Essential Vietnam

Transfer airport – hotel in Hanoi (SIC)
Upon arrival at the airport in Hanoi, you are waited by our guide and driver. They will directly transfer you to your hotel for overnight.

Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at hotel’s restaurant.

Hanoi City Tour (SIC)
Today you will visit the most outstanding attractions of Hanoi. First you pay a visit to the memorial complex to Ho Chi Minh to know his amazing life. Continue to the Single Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature to gain understanding of the two driving forces in Vietnam culture. Next you enjoy a rickshaw ride through the lively Old Quarter, a series of 36 ancient streets where peddlers still trade the way they have done for centuries. The rickshaw tour ends up at Ma May Old House, an example of dwellings in the 19 century. Later we walk to the Lake of Hoan Kiem and enjoy a performance of the famed traditional art form created by village farmers around the Red River Delta region – Water Puppetry.

Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at hotel’s restaurant.

Transfer Hanoi – Hai Phong (SIC)
Depart Hanoi after breakfast and head for Lan Ha Bay.

Lan Ha Bay & Halong Bay Cruise (SIC)
At 12:00 you will board the cruise ship.
Welcome on board at our luxury Sealife Group Louge with welcome drink before having short transfer to the Sealife Legend Cruises – the Legend of the Sea. Once you have been transferred to Sealife Legend Cruises, you will be checked in and given a short briefing about your cruise while sipping welcome drink at Fish Net Restaurant. Lunch will be served at Fish Net Restaurant while Sealife Legend Cruises goes to Lan Ha Bay by passing Ha Long Bay. You will pass the majestic limestones rising from the emerald sea water of Lan Ha Bay. You will visit Van Ta Area. Van Ta Area is inclusive of Dark and Bright Cave, border of Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay. And Sealife Legend Cruises invite you to visit Bright Cave by bamboo boat rowed by local people through some floating houses where they are feeding fishes, clams and oysters. After rowing boat trip, you have chance to kayak or swimming in the green emerald and cool water(subject to weather, allowance and season) before cruising to sleeping area. After your rejuvenation time, you are welcomed to our cooking demonstration with Vietnamese traditional liquor tasting on the sundeck to learn about traditional cuisines made by fishmen.You will try your hands at making “CaThinh” – fermented fish – using traditional vinegar made from distiller’s grains, rice powder, herbs and rice paper. Then cheer up with a Vietnamese traditional liquor tasting. Drinking and having fun in the local style could be a highlight of your day.

Lunch & dinner
Lunch and dinner will be provided on board of the cruise ship.

Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast while cruising on. Later, at around 11 a.m, you will disembark the ship.

Visit Cat Ba World Biosphere Reserve (SIC)
Very short transfer to the Cat Ba World Biosphere Reserve by tender, and then, you enjoy short transfer from Gia Luan port to HoaCuong Cave by SealifeLgend Cruises’ Bus to visit the cave with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites, located in World Biosphere Reserve (Cat Ba National Park).

Transfer Hai Phong – Hanoi (SIC)
After you disembark you will be transferred from Hai Phong to Hanoi airport.

Flight Hanoi – Hue

Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at hotel’s restaurant.

Hue City Tour (SIC)
This morning you cruise along the serene Perfume River to Thien Mu, the best known pagoda in Middle Vietnam. Next, you tour the ruins of the former royal residence, the Forbidden City, which is now a World Heritage. You also visit a beautiful garden house once belonging to the royalty and enjoy the refined atmosphere of the former capital city of Vietnam. In the afternoon you visit the impressive tomb of former Emperor Tu Duc, two villages crafting conical hats and incense, and Dong Ba Market.

Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at hotel’s restaurant.

Transfer Hue – Danang – Hoian (SIC)
This morning we depart Hue and travel southwards to Hoian. En route we rewind at the scenic Lang Co Beach and Ocean Clouds Pass, and visit the fascinating Cham Museum.

Hoian City Tour (SIC)
In the afternoon, you proceed to Hoian to explore this charming and wonderfully preserved merchant port town. Hoian still retains Chinese, Japanese, and European influences from its flourishing old days. You will walk narrow colorful lanes, admire historic architectures, and hunt for the unexpectedly good bargains of silk wares.

Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at hotel’s restaurant.

Free day
You have all day to spend in the ancient town of Hoi An for relaxing to enjoy several optional tours such as a cooking class, a visit to My Son Holy Land, Local life experience in Tra Que Vegetable Village, excursion to Bana Mountain Hill, excursion to Cham Island.

Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at hotel’s restaurant.

Transfer hotel in Hoian – Danang airport (SIC)
After breakfast we transfer to Danang for a flight to Saigon.

Flight Danang – Saigon

Transfer Saigon airport – Saigon hotel (SIC)
Upon arrival you will receive warm welcome from your local English speaking guide and transfer to hotel.

Visit at the Cu Chi Tunnels (SIC)
Early afternoon you journey 50 km out of town to Cu Chi to explore the amazing tunnel system built by Communist guerillas during the Vietnam War. Known as the “Iron Triangle” during the war of the 60’s, the story of Cu Chi is one of struggle, determination against all odds, and eventual victory. Late afternoon we return to town for the night.

Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at hotel’s restaurant.

Transfer Saigon – My Tho – Saigon (SIC)
After breakfast you will be transferred to My Tho and you will embark on a Mekong River cruise. After that you will be transferred back to your hotel in Saigon.

Mekong Delta cruise (SIC)
Cruising a boat trip along Mekong river and around fishing village and islands for sight-seeing.Crossing Mekong river, keeping on taking a boat trip along a small canal, named Vam Xep to see daily life of local inhabitants in Ben Tre province (called coconut village), visiting Quoi An tourist spot for bee farm and handicraft workshop to enjoy some honey-tea and see how people make things from coconut wood. Taking horse-carts along country road to visit fruit orchards, enjoy seasonal tropical fruits and listen to traditional music by local inhabitants. Taking small sampans along small canal to come back the big boat, leaving boat for coconut candy workshop and tasting this speciality in coconut village.

Lunch
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at hotel’s restaurant.

Saigon City Tour (SIC)
After breakfast, we explore the busy and interesting Dong Khoi area, admiring the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Reunification Palace and the colonial Post Office; the Chinatown with its bustling market and ornate pagodas.

Transfer hotel in Saigon – Saigon airport (SIC)
Free till transfer to the airport for a flight back to Saigon to connect to the flight home.