Discover Vietnam Heritages Tour 17 Days

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

Later, enjoy a nice walking tour escorted by your tour guide. 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.

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.

12:30: You will be taken aboard our support vessel and travel from the wharf via the bay to board our luxurious craft, Peony Cruises. Welcome fresh drinks, cold towels and a special lunch of fresh food and an assortment of appetizing delicacies will be served. You will be enchanted when decadently dining on our luxury junk. Life just doesn't get better than this! We then set sail for Lan Ha Bay - A member of the World’s Most Beautiful Bays.15:30: We will visit the Dark and Bright Cave - famous for the pristine natural beauty and poetic, attractive seascape of Lan Ha Bay. Here you will take some photos of the romantic, lyrical local see-sights. This is also the best time for tourists to enjoy bamboo boat and swimming - which is an interesting activity to discover the truest beauty of the limestone mountains and the blue sky of LanHa Bay. Afterwards, visitors immerse in the emerald green water of LanHa Bay with exciting swimming activities or enjoy mini pool with jacuzzi on Peony Cruise.17:30: Return to Peony Cruise. Enjoy sunset party on Lan Ha Bay. It is an ideal time for photography enthusiasts to capture the stunning moment of sunset at Lan Ha Bay.19:30: Enjoy a romantic dinner at the restaurant on Peony Cruise.21:00: Enjoy the nightlife of the bay from the top deck. Immerse yourself in music, enjoying a glass of cocktail from the bar, watching famous films and relaxing on the cruise. Otherwise, you can fish squid with the sailors or simply relax in the room and watch the bay from the balcony.Overnight on the cruise.

6:30-7:30: Breakfast is served at Peony Cruise Cruise restaurant.8:00: Cruise will arrival Frog Pond area, in here you have kayaking and free to relax in the four-season mini pool on Lan Ha Bay - A silk ribbon made from green mountains, blue seas and diverse fauna and flora.9:30: Checking out of the room. Then the lunch in the restaurant is ready for you, pay the extra fee (if any) at the reception while traveling to the port. Kindly needed to pay for the costs in charge of the front desk (if any) while traveling to the port.11:15 - 11:30: Disembark and move back the port.11h30 – 11h45: You are at Tuan Chau International Marina Station

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).

Welcome by tour guide and driver at DONG HOI airport - Early morning flight (if not at the station) to Quang Binh province, the narrowest part of Vietnam and famous for the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park which is listed on the World Heritage in 2003. Covering 85,754 ha of outstanding geological and ecological value, the site will let you immerse into sumptuous landscape of karst plateaus and rainforests by surveying its spectacular underground caves and rivers and discovering its abundance of endemic species.

Enjoy 1 hour drive up hill, passing rural countryside and enter national park to explore Phong Nha Cave. Discovered in 1994, this famous cave is well-known for its underground river and its system of fantastic stalactites and stalagmites. From the pier, you take the boat following the Son River to the gigantic gate of the grotto. Enjoy a leisure walk to admire the natural masterpieces by crossing some secret corners: Bi Ki Cave, Celestial Palace.

Enjoy lunch at local restaurant. In the after noon have a special discover the Paradise cave (Thien Duong cave). New surprises are waiting for you. Discovered in 2005, with 31.4 km long, 60 m high and 30 to 100 m wide, it is considered as the longest in Asia. After a short walk in the forest, you begin the discovery of this terrestrial paradise through the different rooms that amaze you with the grandiose stalactites and stalagmites both mystical and extraordinary.

Pick up from hotel by tour guide and driver. Transfer to the Huong River (or Perfume River) to embark a Royal boat trip to the villages in the East of the city. This is an opportunity to discover the local life on the both sides of this poetic river. Upon arrival in Tien Non village, disembark for a bike ride in the countryside through three villages: Tien Non, Thanh Tien and Sinh village. During the trip, you will be immersed into the daily rhythm of life in the villages.In Tien Non village, meet the villagers working on the fields and vegetable gardens. Then, visit a family worship house in the village. Next, reach Thanh Tien village, an artificial paper flower village dating back 400 years. Besides the rural works, they make paper flowers for the New Year festival to offer their ancestors the best wishes. Visit Mr. Hieu’s family, one of the well-known artisans in the village to learn how to make paper flowers under his instruction. Keep going to Sinh village, a cradle of 400 year folklore prints in Hue. Meet Mr. Phuoc who will explain the techniques of traditional prints. You will find beautiful souvenirs on this trip. Later, take the boat back to the city.

In the afternoon, 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.

After that we go to 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.

7:30 AM: Pick up at hotel to visit Khai Dinh King's tomb, built in 11 years (1920 – 1931) on Chau Tru hill. Khai Dinh King's tomb is distinguished from other emperor's tombs by the mixture of oriental and western styles. A hundred-step climb will take you to the worship palace at the top. You will discover the amazing decoration with delightful porcelain fragments, a giant painting on the ceiling and a small royal objects museum next door. Finally, the descent offers a panoramic view to the tomb and surrounding area.

Continue drive to Hoi An via Mandarin Road and Sea Cloud pass (Hai Van Pass). Stop on top of the pass to enjoy the breathtaking view of the ocean and Da Nang city. 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 on 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 Hoi An ancient town.

In the afternoon, explore the town. 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. A non-touristic destination makes your visit more enjoyable and enriched by learning Japanese tea-ceremony or making toys from coconut leafs with local expert.

Continue leisurely walking 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.

After that we go to 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.

Our last stop today is 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.

Meet at your hotel. Begin cycling to Hoi An pier and embark on the ferry crossing the Thu Bon river to Kim Bong village. On the boat, you will immerse yourselves into the comfortable fresh air and enjoy the idyllic landscapes on both sides of the river.This village has long been known for its wood carving. At first, the artisans inherited the techniques from the northern Vietnamese. Later, from business exchange, they could successfully adopt the know-how of Chinese and Japanese sculptures and cultivate their own style. Bike around the village to understand their daily life and visit a carpenter's workshop to admire their talent. It is possible to buy some wood products as souvenirs.

Continue cycling on the trails through rice paddies, bamboo bridges along the river to Tra Nhieu village. Immerse into the countryside in the center of Vietnam. The trip will allow some unprecedented meetings for instance, Ms Duoc with the mat weaving, Mr Kha with the bamboo sampan basket making and Mr Huynh Ri with his craftsman shipyard. A countryside landscape of palm and rice fields, buffaloes and farmers in the fields will surround you along the way.

From Tra Nhieu, set off on a boat trip on the Thu Bon River to Cam Thanh village. Along the way the landscapes of fishing farms and water palmtrees will accompany you. Arrive in Cam Thanh and embark a small round bamboo sampan basket boat. Enjoy crab catching in the water palm trees forest. This is a relaxing moment after hours of biking.After that take a little rest in the house of fisherman (Mr. Phong) enjoy green tea and foot massage with medicinal herbs that planted in the family garden. Then prepare vegetables and herbs from Tra Que village, join in a small practice of cooking the typical dishes: crispy pancake (meat, shrimp, beansprouts…), spring rolls of Hoi An, Tam Huu, grilled fish in banana leaf… Enjoy the dishes you made.

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.