Experience Vietnam’s Diverse Regions in 14 Days

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 at hotel in Hanoi

Activities: After breakfast at your hotel, our driver and tour guide will come to pick you up at about 8:00 am for City tour. You will visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Nov-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. 

9.30: 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 Vietnam’s first university and is dedicated to Confucius. 

12.30: 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 labelled 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 centre 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…

You will travel to a mini hotel, and take a room for shower from 17h30 to 20h30. You will have dinner by yourself and free time until about 20h40 – Sun Getaways Travel’s tour guide come to pick you up then transfer to Ha Noi Railway Station and catch the night train to Lao Cai (overnight on the train, the cabin with 4 berths, soft sleeper and air-conditioning). Arrive Lao Cai 5:30 or 6:00am.

Night 2: Overnight on train

The train arrives at around 6:00 am. Look for the “your name” sign when you exit the train station, as our guide will pick you up there and transfer to the former hill station of Sapa. 

After having breakfast at a local restaurant, Walking through the town for about 20 minutes before turning to a dirt road to Ma Tra Village, where inhabited by Black H’mong ethic. Continue trekking up the village and getting through paddies fields will lead you to an ancient Catholic abbey, built by French colonists. 

Walk 2 km more to reach Ta Phin Village to explore the daily life of Red Dzao. Here you have good choices to buy woven and textile brocades, which are made by ethnic people and have picnic lunch before exploring the village and Ta Phin Cave and the small hamlet of Black H’mong people. At the end of the day, return to Sapa. Rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure.  

Night 3: Overnight at homestay in Sapa

Following a hotel breakfast, meet your guide in the morning and depart on a second trek from the town of Sapa to Golden Stream Valley. Today’s trekking offers more stunning views of rice terraces and gardens as well as Mt Fansipan, whose summit rises 10,312 feet (3,143 meters) above sea level.

After crossing a suspension bridge, marvel at the breathtaking scenery as you continue through the Golden Stream Valley, stopping at Lao Chai village for lunch. After your meal, follow your guide on a walk through this village where Black Hmong people reside, and continue to Ta Van village, home to the Dzay tribe. This part of the hike is relatively easy, though the trail can be quite slippery if it rains, so good footwear is recommended. You’ll visit with some local families and learn about their daily lifestyle and fascinating culture, before departing to the main road to meet up with your driver and return to Sapa.

A shower is available at our office, followed by an afternoon free to explore the town on your own. In the evening, The car will pick you up for the night train back to Hanoi. Arrive at Lao Cai train station and take the night train back to Hanoi.

Night 4: Overnight on train

Early in the morning, arrive in Hanoi, the guide will pick you up and transfer you to a mini hotel to take a daily room for relaxing and showering. The driver of Sun Getaways Travel will come to pick you up around 8:00 to 8:30 am with our shuttle bus to start the 3-hour-and-a-half drive to Halong Bay through the paddy fields in the Red River Delta.

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 5: 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.

Drop off at Aeon Mall Long Bien at around 14h30.Our driver with private car will pick you up from the van on the way to Hanoi then transfer you to Noi Bai airport. Arrive in Danang, pick you up and transfer to the Hotel. Free time.

Night 6: Overnight at hotel in Danang

Have breakfast at your hotel in Hoi An.

Option 1 – Cooking class:

Your cooking class today will begin with a visit to a colorful local markets, buying all the necessary ingredients and head back to prepare. Your cheft will demonstrate how to cook some typical Vietnam cruisine, you will then start cooking yourself and enjoy what you have cooked

In the afternoon, exploring the enchanting time-capsule town of Old Hoi An on a walking tour with your guide. Hoi An was a major sea port 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.

Option 2 – Vegetable village:

Breakfast at your hotel and then it’s time for a little bit of exercise and a bike ride to Tra Que Vilage and a visit to a local farm. This is a very special involvement in true Vietnamese rural life. You will learn about the history of the village and then be shown the daily practices of growing vegetables. You will learn how the vegetables are used in traditional Vietnamese medicine.

You will join in the activities of the farmers – collecting seaweed fertilizer, sowing, raking, watering and picking. Your cultural immersion continues as you join the family to prepare and eat the lunch you have helped grow. You will also taste other local specialties such a Tam huu (spring roll) and Bahn xeo (pancake). Of course you must also join in the after lunch nap before returning to the fiel to learn how to harvest and wrap the produce. Mid-afternoon we wave goodbye to your new friends and go back to Hoian for visiting Hoian Old Quarter. Return to your hotel for relaxing

Option 3 – Countryside biking or motor riding:

Our guide will pick you up at the hotel by motobike, riding to Tra Que village and then ride back to  the river for  aboard a local ferry to  Kim Bong Village. This village is not only famous for wood carving but  weaving sleeping mat as well, so we will stop at a family to see how they weave the mat for every day use in the old time before having today popular mattresses.

Visit a local family making the famous local noodle – Mi Quang is the other chance to learn the local life. You also have a chance to make make and eat the perfect banh dap (rice cracker). Here, the local ferry crossing takes guests to the water coconut palm fringed Cam Thanh village.  Have lunch at Cam Thanh homestay. Back to town for a walking tour and free in the evening.

Note: If you prefer biking than scooter tour, we can be flexible to modify the route, matching with your ability.

Overnight at hotel in Hoi An

Night 7: Overnight in hotel in Hoian

Breakfast at your hotel, free time for relaxing on the beach or shopping. In the afternoon, the guide picks you up and transfers you to Hue. On the way to Hue, stop over to visit Cham Museum, ascend the Pass of Ocean Clouds for panoramic views of the surroundings and visit the picturesque fishing village of Lang Co Beach. Arrive in Hue, check in hotel and have free time.

Night 8: Overnight at hotel in Hue

Start your day with a visit to the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. 

After exploring the ruins of this wonderful monument take a cyclo through the ‘Old City’ to Tinh Tam Lake where the Emperors used to come to relax. This afternoon, visit Mu Pagoda overlooking the Perfume River End the day at Khai Dinh’s Tomb which boasts a traditional Vietnamese design with a European touch, making it unique from the other tombs in Hue. Then free time.

Night 9: Overnight in hotel in Hue

Enjoy breakfast at hotel. You will have some free time until our driver transfers to the airport to take the flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Arrive in HCMC and check in the hotel.

Night 10: Overnight in hotel in Saigon

Breakfast at your hotel, transfer for visiting Cu Chi Tunnels. After lunch in Cu Chi, the driver back to Ho Chi Minh City. This afternoon, depending on your preference, visit either the War Remnants Museum or History Museum, and the former Presidential Palace. Finish the day with a stroll around the city’s colonial architecture, including the Old Saigon Post Office, Dong Khoi Street.

Night 11: Overnight at hotel in Saigon

Have breakfast at hotel in Sapa. Transfer to Ben Tre.

On arrival in Hàm Luông pier. Boat trip  on Bến Tre river  exploring  the  lively activities along river as fishing,water transfering…….see  brick making in  handy traditional style by printing and baking. Visite one of plenty of coconut processing workshops located along canal. Turn on natural scissors creeks where they look smaller and smaller to go to village. Take a walk to family workshop making sleepmats and enjoying some fruits and tea. Riding a motor cart (xe lôi) or bike  on shady paths, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to touch on realy life and find out  about tropical culture from Peasants. Lunch at Hai Hồ house.

Afternoon –  riding a sampan  along canal, befor boat back to Ham Luông pier.

Then take a car to Can Tho. Arrive in Can Tho, check in hotel and free time 

Night 12: Overnight at hotel in Can Tho

Take a leisurely boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong River ( Bassac River), then proceed to visit the Cai Rang floating market which is the liveliest in the whole religion. Have you ever tasted Vietnamese vermicelli soup?

Well, now go and see how it is made. Then wander around the village and meet the friendly local people and experience how to cross a “Monkey bridge” which is built with only one stem of bamboo. Visit the orchard garden. Stop for lunch. Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, check in hotel and free time. 

Night 13: Overnight at hotel in Can Tho

Your time will be your own (Check out hotel before 12h00) until your private car and driver arrive to take you to the airport for your flight to your next destination.

Finish the unforgettable Vietnam Tour with Sun Getaways Travel. Goodbye & see you the next time!