Real Vietnam 18 days with Vietnam Backroads

Upon arrival to Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Backroads's team will meet you and they will transfer you to your hotel in city centre. Check-in and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Begin the first day of your vacation with full day to visit Cu Chi tunnel and Saigon city tour; be met at hotel and travel by car to Cu Chi tunnel, the famous underground tunnel network in Cu Chi located outside Saigon. Watch a documentary film then explore the famous fighting tunnels on foot; traps, bunkers, trenches and experience crawling a piece of the underground tunnels. Enjoy lunch before driving back to Saigon.

In the afternoon, visit the War Remnants Museum, Emperor Jade Pagoda, the former Presidential Palace, Nortre Dame Cathedral, and the Old Post Office before a walk down to Opera House and City Halls. Take a foodie tour in the evening. 
 

Depart at 8:00am from the hotel for 2 hours driving to Mekong Delta. On Arrival on Ben Tre, boards on boat, cruise along lively Mekong River, see real life of locals. There will be many stops on this cruise; visit local workshops and factories: Visit the brickwork to see workers make bricks in handy traditional method, then to coconut processing workshops and see how candies are made, next place is a mat weaving house, where straw mats are used for making sleep mats. Take a short walk through village; enjoy tea, fresh fruits and experience family life. Lunch at local restaurant by the river before driving takes you to Can Tho city. Make a stop at nursery and bonsai gardens in Cho Lach.

After breakfast, enjoy a boat ride to lively floating market. This is a good chance to get photos from real floating market. Then see the land market before driving back to Saigon. Lunch en route and take the afternoon flight to Dalat. A warmly welcomed at Lien Khuong Airport and have a short transfer to Dalat city.

After breakfast, explore the city by vehicle with your guide. a short drive to Robin Hill, view the grandiose mountainous area of the Langbiang plateau. A slow cable car down to Tuyen Lam lake, great opportunity see panorama view of the Dalat City and enjoy the marvelous sight of the green lush valley stretched down valleys and forest; natural landscape and Datanla waterfall before your cable car moving on to Tuyen Lam lake. Tuyen Lam Lake is famous for its romantic natural sceneries. Then back to city to visit the Bao Dai King’s Summer Palace, house of the last king of Vietnamese feudalism. After lunch, spend 30 minutes to see the Crazy house before a tour on train from Dalat railway station to Trai Mat village. This is an opportunity to immerse you into old train through green countryside; passing greenhouse, flower gardens, coffee plantation and artichoke fields... After a short break, walk though village, stop at beautiful pagoda. Travel to next place, the XQ embroidery village. It's a worthy place to see the finest handmade embroidery products of  local artisians

After 2 nights in the Honeymoon city in central highland and today we travel down to Nha Trang coastal province. A morning drive takes you on hilly road through valleys, pine forest and tropical forest and Ethnic villages. There will be many stop to enjoy breathtaking views and particular scenery and this also a great time to capture plenty of photos as you could. After lunch at seafood restaurant, pay a visit to Po Nagar Temple and the famous Cham temple tower, the biggest of the architectural complex that comprises four temple towers built and upgraded several times between the 7th and 12th centuries. Do check in the hotel and take a rest of today.

Free day in Nha Trang
 

After breakfast at hotel, a pick up transfers you to Cam Ranh airport for domestic flight to Da Nang. Meet Vietnam Backroads team at the airport with private vehicle. It takes about 30 minutes driving on beautiful coastal road to Hoi An. Check in hotel and enjoys your free time to explore Hoi An.

After you are picked up at hotel, take a tour through the beautiful and scenic countryside of Hoi An to Cam Thanh village. Stop at local market, a boat trip along Thu Bon River, passing fishing village, then a little adventure on bamboo basket boat through water palm on small canals. On arrival the Cooking School and Restaurant, be ready for your cooking class; Green mango salad with shrimp & pork, fresh spring roll, beef noodle soup - Pho Bo, Vietnamese chicken curry - served with steamed rice and sticky rice cake.. After lunch, return to hotel by car and relax the rest of the day.

Take a half day to explore charming countryside of Hoi An by bicycle and travel to Hue by vehicle in the afternoon. Vietnam Backroads will offer you an enjoyable bicycle ride to see real of Hoi An; explore a beautiful, peaceful countryside and to see ordinary lives of farmers and fisherman. Ride through farmlands of green paddy and vegetable. Visit some of old houses as the traditional houses in rural villages, and home where primitive crafts are made. Return to hotel to take a shower before doing check out. After lunch in Hoi An, travel by car to Hue, make a stop at the peak of Hai Van Pass. Admire particular and breathtaking views at the peak before driving to Hue.

At 8:00 AM, be greeted at hotel and will be taken to riverside to board the Dragon Boat, cruise on the romantic Perfume River heading out for the countryside. Visit Thien Mu Pagoda, the city’s oldest pagoda. It was built in 1601 by the first Nguyen lords- Nguyen Hoang, who was the governor of Thuan Hoa and its Hue today. Then we travel by car to Khai Kinh tomb. Khai Dinh king was the twelfth Emperor of the Nguyen dynasty. Khai Dinh Mausoleum built with blend the Asia architecture and colonial architecture. Then to next Tu Duc Mausoleum, Emperor Tu Duc enjoyed the longest reign of any monarch of the Nguyen dynasty, ruling from 1848-83. Although he had over a hundred wives and concubines, he was unable to father a son. On the way back to city center, we make shop at handicraft village. In the afternoon visit the Royal Imperial Citadel. Take a leisure walk in the Citadel of Hue – constructed from 1804 and recognized UNESCO Heritage Site in 1993. The citadel was oriented to face the Perfume River to the southeast and was built in the early 19th century. The Citadel is a former capital of Vietnam feudal society.

Take a morning flight to Ha Noi, You are met at Noi Bai Airport. Transfer to hotel, relax until the watching water puppet show.

Day 13: Ha Noi – City tour
The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long was the ancient capital and a relic of Vietnam’s history and culture. Spend a full day to explore Ha Noi city with beginning at 8.00 am from hotel, we begin with a visit Ho Chi Minh complex, learning a lot about his great life comprising the Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, and his residential place. Then travel to the Temple of Literature – the place of the first University and temple for Confucius in Vietnam. In the afternoon city tour including: Museum of Ethnology, Hanoi Hilton Prison following to Opera House and Ngoc Son temple by Hoa Kiem Lake. Watch the show of Water Puppet in the evening.

Depart from Ha Noi at 7:00 AM, enjoy a morning driving to Mai Chau; view spectacular  landscapes of valleys along the way. On arrival in Thai village, take a short walk through village and have lunch at Ethnic Thai family, on stilt-house. Then a bicycle tour allows to meandering through rice field, local markets and to meet farmers in countryside. Have dinner at family of Thai and enjoy traditional dance.

Wake up, see sunrise and take a walk around village, spending time experience Ethnic Thai culture and see early daily activities of local in the valley of Mai Chau. After Lunch, time for relax before driving back to Hanoi.

7.30-8.00: Our bus or private car will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter
12.30: Arrive at Paloma office in Halong City.  Get on boat and check in cabin
13.30: Have lunch while cruising to magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay. We start sailing among famous Islets (Indochina studio, Am Islets…) of Bai Tu Long Bay.
15.15 - 15.40: Visit and explore the Thien Canh Son Cave and do Kayaking.
18.00: Sunset party 
19.00: Having dinner and overnight on boat.
20.30: Join Squid fishing with crew or relax or enjoy some drinks on Sundeck with Happy Hour.
Overnight on Paloma Cruise.
Drive to Ha Long bay, stay a night on cruise

06.00: Starting your day with Tai Chi while complimentary tea & coffee are served.
07.00: Have breakfast
07.45 - 09.00: Exploring Vung Vieng Fishing Village to discover the daily life of the fisher communities by bamboo boat (one hour). Short visit to the Pearl Farm to learn how natural pearls are grown. 
10.00: Check out cabin then return to dining room for Vietnamese cooking class. 
10.30: Have a lunch.
11.45: Arrive at Hon Gai Harbour. Get on bus or private car to get back to Hanoi.
16.30: You will arrive at your hotel. 

After your breakfast at hotel, relax until the airport transfer for International flight. Tour End!