8-Day Vietnam Historical Tour with Mekong Delta and Ha Long Cruise

• In the morning, enjoy a city tour.
• At 8:30 a.m., depart from your hotel or our office for the Cu Chi Tunnels and Ho Chi Minh City full-day tour.
• Visit the War Remnants Museum, a war museum containing exhibits related to the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War.
• See Dinh Độc Lập, a remarkable national monument that witnessed many important historical events in the country, especially the Liberation of the South to reunify the country on April 30, 1975.
• Visit Nhà thờ Đức Bà, the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, officially the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception. Located in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, this cathedral was established by French colonists, who initially named it the Church of Saigon, and it was constructed between 1863 and 1880.
• Continue to the Saigon Central Post Office in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, near Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica. The building was constructed in the late 19th century, when Vietnam was part of French Indochina.

• In the afternoon, visit the Cu Chi Tunnels.

• First, take an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the struggle for independence. It took about 25 years to build this underground city, which includes living rooms, kitchens, hospitals, weapon factories, storage facilities, and a command centre. The tunnel system was an excellent way for the Vietcong to move around the countryside undetected by the Americans and was home to around 10,000 people who lived underground for several years.

• Before going underground, watch a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed. Then spend the next hour exploring the maze of tunnels. Also on display are various mantraps, the remains of an American tank, and numerous bomb craters made by 500-pound bombs dropped by B52 bombers.

• Have lunch at the restaurant, then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving at approximately 2:00 p.m.

• Start at 8:00 a.m.
• Travel to My Tho wharf, where a motorboat takes you along the Tien River to see floating fish farm villages, the Rạch Miễu Bridge - a cable-stayed bridge spanning the Tien River and linking the provinces of Tien Giang (My Tho) and Ben Tre - and the four islands of Long, Lan, Qui, and Phung.
• Stop at Con Lan to visit a local honey bee farm and taste unique honey tea.
• After that, an electric cart will escort you to the fruit garden, where you can try fresh seasonal tropical fruits and listen to traditional Southern music.
• Next, experience the Mekong Delta while sitting on a rowing boat and weaving through the small canals, watching rows of water coconuts and the simple landscape of the delta.
• Return to the big boat and continue along the Tien River to Ben Tre, known as the "Vietnamese coconut island," to visit the specialty coconut candy oven.
• Have lunch at a local restaurant.
• Take a rowing boat to the restaurant and enjoy lunch with typical dishes of the Mekong Delta.
• Return at 4:00 p.m.

• After breakfast at your hotel, take a flight to Danang.
• Upon arrival, begin your sightseeing.
• At 14:00, your driver and guide will pick you up from your hotel to visit Linh Ung Pagoda, the most important pagoda in Danang for Buddhist people to come and pray.
• On the way to Hoi An, visit Ngũ Hành Sơn (Marble Mountain).
• Marble Mountain is a complex consisting of Kim (Iron Mountain), Mộc (Wood Mountain), Thủy (Water Mountain), Hỏa (Fire Mountain), and Thổ (Earth Mountain), symbolizing the five main elements of the universe in Asian culture. Discover the mysterious beauty of the caves combined with the sacred atmosphere of Buddhism, and visit Tam Thai Pagoda and Linh Ung Pagoda.
• Admire the masterpieces of exquisite stone sculptures created by the skilful hands of artisans in Non Nuoc village at the foot of the mountain.
• At 18:00, depart for Hoi An Ancient Town. Enjoy dinner with many unique local dishes such as Cao Lầu, Hoành Thánh, Bánh Bao, and Bánh Vạc.
• Visit Hoi An Ancient Town, including the Japanese Bridge, the only remaining element of Japanese culture and now considered a symbol of Hoi An. Take a walk along the street by the Hoài River and enjoy the nightlife of Hoi An Town. Colorful lanterns hang in front of the houses and across the streets and paths throughout the town, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere that makes you want this walk to last forever.
• At 21:00, drop off at your hotel.

• At 8:00 - 8:30 a.m., our car and guide will meet you at your hotel in Da Nang and start the trip to Ba Na Hills. If you start from Hoi An, please be ready at 7:30 a.m.

• At 9:30 a.m., upon arrival at Ba Na Hills, you will get on a cable car that has achieved 4 world records.

• Visit Debay Wine Cellar, built in 1923, and Le Jardin D'Amour Flower Garden. The highlight of this tour is the Golden Bridge (Hands of God), where you will have a chance to see and take photos of this beautiful bridge.

• Continue to visit Linh Ung Pagoda, where the highest Buddhist statue in the country is located at 27 metres.

• At 11:30 a.m., have lunch at a restaurant and take a short rest.

• At 12:30 p.m., conquer the peak of Chua Mountain at a height of 1,487 metres, the highest peak in Ba Na, to visit Linh Chua Linh Tu Temple. Continue to discover the French Square, and visit and play games in Fantasy Park - one of the largest indoor amusement parks in Vietnam, with a series of interesting games.

• At 15:30, return by cabin down the mountain.

• Transfer back to your hotel in Da Nang or Hoi An. Arrive in Da Nang at about 17:00 and in Hoi An at about 17:30.

• From 7:30 to 8:00, our driver will pick you up from the airport station and transfer you to the city centre to join the group tour.
• Start your city day trip by heading to Uncle Ho's final resting place in Ba Dinh Square, where Vietnamese cultural and political events usually take place.
• Visit Ho Chi Minh's stilt house, where he lived intermittently during the Vietnam War, and One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple featuring distinctive architecture and a peaceful lotus lake outside.
• Visit Trấn Quốc Pagoda and see the Bodhi tree that was offered by Indian Prime Minister Razendia Prasat as a gift during his visit to Vietnam in 1959.
• At 12:30, have lunch at a restaurant in the Old Quarter. Continue to the ancient Ngọc Sơn Temple and Hoàn Kiếm Lake (Sword Lake).
• Visit Vietnam's first university, the Temple of Literature (Quốc Tử Giám), founded in 1070 based on the teachings of Confucius.
• At 16:15, enjoy a Water Puppet Show, a well-known traditional Vietnamese art form preserved through generations for more than 800 years. (Excluded water puppet show)
• Free time for dinner on your own.
• Stay overnight in Hà Nội.

Please note: The program will be adjusted to suit the arrival flights. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed on Monday and Friday, and all museums are closed on Monday. Alternatives will be recommended accordingly.

• At 8:00 a.m., our tour guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and travel to Hoa Lư Ancient Capital. Along the way, there may be stops for photos and refreshments while enjoying the stunning rural scenery.
• Arrive in Hoa Lư, the former capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1009 under the Đinh and Lê dynasties. Visit Đinh Temple, Lê Temples, and the surrounding area.
• Have lunch at a local restaurant with local food.
• After lunch, take an amazing boat trip to visit Tràng An Grottoes, a gathering of 31 valleys, 50 cross-water caves, and home to 600 kinds of flora and more than 200 kinds of fauna, many of them listed in the Red Book of Vietnam.
• While rowing through Tràng An Grotto in the quiet, fresh air of the highlands, with only the sound of birds and oars stirring the clear water, and surrounded by magnificent forested mountains where white goats graze, visitors can enjoy what feels like heaven on earth.
• At 16:00, leave Tràng An and drive back to Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi around 18:30.

• From 07:45 to 08:30, you will be picked up from your hotel in Hà Nội Old Quarter and head to Ha Long Bay. Along the way, you may enjoy the landscape of the Red River Delta.
• At 11:30, upon arriving at the lobby in Tuần Châu Marina, you may take a short stretch while the staff arranges all registration with the local government.
• From 12:00 to 12:30, the cruise captain and staff will welcome you on board after a short tender transfer. While enjoying a refreshing welcome drink, you will receive a short cruise briefing and safety instructions.
• From 12:30 to 13:00, the cruise voyages through Ha Long Bay, one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Lunch is served on board while the cruise passes amazing limestone karst formations rising impressively out of the sea.
• From 14:00 to 14:30, leave the cruise to explore Sung Sot Cave, also known as Surprise Cave or Amazing Cave, one of the biggest and most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay.
• At 15:00, return to the cruise and continue to Ti Top Island. Here, you can admire magnificent views over the Gulf of Tonkin or swim in the emerald-green, cool water.
• At 17:00, after a long day, this is the ideal time to enjoy energizing drinks and snacks by joining Happy Hour or a cooking class on the sundeck.
• At 19:30, a sumptuous dinner is served. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served by the onboard catering staff.
• At 20:30, after dinner, various activities such as karaoke and squid fishing are organized. Or you can simply relax with drinks from the bar. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

• From 06:15 to 07:00, breakfast is served. It can be a great idea to enjoy the meal with the magnificent sunrise view over Ha Long Bay.
• From 8:00 to 9:30, the cruise gets closer to the centre of the Natural Preservation Area. Join the guide on a short trip to Luon Cave. This magical work of nature reveals the formation of karst mountains. You can discover this masterpiece by kayaking on your own. If you are lucky, you may capture great photos of mischievous monkeys jumping around the cliffs.
• At 9:30, the cruise welcomes you back on board, and it is time for check-out.
• At 10:00, while cruising back, a delightful lunch will be served.
• At 11:35, return to the quayside in the south of the bay, where visitors disembark at Tuần Châu Marina, then leave for Hà Nội by shuttle.
• From 15:30 to 16:00, you will get back to your hotel in Hà Nội Old Quarter and have dinner.

• In the evening, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.