Day 01: Arrival in Hanoi
Day 02: Ha Noi - Visits
Day 03: Ha Noi - Cat Ba - Cruise on Halong Bay
Day 04: Cat Ba - Ninh Binh - Halong Bay land
Day 05: Ninh Binh - Visits - Flight to Hue
Day 06: Hue - Visits
Day 07: Hue - Hai Van Pass - Hoi An
Day 08: Hoi An
Day 09: Hoi An - Flight - Saigon
Day 10: Saigon - Cai Be - Mekong cruise - Sadec
Day 11: Sadec - Floating Market - Flight to Phu Quoc
Day 12: Phu Quoc Free
Day 13: Phu Quoc Free
Day 14: Phu Quoc Libre - Flight Saigon
Day 15: Saigon - Departure

Highligts:

+ Private trip with personalized quality services for a rewarding and peaceful discovery of Vietnam
+ Authentic cruise on Halong Bay and the Mekong. Far from mass tourism
+ Superb rides in a rowboat or by bicycle in the "terrestrial Halong bay"
+ Seaside nights on a heavenly beach

Note: Possibility of replacing Phu Quoc By Con Dao, another less visited island.

Day 1: Hanoi arrival
(guide, car, dinner, accommodation, visits)

Welcome by Zen Vietnam Travel guide and driver. Transfer to downtown Ha Noi.

An orientation walk on foot or by pedicab in the old town district, otherwise known as the 36 trades streets of Ha Noi because most of the shops on the same street sold the same thing: Rue des bambous, Rue de silk, Traditional medicine street, Bronze street, etc. A really typical district, but so charming, with its shops on the sidewalks, the small narrow houses, the scooters everywhere.

Installation at the hotel for the shower and rest. Warning ! hotel rooms are only available from 2 p.m.

Gourmet dinner at the famous ¨Cha Ca¨ dish in a local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

 

Day 2: Hanoi - Visits
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)

Today you will start the visit of the capital Hà Nội with a very old Buddhist pagoda, the 6th century Trấn Quốc pagoda, located in a beautiful setting by the large West Lake. Then, you will visit the Quán Thánh temple at 300m.

Then, the visit of the ethnographic museum, which gives you a panoramic view of the life of the 54 ethnic groups with 54 different cultures in the territory of Vietnam.

Time for lunch at the restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit of the political district with the mausoleum of Hồ Chí Minh, the founding father of modern Vietnam, the presidential palace, the house on stilts of Hồ Chí Minh, the pagoda with the one pillar. Visit of the Temple of Literature, the first university in the history of the country.

At the end of the day, you will witness the spectacle of the Water Puppet Theater, a unique culture that you will never find in any other country in the world. Vietnam is the only country that practices this art.

Dinner at the local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

 

Day 3: Ha Noi - Cruise in Halong Bay - Overnight on board
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits, private junk or collective boat)

 

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 7:30 am, departure for Hai Phong 150 km away and board a shuttle bus that will take you to Cat Ba Island. 30 minutes more bus and you will arrive at the Ben Beo pier where you will board our beautiful private junk (or collective boat) and start the 24 hours on board for a discovery of one of the natural wonders of the world, the Halong Bay.

From our ¨zen¨ criteria for trips, we have chosen the part of the south of the bay where the large mass tourism boats do not pass yet, just a few small traditional junks in this area. A part of the bay that is still very authentic with thousands of rocks, wild beaches and huge floating villages that you cannot find in the other part of Ha Long Bay.

Lunch on board with seafood. Time for swimming or simply resting on the deck to admire this miracle that nature offers us. After 3 hours of navigation, we arrive at Hang Ca, a beautiful place for the kayak ride, another way to see the bay up close.

Around 5:30 p.m., we anchor in a magnificent circus in the middle of the bay where you will be alone. A hell of a time to watch the sunset over the bay.

Dinner on board and a test of squid fishing in the evening will be great memories.

Overnight on board.

Note: The order of visits during the cruise may be changed depending on local weather conditions.

 

Day 4: Cat Ba - Ninh Binh
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)

An early morning awakening in a magical setting around 5 am to admire the sunrise over the bay, why not?

After a good breakfast, the junk continues to sail in the bay and takes you to Viet Hai village for a nice bike ride or visit the fish farm or just enjoy the tranquility on a beach. You choose !

Lunch on board and disembarkation around 11:30 am. Road to Ninh Binh, nicknamed the terrestrial Halong Bay.

Dinner at the restaurant.

Night at the hotel.

 

Day 5: Ninh Binh - Halong Bay land - Hue flight
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, plane, visits)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Ninh Binh, nicknamed Ha Long Bay on land because of the similarity between the landscapes and the geological formation, with thousands of rocks covered by beautiful vegetation, a succession of natural cirques linked together by caves dug by erosions.

Bike ride in the village to Thung Nham for another ride but in a rowing boat. It will be a small moment very ¨zen¨ to contemplate the beauty of the terrestrial Halong bay, with rocks, rice fields, caves .... Visit of the Bich Dong pagoda, a very beautiful ancient Buddhist pagoda hidden in the middle rocks and in a very quiet place.

Visit of the Thai Vi temple.

In the afternoon, departuret Ha Noi airport for flight to Hue. Welcome by the guide and the driver from Hue.

Dinner at the restaurant. Night at the hotel.

Day 6: Hue - Visits
(guide, private car, lunch, accommodation, visits)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Hue, former capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. A charming city which has a great cultural richness with its history, its historical monuments, its imperial city, its mausoleums, its Perfume river ...., which seduced the soul generations of Vietnamese poets as well as visitors. Despite damage due to the two wars, the renovation projects are gradually giving it back its original charm.

The day's visit begins with Dong Ba Market, the largest indoor market in the city. Here you find everything the locals need. A beautiful market to see.

Then you will visit the Heavenly Lady Pagoda, the most important pagoda in Hue. Built in 1601, the Heavenly Lady Pagoda is not only a Buddhist temple but also an important ceremonial place for members of the royal family.

A little discovery on local religious life.

The visit continues with the most important monument in Hue, the Imperial City. Built for 29 years from 1804 to 1833, the imperial city was the political, economic, cultural center of the country and the home of 13 Nguyen emperors and their families. The construction of the imperial city was a typical example of oriental architecture by harmoniously applying Confucianist philosophies, fengshui and also the use of local and exotic materials.

Time for lunch.

Continuation of the visit to the 2 mausoleums of Khai Dinh and Minh Mang. While the Mausoleum of Minh Mang is a typical construction of the city, strictly respecting local criteria, oriental philosophies, fengshui ... the mausoleum of Khai Dinh is an exception. Its architecture is really an original invention of this emperor and under the hands of the artists of the time, a splendid building, mixed with several styles: Catholic, Buddhist, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, as well as a most beautiful mosaic work. from Vietnam, were made.

Overnight at the hotel.

 

Day 7: Hue - Hai Van Pass - Hoi An
(guide, private car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)

 

Breakfast.

The morning begins with a visit to the Thanh Toan Bridge, a cute little Japanese-style bridge, located in a small village not far from the city center. Visit of the very authentic daily market where the villagers come to shop every day. A market that stands out from the rest.

Departure towards Hoi An via the Col des Nuages. A photo stop on the pass is highly recommended.

Arrival in Da Nang. Time for lunch at the restaurant.
Visit the beautiful Ngu Hanh Son Buddhist temple which is hidden in the Marble Mountain in Da Nang.

Arrival in Hoi An, nicknamed the Little Venice of Vietnam, Hoi An was a former silk trading port since the 14th and 15th centuries, a city which is very very well preserved, with its ancient temples, its ancient houses of various styles. , from the West with French houses, to the East with Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese houses. A favorite city for most of the people who have visited it. Town tour.

Dinner at the restaurant in the center of the old town. This outing allows you to see the city again but under the magnificent light of the lanterns.

Night at the hotel.

 

Day 8: Hoi An freetime
(accommodation)

 

Breakfast at hotel.

Completely free day for your personal activities: walking, cycling, beach, shopping….

Night at the hotel.

 

Day 9: Hoi An - Flight to Saigon - Visit Saigon
(guide, private car, dinner, accommodation, visits)

 

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 8:00 am, departure with the driver for the 11:00 am flight to Saigon.

Arrival in Saigon. Welcome by the guide and the driver. Transfer to the city center.
Saigon, today called Ho Chi Minh city, is the first city of Vietnam in several aspects: economic, area, population ...

Continuation of your day with a visit to the Reunification Palace which served as the Presidential Palace of South Vietnam before 1975.

Visit of the central post office and Saigon Cathedral.

Discovery of the old Chinatown of Cholon with in particular the Binh Tay market which is full of life and where you can find absolutely everything you can imagine, all in a warm atmosphere. Finally, visit the Thien Hau pagoda, a guaranteed atmosphere with the incense cones burning on the ceiling and all the decorative elements typical of a pagoda dedicated to the goddess of the sea.

Dinner on the Indochine Junk boat, a beautiful ride for 1h30 on the Saigon river to admire the modern beauty of the city while listening to traditional music.

Overnight at hotel in Saigon.

Day 10: Saigon - Cruise on the Mekong - Sadec
(guide on board, private car, lunch, dinner, visits)

At 8:00 am departure to Cai Be for a little air of the Mekong.

10:30 am-11:00am: Arrival at Cai Be pier. Transfer by junk that takes us to a sumptuous traditional mansion, former imperial residence, where the descendants of the Kiet family welcome you and invite you to taste tea, accompanied by tasty samples of tropical fruits. We have the opportunity to walk through the garden littered with fruit trees. Direction towards the artisanal villages where products made from rice and coconut are made: rice alcohol, puffed rice cakes, rice paper, sweets made from coconut milk.

12h00: Embarkation on the Le Cochinchine boat, welcome with a welcome drink. Lunch on board as the boat heads to Co Chien. During the cruise, you will have the opportunity to contemplate the beautiful authentic landscapes that appear on the banks of the river.

In the afternoon, we go for a walk or bike ride on the trails through the villages. The walk allows us to discover green orchards and river activities, and especially to make contact with the local inhabitants.

The boat continues its navigation towards Tra On, while going up towards the top of the river. The aperitif is offered on the upper deck while enjoying a foot massage as the sun gradually sets over the river.

Joining a cooking class on the boat, you will have the chance to try That Lat's Fish-Stuffed Zucchini Flowers dish and learn how to cut vegetables to decorate dishes.

Dinner and overnight on board to make the most of the beauty of the river after dark.

 

Day 11: Cruise - Floating Market - Flight to Phu Quoc
(hotel, transfers, plane)

 

Waking up early allows you to watch the dawn over the Mekong River: the fresh air, the chirping of birds, the barge traffic, and the activities of the locals by the river.

Breakfast is served on board as the boat slowly sets off towards Cantho.

Along the water, the boat accompanies you to the Cai Rang market, one of the most important floating markets of the Mekong, teeming with boats loaded with fruits and vegetables, small boats that zigzag on the lively waters.

Boat trip along the creeks shaded by palm trees. You can contemplate magnificent orchards, local dwellings, shipyards and the hustle and bustle of river activity. Visit an orchard where you will find many kinds of tropical fruits such as: mango, dragon fruit, kumquat, jackfruit, milk apple,….

Return and disembarkation of the boat around 10 am. Transfer to the airport for the flight at 12 noon for Phu Quoc.
Welcome by the driver. Transfer to the hotel.

 

 

Day 12: Phu Quoc Freetime
(hotel)

 

Breakfast at hotel

Completely free day to rest or participate in on-site activities: diving, snorkeling, fishing, etc.

 

Day 13: Phu Quoc Freetime
(hotel)

 

Breakfast at hotel.

Completely free day to rest or participate in on-site activities: diving, snorkeling, fishing, etc.

 

Day 14: Phu Quoc freetime
(hotel, plane, transfer)

 

Breakfast at hotel.

Completely free day to rest or participate in on-site activities: diving, snorkeling, fishing, etc.

 

Day 15: Saigon - Departure
(transfer to the airport)

 

Breakfast at the hotel.

Meet the driver for the trip to the airport for your departure flight.

 

End of the trip!



Travel with passion!