OVERVIEW

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Day 2: Hanoi Full Day City Tour
Day 3: Hanoi - Fly to Hue
Day 4: Hue Sightseeing and Cooking Class
Day 5: Hue - Hoi An
Day 6: Hoi An Traditional Village Tour
Day 7: Hoi An Fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Day 8: Ho Chi Minh City Sightseeing
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City Departure

FULL ITINERARY

[*Notes]

- This itinerary is a privately guided tour, designed just to show you what is possible.
- We can tailor this trip, it's inclusions and the accommodations, to meet your requirements, budget, and interests.

DAY 3: HANOI - FLY TO HUE

You will be transferred to Hanoi Airport for a flight to Hue. Upon arrival, Holidays Vietnam guides and driver will welcome and transfer you to the hotel. Your day tour in Hue will start with a visit to Hue Imperial Citadel, which has long been a must-see attraction for tourists visiting a hidden charm of Vietnam. Then you will move on to the Tu Duc Mausoleum to view its traditional Vietnamese architecture. You will have free time for the rest of the day, before enjoying a cyclo ride to the Tinh Gia Vien restaurant for dinner. It’s worth understanding that food in Hue tends to be spicier than in most other parts of Vietnam, and represents a kind of Oriental Nouvelle Cuisine. In the end, you will spend an overnight in Hue.

DAY 4: HUE SIGHTSEEING AND COOKING CLASS

After an early breakfast, you will attend a cooking class run by the owner of the Y Thao Garden House. The class will start at the Dong Ba central market where the teacher will give instructions on how to choose food for your cooking lesson and your lunch will interestingly be the food you have prepared yourselves! In the afternoon, you will travel by Dragon Boat down the Perfume River to visit the seven story Thien Mu Pagoda which stands by the riverbank and spend a few minutes studying Vietnam Buddhism. In the evening, you will enjoy a Royal Banquet served at the King restaurant where you have chance to dress up yourself like a King and Queen to enjoy royal style dinner.

DAY 5: HUE - HOI AN

After breakfast, you will depart Hue and head for your hotel in Hoi An. Hoi An, which was a major Asian trading center in the 17th and 18th century, still remains many original buildings. You will then enjoy a guided walking tour around the ancient town center, including the 400 year old Japanese covered bridge and the colorful local market area, which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The rest of afternoon is free before dinner at the famous White Lantern restaurant for a five-course meal featuring Hoi An's unique cuisine.

DAY 6: HOI AN TRADITIONAL VILLAGE TOUR

You will commence a full day excursion today by a short walk down to the harbor of Hoi An, where you will get on board a wooden boat and have an upstream cruise to Thanh Ha, a local Pottery village on the bank of the Thu Bon River. Thanh Ha village, which is famous for making tiles, pots, vases, still keep sold traditions and skills. Nowadays, the local contractors are the only ones who can restore bricks, tiles and floors in the old town of Hoi An. After a walk around the village, you will take the cruise across the river and continue going upstream to the Carpentry village of Kim Bong. For over the centuries, Kim Bong has had a huge influence on the architecture of the ancient town of Hoi An. Moreover, the old carpenter skills that are kept alive and still used to restore the old buildings in the old town of Hoi An. From Kim Bong village you will take a bicycle ride around the island, enjoying the peaceful and beautiful surroundings. After one hour, you will get onboard for the cruise downstream to Thanh Nam fishing village, where you will have a walk around the small town, visiting a small exhibition near the river. You will also be able to see the old traditional fishing tools used for many generations; some of which are still used by the local fisherman. You will then head back by boat for the ancient town of Hoi An.

DAY 7: HOI AN FLY TO HO CHI MINH CITY

After breakfast, you will be taken to Danang Airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City. After check in hotel, you will have free time in the afternoon and evening to explore the bustling city and its gastronomy. Here, you will see that the cuisine of the South uses many herbs and spices and has been influenced by Cambodia, Thailand and India, among others. Curries using coconut milk are an example of this. The South also has a wide selection of tropical fruits and vegetables that are not available in the cooler North.

DAY 8: HO CHI MINH CITY SIGHTSEEING

After breakfast, you will join a half day city tour, including the Unification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Saigon Post Office and Ben Thanh Market as well as the city's lively Chinatown. "Pho" shall be served for lunch at a local café. Then, you will have free time until evening followed by dinner at Nam Phan restaurant. The elegant Nam Phan restaurant offers a menu of beautifully presented Vietnamese cuisine, described by the owners as "high-end", with classical dishes and modern interpretation. There, food is freshly prepared to order by the resident team of professional chefs.

DAY 9: HO CHI MINH CITY DEPARTURE

You are free to go shopping or sight-seeing before driving to the airport for the departure flight home as well as ending of tour services.