Hidden Charm Vietnam

Vietnam Great Tours driver will welcome you with the VIETNAM GREAT TOUR LOGO & your name on signboard at the airport and drive you to the hotel, it takes about 30 min to get to the hotel.
During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Hanoi. Rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.

More options for Hanoi: surcharge might be implemented
Your guide will take you on a culinary adventure, sampling street food in the Old Quarter. It’s a great opportunity to try all those weird and wonderful foods you see but just aren’t sure what they are! Start your Hanoi Street Eats tour at Bia Hoi corner to try the local brew, a draft beer that traces its roots to Eastern Europe. Do as the locals do and pull up a stool and enjoy a drink while watching the world go by.
Continue through the old quarter’s narrow streets as your guide points out a range of tasty noodles, breads and snacks. At night the sidewalks are packed with locals perched on stools, amongst sizzling woks and bubbling pots. These small pop up restaurants are a nightly feature that all but disappear during the day. Sit down and enjoy a flame grilled Vietnamese barbecue of beef, chicken, tofu and vegetables on skewers. End the night with dessert from Hanoi’s best-known ice-cream parlour.

Morning pick-up at your accommodation or rendezvous in Hanoi and drive to Mai Chau, a beautiful valley inhabited by the “Thai” people in Hoa Binh province. As soon as we get out of Hanoi, the limestone mountain ranges rush up and give the scenery an imposing view. Arrive in Mai Chau late noon, have lunch in Mai Chau and hike around the villages full of house-on-stilts, pretty handmade textile products and vast paddy fields to enjoy the routine life of the Thai people. Dinner and overnight in a house-on-stilt in Mai Chau.

It’s a long day today since the mountain roads do not allow the car’s highest speed exceed 45km per hour. In return, we are crossing the most magnificent part of the Hoang Lien Son range – the Tonkinese Alps, the home of most colourful-dressed montagnards, who still maintain lots of their long-term culture and traditions. From Mai Chau, we will drive to Nghia Lo. On the way, you will visit villages and orchard / tea farm before reach Nghia Lo.
Arriving in Nghia Lo, a pretty mountainous town, we spend the remaining hours of the day wandering the town including the market area.

You will be surprise before the wonderful rice terrace belong the route from Tu Le – Mu Cang Chai.

Run over the Khau Pha pass (one of the four greatest passes in Northern Vietnam with 40km many fog in the cold days). The ride is on some of the most scenic roads which offer a lot of stops for picturing. We’ll cross Tu Le and Mu Cang Chai, the two remote lands of Yen Bai province where the black H’mong, Dzao and Thai people can make wonderful rice terrace on the mountains.

After stopover at O Quy Ho Pass for a magnificent view of Northwest mountains, we’ll reach Sapa. Overnight in Sapa.

After breakfast, you will visit Sapa market and the church before heading to Lao Chai (10km from Sapa) and walk thru 5km to Ta Van with stops at the villages of the tribal people H’mong, Tay and Dzay en route.
After lunch, you will trek to Cat Cat and Sin Chai villages of Black H’Mong tribe. Enjoy the water fall in Cat Cat and beautiful scenery along the way.

Today is so nothing will be better than driving overland to a market of the hill tribal people.
Early morning we’ll drive toward local markets, according to your day of travel you could choose various local markets in each days such as Bac Ha market or Muong Hum market on Sunday, Lung Khau Nhin market on Thursday, Cao Son market on Wednesday, Can Cau market on Saturday, Coc Ly market on Tuesday…
Transfer directly through highway to Hanoi. Dinner at your own arrangement for flexibility.

After breakfast, we transfer to Halong Bay – designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site since 1994. Traveling through the scenic fertile Red River Delta countryside, we get to Ha Long Bay by noon. The natural world heritage site Ha Long Bay is truly one of the most impressive scenery that should not be missed if someone ever comes to the north.
Upon arrival at Ha Long, we embark on cruise for an exploration of the legendary Ha Long Bay. This exciting hours cruise passing by the evocatively shaped islets will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands and islets rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. Enjoy a Sea food lunch while you cruising through the bay.
Arrival in Van Gia floating fishing village, take rowing boat through the village or kayaking to visiting around the floating fishing village. Visiting Halong Pearl Farm Village, and Swimming in the bay.
Back the cruise and relax, free fresh fruits are served. You’ll join cooking class guided directly by Chef of the Cruise. You have chance to practice Vietnamese traditional dishes such as spring roll or famous cuisine of Vietnam.
After time for dinner enjoying special BBQ seafood on the cruise, you will be free for evening entertainments: play game on the cruise: cards game, chess, karaoke, squid fishing, and overnight on the Cruise.

Wake up in the morning to the calming sound of the waves crashing on the nearby islands, enjoy Tai Chi lesson on sundeck. Enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning and relax. Sitting on the upper deck, you can enjoy the breath – taking beauty of the rocky Islands rising from the crystal-clear waters of the Bay. The quiet is almost eerie; in summer you can hear birds singing, even that cicadas chirping ashore and the gentle lapping of the waves against our boat, the perfect soundtrack to accompany the fresh air and gentle breeze.
Arrive Sung Sot Cave (Amazing Cave) and joining with guide to visiting and explore the cave.
Our boat start cruising back and brunch buffet will be served on the way. Check out and arrive at the harbor by 11:30. You get back on our car and go back to Hanoi.

After breakfast, our guide and driver pick you up at the hotel lobby for a full day exploring Hanoi. The first destination is the most highlights of Hanoi, which is Ho Chi Minh Complex including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, His House-on-Stilts, One Pillar pagoda…
We continue our tour by visiting the Temple of Literature – a temple to Confucius, this is well-known as Vietnam’s first University built in the tenth century.
Lunch today is a special local dish called Pho bo Hanoi or Hanoi Noodle soup with beef at the most famous Pho eatery and another dish is Bun Cha Hanoi in English is Noodle with grilled pork. This delicious dish is served with Hanoi flavorful spring roll.
After lunch time you enjoy a drive out to the outskirt of Hanoi to visit Museum of Ethnology where you can not only study about the history of Vietnam’s ethnic groups but also South East Asia’s. It is well-known as one of the ten most interesting museums in Asia voted by viewers of Tripadvisor.com.
Next, we will head back to Hanoi’s centre to visit Ngoc Son Temple situated in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. If time permit, you will go sightseeing through the old quarter to explore the old city on foot with numerous shops and photo opportunities.
Dinner tonight is on your own arrangement
Then enjoy an hour Cyclo trip around Hoan Kiem lake and the Old Quarter which is known as the 36 streets and guilds with ancient buildings and narrow streets. From these streets, thousands of traditional things have been sold for hundreds years. Every street was named according to the specific thing the businesses living there sell, for example Silver Street, Rice Street, Shoes street, etc.

You will transfer to the airport for a flight to Hue. On arrival, our driver will pick up and take you to your hotel.

After breakfast, you will cruise on the Perfume River and visit the ancient and sacred Thien Mu Pagoda.
You will visit the Citadel – The palaces of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the last dynasty of Vietnam – Noon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Imperial Ancestral Temple and Hue Royal Antiques Museum before shopping at Dong Ba Martket.

Afternoon, you will visit Minh Mang tomb, one of the most interesting emperor tombs in Hue and Khai Dinh Tomb which represents a fusion of traditional Vietnamese style and modern influence. The tomb is almost entirely made of concrete and includes many European architectural details. Ends of the day at Conical hat village, Incense stick village

Morning is free at leisure.
Afternoon, journey from Hue over scenic mountainous roads with spectacular views over the coastline. We will visit pass Lang Co beach, a lovely stretch of beach curving outwards between a clear blue lagoon and the East Sea, a lovely stretch of beach curving outwards between a clear blue lagoon and the East Sea. You will then visit Marble Mountains, it is a cluster of five marble and limestone hills located in Ngu Hanh Son ward.

Vietnam Hidden Charm Tour today brings you to an ancient Beauty of Vietnam. We take a walking tour around Hoi An old town for more exploration with old constructions: Japanese Bridge, Sa Huynh Museum, Tan Ky Old House…

Have lunch at restaurant. You will then come back to your hotel.

More options for Hoi An: surcharge might be implemented
Option 1: Hoi An cooking class (half day)
A day at the cooking school in Hoi An will give you something you can take home and really impress your friends and family with. Experienced cooks who want to learn new techniques and amateur chefs looking for a fun day out will all find what they are looking for.
Go with a Chef to the local market and buy the ingredients for the dish you selected in advance. Here, you will learn a lot about local produce. From the market you head to the school, located in a beautiful house, where she will teach the group to make the selected dishes. There will be plenty of hands-on participation!
After everything is prepared, relax and enjoy the lunch you created and that you can create again after you get home.

Option 2: Hoi An street food (half day)
14:00 You’ll be picked up at your hotel by bike to Hoi An Town where you can see the must famous Breads shop to see how is family to prepared and made Banh My, the shop became well know by Anthony Bourdain to made a travel film in Vietnam and his experience at Madam Phuong Bread shop in Town . order a bread on menu for the first meal of street foods tour
• Walk down to Ancient town for next stop on the side walk , from here you have change to enjoy the local cakes Banh Beo/Water fern cake (Savory Streamed Rice)
• Continued walking down to the local ferry boat station where you stop to enjoy BBQ beef/Nem lui or Nem nuong in Vietnamse and photos stop
• From here you will go to a local family to visit and tasty at a local cake Husband & Wife cakes / Banh it la gai a, buy a teens of cakes to carry with you before say farwell to family
• On the way back to main streets for Tofu and Xoa Xoa the best soft drink for local famers
• From main street you will go throught to alley, stop at a local restaurant to enjoy the speciality in Hoi An Cao Lau.
• Leaving Cao Lau shop for next family to see peoples made Banh Bao Banh Vac / Withe Rose
18:00 Back your hotel

After breakfast, you will be picked up at hotel by our guide and driver on a mini-van and then you will be transferred to bike station in the countryside to start your biking route
– Cycle to a local farming village traveling along picturesque country roads (If you don’t know how to ride bicycles, please use our scooter “XE OM” services and you pay the extra 140,000 VND)
– Share in the daily work life of local farmers – hoeing and a soil, watering veggie at an organic herb garden, riding water buffalo in the field and enjoy the freshest air of the countryside beauty.
– Board the boat and cruise to the mouth of the river where it meets the Cua Dai Sea to learn and try your hand at local traditional fishing techniques using round and cast nets. Learn to paddle the strange and unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boats.
– Explore the now tranquil coconut-palm flanked waterways of a past war and hear of the extreme conditions endured by soldiers on both sides.
– Jungle walk and join for a mock battle with mud attack for fun.
– Back on-board our boat, enjoy lunch and cold beer or soft drink
Return to hotel by our mini-van

After breakfast, our driver arrives to pick up and take you back to Danang airport for a flight to Saigon. On arrival, you will transfer to your hotel.
In the afternoon, you will visit Notre Dame Cathedral and Saigon Post Office, two of the best highlights of old Saigon architecture.
Walk to the nearby Reunification Palace, witness of the historic events of old Saigon and famous for its architectural characteristics.
Discover the very popular War Remnants Museum, the one that gathers a comprehensive collection of the machinery, weapons, photographs and documentation of the Vietnam wars.
Stop by the Jade Emperor Pagoda, one of the most spectacularly colorful temples, dedicated to King of Heaven and filled with exquisite and phantasmal statues.

Pick up at your hotel and departure to My Tho. On arrival, cruising along small creek to Mekong River estuary. The motorized boat cruise more along natural creeks and quiet village of Mekong Delta region. Visit orchards, bee – keeping farm, taste natural honey and honey wine, enjoy tropical fruit, traditional music, see round a distillery, explore the local coconut candy production process, taste candy & coconut pulp. Stop over a garden restaurant at a local house for Vietname se lunch then move to hotel in Can Tho.

After Breakfast at hotel, take a motor boat to visit Cai Rang – the most fascinating floating market where we can see all trading activities on Mekong river. A short stop to visit rice husking mill and cycling around the village to observe the beautiful scenery and daily activities of the locals. Disembark at Ninh Kieu and transfer back to HCMC. On the way, visit Vinh Trang Pagoda which is one of Vietnamese popular destinations.

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport for your departure flight.