Best of Vietnam Tour 12 days

8.00  8.15:  We pick you up from your hotel, start visiting first place named Tran Quoc Pagoda, a Buddhist relic and national heritage lying on the West Lake. 
9.00: Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the final resting place of the beloved national hero, Uncle Ho – and President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house where he lived off and on from 1958 to 1969. 
9.30: You’ll visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which is actually a group of structures that collectively make up a pagoda built over the water in the middle of a square lake.
10.00: 
 
Departure on MON, FRI
Depart for Bat Trang ceramic village which is about 20 km away from Ha Noi, this is pottery village with a half milleary  historic development (applied on MON, FRI)
 
Departure on TUE, WED, THU, SAT, SUNDAY
You’ll stop in at MUSEUM OF ETHNOLOGY. This superb museum showcases the depth of Vietnamese cultural diversity with an astounding collection of 15,000 artifacts gathered from throughout Vietnam. Maps, displays and dioramas are labelled in Vietnamese, French and English. Displays portray a typical village market, the making of comical hats and a Tay shamanic ceremony; videos show the real thing. You can also check out a traditional Black Thai house reconstructed in the museum. There's also a centre for research and conservation where scientists from all over the world study traditional Vietnamese cultures (applied on TUE, WED, THU, SAT, SUNDAY).
 
12.30: You have lunch at a restaurant in the Old Quarter
13.30: Visit the Temple of literature, considering the first university of Viet Nam. The temple was first constructed in 1070 under King Ly Nhan Tong and dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars.
Afterwards, you’ll visit Hoan Kiem Lake, the heart and soul of Hanoi, visit Ngoc Son Temple dedicated to Van Xuong Saint and Tran Hung Dao General Commander for his struggle against Mongolians.
15.30 16.00: Come back your hotel. Hanoi City Tour 1 day ends
Add some options: Enjoy Water Puppet Show from 15.30 to 16.15 or Electric Car or Cyclo around Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Come back your hotel at 17.00

Overnight at hotel.

8.008.30 am: Tour guide will pick you up from your hotel in Old Quarter to depart to Ninh Binh city
10.3011.00 am: You will reach Hoa Lu Ancient Capital.
In 968, Dinh Bo Linh declared himself as the King. Since then Hoa Lu existed as the capital for the next 41 years (968 – 1009), of which 12 years was under the Dinh dynasty – King Dinh Tien Hoang, the country named Dai Co Viet, and 29 years later was under the Le dynasty – King Le Dai Hanh. In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long – present day Hanoi. Hoa Lu became the old citadel. In Hoa Lu there are now 2 temples have been built on the ground of the old royal palace, one is dedicated to King Dinh Tien Hoang, the other is to King Le Dai Hanh. The visit offers a chance to know more about part of feudal dynasties and historical periods in Vietnamese history.
12:00 pm: Today you will enjoy buffet lunch at local restaurant in Tam Coc named Duc Tuan restaurant. The food is served with Asian style, local dishes, organic vegetable. The Duc Tuan is located on the river overview Tam Coc, you can enjoy the view of overall riverside until you finish your lunch
1:30 pm: After finishing your lunch, you will be taking the rowing boat at Tam Coc Harbour. Arranged by local people here, the boat is rowed by both hand and legs. The boat will take you to 3 specular caves with hundreds of limestones on the way. If you travel during harvest season, you will see many terrace rice fields in golden colors.
The boat rowing will be in around 2 hours. Not only you could see the peaceful scenery of mountain, rice paddy fields, temples, you also have chances to learn about local people cultures on their daily life.
Optional activities: Enjoy a bicycle ride through the countryside after the boat trip.
4:00 pm: leave Tam Coc and drive back to Hanoi. Arrive Hanoi at around 6:30 pm.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Today we will drive through Red River delta from Ninh Binh province to Nam Dinh province to Thaibinh province then Hai Phong and arrive to Ha Long city around 12.00, check – in registration, board on a Deluxe junks, welcome drink and have lunch on boat. The cruise will take you by exotic islets with shapes of Dog, Incense Urn, Fight Cocks, Finger islets and explore the mysteries of Sung Sot cave (Surprising cave). Swimming and relax at Titop beach.

Dinner and overnight on boat.

Wake up early morning to admire the sunrise, Breakfast then paddle by small bamboo boat to visit Luon (grottoes) cave. Cruise to Bai Tu Long bay and sightseeing Fire Island, Man Head Island, Fishing village. Having lunch on boat and arrive at Ha Long wharf about 12.00 noon.

Driving direct to Noibai airport for flight departure to Hue, On arrival Hue our guide pick up and transfer to Hue city for check in hotel. Free in evening.

Overnight at hotel.

8: 00 8h15:  Our local guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer to the boat station.
– The dragon boat will run along the Perfume river for you to sight the view in the morning.
– The boat landed to visit Thien Mu pagoda. Apart from their scenic riverside and hilltop location, the Thien Mu Pagoda and its environs are also rich in history, standing witness to almost four hundred years of tumultuous nationbuilding in Vietnam.
The car will bring you to visit another famous place:
+ Imperial Citadel:  a walled palace within the citadel of  Hue city, the former imperial capital of Vietnam.
+ Hue royal Antiques Museum:   the place for preserving and displaying Nguyen Dynasty’s items such as royal clothes, gold and porcelain items, a decorated building of French architectural influence, the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum has more than 300 relics in its showroom – the royal family tea sets are particularly beautiful.
+ Dong Ba market: The biggest commercial center of Hue city. All of the most special cultural gifts, souvenirs and Hue’s delicious dishes within a place – its food courts, and at a highquality standard.  can be found in Dong Ba market.
– 12: 00 pm: Enjoy the lunch at local restaurant with Hue specialty cakes: bánh Bèo, bánh khoái, nm lụi, bánh cuốn thịt heo, nem rán…
– Relaxing within  20 minutes
– After that we continue to visit the Emperors Tomb, conical hat village, and incense  village in Hue city tour 1 day:
+  Khai Dinh tomb: the symbolic of the decline of Vietnamese culture during the colonial era. Unlike Hue’s other tombs, the grandiose concrete structure, built between 1920 and 1931, is a synthesis of Vietnamese and European elements.
+  Minh Mang tomb:   one is impressed by the majesty and symmetry of the
architectural constructions. Learn more about Royal’s life, and Vietnam’s conception of death.
+  Conical hat village:  tourists have a chance to witness the meticulous stages and the craftsmanship of the artisans to create the conical hat filled with aesthetic and cultural features.
+ Incense village: engage in incense making from colored bamboo sticks.
4:00pm – 4:30 pm:  Back to hotel and free in evening.

Overnight at hotel.

Today we will drive to Hoian with stop over on top of Hai Van pass for taking picture and Cham museum in Danang houses the world’s largest and finest collection of the Cham sculpture, with over 300 sandstone pieces exhibited in a building constructed in 1915 by the Ecole Francaise de Extreme – Orient. Many of the sandstone carvings such as altars, lingers, garudas, ganeshas and images of Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu are absolutely stunning.

On arrival to Hoian, chek in hotel and afternoon free time to visit Hoian with Tanky house, Japanese bridge, Fukien assembly.

Overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel and we will pick you up to drive to My son, a World Heritage, 40 km 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. My Son, considered being in the same league as some of Southeast Asia's greatest archaeological sites, including Angkor in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. These towers and sanctuaries were built from the 7 to 13 centuries. After visiting My Son, Bus to a harbor gets on board we cruise on Thu Bon River, with stop to visit the ceramic, furniture traditional village.

Back to Hoi an ancient town, free until transfer to the airport for the flight to Saigon.
Arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, pick up and transfer to hotel. Free in evening.

Overnight at hotel.

Take the morning trip to visit Independence Palace, also known at the Reunification palace, was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. Continue seeingthe beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office. Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of the both the Indochina wars.
Have lunch at local restaurant.
Depart for Cu Chi tunnel, the trip will take approximately one and a half hours bus driving. Upon arrival, before exploring the tunnels, you will have some short introduction followed by introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of the war time. Then, spend your time to explore the remaining area and tunnel systems which included the special constructed living areas with kitchens, bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers helping whoever lives inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are also many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the mazelike tunnels for security purpose during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla’s food during the war) will be served.
Break time for relax or time for those who want to try the real shooting gun.
Return to Saigon.

Overnight at hotel.

Enjoying 4 hours boat trip and rowing boat trip in small canals to visit An Binh Island. Have a short walk around village, visit some local workshops, coconut factory and ancient house. Lunch served at a local garden restaurant. Continue boat trip to Vinh Long then drive to Can Tho. Arrive there around midnoon. Free for night discovery in Can Tho. Overnight in Can Tho City.

After Breakfast at hotel, take a motor boat to visit Cai Rang – the most fascinating floating market where we can see all trading activities  in Mekong river. Continue to fruit garden. Walking around to see the colorful local life.Before heading back to Saigon, we will visit Vinh Trang Pagoda which is an ancient southern architectural gem and one of Vietnam popular destinations. Lunch served en route

Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Free time for shopping or optional visit before transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for departure flight.