Vietnam North to South

Upon arrival at Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport, you will be welcomed by our airport representative, who will provide the private vehicle transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Enjoy an early breakfast this morning before you meet your driver, who will provide a private vehicle transfer East, to UNESCO listed HaLong Bay, approx 3hrs driving time.

On arrival at HaLong Bay around noon, proceed with check-in formalities before boarding a boat for an unforgettable overnight cruise on HaLong Bay. After being welcomed on board, a lunch of Vietnamese food is served while cruising towards the bay. In the afternoon, enjoy some sightseeing and/or activities (depending on each boat’s itinerary) or just spend some time relaxing on board. Towards the end of the day, the boat sets anchor for the night among karst formations. Dinner is served on board, and afterwards, the evening is at leisure.

Enjoy the early morning in the middle of the bay as the sun rises and breakfast is served (brunch on some boats). Meanwhile, the vessels cruise slowly through the magnificent rock formations and back towards port. On arrival at the port, you will disembark and meet your driver, who will provide a private vehicle transfer back to Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi late in the afternoon, then enjoy a leisurely one-hour tricycle tour through the streets of this fascinating city. You will come face to face with the daily lives and activities of Hanoi’s streets as you pass through the congested but delightful Old Quarter. Ride past the fascinating streets, which still bear the names of shops that could be found in the 15th to 18th centuries. Afterwards, enjoy a walking tour through the Old Quarter, also known as the ’36 streets’. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities all around you. End the day with a Water Puppet show. This is a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history. Next, enjoy an early dinner at a local restaurant. Around 8.00 pm, you will be transferred to Hanoi Railway Station for the overnight train trip to Lao Cai in a superior 4-berth compartment shared with other passengers. The train departs at approximately 9.50 pm. 

Notes: The train schedule is subject to change. Train journeys are part of a great local experience. Cabins are shared with other local passengers (unless a private cabin is requested and all berths paid for – with supplement). Restrooms at either end of the carriages complete the local experience.

2 ways private compartments on request at surcharge of US$ 180/ pax/ (1 pax in 1 private cabin), US$ 60/ pax/ (2 paxs in 1 private cabin), US$ 20/ pax/ (3 pax in 1 private cabin)

You will arrive at approximately 6:30 am at Lao Cai, the border town to Yunnan, China. Your new journey starts with a 38 km drive on winding roads up the mountains to SaPa, located approx. 1,500 m above sea level. On clear days you can see the highest mountain in Vietnam, the Fansipan.  

After breakfast at a local restaurant, enjoy a morning walking tour of SaPa and a visit to the market. Here, the Red Dao, Black H’Mong, Tay, and other ethnic minority people converge from the surrounding countryside to sell their silverware and handicrafts and buy provisions. 

Afterwards, enjoy a short drive to Cat Cat village of the Hmong people/. Enjoy a light trek around, then share their daily lives for a rare glimpse into their culture and customs. Finally, return to SaPa town for lunch. The remainder of the day is at leisure. 

Appropriate footwear must be worn on treks in SaPa. Note that if conditions are wet, programs may be diverted.

Today enjoy a full day of trekking. First, visit Suoi Ho village with tea plantations and cardamom gardens. Next, follow the buffalo trails to visit the hospitable villages of the Black Hmong minority people in Ma Tra. After passing a school and scenic views en route, a picnic lunch will be served. After lunch, continue trekking to Ta Phin village, where you will meet Red Dao people famous for their weaving skills. Proceed to the meeting point and transfer back to SaPa. 

After a short rest (time permitting), you will be transferred to Lao Cai Railway station. You will board the overnight train to Hanoi at 8.15 pm (shared sleeping compartments, sharing with other passengers in 2 lower & 2 upper berths per compartment).  

Notes: The train schedule is subject to change. Private compartments on request at a surcharge. Train journeys are part of a great local experience. Cabins are shared with other local passengers (unless a private cabin is requested and all berths paid for – with supplement). Restrooms at either end of the carriages complete the local experience.

On arrival in Hanoi early this morning, you will be collected from the train station and transferred to a local restaurant to enjoy breakfast and a special Vietnamese coffee. After breakfast, enjoy a steam bath, sauna and one hour of body treatment (massage). After, enjoy a bowl of noodles with a fresh fruit platter before proceeding to the Hanoi Noi Bai Domestic Airport for your domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat Domestic Airport, you are warmly welcomed by our local guide and then transferred to a local restaurant to enjoy lunch.

In the afternoon, you will explore the city and visit sights such as the Independence Palace (Reunification Palace) and War Remnants Museum. Visit the Old Saigon Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral. Inaugurated in 1880, it became the spiritual and cultural crucible of the French presence in the Orient, as was the Post office designed by Gustav Eiffel and resembling a grand railway station. Next, visit Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Continental Hotel, the Opera House, and Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee (formerly Hôtel de Ville), one of the most photographed buildings in Vietnam. It is notable for its gardens, ornate façade, and elegant interior lit with crystal chandeliers. In the late aftern

Greet our local guide in the lobby of your hotel and drive to My Tho, in the heart of the Mekong Delta, famous for its vast rice fields and most beautiful landscapes. Visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda en route and stop by the bank of the Tien Giang River. Enjoy a boat trip on the Mekong River to Phoenix Island, where local handicrafts and sweets from coconut are produced. Enjoy fresh seasonal fruits and traditional live music performances. Next, enjoy a short ride on a horse carriage to a typical local house to taste some homemade honey tea. Proceed by small sampan boats through the small canals and side arms of the river to observe the daily life along the riverbanks with a stop and short leisurely walk at the Turtle Island. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before driving back to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving late afternoon.

Enjoy an early breakfast again before meeting your guide and enjoy the 90-minute journey to the Cu Chi Tunnels – a complex of underground tunnel networks constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters (Viet Cong) during both the French and American wars. More than 200 km of tunnels comprise a main axis system with many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and other tunnels. You have the chance to crawl through this amazing system of tunnels. For a more “thrilling” experience, you can even test your shooting skills on original AK47s and other guns from past war times (subject to a surcharge). 

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. In the early afternoon, you will be transferred back to your hotel for the late afternoon and evening at leisure. 

This evening you will enjoy the Buffet dinner (included food and 01 welcome drink, excluded waters soft drinks and alcohols) on the floating restaurant – Bonsai Cruise. This offers a Vietnamese dining experience with a difference and the perfect way to soak up the atmosphere along the Saigon River. An introduction will be given on the European and Asian cuisine on offer, making this Ho Chi Minh City dinner cruise a must-do culinary experience. Relax on the decks and enjoy the panoramic view during the 90-minute journey cruise of the Saigon River. The food, organic and fresh, is presented and prepared on interactive buffet stations, and a live band is on board to entertain.

Note: The cruise is operated on a join-in basis with two decks seating up to 200 guests with the central buffet areas offering modern Moorish cuisine inspired by flavors, species, and tastes which can be found in the Indochinese region. Live entertainment will be performed throughout the cruise journey.

Afterwards, the cruise will return to the pier, where your driver is waiting to take you back to your hotel. 

Enjoy your remaining hours in Ho Chi Minh City before you meet your driver at a pre-arranged time who will provide the private vehicle transfer to Ho Chi Minh Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your onward flight.