Vietnam Insider Journey - VietOne Travel

Vietnam Insider Journey - 15 Days

Immerse yourself in Vietnam’s rich culture and breathtaking landscapes with this 15-day in-depth exploration. This journey covers 12 key destinations, from bustling Hanoi and the serene rice terraces of Mai Chau to the dramatic limestone formations of Ninh Binh and the pristine beauty of Cat Ba. Experience the historical charm of Hue, the vibrant atmosphere of Hoi An, and the cultural richness of Saigon. Highlights include UNESCO World Heritage Sites, traditional markets, floating villages in the Mekong Delta, and a visit to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. Perfect for travelers seeking authentic daily life experiences, historical insights, and natural wonders.

Trip Duration
15 Days

Key Destination
12 Destinations

Trip Type
Daily Trip

Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi

Welcome to Vietnam! Your local guide and chauffeur take you to town. We leave the rest of the day for your leisure to while off the jet lag and acclimatize yourself. If you arrive in the morning, we have some interesting optional activities in the afternoon or evening ready upon your request.

Day 2: Hanoi

Early hours we visit the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex where we have an insight of interesting episodes of his life. We can have a photo with the imposing mausoleum from outside and walk into the garden of the Presidential Palace next door. Get back to every day’s life. We hop on an electric car and go through the buzzing Old Quarter with 36 streets of different medieval guilds. Next, we get off to explore the town on foot. We take some photos of the buzzing life scenes here before leaving.

Day 3: Hanoi to Mai Chau

Out of the suburb we soon find ourselves driving through the hilly midland towards the mountain valley of Mai Chau. Enjoy the beautiful landscape with picturesque rice terraces. Follow our guide on foot and visit the ethnic Thai villages of Ban Lac and Pom Coong before moving into our room at an ecolodge beautifully situated on the hillside overlooking the rice fields.

Day 4: Mai Chau to Ninh Binh

Set out from Mai Chau. We take a scenic drive from the mountains towards the lowlands in Ninh Binh. We drive through different landscape with picturesque rugged karst hills rising from the flat green paddy fields. Arriving in Tam Coc, we hop onto a rowboat and glide along the river winding its way through towering limestone cliffs and mysterious tunnels.

Day 5: Ninh Binh to Cat Ba

Departing the UNESCO protected landscape in Ninh Binh we head for Hai Phong from where we take the speedboat to the island of Cat Ba nestled in the middle of Halong Bay. In the eponymous National Park, a small paradise with subtropical forests, mangroves and hidden caves awaits us on an easy hike.

Day 6: Halong Bay to Hanoi

Halong Bay is a miraculous world of karst formation characterized by thousands of bizzarre limestone islets and cliffs. We take a boat trip to the less visited Lan Ha Lagoon, one of the most beautiful and pristine locations in Halong Bay. From Cat Ba we go back to the mainland by boat and drive to Hanoi.

Day 7: Hanoi to Hue

Today we fly to Hue, the former monarchy’s capital city under Nguyen Emperors from 1802. We visit the Citadel of Hue and the Imperial Tomb of Minh Mang marveling at majestic architecture and decors. Later we take a boat trip on Hue river to visit the sacred Thien Mu Pagoda. The cultural splendor of the past dynasty also reveals through the art of culinary that we will experience in tonight’s mandarin dinner.

Day 8: Hue to Hoi An

In contrast, today we explore the rural life of Hue on an easy bicycle trip. We cycle on little traveled country lanes going through villages and rice fields, and we visit a rural market at its authentic daily routine. Afternoon we driver to Hoi An. En route we take in the culture and history of the Champa Empire through a superb collection of sculptures at the Cham Museum in Danang. The evening when colorful lanterns are lit up is the time you get amazed with your own discovery of the town.

Day 9: My Son

Today’s destination for our biking trip is My Son, the former religious centre of the Champa civilization once expanding over the entire strech of Central Vietnam. After an introduction at the visitor center, we walk through the earth paths in the middle of green rolling hills in search of the last preserved sights.

Day 10: Hoi An to Saigon

Set out on a walking tour during which we explore Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its small streets and picturesque waterfront promenade. We visit the central landmark being the Japanese Bridge and other highlights including the Fujian Temple and Phung Hung old house. Afternoon we fly to Saigon.

Day 11: Saigon

The morning is to explore the city with its most popular highilights including the Cathedral Square, Ben Thanh market, Thien Hau Temple where we see beautiful ceramic works. After that we take 4 hours drive toward Can Tho in the Mekong Delta because we want to be at the floating market early on the next morning.

Day 12: Can Tho to Chau Doc

We get up early and go to the floating market. Just let the boat drift while we watch the market day, haggle with the dealers and see what the mini floating shops have to offer.

Toward the outskirt of the city we visit Binh Thuy old house, a beautiful colonial house with vintage furniture and antiques. Continue to Chau Doc where we dive into the spectacular flora and fauna of the submerged mangrove reserve in Tra Su.

Day 13: Chau Doc to Saigon

Today we all sit in a boat and discover more facets of the Mekong Delta with a visit to a floating fish farm. Get to understand how the business thrives to become an industry. Then we say goodbye and make our way to Saigon.

Day 14: Cu Chi Tunnels

In the morning we drive out of town and visit Cu Chi Tunnels, a massive underground tunnel system built by the Viet Cong to support guerrilla warfare back in to the war time. The afternoon back to the city, it is your own time. Check with the guide for some interesting options.

Day 15: Departure

At leisure till transfer time. If you have late flight we will arrange extra activities or accommodation upon your request. We wish you a good journey home.

Include

Private vehicle for all transfers as per program.
English speaking guide for activities as per program.
Entrance fees at all attractions
Hotels with daily breakfast
2 bottles of water and towel per person per day.
Domestic travel insurance as per official regulations.

Exclude

Hotel Selection

Below are the hotels we inspect these hotels on regular basis to make sure they are well maintained and provide good value. In case any of these hotels are not available, we guarantee to provide an equivalent accommodation of the same class.

Hanoi: Boss Legend
Cat Ba: Catba Island Resort
Mai Chau: Sol Bungalows
Ninh Binh: Ninh Binh Legend
Hue: Moonlight Hue
Hoi An: Hoi An Silk Village Resort
Can Tho: TTC Can Tho
Chau Doc: Chau Pho Hotel
Saigon: Bay Hotel