A GLANCE AT VIETNAM FROM NORTH TO SOUTH

Upon arrival at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport, you will be greeted by our guide and transferred to your hotel. Check-in hotel ( officially check-in time is at 14:00) . Take a rest after a long flight. Have an orientation tour to Hanoi ‘s ancient quarter by Cyclo – a tradtional pedicab vehicle . Have welcome dinner at a local restaurant and Overnight stay in Hanoi.

Breakfast at hotel then have full day city tour Hanoi.
First visit is to the Temple of Literature built in1076 and considered as Vietnam's first university. It was established to educate Vietnam's royalty, mandarins and members of the elite. The university operated for 700 years while its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer an interesting view into Vietnam’s history
Next Visit is The One Pillar Pagoda, founded in 1049 by King Ly Thai To. This structure is one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples. Close by is the mausoleum of the great father of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, and the former presidents house on stilts where he lived from 1958 to 1969. His former home illustrates the modesty of this Vietnamese revolutionary. (viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Oct-Nov)
Continue to picturesque West Lake and the sixth century Tran Quoc Buddhist Pagoda. From here transfer (or stroll along the lakeside) 700 meters to the nearby Taoist temple of Quan Thanh dedicated to Tran Vu, one of the principal deities in Taoism.
In the afternoon visit the fascinating Ethnology Museum (closed Mondays), a valuable centre for the exhibition and the preservation of cultural heritages of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam with 15,000 artefacts including clothing, jewellery, of agricultural tools, fishing instruments, weapons, household utensils and musical instruments which is both a research centre and a public museum exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam. As an alternative to the Ethnology Museum, visit the highly acclaimed Vietnam Women’s Museum (closed on Mondays). The museum is located near Hoan Kiem Lake and offers wonderful insight into the lives of Vietnamese women. Displays highlight Vietnam’s vast cultural diversity and educate on the significant role Vietnamese women play in Vietnamese society. Learn historic and modern-day traditions centered around births, weddings, motherhood, spirituality and more. At the end of the afternoon, explore the fascinating Old Quarter and its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquer ware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. It's a great place to experience with plenty of photo opportunities surrounding you.
Complete your day the Water Puppet show , a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history. Overnight in Hanoi.

Breakfast at hotel then leave Hanoi for 3hr30mins drive to Halong Bay including a 20-minutes stop on the way. Arrive Halong Bay, check-in formalities then enjoy the Welcome drink and Lunch on board. Cruise through the emerald water between the limestone outcrops and long corridors, En route, you have chances to sightsee many beauty spots of the world natural heritage including Fighting Cock islet, Incense Urn islet, Finger island, Toad islet, dog islet, Dragon, Horse Neck, Buffalo Head islet and many other strange shape islands. Later in the afternoon, visit a fishing village with the opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. Back on board, enjoy cocktails or a cooking class in the romantic sunset on the Bay. Have dinner on board. Evening, experience some evening activities such as squid fishing, board games, or spa .Overnight on the junk.

Early morning, take a Tai Chi class and watch the sunrise over the bay (if you choose to get up early and weather permitted ). Visit a beautiful limestone grotto, and then back to the junk , Brunch while cruising back to the dock. Disembarking at the Cruise Café Lounge then get on your car and drive back to Haiphong for a flight onward to Danang International airport.
Upon arrival in Danang, drive 40-minutes to Hoi An ancient town, an exceptionally well-preserved example of a traditional Asian trading port, is an outstanding material manifestation of the fusion of cultures over time in an international maritime commercial centre. Hoi An also homes the world class beach resorts with white sand and blue crystal water. Walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200 year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the 400 years old Japanese Bridge . The rest of the day is at leisure . Overnight in HOi An.

In the Morning, have a tour to the Tra Que organic village where local people work on their fields with the traditional method of hundred years. Return to the town by boat to enjoy the beautiful scenery on the river bank of Thu Bon river, if you are lucky, you may see the fishing man with his net on the river.
Disembark at Hoi An Market, troll a round then free for your exploring Hoi An ancient town 's food and shoppings.
Overnight in Hoi An.

Morning at leisure until transfer to Danang Airport for the one hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to your hotel in downtown area.
Check in hotel and at leisure. In the afternoon, take an orientation drive around the city. Take photo stops at the Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office with the French-style architecture, City Hall. Visit the former Presidential Palace (if time permits ), BenThanh Market. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Cai Be a provincial town in the Mekong Delta. Explore Cai Be colorful floating market by cruising among local barges full of fruits and vegetables. We will then proceed to Phu An hamlet, an untouched beautiful area reflecting some of the best sights the Mekong Delta can offer. On the way, stop will be made at some local home factories to observe how rice paste, coconut candies and other regional specialties are made. A delicious lunch will await you at the Mekong riverside resort located by the river, in a lush tropical garden surrounded by fruit plantations.
After lunch, your boat will cruise deeper into the country side along smaller rivers and canals. Visits on the river banks will allow you to discover some fruit markets and plantations such as bananas, water melon, coconuts, longans, and some very large paddy fields... Occasion will be given to establish friendly contacts with the local population. Along the river, local houses are still traditionally made of wood and palm tree leaves. We will cruise under several small bridges traditionally made by wood and bamboos, passing by numerous suspended fishing nets, an ancestral way of fishing in the Mekong Delta.
In the aftertoon, return to Ho chi Minh city , visit Fito Museum - Vietnam's first traditional medicine museum where an amazing collection of 3,000 items relevant to the development of traditional Vietnamese medicine displayed. Implements for preparing indigenous herbs and objects commonly found in traditional pharmacies were showcased in the galleries. and visit the Thien Hau temple on the way . Overnight in HCM City .

At leisure for Optional tour to Cu Chi tunnels (if time permits) or shopping until transferring to Tan Son Nhat Airport for onward flight.