3 Week Vietnam Itinerary – Complete Travel Experience

When you arrive at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you will be warmly welcomed by your guide and driver then transferred to your hotel. Free at leisure after check in. The day marks the start of your 3 week Vietnam itinerary.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Meals:
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

The morning will be yours!

Around noon, embark on a Hanoi street food tour in Hanoi’s Old Quarter where your expert English-speaking local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture including details on ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes. Walking through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi’s Old Quarter, tempt your tastebuds with the famed Hanoi dishes at local eateries. Watch in awe as the skilled chefs demonstrate for you how this tasty dish is put together. Continuing into the atmospheric heart of the Old Quarter, you wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes where you can observe local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded over 1000 years ago. At the end of your tour you are free to continue exploring the area or your guide will assist you with directions or a taxi back to your hotel.

The remainder of the day will be your own!

Overnight in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation:

This city tour of Hanoi takes in essential sites which will commence from your hotel lobby at 08.30 am. In the morning, you’ll visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex including the Mausoleum, his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace and the One-Pillar Pagoda; The Temple of Literature – Vietnam’s first university dating back to 1070.

Afternoon you’ll continue visiting the Museum of Ethnology, widely acknowledged as the best in the country, containing an extensive display of life-size structures dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority peoples; You will also enjoy a cyclo tour for 1 hour touring through the narrow, chaotic streets of the Old Quarter – a must for any visitor to Hanoi! The day finishes with a traditional performance of the famous Vietnamese water puppets.

Note: the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed all day on Monday and Fridays, as well as from 1st October to 30th November (approx.) for annual conservation.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

After breakfast, a two hour road trip through picturesque countryside and agricultural land will take you to Hoa Lu. On arrival, your guide will lead you through this ancient complex which formed the capital city of Vietnam under both the Dinh and Le Dynasties between 968 and 1009 AD. King Dinh Tien Hoang chose this mountain location as the water systems fed from the mountains were perfect for both agriculture and defense. Enjoy the sight of palaces, pagodas, tombs and pavilions built by different dynasties and visit the Dinh and Le Temples, the two remaining architectures of Hoa Lu.
Afternoon transfer to the pier for a three hour sampan ride to explore the picturesque waterways in Trang An ecological site. The area features more than 30 valleys and 50 cross-water caves, and is home to 600 species of plants and over 200 types of animals. You will venture through a network of 11 caves in the quiet, fresh air, with only the sound of birds and the oars stirring the clear water and surrounded by magnificent forested mountains. Return to Hanoi in the late afternoon.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Alternative for Day 4: Hanoi – Explore Villages in the Red River Delta (B, Home L)
After breakfast, an hour drive along the dyke road will take you through the local countryside to Bat Trang, a village world renowned for its fine ceramics. You will stroll through the village with your local guide and see the artisans at work. Witness the process of molding and carving clay pots, dishes and vases, before they are glazed and fired in a kiln, ready for sale. You also visit Bat Trang ceramics market and workshops.

Afterward, drive to visit But Thap Pagoda, the cradle of Vietnamese Buddhism with unique architecture, followed by the village of Dong Ho, famous for the ancient painting technique of wood block printing. Folk painting is one of the special cultural features of Vietnam. Finally arrive at a small rural village where you will enjoy a traditional Quan Ho music performance by villagers in front of the commune house. The singers was officially designated as part of Vietnam’s ‘living heritage’ and the Quan Ho music has been recognized as World’s Intangible Heritage and. In the late afternoon, you’ll return to Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat

After breakfast, you’ll drive through the fertile lands and rice fields of the Red River Delta, a major agricultural area of Vietnam with refreshment break en route. Once you arrive in Halong Bay you will board your boat for an overnight cruise that will uncover the mysteries of this legendary bay. As your boat navigates pass the thousand limestone peaks, your informative guide will explain the local legends and the global value of Halong Bay, the World Natural Heritage site of Vietnam. Visit one of the famous caves in the middle of the bay. Return to the junk refreshed and relax on deck with a drink to watch the sunset. Enjoy a freshly prepared seafood dinner under the stars.

Overnight on a wooden junk in Halong Bay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight Cruises
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat

Enjoy an early Taichi exercise or photo hunt, followed by breakfast. Visit a popular beach site and go swimming if the weather permits, relaxing at the beach or hike up to the top of the island for a panoramic view of Halong Bay. Kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, around the Man’s Head Islet area. Enjoy a brunch while cruising back to the main harbor where your vehicle will take you back to Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Noi Bai airport for a short morning flight to Hue. Upon arrival, you will be pickup up and transferred to your hotel.

In the afternoon, you will cruise the Perfume River by a dragon boat to serene Thien Mu Pagoda and drive to visit the majestic Royal Tomb of King Ming Mang or King Khai Dinh. Return to your hotel by road just before sunset.

Please note: You might consider a candle-lit dinner set in a garden house which is a traditional feature of Hue’s culture. Both the garden house and the cuisine are great introduction into Hue’s culture.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

This morning you’ll continue the city tour of Imperial City of Hue, firstly with the ancient walled Citadel including the former Imperial Palace. You’ll then visit the Dong Ba market to learn about local produce and specialties of Hue. You might get some great deals done at the local Dong Ba Market.

Afternoon you’ll drive south to Hoi An through Hai Van pass, enjoying the view of the coast line and Danang from the top of the Hai Van Pass (Pass of the Clouds) makes your journey interesting and have your camera ready for some great photo opportunities. When you arrive in Danang, visit either the Cham Museum in the city centre of Danang OR the famous Marble Mountain, which stands for the five essential elements that establish nature. Then continue the scenic route to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

8:30 a.m., your guide will meet you at your hotel lobby and show you around the old town. You’ll start a walking tour with numerous places of interest: the 400-year old Japanese Covered Bridge, the Phuc Kien Assembly Halls, a museum and the colorful local market. Following the narrow lanes, you walk along tiny streets with houses influenced by Chinese, Japanese, French and European architectures.

After your walking tour, your time will be at leisure to wander around or go shopping. Your lunch will be at a local restaurant. The remainder of the day will be your own.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

A free day at leisure in Hoi An.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Apart from exploring Hoi An’s World Heritage architecture & colorful market on foot, you might visit Vietnam’s grandest Cham ruins at My Son; attend a cooking class at a riverside restaurant; or join other travelers to get up close and personal to daily farming and fishing life. For early risers, why not capture the real Hoi An by joining a 4-hour photography tour led by a local expat expert? If you want to go below, hop on a boat to Cu Lao Cham Island for a fun and relaxing day to explore exotic coral reefs and marine life [best between March & September]. If you’d like any of these activities to be included during your free time in Hoi An, just let it be known during your enquiry.

Optional [at extra cost]: Visit My Son Cham’s Ruins ½ Day – Free Afternoon of Leisure (B)

In the morning, an hour drive will take you to the ancient Cham ruins of My Son. The route takes you through some incredible scenery and tiny villages that specialize in brass works, with little shops flanking the roadside selling big brass gongs. Upon arrival, guided visit the Tra Kieu capital which was the former administration center of Champa Kingdom. Discover the majestic ancient ruins at My Son including ancient towers which were built from the fourth century to fourteenth century. Walk around to see up to three groups of ancient temple and tower ruins set amongst hills and streams. Return to your hotel around noon. The remainder of the day will be your own.

Note: There is a daily traditional dancing shows at 9:45 a.m. (except Mondays and included in entrance ticket price).

Located 50km to the southwest of Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary is a large complex of religious monuments comprised of more than 70 architectural works built by the nobility of the Champa kingdom deriving their cultural and spiritual influences from Indian Hinduism. Only 25 vestiges remain today as a standing witness to the reign of Champa Dynasty. These are temples and towers connected to each other through complicated red brick design to reflect the divinity of the king.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation:

Morning transfer to Danang airport for a short domestic flight to Da Lat. When you arrive, you will be met by another driver who will transfer you to your chosen hotel. The remainder of the day will be your own!

Overnight in Da Lat

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

This morning a short road transfer will take you to Robin hill – former artillery base at 1,650m above the sea level where you will take a short cable car ride (2,3km) to Tuyen Lam Lake and enjoy panoramic view of the city. Visiting Truc Lam Zen monastery, uniquely Vietnamese form of Zen founded during the Tran Dynasty in 13th century overlooking the Tuyen Lam lake; visit Bao Dai’s Summer Palace where the last Emperor of Viet Nam – Bao Dai stayed and ruled the country between 1949 and 1954; next up is the ‘Crazy House’ designed by a talented architect living in Dalat where you will find art, architecture, feeling and imagination are well blended.

Afternoon visit to Dalat Flower Garden – a collection of a good number of flower, orchids and plants. Continue to visit Lang Biang Mountain, take Russian jeep to Rada hill, enjoy panoramic view to Dankia Lake. Visit Lat village, see traditional houses with their farming tools, musical instruments and belongings and learn about Lat culture.

Overnight in Da Lat.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

After breakfast, a short drive will take you to Lat village located under the foot of Langbian mountain, now is the center of the Lat community (15km North of Dalat). You will visit the church decorated with the traditional patterns describe the spiritual life of the people. Continue to Chil village, strolling in the village of the native people of the area. Visit Chil’s traditional houses with their farming tools, musical instruments and belongings and learn about K’ho culture. Admiring the talent of K’ho women in a weaving workshop. You will then visit a coffee farms, vegetable fields, flowers, strawberries gardens. Learn K’ho lifestyle through their daily activities. After walking around the farms, visit a rustic bungalow of the locals here. Learn the processes of harvesting, drying, roasting coffee. The homeowners will invite you to enjoy a cup of coffee that is roasted on site. Enjoy the performance of K’ho woman on T’rưng – an ethnic musical instrument before heading back to your hotel.

Afternoon you will be transferred to Lien Khuong airport for an afternoon flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in the downtoan.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Boutique Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

After breakfast, you’ll enjoy a guided city tour starting with the War Remnants Museum – a real eye-opener to a part of Vietnam’s proud history, followed by the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace for the president of the South of Vietnam, the Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post office to get good shots for our memory of the big, modern city of Vietnam.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you will continue by heading to Chinatown with walking tour through back streets of China town near Cho Lon to view the local daily life. Stop off for a visit of Thien Hau temple, which was built in the early 19th Century dedicated to Thien Hau, the goddess of seafarers. We delve deeper into Chinatown visiting the amazing Cholon and Binh Tay Market (or Ben Thanh market) for an insight into where locals shop. Then you’ll be back to hotel at around 17:00.

Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochin-china and later of the independent state of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. In 1976, Saigon was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after Ho Chi Minh, current Vietnam’s founding father.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

After breakfast, you will drive for 2 hours to Tay Ninh, once the historical center of the Cao-Dai religion. Founded in 1926, Cao-Dai is a combination of Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism. At the Holy See Temple, you will have the chance to watch the worshipers in their long white tunics during noon mass.
After lunch at a local restaurant, you will drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels where you will visit the amazing network of underground tunnels was used during the Vietnam War by the Viet Cong. This huge construction was a habitation for villagers in the war time. With 3 levels of depth, it was never discovered by the US during the Vietnam War despite its proximity to Saigon. Visit the fighting tunnel system with your local guide. If you really want some excitement, it is possible to fire a real AK 47 or M 16 for a minimum $12 USD for 10 bullets (optional). Return to Saigon, arriving around 17.30. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Cao Dai is a ‘new’ religion unique to Vietnam with around a million followers. Both its creed and its architecture are remarkable and exotic. The service lasts about half an hour – the rituals are based upon an eclectic mixture of Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. Discreet photography is OK, but shoes must be left outside.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

This morning you’ll head south to visit of Cai Be market, cruising among local barges full of fruits and vegetables. Then, an optional stop can be made at local workshops where you can see how to make rice paper, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn …Visit a handicraft village where you can see how they make rice-net for spring-rolls, fish sauce & soya sauce, cooking salt, sewing coconut-leaves for cottage roof. Later, a rowing boat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals to enjoy peacefulness of the Delta. You will also see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves and see some activities of the local farmers with an opportunity to interact with them and see how they catch fish or pick up fruits by ancestral ways in Mekong Delta. A tasty lunch will be served at a local restaurant.

Afternoon walk around and then enjoy some fresh fruits while listening to the traditional music. The trip today also takes in some gentle cycling along village paths to see the local farms, houses, real life and the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong Delta. The cruise will end at Vinh Long city where you will drive to Can Tho in the heart of the Mekong Delta for overnight stay.

Overnight in Can Tho.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat

Today an half hour boat cruise will take you to visit the vibrant Cai Rang floating market to experience a special type of market in which all purchasing activities take place on boats and ships. Then continue to small a canal to visit a fruit garden where your guide will show you around before having a plate of delicious fruits. Return to Can Tho and observing the rural life and the lush vegetation along the riverbanks. Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City with lunch en-route, arriving in the late afternoon.

Note: Cai Rang market is one of the three biggest markets (Cai Be, Phung Hiep, Cai Rang) in the Mekong Delta. You can visit the market at any time of the day but it is most crowded and busy from sunrise to 9:00 am.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat

Morning flight to Phu Quoc Island.
Overnight on Phu Quoc Island

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

Free days on Phu Quoc Island to spend as your wish!

Overnight on Phu Quoc Island

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

Free days on Phu Quoc Island to spend as your wish!

Overnight on Phu Quoc Island

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation:

Your time will be your own until being picked up to head to Phu Quoc airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat Airport for your departure flight.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation:
Transportation: Private vehicle