8 Days The Authentic Beauty of North Central Vietnam

Meal Provided: Dinner

Welcome to Vietnam. Upon arrival at Hanoi Airport, obtain your Vietnam visa, and then clear Immigration and Customs. After collecting your baggage, exit the airport to meet outside a local Guide. From the airport, you will be privately transferred to your lovely hotel.

At 6 PM, you’ll get to enjoy a wide range of street food in the most popular locations visited by all the locals.

The first stop on our tour is a family-run eatery Hanoians claim is the best spot for Banh Cuon (steamed rolled cake) in town.  The skilled chef will demonstrate for us how the ingredients are put together as we get to experience a front-row seat to the culinary process.

Our tour continues weaving through the streets bathed in the glow of colorful lanterns and decorative lights in the Old Quarter as we ride along the bank of the Red River to take in the views of Hanoi under the cover of night.

This leads us to our next stop, a local family eatery where you will get to enjoy Bun Cha (grilled pork with vermicelli noodle). And we will sample local favorite delicacies in a nearby neighborhood includes: Banh Goi (pillow cake), Nem ran (traditional spring roll), Banh ran man, Banh ran Ngot (salty and sweet doughnut), Shrimp cake.

You’ll be taken on a ride over to West Lake to enjoy the scenery before arriving at Ngu Xa village to try Freshly grilled seafood and some local desert like Che xoai( Mango desert), Purple rice with yoghurt and other traditional fried Vietnamese dishes.

As our tour takes you away from the West Lake area and back into the heart of Hanoi, you will be taken past the Ho Chi Minh memorial where guards can be seen performing their nightly ceremonies.  Nothing captures the reverence and sanctity that the Vietnamese hold for Ho Chi Minh more than these nightly ceremonies.

Finally, we will head back into the densely packed streets of Hanoi to the train tracks where locals cook, relax, and sell their wares.  It is a bustling alley full of locals going about their nightly lives, right next to active train tracks!

Our tour winds down with a stop to a popular café to try the famous Vietnamese egg coffee and a top-secret desert which you only know when you travel with us!  First invented in 1946, it’s a delicacy of whipped egg yolk with sugar and condensed milk for sweetness, and just a drop of vinegar to fluff the eggs.  This is floated on top of a shot of espresso and dusted with cocoa powder. The end result is a coffee experience like no other, and a taste and texture reminiscent of tiramisu.

Stay overnight in Hanoi

Meal Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

At 9 AM, transfer to the center, visit West Lake, the largest lake of the capital, once was named as “Foggy Lake” from its misty condition. Its name was changed to “West Lake” in 1573 to avoid the given name of King Le The Tong. Stop at Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in the city, originally constructed in the sixth century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De, thus giving it an age of 1,400 years.

Having ice cream at West Lake Ice cream – Kem Ho Tay – right opposite the Tran Quoc Pagoda.

Then continue to Temple of Literature (Vietnamese name is Quoc Tu Giam) – The Vietnam’s first University, which was built in 1070 in honor of Confucius, his followers, and Chu Van An, a moral figure in Vietnamese education.

Continue to visit the Hilton Jail or Hoa Lo prison, a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for prisoners of war during the Vietnam War when it was sarcastically known to American prisoners of war as the “Hanoi Hilton”.

Continue to St Joseph’s Cathedral, a 19^th-century neo-Gothic church built with the Notre Dame of Paris in mind. The church is a gathering place for the largely Roman Catholic community of Hanoi and is also popular with tourists. Constructed when the French first occupied the city, St. Joseph Cathedral is a striking example of colonial architecture in Hanoi

Back the Old Quarter, participate in Egg Coffee Class. You will be shown the origin of the egg’s coffee and its formative process, how to make and highlight the special flavor of egg coffee. After class, enjoy a cup of egg coffee made by yourself. A special gift from the organizer – coffee filter made by Bát Tràng Ceramics to keep the heat needed and a certification paper.

Pass by Ngoc Son Temple which is located at the northern end of Sword Lake (aka Hoan Kiem Lake). From the shore, walking on the Welcoming Morning Sunlight Bridge leads to the island.

Enjoy a water puppet show. Water puppetry – “ puppets that dance on water”- is a tradition that dates back as far as the 11^th century when it originated in the villages of the Red River Delta area of northern Vietnam.

Stay overnight at Hanoi

Meal Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

08.00 – 8:30: Our guide will pick you up at your hotel lobby in Ha Noi, being on a modern shuttle bus heading to Bai Tu Long bay, Ha Long city

12.00: Arrive at Swan office, you have a short time to relax in the office before embark Swan cruise

12.45: Warmest welcome drinks from our staffs. Listen to a brief of safety on board then check in your cabin

13.30: Enjoying delicious Vietnamese for lunch while leisurely cruising to the core of Bai Tu Long Bay.

15.00: Leave the cruise to discover Cap La Island- the beautiful area in Bai Tu Long bay. Enjoy kayaking through the karst and breathtaking nature, swimming and relaxing

17.30: Get back to the boat and enjoy Sunset Time (enjoy tea and fresh fruits). This time is regarded as “Happy Hour” – “buy two get one free” while our cruise is sailing to the overnight anchorage.

19.00: Sumptuous set-dinner on board.

20.30: Free time for relaxing on the sundeck, listening to music, you may also try your luck with squid fishing.

If you want to join in karaoke activity, please our tour guide to be supported

Stay overnight on board on Bai Tu Long Bay

Meal Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

06.30-07.00: Welcome a new day with an amazing dawn on Bai Tu Long Bay. Refresh your body and soul with a Tai-chi session on the sundeck.

07.00-07.30: Catch the morning view of seascape while enjoying breakfast with cookies and tea, café in the restaurant.

07.30-08.30: Visit Vung Vieng fishing village – the famous fishing farm by bamboo boat and discover life of local people living on the surface of Halong Bay. (No swimming).

08.30-9.30: Pack up the luggage and check out of the cabin.

09.30-10.40: Enjoy the brunch in the restaurant while cruising back to Vinashin tourist harbor.

11.00: Disembark from boat.

12.00: Get on your shuttle bus again for driving back to Hanoi.

16.30: Shuttle bus will drop you off at your former hotel in Hanoi.

From here, you will be privately transferred to Noi Bai Airport (no guide) to catch an evening flight to Danang.

After collecting your baggage, exit the Da Nang airport to meet outside a local Guide. From the airport, you will be privately transferred to your lovely hotel.

Stay overnight in Da Nang

Meal Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

Start our trip to Ba Na Hills, a hill station and resort located in the Truong Son Mountain west of the city of Danang. The station, advertised as “the Dalat of Danang province” by local tourism authorities, was founded in 1919 by French colonists. A trip on cable car will offer you a chance to admire the panorama of Ba Na Hills, spring stream, Danang city and Danang coast from your cabin at the height of 1,487 meters above sea level.

During your time on the mountain, enjoy a visit to:

• Fantasy Park: the amusement park reserves countless funs and surprises, which of course involve well-tailored games to keep little kids occupied and delighted all day long.
• The Le Jardin with the relics of the French, such as the force of the French horse, nearly 100-year-old grapefruit trees and traces of ancient villas. Especially Debay cellar, the wine cellar was built by the French in 1923, spent nearly a century, they still retain cellar wild, mysterious, is the work of the French single remaining fairly intact Ba Na.
• Linh Ung Pagoda, located on the peak of Ba Na Mountain at the height of 1.400 meters, was officially inaugurated on the 5^th of March, 2004. You can also feel your interests with a lot of pretty villas, newly built hotels, and bungalows here. Each one has its own flower garden with many types of aristocratic flower that Frenchmen left during the 50 past years.
• Keep taking nice walk to Golden Bridge. Winding its way around a 150-meter course lined with flowers, a golden bridge shimmers against the Ba Na Hills, supported by a pair of giant hands. The bridge sits 1,400 meters above sea level, an altitude which creates the illusion of a silk strip hiding in the clouds above Da Nang.

Take cable down

Drive back to Danang Center around 5-6 PM.

Stay overnight in Danang

Meal Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, on the way to Hoi An Ancient Town, make a stop at Marble Mountain. The five mountains consist of rock outcrops that are made of marble. Each mountain is said to represent a natural element and is named accordingly to Water, Wood, Fire, Gold and Earth. The largest, Water, has a number of grottos and caves.

Then, after a leisurely 40-minute drive to Hoi An, you will start your afternoon by a walking tour around this enchanting port town of Hoi an, follow the narrow lanes lined with centuries-old houses influenced by Chinese, Japanese, French and European architectures and visit its numerous places of interest: the 400-year old Japanese Covered Bridge, the Phuc Kien Assembly Halls, the Tan Ky old house, the local market …

• Japanese Covered Bridge dated back to the 18^th century and is a beautiful historical piece of Japanese architecture. It is claimed that it was created by the Japanese then living in Hoi An as a way to reach the Chinese quarter across the water. The bridge was opened by Nguyen Phuc Chu Lord in 1719 who carved three Chinese symbols above the door in commemoration.
• Phuc Kien Assembly Halls was built around 1690 and functions as a traditional assembly hall for the Chinese ethnic group from Fujian, China to socialize, but later was transformed into a temple dedicated to their deity named Thien Hau – the goddess of the sea who protects sailors from danger.
• Tan Ky old house is an almost perfect example of an 18^th merchant’s residence in this major commercial port town. The name Tan Ky, meaning “Progress Shop”, was given to the house by the second generation to express the owner’s wish for a prosperous business. Around the town, you can see numerous art galleries and tailor shops. You are also free to get some made-to-order clothes if you like.

Note: The most highlight of the tour is you will explore the city wearing these lovely Ao Dai for one whole day and enjoy an exclusive photoshoot in the ancient town. Strike your best pose against eclectic backdrops of cozy, old-fashioned cafés, indigenous restaurants, and an unforgettable street plan reflecting native and foreign influences dating from the15th to 19^th century.

We offer Ao Dai and a conical hat for free for women, men, children in all kinds of ages.

Stay overnight in Hoi An

Meal Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

You will meet your local guide at the hotel, then drive to Hoi An Market (around half an hour), you can feel the bustle of the morning market, have an opportunity to have direct contact with sellers.

You might also have a chance to learn some tips about “bargaining” when going shopping.

Our guide will introduce to you the necessary ingredients for cooking classes. Then you will have a sightseeing tour along the Thu Bon River and Cua Dai beat by boat. On the river, you have a chance to enjoy the river beauty in the countryside of Vietnam.

Next, you will join a basket boat tour and get some loveable handmade souvenirs made from nipa palm leaves.

We will welcome you to our restaurant, for a welcome drink, here you will join and paint on a bamboo class by yourself.

At the end, we will start the cooking class with our chefs. Within two hours, the chef will teach you how to cook Vietnamese cultural cuisine. Then you can enjoy Vietnamese food made by yourself. After lunch, back to the hotel by car.

Stay overnight in Hoi An

Meal Provided: Breakfast

You will have your own free time before the time that our driver (no guide) pick you up and transfer to airport for flight back home.

End trip.