Vietnam tour 12 days from South to North

DAY 1: HO CHI MINH (D)
Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) formalities. Group transfer to the hotel if possible, (if arrival flights are too far apart, several transfers will be necessary). Free day to rest your night flight or take the pulse of this city steeped in history. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 2: HO CHI MINH / MEKONG / CAN THO (B, L, D)
Breakfast. Welcome by your guide then departure for Mekong delta, a vast network of thousands of channels characterizes the life in the Mekong Delta which extends over 40 000 Km². Arrival at My Tho, visit a Caodaist temple in My Tho. Boarding for a cruise in the Mekong Delta. Arrival on an island, tasting seasonal fruits that are harvested in the orchards. Visit a candy factory with coconut. Horse carriage ride in the village. Walk aboard small boats in the middle of a forest of palm trees for a change of scenery. Specialty lunch of the region: Elephant Earfish. Road to Can Tho, the largest economic city of the Delta. Dinner with tasting of a specialty of the Mekong Delta: Canh Chua Ca Loc soup. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Can Tho.

DAY 3: CAN THO / VINH LONG / HO CHI MINH (B, L, D)
Breakfast. Morning walk in sampan, small traditional boat, to discover the floating market of Cai Rang. Discover the way of life of the South where the inhabitants of the region live and trade totally on the water, with small boats or boats. Back on the ground, guided tour of the Khmer Pagoda.
Continue to Vinh Long, visit a beautiful old house typical of the delta, cooking class with locals, prepare Vietnamese pancakes, spring rolls... and lunch here.
Arrival in Ho Chi Minh in the afternoon, discover the Chinatown of Cholon whose district of medicinal plants, Binh Tay market. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 4: HO CHI MINH / DANANG / HOI AN (FLIGHT AFTERNOON) (B, L, D)
Breakfast, guided tour the economic capital of Vietnam, formerly Saigon and renamed Ho Chi Minh in 1976 after the departure of the Americans. Visit the old colonial districts, the Central Post Office, the exterior of the Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral (outside as the Notre Dame Cathedral is undergoing renovation). Then the Saigon Opera House, the Ben Thanh Market.
Lunch and transfer to the airport, and flight to Danang (without guide). Welcome at Danang airport from local guide in Danang and transfer to Hoi An, a small town classified as World Heritage by Unesco. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Hoian.

DAY 5: HOI AN / TRA QUE / HOIAN (B, L, D)
Breakfast. Departure by bike for the visit of the agricultural village Tra Que which provides vegetables for the whole city and the surroundings, visit the fields of ricefields en route. Lunch during the visit.
Walking through the ancient city of Hoi An, Hoi An is the perfect state of conservation of a large number of houses, including the famous Tan Ky House at No. 101 Nguyen Street. Visit the old parts of the city: the Fujian Shrine, Phuc Thanh Pagoda, Phuc Kien Communal House, the old wooden houses and the Japanese bridge. A little free time for a stroll in the old town or enjoy the beach.
Dinner with tasting Banh Vac, "white rose", white rice paste stuffed with shrimp. This dish is prepared only in Hoi An. Overnight at the hotel in Hoian.

DAY 6: HOI AN - HAI VAN PASS - HUE (160KM) (B, L, D)
Breakfast. Departure to Danang, a mountainous region where marble is extracted. Visit the village of stone sculptors to appreciate the skill of craftsmen. Continue to Hue, via the famous Hai Van Pass ​​from where you will have a beautiful view over the peninsula of Lang Co. Arrival in Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam and cultural capital classified as World Heritage by Unesco since 1993. The city was built by the Nguyen dynasty. Having dinner. After lunch visit the Imperial City. Royal costume theme dinner (minimum 10 participants). Overnight at the hotel in Hue.

DAY 7: HUE - HOA LU (NIGHT IN THE TRAIN) (B, L, D)
Breakfast. Boat trip on the Perfume River to the Pagoda of the Celestial Lady whose octagonal tower is recognizable from afar. Visit of a royal tomb of the Nguyen dynasty with the Tu Duc tomb. Lunch with tasting of Bun Bo Hue, "Hue noodles with beef", dish from the ancient imperial city. Stop in a village specialized in the manufacture of incense sticks, a craft specialty of the region. Discover the market of Dong Ba, specialty of the conical hat. Transfer to the station. Dinner at the restaurant and boarding the night train for Hoa Lu (without accompanying the guide). Night in air-conditioned berths. Offered: A silk sleeping bag.

DAY 8: HOA LU (B, L, D)
Breakfast on the train. Arrival mid-morning at Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh). Reception and transfer to your hotel. Lunch with tasting of goat kebabs, local specialty. Road to the magnificent site of Hoa Lu, also called the "Earth Halong". The karstic relief is reminiscent of the famous "Dragon Bay" with many limestone hills covered with lush vegetation and a succession of natural circuses interconnected by tunnels dug by erosion. Embark on small traditional sampans for a leisurely stroll in Thung Nham, with its still wild and deserted landscapes, surrounded by rice fields, natural caves and limestone peaks. At the end of the day, for those who wish, you will enjoy a bike ride to discover the surrounding villages. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Hoa Lu.

DAY 9: HOA LU - HALONG BAY (197KM) (B, L, D)
Breakfast. Early departure by road to Halong. Arrival around noon. Embark on a boat cruise in this magical place, through the famous karstic sugar loaves and the 3000 islands and islets emerging from the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. The site has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. Seafood lunch on the waters of the "8th Wonder of the World". Stop in one of the natural caves. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Halong.

Optional extra: Dinner + night on a junk in the heart of Halong Bay
(Glory Cruise Junk or similar)
Embark aboard a traditional boat junk to admire the spectacle of one of the most beautiful bays in the world, Halong Bay, consisting of 1,600 loaves of sugar. This cruise will allow you to navigate over the water to discover all its riches. Night falls and in this magical setting, enjoy a dinner that will leave you with beautiful memories of travel and a night on board in comfortable cabins. The next day, you will sail along the water all morning.

DAY 10: HALONG BAY - HANOI (160KM) (B, L, D)
Breakfast. Free morning to stroll in the village of Halong. After lunch, on the way to Hanoi, with a stop at Dong Trieu, known for its workshops as ceramic craftsmen. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner with tasting of Bun Cha Ca, a true tradition in northern Vietnam. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 11: HANOI (B, L, D)
Breakfast. Hanoi, a real museum of colonial architecture on the edge of the Red River. Capital of Vietnam, Hanoi has retained the old-fashioned charm of the French colonial era. The modernization of the city, undertaken by the French from 1882, continued until 1955 and the face of Hanoi today has not changed much.
Visit the exterior of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, its former residence, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature the First University of Vietnam. Lunch with tasting of a typical Vietnamese dessert, "Che". Enjoy Cyclo tour, an original and relaxing way to apprehend Hanoi, its lakes, its old quarter and its colonial mansions. Discover Hoan Kiem Lake located in the heart of the old city and walk through the busy shopping streets of Hanoi. Visit the Jade Temple, located on Hoan Kiem Lake. Puppet show on the water. Free time for a personal discovery of the old shopping district of 36 guilds and guilds. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 12: HANOI / DEPARTURE (B)
Breakfast. Free day to make your last purchases. According to your flight schedule, transfer (without guide) to the airport for your return flight.