Vietnam, From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh

Getaway in Vietnam 4^*

Welcome to Vietnam!

Arrival and welcome at Hanoi airport by your local English-speaking guide.

Private transfer to the city centre, accompanied by your local guide (journey time approx. 45 minutes). Rooms available from 2 p.m. Free day, make your own lunch arrangements.

Dinner in a local restaurant.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

This morning, check out of your room and depart for Halong Bay, made famous by the film "Indochine". Its landscape is characterised by the 1969 karst islands that have earned the site a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Ha Long Bay spans an area of more than 1,500 km2, with almost 2,000 islands and islets, as well as karst reefs littered with caves that emerge from the sea like strange sculptures. Ha Long means "the descending dragon" in Vietnamese. Legend has it that a great dragon once left his lair in the mountains to plunge into the sea, carving out deep crevasses in the ground with his tail. When he plunged into the ocean, the water submerged the crevasses, creating a multitude of islands.

Board your junk at around midday and settle into your cabin. Welcome drink followed by lunch on board.

Dinner and overnight stay aboard your junk.

Breakfast on board the junk.

An introduction to Tai Chi, a Chinese martial art that improves strength and muscle tone while reducing stress, is available at sunrise. This event takes place on board very early in the morning. Continuation of the cruise and brunch on board (equivalent to your lunch).

Note: The itinerary and visits to the bay may be subject to change according to the schedule of each confirmed junk, depending on the tide and the weather of the day.

Disembark and transfer to Ninh Binh, also known as "Land Halong Bay". The road is flanked by mountains and rice paddies. You will then enter one of the most rural landscapes in North Vietnam. Ninh Binh province has been nicknamed "inland Halong Bay" due to its striking similarity to the renowned natural beauty of Halong Bay.

Stop en route at Hoa Lu, formerly the capital of Vietnam between 968 and 1010, to visit the Dinh and Le temples.

Check-in at your hotel in the late afternoon.

Dinner in a local restaurant.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out.

This morning, take a beautiful boat ride (approx. 2 hrs) "in the cool" between the karst rocks and rice fields, to admire the "Land Halong Bay".

Then set off on a very easy bike ride through the countryside to reach the Bich Dong pagoda (flat terrain).

Late morning lunch of local goat meat specialities.

In the afternoon, transfer back to Hanoi airport for your flight to Hue.

5:50 p.m.: Arrival in Hue. Welcome by your local guide in central Vietnam and transfer to your hotel to settle into your room.

Dinner in a local restaurant.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel.

At a time that suits you, to be arranged in consultation with your guide, departure to explore the impressive Citadel and its imperial city. Nearby, visit the Thien Mu pagoda: a superb pagoda on the banks of the Perfume River.

Then board your private boat for a short cruise across the Perfume River to Thuy Bieu village**. Embark on a beautiful cycle ride through the Hue countryside, famous for its pomelos.

Afterwards, take a cookery class in a local home** and sample the dishes prepared.

In the afternoon, explore the small Khai Dinh tomb, famous for its blend of Eastern and Western styles.

Return to your hotel for a well-earned rest.

"Street food" discovery evening, travelling by rickshaw. Sample Hue specialities such as rice pancakes with prawns and minced pork (banh beo, banh nam, banh bot loc, banh khoai... and dessert with sweet soups (chè hue). Option of an alternative vegetarian meal; a Hue delicacy.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out.

This morning, you will continue your journey of discovery by heading to the city's most beautiful and incredible tomb: Minh Mang. The residence is gigantic and rich in history. Its gardens, forest, and architecture will leave you breathless... just like the statutes on the site!

Then, transfer by road to Da Nang then Hoi An, via the famous Cloud Pass and Lang Co village. On the way to Da Nang, discover the superb Cham Museum - one of the most interesting museums in Vietnam thanks to its truly astonishing collections.

Lunch in a local restaurant en route. Arrival in Hoi An** and check into your room (from 2 p.m.).

Close out the day however you like.

Dinner at a restaurant serving local specialities close to the centre of the old town, ideal for an evening stroll to watch the lights come on.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free day - make your own dining arrangements.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

With your guide, transfer to Da Nang airport to catch your flight to Ho Chi Minh.

Arrival in Ho Chi Minh.

Transfer to the city centre and visit the famous Cho Lon Chinese quarter, Thien Hau temple, and Binh Tay market.

Lunch in a local restaurant. Sample one of the most popular dishes in Vietnamese cuisine, the famous "Pho", served in a stone bowl with fresh noodles prepared right in front of you.

In the afternoon, take a walking tour of the city centre to see Ho Chi Minh's main landmarks: the Reunification Palace (outside), the Post Office, the Cathedral (outside), the Opera House (outside), Dong Khoi Street (formerly Catinat Street), and Ben Thanh Market and its stalls.

Check into your room at the end of the day.

Enjoy an evening stroll along the pedestrianised Nguyen Hue street to get a feel for the city and its dynamism.

Dinner in a local restaurant.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure south for the province of Ben Tre in the Mekong delta (90 km, approx. 2 hrs drive), the land of coconut palms, situated between 2 large arms of the Mekong: Trans-Bassac (Tien Giang) and Cis-Bassac (Hau Giang). Boating on the Ben Tre river runs alongside the mangroves that grow along the waterway. Witness the bustling activities of the town's market on land, and waterway transport such as fishing boats and coconut freighters. Discover local craft workshops and the countryside in the village of Nhon Thanh.

Cruise down the river to the traditional brickworks to see how bricks are made by hand. Stroll along the Cai Son Canal, which winds its way through the coconut jungle, visit a coconut workshop and watch how the coconut is processed, then pick your own coconut and peel it by hand. Continue along a small waterway and stop off at the coconut sweet workshop, watch them make sweets by hand, sample some sweets, taste some fruit, and also listen to some local music. Continue by boat, disembark and take a short walk to the mattress-maker's house.

Climb aboard a Tuk-Tuk, which will carry you through the coconut grove and the village of Nhon Thanh - Thuan Dien, immersing you in the country's coconut jungle. Continue by rowing boat along the palm-shaded canal to the Cai Tac jetty. Stop for lunch at a local riverside restaurant.

Return by boat and finish your tour at Chet Say pier.

Disembarkation and transfer back to Ho Chi Minh with your guide, then on to the seaside resort of Mui Né, towards Phan Thiet (without guide, with driver only).

Arrive and settle into your room.

End of the day and Make your own dinner arrangements. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free time to enjoy the beach, swimming pool, and resort facilities. Explore Mui Ne and the surrounding area at your leisure.

Make your own dining arrangements. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free time to enjoy the beach, swimming pool, and resort facilities. Rooms available by no later than 12 noon.

3 p.m.: Meet at your hotel reception and return transfer (without guide) by private, air-conditioned vehicle directly to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City** to settle back into your room.

End of the day and Make your own dinner arrangements. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Rooms available by no later than 12 noon. Free time to spend at your leisure. Depending on your departure flight time, return transfer (without guide) by private air-conditioned vehicle directly to Saigon airport.

Take off for your flight to France.

We hope you enjoyed your stay!

For people booking the "hotel-only" package (without international flights), please send us your flight details as soon as possible via the contact form located in "Help and contact" at the bottom of the page, so that we can organise your transfers.

Passport/visa formalities: The visa exemption for French nationals is valid for stays of fewer than 15 days. Please note that this exemption cannot be extended or renewed on location. For stays of more than 15 days, you can apply for a visa online via Vietnam's national immigration portal. This "e-visa" is limited to a maximum period of 45 days with a single entry. Visitors awarded this visa should collect their visa from a dedicated counter on arrival at the airport in Vietnam. The e-visa is not renewable on the spot.

Arrival/departure flight conditions: In order to ensure a private transfer to the city centre, the arrival flight must land before 4 p.m..

Airport welcome: On your arrival, an English-speaking guide will be waiting outside the airport with a sign bearing your name. You will be transferred to the city centre (approximately 45 minutes).

Departure flight (day 12): Depending on the departure flight schedule, our guide on day 10 will provide travellers with details of the transfer times to be respected. Schedules will be respected by the private chauffeur.

Itinerary: Your tour itinerary may be subject to change with a view to satisfying local requirements.

Guides: During your stay, you will be accompanied by local English or German-speaking guides, depending on your nationality, when specified in the itinerary.

Tips: Allow for tips for drivers ($2/day/passenger) and guides ($4/day/passenger).

Domestic flights: Domestic flights Hanoi > Hue (day 4) and Da Nang > Ho Chi Minh (day 8) are organised by us.

Accommodation: As indicated, the hotels are rated four-star according to local standards. The services provided may not be equivalent to European standards. Please note: Hotels are subject to change in the event of unavailability. However, we will always try to accommodate you in hotels of a similar category.