Beautiful Vietnam

Departure from Montreal to Hanoi.

Upon your arrival at Hanoi International airport, you will be welcomed and transferred to the hotel in Hanoi City Centre. Free time for the rest of the day.

Meals: Dinner
Overnight in Hanoi 

Morning departure to visit the beautiful Temple of Literature. It was used to educate Vietnamese royalty, mandarins, and the elite. The University operated for 700 years before becoming the peaceful landmark it is today. Its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer fascinating glimpses of the country’s distant past.

Continue to explore Hanoi with a visit to the nearby Ho Chi Minh Complex, the final resting place of President Ho Chi Minh (Bac Ho), the most iconic leader of Vietnam and who has led the country to its independence and reunification. This complex includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square, Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, Ho Chi Minh Museum and One Pillar Pagoda. Here you will see the mausoleum and the old house where he lived from 1958 to 1969. End the morning with a visit to the small, but iconic One Pillar Pagoda.

In the afternoon, start with a visit to the Museum of Ethnology. This is the most comprehensive museum in the country, with an abundant amount of information on the 54 ethnic minority groups in Vietnam.

In the late afternoon, ride a pedicab through the streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as “36 streets”. Take a tour through the charming Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to thousands of small merchants.

Enjoy a water puppet show that will immerse you into the traditional performance arts scene of Vietnam before heading back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast – Dinner
Overnight in Hanoi 

After your breakfast, depart to Ninh Binh. Your journey passes through the most picturesque province of Vietnam. With spectacular limestone mountains amidst the lush rice fields and local villages, Ninh Binh has earned the nickname ‘Halong Bay on land.’

Deep in the center of the province is Tho Ha village where you will embark on a bike ride of 7km or a longer ride of 15 km (according to your preference). The ride begins in Tho Ha village and continues through the nearby peaceful villages, passing rustic countryside landscapes and rice fields. Stop at Dong Tam Hamlet to participate in some typical agricultural activities with the farmers such as trapping crabs, catching fish, planting vegetables, or tending water buffaloes.

After a tasty home cooked lunch, enjoy a boat trip on a traditional Sampan through the paddy fields. Arriving at a limestone mountain side, you will disembark and start your next adventure through the mythical Galaxy Cave. Inside the cave’s first chamber, visit some archeological excavations, discovering evidence of an ancient time. Walk further to admire the beauty of the cave with thousands of glittering stalactites hanging from the ceiling. The next chamber of the cave is called ‘But Hien’, meaning the Buddha statue as there is a stalagmite that looks like a statue. Be amazed by many stalactites with strange shapes before taking the sampan back to the pier and transfer to the hotel in Ninh Binh.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Overnight in Ninh Binh 

Early morning transfer to Halong Bay for a 2 days cruise throughout its breathtaking 1,600 islands and islets that rise up out of the emerald water. The beautiful bay also hosts numerous pristine sandy beaches that are ideal for swimming.

Complete the check-in procedure for your cruise, then a short transfer to the Capella cruise by a tender boat. Cruise anchors for outdoor activities that include Oasis Pool and Jacuzzi; Floating Ocean Pool; Inflatable Water Slide; Kayak; Mini-golf course.

In the afternoon, enjoy a happy hour with freshly prepared canapés and complimentary drinks while watching the sunset. In the evening, enjoy onboard activities such as the Cigar & Poker room; Night Squid Fishing; Board game at the Spirit of the Sea Lounge, and more.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Overnight on board the cruise 

Start your day with a Tai-chi exercise class on your cruise sundeck followed by a light breakfast.

You will be exploring the Bright cave on a traditional rowing bamboo boat. Here you will see an angled passageway opening the cave at water level and a serene round lake surrounded by lush trees and precipitous stone cliffs.
After your buffet brunch, transfer to Hanoi airport to take a flight to Danang. Arrival, welcome at the airport and transfer to your hotel in Hoi An.

Meals: Brunch – Dinner
Overnight in Hoi An 

In the morning, start your half-day visit of Hoi An, a UNESCO heritage site. This town originated from a sleepy fishing village and grew into a busy trading port in Asia by welcoming international merchant boats of the Dutch, Japanese, Chinese, French and Portuguese during the late 16th to the 18th Centuries. Today, it is one of the most charming coastal towns of Vietnam. Hoi An has the country’s most beautiful traditional architecture that blends styles from the Chinese, Japanese, French and Portuguese elements.

Start your walking tour through the streets lined with yellow houses, home to silk tailors and art galleries. Visit the Chinese ornate structure of Chua Ong Pagoda, built in1653. On the same street, stroll to the nearby Phuc Kien temple, the Assembly Hall of Fujkian, one of the most important worship halls to the Chinese merchants in the old days.

Continue your visit with the Tan Ky House, built two centuries ago by a Vietnamese family, this gem of a house has been lovingly preserved through seven generations. You will also visit the most iconic landmark of Hoi An, the Japanese Covered Bridge, you will have the chance to take some amazing pictures.

Meals: Breakfast – Dinner
Overnight in Hoi An 

This countryside tour of Hoi An will give you real insight into local life. Setting off from Café Zoom in Hoi An, you’ll ride with your guide, over the bridge to Cam Kim Island, along the riverside, passing through the beautiful rural countryside. First stop includes an ancestral house and a traditional boat builders yard before we set off to explore the sleepy villages and Island. Zigzag through the breathtaking scenery of rice paddies and farmlands.

Learn from friendly local families the art of mat weaving, farming, and how to make the perfect Banh Dap rice crackers. Meeting local families is a must to experience the true way of life in Vietnam. Continue with the visit of a local cafe to fuel up on drip-coffee & learn the art of coffee roasting. Then we make our way to the coast at the Thu Bon River mouth, along roads lined with Casuarina Pine & Cashew Nut Trees.

Free time in the afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Overnight in Hoi An

*You will be seated in the back of Vespas (passenger seat). The drivers/guides are certified by the Vespa team.

Transfer to Danang airport and flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Arrival and transfer to your hotel.

In the afternoon, go on a half day city tour including the visit of the Notre-Dame Cathedral and The Central Post Office, which was designed by the renowned French architect Gustav Eiffel. Take a short stroll along Dong Khoi Street to the Opera House. From a bomb shelter to housing the parliamentary Lower House, the Opera House has had an interesting history. Restored in 1995 the Opera House has returned to its roots and is once again a theatre.

Continue your visit with the Reunification Palace, once a symbol of the South Vietnam Government. It was here where on April 30,1975 the war ended. You will visit the war room, the banquet hall, and the presidential office which holds all the unusual gifts received at the time.
Head to Cholon, the city’s Chinatown, and Thien Hau Pagoda, dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea.

Meals: Breakfast – Dinner
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

Morning departure to Ben Tre province. The two-hour journey offers a scenic view of the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam. Ben Tre is referred to as the kingdom of coconut. It is famous for its fruit orchards and traditional craftsmen who make a variety of products from coconut.

Continue with a short cruise on a traditional boat for a first glimpse of life in the Mekong Delta. Cross the river to pay a visit to a coconut processing workshop and learn about the different uses of this product in daily life. Venture out for a more rustic experience by hopping on a vintage Lambro (or take a bike) along sleepy village roads where you may stop to learn how locals weave coconut mats.

Next, visit a family in their home surrounded by fruit gardens. Learn about local fruit orchards and taste the local tropical fruits as you engage with the family members. In the afternoon, transfer by private transport to Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City 

Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City airport and flight back to Montreal.

Meal: Breakfast