Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

The vibrant metropolis Ho Chi Minh City teems with energy, activity and motion where traditional life meets modern life. The emerging modern skylines stand cheek by jowl with colonial buildings and traditional temples. Begin the tour and stroll around the DONG KHOI STREET, formerly known as the Rue Catinat which is the heart of old colonial Ho Chi Minh

City. Pass by classic European-style landmarks such as the CITY Hall (HOTEL DE VILLE), the OPERA HOUSE and pay a quick visit to the neo-Romanesque NOTRE DAME CATHEDREAL and the CENTRAL POST OFFICE. Continue the tour with a visit to the REUNIFICATION PALACE which formerly was the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president. Continue to the WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM which contains a comprehensive documentation of the long Vietnam- American War. The tour continues with a visit to the historic centre where The EMPEROR OF JADE PAGODA will be visited which is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most

interesting pagodas. In the afternoon, head out to CHOLON (Chinatown) and explore the highlights of this fascinating area. Visit the BINH TAY MARKET. Then head off to the THIEN HAU PAGODA which was build by the Cantonese congregation. End the tour and enjoy a visit to the central BEN THANH MARKET.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

Travel by vehicle from Ho Chi Minh City northwards to Nha Trang and stop on the way to see the red SAND DUNES of MUI NE.

Overnight in Nha Trang

Take an excursion by boat to the MUN ISLAND and enjoy swimming and snorkeling. Stop for a lunch at CON SE TRE. Continue the trip and visit the SEAWATER AQUARIUM there. Mieu Island has an important fish-breeding farm where over forty species of fish, crustaceans and other marine life are raised. Visit a local fishing village before returning to Nha Trang.

Overnight in Nha Trang

Transfer to the airport in Cam Ranh Bay / Nha Trang  and take a flight to Da Nang. Continue the tour by  vehicle from Da Nang to Hoi An and enjoy the ride passing the Marble Mountains and a lot of small villages. Hoi An is a picturesque riverside town south of Da Nang. Start the walking tour and visit the following sights:The JAPANESE COVERED BRIDGE PAGODA is the first

bridge on this site and was constructed in 1593 by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link the town with the Chinese quarters across the stream. Continue the walk to the SA HUYNH MUSEUM which contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An’s history and visit the TRAN FAMILY CHAPEL. Then visit the PHUOC KIEN ASSEMBLY HALL which is typical for

the Chinese clans settled in the Hoi An area. The temple is dedicated to Thien Hau Thanh Mau (Goddess of the Sea and Protector of Sailors and Fishermen). Finish the tour with a visit to the lantern workshop in Hoi An.

Overnight in Hoi An

Take a boat trip in the morning at the Hoi An harbor front and cruise down the THU BON RIVER. Stop on the way to visit the THANH HA POTTERY VILLAGE where local families produce potteries and the KIM BONG VILLAGE which is famous for its woodcarving and boatbuilding. Continue the tour by vehicle from Hoi An to Hue on the scenic HAI VAN PASS mountainous

roads and enjoy the spectacular views of the coastline. Continue and pass LANG CO, a lovely stretch of beaches curving outwards between a clear blue lagoon, the East Vietnam Sea and the large coastal city of DANANG before arriving in Hue. Begin the sightseeing tour in the Old Imperial City located in the heart of Hue. Continue the trip by visiting the DIEN THO RESIDENCE (Dien Tho palace). Look at the THAI HOA PALACE and its magnificently decorated reception

hall, the HALLS OF THE MANDARINS as well as the original NINE DYNASTIC URNS among other sites.

Overnight in Hue

Enjoy a boat ride down the PERFUME RIVER with a first stop at the iconic THIEN MU PAGODA which is an elegant seven-tiered octagonal tower and Hue’s most widely recognized monument. Continue the boat ride and stop to visit the IMPERIAL TOMB OF MINH MANG

which is a majestic complex of courtyards, pavilions and temples. The sightseeing tour continues with a visit to the IMPERIAL TOMB OF TU DUC. Take some time to soak in the tranquil atmosphere, wandering among the gracefully proportioned pavilions, courtyards and lotus ponds. Afterwards visit the IMPERIAL TOMB OF KHAI DINH located on a hillside. Finish the day with a visit to the DONG BA MARKET.

Ovenight in Hue

Transfer to the airport in Hue and take a flight to Hanoi. Continue the tour by vehicle to Ha Long and stop on the way to visit the BUT THAP PAGODA known for its four storey stone stupa dedicated to the monk Chuyet Chuyet.

Overnight in Hanoi

The day starts with a cruise on a traditional wooden boat among the emerald waters and craggy limestone cliffs of Ha Long Bay. Stop and explore one of the many caves in this area. Sail past floating villages, watch fishermen casting their nets, see the pearl fisheries and observe the rhythm of the daily life on the bay. Return to the Ha Long pier and travel by vehicle back to Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi

Although it is the modern-day capital of Vietnam, HANOI still retains the mystery and charm of the past centuries. Its many beautiful public places, lakes, parks, tree-lined boulevards and monuments give the city a breeze of elegance and harmony with nature. Start the sightseeing

tour with a visit to the TEMPLE OF LITERATURE which is a peaceful series of walled courtyards and graceful gateways. Continue the tour with a visit to the ONE PILLAR PAGODA. The pagoda is close to the HO CHI MINH MEMORIAL COMPLEX where the tour begins at the HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM. Here visitors can pay respect to the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh. Continue through the park to the HO CHI MINH STILT HOUSE, a simple two-room dwelling where Ho Chi Minh lived from 1948 until his final days. Then, head off to the HOAN KIEM LAKE located in the heart of Hanoi. The lake contains an islet with a tiny TORTOISE PAGODA. On the way, other

colonial landmarks like the magnificent OPERA HOUSE and ST. JOSEPH’s CATHEDRAL can be visited. Continue the walk to the OLD QUARTER which is a fascinating area of narrow alleys and shop houses and also known as The 36th Street. In the afternoon spend some time in one of

Hanoi’s famous museums. The History Museum is located in an elegant building from the 1930s and used to be the museum of the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient. Alternatively THE MUSEUM OF ETHNOLOGY can be visited. The tour ends with a visit to the WATER PUPPET SHOW which is a fantastic art form originating in the northern Vietnam.

Overnight in Hanoi

Transfer to the airport. End of the tour.