Vietnam Mosaic - 25 Days

A day dedicated to exploring the city's most iconic landmarks:

• Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first national university (established 1070). This serene complex honors Confucius and features well-preserved traditional architecture, courtyards, ponds, and gardens.
• Ba Dinh District. This area includes Ba Dinh Square, the botanical garden, the Presidential Palace (formerly the Governor's Palace of Indochina), Ho Chi Minh's stilt house, and the One Pillar Pagoda, one of the city's oldest monuments (built 1049).
• Tran Quoc Pagoda: Built in 1615 on the shore of the large West Lake.
• Lunch with Hanoi specialties: Grilled pork and Egg Coffee.
• Old Quarter of Hanoi, a bustling commercial center near Hoan Kiem Lake. This "open-air museum" is famous for its unique tube houses, narrow alleys, temples, and vibrant markets.
• Evening: Attend a traditional water puppet show, a popular art form typical of northern Vietnam that combines traditional music and scenes of rural life.

Overnight at the hotel.

Optional: Train Street – A unique spot where trains pass within inches of homes and cafés, offering a rare and thrilling glimpse into Hanoi’s daily life.

arly morning departure for Sapa. You will arrive in Sapa around 12:30 PM. Lunch

Afternoon: Transfer by vehicle to the Muong Hoa Valley, enjoying beautiful views surrounding the village of Y Linh Ho, home to the Black H'mong people.

You will follow a trail that crosses the stream dividing the valley surrounded by terraced rice fields. As you descend, you will encounter friendly Hmong women and children living in houses nestled in the valley.

Tranquil walk along the Muong Hoa River, from Y Linh Ho Valley to Lao Chai (Black H'mong) village to the Day village of Ta Van.

Stop at a traditional batik workshop to discover the painting techniques of Black Hmong Batik Art. You will also meet a village artisan working with beeswax technique for decorating traditional indigo clothes of the Hmong. These authentic encounters are an excellent opportunity to learn a little about the daily life and culture of the Black H'mong Ethnicity. Then, visit a Day family who make incense cones.

Overnight in Sapa

Transfer to Bac Ha passing through the Muong Bo valley, enjoying beautiful balcony terraced rice fields. You will visit a beautiful village of the Red Dzao, Tay, and Xa Pho ethnic groups. Lunch will be hosted by locals in Muong Bo.

Afternoon: Heading to Bac Ha, take a short and easy walk to the village of the Flower Hmong and Phu La ethnic groups. Explore the agricultural environment, traditional housing, and lush terraced rice fields.

Overnight in Bac Ha.

Breakfast at the Lodge.

Motor sampan cruise on Thac Ba Lake while observing daily activities and local life: fishing with square nets, fishing with nets, raising bamboo shrimp traps. Admire the hills of cajeput trees emerging from the water.

Lunch at a local homestay.

Afternoon: Return to Hanoi.

8:00 AM: Transfer to Sun Pier. Boarding at noon. Transfer by small boat to reach the hotel boat.

12:45 PM: Welcome drink and brief presentation about safety instructions on board the boat and the itinerary.

1:30 PM: Lunch on board the boat as it sails towards Bai Tu Long Bay.

3:00 PM: The boat sails towards the Cong Do and Cap La region, with a kayaking activity through the karst rocks. Possibility to stop at a wild beach depending on the tide.

5:30 PM: Return to the boat and relax on the upper deck.

7:00 PM: Dinner on board the boat. Free evening for squid fishing.

Overnight on the boat

6:00 AM: Tai Chi exercise on the upper deck or enjoy the sunrise in Bai Tu Long Bay amidst beautiful karst landscapes while sipping a cup of tea or coffee.

7:00 AM: Breakfast on board the boat

8:00 AM: Visit to Thien Canh Son Cave. From the cave entrance, you will have a panoramic view of Bai Tu Long Bay with dolphin-shaped rocks.

9:00 AM: Return to the boat. A demonstration of Vietnamese cuisine will help you learn how to make spring rolls. Cruise back to the pier.

11:00 AM: Early lunch on board. Disembarkation at noon.

On the way to Ninh Binh, enjoy a peaceful bike ride through charming villages and lush rice fields, observing the daily lives of Red River Delta farmers, including rice hulling and traditional craft workshops. Engage with welcoming locals.

For dinner, immerse yourself in local culture with a host family. Share a delicious meal of Vietnamese specialties, enjoy conversations, and optionally join a cooking workshop to prepare traditional dishes like nem or fried pork with medicinal herbs

Overnight at a hotel in Ninh Binh.

Explore Trang An, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its stunning karst landscapes and as a filming location for "Kong: Skull Island." Enjoy a peaceful 2.5-hour sampan ride, gliding through emerald waters and a series of mystical caves that open into hidden valleys. Enjoy the enchanting landscapes, the beautiful view of karst mountains covered in tropical plants, and the beautiful emerald river. Along the way, visit tranquil pagodas and temples, including the Presentation Temple, where you can see red carp swimming.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Visit the 10th-century temples dedicated to the Dinh and Le dynasties, admiring their intricate wood and stone carvings.

Overnight in Ninh Binh

After breakfast, transfer to Tam Coc Pier, often called the "Halong Bay on land."

Enjoy a 1.5-hour sampan ride along the Ngo Dong River, winding through mountains and rice fields. This serene journey passes through three caves, offering views of charming hamlets, rice paddies, cemeteries, and temples. You might also spot local fishermen.

Disembark at Ben Thanh for a countryside walk to Thai Vi Temple, a 13th-century temple dedicated to King Father Tran Thai Tong.

Next, bike through the Vietnamese countryside via Dam Khe village to Bich Dong Pagoda. Along the way, capture photos of rice fields and water buffaloes, and stop near a cemetery to learn about local customs.

Visit the ancient Bich Dong Pagoda, dating back to the 15th century, to explore Vietnamese Buddhism. Cross a stone bridge over a lotus lake to Chua Ha, then ascend over 100 steps to the stunning cave temples of Trung and Thuong pagodas, enjoying panoramic views.

Optional: Participate in a 30-minute embroidery class.

Dinner, then transfer to Ninh Binh train station for your train to Dong Hoi.

Upon your arrival in Dong Hoi around 7:00 am, you will be greeted by our guide and transferred to Phong Nha.

Morning: Visit the Botanical Garden. Enjoy an easy 3 km walk through tropical forest to explore rare plants, colorful birds, butterflies, and orchids. Discover the Thac Gio Waterfall and the Vang Anh Stream along the way.

Afternoon: Explore Paradise Cave, the longest dry cave in Asia (31 km). After a 2 km forest walk, enter the cave and follow a 1 km wooden path through stunning formations of stalactites and stalagmites. The majestic white mineral structures and dreamlike atmosphere will make you feel as if you’ve stepped into an underground paradise.

Departure to Hue

Visit the Vinh Moc Tunnels, initially built in the late 1940s to resist the French and expanded during 1966-1967 to resist the Americans. The Vinh Moc Tunnels served as a refuge for the 400 inhabitants of Vinh Linh during intense bombings of the American "Rolling Thunder" Operation.

Visit the Hien Luong Bridge.

Afternoon: Explore the well-preserved site of Tam Giang Lagoon - one of the largest brackish water lagoons in Southeast Asia. We'll stop in a lakeside village on the edge of Dam Chuon - the widest part of Tam Giang Lagoon. Take a short walk to meet the locals before boarding a small motorboat for a tour of part of the lagoon. Observe the aquatic life of local fishermen who often set their nets and traps in the fish-filled waters at this time. Learn fishing techniques from a local fisherman. Enjoy the sunset over the lagoon waters.

Overnight in Hue.

In the morning: Visit the vegetable village of Tra Que, renowned for its aromatic herbs, specifically mint and basil. This morning will introduce you to the life of farmers and their techniques. You'll learn about hoeing and vegetable harvesting. Continue to Cam Thanh village, known for its Nipa palm mangrove. Here, you'll board a traditional round bamboo basket boat, peacefully cruising through picturesque small canals amidst mangroves, lagoons, and water coconut trees. Experience the serenity of the landscape, learn local crab fishing techniques, and enjoy making fun tools from coconut leaves.

Lunch at a local's house.

Afternoon: Depart for My Son Sanctuary, Vietnam's foremost Cham archaeological site and a UNESCO World Heritage site, located 40 km from Hoi An. This was the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom from the 4th to the 13th century. Explore the impressive red-brick and stone tower-sanctuaries, perfectly illustrating Hinduism's spiritual influence. You may also catch a performance of traditional Champa dances before returning to Hoi An.

Free time at your own leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An.

On the way to Kontum, take the road via Mang Den. Visit Pasy waterfall, Kon Du and Kon Bil villages (40km from Kontum) where the Sedang ethnic group lives. Discovering communal houses, customs, and cultures of the Sedang.

Overnight in Kontum

Breakfast

8:00 AM: Visit to the wooden church built in 1913, whose stained glass windows integrate both Christian imagery and local motifs.

Visit to the Konk’tu or Konklor village where the Bahnar people live. Discover their daily life as well as the specific architecture of the community houses called "nhà Rông," with their high roofs shaped like an axe cutting through the blue sky.

Afternoon: Departure for Pleiku, visit to the Pleikep village where the Jaraï people live, one of the most important ethnic groups in the Central Highlands whose traditional customs are still preserved. The guide will explain the burial customs of the Jaraï ethnic group, the tomb houses with wooden funeral statues, and the communal water point serving as the village fountain.

Visit to a large tea plantation, and T’Nung Lake.

Overnight in Pleiku.

08:00 AM: Departure for the Mekong Delta. Upon arrival in Ben Tre - the land of coconut trees - you board a boat for a cruise through authentic landscapes, discovering the daily life as well as the customs and traditions of the Delta's inhabitants. Stop at Long Thanh Island to meet a family who raises bees; here, you will taste honey and the fruit of water palms...

Your boat sails towards Mo Cay. A short walk through the village to visit the coconut processing workshops. Then, a tuk-tuk (motorized cart) excursion to Ba Van, where local families specialize in mat making.

Next, a peaceful rowboat excursion through small shaded creeks lined with water palms.

Return to the main boat, cruising to the restaurant.

After the meal, take your time to walk around for a deeper exploration of local life.

Transfer to Can Tho with a stop along the way to visit a Khmer pagoda, discovering its typical architecture and Theravada Buddhism.

Night in Can Tho.

Boat excursion to the heart of the famous Cai Rang Floating Market, discovery of local cocoa processing

Breakfast, then embark on a boat to visit the Cai Rang Floating Market, the largest in the entire Mekong Delta. At this market, each boat hangs its products on a branch (beo), signaling to buyers what it sells.

Walk to visit a rice noodle (Hu Tieu) making facility, a local specialty.

The tour continues with the famous land market known for its wide variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, turtles, mice, snakes, etc. Compare the floating market and the land market.

Next, visit a cocoa plantation, learn about the planting process and local cocoa and chocolate processing. Enjoy a glass of hot chocolate.

Transfer to the ecological island of Son. Short boat ride to Con Son Island with a stop to visit the floating village. Fish foot massage. Lunch at Con Son. Walk around the island to discover local life and daily activities of the locals. Visit an orchard, participate in making traditional cakes, taste seasonal fruits and homemade local cakes.

Return to Hochiminh City. Overnight at the hotel.

Free time at your own leisure at the hotel. Car will pick you up to transfer to the airport. We sincerely hope you enjoy the trip and we hope to serve you again soon! Have a safe flight, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.