Enjoy our classic bespoke round trip from Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south during which you will experience the best of Vietnam’s absolute highlights.
On this classic round trip you get to experience the best of magnificent Vietnam. Among other things, you will experience the charming capital Hanoi, see beautiful limestone cliffs in the famous Ha Long Bay, visit historic Hué and Hoi An, visit temples in Ho Chi Minh City and floating markets and the beautiful nature of the Mekong Delta.
You will get to know Vietnam, which is above all characterized by the beautiful nature and the ever-present culture and history.
Day 1: Departure from Scandinavia
You fly from Scandinavia to Vietnam, where you arrive the next day.
Day 2: Arrival in Hanoi
You arrive in Hanoi and are picked up at the airport, then you are driven to a nice 2-star hotel where you will spend two nights. Hanoi is one of Asia’s most charming and romantic cities. It is a cozy and green city, filled with large lush trees, many small and large parks as well as beautiful French mansions. Especially the old town is charming, with the lake Hoan Kiem, the narrow alleys and the smell of freshly baked baguettes.
Day 3: City tour of Hanoi
After breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up by an English-speaking guide. You visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, the Ho Chi Minh House – a house where he lived from 1958 to 1969, and the “One Column Pagoda”. Then the tour continues towards West Lake to visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda and enjoy a good lunch. The tour then continues towards the Temple of Literature, the Ethnographic Museum and the famous Hoan Kiem Lake. The tour ends with a short walk in the capital’s lively old quarter and ends when you return to the hotel. The rest of the day is at your own disposal. ( F , L )
Day 4: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay
After breakfast, you will be picked up at the hotel and driven to Ha Long Bay. The journey takes about four hours with a short break on the way. Upon arrival at Ha Long Bay, a welcome drink is served before boarding a beautiful wooden boat at approx. 12.00 During the boat trip you can enjoy the fantastic view of the water and have a wonderful lunch. The boat stops at Trong Cave, where you can explore the area and the beautiful islands in a kayak. Back on the boat, you can relax before it’s time to have a delicious Vietnamese dinner on board. The night is spent in a cabin on board the boat that has docked in Ha Long Bay. ( F , M )
Day 5: Sailing trip in Halong Bay – Hanoi – Hué
Get up early and enjoy the sunrise before breakfast. Before the many tourists arrive, you will have time to explore the Sung Cot Cave, which is one of the largest and most spectacular in Halong Bay. After the visit, the boat slowly returns to the port. Take the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful view! From here you can be driven back to the hotel in Hanoi, where you will arrive late in the afternoon. Later that evening you will be picked up and driven to the train station. From there, the night train departs from Hanoi to Hué. You sleep in a “Soft Sleeper” compartment for four people that is equipped with air conditioning. ( F , L )
Day 6: Arrival in Hué
In the morning, the train arrives at Hué, where you will be picked up at the train station and driven to the hotel. After lunch you can spend the rest of the day doing exactly what you feel like. For example, you can go exploring in the city, relax after the train journey or maybe go shopping a bit. ( L )
Day 7: City tour in Hué
After breakfast at the hotel, spend the day on a city tour with an English-speaking guide. You can expect an exciting day in the Imperial City of Hué – Vietnam. You can also go by boat along the fragrance river to the pagoda Thien Mu. This octagonal pagoda with its seven floors is beautifully situated on a hill overlooking the river and is known as one of the city’s landmarks. From here, the tour continues by car and you get to visit the imperial citadel, beautiful pagodas and royal tombs – including the famous tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. On the way back to the city, you stop in a couple of small villages where they make incense and hats. ( F , L )
Day 8: Hué – Hoi An, city tour
After breakfast at the hotel, head to the cozy city of Hoi An. The journey takes about four hours, allowing you to have breakfast at a local restaurant in Hoi An once you have checked in at the hotel. The fishing village of Hoi An is often called the best preserved historic city in Vietnam and has many beautiful ancient houses and temples. Some of the village’s oldest buildings were built during the 19th century. The old quarters are protected as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This means, among other things, that cars are banned in many of the narrow alleys. Hoi An is also known for its skilled tailors. You can get a brand new wardrobe for a relatively inexpensive amount of money. In the afternoon, go on a tour with an English-speaking guide in Hoi An’s old town. On foot you can visit several sights, such as the lively Hoi An Market, the beautiful Japanese bridge and the well-preserved Phung Hung House. (F , L )
Day 9: Excursion to the My Son ruins and boat trip to traditional villages around Hoi An
After breakfast at the hotel, go on an excursion with an English-speaking guide to the My Son ruins outside Hoi An. The site dates back to the prehistoric Cham period and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a completely unique atmosphere over the place. A guide shows you around the ruins that are surrounded by jungle. In addition, you will see a traditional Cham dance. Back in Hoi An, lunch is served before it’s time for a boat trip to the traditional villages in the area around Hoi An. You can visit Thanh Ha Pottery Village which is located three kilometers west of Hoi An and Kim Bong Carpentry Village, which is known for its production of beautiful wood carvings. UNESCO funds a carving workshop in the village that educates the young generations in the traditional craft that would otherwise have been lost. You’re back at the hotel in the late afternoon. (F , L )
Day 10: On your own in Hoi An
During the day you can explore the city on your own or take a trip to the nearby long sandy beach of Cua Dai, located five kilometers east of Hoi An. A visit to the beach is perfect if you want to swim among the high waves and sunbathe. You can also rent a bike for cycling to Cua Dai, the road there is relatively flat. Just a few meters from the sea there are sun loungers for rent and many other innovative services. It offers everything from manicures and massages on the beach to cold soft drinks and handmade jewelry. If you get up early, you can also see the daily morning market by the sea in Hoi An, a lively and colorful event. You can stroll around among freshly caught fish, live chickens in bamboo cages, fragrant flowers and fresh fruit, neatly stacked in fine pyramids. You should preferably arrive early in the morning. That is when the activity is at its peak. (F )
Day 11: Hoi An – Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh City
The morning is spent on your own before driving to Danang Airport and flying to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The rest of the day is at your own disposal in Ho Chi Minh City. The city is best experienced on foot, but if you get tired you can rent a bicycle (bicycle taxi). For example, you can walk past the Reunification Palace, China Town (which has many impressive Chinese pagodas), Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Church, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the War Museum and the Botanical Gardens. ( F )
Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City – Cao Dai Temple – Cu Chi Tunnels
You will be picked up at the hotel after breakfast to go on a group tour with an English-speaking guide to Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh Village. This temple is a very popular pilgrimage destination for many Vietnamese. After lunch you will return to Ho Chi Minh City and on the way you will visit the Ben Dinh tunnels in Cu Chi province. The tunnels were used by the guerrillas during the Vietnam War, but today it is a well-known tourist destination. You’re back in Ho Chi Minh City in the late afternoon. ( F , L )
Day 13: Excursion to the Mekong Delta
today you are going on an excursion in the Mekong Delta. The trip is made by bus together with several participants and an English-speaking guide. We start with a bus journey that takes about three hours to the village of Cai Be in the Mekong Delta – the world’s second largest river delta. From here we continue by boat to the lively floating market Cai Be, where local Vietnamese say, buy and exchange goods from their traditional boats. There is time to stroll around the market on your own, where you can watch the small, local production of rice paper and coconut candy. Then the boat trip continues on the Mekong River past beautiful and leafy islands and through a network of meandering rivers crossed by small tributaries. During the day you also get the opportunity to take a bike ride. In the afternoon we make a small stop in a welcoming village where we are invited to a Vietnamese lunch at the home of a local family. Later in the afternoon we arrive at Ving Long, where we get to experience everyday life around the Mekong Delta. (F , L , M )
Day 14: Mekong Delta – Market Visit – Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast, go on a (approximately hours long) boat trip to explore the beautiful floating market of Cai Rang and its surrounding area. Cai Rang Floting Market is incredibly lively, and is also the largest floating market in Southeast Asia. There are hundreds of boats packed with fruit, vegetables and fish. You will have lunch on the way back to Ho Chi Minh City. ( F , L )
Day 15: Ho Chi Minh City
If you have some time left before your flight departs, you can treat yourself to one last discovery trip in the city. You can also take the opportunity to buy the last souvenirs. You take a taxi to the airport yourself. When you leave depends on when your flight departs. ( F )
Day 16: Arrival in Scandinavia
Arrival time to Scandinavia depends on which airline you travel with.
Overnight stays
One in first class compartment with four beds on train
One night by boat in Ha Long Bay
Eleven nights in 3-star hotels in Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho
