Experience the Hidden Charms of Vietnam by Road
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  Duration: 15 DAYS/14 NIGHTS STYLE: Classic Travel

Experience the Hidden Charms of Vietnam by Road

Overview
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This 15 day road trip will take you travelling through Vietnam from the vibrant Capital City of Hanoi in the north to the economic and trendsetting centre of Ho Chi Minh in the south as well as the ‘must see’ places in between. This trip also includes some of the ‘harder to get to’ places that are only inaccessible by public transport.  With this trip, you also experience the hidden charms of Vietnam by road.

During the trip, you will see rock formations unlike anything else in the world in Ha Long Bay and the unique ‘Ha Long Bay on land’ area of Ninh Binh. From Ninh Binh, you will travel to Vinh City, the birthplace of Hoi Chi Minh and then get to Phong Nha and the unmissable Ke Bang National Park. Continuing south, you experience the ancient capital of Hue, the blossoming town of Da Nang and the awe-inspiring preserved town of Hoi An. And of course, travelling by road does not exclude you from enjoying the fabulous beaches, clear water and colorful marine life (as well as the delicious seafood) in Nha Trang. After the relaxation of the sun and sea, you will then journey inland to the romantic and elegant atmosphere of the hill town of Da Lat.

The most southern part of the trip takes you to the modern, lively city of Ho Chi Minh and surrounding areas. You will continue to experience the hidden charms of Vietnam by road as you make the drive to the Mekong Delta. Once in the Delt area, you will also get to see and experience how local people live their lives on and around the rivers of the Delta much the same as they have done for many generations. 

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WHY YOU SHOULD BOOK THIS TOUR WITH US?
  • Personal attention to detail by all HGH from the time of your initial enquiry through to the end of your tour
  • 24 hour support available during the tour
  • Enjoy the degree of historical and cultural information throughout your tour from our local and knowledgeable tour hosts to the degree that you and your group are interested.
  • We focus on sustainable tourism by creating the very best experience for you as the tourist while supporting our local environment and local people
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Ha Noi – Arrival

You are met at Noi Bai International Airport by your guide and taken to your hotel in the centre of Ha Noi. You are then free to relax or explore at your leisure after your long flight.

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Day 2: Ha Noi

Hanoi is over 1000 years old. It is the capital of Vietnam as well as being the commercial, political, and cultural heart of Vietnam.

The city tour takes you on a drive around the city while visiting the main tourist hotspots. After the One-Pillar Pagoda, we go to the Temple of Literature. Built in October 1073, the temple honors Confucius and is the first university built in Vietnam. If Ha Noi is the heart of the country, Hoan Kiem Lake is the heart of Ha Noi. In the centre of the lake is the Ngoc Son Temple, which is our next stop. Later in the afternoon, you will be able to take a 1-hour cyclo ride around the 36 streets of the Old Quarter and Ho Guom (Sword Lake).

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Day 3: Ha Noi – Ha Long

Saying goodbye to Hanoi, we travel to the astonishing and mystical World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay. The Bay is in the Gulf of Tonkin and boasts a spectacular collection of 2,000 islands covering an area in excess of 1,500km forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars and cliff faces.

The crew welcomes you on board the luxury boat where you can settle into your cabin and then enjoy drinks with a fresh seafood lunch. The boat weaves majestically around the gigantic rock formations (karsts) as you cruise towards Bai Tu Long Bay, passing the towns of Hon Gai and Cam Pha, Oan Lagoon, Mat Quy (Monster Head) and Am Tich (Teapot) Islets and Vung Vieng fishing village.

Explore the mystery and beauty of Sung Sot Cave leaving you plenty of time for swimming and kayaking to the Tunnel Cave. The evening offers a casual and comfortable atmosphere with an elegant dining experience. Make sure your cameras are charged and ready to record a spectacular sunset which transforms into a clear, star filled sky that makes your heart sing.

The night is spent onboard.

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Day 4: Ha Long – Ha Noi

After breakfast, we continue to cruise through the karsts, some of which display fantastic and mystical shapes that lead rise to many legends about dragons and by gone days. We visit to the Luon Cave before an early lunch on board and then a sad farewell to the boat and crew. On the road back to Hanoi, we stop at the Bat Trang ceramics and pottery village where they sell many kinds of ceramics, embroidery and marble statues. Dinner is at the “Rung” Restaurant.

Hotel in Ha Noi


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Day 5: Ha Noi – Hoa Lu – Vinh

Day 5 takes us 80 km South of Hanoi to the spectacular area of Ninh Binh Province, also known as “Ha Long Bay on land”, where we start the tour with a relaxing sampan ride through the gentle and elegant landscape of plains and mountains leading to the mysterious Tam Coc Grottoes. Back to dry land, we move onto the Thai Vy temple, built in the 13th century and Hoa Lu, the former capital of the Dinh and early Le dynasties between the 10th and 11th centuries. After lunch, we travel to Vinh City (the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh), where you will have the evening at your own leisure.

Hotel in Minh City

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Day 6: Vinh – Phong Nha – Hue

From Vinh City, relax for a drive to the World Natural Heritage Site of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, located in the Quang Binh Province of Central Vietnam. Explore and discover the breathtaking beauty of the caves. The park not only has beautiful limestone formations, grotto caves and forest, but it also contains the largest primeval forest in Vietnam and the biggest limestone mountain range on the planet. Many views this Province as the most magnificent in Viet Nam but in a country that abounds with such diverse and extraordinary scenery, it is always going to a personal preference. From Phong Nha Wharf, we take a boat trip on the Son River to visit the Phong Nha Grotto.

After an exciting day exploring the National Park, we head further south to Hue City.

Hotel in Hue


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Day 7: Hue

Hue City was the political, economic and cultural capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 – 1945). We spend the entire day exploring ancient Hue engaging with its beauties and marvels. We start by taking a boat trip down the romantic Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the most beautiful and oldest pagodas in Hue. After that, we move on to see the Minh Mang Tomb.Minh Mang was emperor of Vietnam from 1820 to 1841.

In the afternoon, we head to the outskirts of Hue to explore the Tu Duc Tomb before heading for the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site of the Imperial Citadel, where you will see the Imperial City and Forbidden City as well as enjoying the palaces, ornate halls, libraries, residences, colleges, Flag Tower and Noon Gate.

Dinner is at the local restaurant after which you are free to venture out on your own or take it easy and relax in your hotel room.

Hotel in Hue

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Day 8: Hue – Da Nang – Hoi An

From ancient Hue, we travel to the more modern and rapidly growing town of Da Nang then to the exotic Hoi An. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to stop en route to take pictures at the summit of Lang Co Beach, Hai Van Pass.The Cham Museum is located in Da Nang City and has the most extensive collection of Cham art sculptures in the world. Sculptures date from the 7th to the 15th century. Afterwards we drive through the beautiful and famous Marble Mountains arriving in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site of the town of Hoi An.

Visite du Musée Cham à Da Nang  et de la Montagne de Marbre. Arrivée à Hoï An. Appelée autrefois Faifo, Hoï An fut un port très actif où Chinois et Japonais avaient leurs quartiers et où marchands portugais et hollandais venaient commercer aux 17ème et 18ème siècles. Son architecture authentique, continue de défier le temps et fait de Hoi An une ville attachante au charme exquis. Visite des maisons anciennes, du pont couvert japonais, du marché et du port. Hébergement à l'hôtel.

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Day 9: Hoi An – Nha Trang

Take a relaxing morning on the beach, visit the many shops, take a trip down the river or hire a bicycle to explore the surroundings of Hoi An. The choice is yours.

After checking-out, we travel back to Da Nang to catch the train south to Nha Trang. The train follows the coastal route, providing spectacular views of beaches, cliffs and rice paddies. You local guide will meet you and take you to your hotel.

Hotel in Nha Trang

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Day 10: Nha Trang

Nha Trang is the country’s premier traditional seaside resort and offers fabulous beaches, clear water and colorful marine life. Nha Trang Bay, surrounded on all three sides by mountains making it widely considered among the world's most beautiful bays. Enjoy a morning boat trip in Nha Trang Bay to visit one of the many islands for swimming. You will have some leisure time at Tam Island before we head for a local fishing village for lunch. After lunch, take a walk through the village to the Tri Nguyen Aquarium.

Hotel in Nha Trang

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Day 11: Nha Trang – Da Lat

After the beaches of Nha Trang, we head for the central highlands to the romantic City of Love, Da Lat. We stop en route to visit the Cham historical site of Po Klong Garai tower in Phan Rang. Continuing up the Ngoan Muc Pass, we arrive in Da Lat, which is located at an altitude of 1,500m and offers a cool climate all year round. So be prepared for a contrast of temperatures.

The city tour of the Da Lat City begins with a visit to the romantic Valley of Love, where you will see the tranquil Da Thien Lake with its bridges and various sculptures depicting couples in love. The Valley of Love is a "must see" for everyone! The Xuan Huong Lake is a great place for a pleasant stroll with friends, families or that special someone. Da Lat is a beautiful, peaceful city to be enjoyed by everyone.

Hotel in Da Lat

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Day 12: Da Lat – Ho Chi Minh City

Leave behind the tranquil Da Lat, we travel through coffee and tea plantations en route for the largest, fast-paced, modern city of Ho Chi Minh formally known as “Saigon”. The HCM City tour includes a visit to the Reunification Palace, a tribute to the end of the American/ Vietnamese war. In the same vicinity is the Notre Dame Cathedral, with the twin bell towers that form the most famous landmark in Ho Chi Minh as that is visible for miles around. Across the square is the Saigon Post Office.

This building was designed and constructed by the famous architect Gustave Eiffel who also built the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. It is the largest functioning post office in Vietnam and a must to see. And on to China Town, Binh Tay Market and the Thien Hau Temple.

Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

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Day 13: HCM City – Cu Chi – Tay Ninh – HCM City

Stunning landscapes, beautiful scenery culture and history are all on the menu after breakfast. Not far outside of HCM are the famous and extraordinary Cu Chi Tunnels. The tunnels were built by the Viet Cong guerillas and formed a labyrinth virtually underneath the U.S bases and were used for surprise raids and to avoid air strikes. The tunnels themselves extend over 200 kilometers and for short stretches are accessible to visitors.

 

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Day 14: HCM City – My Tho – HCM City

We start the day with a scenic drive through the Mekong Delta, home to the richest agricultural lands in Vietnam. At My Tho, we take a boat trip to an island that has rich, fertile orchard gardens and take a horse-drawn cart to Quoi Son to visit a bee farm and enjoy various local teas and candies. Back onboard the boat, we gently float down the tree-lined canals of the Mekong Delta then stop to visit a family-run enterprise that produces coconut candy. We will also have a delicious lunch at the orchard garden. We return late afternoon by boat to My Tho and then by road back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

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Day 15: HCM City – Departure

On the day of your departure, you are free to shop, relax and do whatever you would like at your own leisure until your transfer time to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for the departure flight.


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