Day 1: Hanoi – Arrival
Arrival at Hanoi airport. Welcome by Vietnam Evasion driver, then transfer to the hotel.
The rest of the day is free for rest and personal discovery at your own pace.
Our hotel is located in the heart of the old quarter in the center which allows us to stroll easily for a complete change of scenery by immersing us in the lively and populous streets.
Night at hotel
Day 2: Hanoi (B)
The whole day is dedicated to the visit of Hanoi, a fascinating city with many facets.
We visit Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum where the father of the nation rests and the One Pillar Pagoda.
Let's continue by the Temple of Literature, the first national university, where we discover the Mandarin competition and Confucianism.
Then, the Ethnography Museum (closed every Monday) which presents the traditions, cultures and traditional dress of the 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam. This visit gives us a general overview of the people in Vietnam before seeing them in reality in the mountains.
A pedicab ride through the streets of old Hanoi lined with small typical houses with lively activities that allows us to see the daily life of the locals.
Then, attend the water puppet show, a typical art born in the 11th century in the Red River Delta.
Night at hotel
Day 3: Hanoi – Mai Chau (B, L, D)
Departure for Xam Khoe via Mai Chau (Xam Khoe is 25 km from Mai Chau, still authentic and much less touristic).
This valley surrounded by green mountains and dotted with lake, rice fields, rivers and houses on stilts of the Thai minority, is an excellent breath of fresh air.
Lunch at a local's house in the village.
Afternoon :
Walking tour (2h) in the villages, meeting people, discovering the daily life and the beautiful landscapes: green rice fields, karst mountains in the shape of "hump, sugar loaf" covered with lush vegetation, fertile crop fields, fish farming and garden…
In the evening: participation in the folkloric dance and music show presented by the villagers.
Night at homestay
Day 4: Mai Chau – Ninh Binh (B, L)
Transfer to Ninh Binh
This trip allows us to observe the landscapes, the Vietnamese countryside and the activities of the local daily life.
Visit of the Dinh and Le temples in the ancient capital Hoa Lu
Then, we embark on a small rowing boat (1h30 of boat) to discover the caves of Tam Coc. We pass under the successive tunnels carved by the passage of water. Fairy-like atmosphere in the middle of the peaks and limestone sugar loaf, a natural landscape made of karstic mountains overhanging an exceptional aquatic landscape.
Then bike ride through villages, between rice fields and limestone forest around Tam Coc to Hai Nham, Thung Nham and then the Thai Vi temple.
Night at hotel
Day 5: Ninh Binh – Halong Bay cruise (B, L, D)
In the morning, we will drive to Halong Bay.
Arrival around 12:30 pm, boarding on a comfortable junk for an extraordinary excursion to the famous Halong Bay. Then the boat continues to the less touristic Bai Tu Long Bay.
Lunch is served on board while the junk sails along the turquoise water in the paradisiacal setting with its 1969 islands and islets, "sugar loafs and peaks" of all shapes and sizes emerging from the emerald water surface in an area of 1553 km².
During this cruise, the descent is planned to make sampan between the limestone peaks.
At the end of the afternoon, the boat drops anchor to spend the night in the bay. It is then possible to take a bath in the middle of the sea or to rest on the upper deck.
Dinner is taken on the junk in the middle of the idyllic landscape
Night on board
Day 6: Halong Bay Cruise – Hanoi – Flight to Hue (B, L)
Continuation of the cruise in the middle of thousands of karst mountains in a paradisiacal setting.
Visit of a cave from where we have a magnificent view.
And then the junk starts to sail slowly towards the pier. The return cruise allows us to discover other corners of the bay.
Early lunch in the form of brunch.
In the late morning, we disembark and join our driver
Transfer to Hanoi airport, flight to Hue, welcome by our driver on arrival, transfer to the hotel.
Night at hotel
Day 7: Hue (B, L)
Full day escape from Hue, former capital of Vietnam where the Nguyen dynasty ruled from 1802 to 1945.
Its monuments were recognized by Unesco as World Heritage in 1993.
Visit of the Imperial Citadel which was the witness of the great historical events of the country, the reflection of the imperial life. The architectural complex we visit: South Gate, Palace of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden Purple City, The Mieu Temple, 9 dynastic urns…
Visit of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts
Around noon, we propose you to taste Hue's specialties: banh it, banh bao, banh nam, chao tom, bot loc... in a family restaurant and frequented by the locals.
Then the Nam Giao mound where the sovereigns came to make sacrifice to the Heaven and the Earth
Visit of a small conical hat factory.
And then, visit the mausoleum of King Tu Duc, with traditional style in harmony with nature, the 2nd residence of the king and the mausoleum of King Minh Mang, one of the most surprising architectural constructions of the imperial tombs.
Night at hotel
Day 8: Hue – Hoi An (B, L)
Excursion by traditional boat on the Perfume River, stop at the Thien Mu pagoda (pagoda of the Celestial Lady), built in 1601 and symbol of the city of Hue, then continue to Thuy Bieu village, known by the grapefruit gardens.
A bicycle ride in the village will allow you to discover the life of the people.
Back to Thuy Bieu village for the water massage with medicinal plants.
And then, we follow a cooking class under chef's information.
Lunch with self-made dishes.
Then transfer to Hoi An.
Arrival at the end of the day.
Rest of the time at leisure
At nightfall, with the lanterns lit up, Hoi An offers a different face that should certainly not be missed.
So we have to go for dinner and then walk in the old town. The streets are illuminated by thousands of lanterns hanging on the windows and trees. The river that runs along the city is covered with floating candles and the Japanese bridge is also surrounded by bright colors. We are like in another world.
Night at hotel
Day 9: Hoi An (B, L)
Morning visit of the city:
Classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999, Hoi An, formerly called Faifo, was a very active port where Chinese and Japanese had their quarters. Portuguese, Dutch and French merchants came to trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its architecture remains unchanged and continues to defy time.
We visit the old houses, the Japanese covered bridge, the Chinese temples, the market.
Afternoon: we propose another authentic discovery :
Bike ride in the countryside between rice fields to Tra Que herbal village, a charming village which is less than 3 km from Hoi An city center, then continue by the local path to the surrounding villages. Let's continue to drive on a small dike road and towards the fresh water coconut reserve of Bay Mau.
We take a one hour boat ride between the coconut trees. We are then in the middle of a typical "Mekong Delta" atmosphere.
And then we participate in crab fishing.
The rest of the time is free to relax on the beach at your own pace.
Night at hotel
Day 10: Hoi An – Da Nang – Return Flight (B)
Free time until transfer by our driver to Da Nang airport for your return flight
