Hanoi

Hanoi - Hoa Lu / Cam Coc - Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hanoi - Danang - Hoi An - Hue - Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta Vietnam is a unique and very special destination with a charm and atmosphere that leaves visitors with a profound sense of having been to a place like no other. Vietnam is an experience that is impossible to put into words and even harder to capture in pictures.

After fifteen years operating tours and many lifetimes of real life experience in Vietnam we believe that if it is possible to capture such elusive allure in a touring experience - then this tour is as close as we can get!

Traveling at your own pace with a knowledgeable guide we will not only make sure you visit the most interesting sights and landmarks in Vietnam but also ensure you visit only the best galleries, shops, tea rooms and get the best room in the hotel. It is our mission to make sure your precious time is spent appreciating the places it has taken us years to discover.

Starting in Hanoi you will really discover this extraordinary city - so Vietnamese and yet still so French... You will see the limestone scenery that made the classic French film 'Indochine' famous when you visit Hoa Lua and feel the full panorama of its romance while cruising on Halong Bay.

The central area is the cultural heart of the country and also where you will sample some of Vietnam's most exquisite cuisine. Here you will drink tea in the ancient fishing village of Hoi An, cruise along the Perfume River, wander through the forbidden city in Hue and discover the ancient empire of Champa.

Waiting in the south is the Mekong Delta, the mouth of the dragon. You will discover Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City, a city of contrasts where modern and ancient Asia competes openly on the streets. Far from the city we will take you on a private and truly memorable overnight cruise through the tropical delta on Vietnamese sampan. Wake up in the Mekong Delta, slide through the boats, fruit and sweet savories to be first customer at the floating market

Nobody knows Asia's secrets like Exotissimo. Let us show you Vietnam in style...

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Day 1 - Hanoi  

On arrival at Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport an Exotissimo guide will greet you and transfer by private car through the city to your hotel.  

Overnight at Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 2 - Hanoi (B,L)  

After breakfast depart for an insider's tour of the capital. Long hidden from the international community Hanoi's cultural scene is thriving. Visit the best galleries, pagodas, cultural sites, markets and other hidden gems with your specialist guide. Enjoy lunch at Cha Ca La Vong. Listed in the travel book '500 places to see before you die' this specialty fish restaurant has been serving the same dish for the past 3 decades.  

Overnight at Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 3 - Hanoi - Hoa Lu / Tam Coc - Hanoi (B,L)  

Drive through rural northern Vietnam to the site of Vietnam's first capital, Hoa Lu. After visiting the two remaining sanctuaries of the ancient citadel, take a sampan on a river through the rice paddies to the grottoes of the sacred Tam Coc Caves. Enormous limestone karsts jut out from the green rice fields giving rise to this place's other name, 'Halong on Land'. In the afternoon return to Hanoi.  

Overnight at Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 4 - Hanoi - Halong Bay (B,L,D)  

Leave Hanoi by road for Halong Bay. Enjoy the journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and everyday Vietnamese village life. Arrive in Halong and board this wonderful classic steamship replica. Have lunch as you cruise among hundreds of islets to discover unspoilt pockets of Halong Bay and visit 'Sung Sot', one of the most imposing grottos of the Bay. After sunset, enjoy dinner before retiring to your cabin for a good nights sleep.

Overnight on board the Emeraude.   

Day 5 - Halong Bay - Hanoi - Danang - Hoi An (B,L)  

For early risers enjoy a Tai Chi class on the sundeck between 6:00am and 7:00am. A wholesome breakfast will served in the restaurant before cruising back to Halong City. Arrive back at Emeraude's private pier at 0930 for disembarkation. Drive back to Hanoi. Lunch in Hanoi then free time till transfer to airport. Flight to Danang and transfer to Hoi An.  

Overnight at The Nam Hai, Vietnam

Day 6 - Hoi An - Hue  

After your breakfast drive to the ancient port town of Hoi An. Despite the passing of 200 years and the ravages of weather and war, the centre of Hoi An remains much the same as it was in its heyday. A walking tour is the best way to see this marvelours town. For lunch sample some of Hoi An's delectable cuisine at Morning Glory, one of the town's finest restaurants. Leave Hoi An after lunch for Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. In Danang visit the Cham Museum, before climbing over the 'Pass of Ocean Clouds'. Arrive in Hue late in the afternoon and transfer to hotel.  

Overnight at La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa, Vietnam

Day 7 - Hue (B,L)  

Rise for an early breakfast followed by a visit to the city's vibrant Dong Ba Market then The Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. After exploring the ruins of this wonderful monument, depart to the Hue Royal Fine Arts Museum and one of Hue's beautiful garden houses where you will have a private lunch. Your afternoon is free at leisure to enjoy the hotel's facilities (the spa is highly recommended). In the evening take a private sunset dinner cruise on the Perfume River. A superb 3-course meal will be served whilst you gaze over some of Vietnam's most iconic sites.  

Overnight at La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa, Vietnam

Day 8 - Hue - Ho Chi Minh City (B,L)  

Depart for Hue Airport after breakfast for the short flight to dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by the locals. Take an orientation tour of the city in a classic Citroen car which will include a visit to the former Presidential Palace, the War Remnants Museum, the colonial Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Saigon Post Office. For lunch try some traditional Saigon fare at 'Com Nieu Sai Gon'. As an option this tour can be enjoyed from the back of a classic Vespa motorbike with a private driver.  

Day 9 - Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta (B,L,D)  

Depart for the Mekong Delta, leaving the hustle and bustle of the city behind to travel through Vietnam's picturesque countryside with its rice paddies and rural villages. Upon arrival in the Delta board the 'Song Xanh', modelled after a traditional sampan, the boats small size allows you to discover the smaller canals and tributaries of this region. You'll enjoy a gentle cruise from Cai Be to Sa Dec as part of a leisurely exploration of the Mekong River and its hidden treasures before gliding onto Can Tho.

Overnight aboard the Song Xanh Boat.  

Day 10 - Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City (B)  

Crossing the Mekong on the way to Cai Be Floating Market, you'll take in traditional sights such as rice barges, wooden ship building yards and even fruit drying along the Mekong's banks. After paying a visit to the colourful floating market check-out and disembark before the return to Ho Chi Minh City. Your private car and guide will be at your disposal until your transfer by private car to Ton Son Nhat Airport for international flights or a domestic extension.