Vietnam culture & history 13 days

Welcome to Hanoi, the starting point of your stunning Vietnam culture and history tours! As Vietnam's second-largest city and the cradle of Red River Delta culture, Hanoi is characterized by ancient and French colonial architecture, wide, tree-lined streets, delectable cuisine, and a vibrant pace of life. 

Upon your arrival, you will meet a local tour guide and travel to your hotel in Hanoi City for check-in and rest to recover from jet lag.

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.

Today you will travel to Duong Lam, a beautifully preserved ancient village home to typical traditional northern Vietnamese houses, a 17th-century communal house, and artisanal soy sauce workshops. Discover the sacred temples of Kings Ngo Quyen and Phung Hung, as well as the remarkable Mia Pagoda, renowned for its collection of over 300 Buddhist statues. Continue to Ky Son village, where peaceful rice fields and rural farms offer an authentic glimpse into Vietnamese countryside life

Today, you’ll travel 2.5 hours from Hanoi to Halong Bay for the overnight boat cruising on the stunning bay, including 1,969 islands and islets of giant karst formations. While the boat sets sail toward Halong Bay's core area, you will have lunch at the boat's restaurant. In the afternoon, you will go hiking to Halong Bay cave, do kayaking, or take a local wooden boat in a calm area. Return the boat when the sun sets; you shall enjoy a tea break and chill on the boat before dinner. 

In the morning, there is a Tai Chi lesson available on the top deck for you to participate in. After breakfast, the boat will sail to other parts of Halong Bay so you can enjoy the scenery. Leaving the boat at noon, you will meet your driver and head to the airport for your flight to Hue, the former capital of central Vietnam. 
Upon arrival in Hue, you will meet your local tour guide and transfer from Phu Bai Airport to your hotel in Hue City for check-in.

Hue was the capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen Dynasty, ending in 1945 when the French colonialists took over Vietnam. Start off your Hue City at the Imperial Citadel, a majestic royal enclosure with a fortress and moat built in 1804. Move on to the charming village in Phu Mong and visit the ancient house, up to a hundred years old, a typical traditional house with verdant green gardens surrounding it. Have a cup of tea with the host and hear more stories of the house before leaving for Thien Mu Pagoda, located on the bank of the Perfume River.

Have lunch at a garden restaurant, and then you will visit Tu Duc King’s tomb on Van Nien pine Hill, an impressive exemplar of Vietnamese art. On the way back to Hue center, you can stop at a local house and try making traditional incense sticks with the instructions of local people.

On this day, you will travel 2.5 hours to the demilitarized zone from Hue and visit the Vinh Moc tunnel, which was a bombing target during the Vietnam War. Descend to the three-floor tunnels, an underground village that shelters the people from bombing. Next, stop at Hien Luong Bridge and Doc Mieu Base, which was the American base located closest to the DMZ. After your trip, you will return to Hue City. The rest of the day will be free & easy.

Leaving Hue in the morning for Hoi An old town, you will travel along a stunning path passing pristine Lang Co Beach, the Hai Van Pass, where the ocean meets the clouds. You can stop along the way and take in the picturesque scenes, and tentatively arrive in Hoi An at noon.

In the afternoon, explore and enjoy the atmospheric Hoi An old town by meandering through tiny alleys lined with Chinese houses over two centuries old, the Japanese-style bridge, and the Tan Ky house, which once belonged to a rich merchant. This town is a place of cultural fusion, where the architecture is influenced by Asian and Western styles. The evening will be free for you to enjoy the night in Hoi An, with colorful lanterns, plenty of local street food, and the night market.

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 fly from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's most vibrant and developed southern city. 

Upon your arrival, you will meet your local tour guide and travel to the city center.

Late evening, travel to the Saigon River pier and board the dinner cruise for a dinner of delicious Vietnamese gastronomy. There are performances of traditional art and music on the cruise while you are enjoying the food, too.

Ho Chi Minh City is undeniably the most modern and vibrant city in Vietnam, making it one of the best places to visit. This morning, you will head to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground system dug by the Vietnamese Resistance during the war against the French and later expanded during the Vietnam War. 

In the afternoon, explore the historical sites of Ho Chi Minh City. You will visit the War Remnants Museum for an insight into the Vietnam War with the exhibitions of US weapons, photos of the war consequences, chemical weapons, and so on. Then admire the French colonial buildings, such as the old Post Office, the nearby Notre Dame Cathedral, and the pedestrian Dong Khoi Street.

This morning, travel to the Mekong Delta region in southern Vietnam. Arriving at Cai Be town, you will board a local boat and cruise toward Vinh Long for a tropical hideaway. Make stops to taste fruit from local villagers' orchards and learn about local handicrafts. Have lunch at a local house; afterward, you will head back to Cai Be by boat and return to Ho Chi Minh City by late afternoon. The rest of the day will be at your own leisure.

Have free time on your own till the transfer to the airport for your flight to your next destination.