Friendly Vietnam Tour - 12 Days

Get the best taste of Vietnam to go deep inside what makes the S-shaped land a beautiful country with scrumptious foods and especially friendly people. This Vietnam vacation package is a perfect combination of visiting the highlights of the country from South to North like Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Halong Bay, Sapa,... as well as getting to know about the daily life of Vietnamese in the rural areas such as: Mekong Delta, Red River Delta and the scenic mountainous area of Sapa.

General Information

Tour Route: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta – Hoi An – Hanoi – Sapa – Halong Bay
Duration: 12 Days/ 11 Nights
Date: No fixed dates
Start/ End: Ho Chi Minh City/ Hanoi
Tour Type: Explore and Experience
Tour Customizable: Available! (Tell us what you wish to do in the inquiry form)
Active level: Walking, Trekking, Boating….

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Arrival
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City Tour
Day 3: Saigon - Mekong Delta
Day 4: Back to Ho Chi Minh City – Fly to Danang - Transfer to Hoi An
Day 5: Hoi An Walking Tour
Day 6: Danang – Fly to Hanoi
Day 7: Hanoi City Tour – Night Train to Sapa
Day 8: Sapa Trekking & Homestay
Day 9: Sapa – Hanoi
Day 10: Hanoi - Halong Bay
Day 11: Halong Bay – Hanoi
Day 12: Hanoi Departure

12-Day Friendly Vietnam Tour - Map

Full Itinerary

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh Arrival (D)

Welcome upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City by local tour guide and driver, then transfer to hotel. Relax for the rest of the day and enjoy welcome dinner at a fine local restaurant in town.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City tour (B, L)

Today we visit Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) with the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum, stop and take photos at the Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office. After enjoying Vietnamese lunch at the renowned Pho 2000, continue on visiting Giac Lam Pagoda, the Cholon Chinese district, and Ben Thanh market. Overnight in Saigon.

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta (Homestay) (B, L, D)

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Cai Be town. We visit local workshops or handicraft villages to see rice paste, coconut candy, pop-rice, pop-corn or special products of rice-net for spring rolls, fish sauce, soya sauce, cooking salt…

After lunch, take a rowing boat deeper into the countryside, seeing the traditional houses made of wood, palm tree leaves or the farmers catching fish or picking fruits….One more activity today is biking along the village paths. Back to home-stay in the late afternoon, we join cooking some dishes with the host and enjoy dinner. Chat with the host in the evening while having tea, rice wine….Overnight at homestay.

Day 4: Back to Ho Chi Minh City – Fly to Danang & Transfer to Hoi An (B)

Have breakfast at home-stay this morning, then walk along the village to enjoy the fresh air. Goodbye to the host, we take the boat trip to visit the brick kilns to see the local people create beautiful potteries from clay. The boat takes us along the floating villages we can see the way local people catch fish….End of the boat trip, visit Vinh Long market in town, then we are back to Ho Chi Minh City to take the flight to Danang. Welcome upon arrival in Danang, then transfer to Hoi An. Check in and relax. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 5: Hoi An Walking Tour (B)

Today we have our morning walking tour around the ancient town to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Pottery Museum, Tan Ky old house, the Cantonese congregation, the silk street of Hoi An, the temples, and pagodas of Chinese appearance. Free at leisure in the afternoon.

Day 6: Hoi An - Danang – Fly to Hanoi (B)

We leave Hoi An today & transfer to the airport in Danang for the departure flight to Hanoi. Welcome upon arrival, we then transfer to a hotel in the center city and enjoy a 1-hour Water Puppet show. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 7: Hanoi City Tour – Night Train to Sapa (B)

Today, visit Ho Chi Minh Complex, where we will spend a couple of hours visiting Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, and One Pillar Pagoda. Keep going to see the Temple of Literature which was originally built as a temple to Confucius. This is the site of Vietnam's first university dating back to 1070. The temple highlights the importance that Vietnamese society placed then and now on education.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit one of the most interesting museums in Vietnam; the Museum of Ethnology, which is widely acknowledged as the most exciting one in the country and has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam's 54 Ethnic minority groups. Tonight we take the night train to Sapa from Hanoi Railway Station.

Day 8: Lao Cai - Sapa Trekking Tour & Homestay (B, L, D)

Welcome upon arrival at Lao Cai railways station by local guide & driver, we transfer to Sapa town for our short relax and breakfast before trekking to Cat Cat village, Y Linh Ho, and Ta Van villages of Black Hmong ethnic minority people. We will have a chance to trek on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces & have lunch at a local restaurant nearby the river. Tonight we stay at a local house of the Giay people or H’Mong people in Muong Hoa valley.

Day 9: Sapa - Night train to Hanoi (B, L)

Today we continue trekking along with Giang Ta Chai, the village of the Red Dao minority, and Su Pan, a small village located by the road. Then we are back to Sapa and get on the bus at 4.00 pm to return to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 10: Hanoi Arrival - Halong Bay (Overnight on cruise) (B, L, D)

The cruise takes us around the World Heritage Site, passing Dog Head and Swan Islands, Ba Hang Floating villages (with floating houses), Incense Burner then Thumb Islands before reaching Surprising (Sung Sot) Cave and swimming at Titov Beach. End of the day, we enjoy the sunset and try coffee, tea, and fruits on the sundeck or we can order our favorite drink from our bar. Dinner and overnight on the Bay.

Day 11: Halong Bay – Hanoi (B, L)

Early wake up to try Tai Chi on the sundeck before having a buffet breakfast; then we experience kayaking around the tranquil bay. We will be guided if this is the first time to try this. After that, we have time to join a cooking demonstration, learn how to make real Vietnamese spring rolls and have lunch before leaving the cruise to our car waiting and taking us back to Hanoi.

Day 12: Hanoi Departure (B)

Today our awaiting vehicle will take us back to the airport for our flight home. Vietnam tour itinerary 12 days ends. See you again in the next Vietnam tour packages.