Traverse North and South Holiday | Vietnam Authentic Tour - 11 Days

Traverse North and South Holiday | Vietnam Authentic Tour
Overview
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  • Start/End: Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh city
  • Visit: Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hai Phong - Lan Ha bay - Ho Chi Minh city - Tay Ninh - Ben Tre - Long Xuyen
  • Duration: 11 Days
  • Travel style: Authentic, Culture and Heritage
  • Category: Private tour
  • Tour schedule: Daily departure
  • Tour guide in: English, Français, Español, Deutsch, Italiano
Highlight

The best authentic package tour for the North & South of Vietnam. Travel from the Red River Delta and get inside the heart of the Mekong Delta. Interact with local people and discover their unique history and culture. Witness the amazing landscapes of Ninh Binh & Lan Ha Bay.

  • Visit the biggest cities: Hanoi capital, dynamic Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon)
  • Peaceful countryside in Ninh Binh & Mekong Delta
  • Excursion to Cu Chi tunnels
  • Biking, boating, cooking class, floating markets
  • Overnight on Ha Long Bay Cruise
  • Encounters with locals,
  • Authentic, less touristic
Itinerary Expand All
  • Day 1,Hanoi35km - 0.75hFri, Mar 29, 2024
    Welcome to Hanoi, enjoy a walking tour in the old quarter

    Landing at the Noi Bai airport, you are welcomed by professional tour guide and driver at the pickup lobby. Enjoy 45-minute driving to the city center (Hanoi Old Quarter) with city's briefing information about the most visited spots, culture, traffic and cuisine....Arrive in your hotel, check in and have a rest.

    Note: Hotel check in time at 14.00

    Continue your day by a nice walking tour. Start with a small pagoda named Ba Da quietly located in a small alley - only few steps from the Hanoi Great Cathedral, built by French colonialism since the 19th century. Your tour guide also takes you to typical streets of Hanoi such as Lan Ong Street selling traditional medicine, Lo Ren Street where metal items are produced ... Stop to visit the Dong Xuan central market - the largest in Hanoi. Continue walking to the famous area for night activities and street food - Ta Hien street, where you can see the vibrant streets with a lot of the amazing local foods and drinks. Trying to taste some for an unforgettable experience.

    Note: If your flight arrival late or you are jet leg after long flight, the walking tour will be moved to the city tour day.
    Included:
    English speaking guide
    Private transportation
    Entrance fees
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Conifer Grand Hotel(ROH Room)
    42 Tho Xuong, Hoan Kiem district, Ha Noi City, Vietnam
  • Day 2,HanoiSat, Mar 30, 2024
    Exploring the center of culture & education Van Mieu, outstanding museum of ethnology, visiting French Quarter and discovering Old town

    9:00 AM: Get Pick up by tour guide to the Temple of Literature which was built under the Ly dynasty in 11th century for worshipping Confucius and teaching Royal children. Enjoy a walk in the garden to the city’s symbol Khue Van Cac. You will then visit the World Heritage "stone steles” which shows the name of outstanding students. Continue to explore the Quoc Tu Giam which is considered as the first national university of Vietnam.

    Next stop at the Ethnology Museum (closed every Monday) which offers a deep insight into Vietnamese culture through traditional costumes, tools, musical instruments and traditional houses of many ethnic groups. To fully explore this interesting museum, it takes you around two hours. 

    In the after noon you visit the French Quarter – it is a “little Paris” in Hanoi with tree-lined boulevards, government head offices and a big square. Visit (outside) Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum before having a leisurely walk in the botanical gardens to visit the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where he used to live and work. Towards the unique One – pillar pagoda which is one of the city’s symbols. It takes us from 1 to 2 hours to explore this complex, depending on the number of traveler.

    Finally enjoying the water puppet shows that is the unique performances, first appeared in the 11th century. In these shows, the daily life, culture and belief of Vietnamese people are described by puppets on water. The show usually integrates a traditional music performance as well.

    Come back to hotel. End of the day

    Included:
    English speaking guide
    Meal: B
    Private transportation
    Entrance fees
    Leisure: Water puppet
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Conifer Grand Hotel(ROH Room)
    42 Tho Xuong, Hoan Kiem district, Ha Noi City, Vietnam
  • Day 3,Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hanoi100km - 2hSun, Mar 31, 2024
    Biking to Thung La temple and then a boat trip in Van Long Nature Reserve, embroidering experience

    8:00 AM: Transfer from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, driving through the picturesque countryside of the Red River Delta, painted by rice and vegetable fields.

    Take a 15km bike ride (optional) or walk through the villages. A journey along the dyke will offer you gorgeous landscapes of rice fields, a river and limestone mountains. There are several stops for you to take beautiful photos or encounter the locals then walk to discover Thung La temple, dating back to the 11th century. Meet Mr Tuong, the temple guardian, and enjoy an authentic conversation as well as a 20 minute drum show.

    Later, take a sampan boat trip along the stream and among the limestone mountains to discover the beauty of Van Long nature reserve. If lucky, you might get to see white monkeys and egrets on the cliffs. After the boat trip, visit an embroidery village and take part in an embroidery course under the instruction of local craftswoman, Mrs Lam. She will proudly explain the techniques of her traditional craft. This will be a good opportunity for you to practice on fabric like a real craftsman.

    End of the day, transfer back to your hotel in Hanoi.

    Included:
    English speaking guide
    Meal: B, L
    Boat: Van Long
    Private transportation
    Entrance fees
    Bike: Ninh Binh
    Leisure: Thung La temple music
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Conifer Grand Hotel(ROH Room)
    42 Tho Xuong, Hoan Kiem district, Ha Noi City, Vietnam
  • Day 4,Hanoi - Hai Phong - Lan Ha bay140km - 2.5hMon, Apr 1, 2024
    Cruising from Halong to Lan Ha bay, swimming & kayaking, cooking class

    9:00 AM: Pick up at your hotel (in the Hanoi Old Quarter). Enjoy two and a half hour drive from Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay on the national highway No5B. Your journey will pass the series of villages and rice fields in the Red River Delta. Have a stop for drink and restroom. Continue driving to the harbor around noon, get warmly welcome at cruise reception.

    8:30 – 8:50: Our driver will pick you up at the Shuttle Bus stop (for shared transfers) or directly from your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter (for private transfers). From there, we'll make our way to Halong City.

    12:00: The Peony Cruises crew will warmly welcome you at their lounge in Tuan Chau. Get ready to board Peony Cruises via their support vessel, and we'll fill you in on the exciting itinerary during this time.

    13:00: Welcome aboard with fresh drinks and wet towels, accompanied by a spread of appetizing delicacies. We then set sail for Lan Ha Bay, a member of the World’s Most Beautiful Bays. Relish a delicious lunch of fresh seafood while cruising along Lan Ha Bay with breathtaking scenery.

    15:30: Explore the unspoiled and poetic beauty of Tra Bau area, renowned for its attractive seascape. This is the perfect time for kayaking to discover the true beauty of the limestone islands. Take a dip in the emerald green waters or enjoy the Jacuzzi pool on Peony Cruises.

    17:30 - 18:30: Join us for a cooking demonstration and master the art of making one of the most famous Vietnamese cuisines, the spring rolls. Alternatively, head to the top deck to admire the magnificent sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin. It’s Happy Hour – BUY ONE GET ONE FREE at the bar, an ideal moment for photography enthusiasts to capture the greatest sunset over Lan Ha Bay.

    19:30: Savor delicious local food prepared by our skillful chef.

    21:00 – 22:00: Relax and enjoy exotic cocktails and drinks at the sky bar (with a surcharge). Indulge yourself with a spa service (with a surcharge) or simply unwind on the top deck under the brightly illuminated sky. Alternatively, try your luck at squid fishing on the main deck.

    Included:
    Shuttle bus: Hanoi - Tuan Chau
    English speaking guide (on board)
    Meal: B, L, D
    Entrance fees
    Kayak: Halong
    Leisure: Squid fishing,Beach swimming
    Cooking class: Halong (on board)
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Peony Cruise - 2D1N(Deluxe Balcony Cabin)
    5/33B Pham Ngu Lao street, Hoan Kiem district, Ha Noi City, Vietnam
  • Day 5,Hai Phong - Lan Ha bay - Ho Chi Minh cityTue, Apr 2, 2024
    Exploring Trung Trang Cave, visiting Cat Ba National park, Transferring back to Hanoi for a flight to Ho Chi Minh city

    6:00: Start the day with a Tai Chi session and enjoy the sun rising up beyond the horizon.

    6:45 - 7:15: Breakfast is served while cruising back to Gia Luan jetty (Breakfast time may be adjusted to follow the real itinerary).

    7:30 - 9:00: It takes 30 minutes to travel from Gia Luan to Trung Trang cave – one of the most impressive caves in Cat Ba Island, Vietnam. The limestone cave has thousands of stalactites in various shapes, offering geological values with a typical cave ecosystem.

    9:30: Return to the main boat, check-out, and place your luggage outside the cabin. Early lunch is served at the restaurant. Settle the bar bill at the desk (if any).

    10:30 - 11:00: Disembark Peony Cruises and transfer back to Tuan Chau Port. Our driver will pick you up again for the journey back to Hanoi.

    Welcome by driver at the harbor then enjoy 2 and a half hour travel back to Hanoi on the new highway No5B crossing the Red River Delta and villages. Drop off at your hotel (in the Hanoi Old Quarter).

    Private driver will pick you up at the hotel lobby (Hanoi Old Quarter) for about 45 minutes to Noi Bai 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.

    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

    Included:
    English speaking guide
    Meal: B, L
    Private transportation
    Entrance fees
    Leisure: Morning Tai Chi
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Flight :VN265 (HAN - SGN) - (Direct) / 20:30 - 22:30 - Vietnam Airlines - Economy / 06 tickets
    Elios Hotel(Senior Superior Room)
    233 Pham Ngu Lao street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Day 6,Ho Chi Minh cityWed, Apr 3, 2024
    Discovering Saigon city with the best highlights: Independence palace, Binh Tay market, China town, Quan Am pagoda and Fito Museum of traditional medicine

    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.

    Pick up by car then short drive to have a visit to Binh Tay Market, located in Saigon’s Chinatown area with hundreds of stalls, the biggest market in city actually contributes a hub for many of Saigon’s demands including clothing, souvenir and food items. There is also a food court where visitors can sample local delicacies and street food.

    Continue visit Quan Am Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in city and dedicated to Guan Yin, elements of Taoism, and the folk worship of the "Queen of Heaven".

    Finally, visit the Traditional Medicine Museum (FITO) where the medicinal herb recipes, magic potions and special antique tools are preserved.

    End of the day, drop you back to hotel

    Included:
    English speaking guide
    Meal: B
    Private transportation
    Entrance fees
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Elios Hotel(Senior Superior Room)
    233 Pham Ngu Lao street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Day 7,Ho Chi Minh city - Tay Ninh - Ho Chi Minh city100km - 2.5hThu, Apr 4, 2024
    Special excursion to Cu Chi tunnels and then visiting Cao Dai temple.

    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.

    Have lunch at local restaurant then transfer back to hotel in the afternoon.

    Included:
    English speaking guide
    Meal: B, L
    Private transportation
    Entrance fees
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Elios Hotel(Senior Superior Room)
    233 Pham Ngu Lao street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Day 8,Ho Chi Minh city - Ben Tre150km - 3hFri, Apr 5, 2024
    From Saigon to Mekong discovery: Boat trip & biking in Ben Tre, visiting typical craft village, interact local people, garden tour, overnight in a homestay

    8:00 AM: Pick up at your hotel for your transfer to Ben Tre, a beautiful region in the Mekong Delta River, famous for making coconut candy.

    Arrive at Hung Vuong pier, take a boat trip on the Ben Tre River to discover the daily local life. Continue your boat trip on a canal to Nhon Thanh Village. This will be an opportunity to taste the fresh fruits. Take a bike ride (or tuk tuk) on a small path through the villages and enjoy views of the coconut ranges, rice fields and vegetable gardens.

    A lunch with elephant ear fish is served in the village. A short walk will help you to discover the local life in depth. This is followed by a boat ride on the small canal shaded by the wild palm trees. Disembark Ben Tre for a 1-hour transfer to Cai Lay. Upon your arrival, get warmly welcomed by the host of homestay. Take part in making Banh Xeo Nam Bo (a traditional dish in the region) with your host.

    Have dinner and stay overnight in Cai Lay.

    Included:
    English speaking guide
    Meal: B, L, D
    Boat: Ben Tre
    Private transportation
    Tuk Tuk: Ben Tre
    Cooking class: Ben Tre homestay
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Hai My's Homestay(Standard Room)
    864 Provincial street, Dong Hoa hamlet, Tam Binh village, Cai Lay district, Tien Giang , Vietnam
  • Day 9,Ben Tre - Long Xuyen90km - 2hSat, Apr 6, 2024
    Mekong discovery: Enjoying fruit garden tour, Kien An Cung pagoda, Huynh Thuy Le's house

    Have breakfast at the homestay and enjoy a bike ride (1-1.5 hours) on the path from Dong Hoa to Tam Binh, passing the durian gardens, sapota gardens, and longan gardens. Encounter with the local people then visit the local village market. Return to the homestay for refreshments. (Extension: Go for a 1 hour walk along the trail with a local and cycle to Ngu Hiep Island where the alluvium of the Mekong River has formed a fertile garden. These are unusual excursions in a luxuriant and authentic place.) For those who do not wish to ride a bike, it is possible to ask our tour guide for a motorbike and ride pillion.

    Transfer to Long Xuyen via Sa Dec where we can visit Kien An Cung pagoda and Huynh Thuy Le's house from the novel by Marguerite Duras  'L’Amant – the Lover'. Discover the local market in Sa Dec which is rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish. Continue to Long Xuyen and visit Cao Dai temple and a crocodile farm on route. Stay overnight at a hotel in Long Xuyen.  

    Included:
    English speaking guide
    Meal: B, L
    Private transportation
    Entrance fees
    Bike: Ben Tre
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Hoa Binh 1 Hotel(Standard Room)
    130 Tran Hung Dao street, Long Xuyen city, An Giang , Vietnam
  • Day 10,Long Xuyen - Ho Chi Minh city190km - 4hSun, Apr 7, 2024
    Mekong discovery: Long Xuyen floating village, Cu Lao Ong Ho island. Back to Ho Chi Minh City

    In the morning, transfer to the floating market and floating village in Long Xuyen which are animated and authentic on a small tributary of the Mekong River. Discover the daily activities of people living by the river. Enjoy a boat trip to Cu Lao Ong Ho where there is a small museum about our famous president Ton Duc Thang. Take a bike ride on the island and enjoy the beauty of the peaceful landscapes.

    Take the road back to Saigon and check in your hotel in late afternoon. 

    Included:
    English speaking guide
    Meal: B, L
    Boat: Long Xuyen
    Private transportation
    Bike: Long Xuyen
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
    Elios Hotel(Senior Superior Room)
    233 Pham Ngu Lao street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Day 11,Ho Chi Minh city10km - 0.5hMon, Apr 8, 2024
    Transferring to airport for flights to next destinations

    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.

    Included:
    Meal: B
    Private transportation
    02 bottles of mineral water (500 ml)/pax/day
Inclusions
  • English speaking tour guide following itinerary
  • All entrance fees and tickets mention on itinerary
  • Selected Accommodations with daily breakfast
  • Cruise: Peony Cruise - 2D1N
  • Boat: Van Long, Ben Tre, Long Xuyen
  • Private car following itinerary
  • Shuttle bus: Hanoi - Tuan Chau
  • Flight Ticket: VN265 HAN - SGN (Vietnam Airlines - Economy)
  • Meal: B: 10, L: 07, D: 02
  • Bike: Ninh Binh, Ben Tre, Long Xuyen
  • Kayak: Halong
  • Leisure: Water puppet, Thung La temple music, Squid fishing, Beach swimming, Morning Tai Chi
  • Tuk Tuk: Ben Tre
  • Cooking class: Halong (on board), Ben Tre homestay
  • Service charges and Taxes
Exclusions
  • International flight from/to your country
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal expenses
  • Tipping and Gratuities
  • Other not mentioned in the program


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  • Adult in sharing Twin/double room $ 948
  • Adult in single room $ 1,287
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5.0 / 247reviews
  • My husband and I planned our recent family trip to Hanoi with Ms Tran Lien from Izitour Company Limited. She made the process smooth, seamless and stress free! Made our...
    F. Kok W
    F. Kok W
    Mar 20, 2024
  • Very cool person. We had a very nice boat with very friendly crew in Halong Bay. Their organisation was perfect.
    Loic Chassot
    Loic Chassot
    Mar 19, 2024
  • Lim gave us excellent advice. She organised a tailor-made tour for us that perfectly met our expectations. You can trust her with your eyes shut!
    Gaëlle Soriano
    Gaëlle Soriano
    Mar 19, 2024
  • We spent 2 extraordinary days, the guide and driver were very kind and helpful. We were able to taste the typical dishes of the region, it was really delicious. The visit...
    My  Luu
    My Luu
    Mar 19, 2024
  • Many thanks to Lim who organized the Halong Bay cruise for us and for all his good advice before we left for Vietnam. We recommend Izitour and of course Lim....
    Sarah  Romano
    Sarah Romano
    Mar 19, 2024


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