Glance of Mekong and Central Vietnam | Vietnam Classic Tour - 09 Days

Landing at the Tan Son Nhat airport, you are welcomed by professional tour guide and driver at the pickup lobby. On the 30-minute driving from the airport to the city center, your tour guide will introduce you about the highlights of the city, and share the experiences of eating and drinking, traffic, culture....

On arrival, transfer to your hotel.

Note: Hotel check in time at 14.00

9:00 AM: Pick up from your hotel to the Independence Palace, once used as the home - office of the Presidents of South Vietnam. Our visit includes the North Vietnamese tank which effectively attacked the palace in 1975 to bring the controversial Vietnam War to an end and the five-story palace with its rooms have been preserved in their late 1960s, 1970s style and a bunker basement.

Continue by a leisurely waking tour. Heading to the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, originally built between 1863 and 1880, evidently reflects the French colonist influences. It’s a picturesque spot in the city.

Toward to Nguyen Hue walking street, walk to the unmissable city's famous landmark. The Saigon Central Post Office is a stunning building, designed by the famous architect Gustave Eiffel. It is an actually working post office with beautiful indoor decorations.

Have a break for lunch or drink (on your own account) then in the afternoon go to the top visited in Ho Chi Minh – the War Remnant museum. The exhibits offer you all-sided views of the Vietnam War that might bring a big surprise than you are probably used to hearing and seeing.

End of the day, visit the most famous market in the city, Ben Thanh Market, which has been opened since 1870. The market not only supplies the daily needs of local people but also excellent place to pick up inexpensive souvenirs and enjoy Vietnam’s local street foods.

8:00 AM: Leave from your hotel to visit the most striking place in the history of the Vietnam War, the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Cu Chi is a real underground city made up of a large network of tunnels covering an area of over 250km long where the Viet Cong conducted the war of resistance against American troops. All of the tunnels were dug over a period of twenty years using only pickaxes and shovels. The tour includes special entering some part of tunnels. You will also have a chance to visit Ben Duoc memorial temple nearby but far less touristic built in 1993 in memory of the Vietnamese killed at Cu Chi.

Continue to visit one of the most sacred attractions in Vietnam - the Cao Dai Temple. Caodaism is a uniquely Vietnamese religion that is influenced by elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and even Roman Catholicism. On a visit, you can attend the midday mass.

After breakfast at the hotel, meet our tour guide and driver for your transfer to Cai Be. Visit Cao Dai temple on route. On arrival, experience the rhythm of life on the legendary Mekong River by visiting the canals lined with orchards.

Visit craft workshops of rice popcorn, coconut caramel and rice cake…Go biking or walking on the village paths to discover the ancient and beautiful Phu Chau pagoda where the serenity reigns and meet the local people. Enjoy lunch in an open air restaurant where you can taste a famous local specialty, the elephant ear fish. Finally, enjoy tasty seasonal fruits while rowing a small rowboat in the canals, shaded by the fruit trees.

Back to Saigon in the late afternoon

Private driver will pick you up at the hotel lobby for about 30 minutes to Tan Son Nhat airport (international or domestic hall according to your request). Thanks for the visit to our city.

Note: International flights require you to be at the airport 3 hours and domestic is 2 hours before departure time.

In the rush hour (07:00 – 08:30 AM and 16:30 – 18:30 PM), it takes around 1 hour from city center to Tan Son Nhat airport.

Landing at Da Nang airport you are welcomed by professional tour guide and driver at the pickup lobby.

On the about 30 - 45 minute driving from the airport to your accommodation, your tour guide will introduce you about the city’s highlights and share the experiences of eating and drinking, traffic, culture....

Drive along the beautiful coastline to your hotel, check in and relax.

9:00 AM: Pick up from hotel for Hoi An excursion. Hoi An used to be one of the most typical South-East Asian trading ports dating from the 15th to the 19th century and the Old Town is still well-preserved. The exchanged cultures is displayed on many historic buildings, religion, daily business and enriched by the authentic lifestyle of local inhabitants.

First stop is Cam Pho - one of the oldest communal houses in Hoi An. It was built in the shape of Chinese character means the country for worshipping and trading business and cultural exchange between locality and Chinese, Japanese traders.

Leisurely walk to the Hoi An city’s symbol - the Chua Cau or the Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the 17th century to allow the Japanese quarter to be accessible from the Chinese neighborhoods. The bridge’s original style has been carefully preserved for the last 400 years.

Continue walking through the town, immersing into local life and stop at Quan Thang ancient house - one of the most authentic old houses in Hoi An with the lively and fine architecture and sculptures were made by craftsmen of famous Kim Bong carpentry village in the oriental style. The house offers a good look of Hoi An family's daily life. 

Enrich your tour by visit Phuc Kien or Fujian Assembly Hall, built since 17th century, is the gathering place for residents, traders and visitors from a specific area in China called Fujian. It is also a religious site to honor the deity Thien Hau. Spend a visit, you will admire the colorful fountains in the courtyard, the ornate gates surrounding the property and the beautiful carved dragons in the main room.

In the afternoon, drive to Tra Que farming village. It is famous for its aromatic herbs, mint and basil. Their leaves are smaller than normal ones and have a special flavor. Enjoy an interesting introduction to the village’s history, the vegetable cultivation and the usage of vegetables as traditional Vietnamese medicine. It is also a good opportunity to meet and take pictures with local people. 

8:00 AM: Pick up from hotel then travel to Hue by passing Da Nang along the sea road. Once you arrive in Da Nang, stop to visit the Cham Museum which preserves the most important Cham culture collections in the world. Then, walk to My Khe beach where you can enjoy the view of giant Goodness of Mercy statues in the Linh Ung Pagoda. Take photos of fishermen by the beach then continue driving along the coastline to Hue ancient capital. Make a stop at top of the Hai Van pass to enjoy the breathtaking view of the ocean. 

Arrive in Hue, enjoy lunch then visit Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in Hue, dating back to 1601. This is the spiritual highlight of the city and well known for its majestic octagon tower and beautiful view of the Perfume River.  

Keep your tour visit the most important sites in city - Hue Citadel, the only vestige symbol for what was once the imperial city of Vietnam. It is inspired by the fortification of Vauban. The city is composed of three parts: Kinh Thanh (the Capital city), Hoang Thanh (the Imperial city) and Cam Thanh (the Forbidden City). The most beautiful sites in Hue are concentrated in this area including the flag tower, the South gate, the palace of supreme Harmony, the Dynasty temple area and the settlement area.

Transfer from hotel to visit the Emperor Minh Mang's tomb, an architectural masterpiece that harmoniously highlights the nature and imperial religious works. The tomb was planned during Minh Mang’s reign (1820–40) but built by his successor, Thieu Tri with the effort of ten thousand workers and artisans.

Continue your trip, take a boat along Huong River (or Perfume River) to Thuy Bieu Village, admire the picturesque landscapes on both sides. After 1 hour, we arrive to Thuy Bieu, well-known for its divine grapefruit trees where you can take a bike around the village under the shade of the grapefruit trees and enjoy their pleasant perfume aroma and the harvested straw. The peaceful atmosphere is in every corner of the village. Then, visit a temple dedicated to the village protector, a traditional garden house built several centuries ago. This is a wonderful opportunity to stop for great photos and interact with the villagers working in the gardens and vegetable fields which should not be missed.

Private driver will pick you up at the hotel lobby (in Hue city center) for about 30 minutes to Phu Bai airport for your flight. Thanks for the visit to our city.

Note: Domestic flight requires you to be at the airport 1.5 hours before departure time.