Detailed itinerary
Welcome
to Tailormade Vietnam Holidays...As we travel through
Vietnam
, we look forward to sharing our passion for this beautiful
destination with you. As you explore this historic country you
will marvel at the warmth of the people and the sheer beauty of
the countryside. The faded ochre colonial buildings and wide tree
lined boulevards make
Hanoi
a most attractive city and the maze of narrow streets in the Old
Quarter are a delight to explore.
Halong
Bay
takes you away from the hustle and bustle to enjoy cruising
between the limestone peaks for an overnight stay on board. The
imperial splendour of
Hue
, enchanting Hoi An and rural scenery of Mekong Delta combine to
make this a most memorable trip. Finishing in dynamic
Ho Chi Minh City
, don't miss the Ben Thanh market for some fantastic shopping.
highlights
Take
a cyclo ride in
Hanoi
's Old Quarter, Dive into the emerald-green waters of
Halong
Bay
, Explore
Vietnam
's imperial past in
Hue
, Cycle among the rice paddies near Hoi An, Get a taste of local
life in a Mekong Delta, Crawl down a Cu Chi Tunnel
itinerary disclaimer
The itinerary attached is correct at time of printing. It may
differ slightly to the one in reality. Occasionally our
itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past
travellers, comments and our own research. Please note that our
brochure is usually released by the end of each year. If you have
booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been
some changes to improve the itinerary. It is very important that
you print a final copy of your Trip Dossier to review a couple of
days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect
your plans
DETAIL ITINERARY
Hanoi
- Halong bay –
Hue
- Hoi An -
Ho Chi Minh City
(
Saigon
) - Cu Chi Tunnels – Mekong Delta
Day 1
Hanoi
arrival
You are met on arrival at Hanoi Airport and transferred to your hotel - please advise flight details at time of booking. Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is a charming city of about 4 million people, famous for its beautiful lakes, shaded boulevards and verdant public parks. The city centre is an architectural museum piece, its blocks of ochre buildings retaining the air of a provincial French town of the 1930s, contrary to the fast living and bustling air of Saigon. As Vietnam develops to compete with other South East Asian countries, Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake reflects the modern office buildings, old Buddhist temples and tangle of ancient streets. The city hums with the never ending flow of bicycles, cyclos, latest model Mercedes Benzs and everything from the racy new Honda Dreams to 30 year old Russian motor bikes. The rest of your day is at leisure for independent exploration - a walking tour of the old quarter is a wonderful way to spend some of the day. You will find an amazing selection of shops in Hang Gai selling everything from souvenirs to exquisite silk clothing, beautifully embroidered tablecloths and CDs.
Overnight:
Hanoi A1 hotel or
similar
Meals
included: none
Day 2 Ha Long bay, Junk overnight
After breakfast we drive to Halong Bay
(approx. 4 hours) and board our private boat. We enjoy a
sumptuous seafood lunch on board while cruising through some of
the thousands of limestone karsts within this World Heritage
site. There is an opportunity to swim in the bay's emerald
waters, explore caves with incredible formations of stalactites
and stalagmites and enjoy the tranquility of this bay of
wonders. We spend the night in on board our boat.
Overnight:
On
board deluxe junk boat
Meals
included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3
Return to Hanoi
On the morning of day 3
we keep cruising for more exploration of Halong Bay before
heading back to port for the transfer back, we may be able to visit Dong Trieu ceramic
village as we make our way back to the capital, one of the
favourite cities, there is free time to venture into the Old
Quarter, stroll the tree-lined boulevards or enjoy the
tranquility of the lakes.
In the evening we attend a performance of traditional water
puppetry.
Overnight:
Hanoi A1 hotel or
similar
Meals
included: Breakfast and lunch
WATER PUPPET SHOW
You absolutely must go to a Water Puppet Show (mua roi nuoc) when
you are in
Hanoi
…especially if you have children or are a child at heart. They
are absolutely charming and it’s a uniquely Vietnamese art form
that you really won’t find anywhere else in the world. The stage
is a small pool and the puppeteers hide behind a screen…so the
brightly colored puppets come in and out of the water in amazing
ways. The live music is wonderful and here is quite a cast of
puppets from men fishing, to dancing women, a wide variety of
animals …and of course fireworks and some modern stage effects.
The hour show is done entirely in Vietnamese with accompanied by
traditional Vietnamese sting instruments. It consists of short
skits of traditional Vietnamese stories (that if you’ve been in
Vietnam
for awhile you will know). But you won’t need to know the
stories or language to be totally enthralled. It was such a
wonderful show that when you leave you will be “walking on
water” !
Day
4 Hanoi
sightseeing, overnight train to Hue
On the morning of day
4 we visit the Ho Chi Minh complex. We see Ho Chi Minh's
mausoleum, his house on stilts and the museum. There is time
afterwards to take in some more sights of Hanoi or simply rest
before the train journey. Our adventure aboard the Reunification
Express begins with the overnight journey to Hue. We use
4-berth, soft sleeper compartments, which are simple but
comfortable.
Overnight:
Reunification Express train, private soft sleeper cabin
Meals
included: Breakfast
Days 5-6 Hue
We arrive in Hue, another World Heritage
site. The pace of life is slow and tranquility prevails in this
former imperial capital of Vietnam. We have the opportunity to
visit the Imperial Citadel, one of the Nguyen emperors' tombs,
the famed Thien Mu Pagoda, and also enjoy a dragon boat cruise
on the Perfume River. With 2 full days here, there is time to
explore the city's many Buddhist pagodas, outlying handicraft
villages and the busy Dong Ba Market. Enjoying a coffee at one
of the riverside coffee shops at sunset is also an experience
not to be missed.
Overnight:
Asia hotel or
similar
Meals
included: Breakfasts
THE
IMPERIAL
CITY
When Hue was established as the country’s capital by Nguyen
Emperor Gia Long, he built a vast citadel with the Imperial City
at its centre, designed in keeping with the symmetrical layout of
the Forbidden City in Beijing (about a north-south axis). During
it’s period of prosperity the Imperial City consisted of some
148 splendidly decorated buildings - palaces, assembly halls,
pavilions, ancestral alters, and gardens spread over 6km2. During
the Vietnam War the site was devastated, but a number of the
buildings have now been restored to their former glory.
THIEN MU (“HEAVENLY LADY”) PAGODA
Built in 1601, by Lord Nguyen Hoang, this is
Hue
’s oldest and finest pagoda, romantically situated on the banks
of the
Perfume
River
. The pagoda takes its name from a legend about a lady who
appeared to Nguyen Hoang and told him of the spiritual
significance of this place by the river. He erected the pagoda to
mark the event and the importance of the site. Throughout its
history, the pagoda has been a centre for Buddhism in
Hue
and, more famously, its monks waged strong opposition to
colonialism and the repression of Buddhists by President Diem in
the 60s.
MAUSOLEUMS OF THE NGUYEN EMPERORS
Unlike other Emperors in
Vietnam
’s history, who were buried in ancestral villages, the Nguyen
rulers had grand mausoleums built as their final resting places.
They are situated in the forested valley of the Perfume River,
12km away from Hue city, surrounded by lovely gardens - a
wonderfully tranquil place to spend a couple of hours.
Days 7- 8 Hoi An & Sandy Beach
Leaving Hue,
our bus journey takes us south through rural countryside and the
picturesque fishing village of Lang Co before ascending the
dramatic Hai Van Pass. We drive the short distance south to
famous Sandy Beach and then to the newly declared World Heritage
Site of Hoi An (approx. 4 hours). Once a thriving river port,
the town's architecture has been preserved and restored. This
small town is a favourite with CTV passengers and
leaders alike, and wandering the streets and narrow alleyways
brings hours of pleasure and discovery. Today's trade is in
ceramics, wood-ware, paintings and tailoring. There is something
here for everyone and it is the perfect place to pick up gifts
for those at home. There are options here for a half day tour to
My Son, another World Heritage of Vietnam, or a boat trip to the
handicraft villages of Kim Bong carpentry, Thanh Ha ceramics or
simply lazing the day away on a neaby beach.
Overnight:
Hai Au hotel or
similar
Meals
included: Breakfast
Day 8 Sai Gon
You are transferred to the airport for your flight to
Ho Chi Minh City
(included). You are met on arrival at
Ho Chi Minh City
Airport
and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, there is much for
you to discover on your own, how about scooting off on cyclos to
Cholon, the Chinatown area of
Ho Chi Minh City
for a spot of temple hopping? Or perhaps you'd like to visit the
Vietnamese version of a department store for some shopping - the
choice is yours!
Overnight:
Tan Hai Long 1 hotel or
similar
Meals
included: Breakfast
Days 9-10
Mekong
Delta - Cu Chi tunnels
Today we
travel south to Mekong Delta, this is our introduction to a
world where life depends on the river. After 1,5 hours driving,
we arrive in My Tho, you will enjoy different type of boat trip
(motorized boat trip and rowing boat trip) to islands where you
can visit local houses, see how they make delicious coconut
caramels and enjoy some tropical fruit here, we jump on the car
again for a drive to Can Tho City, across My Thuan Suspension
Bridge and cross the Hau River by ferry. Upon arrival, you check
in the hotel and relax after a long journey.
Overnight:
Sai Gon Can Tho hotel or
similar
Meals
included: Breakfast and lunch
Get up very early for breakfast so that we will be on time to
catch amazing scene of Cai Rang Floating Market. The guide will
pick you up in the early morning, check out and transfer you to
the boat quay. Now you start a cruise to explore the floating
markets
Leaving the market, you will take another boat trip along the
river bank and canals to see how people there live, visit
another orchard for relaxation. After that, you will boat to big
river and have lunch at a floating restaurant docking at Can Tho
River before re-boarding our car and heading to the tunnels of
Cu Chi (approx. 4 hours). This former Viet Cong stronghold
provides an insight into the resourcefulness and tenacity of the
Vietnamese people.
We return to Ho Chi Minh City in the late afternoon
Overnight:
Tan Hai Long 1 hotel or
similar
Meals
included: Breakfast
FLOATING MARKET
Floating markets are held every morning from 5:00 to about
11:00. On the floating markets you do not only find people
buying and selling goods, you also find floating restaurants,
floating bars, floating gas stations, and many other floating
shops. Boats loaded with produce from nearby orchards of the
Mekong Delta converge to the floating market. They carry mostly
fruits but also coconuts, vegetables and fishes. Buyers are
local traders with bigger boats snapping everything by the
bushels and resell at local markets or to wholesale dealers from
big cities, often for a handsome profit. Canals are here the
easiest and fastest way of transportation. All big boats have a
pole and each wholesaler hangs the goods he buys/sells on this
pole. This way, people on small boats know where they have to go
from a certain distance. Port Ninh Kieu, in Can Tho, is the
center of local activity. A ferry crosses the river from this
port to the local island of Xom Chai. This island is a nice
visit, specially during the sun set.
Day 11 Departure
Today
is at your leisure in
Ho Chi Minh City. You are free for more
exploration before transfer to Sai Gon airport for the flight
home. Extra nights can
be added in
Ho Chi Minh City.
Meals
included: Breakfast
General Notes:
• Tailormade Vietnam Holidays reserves the right to alter or revise
the prices and the itinerary when circumstances beyond the
company's control deem it necessary.
• Accommodation in hotels is subject to availability. If the
listed hotels are fully booked, alternate accommodation will be
offered at the same level.
• If there are any requests regarding special meals, dietary
requirements, early check in, late check out, adjoining room and
so on, please inform the company when booking. Such requests are
subject to confirmation and availability.
Day
1 Hanoi
Days
2-3 Halong Bay Junk overnight, return to Hanoi
Days
4-5 Hue 
Days
6-7 Hoi An
Day
8 Sai Gon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Days
9-10 Mekong Delta, Cu Chi Tunnels
Day
11 Sai Gon 
