Complete Vietnam Travel 10 days

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon – Vietnam's most developed city, located in the southern region!

Upon your arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport, you will meet your tour guide and travel to the hotel in the city center for check-in. The rest of the day will be spent at your leisure for refreshment, getting ready for your journey, and exploring things to do in Vietnam in 10 days.

This morning, you will sightsee the Cu Chi Tunnels, an iconic historical site in Ho Chi Minh City. This underground tunnel system was dug in 1948 during the war against the French; it was later extended during the Vietnam War, reaching up to 200km in length. For further understanding of the history, you can watch the documentary at the Cu Chi Tunnels before coming down to explore the bunkers, booby-trapped pits, and other features, including living rooms, clinics, hidden traps, weapon caches, kitchens, and meeting rooms. After touring around Cu Chi Tunnels, you will head back to the Ho Chi Minh City center.

In the afternoon, explore this tumultuous city, formerly known as Saigon, which features Chinese and colonial cultures and architecture. Pay a visit to the War Remnant Museum, then walk past the Reunification Palace. Next, stop at the Central Post Office and nearby Notre Dame Cathedral. Lastly, stroll around the Dong Khoi walking street to mingle with locals. 

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 a tributary of the Mekong. Make stops to discover several local workshops to gain deeper insight into specialties such as coconut candies and a brick factory, and learn about the local process for making handmade bricks. During your adventure in the 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, head to a humble local restaurant for a delicious, hearty lunch. 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.

Have leisure time on your own this morning. After check-out, travel to Tan Son Nhat Airport, and take the domestic flight to Da Nang. Upon your arrival at Da Nang Airport, you will meet your local guide and travel to your hotel in Hoi An.

In the afternoon, stroll through the ancient town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1999. This atmospheric old town was originally the port for the spice trade and later became an international maritime port in the 16th century, receiving regular arrivals of Chinese, Japanese, and Western traders. You will find the attached two-floor houses painted yellow, Chinese shophouses, Fujian Communal Houses, the Japanese Bridge, etc. Hoi An Old Town market is a vibrant venue full of stalls with a colorful display of local products, and a chance to catch a glimpse of the Thu Bon River.

This morning, you will hop on your bicycle and travel through the lush countryside of Hoi An toward Tra Que Village. Participate with local people; you will learn and do gardening work, including planting herbs and regional vegetables. Afterward, hands-on making one of Vietnam's best dishes - Banh Xeo or sizzling pancake, followed by lunch. 

After lunch and a short break, continue your cycling to Cam Thanh Village, crossing the floodplain and rice fields, and enjoying the scenic countryside and the villagers. From here, board the local boat at the mouth of the Thu Bon River and learn about the local fishing styles and catch fish. The bamboo basket boat will then take you into the mangrove forest. Have a break before returning to Hoi An town by transfer.

This morning, you will check out of the hotel and travel to Hue via Lang Co Beach and the Hai Van Pass, where you can stop en route to take photos of the breathtaking ocean views.

This afternoon, you will visit the Imperial Citadel, built during King Gia Long's reign, which was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. Move on with Thien Mu Pagoda, meaning “Mountain of Lady from Heaven,” with the seven-story tower named Phuoc Duyen. 

This morning, you will stroll to the Dong Ba Market to have a closer look at the local living style, and afterward, you will get to a pier and embark on the local boat, sailing the Perfume River. After 1.5 hours of leisure on the local boat, you will reach Minh Mang Temple and pay a visit to the tomb of some 40 monuments.

This afternoon, you will travel to Phu Bai Airport and take the domestic flight to Hanoi. Upon your arrival at Noi Bai Airport, meet your local driver and tour guide, and then travel to the hotel in Hanoi city center.

Start a full day exploring Hanoi City at Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest Buddhist pagoda in Hanoi since the 6th century. Later, the walk along the lovely Thanh Nien Road, situated between West Lake and Truc Bach Lake, offers exciting opportunities to observe local life. The stroll leads you to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which you can visit from Ba Dinh Square. Located in the same compound as the mausoleum are the former houses of Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace, and One Pillar Pagoda, like a lotus flower on the lake, erected during the Ly Dynasty in 1049.

This afternoon, you will visit the Temple of Literature, renowned as Vietnam's first university. Originally, this was a Confucius Temple since 1070, and then a study sanctuary for royal children and elite students. The temple showcases Vietnamese culture over a thousand years. Next, you will visit the house of an artisan whose family has performed water puppet shows for 7 generations. Lastly, have a stroll and discover Hanoi's Old Quarter.

This morning, travel to Ha Long Bay, one of the best places on your Vietnam 10-day itinerary. After around 2.5 hours traversing the Red River Delta provinces, you will reach the marina harbor and embark on the cruise; then set the sails toward captivating Ha Long Bay with nearly 2,000 karst islands rising from the ocean. The cruise’s schedule will include plenty of activities for your exploring, like kayaking through the water cave, hiking up to the dried cave, going swimming on an island, relaxing at sunset time on the boat, and sumptuous meals on the cruise.

The early risers can wake up and enjoy the breathtaking view of sunrise, as well as join with the Master and do some Tai Chi on the top deck. After breakfast, the boat will continue its schedule so you can delve further into the scenic beauty of Halong Bay. Back on the shore at noon, you will return to Hanoi and head to the airport for the flight to the next destination.