12-Day Vietnam Small Group Tour: Immersive Discovery

Meals: -

Upon arrival at the Noi Bai Airport, you will be welcomed by your driver and local guide before getting transferred by private car to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, evening food tour

Begin your full-day discovery of the capital with Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the most ancient pagodas in Hanoi. Constructed in the 6th century, the pagoda has been relocated to a peninsular on West Lake since the 17th century. Afterward, take a 15-minute leisure walk along the beautiful Thanh Nien Road to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - the final resting place of Vietnam’s greatest leader, his traditional stilt house, and the architecturally striking One-Pillar Pagoda nearby.

In the afternoon, pay a visit to the Temple of Literature (or Van Mieu in Vietnamese), a temple dedicated to Confucius and also the site of Vietnam’s first university. Established in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, the university was first opened exclusively for princes and mandarins. Enjoy a water puppet show before the walking food tour to explore the local savors in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Step back from Hanoi's bustling streets into Duong Lam Ancient Village, a timeless pocket of rural Vietnam where centuries-old traditions still quiet the day. Passing through the weathered laterite stone gate of Mong Phu, modern traffic falls away, replaced by winding honey-colored alleys, ancient timber-framed homes, and a 17th-century communal house where village history was forged.

Midday brings honest, sun-drenched flavors served in family courtyards - think tender braised pork, fresh garden greens, and Che Lam, a warm, ginger-spiced rice sweet enjoyed over green tea. In the afternoon, serene paths lead to historic shrines shaded by banyan trees and Mia Pagoda, home to hundreds of delicate ancient wooden statues. Located just 45 kilometers west of the capital, it makes for an effortless and deeply evocative countryside escape.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Travel south 105km this morning, the transfer brings you to the dramatic Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, the largest water reserve in Northern Vietnam. Gliding on traditional bamboo rowboats across the mirror-like waters, you will look up at the sheer cliff faces to spot the critically endangered Delacour’s langur. The late afternoon offers a spectacular avian display as thousands of white storks return to their roosts against a setting sun. Following your two-hour boat excursion, transfer to a nearby peaceful village where a warm local family welcomes you into their home for an authentic, home-cooked lunch.

In the afternoon, continue your exploration with a leisurely bicycle ride or a short walk along the flat, shaded village paths that meander past peaceful rural hamlets, ancient pagodas, and sprawling rice paddies where local farmers tend to their fields.

Conclude your late afternoon with a relaxing cup of local tea or coffee before boarding your vehicle for the comfortable return journey to Hanoi, arriving back in the evening with lasting impressions of Vietnam's untouched natural heritage.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving the wetlands, travel east toward the coast to board a luxury boutique vessel in Lan Ha Bay - the quieter, pristine neighbor to Ha Long Bay. The afternoon is spent sailing past thousands of towering limestone islets rising straight out of the emerald sea. You also can swim in secluded coves, kayak through hidden sea caves, or simply unwind on the boat.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy a leisurely morning cruise and a final brunch onboard as the vessel meanders back to the harbor. Disembarking midday, and heading directly back to Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport for a domestic flight to Da Nang. Upon your arrival, you will be picked up by your enthusiastic tour guide and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Today, you will get to explore Hoi An Ancient Town, a charming place recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The well-preserved ancient streets and houses showcase a harmonious blend of Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, and French architectural elements that can be seen via outstanding structures like the renowned Japanese Covered Bridge, the marvelous Fujian Assembly Hall, and the 200-year-old house of Tan Ky. 

Later, commence a relaxing bicycle ride through Hoi An’s rural paths to Tra Que Vegetable Village, known for its organic farming practices and production of fresh vegetables and herbs. Take your time to observe local farmers’ daily work, or even join them in planting and picking vegetables. At lunch, feast on the village’s specialties and some other salient dishes of the region.

In the afternoon, join a lantern workshop to learn more about this traditional handicraft. Introduced to Hoi hundreds of years ago by the Chinese, the art of lantern-making has now become a symbol of the city’s rich cultural heritage. The workshop allows you to create your lanterns from bamboo frames and silk fabric under the guidance of skilled artisans. This is a work of precision, which requires patience and a touch of dexterity to complete. At the end of the class, you’ll be able to take home your masterpiece as a meaningful souvenir.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner

Your morning begins in the quiet hush before dawn, departing early to reach My Son Sanctuary just as the first amber light breaks over the misty Hon Quap mountains. Wandering through the red-brick temples as the morning sun illuminates centuries of Cham craftsmanship, you will experience the ancient ruins at their most serene and magical, long before the midday heat and larger crowds arrive.

Returning to town, the late morning is entirely yours to enjoy at a leisurely pace. You might wander through the quiet, lantern-hung alleys of Hoi An’s Ancient Town, linger over an iced coffee at a riverside café, or simply relax at a quiet poolside spot to unwind after your early start.

By early afternoon, your culinary journey begins at the Red Bridge Cooking School. Your experience starts in the heart of Hoi An’s vibrant local market, selecting fresh herbs, aromatic spices, and local ingredients alongside your chef. From there, a gentle boat cruise along the Hoi An River brings you to the tranquil riverside school, where you will spend the rest of the afternoon learning to craft authentic Central Vietnamese specialties before sitting down to enjoy your delicious creations.

Meals: Breakfast

At leisure till a good time, you will see your tour guide at the hotel lobby and have a private transfer from Hoi An to Da Nang Airport, and fly to Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon arrival at the Tan Son Nhat Airport, you will be welcomed by your driver and local guide before getting transferred by private car to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Drive for around 2 hours, you will reach the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the most significant historical sites in Vietnam. This immense network of underground tunnels was initially hand-dug by the Viet Minh in the late 1940s during the French-Indochina War, then expanded and used massively by the Viet Cong during the subsequent Vietnam War.

In the afternoon, set off to uncover a few prominent attractions of the city: the French colonial Saigon Central Post Office, the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, and Dong Khoi Street - a wide avenue lined with luxurious shops and hotels. Next, roam the insightful War Remnants Museum – exhibits US weapons and vehicles used during the Vietnam War. This museum also displays photographs showcasing the war’s effects on Vietnamese civilians, including the consequences of chemical weapons.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, depart from Ho Chi Minh City and head west to explore Ben Tre Province in the Mekong Delta region. You will board the boat sailing along the Chet Say River - a Mekong’s tributary. Make stops to discover several local workshops to gain a deeper insight into some local specialties such as the coconut candies and a brick factory to learn about the local way of making handmade bricks, etc. During your adventure in Mekong Delta, you will ride a local motorized rickshaw called xe loi to wander around the village and catch some fascinating sights of traditional farms, rice fields, and vegetable plants.

At noon, move toward a humble local restaurant for a delicious and hearty lunch made of regional specialties, such as “elephant-ear fish” and freshwater shrimps. In the afternoon, hop on a bicycle to traverse the village roads with lush landscape, visit a local workshop specializing in carpet weaving, enjoy a leisurely sampan ride along the zigzag canals, then travel back to Ho Chi Minh City by car.

Meals: Breakfast

At leisure till an appointed time, you will be transferred to the Tan Son Nhat Airport where you would take the international flight home.