Highlights of Vietnam 7 days

Welcome to Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, meaning "city inside rivers," your first destination on your 7-day Vietnam tour package! Upon your arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are greeted by your tour guide and transferred to the hotel in the city center. Have a free and easy time till the rest of the day.

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 Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon your arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, you will be welcomed by the local tour guide and driver, and transferred to the hotel in the city center for check-in.

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.

You will have breakfast at the hotel and have leisure time on your own to shop or explore the town. After check-out, your tour guide and driver will greet you in the hotel lobby and transfer you to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your outbound departure.