Vietnam Expedition: A Whole-of-Vietnam Experience

Welcome to Hanoi, a city steeped in legend and history, founded in the year 1010. Known as the quintessence of the rice civilization in the Red River Delta, Hanoi is sure to leave a lasting impression on you. We'll take care of your transfer and ensure you arrive comfortably at your hotel in Hanoi. Get ready to experience the charm and excitement of one of Asia's most captivating cities!

• Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel before we start our full-day city tour in Hanoi. Today’s trip starts with a ride to the Tran Quoc Pagoda, which is the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi built on small island in the West Lake. Also acts as a small museum, the pagoda stores many centuries-old artifacts while the temple itself is believed to be built in the 6th century.
• Within the vicinity of the pagoda is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex, the final resting place for the revolutionary leader and President Ho Chi Minh, who earned the country its independence. Visitors can also view his modest residence on stilts from the outside. Once we’re done with viewing, we’ll have a lunch break before continuing the tour.
• We’ll head over to the One Pillar Pagoda, a landmark with a deep meaning for the people of Hanoi. It is a Buddhist temple with significant historical value. The One Pillar Pagoda is actually a complex that was constructed in the shape of a lotus flower by Emperor Ly Thai Thong who dreamed of a Buddhist goddess. The current pagoda is a rebuilt on top of the original pillar after the pagoda was destroyed in 1954 during the French colonization.
• The Museum of Ethnology is next on the list, a special Vietnamese museum devoted to the documentation and preservation of 54 recognized ethnic groups in Vietnam. Here, people are educated on the culture of the indigenous people that reside within this land and their history. If the museum is closed on Mondays, we can visit the Women’s Museum instead where it’s a place to learn everything about women’s culture and way of living in Vietnam.
• Enjoy your lunch after this, a traditional Vietnamese meal served with 8 mouth-watering dishes.
• Then to the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam). It is the location of Vietnam’s first national university’s Imperial Academy and was built in 1070. This thousand-year-old heritage marks the beginning of advance education in Hanoi and was dedicate to major figures in education, particularly Confucius. It’s a tranquil place that just soothes the soul and calms the mind.
• We’re going to head over to the Hoa Lo Prison Museum as the final destination of the day, a memorial dedicated to the prisoners and lives lost since it was built by the French colonists first and then North Vietnam later. Hoa Lo means “Hell’s hole” and is the name from which the street name pho Hoa lo was derived from.
• The tour finishes after the prison and your driver will bring you back to your hotel for your overnight stay in Hanoi.
• (Breakfast and Lunch)

• Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel today before we pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter/Opera House. Today we’re setting off to Tuan Chau Port at Halong Bay. The trip will be about 2.5 hours long, going via the beautiful coastline city of Haiphong before going into the Tuan Chau Highway and we’ll arrive at Tuan Chau Harbor.
• Today’s excursion happens on board a cruise ship that’ll go around the waters of Halong Bay. After boarding, a set menu lunch will be served featuring many popular Halong dishes. Enjoy the scenic cruise with your lunch as thousands of limestone formations decorate your surroundings, jutting from the Fighting Chicken and Incense Burner Islets. These are the two symbols of Halong Bay that look like what they’re called.
• The cruise will first stop at Bo Hon Island where we can visit the Sung Sot Cave, Ha Long Bay’s biggest cave that was found in 1901 and one of the most beautiful to explore in Ha Long Bay. Still on the same island, the Luon Cave is another appealing place to be at where you can explore by kayaking or riding the bamboo boat. This exquisite cave is just one of the many magnificent things to see and explore here. It is called Halong’s smallest cave with the Con Rua islet located just across the cave and the Sky Gate is just to the right.
• Once we’re done exploring this gorgeous cave, return to the boat to continue the cruise. The next stop is the Ti Top Island which is about 7km from Tuan Chau port. This small, picturesque island is one of the most favorite stops among tourists. The view, the quiet atmosphere, just turn this into the best place to get your holiday snaps for Instagram. Walk up the trek to the top of the island or go for a cool swim on Halong Bay.
• Back on the boat, a sunset party has been prepared with wine and fruits for your as we make our way back to the harbor. Over at the harbor, a bus will be available to transfer you back to Hanoi to drop you off at the hotel for your overnight stay.
• (Breakfast and Lunch)

• Enjoy your breakfast before we check-out and leave Hanoi. Your driver will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Da Nang City. Our representatives will greet you on your arrival at Danang International Airport with a ride waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Enjoy the ride and rest at the hotel after we help with the check-in process for your first night in Da Nang.
• (Breakfast)

• After breakfast at the hotel, get ready for a trip to the Marble Mountain. Your tour guide and driver will be waiting to pick you up from your hotel for our first destination of the day, the Non Nuoc Carvings-Stone Village. This traditional village is at the foot of Marble Mountains known for their fine art stone carvings from where you can get your own merchandise.
• From the village, we head up to the highlight of the day: The Marble Mountains. These peaks have seen history, a place considered sacrilegious to people from the past. While we’re here, we’ll visit the ancient temples of Linh Ung and Tam Thai.
• Linh Ung is possibly best known for the bedazzled buildings and the Linh Ung Pagoda. The pagoda has some of the best views that Marble Mountains has to offer here. The Tam Thai pagoda on the other hand is a 400-year-old ancient temple known for the unique architecture and gorgeous landscape.
• As we make our way back down from Marble Mountains, we’ll have time to shop for local specialties here. Take your time looking around until it’s time for us to set off for Hoi An Ancient Town. This city has existed as a trading port since the 15th century, earning it a UNESCO World Heritage title because of the well-preserved history of this town. One can spot the various cultural influences from different time period of both foreign and indigenous style on the old buildings.
• We’ll have dinner here at a restaurant in Hoi An before going on a walk through the traditional markets here. Shop for what tickles your interest and caught your fancy before we head back to Da Nang for your overnight stay at the hotel.
• (Breakfast and Dinner)

• Enjoy your breakfast today before we leave. We’re going on an excursion to Ba Na Hills today and your ride will pick you up from your hotel and arrive at Suoi Mo, the cable car that’ll take us up the hills. At nearly 1.5km above sea level, Ba Na Hills is a famous holiday destination with so many things to see and do.
• Included in the trip is also a check-in to the famed 150m long Golden Bridge. This magnificent construction of a bridge is designed to look like it’s held up by two hands and is an iconic must-see sight in Vietnam. Enter the gorgeous Le Jardin D’Amour Gardens which is the iconic love flower garden of Ba Na. We’ll then look into the Old Debay Wine Cellar which is a deep tunnel made by French colonialists which means this is an ancient cellar.
• The Linh Ung Pagoda of Ba Na Hills is also worth visiting. Behold the 27m high statue of Buddha standing on top of a 6m wide lotus base. Just next to the statue is the Loc Uyen Garden from which you can get a stunning snap of both the garden and the statue as the backdrop. And then visit the Quan Am Cac a temple dedicated to the Buddhist’s Goddess of Mercy.
• Then hop back to the Cable Car for the next route up to the top of Ba Na. Here, we’ll visit the Gare DeBay before joining in the activities and games at the Fantasy Park, a favorite family destination inspired from Jules Verne books, Journey to the Center of the Earth that starred Brendan Fraser in its movie adaptation, and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
• Enjoy your buffer lunch at a restaurant with free time afterward to rest or look around on your own. Adventurous souls will love going even higher to reach the peak of Chua Mountain which is 1,487m high. At the highest point is where you can find the Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple that’s said to be where heaven and earth converge. Here’s also where you can get the best view of the city as well as Da Nang Bay.
• We’ll head back to the cable car station that heads back down from the mountain. A ride will take us back to Da Nang city at around 3PM. We’ll take you to where you can shop for local specialties here before dropping you at the airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). Upon arrival we'll take care of your transfer and ensure you arrive comfortably at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh.
• (Breakfast and Lunch)

• Embark on a journey to the outskirts of Saigon and experience the beauty of the countryside. Start your day at the Tourist Boat Station (My Tho) and cruise on the Tien (Mekong) River.
• Begin by visiting the historic Vinh Trang pagoda, the largest pagoda in Tieng Giang. Marvel at the beautiful trees and lush greenery encompassing an area of 2000m2.
• Then, board a serene sampan and cruise along the river while taking in the breathtaking scenery of four islands: Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise, and Phoenix. Indulge in the refreshing taste of fresh coconut juice while enjoying the serene atmosphere.
• We’ll make a short stop at Unicorn Island, a beautiful isolated island with country lanes and flourishing orchards. Take a stroll through the calming tracks and take a bite off the freshly harvested tropical fruits. Imagine the sound of professional local musicians singing soulful folk songs of the island while you walk through the plantation.
• Explore the Fish Floating Market and Fish-craft Village along Tien River before stopping at Thoi Son Island to take a stroll around the countryside roads and witness the beautiful orchards. Savor the taste of tropical fruits and immerse yourself in traditional music.
• Our final stop before lunch is the Honey-Bee Farm where you can take a sip of freshly brewed honey tea here. Visit the workshop to see and learn the making process of the country’s famous sweet, coconut candies. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant after the workshop to fill up after a tiring day of island hopping.
• We’ll then visit the Tan Thach Village next, which is where you can meet and get to know the locals whose lives revolve around the Mekong Delta. The Mekong River has some of the most biologically diverse habitats in the world, providing a wide range of freshwater fishes, irrigation for local paddy fields and plantations, and even home to some of the most endangered marine and amphibian species. Relax, enjoy the view, maybe buy a sip of cold drink while you recline on a hammock.
• We make our way back to Ho Chi Minh from the village for your overnight stay in Saigon.
• (Breakfast and Lunch)

• Embark on an unforgettable journey after breakfast as we take you on a short sightseeing Tour. Admire the impressive architecture of the Hundred Years Red Cathedral (Notre Dame Cathedral) and the Old Post Office before we delve into the War Remnants Museum. This museum showcases an extensive collection of machinery, weapons, photos, and documentation of the Vietnam War with both the French and Americans.
• Later, we will take you on a tour of the world-famous Cu Chi Tunnels. This labyrinth of hand-dug passageways served as a vital underground hideout and resistance base for the Viet Cong forces during the French and American wars. The tunnels span over 120 kilometers and stretch as far as the Cambodian border. Prepare to be amazed by the intricate network of multilevel tunnels, containing meeting rooms, kitchens, wells, clinics, schools, depots, trenches, and emergency exits - all designed for guerrilla warfare. Their strength and resilience are beyond imagination as they withstood destructive bombings and outlasted prolonged sieges.
• Conclude your journey by returning to Saigon, cherishing the memories of this captivating exploration into history's embrace.
• (Breakfast and Lunch)

• Indulge in a delicious breakfast and enjoy some free time at leisure before we transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.
• Use this time to reflect on the wonderful memories and experiences of your trip, and perhaps do some last-minute souvenir shopping to take a piece of this destination back home with you.
• (Breakfast)