Compare Amazing Vietnam 16 days by Insight Asia Travel vs Premium Vietnam by Intrepid Travel

Day 1: Welcome to Hanoi

Meals: Dinner

Overnight: Hanoi

Warm welcome upon your arrival in Hanoi by your local guide.  Private transfer to your hotel located in the downtown.  Enjoy a cyclo ( trishaw) riding around Hanoi Old Quarter with last stop at the famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theater for a Water Puppet Show – a unique art performance. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 2: Hanoi Free Choice: Sightseeing - Street Food - Dinning | Overnight: Hanoi

Widely acknowledged as one of the loveliest cities in Asia, this one-thousand-year old city offer you its unique images that totally different from other Asian cities. Hanoi still retains a small-town provincial charm and unique intermingle with a French legacy wide, tree-lined boulevards, parks, grand villas and an artistic, café society.

Different people, different interests and tastes. Hanoi Free Choice Sightseeing – Street Food – Dinning offers you the best things that Hanoi has to offer and satisfy you with a personalize discovery and authentic experience. Please select one of the Hanoi city options and one of the Hanoi Surroundings to enjoy the day in Hanoi.

Free Choice Sightseeing of Hanoi city & Surroundings

Full-day city tour ( Maximum 7 places)

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

One Pillar Pagoda

Quan Thanh Temple

Temple of Literature

Bach Ma Temple

Hanoi Ancient House

Tran Quoc pagoda

Sword Lake and Ngoc Son Temple

Vietnam Military History Museum

Vietnam National Museum of History

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Vietnamese Women’s Museum

Half-day city tour ( Maximum 4 places & One of Free Choice Hanoi Surroundings

Free Choice Hanoi Surroundings

Bat Trang pottery villages

About 13 kilometers south east of Hanoi center, Bat Trang village, established in 14th or 15th century, is famous for ceramic and pottery products of high quality such as vases, bowls, dishes, and many other kinds of ceramic products which have been exported worldwide.

Van Phuc silk village:

About 8 km southwest of Ha Noi, Van Phuc silk village is well known for its traditional sericulture, weaving, and silk products for a long-lasting history of more than two thousand years. The village makes more than 2 million meters of silk per year and is an ideal place for silk products & souvenirs

Duong Lam Ancient village.

Duong Lam ancient village, some 60km to the west of Hanoi, has a history of about 1,200 years with many houses dating back up to 400 years. One special thing about the village is that most of the buildings here are made of laterite and mud, two materials that are abundant in the area. The village also has its prestige as two of Vietnam’s kings, Phung Hung (761-802) and Ngo Quyen (896-944) were born in here.

Dong Ho painting village

Dong Ho painting village, 30 km to the East of Hanoi, or Vietnamese woodblock prints is a distinct Vietnamese folk art. Dong Ho paintings reflect people’s innermost feelings. Dong Ho paintings is made of of bark of a tree called “Dzo. Colors of the painting are refined from various kinds of tree leaves that people can easily find in Vietnam. Dong Ho paintings have about 300 years of history in the north of Vietnam. It is always considered a symbol of traditional culture and aesthetic value of Vietnam.

Free Choice Street Food – Authentic experiences

 “ Pho Hanoi “ followed by a cup of Vietnamese coffee/tea/softdrink

 “ Banh Cuon “ followed by a cup of Vietnamese coffee/tea/softdrink

 “ Bun Cha Hanoi “ followed by a cup of Vietnamese coffee/tea/softdrink

 “ Bo kho – Beef Stew ” followed by a cup of Vietnamese coffee/tea/softdrink

Free Choice Dining :

“Cha Ca Hanoi “ in Hanoi Old Quarter area at local restaurant.

Vegetarian set-menu at local restaurant

Vietnamese set-menu at French building restaurant

Vietnamese cuisine a-la-carte at Ngon restaurant

KOTO restaurant. Know One Teach One unique restaurant.

Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay | Meal: B-L-D | Overnight: Traditional Junk

In the morning you leave Hanoi for Halong Bay via the Red River Delta.  Welcome on board. You will set out on a junk cruise on the bay passing by the island, islets: Hoa Cuong fishing village, Soi Sim beach, Ti Top Island, Tung Sau Pearl Farm, Me Cung Cave and to reach one of the largest floating village in Halong Bay “Cua Van Floating Village” while seafood lunch is served.Visit Cua Van Floating Village and experience one of the beautiful place in HaLong bay where you can enjoy kayaking or just seat on the traditional bamboo boat with local people. Enjoy swimming and kayaking in Tung Sau Pearl Farm Village. Back to the junk and enjoy cooking demonstration to discover the Vietnamese cuisine. Evening you enjoy the elegant Paradise dinner with a Traditional Bao Dai dress and photo shoot with captain and manager on board folowed by relax at leisure; enjoy Movie Night, Board Games, and Fishing or Beauty Spa services.

Day 4: Halong Bay - Hanoi

Meal : Brunch

Overnight: Hanoi

Early bird with exercises with Tai chi on the sundeck then enjoy a light breakfast. Explore Thien Canh Son Cave. Watching fruits carving demonstration. Enjoy Ha Long Bay scenery while the junk boat cruising back to shore. Rejoin your car for journey back to Hanoi.

Free Choice Activities

Enjoy some glasses of “Bia hoi Hanoi ” at local pub.

Foot massage

Day 5: Fly to Hue - Cyclo tour

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Hue

Enjoy your free time until transfer to Noi Bai airport for flight to Hue. Located in central Vietnam, the World Cultural Heritage Site Hue used to be the Citadel of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1805 to 1945.  Your local guide meets you at the Phu Bai airport for a transfer to hotel. At leisure. Evening meeting with your guide again for a Hue Royal-style dinner tasting some Royal cuisines at local restaurant.

Day 6: Hue Free Choice: Sightseeing - Street Food - Dinning

Overnight: Hue

Besides Hue citadel and tombs, Hue still has a lot to offer you. Hue Sightseeing Freedom of Choices and Meal options will satisfy you. All you have to do is to select one of the Hue city options and one of the Hue Surroundings to explore Hue by your own way.

Free Choice Sightseeing – Hue city

Full-day Hue city tour

Half-day Hue city tour & One of Hue Surroundings

Free Choice Sightseeing – Hue city in details

Half-day city tour (Maximum 4 places) | Full-day city tour ( Maximum 7 places)

Dragon boat to visit the Thien Mu pagoda

King Minh Mang’s tomb

King Tu Duc’s tomb

King Khai Dinh’s tomb

King Gia Long’s tomb

Hue Citadel Complex

Notre Dame Cathedral

Tu Hieu pagoda

Dong Ba market – a paradise for snapshots of daily activities.

Hue Free Choice Surroundings

Phuoc Tich ancient village

Located on the bank of leisurely O Lau River, about 30 kilometers from center of Hue city, Phuoc Tich village, built in 1470, is the symbol of architecture of the central region and famous for traditional pottery. Trip to Phuoc Tich village offers you a view of Centre Vietnam countryside, too.

Thanh Toan village

This is one of the most beautiful villages in Hue. The village, 8km east of Hue, is famous for its beautiful roads, peaceful rural landscape, particularly the tile-roofed bridge, communal houses, clan worshiping houses, traditional festivals, farming practices and local people’s daily activities. You also can join in the village market and taste some local culinary specialties like Hen rice, fish-pancakes, and a wide variety of rice noodles.

Free Choice Hue Street Food – Authentic experiences

“ Bun bo Hue” “ followed by a cup of Vietnamese coffee/tea/softdrink

“ Banh khoai “ followed by a cup of Vietnamese cof/tea/softdrink

“ Cơm Hến “ followed by a cup of Vietnamese coffee/tea/softdrink

“ Nem lụi Hue “ followed by a cup of Vietnamese coffee/tea/softdrink

Free Choice Dining

Hue vegetarian food at local restaurant

Vietnamese set-menu at local restaurant

Dinner with Vietnamese traditional songs on the dragon boat.

Day 7: Hue – Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Stay overnight: Hoi An

Today you leave Hue for Hoi An, another World Heritage site in the Central Vietnam. Hoi An is one of the oldest towns in south-east Asia and characterized by a rich blend of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and European architecture. Formerly known as Faifo, the ancient riverside town of Hoi An was a major trading port from the 16th to the 19th century. Journey to Hoi An is travelling over the Hai Van pass where you have a stop for a panoramic view over the Lang Co beach. On the way to Hoi An you may like to stop at one of the interesting places:

1. Museum of Cham Sculpture

2. Marble Mountains and Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village

Day 8: Hoi An & Cooking Class

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Overnight: Hoi An

You start the day with a walking tour to explore the Ancient town with old houses, narrow streets, moss-grown walls, lantern makers and visit Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Halls, Handicraft workshop and enjoy traditional arts performance. Begin you cooking class by a visit the Hoi An colorful market to purchase some of the ingredients for your cooking lesson. Take the Red Bridge boat cruising along the Hoi An river to the cooking school.  On arrival, you explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden and learn about some of Hoi An and Vietnam’s well-known dishes.  The 2-hour cooking lesson includes  a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving . You also have a chance to try some dishes yourselves. Lunch is served included what you have cooked. Back to your hotel. At leisure.

Day 9: Free Choice Hoi An Surroundings - Street Food

Overnight: Hoi An

Today you have a half-day free day for relaxation at the resort, water sports, diving, snorkeling, sunset watching and spend half-day to explore the Hoi An Surroundings to one of its below interesting places:

1. Tra Que Vegetable village by bicycle

Where you can join with gardening activities as preparing the land and fertilizing with seaweed from the local lake, prepare food and join lunch with a local family. It is also good time to relax and learn more about the Vietnamese village.

2. Kim Bong Carpentry village by boat

Formed in the 15 th century by Vietnameses from the Northern Vietnam, Kim Bong carpentry developed vigorously and the occupational village was established with three groups: Ancient architectural construction, civil wooden furniture and shipbuilding. Many carpenters from this village worlked to build Hue Citadel

3. My Son Sanctuary

My Son Sanctuary dates from the 4th to the 13th centuries. It was a unique culture on the coast of contemporary Vietnam, owing its spiritual origins to the Hinduism of India. This is graphically illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive tower temples in a dramatic site that was the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom for most of its existence. The My Son Sanctuary is a remarkable architectural ensemble that developed over a period of ten centuries. It presents a vivid picture of spiritual and political life in an important phase of the history of South-East Asia.

Day 10: Fly to Ho Chi Minh city | Free Choice Sightseeing

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: HCMC

Again you take an one-hour flight to Ho Chi Minh city. This is a city full of surprises. The city’s core is still adorned with wide elegant boulevards and historic French colonial buildings and offers plenty of reasons to visit, from its blend of historic, attractions to vibrant shopping, dining and nightlife. HCMC Free Choice Sightseeing offer you more about this city. You have dinner on the Lady Hau cruises on the Saigon river.

Free Choice Sightseeing | Maximum 4 places

1. Reunification Palace

2. Municipal Theatre – City Post Office – Notre-Dame Cathedral

3. War Remnants Museum

4. Vinh Nghiem pagoda

5. Hoang De pagoda

6. Ben Thanh market

Day 11: Mekong Delta Excursion - Free Choice Dinning

Meals: Breakfast, Launch and Dinner

Overnight: HCMC

Today you have am excursion to the Mekong Delta. Surrounded by thousands of crisscrossed canals, life in the Mekong Delta revolves much around the river, most of the villages are often accessible by rivers and canals rather than by road. Upon arrival you take a motor-boat to explore the Thoi Son islet, one of the four famous islets ( Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise, Phoenix). Following a village path passing local houses to visit some family-run coconut candy mills then you take a horse-cart from village to village. Enjoy lunch with local special dishes followed by the “Southern Vietnamese folk music”, a very common art activity in the Mekong Delta performed by local people. Back to HCMC and enjoy your dinner.

Free Choice Dining :

1. Vegetarian set-menu at local restaurant

2. Vietnamese set-menu at French building restaurant

3. South Vietnamese buffet at local restaurant

Day 12: Fly to Phu Quoc

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Phu Quoc Island

Today you have a short flight for Phu Quoc Island, where white sands and tropical waters entice beachgoers from all over the globe. Snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing are the most popular water sports here, though jet-skiing, wind sailing and squid fishing—yes,  squid fishing—are also at your vacationing fingertips. Joining in the early-morning Duong Dong Market for an authentic local experience.

Day 13 - 15 : Free & Easy

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Phu Quoc Island

Your  free time for relax and enjoy the facilities offered by the resort.  Try some water sports like Snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing or visit some local black pepper farms and high-quality fish sauce factories.

Day 16: Fly to HCMC - Departure

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy your free time at your hotel or you can do last minute souvenir shopping before a transfer to Phu Quoc airport airport for flight to HCMC to connect your flight home. Have a nice journey. Thanks for joining us.

Day 1 Hanoi

Xin chao! Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s vibrant capital city. You’ll be met on arrival at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm where you’ll meet your tour leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive early, Hanoi offers plenty of enticing experiences. Perhaps head to the city’s colourful old quarter and explore the charming jumble of shops and cafés, or check out the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum, showcasing ancient through to contemporary Vietnamese art. This evening, join your leader and small group for a welcome dinner at a beautifully decorated restaurant resembling an old-fashioned Vietnamese house. Dive into the exciting world of Vietnamese cuisine as your leader introduces you to a range of classic dishes made with the freshest local ingredients.

Day 2 Halong Bay

Depart Hanoi and travel to Halong Bay, one of the great natural treasures of Vietnam. Board your Feature Stay accommodation for the evening, a gloriously beautiful and traditionally decorated junk-style boat featuring modern conveniences. Set sail in total comfort as unforgettable views of scattered islands and towering limestone outcrops slowly unfold in front of you. Explore the bay while enjoying a pleasant seafood lunch onboard. Learn about the fascinating geography of the region and its importance to the Vietnamese people, visit Surprise Cave where your leader will point out interesting rock formations, and in the warmer months you can choose a swim from Ti Top Island Beach or take an optional kayaking tour. Sit back with a drink on the upper deck and face out to the spirit-lifting view that will be stamped on your memory of Vietnam. Soak in the stunning surroundings with a candlelit seafood dinner on deck before settling in for a night of stargazing and swapping stories.

Day 3 Hanoi

Start your day with a peaceful breakfast and perhaps take part in some Tai Chi on board the boat before returning to Hanoi. This afternoon you’ll take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience and sit down to a soul-stirring traditional Hat Xam performance. Hat Xam is an art form of Northern Vietnam dating back to the Tran Dynasty. Originally, this was performed by blind performers, and was enjoyed by local working-class audiences, right up until the late 1950s, when a wave of communism deemed all art forms to be corrupting influences. Today these performances are rare, but you and your group will be taken to a private club house and treated to an exclusive performance in one of the few places where artists still sing acoustically. The performance takes around 60 minutes, and includes possible interaction with guests, so be ready to get involved!

Day 4 Hoi An

This morning you’ll get to know Hanoi’s charms on a half-day tour with your leader. Discover a captivating city where traditional and modern sit side by side as your leader shares knowledge on the Temple of Literature, an oasis of calm in the heart of town. You'll also visit the infamous Hoa Lo Prison, known as the "Hanoi Hilton" which held American POWs. Today’s lunch is extra special as you will visit the fantastic KOTO café, a social enterprise that provides hospitality training and experience while empowering at-risk and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam – not to mention a creative menu of food made with local ingredients. This afternoon you’ll say goodbye to Hanoi and fly south to Danang. Drive on to Hoi An and take in views of lush scenery along the way. Arrive in Hoi An in the late afternoon and check into your boutique accommodation. The rest of the day is yours – maybe make the most of your hotel’s fabulous pool.

Day 5 Hoi An

Set off on a tour of Hoi An’s Old Town and discover a blend of traditional treasures and cultural influences from historical traders. Your leader will discuss the city’s history as you wander the pagoda lined streets, visit a Chinese assembly hall, cross the Japanese Covered Bridge, enter the ornately decorated historic house of a former trader and check out a local museum. Hoi An was once a great trading port for pottery, and centuries-old pottery villages still exist to this day. No trip to Vietnam is complete without trying its famed coffee. Your leader will take you to a local coffee shop, where you can savor a delicious coffee of your choice as you watch the hustle and bustle of Hoi An pass you by. Perhaps try a traditional egg coffee - the addition of condensed milk and egg white make this caffeinated beverage into a frothy treat, or a refreshing coconut coffee. Your afternoon is free for your own explorations.

Day 6 Ho Chi Minh City

The morning is free for you to enjoy more of delightful Hoi An and the surrounding area. Perhaps browse the market for silk and other materials or collect any garments that you might have had crafted by the efficient tailors, or hire a bicycle and ride along the lanes and out to a nice nearby beach. Your leader will have great recommendations for places to eat and drink. In the afternoon, transfer back to Danang and fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Check into your hotel and enjoy a free evening – the bustling food stalls at Cho Ben Thanh market might beckon you over with the sweet and savoury aromas of pho and bun mam. Delicious!

Day 7 Ho Chi Minh City

Head out of the city to the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels, an extensive underground network dug by the Viet Minh and later expanded by the Viet Cong. Enter a widened section of the tunnels with your leader who will help you imagine what life underground must have been like and explain how the tunnels contained hospitals, accommodation and schools, and were used for refuge, storage and as a military base for the Viet Cong. Return to Ho Chi Minh City for a tour of the dynamic city where daily life plays out on the streets. Your leader will take you to the Reunification Palace, formally the Presidential Palace and the site of South Vietnam’s surrender in 1975, before visiting the War Remnants Museum. In the evening, perhaps spend some time with your fellow travellers and enjoy a final dinner at a local restaurant. Your leader will know of some wonderful options.

Day 8 Ho Chi Minh City

Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you wish to spend some more time in Ho Chi Minh city, we would be happy to organise additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).