Quintessential Vietnam trip
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Travel ExpertStarting from:
1650 USD
per Adult
Turn curiosity into celebration with a quintessential Vietnam experience designed for travelers who value authenticity, creativity, and lively evenings. This is one of our most engaging Vietnam trips, combining tailor-made experiences with private performances, rooftop jazz nights, hands-on street food adventures, and intimate encounters with local artisans.
Share your passions, and we will craft a personalized program of sensory highlights, exclusive moments, and spontaneous surprises so your journey feels unmistakably your own. Start planning your unforgettable escape today.
Quintessential Vietnam trip highlights
- Hanoi Old Quarter and street-food crawl: Lose yourself in fragrant street food and tailor-made walks through Hanoi's Old Quarter.
- Ha Long Bay private cruise: Sail a private junk through UNESCO limestone karsts, for serene caves, kayaking, and unforgettable sunset dining.
- Hoi An lantern-lit evenings and tailor-made workshops: Design a bespoke experience in Hoi An with lantern-lit evenings, custom tailoring, and cooking classes.
- Mekong Delta homestay and floating markets: Stay with a local family, craft your own itinerary, and glide through vibrant floating markets.
- Hilltribe treks and rice-terrace vistas: Customize gentle treks to remote villages, meet hilltribe communities, and savor panoramic rice-terrace views.
| Day | Location | Activity | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City | • Airport meet and private transfer to the hotel • Time to relax after arrival • Optional light activities or dining suggestions | Ho Chi Minh City |
| 2 | Ho Chi Minh City | • Walking tour of Cholon (Chinatown) • Visit Thien Hau Pagoda • FITO Museum of traditional medicine • Ben Thanh Market • Choice of War Remnants Museum or History Museum • Walk past Presidential Palace and colonial landmarks | Ho Chi Minh City |
| 3 | Mekong Delta (Cai Be) | • Scenic drive to Cai Be • Mekong Delta boat cruise • Visit family-run workshops producing local specialties • Lunch on Dong Hoa Hiep Island • Return to Ho Chi Minh City | Ho Chi Minh City |
| 4 | Hoi An | • Arrival in Hoi An • Walking tour of Old Town • Vibrant markets and merchant houses • Japanese Covered Bridge | Hoi An |
| 5 | Hue | • Arrival in Huế• Visit Imperial Citadel • Cycling through Dai Noi Old City to Tinh Tam Lake • Visit Khai Dinh’s tomb • Dong Ba Market exploration | Hue |
| 6 | Hue → Hanoi | • Morning market visit with royal cuisine focus • Cooking experience at Garden House of Y Thao • Afternoon flight to Hanoi • Evening Water Puppet Theatre • Dinner in Old Quarter • Optional nightlife or Hanoi Opera House | Hanoi |
| 7 | Hanoi → Ha Long Bay | • Morning departure from Hanoi • Scenic drive through countryside • Board traditional junk for overnight cruise • Sailing among limestone karsts • Sunset dinner on board | Ha Long Bay |
| 8 | Ha Long Bay → Hanoi | • Relaxed morning on board • Disembark and return to Hanoi • Art-focused afternoon visits and galleries • Coffee at a gallery café | Hanoi |
| 9 | Departure | • Free morning at leisure • Private airport transfer with assistance | — |
Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, where your local representative meets you at the airport and assists with a smooth private transfer to your hotel. Settle in and unwind after your flight, marking the relaxed start of your Vietnam travel experience.
The remainder of the day is free to rest, enjoy the hotel facilities, or take a gentle stroll nearby to get a first feel for the city’s energy. Light activities or dining recommendations can be arranged to suit your pace.
Day tour of Ho Chi Minh City
Begin the day with a walking tour of Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown, exploring lively markets and traditional shops.
Continue to Thien Hau Pagoda, dedicated to the goddess of the sea. Visit the FITO Museum, Vietnam’s first museum of traditional medicine, housing more than 3,000 artifacts. Next, experience the energy of Ben Thanh Market and observe daily local life.
In the afternoon, choose between the War Remnants Museum or the History Museum, then enjoy a leisurely walk past the Presidential Palace and nearby colonial landmarks.
Mekong Delta cruise
A scenic two-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City brings you to Cai Be in the Mekong Delta, one of the best places to visit in Vietnam for experiencing river life.
Cruise through lush waterways and step ashore to visit a family-run workshop producing coconut sweets, rice paper, and popping rice, offering hands-on insight into local traditions.
Relax on board as riverside villages drift past en route to Dong Hoa Hiep Island, where you enjoy lunch featuring Mekong specialties before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.
Walking tour of Hoi An
Arrive in Hoi An and settle into this beautifully preserved 17th-century port town, known for its original architecture and laid-back atmosphere.
Begin exploring the Old Town on foot, wandering through vibrant markets and stepping inside centuries-old merchant houses that still reflect daily life.
Pause at the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, an iconic photo spot and one of the town’s most recognizable landmarks, before enjoying the easy rhythm that defines Hoi An.
The best of Hue
Arrive in Huế and begin exploring the Imperial Citadel, the former seat of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. As you walk through its gates, your guide brings the city’s imperial past and wartime scars to life.Con
tinue by bicycle through the Dai Noi Old City to tranquil Tinh Tam Lake, where lotus-lined paths and lakeside cafés invite a relaxed pause.
Later, visit the ornate tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh before strolling through Dong Ba Market to experience local flavors, crafts, and lively street scenes.
Royal Master Chef experience and night out in Hanoi
Begin the day in Huế at Dong Ba Market with Mrs. Cuc, selecting fresh ingredients while learning about royal-era cuisine.
Continue to the Garden House of Y Thao to prepare and enjoy several traditional dishes in a historic garden setting, a distinctive highlight of your Vietnam itinerary.
In the late afternoon, fly to Hanoi. In the evening, attend a Water Puppet Theatre performance near Hoan Kiem Lake, then dine in the Old Quarter at Green Tangerine, a restored 1920s villa. Later, explore Hanoi’s nightlife at your own pace or, if available, enjoy a performance at the historic Hanoi Opera House.
Ha Long Bay overnight cruise
Depart Hanoi in the morning and watch rural life unfold along the way, with villagers tending rice fields behind buffalo-drawn ploughs and cyclists heading to local markets.
Arrive in Ha Long City by late morning and board a traditional wooden junk for an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay.
Sail among towering limestone karsts, enjoy a relaxed sunset dinner on deck, and spend the night on board as the bay settles into calm and quiet.
Hanoi art tour
Enjoy a relaxed morning on board your Ha Long Bay cruise, taking in the quiet seascape before disembarking and returning to Hanoi by private transfer.
In the afternoon, explore the city’s vibrant art scene with visits to the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum and the Propaganda Art collection.
Continue to Apricot Gallery to see works by more than 40 contemporary artists, then conclude at Art Vietnam, run by a well-known American dealer. Pause along the way for Vietnam’s famous coffee at a gallery café, blending creative culture with local flavor.
Departure
Enjoy a relaxed morning in Hanoi with time for a final coffee, light shopping, or a quiet stroll nearby. At the scheduled time, your private driver transfers you to the airport and assists with departure formalities.
Say farewell to Vietnam and travel home with lasting memories of your journey.
