16 days Vietnam Authentic Experience

Upon arrival to Noi Bai Airport, Ha Noi, 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

We will explore lively city of Ha Noi, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long was the ancient capital of Vietnam. It's the relic of Vietnam’s history and culture. After you are picked, drive to 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 Water Puppet Show in the evening. Have dinner before boarding on night train to Lao Cai. Cabin with 4 beds, soft sleeper, and air-conditioning

Train will arrive at Lao Cao around 6:00am, meet our guide and driver and have breakfast at nice restaurant in town before a transfer on spiral road up to Sapa. Make some stop on the way, to view the mountainous landscapes, rice terraces and valleys.  Stop in Sapa town to enjoy tea and coffee before continue travel by car to Muong Hoa valley. It’s about 14km from Sapa town. Take a walk on small path down the valley to the Muong Hoa River to Y Linh Ho valley and to Lao Chai village, the home to the Black H’mong. Black H’mong is also one of the biggest minority groups in the Sapa area. After lunch at Black H’mong village, continue to Ta Van village to visit Zay people before a transfer to Topas EcoLodge for check-in

Wake up early, the best time to see sunrise, view the peaceful sceneries, mountains and valleys. After breakfast, trek on the small trail to Red Dao peole, original is Ethnic people from China, migrated to Vietnam around 12 century. The paths through rice terraced fields and hill tribe villages; Ban Lech, Muong Bo, Nam Sai, Thanh Phu. Meet up with different ethnic groups such as the Xa Pho, the H’mong, the Dzao. Lunch will be served in the village before a vehicle transfer to Sapa town in the afternoon. Check in hotel and spend your free time at leisure.

Leaving Sa Pa early Tuesday morning, drive down to Lao Cai city and then continue travel through the country side along the Chay River about 17km to Coc Ly. We visit the market with all it's colorful ethnic people such as Flower Hmong, Phu La and Dao Tuyen who gathers for Tuesday weekly market. The market deals in fruit, vegetable, pork and chickens, in addition to colorful fabric homemade and items of traditional dress. We enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before we leave Coc Ly and a transfer to Trung Do village of Tay people. Here we go by boat down the river, another opportunity to see the magnificent scenery and bustling life on the riverbank. The boat ride takes about 2 hours then return to private vehicle to Lao Cai city. There is a selected hotel in town so you can take a shower and take the rest of the day until dinner in town. It's time to say Vietnam Backroads team in Sapa before taking a night train back to Ha Noi

7h45 - 8h30 Pick up at your hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. We will have a 3½ to 4 hour bus ride to Tuan Chau Harbour. The shuttle bus is comfortable and fully air conditioned.
12h30:  Arrive at Tuan Chau Harbour for a 30 minute break before taking a ferry boat to the Oasis Bay Party Cruise.
13h30-14h45: Check into your cabin and then enjoy a real Vietnamese lunch while the boat begins to cruise majestically through Halong Bay. There is a magic or an energy that you feel when cruising through the Bay that is just lovely and amazing. Passing by Stone Dog Islet, Swan Islet, Duck Islet…
15h - 17h00: Spend at least 2 hours kayaking through the tunnel to explore the off the beaten track area of Frog Pond in the fairy land of Ha Long Bay.
17h30: Activities: Boat Jumping, Swimming, Water Trampoline, Outdoor Jacuzzis, Beer Yoga, Sunset Party with 01 free mix drink & fresh fruice…
19h00: Evening meal in the dining room.
21h00: Live DJ. Party Time till late.

8h00 – 9h00: Enjoy a sunrise cruise in the breathtaking scenery of Halong Bay. Breakfast served in the dining room (We will not wake you up just in case you want to sleep therefore if you want to have breakfast please set your own alarm)
9h45 – 10h10: Pack your things, leave the cabin and settle your bill 
10h15 - 11h30: Attend the Cooking demonstration while Cruise will head back to Tuan Chau Harbour. Enjoy the Brunch on board.
12h15-12h45: Get off board and shuttle bus pick guests up at Oasis Bay Cruise Lounge.
17h00-17h30: Tour ends at Old Quarter in Hanoi.

After breakfast, take a morning fly to Hue. On arrival at Phu Bai airport, welcomed by Vietnam Backroads team in Hue, will be taking to hotel for check in, relax until lunch time. 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.

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. 

Depart from hotel at 8:00 and travel on quiet back roads to the peak of Ha Van Pass instead of driving on High Way 1A. There are much of interesting places to see on coastal back roads through charming countryside. Make some stops along the way, experience the lives of farmers at their farmlands of rice paddies, vegetable fields and fishing villages when driving through Thuan An local beach, lagoons before reaching to Lang Co beach where seafood lunch is served. Then carry on traveling to Da Nang, visit the Cham Museum, which contains the finest collection of Cham sculptures in the world. We then have a transfer to outskirt of Hoi An for the afternoon combine activities; cycle through peaceful villages with much of vegetable farms. Then we continue cross Thu Bon River to Cam Thanh village, enjoy local basket boat paddling on small river, and meet local people at fishing village.

Enjoy late breakfast; enjoy a guided tour of guided tour of the Hoi An central market for cooking class. Hoi An's cooking classes are some of the most popular in Vietnam. The old trading town has a proud culinary tradition and the setting is excellent for exploring the fresh flavors of Vietnamese cuisine. Enjoy a boat trip to Red Bridge Cooking School. Explore the cooking school’s herb garden before learning special dishes of local and Vietnamese. After lunch, return to hotel by car and relax the rest of the day.

A transfers to Da Nang airport for a morning fly to Ho Chi Minh. Be meet tour guide and driver for a transfer to downtown.  Lunch will be serving in restaurant in city center before Saigon city tour in the afternoon. Visit the War Remnants Museum, Emperor Jade Pagoda, the former Presidential Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Old Post Office before a walk down to Opera House and City Halls. Take a foodie tour in the evening

After you are picked up from  hotel, a short transfer to the pier where you boarding on cruise. Travel to Cu Chi tunnel by speed boat is a truly unique way to observe a different side of Vietnam as you head to the famed tunnel complex where you’ll see an enormous network of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War. 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 going back to Saigon. Enjoy your own free time the rest of today.

Depart at 8:00am from the hotel for 2 hours driving to Mekong Delta region. On Arrival on Cai Be, boards on boat, cruise along lively Mekong River, see real life of locals. There will be many stops on this cruise; Visit the workplaces of local’s cottage industry; thatch house roofs, coconut leave walls, and many products from hyacinth. Stop at one of the oldest ancient house that was built by landlord a hundred years ago. Have local speciality at the home of local. Explore beautiful canals on rowing boat in 20 minutes. Then get back the boat and continue to cruise across Mekong River to Binh Hoa Phuoc village. This is an opportunity to experience people life along river bank and lively canal of Dong Phu. This boat ride will end up in Vinh Long town, the further side of Upper River where private vehicle is waiting. A short drive takes you to Can Tho

After breakfast, enjoy a boat ride to lively floating market. This is a good chance to get photos from real floating market when your boat slowly gets through busy market. Visit a family business produces rice noodle – called Hu Tieu by local. Then to Cocoa Farm of Mr Muoi Cuong and learn about the process of fermenting, drying and roasting cocoa beans. Stop at colorful Khmer temple on driving back to Saigon.

After your breakfast, and spend time for shopping until a transfer to Tan nSan Nhat airport for home.