13 DAYS VIETNAM NORTH TO SOUTH

Breakfast at the hotel. Spend this morning exploring some the city's fascinating sites, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hoa Lo Prison, the Hanoi Hilton Museum where John McCain and other prisoners were held during the war, the Temple of Literature, and Ethnology Museum. Enjoy walks around Hoan Kiem Lake, where Hanoians enjoy their early mornings with Tai Chi and 'Vietnamese style' aerobics, as well as the eclectic Old Quarter where streets are named after the trades practiced here since the 15th century. In the evening attend a traditional water puppet show unique to Vietnamese culture, before enjoying a delicious dinner at one of our recommended restaurants. Accommodation at your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. The Insider’s Hanoi begins as all good tours should, by sampling the authentic local café culture in the heart of the Old Quarter, then darting through the busy streets to explore the famous French colonial style St. Joseph’s Cathedral. We then set off for an intimate ride through the city’s iconic narrow streets to the picturesque ‘Art Street’, where we learn about local artists’ murals showcasing a mix of traditional Vietnamese culture and modern ‘social’ influences. We then ride out of the city to the Long Bien Bridge, a magnificent structure built over a hundred years ago which spans the Red River and connects the Hoan Kiem and Long Bien Districts. This magnificent structure also provides shelter to locals living on floating homes. Only motorbikes and bicycles can traverse here and this is truly an experience off the beaten track, so off we go! In the afternoon, we transfer to the train station for your overnight train to Sapa. Overnight on the train.

Arrive at Sapa and we transfer to your hotel for check-in. Breakfast at local restaurant. This afternoon, have a light trek to explore the quaint hill tribe Ta Phin village, home to the minority groups Black H’mong and Red Dzao who have been living in harmony despite having different customs, cultures, and dresses. Notice the distinctiveness of the way of life, costumes, and culture of the two minority groups. Traveling between Jul and September which is planting and harvesting time, you will have a great opportunity to see the local farmers in action. Return to Sapa by your private vehicle after the exploration. Wanderer around the town with the stop at Sapa market, Sa Pa Stone Church or choose to enjoy a cup of Vietnamese coffee at a local café offering magnificent views of mountains and hill tribe villages. Overnight in Sapa. Note: Hiking Grade: Easy, 5km on paved road

Today, transfer by your private vehicle to Y Linh Ho village. From the main road, hike to the village of Black H’mong people and notice their traditional clothing made from hemp cloth dyed a deep indigo blue and decorated with batik flowers. Have a friendly chat with local people to understand how they preserve their traditional customs and way of life before the hurried development of society. Follow a dirt trail to Muong Hoa valley while enjoying the spectacular scenery of terraced fields, vegetable patches, and verdant hills. This is also home to the largest terraced rice field of Sapa. Traveling between July and September which is planting and harvesting time, you will have a great opportunity to see the local farmers in action. Make a stop at a local H’mong family in Lao Chai Village to have a chat with family members to understand their traditional lifestyle and custom. Notice how their houses are typically built without windows due to the cold weather in the winter. Continue your exploration to Ta Van village, set within picturesque Muong Hoa valley and also home to the Zay people, originally from China and well-known for their unique cultural costumes, being simple than other ethnic groups, less embroidered and only brightly colored bands around the neck and lapels. Have your camera ready to capture the magnificent view of terraced fields dotted with local houses or the portrait of friendly villagers. Return to Sapa town by your private vehicle after the exploration. Overnight in Sapa. Note: Hiking Grade: Easy, 7km on paved road

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, enjoy a scenic drive to Ta Giang Phinh, a remote hill tribe village along a peaceful stream where the traditional custom of H’mong people has been well-preserved despite the influence of outside modern life.Hike through wild and unspoiled scenery with stunning mountains and endless terraced fields. Stop on the way to interact with Blue H’mong people to notice the differences featured in their traditional customs, and dress from other group ethnicities. Observe the local villagers engaging in their daily activities. Have your camera ready in your hands to photograph friendly villagers as well as picturesque landscapes that are formed by terraced fields, streams, and mountains. In the afternoon, we transfer to the train station for your overnight train to Hanoi.

Arrive at Hanoi and we set off this morning to the beautiful Halong Bay. Enroute, we will have breakfast. Before noon, here you will board one of our favorite junk boats and cruise through the quieter northern area of the bay, where you can stop to visit island caves and remote sandy beaches. Enjoy dinner and drinks on board as the sun sets over this magical setting. Accommodation onboard.

Breakfast onboard. Begin the day with morning Tai Chi exercises and an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. Enjoy another morning floating between islands as you slowly make your way back to Halong Bay's main harbor, from where you will transfer to the airport in time to catch your onward flight to Danang. Upon arrival at Danang, we transfer to Hoi An Town. Accommodation at your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Mỹ Sơn is one of the most stunning places to visit when you’re in the Hoi An area. Mỹ Sơn is a unique and magnificent sanctuary dating back to the ancient Cham civilization. Located in the centre of a stunning valley, surrounded by high mountains and jungle, Mỹ Sơn is around 50 kilometers from Hoi An. In 1999, Mỹ Sơn became a UNESCO World Heritage Culture site. Representing the best of Chăm architectural achievement, the Mỹ Sơn temple complex is a large collection of religious buildings of which there were originally 70 temples. Around 50 temples were destroyed by the American bombing. Twenty temples remain today. We will have lunch in town before returning to your hotel for accommodation. Rest of the afternoon at leisure. Accommodation at your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, we transfer to Danang and continue to drive to Hue for another 2 hours. En route we visit Danang before heading to Hue. In the afternoon, we visit Hue by walking. Accommodation at your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. As mentioned, the river flows through a series of beauty-spots, taking visitors to every corner of the ancient citadel when you travel by boat. Along the river, you can visit Da Vien, Phu Xuan, and Truong Tien Bridge, come to the Tomb of Minh Mang, Hon Chen Shrine, Thien Mu Pagoda, and finally bathe in the sea. Upstream, at the Tomb of Thien Tho, you can hear the rustling of the pine tree, which may help you become a… poet! When the night comes, the surface of the river glistens under the moonlight, and the songs of the boat rowers can be heard breaking the silence. Just come here and you will feel the pure atmosphere of romance and beauty! As one of the most popular attractions in Hue, a boat ride or cruise on the Huong River in Hue is included in a lot of classic Hue city tours or day trips. In the late afternoon, we transfer to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Arrival at Ho Chi Minh City and we transferred to your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart from your Ho Chi Minh City hotel and head to the Mekong Delta by car. Pass by green rice fields before arriving at the beautiful rural My Tho. Along the way, visit the Vinh Trang pagoda, the biggest pagoda in the Mekong delta. Go by motorized boat on the Tien River to the Qui (Tortoise islet). See the fishing port, boat-building workshops, and the Dragon, Phoenix, and Unicorn Islet. Walk into the village, where you can visit a local fruit garden and enjoy the tropical fruit while listening to Southern Vietnamese folk music performed by islanders. Join in the daily activities that the locals do and take in the atmosphere of this beautiful natural countryside Visit the bee house, and take a picture of the pythons. Lunch will be served right in the heart of the orchard garden. . In the afternoon, we return to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Accommodation at your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Travel by a spacious, smooth, and comfortable speedboat to the famous Cu Chi tunnels. Different from other classic tours on an endless stuffy vehicle ride, this water journey is a unique experience to get away from the busy streets and witness the scenery change from the glittering skyscrapers and busy commercial centers to green paddy fields and peaceful rural areas. Originally dug as a base to organize guerrilla-style actions against the French, the Cu Chi tunnels were expanded during the Indochina War to become an ingenious and incredible underground network to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from the French air and ground sweeps. There are more than 200 kilometers of subterraneous complexes containing storage rooms, kitchens, hospitals, sleeping quarters and even schools, once occupied by more than 10,000 people. Tour the vast network of underground passageways to gain an insight into the tunnels’ history, life in the tunnels as well as the tenacity and resourcefulness of the Vietnamese during combat. Later, we return to your hotel. Day -Use room is provided until 1800 hours and we later, transfer to the airport for your flight