Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City Highlights

Trip Highlights

Overnight cruise trip to Halong Bay

Full day visit to Mekong Delta and floating market

City tours in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Trip Summary

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival

Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, you will be warmly welcomed and transferred to your hotel by our driver. You will have the rest of the day free to explore at your leisure. Meals will be at your own expense. Overnight stay in Hanoi.

 Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour

After breakfast, pick-up at your hotel will be at 8:00 AM. Begin with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex and the One Pillar Pagoda. Next, travel to one of the most fascinating museums in Hanoi – the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. This institution serves as an essential center for the exhibition and preservation of the cultural heritages of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups, and it facilitates ethnographic research by employing numerous experts on these groups. Visitors come here not only for entertainment but to learn about the rich cultural diversity and uniqueness of each ethnic group and region in Vietnam. You will also visit the Temple of Literature, known as the first university in Vietnam.

One Pillar Pagoda

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before embarking on a cyclo tour around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter. Continue to the Dong Xuan Market, the largest market in Hanoi, established in 1889 in the northern part of the Old Quarter. Conclude your day with a one-hour water puppet show at Thang Long Opera House. After your transfer back to the hotel, dinner will be on your own. Overnight stay in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi - Halong Bay

After breakfast, be ready for your pick-up around 7:50-8:00 AM for a journey to the stunning Halong Bay. Upon arrival at Halong Pier around noon, board our traditional wooden cruise boat.

Spend the day relaxing, sightseeing, and swimming, or visit a floating fishing village if the weather permits. All meals are included during your stay on board. Overnight on the cruise.

 Floating village in Ha Long Bay

Day 4: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Fly to Ho Chi Minh City

Awake on the bay to the sound of waves and birds heralding a new day. Marvel at the sunrise over the bay and after breakfast, visit a stunning limestone grotto. After taking in the final views, return to the boat for the cruise back to the dock. A bus will transfer you back to Hanoi, where you will switch to another vehicle midway to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City.

 Sai Gon (Ho Chi Minh City)

Day 5: Authentic Mekong Delta Full Day

Your day begins with departure from the hotel at around 7:50-8:15 AM heading to Ben Tre, known as the “Land of Coconut.” This area is ideal for exploring the natural landscapes of the Mekong Delta while discovering local life, beautiful canals, and traditional activities. After a two-hour drive (90 km), crossing the impressive Rạch Miối cable-stayed bridge, you will board a small boat to visit local workplaces, including brick factories, a coconut processing workshop, and a traditional mat-weaving house. You'll take a short walk through a peaceful village to experience local life before hopping on a xe-lôi (motorized rickshaw) to a riverside restaurant for lunch.

 Ben Tre

After lunch, enjoy a brief cycling tour through the surrounding fields before boarding a sampan for a serene journey along the scenic canals. Finally, return to port and drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. Dinner will be at your leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 6: Ho Chi Minh City Tour - Departure

After breakfast, join a half-day city tour to visit prominent sites including Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace, and the notable War Remnants Museum. Following lunch at a local restaurant, you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight. End of the tour.

War Remnants Museum