Highlights
- Tour Hanoi and see a water puppet show
- Take a cooking class and cruise Ha Long Bay
- Visit Hoi An and the Imperial City of Hue
- See the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City
Brief Itinerary
Day | Highlights | Overnight |
---|---|---|
Day 1 | Arrive in Hanoi, Optional Activities | Hanoi |
Day 2 | City Tour & Water Puppet Experience | Hanoi |
Day 3 | Day Trip to Ba Vi Countryside & Cooking Class | Hanoi |
Day 4 | Transfer to Ha Long Bay, Overnight Cruise | Ha Long Bay |
Day 5 | Morning Cruise, Fly to Hue | Hue |
Day 6 | Hue Guided Sightseeing Tour | Hue |
Day 7 | Transfer to Hoi An | Hoi An |
Day 8 | Hoi An City & Food Tour | Hoi An |
Day 9 | Fly to Ho Chi Minh City | Ho Chi Minh City |
Day 10 | Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City Tour | Ho Chi Minh City |
Day 11 | Depart Ho Chi Minh City |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi, Optional Activities

Welcome to Vietnam! This country boasts thousands of years of history spanning the ages from the Bronze Age through royal dynasties, French colonialism, a communist revolution, and up to the present day. You can see the remnants of all this history in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam and one of the oldest cities in the world (it's been permanently settled since around 200 BCE). This is the best place to begin a grand tour of Vietnam that will take you from one end of the country to the other.
Upon arrival at the airport, a driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in the city. After settling in, you can head out and have some fun. Spend the rest of the day exploring the labyrinthine streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter by foot or on a traditional three-wheeled cyclo as you pass temples, French-colonial buildings, and Vietnamese "tube houses." These space-saving buildings can be as narrow as 6 feet (2 m) wide and 12 stories high. Later, perhaps head to the Pan Pacific Hotel's rooftop bar and sip cocktails amid spectacular sunset views over Tay Ho ("West Lake").
Day 2: City Tour & Water Puppet Experience

Next, you'll take a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake. This central body of water is always abuzz with activity, as locals come here to socialize, practice Tai Chi, and pray at Ngoc Son ("Jade Mountain Temple"), which sits on an island and dates to the 19th century. You'll also visit architectural wonders like the 11th-century Temple of Literature and Tran Quoc Pagoda. The ladder is a Buddhist shrine dating to the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De in the sixth century, making it the oldest such temple in the city. Then head over to Tay Ho and grab a bowl of steaming pho (noodle soup) for lunch.
After lunch, you'll visit another local: Mr. Phan Liem, a seventh-generation practitioner of the Vietnamese art of water puppetry. This theatrical expression has been part of the nation's culture dating back over 1,000 years, and your host has devoted his life to mastering it. The stage for these performances is a small pool (mimicking rice paddies), and the puppeteer stands behind a screen while manipulating the wooden puppets. Over a cup of tea, your host will explain the history of this art and then treat you to a private show. Afterward, you'll tour his workshop to see how he crafts these intricate puppets.
Day 3: Day Trip to Ba Vi Countryside & Cooking Class

In the morning, you'll head west out of Hanoi on a full-day guided eco-tour of the beautiful Ba Vi countryside. Your first stop is Ri village, where you'll enjoy welcome drinks and snacks with Mr. Duoc, a Vietnam War veteran and tea plantation owner. Listen to Mr. Duoc's stories about life during the war and visit his workshop and tea plantation, where you'll learn how to pick the best leaves.
Next, take a short drive to Moc village, where Mrs. Chin will teach you how to cook Vietnamese dishes that you'll enjoy for lunch in her tropical garden. Join Mrs. Chin for a walk around the village to visit families and learn how to make tofu, conical hats, and other regional products. Finish with an easy cycle through Vietnam's iconic rice paddies, followed by a Muong herbal foot bath, before returning to Hanoi.
Day 4: Transfer to Ha Long Bay, Overnight Cruise

After breakfast, your driver will pick you up for the 2.5-hour drive to the coast and Ha Long Bay. Located on the Gulf of Tonkin, over 1,500 karst islets rise above jade waters and resemble the spine of some mythological creature ("ha long" actually translates to "descending dragon"). The remarkable beauty of this region is unlike anywhere else and thus has been bestowed with UNESCO World Heritage status.
Upon arrival at the marina, you'll board a multi-level cruise ship for an overnight tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. After settling into your cabin, head up to the deck, where a delicious seafood lunch awaits. Then you can spend hours relaxing on the sun deck as the ship sails across glassy emerald waters to the most secluded corners of the bay. Later that afternoon, you'll stop at a secret cove for a swim and a kayak trip to explore hidden beaches and grottoes.
Return to the ship just in time to participate in a cooking masterclass offered by the onboard expert chef. During the workshop, you'll learn to make traditional specialties like nem (Vietnamese fried spring rolls) and enjoy them for dinner. Spend the remainder of the evening relaxing, or head out on a small boat for a bit of night fishing with the locals.
Day 5: Morning Cruise, Fly to Hue

Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 6: Hue Guided Sightseeing Tour

Day 7: Transfer to Hoi An

Then you'll continue on to Hoi An. Sitting on the Thu Bon River, this historic city was a major trading port with the West from the 15th through the 19th centuries, attracting merchants from around the globe. Its international legacy is represented in the assortment of architectural styles in Hoi An's Ancient Town. Upon arrival, you'll transfer to your hotel and will have the rest of the night free.
Day 8: Hoi An City & Food Tour

After all that walking, you'll no doubt have worked up an appetite. That's why next up is the Central Market, one of the busiest municipal markets in the city. At its food court, you can order delicious and cheap eats like fruit smoothies and noodle dishes. Be sure to try cao lao, a regional specialty. Within the market itself are vendors selling everything from fresh produce and crafts to toys and clothing. After the tour, you'll return to your hotel.
Day 9: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City

Day 10: Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City Tour

After breakfast, transfer two hours out of the city to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. This immense network of underground passages was constructed in 1948 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from French attacks. They also served as living quarters, communications hubs, and supply routes, complete with storage areas and even hospitals. A visit here will give you a better understanding of Vietnam's wartime history and the hardships faced by the thousands of soldiers who survived the French and American wars. You'll even get to crawl through a section of the tunnels to experience their narrow dimensions.
Following Cu Chi, you'll have lunch at the local restaurant before returning to Ho Chi Minh City. Then it will be time to tour the highlights. Your guide will take you to historic 19th-century landmarks like Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office. Then visit Reunification Palace, which was the headquarters of the Saigon government during the war. Continue to the War Remnants Museum for a vivid look at the American War through the eyes of the Vietnamese. Afterward, you'll visit Ben Thanh, one of the biggest markets in the city.
Day 11: Depart Ho Chi Minh City
