8 Days Real Taste of Vietnam Tour

Hanoi is well known for its history, architecture, charm, tranquility, and cuisine. Our first visit was to the most well-respected sites, the Ho Chi Minh Complex and Ba Dinh Square, important pilgrimage points for many Vietnamese. The area surrounding the complex is a traffic-free zone filled with botanical gardens, monuments, memorials, and pagodas. It includes the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, and the One Pillar Pagoda.

Then, visit the 11th-century Temple of Literature, Hanoi’s first University. From here, continue to Bun Cha Huong Lien, the famous local spot where President Barack Obama dined with Anthony Bourdain.

In the afternoon, we drive approximately 25 minutes to the Ethnology Museum. The museum provides an insightful glimpse into the country’s lengthy history, with more than 15,000 photos and 10,000 objects and artifacts depicting a historical perspective of the lives, activities, customs, and habits of the 54 recognized ethnic groups of Vietnam.

End your day by walking through the Hanoi Old Quarter. The streets of this district are bustling with scooters, bicycles, cyclos, and cars zipping around pedestrians. The best way to enjoy the charming colonial architecture is to wander with your guide at a leisurely pace and be sure to stop for a cup of Vietnamese coffee or a local snack from one of the many compelling street vendors.

Your Vietnam Beach vacation begins with a trip to Halong Bay, a collection of almost 2000 islands and jungle-clad limestone pillars in the Tonkin Gulf. Called “Bay of Descending Dragons” in Vietnamese, the archipelago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a world-famous travel destination.

Leave the hotel and proceed to Halong. En route, you will pass through incredible scenery, tranquil villages, and buffalo on fields.

Upon arrival, enjoy a welcome drink and a delicious freshly caught seafood lunch while sailing out of the Bay, passing amazing-shaped mountains. Enjoy the seascape from the sundeck or even in your private cabin through a glass window. For more experience, go swimming or kayaking and visit the island's caves. In the late afternoon, we take part in a Vietnamese cooking demonstration by the onboard chefs and enjoy the seafood feast for dinner as stars emerge from behind those jungle-clad limestone pillars.

We spent the night on board in the elegant cabin, with handicraft wooden interiors and air-conditioning. Or there is an option of night fishing before an overnight stay aboard.

Rise early to catch the sunrise over Sung Sot Cave while taking part in a Tai Chi class with the boat’s Tai Chi guru.

Enjoy a light breakfast, and sitting on the upper deck, you can relax while taking in the breathtaking beauty of the rocky islands rising from the emerald water of the bay. Then, you can explore Sung Sot Cave, swim, and relax. Return to the jetty while brunch is served as you cruise through the bay and observe more fascinating rock formations.

Return to Hanoi with time to relax or grab a last-minute bargain before our exciting journey to Saigon.

This evening, we take a flight to Saigon.

With over eight million inhabitants and four million motorbikes, Saigon is a city that never sleeps.

 This morning, we set a half-city tour with your guide on hand to offer their own insight into everyday life in Vietnam. Famous landmarks include the colonial-era government quarter, with its vibrant yellow French-style post office. Continue to get off the tourist track to experience the local life of bustling Saigon. Learn about Vietnamese and Chinese communities as you travel to Cho Lon, one of the world’s largest and oldest Chinatowns.

Afternoon, traveling out of town to see the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, where thousands of Viet Cong soldiers lived during the Vietnam War. It's possible to enter a few of the tunnels if you are comfortable with narrow spaces and see exhibitions and videos of the tunnels when they were in use.

If you have time in the evening, head to a trendy restaurant or cocktail bar, or try street food near central Ben Thanh Market.

Today, we will visit the Cai Be floating market to experience typical Vietnamese life in the Mekong Delta.

Upon arrival at the Cai Be land market, visit the rice factories in An Cu Village and go to Dong Hoa Hiep to visit the ancient house. Afterward, you will go to the Cai Be floating market and handicraft workshop by boat. After leaving these places, you will go to Tan Phong Island to take the rowing boats along the tiny canals. Passing through Mekong Ecolodge to take a short break, you will take the bicycles to explore and do some activities with the island's locals.

You will go straight to the local family to learn how to make jack-leaf cakes, known as this island's specialty. You will join hands to make cakes and enjoy them. You will be free to lie on the hammocks under the shades of a 200-year-old milk fruit tree to enjoy the atmosphere. You will also experience going over the Monkey Bridge, which is popular in the Southwest of Vietnam. Indeed, you will have unforgettable memories here.
 
Say goodbye to the local people. You will keep going to them to learn how to knit water hyacinths. With their guidance, you can use water hyacinth to knit a beautiful hat yourself. Have lunch at the local restaurant.
 
Late afternoon participating in cooking class and dinner with what you’ve cooked
 
In the late afternoon, the family would love to show off their skills in whipping up your dinner, giving you a creative cooking demonstration. Enjoy the dinner that you have just cooked.

After breakfast, we take a cycling walk through the traditional villages with many ancient houses, set amongst a peaceful atmosphere, fruit trees, and bonsai garden, and witness the unusual yet fascinating process of coconut candy, the bang conical hat, and rice paper in the making. 
 It is the typical cultural lifestyle of the South–Western region.

Cycle back to the Mekong Ecolodge for check-out and freshen up before returning to Saigon.

We return to Saigon by the mid-afternoon and enjoy our free time.

All good things must come to an end; you have free time until transfer to the airport for a departure flight with a bid farewell (Late checkout is exclusive and subject to availability).