Day 1: Arrival - Ha Noi
On arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is a stylish and gracious city that retains an unique old world charm and some Asia ‘s most striking colonial architecture. The many lakes and parks make for relaxing atmosphere. If time permits we enjoy a short cyclo ride through the bustling old quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. O/N in Ha Noi.

Day 2 : Hanoi
Today we spend a full day exploring Hanoi. The first stop is Ho Chi Minh Complex containing the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city. We follow this with a visit to the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam, the History Museum with an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the Vietnamese history and the Ethnologic Museum. This gleaming mansion is dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. Afterwards we drive back to the town center with stopover at the Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple. They are some major highlights set by the beautiful West Lake. We see these sights before continuing to the peaceful lake of Hoan Kiem with its sacred temple. In front of this lake is the famous water puppet theatre where we will see a fantastic performance. O/N in Hanoi. (B)

Day 3: Hanoi - Hoa Lu - Tam Coc - Hanoi - Lao Cai
The country capital during the Dinh and early Le Dynasties is Hoa Lu, which however has left its legacy in the form of two small temples, each one nearly a thousand years old. Today we depart for Ninh Binh to visit Hoa Lu with these two remaining structures. The first one is dedicated to the Dinh Dynasty and the second one commemorates the Le Rulers. In front of these temples is the rugged Ma Yen mount; it involves a walk over 200 steps for a fantastic view over the surrounding areas. The following sight is Tam Coc which is surnamed “ Inland Halong Bay”. We board a sampan for a leisurely trip through the quiet and peaceful landscape of rice fields surrounded by towering limestone cliffs to the grottoes of Tam Coc. We round off the excursion and make our way back to Ha Noi. By mid evening you are transferred to Hanoi Station for a train to Lao Cai. O/N on board ( soft sleeper cabin for 4 persons). (B,L)

Day 4 : Lao Cai - Sapa - Ta Phin
The train journey arrives at Lao Cai Station in early morning. We embark on our waiting car for two hour drive up to Sapa. At an elevation of 1,500 meters, Sapa has some warm days and cool evenings. This hill station was founded in early last century and rapidly became an ideal place for anyone seeking an enjoyable escape from the unbearable heat in plains. We stroll around to explore this hill town and set off on a short drive to Ta Phin Village, which was conquered by the Red Dao minority people. The first stop is an Old French Colonial Church, giving us a chance to catch a panoramic view of the mountain scenery dotted with steep terraced fields. On arrival at Ta Phin we enjoy a walk to visit the craft center and the nearby village of the Red Dao People. They are very poor but have rich and colorful history. Upon leaving this hamlet we drive back to Sa Pa Town, stopping off to take some wonderful shootings. O/N in Sapa. (B)

Day 5: Sapa - Lao Chai - Ta Van
Heading out of town we embark on a walk, using the local tracks to Lao Chai village, home of the Black H'Mong people. The footpath traverses some terraced rice fields, giving us a chance to see many mountaineers doing their daily works such as herding buffalo, growing salad, and tilling fields. The blend of verdant mountain backdrop and colourful population makes for a fantastic view. We arrive at Ta Van hamlet and visit the Zay ethnic minorities. They still retain their age old cultural traditions and wear distinctive costumes. We walk back to Sapa Town and spend the remainder of day to explore this hill town. The ethnic people are frequently seen on the main street of Sapa and small vendors along the street sell local textiles and handicraft. O/N in Sapa (B)

Day 6 : Sa Pa - Bac Ha - Hanoi ( Sunday)
The exploration of the Tonkin highland continues with a scenic drive through the border town of Lao Cai to the colourful Sunday Market at Bac Ha. This market also attracts a wide variety of ethnic minority groups including the Variegated Hmong, Dao, Phu La, La Chi and Tay. They still retain their old age cultural traditions and are recognisably distinct from each other by their dress. The experience of this congregation is colorful and unique. After the market we enjoy a walk around the area, visiting the Hmong King’s former residence and Ban Pho where the villagers make the potent local maize alcohol. In the mid afternoon, you are transferred to Lao cai train station for night train journey to Hanoi. O/N on board ( cabin for 4 persons). (B)

Day 7: Ha Noi - Halong
An early morning arrival at Hanoi Train Station. We are met and transferred to a mini hotel for breakfast. Heading out of town we make our way to Halong Bay, truly one of Vietnam’s most impressive scenic sights. On arrival we board a traditional boat for a five hour trip around Halong Bay. This exciting cruise provides us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. These limestone karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we will have a seafood lunch and anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. O/N in Halong . (B,L)

Day 8: Ha Long - Hanoi - Hue
The splendid landscape of Halong Bay will be left behind as we start our drive back to Hanoi for a short flight to Hue. On arrival, you are greeted by our guide and transferred to hotel. The small and quiet Hue City was once the feudal capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. This tranquil town is widely known for magnificent architecture, pagodas and royal tombs laid in many small villages and surrounding hills. We spend this afternoon to visit Hue with the massive citadel, containing the Imperial City and the Purple Forbidden City. This royal residence was all but destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, however it is still fascinating to walk among the ruins. Close to this masterpiece is Hue Imperial Museum which displays an interesting collections of bronzes, Chinaware, court robes and various emperors’ personal belongings. The sightseeing continues with a walk to the bustling Dong Ba Market that sells a wide variety of local goods and handicrafts. Along the way we pass many fantastic eating spots, all ideal for visitors to sample some local delicacies. O/N in Hue. (B)

Day 9 : Hue - Hoi An
The beautiful riverside Thien Mu Pagoda is one of the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious work ship in Hue. We include this in a half day cruise on the Perfume River which also gives us a taste of the scenic countryside and an enjoyable visit to the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes. This impressive landmark reflects the beautiful architecture, intricate decor and mysterious statues. Upon leaving Hue we depart for Hoi An with stopover in Lang Co Beach for a leisurely swim. The winding road begins as we make our way up the spectacular Hai Van pass. We arrive in Da Nang City and visit the famous Cham Museum, formerly the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient. This museum contains many exquisite limestone carvings from the vanquished Kingdom of Champa which has been in central coastal littoral prior to the march of the Vietnamese nation south. We continue driving south to Hoi An and visit en route the Marble Mountain, whose peaks represent the five elements, and the China Beach on our way. O/N in Hoi An. (B)

Day 10: Hoi An
The ancient architecture of Hoi An is a fascinating combination of Vietnamese traditional characters with Chinese and Japanese influence. There are plenty to see in this delightful and tranquil town, some of which are the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200 years old Tam Ky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda and the vibrant central market. We visit these sites on our morning walking tour past many low tiled houses scattered along the small streets and assembly halls which reflect the town's multi-cultural past. The remainder of day will be free for your own exploration or relaxation on a beach. O/N in Hoi An. (B)

Day 11: Hoi An - Danang - Ho Chi Minh
Today we take a short drive to Daang Airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh. On arrival you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. This metropolis ,contradiction of its northern counterpart, is crowded with bikes and motorbikes, excited by numerous shopping areas and sidewalk cafés. We spend this afternoon seeing some major sights of Ho Chi Minh. The drive will pass many lively streets on our way to the Reunification Palace. This mansion was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975. Close to the palace are some striking French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. We follow these with a visit to the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War remnant exhibit. The retail Ben Thanh market is not to be missed. This bustling center is an interesting place where anything and everything is for sale!. O/N in Ho Chi Minh. (B)

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh - Cu Chi - Tay Ninh - Ho Chi Minh
The incredible underground network in Cu Chi stretched over 200 kilometres and became legendary during the American war. The extensive tunnels have been specially constructed with living areas, weapon factories, filed hospitals, command centres, plus accommodation. Today we have an excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels to visit an exposition hall and a widened section of the tunnels to get a feel of the underground life. There are also possibilities to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range. Upon leaving Cu Chi we drive a short distance to Tay Ninh, the headquarters of Cao Dai Sect . This religion was founded in 1923 and now numbers over 2 million members. We arrive in time to see the ornate temple of Cao Dai and attend the fantastic mid-day service when the followers fill the hall wearing colored robes. These costumes are a symbol of the curious combination of the Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. O/N in Ho Chi Minh. (B)

Day 13: Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh
Heading out of town, we travel by roads to the Mekong Delta. This plain region boasts the largest rice bowl of Vietnam. On arrival in My Tho we board a boat navigating around the intricate small canals, which is a great way to observe the local lifestyle close-up and catch a view dotted by many islands. The exciting river trip will pass by the lush green vegetation towards the famous Unicorn Island where we have a chance to stroll around an orchard, taste many seasonal fruits and see farmers at work. We navigate some narrower canals using small rowing boats to Ben Tre Province for an interesting visit to some local industries. The extra enjoyment is a lunch at one of the famous local eating spots. We drive back to Ho Chi Minh, stopping off en route to see the beautiful Ving Trang Pagoda and the Saigon’s Chinatown, locally named Cho Lon. This bustling area is crammed with sacred temples and mysterious, narrow lanes. O/N in Ho Chi Minh. (B,L)

Day 14: Ho Chi Minh - Departure
There is a free time to relax or further explore Ho Chi Minh. The tour ends after your transfer to Tan San Nhat Airport for departure. (B)