Itinerary :

Day 01: Arrival in Hanoi
Day 02: Hanoi - Sightseeing - Night train to Sapa
Day 03: Sapa - Bac Ha Market
Day 04: Bac Ha - Ta Phin - Sapa
Day 05: Sapa - Lao Chai - Ta Van - Night train
Day 06: Ha Noi - Ninh Binh - Halong Bay land
Day 07: Ninh Binh - Cat Ba - Cruise - Cruise in Halong Bay
Day 08: Cat Ba - Ha Noi Airport - Flight to Hue
Day 09: Hue-Visits
Day 10: Hue-Hoi An
Day 11: Hoi-Visits
Day 12: Hoi An-free
Day 13: Hoi An-Vol Saigon-Visits
Day 14: Saigon - Cai Be - Vinh Long - Can Tho
Day 15: Floating market - Saigon & Departure

Highlights :

+ Complete trip for the general discovery of the country.
+ Stay at a moderate pace, with visits and quiet walks.
+ Visits to the country's must-see historical sites as well as authentic landscapes
+ Cruise and overnight aboard a beautiful private or collective junk in the authentic and wild part of Halong Bay.
+ Meeting of ethnic groups in Sapa.

Notes:

- Depending on your desires and your budget, this tour can be adapted and modified in terms of duration, content, as well as the date of departure.
- The price of this trip varies according to the number of participants, the services chosen (accommodation category, activities and board during the trip, ...) as well as the tourist period of the year.
- Do not hesitate to contact us for more information. We are always ready to listen to you.

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

 

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

An orientation walk or rickshaw 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 and charming neighborhood, with its shops on the sidewalks, the small narrow houses, scooters everywhere.

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

At the end of the day, you will witness the performance 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.

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

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi - Sightseeing - Night train
(guide, private 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.

Dinner at the local restaurant.

Departure to the station for the night train at 8:30 p.m. Overnight on the train to Lao Cai.

 

Day 3: Lao Cai - Bac Ha Market - Nano Village
(guide, private car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)

 

Arrive at Lao Cai station early in the morning. Time for a little shower and breakfast before leaving.

Today is Sunday, the day of the biggest weekly market among the Hmong Fleur, Bac Ha market.

Due to the means of transportation and the very mountainous terrain of the region, the locals are unable to meet every day to exchange their agricultural products, their animals, or to buy things. So the weekly markets are created.

The locals come to the market not only for the goods but also to meet, have a drink together after a week. Indeed, the market is not only an opportunity for shopping but also an opportunity to meet local people, a small local festival for young people, to meet each other. An opportunity to find the husband or wife of their life.

Lunch at the local restaurant.

In the afternoon, stroll through the villages around Ban Pho, visit the former palace of King H’mong of the region.

Arrival at the village of the Tay ethnic group, Nano village. Walk in the village.

Night with the locals, a great opportunity to discover local life, a little friendly moment awaits you.

 

Day 4: Bac Ha - Ta Phin - Sapa
(guide, private car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)

 

At 8:30 am, departure to Sapa, the old summer resort founded by the French during the colonial era. Visit of the Sino-Vietnamese border.

At the entrance of Sapa, you will take a 3-hour walk contemplating the beautiful landscapes in the villages of Matra and Ta Phin, the two villages inhabited by the Black H'mong and the Red Dao, the other two ethnic minorities. from northern Vietnam.

Lunch in the village.

In the afternoon, visit the center of Sapa, its church, its local market.

Dinner at the restaurant.

Night at the hotel.

 

Day 5: Sapa - Lao Chai Ta Van - Night train
(guide, private car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)

 

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 9:00 am, departure to the villages of Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van for a 3h30 walk around the most beautiful rice terraces of Sapa, a wonder made by human hands. Nice encounters with minorities.

Arrival at the end of the hike, lunch with the locals in the village of Ta Van.

Return to Sapa. Free time for your shopping and departure for the station around 5:00 p.m. for the night train at 8:00 p.m.

Time for the shower and dinner at the restaurant at the station

Night on the train

Day 6: Ha Noi- Ninh Binh - Halong Bay land
(guide, private car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)

Arrive early in the morning at Ha Noi station. You will go to a hotel not far from the station for breakfast.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Ninh Binh.

Ninh Binh, nicknamed the baye of Ha Long terrestrial 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 erosion.

Arrival in Hoa Lu, former capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1009, the center of modern heritage. Visit of the Bai Dinh Buddhist complex, the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia with pharaonic statues. A building to see in life.

Arrival at Tam Coc. Lunch at the restaurant.

In the afternoon, bike ride through the village to Thung Nham for another rowboat ride. It will be a very ¨zen¨ moment to contemplate the beauty of the terrestrial Halong Bay with rocks, rice fields, caves ....

Visit the temple of Thai Vi and the Bich Dong pagoda.

Installation at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel

Day 7: Ninh Binh - Cat Ba - Cruise in Halong Bay
(guide on board, bus, lunch, dinner, private or shared junk, visits

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 7:30 am, departure for Hai Phong 150 km away to board a shuttle bus that takes you to Cat Ba Island. 30 minutes more bus and you 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 the 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, beautiful place for the kayak trip, 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 8: Cat Ba - Ha Noi - Flight to Da Nang
(guide on board, bus, lunch, 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 simply enjoy the tranquility on a beach. You choose !

Lunch on board and disembarkation around 11:30 am.

Transfer to Ha Noi Airport for the 18:00 flight to Hue. Arrival in Hue. Welcome by the guide and the driver. Transfer to the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

 

Day 9: 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, 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 realt 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 the most beautiful mosaic work in Vietnam, were made.

Dinner on your own and overnight at the guest house.

 

Day 10: Hue - Cloud 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 town which is very very well preserved, with its ancient temples, ancient houses in various styles, from the west with French houses, to the 'Orient with Vietnamese, Chinese, 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 11: Hoi An - Visits - Tra Que Village
(guide, lunch, accommodation, visits)

Breakfast at the hotel.

This morning, you will start with a bike ride to Tra Que village, a village renowned for its cultivation of aromatic vegetables, salads, onions ... in an organic way. Over here, you will dress up as a peasant, participate, learn and work the land with the people of the village.

After the time to learn the profession of peasant, it will be a small cooking class with the family to make some typical dishes of the region. Continuation of the bike ride through villages surrounded by rice fields, to the sea. Then, you will start another ride, by boat towards the old town of Hoi An.

Lunch at the restaurant.

Visit of the city with some temples and typical houses, the Japanese bridge and also time for your shopping.

Night at the hotel.

 

Day 12: Hoi An freetime
(accommodation)

This is a completely free day for your personal activities: walking, cycling, beach, shopping….

 

Day 13: Hoi An - Flight to Saigon - Visit Saigon
(guide, private car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)

 

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 8:00 am, departure for the flight around 11:00 am for 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 by visiting 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 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 14: Saigon - Cai Be - Vinh Long - Can Tho
(guide, private car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)

 

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 8:00 am, departure with the guide towards Cai Be. Arriving in Cai Be, you will begin a short one-hour boat trip on an arm of the Mekong and enjoy the typical landscapes of the Mekong on its two banks.

Arrival at Vinh Long.

Gourmet lunch from the region.

In the afternoon, visit of the factory with tasting of sweets, nougats, rice cakes, rice alcohol ... and huge gardens of exotic fruit trees, durian, mangosteen, rambutan, milk apple ....

Then, take the car back to Can Tho.

Arrival in Can Tho.

Dinner at the restaurant. Night at the hotel.

 

Day 15: Can Tho - Floating market - Vinh Long - Cai Be - Saigon
(guide, private car, tours)

 

Wake up early at 6 a.m. to visit the Cai Rang floating market, the largest floating market in Vietnam where hundreds of boats gather every morning to trade in products.gricoles, fruits, flowers. The origin of the floating markets comes from the relief of the Mekong Delta with rivers, streams and canals everywhere, which really discourages land transport but which seems ideal for boat traffic. Here you will see that the locals of the Mekong are as comfortable on their boats as the others, elsewhere on their scooters !!!!!

Return of the floating market. Time for breakfast and drive to Saigon.
Arrival in Saigon. Departure flight.

 

End of the trip!

Travel with passion!

 

Note: These are simply hotels that Zen Vietnam Travel often works with but depending on your desire, budget or the availability of these hotels, we can find other equivalent hotels for you.