After breakfast, a short driving will bring us through the landmarks of city as the history Opera house, French architecture Quarter, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Tran Quoc pagoda. Stop to visit the complex dedicated to Ho Chi Minh – the nation’s founder, containing Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (viewed from outside), and house on stilts. This complex also comprises the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city.

We continue visit the Museum of Ethnology where presents the recognition of Vietnam as a multi-ethnic country and socio-cultural diversity. From here, we will experience Hoang Hoa Tham Street, which is full of bonsai, flower and pet shops before enjoying walking tour through hidden alley and merchant streets of the Old Quarter.

Overnight in Hanoi.

 

Leave Hanoi behind, we head out to Ninh Binh, famous for amazing karst mountains, misty caves and history relics. Stop at a small rural village, in which most people make a living by producing grilled rice paper and dried noodles from rice flour. Stroll the local market, visit a local family and learn about making rice paper the traditional way. Lunch is served with the special local noodles - cooked in the traditional way.

Arriving Ninh Binh as we continued our drive. We take an easy bicycle ride through rural villages. Stop at anywhere as we want to, chatting with the friendly locals to know more about their lifestyle. Follow by an amazing rowed-boat along the crystal-water stream to visit Van Long Natural reserve. Chance to see lots of bird returns their nets in the late afternoon.

Overnight in Ninh Binh.

This morning, we set off for a road trip to Halong Bay, the UNESCO World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty.

Arrival in boat pier, Halong, we are welcomed on board. It offers the most memorable cruising through-out Halong Bay - the world heritage. Let our vacation start with a delicious lunch while cruising further. Following by activities such as bamboo rowed boat to visit floating market and grottoes. Return to the cruise and enjoy your time with the beautiful sunset on the bay. Dinner will be served on board. Stay overnight on boat in middle of the Bay.

Note: Cruise itinerary is subject to change due to weather condition and each cruise itself. Detailed cruise itineraries with timing will be provided once the booking confirmed.

Watch sunrise and Taichi practice on sundeck. Following by a light breakfast serve in dining room and join more activities. Back to the main boat for relaxing and check out at the reception, please put all our luggage at the outside of our cabin door, crew member will help to bring luggage on land. Brunch is served in the restaurant before disembarking.

Upon disembarkation, we transfer to the airport for a short flight to Da Nang, a coastal city in the Central of Vietnam. Upon arrival, greeted and transfer to Hoian ancient town.  

Checking in our hotel and enjoying the remainder of day at leisure.

Overnight in Hoian.

Take a guided walking tour around Hoi An Ancient Town. Visit the Japanese covered bridge, Chinese assembly hall, a typical Vietnamese merchant’s house, one of the interesting museums and the local market. There’re numerous art galleries, souvenirs and tailor shops where we can get some express made-to-order clothes if you like. The next visit is to home of a craftsman in the old streets. Here you’ll have a brief introduction to the history, shape and color of the lanterns as well as stages of making them. Making a lantern by our own, decorate, pack and keep it as a souvenir of our time in this ancient town.

Leisure and overnight in Hoi An.

Hoi An is surrounded by restful countryside where life is simple and slow with people living close to nature. This morning is filled with interesting activities, offering a closer look into the traditional way of agricultural life in the outskirt of the ancient Hoi An town.

Hop on your bicycle and set off for an easy bike ride through picturesque villages, passing by rice paddies and vegetable farms. Along the way, we might see cows or buffalos working on rice fields with farmers or lazy relaxing under the shade. Then, learn the art of paddling the unique Vietnamese round basket boat and journey through the tranquil coconut-palm flanked waterways while hearing about how the area was important during the war.

Board a local riverboat for leisurely cruising on a stunning river, spend some time learning about the local fishermen’s life that is simple yet worthwhile. Arrive in the Tra Que village where the local farmers work on the organic fields and gardens using traditional methods that date back hundreds of years. Join the local host to prepare the tasty dishes of Central Vietnam. Then savor your creations in a rustic yet cozy setting before bidding farewell to the host and cycle back to downtown Hoi An.

Leisurely breakfast at the hotel. Spending the day at our own pace. Overnight in Hoi An

After breakfast, we transfer to Da Nang airport for a short morning flight to Ho Chi Minh city.

On arrival, we transfer to for sightseeing tour which offers a good mix of both famous attractions and lesser known markets and sites of this vibrant, fast-paced city. We visit the Reunification Palace, former residence of the Indochina Governor General and later President of the Republic of Southern Vietnam until the fall of Saigon in April 30, 1975; the Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office. Also visit Cho Lon, the biggest wholesale market, enjoy a short walk around the Chinatown area before heading to our hotel.

Leisure and overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast, we set off for a drive to Cai Be town. Come to Tan Phong island, biking or walking on village paths will be so amazing to see the local farms, houses, real life and have an opportunity to see farmers picking up their fruits on the ancestral ways in Mekong Delta… where we can also see how they make rice-net for spring-rolls,  sew coconut-leaves for cottage roof and specially see how they wave the dried water-hyacinth to make many products: baskets, bags, hats, wallets, shoes... Also, we can walk to Mekong Garden to enjoy some kinds of fruits when listening to the traditional music. Boat to the local garden for lunch.

After lunch, the rowing boat will take us deeper into the countryside on smaller canals and to enjoy the peaceful time. Have some fruits and tea when enjoying the traditional music at local home. Check in homestay, cooking some dishes with the owners. We enjoy diner & overnight at homestay.

Have a breakfast and walk along the village to enjoy the fresh air in the morning. Boat trip to visit the local workshops where you can see how to make rice paper, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn...

Have an excited excursion to promote area. Our boat will travel along Mekong River seeing many floating cages for farming fish. Then, we turn on My An canal to see many brick kilns on both sides of the canal & to Hoa Tịnh canal, we will walk in the peaceful village to see how they make bricks, wave bamboo trays, bamboo baskets… Our boat continue to come to another village to see how they make conical hats by hand, rice paper for rice noodles… Also, we can visit Vinh Long market in the town. This is the best choice for you to take pictures of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, vegetables...The cruise will end at Vinh Long and drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

After breakfast at hotel, we head to airport for a flight to Siem Reap - home to Angkor, the treasure of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Greets by local tour guide and transfer to hotel for check-in.

Later in the afternoon, enjoy a ride on Tuk Tuk to local night market, where you will see a variety of local food, snacks, fruits, clothes on display on the roads for sales. Walks through the market, we will find the Cambodian snacks with all fries includes grasshoppers, spiders, cockroaches, crickets, baby frogs, and so on. These are all Cambodian favorite. Try it out and take a picture of it to show your friends back home.

Afterward, we reach a local but clean restaurant to enjoy our dinner with Khmer cuisine. The food could always be catered to any allergy restriction.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

The ‘City of Kings’ boasts some of the largest religious monuments ever constructed which is a vast and mysterious complex of hulking lateritic and sandstone blocks.

We spend today to explore the most impress temples: We first come to Angkor Thom, the ancient royal city of Khmer Empire with its centre piece; the Bayon temple. As approaching, we will notice the enigmatic faces of former King Jayavarman VII looking into every direction. The guide will take us to the Terrace of the Elephants, which served as a platform from where the King could welcome back his victorious army and the Terrace of the Leper King, which holds detailed carvings winding along a narrow passage way that leads to the Baphuon complex. Continue to Ta Prohm, the Tomb Raider. This beautiful temple is overgrown with fig trees, giving a haunting yet exotic atmosphere.

In the afternoon, we visit the famous Angkor Wat, one of the modern wonders of the world. Be amazed by the sheer size of the temple and learn how the Khmer Empire prospered between the 9th and 13th centuries, around the time when Angkor Wat was built.

Before getting back to the hotel, we visit a local school (on school day). Spending time with children and knowing local education and sharing your experience with them.

 

Khmer ceramics refers to ceramic art and pottery designed or produced as a form of Khmer art. This ancient art defines the ruin temples and decorates their walls and facades. Considered as one of key parts of Cambodian history, the intricacy and mystery around how ceramic and brickwork was carried out from Angkorian times to now, is featured through hands-on experience with local artisans at a local workshop, dedicated to the renaissance and appreciation of the lost Cambodian art, pottery, ceramics. The Center has been contributing to the educational, social, and economic development of Cambodia in general and disadvantaged communities in particular.

Today, participate in the Khmer ceramics class where we will personally meet with one of the skillful and passionate craftsmen for insight about the traditional methods to make simple yet sturdy ceramics meant during temple times, showcasing the modern art as it is today.

Experience to be a real potter at your own potter’s wheel under the guidance of your instructor who could be a disadvantaged young people from orphanages or have a bodily disability, but still very skillful. The instructor will show us the traditional methods of creating pieces on the pottery wheel, then helps us shape our masterpiece. The next step is to create Khmer – Cambodian designs with the proper carving tools, adding our flair and creativity, under the craftsman's watchful eye and assistance. Our masterpiece will be ready for pick-up the next day to bring home as a great souvenir, along with a potter’s diploma, after firing in a kiln overnight. This is a great way to get close to Siem Reap differently, through the work Khmer Ceramics undertake in the community, from the development of beautiful handmade ceramics and painted items.

This evening, we will experience an exciting one hour mixtures of modern circus performance from live music, dances, juggling, acrobatics, aerial acts and contortion by young generation of talented Cambodian artists.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Morning breakfast at your hotel before transferring to the airport for your departing flight.