14 Day Vietnam Exploration

Our full-day city tour takes you on an interesting trip through the heart of Hanoi, where you can learn about Vietnam's history and culture. You should start your day by going to the solemn Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to honour the great leader and learn about his lasting impact. Next, go into the Temple of Literature, which is a haven for intellectuals. Look around its peaceful gardens and old stone tablets that show that people have been studying there for hundreds of years.

You can keep exploring at the Ethnology Museum, which shows the different practices and customs of Vietnam's ethnic minorities. Then, face the powerful past of Hoa Lo Prison by learning about the terrible experiences of its former prisoners and the hardships they had to face. In the afternoon, ride a traditional bike through the busy streets of the Old Quarter while your driver guides you through narrow streets and lively markets. As the day ends, you'll value Hanoi's history, culture, and timeless charm even more when you get back to your hotel.

 

Accommodation: Le Jardin Hotel & Spa, 4-Star Deluxe City View. Or something similar.

Our car will drop you off at the starting point of today's walk. There are hundreds of fresh food stands along the street of the local wet market, where you can start your tour of the hidden alleys where you can see how people in Hanoi live their daily lives. Learn about the habits of the area before stopping by a small, cosy tea shop for an interesting introduction to the world of tea. The owner and his wife pick out the best white, green, or oolong tea from old Vietnamese tea plants on farms all over the country.

 

Their stories about tea, its past, how Vietnamese tea has changed over time, and how Vietnamese people have drunk tea from ancient times to the present will captivate you. Learn how to make a delicious cup of traditional Vietnamese lotus green tea while another young master shows you how to do Vietnamese calligraphy, which is a beautiful art form that has been around for a long time. Learn all about the important characters that are written on red or yellow papers that have been used as lucky charms in Vietnam for thousands of years.

 

Accommodation: Le Jardin Hotel & Spa, 4-Star Deluxe City View. Or something similar

From Halong Bay, take a boat to Ninh Binh. Along the way, stop at the water puppet village to see how many artists make wooden puppets and perform them on the village's small pond. Learn about the history and culture of this type of traditional Vietnamese art performance.

Get to Ninh Binh in the afternoon.

 

Accommodation: Le Clos du Fil Boutique Hotel & Spa - Deluxe King Countryside View. Or something similar

in the morning from Hanoi and goes for 2.5 hours to Ninh Binh, a farming area in the north of Vietnam. When you get there, take a walk through the quiet town and enjoy the natural scenery. You can see how farmers work every day by going to a nearby farm. After lunch, you will take a two-hour boat ride through small, less-visited canals that wind through paddy fields (rice fields can be seen from March to early June). You will then walk along a winding, rocky path lined with lush trees to reach Galaxy Cave, which is 700 metres long and has both dry and wet caves with a wide range of stalactites and stalagmites. The same way back to the wharf, then a ride to the hotel for the night.

 

Accommodation: Le Clos du Fil Boutique Hotel & Spa, Deluxe King Countryside View. Or something similar

Transfer to the Bear Sanctuary centre in the morning. When you get there, spend 15 to 20 minutes listening to the instructor of the Four Paws centre talk about the point of this bear sanctuary centre and watch a movie about what they did in Vietnam over five years and how they saved the bears. 45 minutes to an hour to learn about the bears' stories and how they are cared for. Visitors could walk on the flat and paved roads to learn how they help abused bears start over. Another fun thing to do at the centre is eat a veggie lunch. All of the food there comes from plants grown by local staff, and bears eat them. The clients could also learn about how natural veggies can be used to treat and heal illnesses.

Go back to Hanoi to catch a flight to Hue. Upon arrival, be taken to a hotel in the city.

 

Accommodation: White Lotus Hue Hotel, Deluxe Room. Or something similar

 

Embark on a captivating half-day expedition, "Imperial Echoes: Exploring Hue's Royal Homes," immersing yourself in the resplendent tapestry of Hue's imperial history. Your trip starts at the Hue Imperial Citadel, which is on the UNESCO list. Its old walls and royal buildings remind you of the grandeur of a bygone era. Explore the remote An Dinh Palace, which is a reminder of Vietnam's royal history, and then go inside the private sanctum of a private royal home, which is a temple that isn't open to the public but is filled with spiritual peace. In a one-of-a-kind garden house, you can see how traditional Vietnamese building and French influences work well together. This is where history and culture meet.

 

The highlight of your trip will be a one-on-one conversation with the former head of the Conservation Centre Hue, who was the driving force behind Hue's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Find out insider secrets about how to keep these royal homes in good shape. Finish off this royal trip with a delicious lunch at the home of your knowledgeable guide, where you can enjoy both the tastes of Hue and the many stories that are told within its ancient walls.

Go to the Ming Mang Tomb and the Thien Mu pagoda in the afternoon. By boat along the Huong River, get back to the city centre.

 

 

Accommodation: White Lotus Hue Hotel, Deluxe Room. Or something similar

 

Walk down the streets that most tourists don't know about to see Hoi An's natural beauty. At 8:30, you'll leave for a half-day discovery tour of the old town with a local guide. Explore old homes that were used by merchants, colourful community rooms, traditional houses that line narrow streets, and the famous Japanese Bridge. Also, check out cute backstreets and alleys to find hidden gems that not many people know about. Walk down a small alley to a secret temple that most tourists don't know about. While you're there, check out the town's only two-story temple and listen to stories about its ups and downs. Last but not least, go to the Hoi An Folklore Museum to learn about how people in Hoi An live. To end the culture tour, go to a small coffee shop tucked away in an alley, order their signature drink, and think about all the good times you had on the tour before going back to the hotel.

In the afternoon, keep going on your trip to the Organic Herb Farm for our interactive herbal taste challenge. This is a one-of-a-kind event that will engage all of your senses and teach you about the benefits of organic farming.

We'll greet you with a warm welcome and serve you a herbal tea made from herbs grown in our beautiful organic yard. While you enjoy this fragrant drink, get ready to explore our organic herb farm, which has more than fifty different kinds of medical herbs, fruits, and edible flowers. This isn't just a tour to see the sights; it's a chance to see and learn from a successful model of organic farming that values nature and encourages long-term growth.

Following, get ready for the herbal taste tests. You will play three fun games with other people on your team. To begin, see how much you know by playing "Guess the herbs." Then, use your imagination in "Mystery Box to make healthy juice." Last but not least, show off your plant knowledge in "Mystery Box to Make Herbal Tea." Judges will give you points for how good your creations taste and look. The team with the best score will be the winners and get some great prizes.

After the challenges, enjoy some tasty home-cooked meals, like toasted bread with ground pork and herb sauce or a vegetarian choice with garlic and herb sauce, along with a fresh farm salad and a glass of hibiscus juice. Then, when you have some free time, take it easy, take a walk in the peaceful area, or even try your hand at gardening. There will be new herbal finds, fun challenges, and tasty treats all day. You won't want to miss it!

 

 

Accommodation: Boutique Hoi An Resort, 5-star Superior Room. Or something similar

 

Meet our representative in the lobby of your hotel. The time of your journey and pick-up will be confirmed in advance.
Flight to Ho Chi Minh City (but not the plane ticket)

When you get to the airport in the afternoon, check out the mix of local and colonial styles that makes it so interesting. Visit the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the scary War Remnants Museum. Go back to the hotel to check in.

 

Accommodation: Northern Charm Hotel Saigon, 4 Star Deluxe Window Room, 4 Star. Or something similar

 

My Tho is the entrance to the Mekong Delta. It's a two-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho this morning. Here, we'll get on a motorised wooden sampan and start our trip on the huge Mekong River. We'll be going around the Tan My and Thoi Son Islands, which are home to many floating fish farms and houseboats that have been docked for decades. When you get off the boat at one of the floating farms, you can talk to fishermen who are working and learn about the fishing business in this beautiful area. Change to a rowing boat for a slow trip through the small rivers lined with coconut trees that grow in the water. After, get on your bikes and ride around the island, which is covered in hectares of fields where grapefruits, coconuts, bananas, durian, jackfruits, and longans are grown. Stop at a family to learn how to take care of mushrooms. You can visit Mr. Hai Phuong's farm, which has cows, pigs, chickens, and a fishing pond, and eat fresh fruits picked from the yard. You can have lunch with Mekong specialties in a family yard, where you can also watch the hostess make the food.

"Banh khot" are Vietnamese savoury mini pancakes that are a famous and tasty dish in the area. We continued our tour by bicycle and saw more small businesses in the quiet island's back streets. We saw a bee farm with a collection of farming, gardening, and fishing tools that have been passed down through generations; we also met a professional weaver and saw her work, which included a straw hat, a water hyacinth basket, and a bracelet. Then we get back on our motorised boat for the journey back to land. Say goodbye to our boat captain and drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. We'll get there in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: Northern Charm Hotel Saigon, 4 Star Deluxe Window Room, 4 Star. Or something similar