Embark on an unforgettable 12-day journey to discover the best of Vietnam and Laos! Wander through Hanoi’s iconic landmarks and the famous Train Street, cruise in style through the breathtaking landscapes of Halong Bay, and take part in a hands-on cooking class in the charming town of Hoi An. Experience the vibrant energy of Ho Chi Minh City on a classic Vespa ride, explore the rich history of the Cu Chi Tunnels, and soak in the serene beauty of the Mekong Delta. Then, journey to Laos and step into the spiritual heart of Luang Prabang, where golden temples, cascading waterfalls, and the timeless tradition of almsgiving await. Get ready for a journey filled with culture, flavors, and memories that will last a lifetime!
Welcome at Noi Bai Airport by professional driver at the pickup lobby then transfer 45 minutes to Hanoi center (The Old Quarter). Your drive crossing Red River and have an over view of city with typical houses architecture and world's most special traffic. Arrive at the city center, driver drops you off at your hotel.
Note: Hotel check in time at 14.00
9:00 AM: Get pick up by tour guide to the Temple of Literature which was built under the Ly dynasty in 11th century for worshipping Confucius and teaching Royal children. Enjoy a walk in the garden to the city’s symbol Khue Van Cac. You will then visit the World Heritage "stone steles” which shows the name of outstanding students. Continue to explore the Quoc Tu Giam which is considered as the first national university of Vietnam.
Continue to Hoa Lo prison museum. Spend an hour to learn about the Vietnamese War. Hoa Lo was one of the largest prisons in Indochina, built by the French colonists in 1896 for Vietnamese political prisoners. Later, it was better known as the Hanoi Hilton since it imprisoned American pilots.
In the afternoon, you visit the French Quarter – it is a “little Paris” in Hanoi with tree-lined boulevards, government head offices and a big square. Visit (outside) Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum before having a leisurely walk in the botanical gardens to visit the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where he used to live and work. Towards the unique One – pillar pagoda which is one of the city’s symbols. It takes us from 1 to 2 hours to explore this complex, depending on the number of traveler.
Exploring the Hanoi Old Quarter which was built in the 15th century as a trading center in the capital city with 36 streets of different products. Despite the changes, the Old Quarter is always considered a live city museum. The unique tube houses, small alleys, temples, open door markets and street vendor foods come together in a beautiful harmony. Discovering the town by walking is the best way to stimulate all your senses.
Finally, enjoying the water puppet shows that is the unique performances, first appeared in the 11th century. In these shows, the daily life, culture and belief of Vietnamese people are described by puppets on water. The show usually integrates a traditional music performance as well.
Come back to hotel. End of the day
Pick up at your hotel (in the Hanoi Old Quarter). Enjoy 3-hour drive from Hanoi to Halong Bay. Your journey will pass the series of villages and rice fields in Red River Delta. Have a stop for drink and restroom. Continue your driving, arrive at the harbor around noon, get warmly welcomed at reception.
07:45 – 08:30: Our driver will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter (for private transfers) or at our Shuttle Bus stop (for shared transfers). We'll head to Halong City.
11:30 – 12:00: Arrive at Tuan Chau Harbor. Transfer to the main boat by tender. Embark on Sena Cruise. Warmly welcome to Sena Cruise! While enjoying a welcome drink, our cruise manager will deliver a cruise briefing and safety introduction. After that, you will check in to your cabin.
13:00 – 13:30: A fabulous lunch is served as Sena Cruise starts her sail into magnificent Lan Ha Bay – an extension of Halong Wonder, much quieter with fewer tourists. She will pass thousands of uniquely shaped limestone towers and islands.
15:00: Visit the Dark and Bright Cave – famous for its pristine natural beauty and poetic, attractive seascape of Lan Ha Bay. Take photos of the romantic, lyrical local sights. This is the best time for tourists to enjoy bamboo boats or swimming, revealing the true beauty of the Limestone Mountains and the blue sky of Lan Ha Bay. Afterward, immerse in the emerald green water of Lan Ha Bay with exciting swimming activities.
17:00: Return to Sena Cruise and relax on the cruise. Enjoy our sunset time and the “Happy Hour Deal” in all bars on the cruise. You will also have a chance to join our cooking class to challenge your skills in preparing the famous Vietnamese spring rolls. Before dinner, our experienced captain will choose the most tranquil area to anchor for overnight.
19:00: Savor a deluxe dinner. After dinner, reward yourself with a large selection of cocktails at a panoramic bar or partake in onboard activities: squid fishing, karaoke. Stay overnight on the cruise.
06:00: Be an early bird for a photo hunt and join our Tai-chi session on the sundeck to refresh your body and mind.
07:00: Have a light breakfast. Sena Cruises continues her sail, passing amazing karst towers. Tea, coffee, and a light breakfast are served with fresh air and peaceful surroundings.
08:15: Explore Tra Bau Area. Join kayaking & swimming to explore the Tra Bau area – the famous filming location for Kong Skull Island (King Kong) in Quang Ninh in 2018.
09:30: Return to the boat for check-out.
10:00: Lunchtime. During the time, a well-prepared Set menu lunch is served. Sena Cruise slowly navigates emerald water and thousands of Karst Mountains towards the Harbor.
11:30 – 12:00: Return to Tuan Chau Port and disembark. Our driver will meet you at the port and bring you back to Hanoi. You are expected to arrive in Hanoi at about 3 PM.
Welcome by driver at the harbor then enjoy travel back to Hanoi. Have a rest at the middle of the way. Drop off at your hotel (in the Hanoi Old Quarter).
Private driver will pick you up at the hotel lobby (Hanoi Old Quarter) for about 45 minutes to Noi Bai airport (international or domestic hall according to your request). Thanks for the visit to our city.
Note: International flights require you to be at the airport 3 hours and domestic is 2 hours before departure time.
Welcome at the Hai Café (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An) rendezvous point (Transfer from hotel to meeting point on your own). After briefing, cycle to Tra Que village. We suggest you visit the vegetable garden where the villagers work according to the traditional method. Here, you will find and choose the coriander and fresh mint to prepare your dishes before drinking the local herbs.
Then, you will go to a local market with the list of spices you need, select the local ingredients such as star anise, cardamom, sesame rice papers, banana flowers and return to Red Bridge Restaurant. You will have a chance to refresh before starting the cooking class. Accompanied by the cooks of Red Bridge, you will learn how to make traditional Vietnamese cuisine, using local ingredients to prepare 4 famous dishes including the famous national dish, Pho. After the cooking class, you can taste the dishes you prepared yourselves. Later, you will enjoy a half hour cruise on Thu Bon River back to Hoi An town center. Today's activities end at around 14:30 PM.
Landing at the Tan Son Nhat airport, you are welcomed by professional tour guide and driver at the pickup lobby. On the 30-minute driving from the airport to the city center, your tour guide will introduce you about the highlights of the city, and share the experiences of eating and drinking, traffic, culture....
On arrival, transfer to your hotel.
Note: Hotel check in time at 14.00
To start off this Saigon night tour, enjoy drinks at our Vespa-themed café, Café Zoom, to watch “as the world goes by” (as said in the Lonely Planet guide book)
Throughout the night, try a variety of food and drinks at 2 local restaurants and samplings of Saigon’s best authentic local food.
Zoom past the famous must-see sights of Ho Chi Minh City while in the bustling traffic. We’ll also go to a Vietnamese-style coffee shop with special live music, and then wrap up the evening at an exciting music bar where the new generation of Vietnamese unwind and flaunt their unique styles.
Guests ride pillion behind our drivers to enjoy and experience the Vietnamese nightlife with friends. This tour includes free flowing drinks and all you can eat, so come with an appetite!
At the end of the tour, drive back to your hotel.
8:00 AM: Tour guide and driver welcome you at your hotel for your transfer to Ben Tre, a beautiful region in the Mekong Delta River, famous for making coconut candy. Arrive at Hung Vuong pier, take a boat trip on Ben Tre River to discover the daily local life. Continue your boat trip on a canal to Nhon Thanh Village. This will be an opportunity to taste the fresh fruits.
Take a bike ride (or Tuk tuk) on a small path through the villages and enjoy views of the coconut ranges, rice fields and vegetable gardens. A lunch of elephant ear fish is served in the village. A short walk will help you to discover the local life in depth. This is followed by a boat ride on the small canal shaded by the wild palm trees. For those who wish to ride a bike, you can go to Mr Sau Khanh’s house to admire his collection of ancient objects. Then, continue riding through the rice fields and meet the locals.
Transfer back to Saigon in the late afternoon.
8:00 AM: Leave from your hotel to visit the most striking place in the history of the Vietnam War, the Cu Chi Tunnels.
Cu Chi is a real underground city made up of a large network of tunnels covering an area of over 250km long where the Viet Cong conducted the war of resistance against American troops. All of the tunnels were dug over a period of twenty years using only pickaxes and shovels. The tour includes special entering some part of tunnels. You will also have a chance to visit Ben Duoc memorial temple nearby but far less touristic built in 1993 in memory of the Vietnamese killed at Cu Chi.
Private driver will pick you up at the hotel lobby for about 30 minutes to Tan Son Nhat airport (international or domestic hall according to your request). Thanks for the visit to our city.
Note: International flights require you to be at the airport 3 hours and domestic is 2 hours before departure time.
In the rush hour (07:00 – 08:30 AM and 16:30 – 18:30 PM), it takes around 1 hour from city center to Tan Son Nhat airport.