Discover Vietnam’s Highlights in 9 Days: Hanoi to Hoi An Journey

Upon arrival, you will be picked up and dropped off at hotel in Hanoi Central. The rest of the day is spent at your leisure

Night 1: Overnight in hotel in Hanoi

You will visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Oct-Nov), – the final resting place of the beloved national hero, Uncle Ho – and President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house where he lived off and on from 1958 to 1969. 

You’ll visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which is a group of structures that collectively make up a pagoda built over the water in the middle of a square lake. After that, you’ll have a chance to explore the Tran Quoc Pagoda on the shore of West Lake. From there, it’s onto the Temple of Literature, which was Viet Nam’s first university and is dedicated to Confucius. You have lunch at the restaurant in the Old Quarter. Afterward, you’ll visit Hoan Kiem Lake – the heart and soul of Hanoi.

Option 1: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

You’ll stop in at MUSEUM OF ETHNOLOGY. This superb museum showcases the depth of Vietnamese cultural diversity with an astounding collection of 15,000 artifacts gathered from throughout Vietnam. Maps, displays, and dioramas are labeled in Vietnamese, French, and English. Displays portray a typical village market, the making of comical hats, and a Tay shamanic ceremony; videos show the real thing. You can also check out a traditional Black Thai house reconstructed in the museum. There’s also a center for research and conservation where scientists from all over the world study traditional Vietnamese cultures

Option 2: Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Depart for Bat Trang ceramic village which is about 20 km away from Ha Noi, this is a pottery village with a half-millenary historic development.

Night 2: Overnight in hotel in Hanoi

08:00 – 08:30: Pick up at your hotel in Ha Noi by shuttle bus. After that we leave Hanoi for a 2.5 hour to reach Halong Bay.

12:00: At Tuan Chau International Marina, a tender boat will take you to our Cruiser. A refreshing welcome drink is served and you can check into your cabin.

13:00: When you are putting all of your stuffs into your cabin, our boat starts gliding out to the centre of the World Heritage Site. Your set menu lunch, at the boat’s restaurant, is would be served with fresh local seafood, but vegetable menu is always available at your request. From the marina area, our cruiser passes by Duck then Thumb Islands before reaching to Luon cave area for kayaking.

15:00 – 16:00: We have time to gear up for one hour kayaking around Luon cave area .Our guide will show you some basic safety guidelines and techniques to paddle before helping you to sit on our brand new sit-on-top kayaks. After that our boat will help you visit the Titop Island one hour for swimming, sun-bathing or getting a panoramic view on island peak.

17:00: As the sun sets over the bay, we head back to our cruise and relax. Coffee, tea and fruits will be available on the sundeck or you can order your favorite drink while our boat cruises to the night’s anchorage area.

19:00: Dinner will be served with local seafood. After dinner you may choose to enjoy drinks from the bar or top deck or experience squid fishing before retiring.

Night 3: Overnight on board

07:00 – 07:45: Enjoy the morning view of the beautiful landscape with a cup of coffee or tea. Have breakfast in the fresh air.

08:00 – 09:00: You will visit the impressive Cave of Halong Bay – Surprising Cave (Sửng Sốt) with your tour guide, a truly awesome and amazing cave to experience.

9:00 – 9:30: Check out of your cabin and settle your bill as our boat begins cruising back to the harbor. Experience more views of Halong Bay such as Fighting Cocks Island (Symbol of Halong Bay), Incense Burner and Stone Dogs Islands.

10:30: A cooking demonstration onboard shows you how to make authentic Vietnamese Spring rolls. You will learn about the recipes and techniques that create this popular dish of Vietnamese people.

11:00: Lunch is served on board during cruising towards the harbor.

11:45: Depart the Cruiser and travel by tender boat back to Tuan Chau International Marina where you then board the bus for your return journey to Hanoi. Arrive at your hotel around 15.30

Free time until 18h30, transfer to Hanoi Train station for your night train to Hue. Overnight on train ( shared cabin of 4 berth, soft sleeper, air-conditioning)

Night 4: Overnight on the train

Arrive in Hue train station at around 8h00am. Pick up by guide and driver.

Have breakfast.

Then you’ll begin your day in Hue with a visit to the ruins of the Imperial Citadel, the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Then take a bicycle trip through the Old City to Tinh Tam Lake, the ancient gardens of the emperors. In the afternoon you can head to the Mu Pagoda, overlooking the emerald Perfume River. 

Your last stop will be to explore Khai Dinh’s Tomb, a traditional Vietnamese temple with a European touch, making it a particularly unique tomb among the ancestral ruins of ancient Hue. In the evening you can explore the city and its marketplaces on your own.

Night 5: Overnight in Hue

You’ll have breakfast in your hotel, then have some free time to shop, explore, or just relax. In the afternoon our guides will pick you up and take you to Hoi An. On your way, you can stop to visit Lang Co Beach, a picturesque fishing village, then drive through the Pass of Ocean Clouds for a stunning panoramic view of the mountains and sea, and make a quick visit to the Marble Mountain

After you arrive in Hoi An. Have lunch at restaurant.

Afternoon: Visit Thanh Ha pottery village, where you can visit temples, museums with exhibitions, learn about history, and experience pottery-making activities.

Continue the journey, we will visit Kim Bong Carpentry Village. This is an ideal place to transport materials by waterway because it is situated on the right bank of the lower Thu Bon River and across from the ancient town of Hoi An. When entering the carpentry village, it is not difficult to hear the sound of chisels and cuts. The villagers have most likely grown accustomed to hearing these noises. While at Kim Bong Craft Village, you can visit carpentry workshops and see directly how artisans work to create intricately carved products.

At Kim Bong Carpentry Village, you will have a chance to freely express your ideas at the most affordable price by ordering products online or by selecting them from the selection. When visiting, you can also take a bicycle tour of the carpentry village, discover what it takes to work on a farm, or take in the picture-perfect lifestyle of the villagers.

At Tra Que Vegetable Village, you will get to experience what it’s like to be a real farmer. It has been in place for more than 300 years. This serene area is roughly 3 kilometers northeast of Hoi An ancient town with the Tra Que lagoon and De Vong River encircling it. A traditional vegetable village with rich soil and fresh air is a perfect example of a place where the natural environment is ideal for agricultural production.

You will get the chance to live like a real farmer by visiting this traditional

Night 6: Overnight in Hoian

Breakfast will be served at the hotel and afterwards, you’ll explore the enchanting time-capsule town of Old Hoi An on a walking tour with your guide. Hoi An was a major seaport in Asia and it resulted in a fusion of style and culture that has been perfectly preserved. 

Wander traditional Chinese shops, luxurious French homes, and an ancient Japanese bridge. The town is home to silk markets, Vietnamese food stalls, and talented street performers– all of which are sure to charm you. Then spend the afternoon further exploring the town on your own or head down to Cua Dai Beach to relax. 

Night 7: Overnight in Hoian

You have the day in Hoian to spend as you choose – you can head to the beach for a day by the sea or take part in water sports, or explore the markets.

Night 8: Overnight in Hoian

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 of your Tour with Sun Getaways Travel. 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!

Note: Check in time- 14.00pm and check out time- 12.00pm