Upon arrival at Noi Bai international airport in Ha Noi, welcomed by guide and transferred to your hotel in the city center to check in. Relax after a long journey.

Stay overnight in Ha Noi.

Known as the cultural and historical center of the country, Ha Noi has more than 1000 years of history and passed many ups and downs which bring the capital charms and attractions.

Spend this half-day exploring the traces of history and culture. Meet with your guide and head to the historic Huu Tiep Lake in Ngoc Ha village, where a B52 plane was shot down. Catch a glimpse of the wreckage including the gear wheels and meet one of the witnesses to get a glimpse of the history and his unique experience when watching the aircraft crash into the lake.

Originated in the wartime and made by hand, the simple rubber sandals symbolize the modesty of beloved President Ho Chi Minh that accompanied him throughout the country. The sandals have been popularized in Vietnam as they are weather-proof and convenient. Crept into a little alley that just fit for one person get in to visit the home of the workshop of a dedicated 70-year-old artisan who has considered making rubber sandals as a traditional craft. Engage with him to find out how to make a rubber sandal from special materials such as old car and airplane tire. Try to create your sandals under his guidance and bring home as a unique souvenir.

To discover the culture and lifestyle of a country, there is nothing more interesting than visiting a local family. Savor a simple yet tasty meal of traditional specialties prepared by the family members while discussing with the host about the traditional culture and way of living.

Notes: Tour duration: 5 hours (08.30-13.00)

Stay overnight in Ha Noi.

8.30 Depart from Hanoi to Mai Chau – an idyllic valley home to many hill tribes including the Dzao, MuoWng and Thai. Arrive in Mai Chau around noon, check in your homestay in Mai Hich Village and enjoy lunch at a local family.

In the afternoon, cycle to explore the beautiful ethnic villages and surrounding areas. Be welcomed by the friendly local people, talk with them and discover their traditional culture. You also have a chance to take bamboo rafting along a trainquil stream. Take it all in: the spectacular scenery of Mai Chau and the relaxed rhythm of local life.

Dinner in the village. Optional to take part in a traditional dance show with Ruou Can (a local wine).

Overnight on stilt house in common room (non-private) 

Wake up early to experience the unique vibe and rural atmosphere

After breakfast, we check out your homestay. Then we continue to transfer to Ninh Binh.

On arrival, have lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, getting on small rowing boats to travel along the canals amid local villages, green fields and natural beauty with limestone peaks, we are enjoying the “Ha Long on Land”. After 02 hours through 03 caves, we row back to the boat quay. Take a short bike to Bich Dong cave, which was conferred by a King the title “Vietnam’s second most beautiful grotto”.

Check-in for your homestay in Ninh Binh and be free for rest of the day.

Overnight at homestay in Ninh Binh, in private room 

After breakfast, depart from your hotel for two hour and a half transfer to Ha Long Bay – UNESCO World Natural Heritage – where thousands of spectacular limestone islets and grottoes rising from the clear emerald Gulf of Tonkin. Upon arrival, welcome drink on board prior to your check-in. Lunch with fresh sea food will be served while boat is cruising through many stone islets, floating villages, small beaches. Visit a floating fishing village, talk and meet with local villagers prior to your swimming or free time at your own on the sundeck. Dinner would be ready at the time the boat anchors off at a quiet designated overnight area.

Stay overnight stay on board.

Note:

·        The Itinerary is subject to change without prior notice in case of adverse weather alerts or any emergency situation.

·        Use in-house English speaking tour guide on boat, include private tour guide on bus

For early risers, Tai Chi lesson is available on the sundeck or you can just relax and take in the breathtaking views of Ha Long Bay as the boat sails leisurely through stunning karst mountains named by their shapes such as Dog, Incense Urn, Fighting Cock, Finger Depending on the itinerary, you may see magnificent limestone caverns this morning or the day before. Return to the boat to freshen up before checking out of your room, then enjoy amazing brunch while cruising toward the pier and disembarking around noon. Your vehicle is ready awaiting for you for direct transfer from Ha Long to Airport in Hai Phong City or Ha Noi for a domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh City.

Stay overnight in HCM city. 

Breakfast at your hotel.

Today, get ready to embark on an exciting journey exploring how Saigon has changed over the years and how its history, culture, and urbanization have shaped the city. Meander through the alleys giving you a glimpse into local life. Wind your way through a slum area and stop to talk to the residents, many of whom have spent their entire lives in the same tiny houses.

Get lost in Saigon's alleyways and relax at Saigon’s oldest café, now in its 80th year of operation. Attend a talk with the owner to find out how she prepares coffee using a long stocking-like fabric filter, a charcoal stove, and traditional clay pots to create a style of coffee that was originally used by Chinese coffee vendors. Walk through the corridors of a French colonial apartment building and listen to your guide’s stories of the building's mysterious past

Cap off your memorable exploration of new urban areas of the city where the striking contrasts between old and new will astound you. Stunning historical landmarks and modern skyscrapers provide a stunning backdrop for the sunset over the Saigon River.

Note:

Tour duration: Half day, afternoon preferred (02.00PM-06.00PM)

Stay overnight in HCM city. 

Check-out after breakfast.

Life continues in Vietnam’s agrarian heartland much as it has done for centuries. Once known as “the rice bowl of Vietnam”, the Mekong Delta is carpeted with rice paddies, floating markets, crisscrossing rivers and canals.

Today, leave the bustle of the big city behind as you drive 2.5 hours toward to Cai Be town, located in Tien Giang province, best known for its trading activities at the floating market and traditional craft villages.

On arrival, board the traditional boat to visit the Cai Be floating market, just to experience the agricultural river activities. You can see scattered boat mooring and hanging samples of their goods from tall wooden poles. This is not the biggest floating market but it is good to gain an overview of river life, one of the tourist magnets of the Mekong Delta.

Stop at a local family-run business to taste some local specialties before exploring some of the Delta’s famed waterways on a rowing sampan.

Return to the boat and continue cruising to the hidden An Binh islet where you will have a chance to explore sleepy villages, lush fruit orchards on foot, or by bike.

Stop along the way to chat with the locals to learn how the fruit is cultivated here by using the traditional method.

The rest of the day is at your leisure to while away in a hammock. In the evening, help your host prepare an authentic home-style dinner.

Overnight in a private room at a local homestay

(While the sleeping area with mosquito net may not be as luxurious as a hotel, this homestay experience provides an unforgettably intimate view of rural life in the Mekong Delta) 

After a simple breakfast prepared by our hosts, enjoy the fresh air and peaceful countryside atmosphere. Take a stroll through the village lanes and visit local families making rice paper, coconut candy, or pop-rice. After bid farewell to the host, embark on a 15-minute boat trip to visit a local brick kiln to see how the local people create lovely potteries from clay and how bricks are burnt. Cruise back to the mainland where your car awaits for your journey back to Ho Chi Minh City. 

Stay overnight in HCM city. 

Enjoy the last moment in the city, free on your own until driver transfers you back to airport to take a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City and connect your international flight onward.