Day 1: Hanoi
Hanoi (Dinner)
Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Half-day visit of the "Old" Hanoi through the narrow and crowded streets of the old town onboard a traditional Cyclo. Passing through workshops of Embroiderers or manufacturers of "paper objects", traditional pharmacies, candy stores, clothes, hats, wooden puppets, bags, belts and watches shopping becomes a fun, curious and unusual treasure hunt. Diner at a Typical Restaurant.
Day 2: Hanoi
Hanoi - Hoa Lu - Hanoi (Breakfast, Dinner)
Departure from Hanoi and for 2 hours and a half we travel on a road towards the south, surrounded by rice fields where nearby is possible to admire the daily life of the Vietnamese farmer. We reach a spectacular scenery characterized by endless rice fields broken only by massive stone picks where amazing caves open to the view decorated by incredible stalactite and stalagmite. These caves are possible to visit only by using little boats droved by the locals. The most important cave is Tam Coc. Visit the Monumental Gate to enter the sacred site where there is the funerary temple of the Dinh Dynasty. Lunch at a Typical Restaurant. Return to Hanoi in the evening.
Day 3: Hanoi
Hanoi (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Visit the local Market and try to do some Vietnamese typical dishes. Lunch with the food prepared by the guests. Half-day excursion to experience the classic places of the cultural capital of Vietnam. Passing in front of the imposing mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh we enter the Governor General of Indochina's residence, where the President's house is located. Not far away is the famous One Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049, opposite the Dien Huu pagoda. We visit Van Mieu, the Confucian Temple of Literature, which is the oldest Asian university dating back to 1070. In the heart of the city lies the Lake of the Returned Sword, with the tiny island of the Jade Mountain Temple at its center. The day ends with an hour of fun at the Water Puppet Show: a show unique in the world, where the actors are puppets that revive ancient folk legends and scenes of everyday life on a stage made of water. Dinner in a typical restaurant. Return to the hotel.
Day 4: Ha Long
Hanoi - Halong Bay (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay. After a brief stop in an exhibition center displaying the best of local silk, ceramic and stone sculptures we proceed to the port, ready to embark on one of the most beautiful cruises in Asia. The visit to the spectacular Halong Bay takes place on a beautifully restored traditional Chinese junk, which will take you through a myriad of islands, islets and pinnacles emerging from the sea in weird shapes. Covered with pristine jungle and often punctured by caves and cracks, the karst formation of Halong has been in for centuries in legends of pirates and demons. Lunch on board. Dinner on board.
Day 5: Hoi An
Halong - Hanoi - Danang - Hoi An (Breakfast, Lunch)
The cruise continues throughout the morning, allowing plenty of time to relax while sailing surrounded by spectacular natural scenery. Brunch on board. Return to the port and disembark. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Danang. Transfer to Hoi An. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Day 6: Hue
Hoi An - Danang - Hue (Breakfast, Lunch)
Half-day was dedicated to the visit of Hoi An in cyclo. Following the crowded streets with a high density of shops, boutiques and art galleries, we reach the refined Japanese Bridge. We visit a nearby temple, belonging to the rich Chinese community, then we continue paying a visit to the classic house of a powerful merchant of the past. The next stop is a silk factory, where elegant and refined tailor-made clothes can be ordered. Transfer to Danang and visit the rocky cliffs of Ngu Hanh Son, the Five Marble Mountains, among which Thuy Son is the most revered. At his feet, in the village of Dong Hai, hundreds of families are still devoted to the old art of stone-carving. We reach the Linh Ung pagoda, one of the most revered places of worship in the region. Afterward, we visit the interesting Cham museum, built in 1916 and dedicated to the ancient Cham culture, which developed from the 2nd to the 14th century in present-day central Vietnam. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Transfer to Hue. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Day 7: Ho Chi Minh
Hue - Saigon (Breakfast, Lunch)
Half-day visit to the most important sites of Hue. It starts with Thien Mu, the Pagoda of the Heavenly Lady, on the left bank of the famous Perfume River. We continue with a visit to the imperial mausoleum of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Lunch in a typical restaurant. The Nguyen emperors began building the mighty City of Citadela (Prohibited City) at the center of the magnificent imperial city in 1802. The city contains the Hall of the Five Phoenixes, the Peace Palace Supreme and the Dynastic Temple: The Mieu. The grand buildings are arranged in a harmonic succession, according to geomantic principles enshrined in Chinese science, and end the day with a pleasant walk in the big market of Dong Ba. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Saigon. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Day 8: Ho Chi Minh
Saigon (Breakfast, Lunch)
Departure to reach the famous Cu Chi tunnels, the Vietcong's underground network of warehouses, dormitories, armories, kitchens, infirmaries and command posts resistant to US bombardments and symbol of Vietnamese resistance. In the nearby bushes, some structures are made accessible to the public and evocative mannequins mount the guard at strategic points. On the way back to Saigon we stop to taste the famous rice flour focaccia and explore a rubber tree plantation dating back to the years of French colonization at the beginning of the last century.
Lunch in a typical restaurant. In the afternoon, we visit the heart of Saigon, starting from the War Remnants Museum, a sad reminder of all wars in which Vietnam has been involved. After a brief stop at the central square to admire the Post Office building, designed by Gustave Eiffel, and the neo-Gothic cathedral of Notre-Dame, we visit Ngoc Hoang, the Jade Emperor's pagoda, dedicated to the Taoist cult. The interiors are surprisingly rich and fascinating. Afterward, we proceed to the bustling shopping area that runs from Dong Khoi Street, the "Rue Catinat" of the French settlers, to the large Ben Thanh market square. Return to the hotel.
Day 9: Chau Doc
Saigon - Chau Doc (Breakfast, Lunch)
Full-day visit to the Mekong Delta. We arrive at Cai Be river port to board a smaller local boat more suitable to navigate the narrow canals. Passing through crowded shores, full of life and commerce, we reach the local fresh market, where a myriad of people on boats convey fruits, vegetables and handicrafts from various areas of the delta. We visit a family-run business specializing in the traditional production of rice cakes, palm sugar candies and a variety of local desserts. Lunch in a typical restaurant. During the transfer to Chau Doc, we travel through the most characteristic landscapes of the Mekong delta, a river ecosystem unique in the world and very photogenic. Arrival at Chau Doc and transfer to the hotel.
Day 10:
Chau Doc - Phnom Penh (Breakfast)
Transfer from the hotel to the pier. Departure with a fast boat through a maze of channels connecting the Bassac river to the Mekong all the way to the border post between Vietnam and Cambodia. After crossing the border the journey continues through a unique landscape of great natural beauty, where traditional villages alternate with orchards, forests and swamps. Arrival in Phnom Penh about five hours after departing.
