 3 towers built in the 13th century. The rest of the day is free time to relax by a pool side or on the sandy beach of Cua Dai. A cruise on the Thu Bon River to nearby handicraft villages (Thanh Ha, Kim Bong) is optional. O/N in Hoi An.

Day 8: Excursion to My Son (B/L)

Enjoy a day trip to explore two World Heritage sites recognised by UNESCO in 1999. First, travel over rural roads to My Son (55km), where architectural treasures and sculptures of Cham culture dating from the 7th to the 13th century can be explored. Then transfer to Hoi An, a centuries-old city with ancient houses, temples, markets and handicraft workshops. O/N in Hoi An.

Day 9: Hoi An – Danang – Hue (B/L/D)

Before leaving for Hue (140km), visit the stone-carving village of Non Nuoc and the Cham Sculpture Museum where a variety of ancient and modern sculpted articles is displayed. Admire beautiful landscape on the road through the Hai Van Pass. Panoramic views of the clouds, the sea and the mountains around are unfolded from the summit. The evening is highlighted with a Hue folk show on the Perfume River. O/N in Hue.

Day 10: Hue (B/L)

A morning tour focuses on the Imperial Citadel, built in 1804 on a site chosen in accordance with the principles of geomancy, and the Dong Ba Market, famous for its best conical hats in Vietnam. In the afternoon, visit the tombs of King Tu Duc (ruled 1848 – 1883) and King Khai Dinh (ruled 1916 – 1925). The monuments, designed by the kings themselves, were also used as holiday retreats during their lifetime. Overland to Thien Mu Pagoda, attend the afternoon service. In the evening, a typical royal court dinner with a presentation of ancient dancing and court music is optionally arranged (minimum group size: 10). Court royal music of Nguyen Dynasty has been recognised as a world intangible heritage by UNESCO in late 2003. O/N in Hue.

Day 11: Hue - Dong Hoi (B/L)

Drive to Dong Hoi (165km), passing the former demilitarized zone (DMZ) along the Ben Hai River (1954 – 1975) where vestiges of fierce battles can be seen comprising the ruins of the old Quang Tri Citadel, Dong Ha Town, the Truong Son Cemetery and Ben Tac Bridge. Travel on Truong Son Road, nicknamed the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the north-south supply route during the Vietnam War. O/N in Dong Hoi.

Day 12: Dong Hoi – Vinh (B/L)

Before leaving for Phong Nha, wander about the Nhat Le fish Market, an ideal photo spot with sellers and buyers invariably wearing the ubiquitous conical hat. Transfer to the Xuan Son ferry landing (45km) and take a boat ride on the Son River to spectacular Phong Nha Cavern comprising Bi Ky Cave & Cung Dinh Cave. Onwards to Vinh on Truong Son Road (200km) through war vestiges. Stop by the Dong Loc T-junction, learn the story of 10 female youth volunteers who fought and sacrificed to the safe of the road under heavy bombing. O/N in Vinh.

Day 13: Vinh - Ninh Binh (B/L)

The morning highlight is a visit to President Ho Chi Minh’s birth home in Kim Lien Village where farm houses made of bamboo and palm leaves over 100 years ago are restored. Cuong Temple near Dien Chau Town with the legendary love story of Trong Thuy and My Chau is also worth visiting. Onwards to Ninh Binh (200km). O/N in Ninh Binh.

Day 14: Ninh Binh - Hai Phong (B/L)

The highlight in Ninh Binh is a sampan ride to Tam Coc, known as Vietnam’s “inland Halong Bay”. Then onwards to the Bich Dong cave pagodas dating from the 17th century. In the afternoon, drive through the Red River Delta to Hai Phong (135km) with a stop-over at Tuc Mac Temple and Pho Minh Pagoda in Nam Dinh, the native land of the Tran Dynasty (1225 –1400). O/N in Hai Phong.

Day 15: Hai Phong – Ha Long (B/L)

Transfer to Halong (60km), passing the Rung ferry landing where Mongol boats were impaled by steel-tipped bamboo stakes in 1288. On arrival, board a private boat for a cruise in Halong Bay (5 hours), a World Heritage site recognised by UNESCO in 1994. Visit magical grottoes and relax in the best scenic beauty of Vietnam. Lunch of fresh seafood is served on board. Enjoy a wonderful sunset dinner in the beautiful restaurant before retiring for the night to the comfort of your cabin.

Day 16 : Trekking in Cat Ba National Park - 3 hours (B/L/D)

After breakfast, take transfer boat and cruise to Cat Ba National Park. Trekking in a undiscorved of Viet Hai Village o¬n snake trail with rockys rising from ground beside, you will have chance to discover the self-supplied life of local residents. Climb up the peak of a mountain, you will see panorama of Halong bay and Viet Hai Valley in the heart of Cat Ba Park, lunch in village o¬n the way. Trekking back to transfer cruise. Enjoy sunset Dinner on boat . Stay overnight on cruise/.

Day 17: Ha Long - Hanoi (Brunch)

Early risers can enjoy an energizing swim in the cool, calm, quiet of the overnight anchorage. A Buffet brunch is served from 07:30 to 09:30. The cruise to continues, passing more interesting formations such as Titot and Soi Sim Beaches, Ngon Tay (Finger) islet, Thien Nga (Swan) islet and Ga Choi (Fighting Cocks) islet o¬n the return to Halong City. Then disembark at Halong Tourist Wharf for the return Ha Noi with stop-overs at ceramic and hand embroidery workshops en route. Dinner not included. Overnight at your proposed hotel in Hanoi.

Day 18: Ha Noi (B/L)

A morning sightseeing tour features both cultural and historical highlights, comprising the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One-Pillared Pagoda, the Ethnology Museum, the Temple of Literature and the old quarters. In the afternoon, visit the Bat Trang pottery village where artisans create superb ceramic vases and other masterpieces in their kilns. The sightseeing day ends with a pedicab ride and a water puppet show, a theatrical genre reflecting the agricultural civilization of thousands of years ago. O/N in Hanoi.

Day 19: Departure from Hanoi (B)

Spend last minutes for downtown shopping (ceramics, silver-carvings, silk,...) or at leisure before check-out. Transfer to the airport for departure.

Tour price includes:

- A/c private van for pick up, transfer & sightseeing as per program.
- English speaking tour guide
- Shared cruise in Halong bay
- Kayaking paddles
- Private boat trips in Nha Trang .
- All entrance fees
- Hotel accommodation based o¬n o¬n 2 guests sharing a Twin or Double.
- Half board package meals indicated as : B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner.
- Approved invitation letter for Vietnamese visa

Tour price excludes:

- International flight to/from Vietnam
- Travel insurance
- Drinks & Other meals not mentioned in the program.
- Laundry & telephone fee at hotels