8-Day Journey Through Vietnam’s Most Memorable Experiences

08:00–08:30: Pick-up by our friendly guide and start exploring Hanoi.

08:45: Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, dating back to the 6th century.

09:30: Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, including the Mausoleum, his former residence, and the iconic One Pillar Pagoda.

Modest dress covering shoulders and knees is required at the Mausoleum, temples, and pagodas. Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays.

11:15: Visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology to discover the rich cultures of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups.

Lunch time.

14:00–14:15: Visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, established in the 11th century.

15:15: Visit Hoa Lo Prison Museum, a historic site originally built by French colonists and later used to hold American POWs during the Vietnam War, known to them as the “Hanoi Hilton.”

16:15–16:30: Tour ends. Transfer back to your hotel.

Leave Hanoi behind for Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with thousands of limestone karsts rising from the water. The drive takes approximately 3.5 hours, with a rest stop along the way at a handicraft workshop where local artisans are at work.

Board your five-star cruise at the pier and check into your cabin as the boat sets off into the bay. Lunch is served on board while cruising past the karst formations, followed by a stop for kayaking through a lagoon or a visit to one of the bay's cave systems. Swimming is also available at designated stops for those who wish to join.

In the late afternoon, the sun deck offers views of the sunset over the karsts, one of the more popular moments to photograph the bay. A cooking demonstration follows, introducing a few techniques behind classic Vietnamese dishes, before a set-menu dinner is served on board featuring fresh seafood from the bay.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Accommodation: 5-star overnight cruise, Ha Long Bay

The cruise continues into areas not covered the day before, passing quieter corners of the bay where fishing communities still live on floating villages. A stop at a pearl farm shows how cultured pearls are formed and harvested, from seeding the oysters to the final polishing. Sunrise can be caught from the deck, with an optional tai chi session for early risers led by one of the crew.

Brunch is served on board as the boat heads back toward the pier, with a final stretch of karst scenery along the way. From the pier, transfer to Ninh Binh, often called "Ha Long Bay on land" for its limestone karsts rising above rice paddies and rivers — a drive of roughly 3 hours through the countryside.

Check in to your hotel on arrival. The rest of the afternoon is free to rest after the transfer, or to explore the surrounding villages and rice fields independently, whether on foot or by bicycle.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

• Accommodation: Ninh Binh

Trang An fills the morning, a boat ride winding through limestone caves and past rice paddies that gives Ninh Binh its nickname, "Ha Long Bay on land." For those interested in local history, a stop at Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam during the 10th and 11th centuries, adds a historical layer to the morning's route, with temples still standing on the site of the original royal court.

Lunch at a local restaurant follows, before the transfer back to Hanoi, a drive of approximately 2 hours. Check in to your hotel on arrival, with the rest of the afternoon free to rest after two full days of travel.

The evening is at leisure, suited to revisiting any spots in the Old Quarter missed earlier in the trip, or catching a performance at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, a traditional art form dating back nearly a thousand years.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

• Accommodation: Hanoi

The morning is free in Hanoi, suited to a last walk through the Old Quarter, a stop at a local market, or simply resting before the flight south. Check out of the hotel in time for the transfer to Noi Bai International Airport.

The domestic flight to Da Nang covers in roughly 90 minutes what would otherwise be a full day's drive, marking the shift from Northern to Central Vietnam. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you and transfer you to Hoi An, a drive of approximately 45 minutes from the airport.

Check in to your hotel on arrival, with the rest of the day at leisure to explore the Ancient Town independently, or simply settle in after the day's travel.

• Meals: Breakfast

• Accommodation: Da Nang

13:30 - 14:00 The car and tour guide will pick you up at your hotel (Da Nang area).

Start your adventure with Cam Thanh Coconut. As a fisherman at Cam Thanh Coconut Village, you will learn traditional fishing techniques and how to row unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boats while exploring the tranquil coconut palm waterways of the past. On this tour, we provide authentic social and cultural insight into the local way of life in Vietnam. Furthermore, you will take part in some hands-on activities that are fun, safe, interesting and suitable for everybody.

Visit the next destination, Hoi An Old Town.

Go to the Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall, a colorful mélange of bright gates, dragon statues, and elaborate rooftops. Get an introduction to ancestor worship while visiting the family altar and watching local devotees make offerings.

You will see remarkably well-preserved old houses, such as Phung Hung Ancient House or Tan Ky Ancient House, that have withstood 200 years of weather and war. Learn about the prosperous merchants who used to live in these homes, trading with buyers from all around the world. You will especially enjoy art shows at Hoi An Traditional Performing Arts House.

Make a stop at the Japanese Bridge. The bridge spans a small waterway and was constructed more than 400 years ago to connect the Japanese community with the Chinese who lived on the other side of the water. Admire the carvings and paintings inside the bridge, learning about their symbolism and cultural significance. Additionally, visit some of Hoi An’s well-known handicraft shops and artwork galleries. Discover smaller laneways and local neighborhoods, gaining a better appreciation of Hoi An’s endless charm.

When the dark come. You will take the lantern boat praying for Lunck.

07:30–08:30: Pick-up at your hotel and transfer to Ba Na Hills. Take the cable car and enjoy panoramic views of Da Nang.

Morning: Visit the Golden Hands Bridge, French Wine Cellar, Le Jardin D’Amour Gardens, and Linh Ung Pagoda. Continue by cable car to the French Village and explore its European-style architecture, temples, and attractions.

Lunch: Enjoy a buffet at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Have fun at Fantasy Park with a variety of free games and attractions, including Dinosaur Park, 4D/5D rides, Jurassic Park, Freefall Tower, and more.

15:00: Take the cable car back down from Ba Na Hills.

16:45–17:45: Transfer back to your hotel. Tour ends.