Classic Vietnam

Arrival at Hanoi airport you will be greeted by a driver who will accompany you to the hotel (30 km ~ 50 minutes).

The rest of the day is free to recover forces after the long intercontinental flight.

Overnight at the hotel.

At 08.30 your guide will pick you up at your hotel.

The day is dedicated to a deeper discovery of Hanoi, starting from the visit to the renowned Museo di Etnologia (closed on Monday), which houses an interesting collection of artefacts related to the mosaic of ethnicities that populate Vietnam.

Then visit the temple of Literature, or Van Mieu, a structure dedicated to Confucius. Built in 1070, the complex soon became the first Vietnamese university. Free lunch.

In the early afternoon, visit to the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh (from the outside). This imposing monument, dedicated to the father of modern Vietnam, was built in marble and granite and has the form of a stylized lotus. Nearby are the casa on Ho Chi Minh palafitte and the pagoda to a pillar, symbol of Hanoi.

The afternoon tour will also offer the opportunity to see the famous Quartiere Vecchio of Hanoi. You will end your day tour of the city by visiting the temple of Jade in the center of the suggestive Hoan Kiem lake, otherwise known as the lake of the "restored sword".

Around 17 you will start your street food walking tour in Hanoi Old Quarter along the perimeter of the Hang Be market, passing next to dozens of outpatients selling an impressive variety of products, from live seafood to exotic fruit and spices.

Our expert local guide will give you an idea of the complexity and traditions of Vietnamese food culture, providing you with details on the ingredients and history of the popular dishes of the north. Eat hand, taste the fruits of season.

Walking in the labyrinth of crowded streets, you will try your palate with the famous Hanoi dish: the green papaya salad with dried beef (Nom bo kho). Continue your walk along the lago Hoan Kiem in the direction of the Church and stop in a local restaurant to enjoy delicious pork crepes (Banh cuon cha). Look with amazement the skilled cooks who show you how to prepare this tasty dish.

Continuing in the suggestive heart of the Old Quarter, you line stalls and quiet residential alleys where you can observe the local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded more than 1000 years ago.

The next stop is a local stand, where you can try the typical Vietnamese sandwich (Banh my), which is also one of the most famous street foods at international level. You sit with the inhabitants of Hanoi and taste various meat, vegetables and bread specialties that are grilled to the flame on burning coals for a more intense flavor.

For dessert, you can choose from cute mini bundles with a piece of palm sugar in the heart (Banh troi tau) or a sweet soup based on different types of beans or lotus seeds (which). Finish the evening in a hidden coffee with a beautiful view of the picturesque Hoan Kiem lake. This difficult coffee to find is one of the few remaining in the city that still serves egg coffee (Cafe trung), a delicious local specialties that you can taste admiring the hustle and bustle of the city center below.

Free dinner. Overnight in Hanoi hotels.

09:00: Departure from Hanoi for the baia of Halong (150 km ~ 2 hours and a half).

12:00: Check-in on board with a welcome drink by a crew member, while the manager keeps the safety instructions and the boat continues the cruise to Baia di Bai Tu Long.

13:15: lunch will be served at the cruise restaurant.

15:30: discovery of the cave of Thien Canh Son, located on the mountain crest and has a long history of geological importance and natural beauty. We recommend taking a camera and hiking with ZZK sports shoes.

17:30: Enjoy the beautiful sunset on the bay and take part in the Happy Hour.

18:00: Join our cooking class on the solarium with spring rolls, one of the distinctive features of Vietnamese cuisine.

19:30: dinner will be served at the cruise restaurant

21:00: You are invited to relax on the boat and participate in the fishing of the squids off the reception deck.

Overnight on board

06:30: Start your day with the Taichi on the sun deck.

07:00: Light breakfast will be served in the cruise restaurant.

07:45: Visit to the floating fishing village of Vung Vieng, one of the largest villages in Halong Bay, where you will have the opportunity to know the life of fishermen and feel free with some optional activities: bamboo boat or kayak.

9:00 - 9:30: return to the main boat to relax and check out at the reception; please put all your luggage out of the cabin door, the crew members will help bring your luggage to the ground.

09:45: brunch will be served in the restaurant while the boat returns to the port.

11:00: Land at the port of Ha Long. Meeting with our driver and transfer to Hanoi airport for the flight to Hue VN 1545 (16:30-17:50).

Retreat and transfer to hotel.

Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. The day is dedicated to the discovery of Hue, the capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945 during the reign of emperors of the Nguyen dynasty. A UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, the Citadel is just one of the many well-preserved historical sites in the city and its surroundings.

We start the tour at 8.00 with a visit to the Cittadella, seat of the emperors of the Nguyen dynasty. The construction began in 1804 by order of the first Emperor Gia Long, after the site had been selected according to the principles of geomancy (Feng Shui). The Citadel is inspired by the fortifications of Vauban and consists of three sections: the capital (Kinh Thanh), the imperial city (Hoang Thanh) and the Forbidden City (Cam Thanh). It was largely destroyed in 1968 during the fighting involving Hue following the Tet offensive. Today you are trying to restore and preserve this priceless heritage. We continue with the visit to the Tomba of Emperor Tu Duc, one of the most beautiful works of real architecture of the Nguyen dynasty.

The next stage is the Tomba of Emperor Khai Dinh, whose architecture is strange, new and unique, combining the traditional architecture of the Nguyen dynasty, modern Western architecture and shows the characteristics of Khai Dinh.

The day ends at the pagoda Thien Mu, or pagoda of Mrs. Celeste, a Buddhist sanctuary dating back to the mid-17th century. Located on the banks of the River of Perfume, it is easily recognizable for its octagonal tower. You pay for yourself. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. At 08:30 meeting with driver and driver and transfer to Hoi An, an important Asian commercial port in the 17th and 18th century, whose architecture and whose relaxed lifestyle have changed little over the years.

On the way, stop at the fishing village of Lang Co (Hue - Lang Co: 68 km ~ 1 hour and a half), to meet a family of fishermen who have lived on the edge of the lagoon for almost 50 years. Embark on a local boat to explore this place between the mountains and the sea. Idyllic landscape of a lagoon with crystal clear water overlooking the mountains of the annamitic chain covered with jungle. In the surroundings, the area is very clean and houses numerous crabs, dentics, cephali, cernies, shrimps... Stand in a house on stilts above the water to observe the technique of fishing of the local population living in the lagoon. Boating and visiting oyster and mussel farms.

Fish-based lunch in a house on stilts in the middle of the lagoon. An unforgettable moment with the family in a heavenly environment.

After lunch, continue for Hoi An (Lang Co - Hoi An: 62 km ~ 2 and a half hours with stop at the top of the pass). It climbs through the Hai Van Pass, one of the most panoramic hills of Vietnam.

Arrival in Hoi An in the afternoon, check-in at the hotel and free time. Free dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. At 08.30 beginning of the morning walking through the narrow streets of this charming old town. This ancient port, declared World Heritage by UNESCO, is rich in architectural jewels that show a series of influences. Visit the ponte covered Japanese, the temple of water genius, the tempio Fujian, one of the old houses and the market of Hoi An. Around the 17th century Hoi An was one of the busiest ports in South-East Asia, with Chinese merchants, Portuguese, Japanese, Dutch, French and English visiting the city looking for spices, lacquer objects and ceramics.

Enriched by the proceeds of this trade, many merchants built beautiful houses. You can admire these charming houses along Tran Phu Street, one of the oldest in Hoi An. The architecture of the old city tends to show an integration of Sino-Japanese influences in a local style. Most buildings share the same general plant; built on two levels, they are constructed as a tube between two roads running parallel.

In the afternoon, you can enjoy afternoon tea at the "Reaching Out Tea House", a charming and quiet environment to experience the tradition of drinking tea, but also a social enterprise that aims to empower people with language and hearing problems, which are part of his staff. Afternoon, free time to transfer to Da Nang airport for Sai Gon. Pick up and transfer to the hotel. Free dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. At 8:00 the beginning of the discovery of Sai Gon with the War Remnants Museum that presents a partial, but compelling vision of the American war, as it is known in Vietnam. Later, we go back in time to deepen the history of Vietnam with a stop at caffè Đ' Ph', which was once the operational base of the South Vietnam Liberation Army. While the coffee is prepared, discover the secret bunker of the weapons used for the attack on the Palace of Independence during the offensive of 1968 and photograph the old car used to transport the weapons in the tunnel of Cu Chi. Enjoy your coffee in the atmosphere of this historic house before going to pagoda Van Phat, hidden in Jewelry Street in China Town, in district 5. You will be amazed by the vivid colors of the typical Chinese architecture and especially by the ten thousand statues of Buddha within the pagoda, where you can also discover how the Vietnamese preserve the urns of cremation of their relatives. Then, departure to the Cu Chi tunnels. Lunch in a local restaurant (not included).

After lunch, explore the tunnel site, which includes exhibits of weapons and explosive traps, navigation in an authentic Viet Cong tunnel, visiting several underground bunkers (kitchens, meeting rooms, ammunition, etc.), a shooting range and much more. Taste the local manioc root that has supported Viet Cong fighters for years.

Back to the city center in the late afternoon, The remaining time is dedicated to a walk along the street Nguyen Hue in district 1, where you will discover an old building of apartments now transformed into colorful cafes, restaurants and clothing shops. Take the elevator to the top floor of the building and go down slowly to discover the shops. For tea lovers a stop is recommended from Partea, a tea room on the fourth floor that offers 30 types of tea, while "Saigon .i" on the fifth floor deserves a visit for a Vietnamese coffee. Free dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

At 8.00 departure from the hotel for Ben Tre (90 km ~ 2 hours), known as the kingdom of Vietnam's coconut. At 10.00 arrival and visit of Phong Nam, boat and cruise along the river Chet Say (a branch of the Mekong) and stop in various local workplaces to give you an idea of how the local economy works, including the activated coal factory of coconut, where the shell of the coconut is put in a high furnace heat to produce coconut, and a coconut processing laboratory, where you can taste the fresh coconut and see how every single part of this versatile walnut is transformed into food and other products.

Then the boat will sail through the small channel, to discover the local life. The boat will stop then in a quiet village where you can take a short walk to experience the true life of the village of Delta, visit a house of weaving mats, where the straw mats are woven with a hand frame - you can also try to weave yourself before boarding your xe loi (a sort of rickshaw motorized) in the village where you can see farms, rice and vegetable crops before stopping in a local house for a delicious and satiating lunch, based on local specialties such as elephant ear fish and river shrimp, watered by fresh drinks or beers.

At the end it is time to board a sampan for a relaxing trip along the narrow canals.

We repeat the boat to return to the pier and continue the route until Can Tho (120 km ~ 2 hours and a half).

You pay for yourself. Overnight at the hotel.

This morning we get up early to enjoy a unique taste of life in Mekong with a cruise on the colorful floating market of Cai Rang.

At 07:00 you board on Mystic Sampan Cruise, while enjoying the breakfast served with Vietnamese and Western dishes, you can comfortably observe the scenery of the local daily life on the banks of the river. After breakfast, the Mystic Sampan sails in the heart of the floating market of Cai Rang, where you will see a labyrinth of boats loaded with fruit, vegetables or food to trade. You can also participate in the market by asking for fruit or drinks.

Leaving the market, our tourist guide will lead you to a local workshop where you can enjoy learning how locals prepare "Hu Tieu", rice spaghetti. After the market, visit the old house of Binh Thuy.

Lunch in Sai Gon (170 km ~ 3 hours and a half). Arrival at about 17:00, check-in at the hotel and leisure time. Choosing meals. Overnight in the hotel

Breakfast at the hotel. Free time until transfer to Sai Gon airport for departure flight.