A 14-Day Vietnam Highlights Journey

Your Vietnam adventure begins with your arrival in Hanoi. Your private driver will meet you at the airport, holding a signboard with your name on it. He will escort you to your accommodation right in the heart of the city, with the fascinating Old Quarter at your fingertips. You can easily explore the city at your own pace or relax at the hotel after the flight.

08:00 – Private guide and car pick you up at your hotel/residence.

09:30 – Arrive to Ri village where you will start the trip at your host’s house with a welcome drink. Meet Duoc (Mr.) – a Vietnam War veteran and tea-farm owner who tells historical stories with his own experience.

10:00 – Follow Duoc to his vast tea-farm and learn how to harvest tea leaves. This is a green and peaceful place where you can enjoy beautiful scenery of the village. You may then help him pick tea leaves, and be shown how to collect the best part of the tea tree to make the most wonderful beverage of Vietnam – the traditional tea. Carry on with the process of producing tea at his small workshop, most of the works there are manual.

11:15 – Have a ten-minute drive to visit another host family in Moc village where you will enjoy a fun cooking class with Chin (Mrs.). She will show you how to cook some Vietnamese dishes and you will then enjoy lunch with food you helped cook.

13:30 – Stroll around the village and visit some local families to understand rural lifestyle and learn how tofu, conical hat and other local products are made.

14:45 – Enjoy a cycling trip through beautiful paddy fields and interact with local farmers by chance.

15:30 – Wrap up your countryside tour by a traditional foot bathing in warm water with herbs, following the traditional recipes of Muong ethnic minority. This will relay you (and your feet!) after cycling around the village.

16:00 – Drive back to your hotel/residence in Hanoi.

Have an early breakfast at the hotel and complete the check-out formalities. Take the limousine bus to get to Sapa. The travel duration will be around 6 hours. Upon arrival in Sapa, you will be transferred to your accommodation. The rest of the day you are free to explore this charming town right in the middle of the mountains.

Have breakfast at the hotel and meet your guide at around 9:30 AM to start your dya's trek. Today, you will visit Y Linh Ho and Lao Chai villages of the Hmong minorities. On the way admire the breathtaking landscapes of rice terraces and mountains.

Have lunch in Lao Chai village near a river and continue your hike to Ta Van village of the Dzay people. Here you will stay overnight and experience the daily life and customs of the local people.

Once you get energy for your last day trek by having a delicious breakfast, you leave for Giang Ta Chai village of the Red Dao minority. You will trek through a bamboo forest, which belongs to Hoang Lien National Park. On the way, you will pass by a waterfall and rattan bridge, where you will have some time to rest and enjoy the surroundings. You will find a nice place to enjoy lunch.

After lunch, you continue toward Su Pan, a small village located by the road. From here you will start your journey back to Sapa by car. You will be transferred back to Hanoi by limousine bus.

Our cruise team will pick you up from your hotel after breakfast. You will then take the most scenic route, across the Red River Delta with emerald green rice paddies, to reach Ha Long Bay. Upon arrival in Ha Long, you will board a cruise and set out to explore the limestone rocks and the karst grottoes.

After you are done with your exploration of the bay, it is time to enjoy an utterly delicious seafood lunch, after which there will be a trip to the famous limestone cave in Ha Long Bay. You will get to spend some time here, kayaking or swimming, so that you can get closer to the floating villages and shops.

In the evening, you will return to the cruise for an early dinner, followed by some time at leisure. You can optionally attend the activities on board the cruise.

Rise early and participate in Tai Chi lesson or enjoy a hearty breakfast as the cruise returns to the port. On the way back, stop at a limestone cave full of stalagmites and stalactites. Following the cave tour, sail back to the harbor and return to Hanoi.

Have breakfast at the hotel and enjoy some free time. Later, a private cab will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Hoi An.

You have a free day today to explore Hoi An at your own pace. The best way to explore this charming town is to rent a bicycle at the hotel and cycle around the town toward the riverside or the beach.

At the beach, you will find many small cafes where you could relax with a fresh fruit drink after a refreshing swim. You could also visit a local tailor shop which could make you and your loved ones a new piece of clothing, bag or shoes overnight.

In the evening, we recommend you walk around the Old Town area, which looks charming when the shops light their lanterns and street performers entertain visitors.

You are free to explore Hoi An on your own today as well. This ancient town is full of Japanese merchant houses and pagodas, temples, and antique warehouses have not shortage of places to visit. If you are not feeling like going out, you could always lounge about in a laid-back riverside café on the bank of the Thu Bon River.

(OPTIONAL TOUR: HOI AN ECO TOUR)

Today your English-speaking guide will meet you at the hotel and take you on a tour of the countryside and rivers around Hoi An. As you meander through the countryside you will experience the friendliness of the local people greeting you along the way. After that, you will board the Hoi An Eco-tour boat for a river cruise to meet and engage with local fishermen. Enjoy a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. You will also take a paddle boat trip in a unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat down the waterways of a coconut palm paradise.

After hotel breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, you will be taken to your hotel. Once you have checked in to your hotel, you are free to explore the city on your own.

Kick start your day with a hearty breakfast and set out for the day's trip to Mekong Delta. Your guide will meet you at the hotel lobby (7:15-7:30 AM), and you will be transferred to My Tho, which lies on the left side of the Mekong River.

Upon arrival, board a sampan boat and cruise down the river around Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise islands. Stop at Unicorn Island, and walk around the country lanes and see the orchards. Visit fruit plantations and enjoy tropical fruits and folk song music performed by locals.

Then take a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal and immerse yourself in the beauty of the countryside. Visit family workshops and honey-bee farm, and taste some honey tea and coconut candies.

Refuel yourself with a traditional Vietnamese lunch, and later cycle around the Tan Thach village, and meet the local villagers to experience the local daily life in the Mekong Delta.

If you are not keen on a cycling trip, enjoy a cool breeze and a relaxing time in a hammock. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your accommodation in Ho Chi Minh.

Have breakfast at the hotel and depart for Cu Chi tunnels. The trip will take approximately one and a half hours drive. Upon arrival, you will have a short introduction followed by an introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed, and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of wartime.

Then, spend your time exploring the remaining area and tunnel systems, which included the living areas, kitchens, and bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers. There are also many hidden trap doors and maze-like tunnels built for security purposes.

Round off your tour with special tea and cassava (guerrilla food) and return to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh.

Relish a healthy breakfast on the final day of your trip. Complete the hotel check-out formalities after which you can visit the local markets and buy souvenirs for your loved ones. Later, proceed to the airport for your flight back home.

Tour ends.