Quintessential Vietnam

When you arrive at the Noi Bai International airport you'll be met at the baggage claim by our friendly guide. Just look for the sign with our Asia Tour Advisor logo and your name. We'll get you to your hotel and see that you're comfortable, plus we'll give you an introduction to the city at the same time. Then the rest of the day is yours to settle in, relax, and explore the area.

Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital city and home to seven million people. Traditional and refined with French colonial architecture, tree-lined boulevards, scenic lakes and a bustling Old Quarter, Hanoi has a sophisticated charm. Observe locals practicing Tai Chi by the lake, with barbers and food vendors plying their sidewalk trade.

You'll have your breakfast at the hotel and then the local tour guide will pick you up to take you into the capital city of Vietnam. Hanoi is over 1,000 years old and during your day tour you'll get to explore many of its fascinating cultural and historical sites. You'll visit the imposing Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where the preserved body of “Uncle Ho” has been laid to rest, the delicate One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Temple and the Quan Thanh Pagoda.

After lunch you can go to the Temple of Literature where you'll get to see ancient Vietnamese relics, then take a cyclo tour in 1 hour through the bustling and exciting Old Quarter to explore marketplace shops and foods. You'll end your day with a show at the water puppet theater - a beautifully unique cultural performance from northern Vietnam.

We'll pick you up in Hanoi by 8:00am and drive through the verdant Red River Delta to make our way to the famous UNESCO World Heritage site, Halong Bay. You'll board a luxury junk ship for an overnight cruise-- while you relax on-board you can marvel at the incredible limestone karsts that jut out of the sea and the thousands of jungle-covered islands that seem to float on the waves. The turquoise waters of the Gulf of Tonkin swirl around hidden grottoes and ancient caves to create an enchanting, timeless world.

We'll serve you a fresh seafood lunch while you sit back and relax as you enjoy the incredible view with a drink in your hand. We'll take you to a traditional fishing village where the locals have created an entire town on the decks of their boats, then you can explore Tien Ong Cave before returning to the cruise for cocktails, canapés, and a spectacular sunset. End your day with a romantic, candlelit dinner.

Begin the day with a Tai Chi class on deck in the early morning mist or just admire the beautiful scenery as the sun rises over the azure waters. Choose between an excursion to a secluded island with a sandy beach for a swim or join the chef for a cooking demonstration to learn more about Vietnamese cuisine. Enjoy a leisurely brunch while your junk cruises Halong Bay, passing islets and caves as you make your way back to the dock.

Your driver will meet you when you disembark and transfer you to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. After you arrive we'll get you to your hotel and then you can spend the evening exploring the bustling city of Saigon.

Saigon is a city that never sleeps and offers a plethora of great restaurants and bars catering to all tastes, from street food vendors to the rooftop bar at the Rex Hotel, where international correspondents covered the Vietnam War and where the U.S. military attaché’s press briefing was held daily and dubbed the “Five O’clock Follies”. Whatever your interests, be sure to ask your guide for personal recommendations.

We'll pick you up in the morning and take you to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a major part of the Vietnam-American War and a fascinating day trip-- explore the mysterious tunnels, find hidden doors and once-deadly traps. After lunch we'll go back to HCMC and spend the afternoon either visiting the War Remnants Museum or the Presidential Palace, whichever you prefer. Then stroll around the city's colonial streets in the evening to the Old Saigon Post Office, Dong Khoi Street, Continental Hotel, Opera House and City Hall.

From Ho Chi Minh we'll take a short drive through lush green rice fields into the Mekong Delta and the town of My Tho. We'll stop to visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda and take a hand-rowed sampan boat down the mighty Mekong, drifting under the shade of coconut trees through the river's natural canals. You'll get to see wooden stilt houses, aromatic fruit plantations and traditional fishing villages built along the banks. At Tortoise Islet we'll stop to have lunch in an orchard garden, then continue down the river to An Khang. If you'd like, we can take a short bicycle tour (you can apply for a private tour if time permits) and enjoy seasonal fruit, honey, and tea to the beautiful sounds of southern Vietnamese folk music performed by local musicians. In one of the small river villages you can taste delicious, hand-made coconut candies while you experience the idyllic rural lifestyle. Then transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City.

You have free time in the morning until your private car arrives to take you to the airport for your next destination.

This is the end your VietnamTour with Asia Tour Advisor. We thank you for joining us on this incredible experience to explore all the wonders of Vietnam. Goodbye, and we hope to see you again next time! Asia Tour Advisor can also arrange additional customized trips for you if the above itinerary does not match your expectations. And if you love explore our country more, you can get our Vietnam tours for more choices.