Best of Vietnam 15 days soft and easy

Morning /Afternoon

Wake up, enjoy the early morning in Hanoi, and have a full breakfast.

Your tour guide will pick you up at around 08:00 and accompany your group to travel around Hanoi on a half-day city tour. 

Our first stop is the Temple of Literature, which is the very first university in Vietnam and a symbol of the significant influence of Confucianism on Vietnamese history and culture. 

Next, you will have a chance to see the special structure of the tiny and elegant One Pillar Pagoda and listen to the mystery of how it was created. Then, admire Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - the resting place of the greatest Vietnamese leader who brought independence to the country. 

Located not so far from Ho Chi Minh Complex, West Lake is the lung of Hanoi surrounded by many impressive and precious historical attractions. Being built 1500 years ago, Tran Quoc Pagoda has the finest location here - right on the West Lake and it is one of the most important Buddhist constructions in Vietnam.

We will stop and have a delightful authentic traditional lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant.

Afternoon: Free time at leisure for the rest of the day.

NOTE:

• The tour departs in the morning or afternoon, depending on availability.
• Tourists can only witness Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum from outside, and the mausoleum is closed on Mon & Fri and from Jun to Aug.

Enjoy your breakfast is at the hotel and be ready to pick up for your trip to Ninh Binh.  

07h30 – 8h00: Our guide and driver will pick you up, then depart for Ninh Binh province

09h15: Have a short break for 15 – 20 minutes to relax

10h30: Visit Hoa Lư ancient capital of Vietnam between 968 and 1010. You have a chance to learn about Vietnamese history in the feudal system under Dinh, Le, and Ly Dynasty

11h45: Have a buffet lunch in the restaurant with a lot of local foods such as goat meat, fish, chicken, fried rice…. Vegetarian foods are always available in the buffet lunch

13h00: Visit Trang An which was recognized by UNESCO as AWorld Heritage Site in 2014. Trang An has a wonderful tunnel cave system so Kong’s Movie Group chose this place for the New Version of Kong in 2016 – “Skull Island”. With 2 hours for the boat trip, you will be persuaded by the beauty here.

15h00: Continue the tour for 45 mins – cycling around the village to discover the life of the local people.

15h45: Get back to our vehicle then leave for Mua Cave (Dancing Cave). Walk up almost 500 steps, you can reach the top of Lying Dragon Mountain & have an amazing panoramic view of Tam Coc from here.

16h30: Get on the bus to go to our pre-booked hotel/lodge in Ninh Binh.

Relax on the pool and having your evening free time at your own leisure.

Cuc Phuong National Park belongs to Nho Quan District, Ninh Binh province, which is bounded by three provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh, and, Thanh Hoa province. It is far about 100 kilometers from Hanoi to the southwest.

Cuc Phuong national park is the first national park in Vietnam, established in July 1962. Cuc Phuong National Park has a population of abundant flora and fauna.

Have breakfast and be ready for Cuc Phuong National Park.

08.30: We will departure for Cuc Phuong.

Arrive Cuc Phuong National Park a, we will firstly visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre – a non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation, breeding, research, and conservation of endangered primates, and to the protection of their habitats.

12h00: Have lunch in the restaurant with the local foods.

Continue taking a short trek into the National Park for sightseeing and learn more aboutthe fauna and flora in this oldest forest of Vietnam. Back to the Park Centre visit the “Cave of Early Man”.

16h00: Take the tourist bus back to Ha Noi

18h30: Arrive Back to Ha Noi and get dropped at the hotel.

Around 08:00 to 08:30, our driver will pick you up and drive to Halong Bay, a World Heritage with breathtaking natural beauty. It’s a short transfer and only takes around 2.5 hours on the road to get to this must-visit destination.

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by the enthusiastic boat crew, who will help you with the check-in procedure.

Boarding time is around 12:00. Your lunch will be served while the boat is cruising to the bay, and you will see many lovely islets with different shapes, the typical scene that only can be seen in Halong Bay, during your meal. 

Take a nap after your first meal on board and be ready for exciting afternoon activities such as visiting a cave, kayaking, or enjoying swimming in the crystal clear water and among the majestic scenery of Halong Bay.

Around 17:00–17:30, you will return to the boat, and it’s also the time to bring on the Sunset Party. Don’t get too drunk with the “buy-1-get-1-free” cocktail. After dinner, you have a great chance to try some nightlife activities, including squid fishing, board games, movie watching, a night bar, etc. Do not hesitate to join if you don’t want to sleep early.

 NOTE: Each cruise has a different itinerary, contact our sales consultants for more information

Say “good morning” to Halong Bay with a Tai-chi class in the early morning or simply wake up and witness the amazing sunrise on the bay. A light breakfast will be served right after that, you will continue to explore and experience this magnificent bay by visiting a cave or kayaking.

Return to the boat at 10:00 for checking out. After that, enjoy your last delicious meal onboard and prepare to finish your cruise. Between 11:30 and 11:45, the boat will arrive at the port, and the crew will say thank you and goodbye to you. Our shuttle bus is waiting for you and transferring back to your hotel in Hanoi.

Arriving in Hanoi at around 15:00 - 15:30, you still have enough time to rest and explore this peaceful city for the last night here.

Free time at your hotel until getting picked up at your hotel and taken to Noi Bai International Airport for a flight to Da Nang City.

Arriving at the Da Nang Airport. A friendly driver is waiting and will transfer you to the hotel in Hoi An. You are free to relax at leisure.

Start your journey in Hoi An by joining a half-day walking tour at 08:00, which is the best way to explore this ancient town for any beginner.

First, stop at the most famous ancient monuments like the Japanese Covered Bridge or Fujian Assembly Hall of the Chinese along the way. These are where your group admire the beauty of unique architecture that can only be found in Hoi An and also find out more about the history of this lovely town - a once busy harbor and a place of cultural interference from all over the continent.

After that, try a cold glass of a traditional herbal drink from a popular local street-side shop and taste the exotic drink flavor while wandering around.

Then, you will pass by a handicraft store, see the creation of the most notable souvenirs in town, and pick up some of them back to your hometown.

It’s time for you to have free time to explore the hidden charm of Hoi An.

You can discover the little town inside out on your own or choose one of the below suggestions:

Enjoy your happy free day and prepare for the long transfer the next day!

You will be picked up at 08:00 from your hotel in Hoi An, then start a one-day trip to Hue on the road. It takes at least 3 hours for a car transfer from Hoi An to Hue via Hai Van Pass, one of Vietnam's most famous and majestic passes.

From here, you can see the stunning view of Truong Son mountain - Vietnam’s longest mountain, hiding the brave history of the country and peaceful Lang Co Bay far away.

NOTE: The car will stop at some places for sightseeing and taking photos (admission fee is not included).

Time to rest and explore Hue on your own. Don’t forget to try the street food in Hue, its unique taste can’t be found anywhere else!

Our tour guide will see you at 08:00, and your Hue city discovery begins. 

First, your group will visit Thien Mu Pagoda - the most famous Buddhist attraction in Central Vietnam, a royal pagoda lying beside the poetic Perfume River with hundreds of years of history and impressive architecture. 

Then, the tour guide will take you to the Imperial Citadel, which used to be the "house” of the Nguyen Royal Family, the last dynasty in Vietnam, where you will hear the story of the last journey of the feudal period in Vietnam.

Your final stop is the Dong Ba Market - the largest traditional trading place in Hue, where you not only can purchase interesting souvenirs to bring home, but also find out more about the daily business of local sellers, and their way of doing business.

Please note that the local food here is super delicious, if you have time, don’t hesitate to try it.

Free time to relax, go shopping, and enjoy your last time in charming Hue City.

Take an 80-minute flight to get to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s economic center, which is the most crowded city with over 10 million of population and where you will find an incredible mix of Vietnamese traditional culture and modern life.

Upon arrival, our driver will wait and transfer you to the Ho Chi Minh City hotel.

Afternoon

At 13:30, we will join the Ho Chi Minh sightseeing tour “all-in-one” to visit all the top must-see attractions here.

To begin, we pay a visit to the War Remnants Museum, which preserves more than 20,000 documents, artifacts, and movies about evidence of crimes and consequences of wars that the invading forces have caused to Vietnam.

Next, move to the Reunification Palace which used to be the residence and working place of the President of the Republic of Vietnam, this place witnessed and marked the day Vietnam officially gained independence and territorial integrity.

Continuing our journey to the stunning Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral also known as Immaculate Conception Cathedral Basilica or Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Saïgon. It is not only a symbol of Catholicism in Vietnam but also one of the unique architectural works of Ho Chi Minh City.

Following your visit to the cathedral, we head to the Saigon Post Office: one of the typical colonial architectural constructions in Ho Chi Minh City. This is a building built by the French between 1886 and 1891 with Western-style design combined with Eastern decoration. The post office is still working at present and is crowded every day.

NOTE: Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is temporarily under renovation. 

Before returning to your hotel,  the tour's last stop is the local market, where your group can go shopping like a local and learn how to bargain.

Have breakfast at your hotel. Our tour guide and driver will pick you up at 08:00 for a whole day trip to explore the colorful Mekong Delta. 

Get to Ben Tre Province for a boat trip to travel along the Ham Luong River - a big and long river that flows throughout this province, where you can see many lush islets created by alluvial and connect with many exciting places to visit in the Mekong Delta.

Stop off at various house made factories to see how the local economy works: a brickwork factory, a coconut candy-making workshop - where you can learn about how people here create their specialties and sample the unique sweet of coconut candy, and a mat weaving house - where straw mats are woven using a handloom. 

End your morning trip at a quiet village where you can walk around the village to see life in the Delta. Here, you can try special local transportation - “xe loi” (a kind of motorized rickshaw) and travel into the forest to visit fruit orchards before stopping at a riverside restaurant for a delicious and filling lunch. 

Afternoon

Board a sampan boat for a relaxing trip along narrow canals, an exotic experience found only in the Mekong Delta.

Back to your hotel in Saigon around 17:00.

You will have this whole day to explore daily life in Ho Chi Minh City by yourself. So you can consult our tour guide for some recommendations or book the following tours as we suggest:

Have leisure time and enjoy your last moment of our small group tour in Ho Chi Minh City before your departure. Our driver will drive you to the airport for your onward flight.

Farewell and see you again!

NOTE: Check-out time is at 12:00. Please contact your travel consultant if you want a late checkout.

Booking, information request, check availability, pricing or general questions about this tour. Please contact us at info@chapitours.com for up to date information!