Essence of Vietnam

Take the flight to Ho Chi Minh for starting your Essence of Vietnam 14 Day Tour.

Upon your arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, your guide will be waiting there to transfer you to your hotel for check-in (Kindly be advised that the standard check-in time is at 14.00 so the early check-in is subject to the hotel availability and attracts a surcharge). Take your time to freshen up after the long flight.

In the late afternoon, we will take a short stroll to the historic Saigon Opera House for the A O Show (or other similar shows such as My Village, The Mist, Teh Dar by Lune Production) which is the sophisticated cultural show featuring bamboo cirque, contemporary dance, acrobatics and traditional music. Return to your hotel for staying overnight in Hanoi hotel.

Day 2 of your Vietnam 14 Day Tour will be a full day tour with Cu Chi Tunnels and City Tour.

After breakfast, we will leave the bustling city for the famous Cu Chi Tunnels which is an amazing underground tunnel network built by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the Vietnamese War. Upon reaching the complex system, you will watch a short documentary film then spend the next hour to explore the war memorial museum. If keen on, descending into the tunnels is the great way to gain a unique insight into what underground life must have been like during the time when locals struggle for independence. Enjoy lunch, then continue on to the city center where you will visit some of the city’s historical sites, including the Reunification Palace, and the War Remnants Museum. Next, we proceed to venture to Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office to get a sense of the city’s French Colonial past. Stay overnight at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Mekong Delta Boat Trip is a must-see for most of the Vietnam Tours. This trip will be a highlight and key site of your Vietnam 14 Day Tour .

Today, you will get a taste of river life by taking the boat trip on the Mekong River in My Tho, the gateway to the Mekong Delta. 

After having breakfast, you will take the transfer to My Tho where you will board your private traditional boat and go downstream along Dragon Island to observe a wide range of locals' daily activities on the river such as catching, raising fish on the farm. After that, you will get through the Xep Canal (natural) towards a local village. Disembark the boat and explore some fascinating local industries, and then, stop in farmer house to taste some tropical fruits, sip delicious honey tea, as well as listen to local music. While at the village, you also have the chance to drive on paths by horse cart before changing on a small rowing boat to the river. Enjoy lunch at the riverside restaurant.  

After lunch, we continue on to visit a coconut candy factory and sample some sweets. Return to My Tho by getting over the large river. Hop into your car for the transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City. Stay overnight in this cosmopolitan city. 

After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy your free time at leisure in the city before being picked up to transfer to the airport for taking the flight to Da Nang.

Upon reaching Da Nang Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your private tour guide and driver for the transfer to Hoi An. Check in your room and you will have free time in Hoi An. You may stroll around the streets in Hoi An for shopping, enjoying a cup of coffee or going to the beach for swimming in the best beach in Vietnam.

Hoi An is a place which shouldn't be missed for any traveler taking any Vietnam trip. That will be a good place for you to freshen up in this Vietnam 14 Day Tour Itinerary after some days doing the tour in Southern Vietnam. Stay overnight in Hoi An.

The tour today promises an unforgettable memory for you in your 14 day itinerary in Vietnam.

After breakfast, your local guide and driver will be waiting for you at your hotel’s lobby for the transfer to the town’s outskirt. Upon reaching the meeting point, your tour guide will provide you some brief information about buffalo which is considered as the B.M.W of Vietnam. Before trying to ride on your new friend, there are five words that you should learn by heart and remember in order to communicate with him/ her. They are ĐI: GO, DỜ: STOP, DÍ: TURN LEFT, HÁ: TURN RIGHT and DUN: BACK. After that, you will get an opportunity to ride on your new buffalo friend who has been trained and tamed quite well. It promises to be a great adventure for a thrilling ride both in the field and even on the water, with the escort of the buffalo man and your local guide. Wave goodbye to your buffalo friend and the buffalo man, hop into your van for the transfer to a nearby local fishing village where you climb aboard on your boat. You will be instructed to learn how to ride basket boat. Start the lesson by your guide telling you about the use of basket boat used by local fishermen, as well as how to paddle the round boat not get rounded. Amongst some different techniques, the best way to steer is with the figure out of the number eight to make it go. Interestingly, you have the chance to enjoy a unique performance by THUNG CHAI on the river run by local crews. It surely gives you a remarkable experience as the show is with a lot of fun and joy. Afterwards, keep your hands inside (do not keep your hands outside the edge of your basket boat), along with the provided life jacket and safety instruction. Some other personal belongings such as camera, cell phone, wallet, sunglasses must be kept on your big boat before getting down your small basket boat. Get with you some of towels to enjoy your fun and do prepare to get wet!

The tour concludes with dropping you off at your hotel. Stay overnight in Hoi An.

Another day for freshening up your body in your Vietnam 14 Day Tour.

After breakfast, enjoy your free day at leisure in the ancient town of Hoi An. You may spend time for exploring the charming town or relaxing at the beach. 

Spending your last night in Hoi An. Walking in the evening on the walking street in Hoi An will be amazing with the colorful lantern streets. Stay overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast and check-out, leave the graceful ancient town and head to the north to Hue, passing the 500m-high Hai Van Pass. En-route, make a quick stop at the scenic Lang Co Beach for a drink, then, continue on to Hue – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Upon your arrival in Hue, do the check-in formalities and spend your free time in the ancient capital of Vietnam. 

Late afternoon, you will be picked up by your private tour guide for a walk around to see the local street life. You will have the opportunity to taste some different local street food in Hue which is considered to be the paradise of various delicate dishes. Stay overnight in Hue. 

Day 8 of your Vietnam 14 Day Tour you will visit Hue City. That is a good day for learning more about Vietnam history and the feudal society. 

Today, you will spend the full day to explore the tranquil Hue and its major landmarks. Commence your full day tour with floating down the peaceful Perfume River by Dragon Boat, make a quick stop en-route, get off the boat to explore the iconic seven-storey Thien Mu Pagoda which is considered as the unofficial symbol of the city. Next, proceed to visit the Imperial City of Hue, one of Vietnam's Seven UNESCO World Heritage Site, including The Citadel and The Forbidden City, as well as Royal Fine Arts Museum to learn about the history of the ancient capital of Vietnam.

After lunch, we continue on to the city’s outskirts to visit one of Vietnam’s most impressive royal tombs, Minh Mang Tomb which is the final resting place of the Emperor under Nguyen Dynasty. After visiting and knowing about the Nguyen architecture, we will venture to Dong Ba Market which is the perfect place to immerse into the local life. Return to your hotel in the afternoon and stay overnight in Hue.

After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy your free time at leisure in the ancient capital before being picked up to transfer to the airport for taking the flight to Hanoi. 

Upon your arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, you will be warmly greeted by your private tour guide and driver for the transfer to the city center for hotel check-in. Stay overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, you will start your Hanoi city tour with Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Monday and Friday, every afternoon and from early September until the end of November), seeing a long queue of the visitors all around Vietnam coming to express their admiration and gratitude towards the common father of Vietnamese. From there, stroll around the surrounding areas of the complex to explore the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh's House on Stilts and the One Pillar Pagoda. Leaving the resting place of President Ho Chi Minh, we continue to visit one of the museums (Vietnam Military History Museum, Museum of Art, Hoa Lo Prison, widely known as “Hanoi Hilton” – a nick name given by US pilots during the war or the Ethnology Museum) to see the real exhibitions displayed. 

After lunch, we proceed to explore the picturesque Temple of Literature (Van Mieu- Quoc Tu Giam) which was the site of Vietnam’s first university. The 11th century temple nowadays is used as a holy place for students to visit before their examinations or before graduating. 

Hop into your car to drive to Hanoi Old Quarter where you will take the walking tour around before getting back to your hotel. Stay overnight in Hanoi.

Halong Bay 3 day 2 night cruise is the best option for you to discover the best of Halong Bay. Taking this Vietnam 14 Day Tour you will have a chance for discovering the best of Halong Bay.

Today will be your first day to explore the legendary Halong Bay, the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam. Morning transfer out of the city center (the travel time is around four hours), passing through the Red River Delta countryside, the daily rural life of Vietnamese farmers with rice fields and water buffaloes. 

You will arrive the harbor at around noontime and hop on your traditional wooden junk boat, and marvel at the magnificent and magical limestone mountain islands. 

After lunch, the boat will stop at the island which gives you the opportunity to disembark to join in some different activities such as climbing to the summit for a panoramic view of Halong Bay, going swimming in the emerald water or simply sunbathing on the beach. If you’re feeling adventurous, you may disembark at the next stop to kayak to explore sea caves. 

This evening, savor the delicious fresh seafood meal before staying overnight on board the boat beneath a sky full of evening stars.

Early risers may start their second day in the magnificent Halong Bay with a Tai Chi class. If not, you may simply relax on the top deck as the sunrises over the bay. Have breakfast to be ready for a full day of activities out of your junk. Today, your boat cruises further to the bay and you have the chance to discover deeper in the bay. Disembark your boat to do some kayaking or swimming amongst the small islands that the bigger boats can’t reach. You may stay onboard to sunbathe on the sundeck and sip a stunning cocktail or take photos of the spectacular bay view.  

Upon return to the day boat, enjoy the delicious seafood lunch before continuing your today’s journey to different parts of Halong Bay. Afterwards, return to your junk for the dinner before spending the second night onboard your well-equipped cabin.

Wake up early to practice morning tai chi session on the top deck or watch the sunrise over the bay before having breakfast in the restaurant. Proceed to explore one of the gorgeous caves in Halong Bay to know more about the formation of karst caves on a guided walking tour. Back on board the junk, prepare to check out while cruising back to the dock. Disembark the boat and transfer back to Hanoi for ending your Halong Bay 3 day 2 night cruise trip. 

Arriving in Hanoi, check in your hotel again for the last night in your Vietnam Tour. Stay overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, spend your time at leisure for exploring the city or shopping for some souvenirs to bring back home until being picked up for the transfer to Hanoi Airport for your onward flight.

Your trip to Vietnam in 14 days ends here. Thank you for joining us on this exciting journeys and we will see you soon in the future!