Discover Vietnam 17 days 16 nights from South to North
Duration
17 Days
Departure time
Departure
Ho Chi Minh
Tour Type
17 days
Overview
Discover VietNam 17 days 16 nights from South to North is an ideal tour for those who are the first time in Vietnam and want to learn about the people, culture and history of Vietnam.
The journey of discovery through Vietnam will bring you destinations not to be missed when coming to Vietnam, a journey of discovery from South to North like with destinations such as Ho Chi Minh, Mekong Delta, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, Quang Binh, Ha Long, Ninh Binh, Ha Noi,…Especially, learn and enjoy the cuisine of 3 regions North, Central and Southern with their unique culinary flavors, imbued with the culture of each region.
With Discover VietNam 17 days 16 nights from South to North it promises to bring you an incredible journey not only in Vietnam’s geography but also culture and history.
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HIGHLIGHTS
- Enjoy the slow, romantic atmosphere of Hue – the last feudal capital of Vietnam
- Discover the city of lantern Hoi An – listed in UNESCO World Heritage sites
- Admire the Golden bridge/Bana hills
- Learn about the history of Vietnamese when going through the underground Cu Chi tunnel
- Witness the waterway life of the Mekong Delta local people
- Visit Vietnam’s most cosmopolitan and vibrant city – Ho Chi Minh
- Take a cruise around the World Heritage Ha Long bay to see the stunning beauty of the 3,000 islets
- Explore Trang An landscape with a system of limestone mountains with a geological age of about 250 million years
- Discover Phong Nha cave – the cave has the longest underground river system in the world and Thien Duong cave – dubbed “the palace in the ground”
- Enjoy food and learn about Vietnamese people through regions
Itinerary
Day 1: Ho Chi Minh
Our driver and tour guide will pick you up at Ho Chi Minh airport and depart for Discover VietNam 17 days 16 nights from South to North. Then take you go to hotel.
You are free to discover Ho Chi Minh City.
You have dinner with your own budget. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh - Cu Chi Tunnel (B/L)
After your breakfast, our driver and tour guide pick you up at hotel and take you to visit Independence Palace, also known at the Reunification palace, was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. Continue seeing the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office. Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of the both the Indochina wars.
Have lunch at local restaurant.
Depart for Cu Chi tunnel; the trip will take approximately one and a half hours bus driving. Upon arrival, before exploring the tunnels, you will have some short introduction followed by introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of the war time. Then, spend your time to explore the remaining area and tunnel systems which included the special constructed living areas with kitchens, bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers helping whoever lives inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are also many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the maze-like tunnels for security purpose during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla’s food during the war) will be served.
Break time for relax or time for those who want to try the real shooting gun (personal fee)
Return to hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
You have dinner with your own budget. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta - Can Tho Town (B/L)
You will have breakfast at your hotel, and then our driver and tour guide pick you up at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City and start the trip to My Tho. Upon arrival, visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, which dates back to the late 19th century. Then, board the sampan and cruise down the river around the four beautiful islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise islands.
Stop over at Unicorn Island, go for a walk on the village paths to contemplate orchards, enjoy tropical fruits, and listen to Vietnamese folk music performed by the local people. Visit the fruit plantation.
Be rowed in a small sampan through the Thoi Son canal and treat yourself to the beauty of the countryside. Visit the family business and bee-keeping farm, enjoy honey tea, and watch the coconut candy workshop.
Have lunch at a local restaurant, followed by a break time.
In the afternoon, you have the option to go cycling around Tan Thach village and meet the local people to experience their daily life in the Mekong Delta. Alternatively, for those who do not want to join the cycling trip, relaxing on hammocks to enjoy the cool breeze is also available. Proceed to Can Tho City and overnight in Can Tho.
Day 4: Cai Rang Floating Market - Ho Chi Minh City (B/L)
Have breakfast at the hotel. You can take a leisurely boat ride to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong River (Bassac River) and then visit Cai Rang Floating Market, the most vibrant floating market in the area.
In the very early morning, the river has become a busy commercial site where hundreds of boats packed with fruits, vegetables, plants and foods…line along the river and are ready for trading. Sellers will hang samples of what they are selling on the top of a long pole on their boats so that buyers can see from a distance what sellers are selling.
After the Cai Rang market, Next, you will roam through the village, see a rice noodles making shop.
Have lunch at restaurant.
After your lunch, we will come back Ho Chi Minh city.
You have dinner with your own budget. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.
Day 5: Ho Chi Minh Airport - Marble Mountain - Hoi An Ancient Town via Da Nang Airport (B/L/D)
After your breakfast, we will go to Ho Chi Minh airport to take flight to Da Nang airport.
Arrive Da Nang airport, our driver and tour guide will pick you up there. Then we take you go to restaurant. You have lunch.
After your lunch, we will visit the Marble Mountain. The historical story behind the name “Marble Mountains” According to Cham legend, one day a dragon flew to Non Nuoc beach and laid an egg there. After a long time, the egg hatched and a beautiful girl stepped out of the egg. The egg shell was broken into 5 pieces that became the five magical mountains as we see today. In the 19th century, Marble Mountains had been named “Ngu Hanh Son” by Minh Mang (the second King of Nguyen Dynasty) according to the theory of five essential elements of Eastern (water, wood, fire, metal and earth). Vietnamese Government keeps this name until now and it becomes a famous destination in Da Nang.
After visiting Marble Mountain, we go to Hoi an old town, a major Asian trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries and its architecture and relaxed lifestyle has changed little over the years, take a walking tour of the Hoi An ancient town center. Visit Hoi An Ancient Town – immerse yourself in the idyllic beauty of the old town, discover the interference between Eastern cultures from Japan, China and Vietnamese culture, is a trading port. The most crowded and busiest existed under the Nguyen Dynasty about 200 years ago, it was the trade between Vietnam and other countries (Japan, China,…), with highlights such as tourist icons Hoi An – Japanese Covered Bridge, Quang Tay Assembly Hall, Fujian Assembly Hall, Tan Ky Ancient House, Hoi An Handicraft Facility…
Have dinner at a restaurant in Hoi An. After your dinner, you are free to discover Hoi An at night. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 6: Hoi An - My Son Sanctuary - Coconut Forest (B/L)
In the morning: Have breakfast at the hotel, check – out the room. Driver and tour guide take you to visit the capital and religious center of the former Champa Kingdom. The former capital of the ancient Cham civilization that ruled central Vietnam from the second to the thirteenth century is far away 60 km from Da Nang, 150 km from Hue, and 75km from Hoi An ancient town is My Son sanctuary. It is considered to be one of the best-preserved Cham structures in Vietnam. The complex is comprised of seventy Hindu – like towers and temples dating from the second century.
Have lunch at local restaurant.
After your lunch, we will get on the private bus to discover Cam Thanh Coconut Village (Bay Mau Coconut Forest) experience sitting in a basket boat to visit the green coconut forest in the middle of a peaceful space, admire basket dance, boat racing and enjoy special local produce.
After visiting Coconut forest, you will come back to your hotel in Hoi An.
You have dinner with your own budget. Stay overnight in Hoi An.
Day 7: Free Day in Hoi An (B)
You are free all day to discover Hoi An ancient town.
(Suggestions: Enjoy the typical local experience, join entertainment complexes, take a rest,…)
Day 8: Hoi An Ancient Town - Hue City (B/L/D)
You have breakfast and check out the hotel. You depart to Hue city.
Arrive in Hue city. You will check in the hotel. You are free to enjoy lunch within your own budget.
02:30-3:00 pm: Next, we will visit Ru Cha mangrove forest, named after the dense growth of mangrove trees in the area.
04:00 pm: Our guide and driver will take you to Chuon Lagoon (Tam Giang Lagoon). Upon arrival, we will:
Board a boat and receive an introduction to the Tam Giang Lagoon system.
Venture deep into Chuon Lagoon, passing by floating houses and capturing stunning sunset photos on the lagoon. Each moment on the Tam Giang Lagoon will be truly memorable.
05:00 pm: You will have the opportunity to participate in a program that lets you experience the life of a fisherman on the lagoon through activities such as beating the water, pulling fishing nets, and catching fish.
Next, you will have the opportunity to experience kayaking (fees to be paid on your own budget) on the expansive lagoon and indulge in a refreshing swim in the crystal blue water. Prepare yourself for capturing some breathtaking photos and enjoy a cool swim under the warm sunshine.
05:30 pm: We will make a stop at a local house or restaurant where you can savor the local specialty dishes or seafood (light meal) and engage in friendly conversation.
06:30 pm: We will board the minivan and return to your hotel, marking the end of the tour.
Day 9: Hue City Full Day (B/L)
You will have breakfast at your hotel, and then around 8:00 am- 8:20 am: Our driver and tour guide pick you up and start the tour. Get on the dragon boat; go along the Huong River to enjoy the fresh atmosphere and peaceful beauty of Hue on the way to Thien Mu pagoda, the oldest pagoda here.
After visiting Thien Mu pagoda, we get on the minivan and go to the Citadel to see the living, working, worshiping and relaxing areas of Nguyen Kings’family, the last royal family in Viet Nam. Then, we have a 5-min walk from the palace to royal museum to know more about the king’s life through royal objects exhibited there.
The last stop in the morning is Dong Ba market
Lunch time at the restaurant is a great time to enjoy the best Hue traditional foods.
In the afternoon, we will visit two royal tombs Minh Mang and Khai Dinh with traditional architecture and French-influenced style respectively.
We will take a 10-min trip on minivan to Thuy Xuan conical hat village to visit a local family who produce the traditional hat and incent.
You can have many photos taken with creative decoration from colorful incent sticks made by people here.
4:30 pm: we get on minivan to come back to the hotel. We finish tour
You are free to explore dinner with your own budget.
Day 10: Free Day in Hue City (B)
You are free to discover Hue city. (Suggestions: Enjoy massage, enjoy cooking class, participate in special experiences of local typical activities,….You can choose options and pay with your own budget).
Day 11: Free Day in Hue City (B)
You are free to discover Hue city. (Suggestions: Enjoy massage, enjoy cooking class, participate in special experiences of local typical activities,….You can choose options and pay with your own budget).
Day 12: Hue - Thien Duong Cave or Phong Nha Cave - Dong Hoi (B/L)
The Paradise tour departs on even days
Paradise Cave is a must-see attraction during your visit to Vietnam, particularly if you have an appreciation for natural landscapes. Extending an astounding 31 kilometers deep into the limestone karst, Paradise Cave holds the distinction of being the longest dry cave in Asia. It was first discovered by scientists from the British Caving Research Association in 2005.
One of the most captivating aspects of this cave is its natural and primitive features, along with its unique and intriguing stalactite formations. The cave has been equipped with a lighting system that illuminates the formations, allowing visitors to fully appreciate their beauty and capture stunning photographs. Despite being a dry cave, the limestone formations within Paradise Cave exhibit an awe-inspiring and breathtaking spectacle
07:00 am: Our driver and tour guide will pick you up from your hotel or meeting point to kickstart the journey.
08:00 am: The drive to La Vang Holy Land will take slightly over an hour. Once there, you will have approximately 20 to 30 minutes to explore the area before we continue our journey. Our car will then transport you to Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River, which symbolize the ideological and physical division between North and South Vietnam during the war. This brief stop will provide you with an overview of the Vietnam War’s historical significance. Without delaying too much, we will proceed directly to Paradise Cave, ensuring that your time is utilized efficiently
08:45 am: We head to Paradise cave. On the way to Paradise Cave, we will stop at local restaurant for lunch.
11: 30: Have lunch at a local restaurant
12:30: We keep going to Paradise Cave. After going 2000 meters on transferring by golf car through the old forest with many kinds of valuable and rare of plants you will have an opportunity to discover the Cave with its great structure and the stalactites and stalagmites inside.
12:45 – 3:00pm: Visit Paradise Cave. Our guide takes you inside the Paradise Cave, the glamour of Asia’s longest dry and beautiful cave, the Natural Wonders of the World with the beauty of nature given to human.
3:15pm: You depart to Dong Hoi. You will check in the hotel.
You are free to enjoy dinner at your own budget.
The Phong Nha Tour departs on odd days
Phong Nha is well known for its stunning caves in Quang Binh province. It has been recognized by UNESCO as a natural heritage site due to its cave system and biodiversity, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. The caves were first discovered in 1899. Phong Nha Cave has become one of the most mysterious caves that you should not miss when visiting Vietnam.
07:30am: Our car will pick you up at your hotel or the designated meeting point. After a 60-kilometer drive from Hue, we will visit Lavang Holy Land, a sacred place in Hai Lang, Quang Tri.
08:30am: We will then continue our journey to Phong Nha. Another 40 kilometers ahead, we will reach Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River, a historical relic site that divided Vietnam into two parts: the North and the South, at the 17th parallel. We will make a bonus stop here for 10-15 minutes, allowing you to easily take photos before we proceed to the cave.
12:00pm: Upon arrival in Phong Nha at noon, you will have lunch at a local restaurant.
1:00pm: The boat will take you inside Phong Nha Cave, and you will begin exploring the beautiful cave. Phong Nha Cave has been voted as one of the most stunning caves in the world for several reasons: its longest underground river, its most beautiful underground lake, its highest and widest entrance, its most beautiful and widest dry cave, its most beautiful sandbank and reef, as well as its most spectacular stalactites, stalagmites, and longest water grottos.
3:15pm: You depart to Dong Hoi. You will check in the hotel.
You are free to enjoy dinner within your own budget.
Day 13: Dong Hoi - Ha Noi airport (B)
12:00 PM: We will check-out hotel. You are free to enjoy dinner within your own budget. You go to Dong Hoi airport to take flight to Ha Noi airport.
Arrive Ha Noi airport, our drive and tour guide pick you up at the airport and take you go to the hotel. You are free to discover Ha Noi capital.
You are free to enjoy dinner within your own budget. Overnight in Ha Noi capital.
Day 14: Ha Noi - Trang An - Ha Long City (B/L)
You will have breakfast at your hotel, and then around 7:30-8:00 am: our driver and tour guide will pick you up to travel to Ninh Binh.
10:20 am: Visit Hoa Lu ancient capital, a significant relic of Vietnam’s past. Learn about the formation of the first capital located in Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh, and explore the unique architecture found in the famous temples of King Dinh and King Le, who made significant contributions to this ancient land.
After visiting Hoa Lu temple, you’ll take a bicycle to explore Trang An village.
12:20-12:30 pm: Enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant and relax.
2:30 pm: One of the highlights of the trip is taking a boat tour from Trang An wharf, providing a satisfying experience in Ninh Binh. Row your bamboo boat to explore numerous grottos with beautiful stalactites and enjoy the wonderful landscapes of Trang An Tour.
4:00 pm: We will transfer you to Mua Cave by our tourist bus, or you have the option to take a bike ride, allowing you to cycle through the villages in Ninh Binh and observe local life.
Upon arrival at Mua cave, start climbing nearly 500 stone steps to reach the top. Experience the fresh air and admire the panoramic view of beautiful Tam Coc.
5:20 pm: The trip ends, and we will return to Hanoi city.
7:00-7:25 pm: You will be dropped off at your hotel in Hanoi.
You are free to enjoy dinner with your own budget.
Day 15: Ha Long - Ha Long Bay - Sung Sot Cave - Ti Top Cave (B/L)
You will have breakfast at your hotel, and then around 08:00 – 8:30 am: Leave Hanoi city for Ha Long International Cruise Port in Bai Chay town, Ha Long city. Refresh at the lounge.
12:00 – 12:30 pm: Embark on a 3-star cruise. Enjoy a welcome drink and receive a brief introduction about the cruise and safety guidelines. Check-in to your cabin.
1:15 pm: Have lunch while cruising in the magnificent Ha Long Bay, admiring the fascinating nature, then anchor at the Ti top Island area.
3:00 – 4:00 pm: Join a guided visit to Sung Sot Cave (also called Amazing Cave), one of the biggest and most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay.
4:00 – 5:00 pm: Climb to the peak of Ti Top Island for a panoramic view of the bay. Descend and relax on the beach, and swim in the crystal-clear water.
5:20 pm: Return to the cruise, enjoying the sunset while relaxing during Happy Hour until dinner time at the bar.
6:00 pm: Enjoy Happy Hour with various discounted drinks. Take part in a cooking demonstration and food décor with our Chef.
7:00 – 9:00 pm: Dinner is served. Private dinner is available upon request.
9:00 – 10:00 pm: It’s time to join squid fishing with the crew, sing karaoke, or simply relax in your cabin.
Overnight on the cruise.
Day 16: Ha Long - Ha Noi (B/L)
06:30 am: Welcome the new day with an amazing dawn on the Legendary Gulf of Tonkin. Refresh your body and soul with a Tai-chi lesson on the sundeck.
07:00 – 08:00 am: Take in the morning view of seascapes with a cup of tea or coffee, and have breakfast while enjoying the charming labyrinth of Karst.
08:00 – 09:00 am: Join a guided tour to explore hidden parts of the bay, such as Luon Cave. You can share a sampan with other tourists and a local rower or take a kayak on your own.
09:00 am: Return to the cruise for a shower.
09:30 am: Check out of your room. The cruise will weigh anchor to continue on the picturesque route toward Bai Chay Bridge for photos.
10:50 am: Enjoy lunch.
11:30 – 11:45 am: Disembark. The cruise ends.
12:00 – 4:30 pm: Transfer back to Hanoi City, and the trip finishes at the hotel around 4:30 pm
You are free to enjoy dinner with your own budget.
Day 17: Ha Noi Airport (B)
After your breakfast, we will check-out, we go to Ha Noi airport. Finish your trip Discover VietNam 17 days 16 nights from South to North. Thank you and see you again.
If you depart from the North, please refer to: Trip to VietNam 17 days 16 nights with the highlight landscape from the North to South
Included/Excluded
- Bus
- English guide according to the group program
- Boat on Tam Giang Lagoon
- Boat on Phong Nha Lagoon
- Basket boat on Coconut forest
- 3-star standard hotels (2 -3 pax/ room)
- Enjoy one night on a 3-star standard cruise
- Meals according to the tour program (B: Breakfast, L= Lunch, D=Dinner)
- Breakfast at hotel
- Boat on Trang An tourism
- Boat on Son River to Phong Nha cave
- Boat on Mekong River
- Bike rental for cycling through villages in Ninh Binh
- Entrance tickets to the main attractions
- Bottled water/pax/day
- Local travel insurance
- Cable car to Fansipan Mountain if applicable (about $34/pax)
- Transportation fee for the mountain train on Fansipan if applicable (about $7/pax)
- Ham Rong entrance fee (about: $3/pax)
- The fee for the transfer elevator at Marble Mountain ($1/pax/way)
- The tram facilitates your travel within the tourist area ($1/pax/way)
- Lao Chai entrance fee ( about $2/pax)
- Surcharge for single room
- Tipping/ Gratuities
- Incidental costs of optional sightseeing items
- Personal fees such as beverage, shooting gun, telephone calls, laundry…ect,…
- International flight tickets and Visa stamp fees
- Visa to Viet Nam
- Service fee for visa procedures if guests have request
- Bank fees , account transfer fee
- Early check in and late check out
- Meals that are not specified
- Surcharge for peak season & compulsory dinner on X’mas and New Year’s Eve
- Any additional expenses caused by reasons beyond our control such as natural calamities (typhoon, flood), flight delays, rescheduling or cancellations, any accidents, medical evacuations, riots, strikes etc
- Domestic flights in the tour
Policy
- Under 1m: free, the parent pays the fee if having any rising fee
- From 1m – under 1.3m: 85% adult rate
- From 1.3m above: 100% adult rate
- Two adults can accompany up to 2 children under 1.3m, the third child will be charged 100% of the fare. In case a child is accompanied by only 1 adult, that child will be charged as an adult
Notes
Service Details During The Trip
We’ll immerse you in the diverse cultures of Vietnam by showcasing the unique local flavors. And with the perfect balance of included sightseeing and free time, you can customize your dream vacation with the things you have always wanted to do.
Private Local Tour Guide: You will have legally licensed local tour guide in each destination, from welcome and farewell you at the airport. Your guide will guide, help, assist and taking care of you in order to make your tour worry-free. The good guide for you means we arrange the right guide. Elephant Travel Company will arrange tour guide base on the feature of the itinerary and consists of the group, to maximize your experiences in traveling.
Private Drivers & Vehicle: Safety is first priority for transportation. To maximize your comfort and joyful experience with driving service, cold towel and water bottles are provided in the car.
Local Flavor Meals: Don’t worry about meals; we select both restaurants and menus for you. Elephant Travel Company will select clean and good environment restaurants for our customer. Menu is also carefully selected by us to ensure you try different food every meal.
We will recommend and arrange local cuisine since it is part of the cultural experience while traveling. We also recommend dinners are free on your own so you can choose your favorite food by yourself under necessary assistance of your local guide.
Well-Selected Hotels: Standard, comfort and good value is our priority for choosing hotels for our customers. Comfort of mattress and bedding, joyful decoration style, user friendly facilities, good service and good breakfast!
Travel Visa:
Most countries in South East Asia require you to obtain a visa. Please check carefully with your travel specialist regarding specific visa requirements for each country you plan to visit as the legislation does change frequently. Thailand offers a free visa on arrival to most nationalities. Other countries including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar offer a “visa-on-arrival” service which requires you to pay a fee at the airport, or you may prefer to obtain this in advance through the relevant embassy or a visa agent. For visa-on-arrival in Vietnam, you must submit some paperwork before you arrive.
If you need our assistance with visa procedures for an option to get your visa for Vietnam instead of getting visa at the Vietnam consulate in your country. Please refer to the following steps:
Step 1: Provide us your application details
- Your full name (as exactly seen on your passport)
- Your gender
- Your date of birth
- Your nationality
- Your passport number
- Your passport expiration dates (with at least 3 vacats pagess and valid for at least 6 months)
- Date of arrival ( dd/mm/yy)
- Date of exit (dd/mm/yy)
- Arrival airport
Step 2: Process your visa information into a visa application
We will contact you for reviewing your visa information and then submit your application on your behalf to Vietnam Immigration department and follow other procedures pursuant to the regulations of Immigration department to get Visa approval letter granted by Immigration department.
We will send the visa approval letter via email to you after 7-14 working days.
After we obtain the visa approval letter from the Immigration department for you, we will forward you a scanned copy of it by email (Your visa information then has been recorded to the Visa system of the Vietnam Immigration department).
Step 3: Get your visa stamp on your arrival
Just print the approval letter out, prepare 2 passport sized photos and an amount of USD for stamping fee ($25 for single entry visa; $50 for 1 month multiple entry visa). Put all above mentioned things along with your passport in a package, and then show them to Immigration officer at Vietnam arrival airports.
Upon arrival at Vietnam’s airport, expect a simple form to fill in (or you can download form to fill beforehand), present the visa approval letter, passport, photos to the Immigration officer inside the counter and look for a place to hear your name be called to get the passport back and pay for the stamping fee.
For those who are applicable for E-visa, instructions will be given at the time you contact us.
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