Vietnam Alive

This short excursion for those who have 7 days in Vietnam, and want to experience Vietnam's two key cities: the bustling southern city of Saigon, and capital Hanoi. Start with a three night stay in Saigon, where you will visit the colorful Ben Thanh Market, the unique shops along Dong Khoi, also spend a day in the country visiting the Mekong Delta and the Cu Chi tunnels. Next, fly to Hanoi, the cosmopolitan urban gem in northern Vietnam to visit World’s Heritage- Halong Bay.

 

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

 

• Explore vibrant Ho Chi Minh City (Formerly Saigon), the dynamic heart of Vietnam

• Explore the underground villages of Cuchi Tunnels

• Cruise on the Mighty Mekong River

• Explore Hanoi with unique characters, tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture

• Travel by cyclo through the Old Quarters of Hanoi, absorbing the endless bustle of activity

• Experience the unique Water Puppetry in Hanoi 

• Take a journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta before reaching Halong

• Cruise on Halong Bay amidst the majestic limestone cliffs and emerald green waters

 

DAY 01, ARRIVAL TO HO CHI MINH CITY (FORMERLY SAIGON), VIETNAM: On arrival to Ho Chi Minh City (Formerly Saigon), you are met & transferred to your Hotel to check in. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Saigon.

 

DAY 02, HALF DAY SAIGON CITY TOUR & CUCHI TUNNELS: The Tour will take you around the busiest City of Viet Nam, Ho Chi Minh, its official name, although to residents and visitors alike it is universally and affectionately known as Saigon, has a population of  over eight million and a booming free-market economy. We start our sightseeing with an overview drive round the city’s center to visit the red-brick Catholic cathedral of Notre- Dame, the nearby 19th century Empire-style Post Office. We’ll then visit the landmark Reunification Palace, a 1960s award winning building which was the South Vietnamese Presidential Palace. On 30 April, 1975, a Vietcong tanks crashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace which effectively marked the end of the war. Continue viewing the Vietnam’s History from 1945-1975 at the War Museum, an emotional rollercoaster. A stopover at the well-known Lacquer Workshop will help you to understand the art of making lacquer ware in Vietnam where you can pick up some unique gifts for your beloved relatives. After Lunch at a local restaurant, head to Cuchi Tunnels, just about 60 kilometers northwest of Saigon where it lays on one of the most fascinating historical sights of Vietnam-American War. The beginnings of the Cu Chi tunnels date back to Vietnam's struggle for independence from the French, but it was not until the Vietnam-American War that the tunnel network was widely expanded to cover a total distance of some 250 kilometers (155 miles), A small part of this network has been restored and opened to visitors to cast a fascinating light on the lives of the Cu Chi guerrillas and their hideouts. The short visit gives you a better understanding of guerilla fighting tactics of Vietnamese. The tour also tells you more about the War: Why Vietnam were divided into Two, What the CuChi Tunnels were for, Who Viet Cong really was. Overnight in Saigon.

 

DAY 03, FULL DAY EXCURSION TO THE MEKONG DELTA - CAIBE FLOATING MARKET: “If you want to see the real Vietnam, go to Mekong Delta…”. The colorful floating market, vast emerald rice fields and lush back waterways; these are the things that make Cai Be such a desired destination. This morning, leave bustling Ho Chi Minh for the 2 hour drive to the delta town of Cai Be. On arrival board your private boat for cruise in the Delta’s waterways. Start your journey by passing by Cai Be’s floating market, once a busy place to trade fruits and vegetables and nowadays a more quiet market. Then, continue to a cottage factory where ‘pop-rice’, rice paper and coconut candies are made. Return to the boat for the cruise to Dong Hoa Hiep Island; along the way admire the scenery and the daily life of the local villagers. Lunch will be local Mekong style serving specialties of the area. Return to Ho Chi Minh City late afternoon. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

 

DAY 04, SAIGON/HANOI: Drive to the airport for your noon flight to Hanoi. Upon your arrival at the airport, you are picked up and transferred to hotel in Hanoi- Vietnam's capital, a stylish and gracious city which retains an unique old world charm and some Asia ‘s most striking colonial architecture. Many lakes and parks are made for relaxing atmosphere. Check in hotel in Hanoi.

 

DAY 05, HANOI CITY TOUR: Embark for a full day city tour with a start from Ho Chi Minh Complex, containing the Mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace (From outside) and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. This complex also comprises the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city. Following is a visit to trip to The Temple of Literature, considered as the Vietnam’s first university built in 1070. Lunch at a local restaurant before a visit to the beatiful Museum of Ethnology to enhance your understanding of Vietnam’s diverse culture through its unique presentation of objects & dresses of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. End the day with a leisure Cyclo tour (Cyclo, a kind of local trishaw for one hour) to visit the Old Quarters of Hanoi and the NgocSon Temple near by. Drop off at Thang Long Theatre for Water Puppet Show, unique Vietnamese traditional art which originates from rural festivals of Vietnamese, the artists-men and women-stand waist-deep in the water to manipulate the puppets, making them move about, talk and laugh and even dance on the surface of the water. Transfer to your Hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

 

DAY 06, FULL DAY TOUR TO HALONG BAY: After breakfast we set off for Halong Bay—the Emerald Bay of Vietnam—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of the roads are pretty rough, but the journey offers quiet views of the flat green countryside dotted with rice paddies and small villages. We arrive in the early afternoon and transfer to a pier for a cruise on spectacular Halong Bay. With its clear, emerald waters and mountains draped in velvety cloaks of vegetation, it's little wonder that Halong Bay has been the inspiration for generations of Vietnamese poets. Resting peacefully across the Gulf of Tonkin near the Chinese border, this region—literally "the bay of the descending dragon"—is dotted with more than 3,000 mountain islands, whose jagged profiles seem to rise out of nowhere. The region offers one of the most diverse ecosystems in Vietnam with its lush forest and marine spectacle showcasing steep spines of mountains, narrow valleys, cascading waterfalls, and golden beaches. Our vessel is of particular interest—we board a junk, a wooden sailboat in the traditional Vietnamese style. We drop anchor at an island pierced with surreal grottoes, then enjoy lunch onboard ship. We resume our cruise in the afternoon and drive back to Hanoi in late afternoon.

 

DAY 07, HANOI EXIT: Free till transfer to the airport for your departure from Hanoi, Vietnam. 

 

*This is sample itinerary with no selected accommodation suggested unless otherwise stated. International airfares are not included unless otherwise specified within the detailed proposal – please contact our team to tailor this itinerary to your personal specifications.