This Grand Vietnam Discovery tour is your best choice if you want to experience the totality of Vietnam: the land, the people, the culture, and the history, as a Vietnamese person would. In this tour, as you travel through the country you will experience all forms of transport: car, train, airplane, boat, walking and hiking. During over 3 weeks traveling with Private Asia Tours, you will trace the path of the founding of Vietnam, starting in Hanoi and ending in Saigon.
This is the ultimate tour of Vietnam-an in-depth exploration of Vietnam’s most interesting cities and countryside. Traveling across the country from North to South, you can explore the colonial elegance of Hanoi - our romantic capitol, Halong Bay - our world's natural heritage site, Sapa - with magnificent mountainous views and opportunities to meet with H'mong and Dzao hill tribes, Hue - the ancient citadel of the last King in Vietnam until 1954, Hoi An - a magical lantern-lit town for all tourist alike, our beloved Mekong Delta - the lush forests and major cultivation area for Vietnam, Can Tho - a discovery of daily life in the delta, and finally, the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon - all a major city has to offer.

DETAILED ITINERARY:

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Enter Vietnam at Noi Bai airport, you will be met and driven to your hotel. You will have time to relax before we present you with Vietnam daily life in the past and now with one or two hour cylo tour around the Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son temple and Old Quarter of Hanoi. You will then enjoy a Water Puppet Show. You will spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi (B)
You will have the whole day to explore Vietnam’s capital city. Your guide will take you to the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam dating back to the 11th century, and a popular attraction, as is Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, his simple stilt house where he lived and worked, and the museum dedicated to his memory. Afternoon, you’ll call in at the serene Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest in Hanoi and the excellent Ethnology Museum for an overview of Vietnam’s 54 distinct ethnic groups. Your overnight will be in Hanoi.



Day 3: Hanoi – Ha Long (B/L/D)
After breakfast, you will leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world’s largest marine limestone ‘karst’ landscape. There you will board your boat, a wooden junk built from the model of the old Vietnamese court vessels with sails, a wide transom and rectangular superstructure, that will take you first to the busy World Heritage area and then to some of the less well-known grottoes and caves. Weather permitting, you will be able to swim, fish, climb a hill for an overview of the Bay’s remarkable seascape, or venture into some of the sea level caves in a small sampan. All your meals will be provided on board, usually based on fresh seafood. Your overnight will be aboard.



Day 4: Ha Long - Hanoi – Overnight train to Sapa (B/L)
You will spend the morning cruising Ha Long Bay, followed by lunch just before docking around noon and leaving for Hanoi. In the evening, you’ll be transferred to the railway station to overnight train to Sapa.

Day 5: Lao Cai - Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai (B/L)
Arriving in the Lao Cai Railway station at 5am. You’ll be transferred to Sapa. After breakfast, you will follow your guide to walk around the town, visit the town centre market before being driven to the Lao Chai, a village of the Black H’Mong ethnic minority people. Trek around the village and then along the path to Tan Van of Dzay people. Pick lunch on at Tan Van village then continue trekking to Giang Ta Chai. Trek to main road and our car will pick you up back to Sapa. Your overnight will be in Sapa.



Day 6: Sapa – Ethnic Market – Lao Cai - Overnight train to Hanoi (B)
You will wake up early today to explore one of the colourful markets in Sapa or nearby Bac Ha. In afternoon, you will return to Lao Cai for overnigh train back to Hanoi. Your overnight will be on the train. The schedule of the local markets as below: Tuesday: Coc Ly Market Wednesday: Cao Son Market Thursday: Lung Khau Nhin Market. Saturday: Can Cau Market Sunday: Muong Hum or Bac Ha Market.

Day 7: Hanoi – Hue (B)
Getting back to Hanoi at 5am in the morning, you will check in a mini hotel for breakfast and refreshment. You will then board an afternoon flight to Hue. Arriving in Hue, you will be greeted by your guide and driven to the downtown for hotel check in. You will be free in the remainder of the day. Your overnight will be in Hue.



Day 8: Hue (B)
Your morning will visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue and cruise along Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda and the Royal Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang. In the afternoon, you will visit the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. From there, you will return to Hue to visit one of the city’s Garden Houses, a unique feature of Hue. Your overnight will be in Hue.

Day 9: Hue – Hoi An (B/L)
After breakfast, you will drive to Hoi An via the Hai Van Pass. Upon arriving in Danang, you will visit the the remarkable Hindu statuary in the Cham Museum before leaving for Hoi An. You’ll visit the ancient town including 400 years old Japanese Bridge, 300 years old Chinese temple, 200 years old Vietnamese former merchants’ house before being dropped off at your hotel. You will spend the night in Hoi An.



Day 10: Hoi An – My Son Sanctuary – Hoi An (B)
After breakfast, your guide will meet you at your hotel to take you to the World Heritage My Son Sanctuary, 40km southwest of Hoi An. Located in a lush valley; My Son was a capital and religious center of Cham people, now remaining with red brick towers and sanctuaries. When you return, the rest of the day will be free. You will spend the night in Hoi An.



Day 11 to Day 12: Hoi An free (B)
The days will be free for strolling in the town, lazing on the beach, or whatever takes your fancy!!!

Day 13: Hoi An - Danang – Nha Trang (B)
You will be free today until being transferred to the airport for your flight to Nha Trang. Arriving in Nha Trang, you’ll be transferred to your hotel for checking in. You’ll be free to relax on the beach. Your overnight will be in Nha Trang.

Day 14: Nha Trang (B)
This excursion take you to visit a selection of the numerous attractions in Nha Trang City. First the car will drive you to Cau Da for a visit the Vietnam Oceanographic Institute. After that, you will go to Long Son Pagoda, Chong Promontory Rocks. After a brief visit to the impressive Ponaga Cham tower, you’ll be driven to the nearby Thap Ba hot spring spa. After relaxing in the mud baths and mineral water pools, you will be driven back to your hotel. Your overnight will be in Nha Trang.



Day 15: Nha Trang Cycling (B/L)
After breakfast, you will pick up a bike to cycle across the countryside around Nha Trang City stopping off at several villages, a working brick kiln and a good example of typical 19th century Vietnamese architecture en-route. You’ll meet local people, find out about their rural lifestyle and see how they earn a living. Your journey will take you across the rice fields where the farmers work with the water buffalos, and visit hamlets producing: rice paper, conical hats, woven rice-stalk mats, charcoal stoves. You lunch will be at a riverside restaurant. You’ll spend overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 16: Nha Trang – Dalat (B/L)
In the morning, you will take a 5 hour drive journey to Dalat. Arrive in Dalat in the afternoon, you will check in your hotel and then be free for relaxing. Your overnight will be Dalat.



Day 17: Dalat (B/L)
In the morning, you will ride a cable car to Truc Lam Pagoda and Tuyen Lam Lake. Truc Lam is the biggest pagoda in Dalat standing in Phoenix Mountain about 1,300m above the sea-level. It’s surrounded by an attractive flower garden and with the view of pure water lake and the pine forest on the far side. After lunch at local restaurant, you will visit Emperor Bao Dai’s Summer Palace, Crazy House, Dalat Railway station and Dalat market. You will spend overnight in Dalat.

Day 18: Dalat – Ho Chi Minh City (B)
You will be free in the morning until your car and driver arrive to take you to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. When you arrive, a private car will be waiting to take you to your hotel in the city centre. After checking in, you’ll be free for a preliminary wander around District 1. Your overnight will be in Ho Chi Minh City.



Day 19: Ho Chi Minh City (B)
After breakfast, your guide will arrive to show you around Ho Chi Minh City. You will visit the History Museum, the Museum of War Remnants, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Centre Post Office and the huge Ben Thanh market, one of the liveliest areas of Ho Chi Minh City. After lunch, you will visit China town, Binh Tay market and Thien Hau Pagoda. You will spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 20: Ho Chi Minh City – Tay Ninh – Cu Chi (B)
A morning drive will take you to Tay Ninh to visit the temple of Cao Dai and attend the fantastic mid-day ceremony. After lunch, you’ll visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels, a byzantine maze of underground passages, chambers, rooms and booby traps used by both the Vietminh and the Viet Cong to suddenly materialise as if from nowhere, launch a lightning ambush, and vanish equally rapidly. Your overnight will be in Ho Chi Minh City.



Day 21: Ho Chi Minh City – Vinh Long – Can Tho (B/L)
After escaping from Ho Chi Minh City’s urban sprawl, you’ll travel to Vinh Long. There, you’ll cruise on the Mekong River, visit Cai Be floating market, fruit orchards, a traditional family-run brick kiln, and drop in to look at some traditional cottage industries - a workshop making the huge coffins unique to the Mekong is particularly interesting. You’ll sleep in a family house in a canal-side orchard.



Day 22: Can Tho – Ho Chi Minh City (B)
The day begins with boarding a boat to cruise to Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets on the Mekong Delta – both the journey and the markets provide insights into the Mekong rural lifestyle. Take in the beautiful scenery and the daily activities of the locals who lives along the Mekong canals and you will roam through the village to visit a rice husking mill and a rice noodles making shop. You will drive back to Ho Chi Minh City in the late afternoon for overnight. Your overnight will be in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 23: Ho Chi Minh City departure (B)
After breakfast, you will be free until our driver arrives to take you to Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight.

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TOUR COST: Lowest price 1965 US$/Person
The cost is quoted in US Dollars per Person (Pax) base on TWIN/DOUBLE share basic, and applied for private tour for group of 2 pax. For bigger group, please Contact Us for better cost.
Peak season surcharge may be applied for Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, Tet Holiday.

Include:
- Accommodation with daily breakfast bases on twin/double sharing room.
- Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner)
- All airport – hotel transfers, tour transportation by private car with A/C.
- All internal flights: Hanoi – Hue and Danang – Nha Trang and Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City (Y Class)
- All train tickets in soft berth in private cabin for 2 persons for the train: Hanoi – Sapa – Hanoi
- Overnight cruise 2 days/ 1 night in Halong Bay on Bai Tho Junk or similar
- Boat trips as mentioned in the programs
- Local English speaking tour guides
- All entrance fees and permits where applicable

Exclude:
International flights
Meals except otherwise mentioned
Vietnam Visa
Tipping, drinks, insurance, personal expenses

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PA TOURS specializes in private and personalized travel services and tours in Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos.
Planning your personalized travel on Private Asia Tours is easy and enjoyable. You can always change, modify, or adjust your package details to suit your travel plan, flight schedule and budget before actually making the final purchase. The custom-design service of PA Tours is absolutely free!