Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Pick up at the airport in the morning and transfer to the hotel in the afternoon, stroll in the trishaw in the colonial districts. Dinner at local restaturant. Overnight at hotel.
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour
Morning visit Political area: Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, Temple of literature, Ethnology museum. Break for lunch in a restaurant. Afternoon visit West lake area: Quan Thanh Temple, West Lake round trip and some site round the West Lake. The Center: Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son temple, Old quarter, French quarter (walking or Cyclo tour). Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
Day 3: Duong Lam Ancient Village - Ha Thai Village
Morning 8am depart from Hanoi, drive to Duong Lam ancient village. Visit the village, local families, Mong Phu communal house, Mia Pagoda, Phu mother Queen temple, Phung Hung king temple, Ngo Quyen king temple and 1000 year old ‘Duoi’ tree road. Break for lunch. Afternoon 1pm: Drive to Ha Thai lacquer ware villages. Walking in the Village to visit handicraft workshops to learn how to make lacquer ware and chose some souvenir products. Enjoy the village atmosphere. Drive back. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
Day 4: Dao Thuc - Diem Xa villages
Morning transfer to Xuan Non, Dong Anh. Visit Dao Thuc village, enjoy 1 hour countryside Water Puppet Show on the village pond and learn to perform the puppet. Visit center village complex and some artisan families. Continue driving 1 hour to Bac Ninh City. Lunch stop in town. Afternoon short drive to Cau River dike, take the ferry pass Cau River visit Tho Ha village, then continue to Viem Xa village. Welcomed and Meeting with a “Quan Ho” group. Enjoy sessions of “Quan Ho” to know how they use the song in difference situations of life to express their emotion to other singer group (or Quan Ho). After farewell session drive back. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
Day 5: Hanoi - Tam Coc - Bich Dong - Khuoc Village
Early morning depart to Ninh Binh, get in Tam Coc boat station. Take the boat rowing trip for 2 hour on Ngo Dong River in Tam Coc, the land called “Ha Long on land”. Continue a short drive to visit Bich Dong mountain pagoda. After lunch drive to Khuoc Village, in Dong Hung Distric, Thai Binh Province. Visiting some Cheo artist families to study basic understand of this Traditional Art. Enjoy the show of different extractions of Cheo Theater in the Village Pagoda. Late afternoon arrived in Hai Phong City. Overnight at hotel in Hai Phong.
Day 6: Halong
Morning visit the center garden and Nghe temple, Hang Kenh pagoda in Hai Phong City. Drive to Halong City. Afternoon 12 pm: Boarding wooden junk, seafood lunch on boat, and cruise for 4 hours on the Bay passing Dinh Huong, Litter Duck, Fighting Cocks Islands and some floating villages. Visit Thien Cung, Dau Go caves on an Island. Return the wharf and drive back to Hanoi. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
Day 7: Hanoi - Hue by Fly
Morning pick up to Noi Bai Airport for flight to Hue - Ancient Capital of Vietnam of Nguyen Dynasty. Check into the hotel. After lunch visit Great Enclosure of Royal Citadel, the complex of Noon Gate, Royal Palace, Temples build in 1802. Continue to Tu Duc King’s Tomb. Overnight at hotel in Hue.
Day 8: Hue
Morning boat trip on the Perfume River go up stream visit Thien Mu Pagoda, further boat cruise and walking through a village to Gia Long King’s Tomb. Back to the city for lunch. Afternoon drive to visit Royal Arena, Thanh Toan covered Bridge and Phu Mong Kim Long village. Night show royal music. Overnight at hotel in Hue.
Day 9: Hue - Hoi An
Drive along the sea coast southward, climb up on the Cloudy Pass, some stops on the way for taking pictures, pass Da Nang city and visit Champa Sculpture Museum. Arrived in Hoi An, check into hotel and Lunch break. Afternoon walk in the Unesco World Heritage of Hoi An ancient streets, visit Japanese Bridge, Old house, Chinese Congress Hall, Museum. Free for night walk in the street of thousands lanterns reflecting on the water of Hoai River. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.
Day 10: Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City by fly
Morning boat cruise on Hoai River visit Kim Bong carpenter village, walk to Cam Kim village visit mat weaving families, rice paper family workshop. Continue by boat to visit Thanh Ha ceramic village. Afternoon pick up to Da Nang Airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City Tour
Morning tour in district 1, visit War Remnant Museum, Reunification Palace, Post office, Notre dam Cathedral, then pass by People Committee Hall and walk around Ben Thanh market. Lunch break. Afternoon visit Giac Vien Pagoda, China Town in district 5 and Binh Tay market. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City - Ben Tre
Drive to Ben Tre on the way visit Caodaism Church in Ben Luc. Arrived Ben Tre and take the boat trip on canals with busy boats, passing though the forest of coconut plants, mangrove along canals visit some villages. Stop to visit local families, kindergarten, communal house, candy workshop and walk in the garden of coconuts and arroyos. Lunch in the town. On the way back stop to visit Vinh Trang pagoda in My Tho, back to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight at hotel.
Day 13: Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Free until transfer to the airport for flight back home.
