On the road to Tonkin

Departure from Montreal to Ho Chi Minh.

Arrival, welcome and transfer to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh.

The country’s economic capital, known as Saigon until the end of the Vietnam War. In 1976, after the departure of American troops, the city was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honor of the famous president who led Vietnam to independence in 1945.
Free time at the end of the day to relax.

Overnight stay in Ho Chi Minh

After breakfast, visit the old colonial districts that marked the French occupation of the country (1887-1954), the Central Post Office, the exterior of the Reunification Palace and the Notre-Dame Cathedral, in Romanesque style dating from the end of the 19th century.

In the afternoon, you will tour Cholon’s sprawling Chinatown, home to the bustling Binh Tay Market.

In the evening, dinner cruise on the Saigon River.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

A day dedicated to exploring the Mekong Delta , a vast network of thousands of canals spanning over 40,000 km2. Visit the city of My Tho and the Buddhist pagoda of Vinh Trang. You will also visit a Caodaist temple, a very interesting religion based on the principles of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity. Afterwards, you will embark on a pleasant cruise in the heart of the Delta.

Horse-drawn carriage ride through the village. Ride aboard small boats through a palm forest for a guaranteed change of scenery.

Drive to Can Tho, the largest economic city in the Delta. Dinner includes a tasting of a local specialty: Canh Chua Ca Loc soup, prepared with loc fish, vegetables, and tamarind, a blend of ingredients that gives it a sweet, bitter taste.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Can Tho

Morning cruise by sampan, a small, flat-bottomed wooden boat typical of the Mekong Delta , to the Cai Rang floating market, where you can observe vendors selling a host of products including colorful mountains of exotic fruits artfully stacked aboard their junks.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Danang. Welcome and transfer to the small town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a place renowned both for its water coconut forest and for its historical significance as a revolutionary base that aided Vietnamese troops during the war.

Dinner with a tasting of Mi Quang , a delicious comforting noodle dish with added pork or chicken, quail eggs, shrimp and broth flavored with turmeric and herbs.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Hoi An

Departure for a bike ride of about an hour in the charming rural village of Cam Thanh where, along the way, you can admire the landscapes of fish farms and water palm trees.

Then, transfer to visit the agricultural village of Tra Que, the main supplier of vegetables in the area. Cooking class with preparation of Banh Xeo , a hot crispy pancake stuffed with bean sprouts, pork slices and shrimp.

Walking tour of the ancient town of Hoi An, you will notice the perfect state of preservation of many houses, including the famous Tan Ky house at No. 101 Nguyen Street. Visit the old quarters of the town: the Fujian Sanctuary, the Chuc Thanh Pagoda, the Phuoc Kien communal house, the old wooden houses and the Japanese bridge.

Dinner with a tasting of a unique dish in Hoi An: banh vac , ravioli stuffed with rice paper and shaped into a flower, hence its poetic name of ‘white roses’.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Hoi An

Departure in the morning for Danang, a mountainous region where marble is extracted. Visit a stone carving workshop, where you can appreciate the skill of the artisans.

Continue to Hue via the famous Cloud Pass, with magnificent scenery. Arrive in Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam built by the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) and a cultural capital listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. In the afternoon, visit the Imperial City.

Royal costume dinner (minimum 10 participants).

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight stay in Hue

Cruise on the Perfume River to the impressive octagonal Pagoda of the Celestial Lady, the tallest pagoda in Vietnam with its six upper floors. Visit a royal tomb of the Nguyen dynasties (either that of Khai Dinh or Minh Mang). Stop in a village specializing in the manufacture of incense sticks, a local craft specialty. Visit the Tu Hieu Pagoda, built during the imperial era to house eunuchs.

Dinner with culinary tasting of Bun Bo Hué , a dish originating from the ancient imperial city, composed of rice noodles and beef.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Hanoi .

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Hanoi

The city’s modernization, undertaken by the French in 1882, continued until 1955, and the face of today’s Hanoi has not changed much. Visit the exterior of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, his former residence, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, and the Museum of History.

A cyclo-rickshaw ride is a unique and relaxing way to explore Hanoi . Visit the Jade Temple and discover Hoan Kiem Lake, located in the heart of the old town, and stroll through Hanoi ‘s lively shopping streets .

Free time to explore the city at your own pace. In the evening, enjoy a water puppet show and dinner with a tasting of fish cha ca , a traditional North Vietnamese recipe.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Hanoi

After breakfast, drive to the spectacular Sapa region, dominated by stunning mountain ranges and cascading rice paddies as far as the eye can see.

Excursion to the traditional rural village of Ban Khoang, nestled in a small, isolated valley still largely unspoiled by mass tourism.

Visit the Thac Bac Falls, the majestic “silver waterfalls”.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Sapa

Departure for an excursion to the Muong Hoa Valley to the Lao Chai village, where the Hmong and Red Dao ethnic minorities coexist. Continue to the village of Ta Van, populated by the Day minority.

Dinner at a local’s house.

Stroll through the villages and meet up with people based on current activities. Free time at the market.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Sapa

Early morning departure for an authentic and colorful local market where all the surrounding ethnic groups mingle. Trading places vary depending on the day of the week. Meet villagers in traditional costume who sell livestock and produce a wide variety of handicrafts. Return to Hanoi .

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Hanoi

Departure to the magnificent site of Hoa Lu, also called the “Halong on Earth”. The karst relief is reminiscent of the famous “Dragon Bay” with its numerous limestone hills covered with lush vegetation and a succession of natural coves connected by tunnels dug by erosion. Embarkation on small traditional sampans for a peaceful ride to Thung Nham, with its still wild and deserted landscapes, in the middle of rice fields , natural caves and limestone peaks.

Dinner with tasting of local specialties.

Return to the hotel and dinner with culinary discovery.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Hanoi

Drive to Ha Long Bay and board a junk for a cruise that will last until the next day.

Seafood and shellfish dinner.

In the afternoon, explore the region’s lesser-known islands, swim, and visit the caves. Overnight on board the junk.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Ha Long

Continue the cruise in the morning and enjoy brunch on the junk. Disembark and drive to Hanoi . On the way, visit the magnificent But Thap Pagoda. The beauty and magnificence of this pagoda – one of the largest in Vietnam – are due as much to the scale and harmony of the construction itself as to the works (statues, furniture, etc.) found there.

Free time in the afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Overnight in Hanoi

Transfer to Hanoi airport to take your return flight to Montreal.

Meals: Breakfast