Classic Vietnam South To North Journey

Arrival Flight: Guest’s own tickets

Xin Chao! Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, your private guide and driver are waiting to meet you, holding up a welcome signboard with your names on it and take you directly to your hotel located in the city centre.

While every effort is made to have your room available upon arrival, check-in time is at 02:00 pm; your room may or may not be ready before this time. Your tour guide will provide additional details regarding your stay, and you will be able to ask any questions you may have. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Morning

After breakfast, you will be met by your private guide and driven to Cu Chi, a small community located northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, known for its network of deep tunnels that provided shelter and an effective source of infiltration for the Viet Cong during the later years of the Vietnam War.

Upon arrival, you will watch a short introductory video from the period before exploring the tunnels, the most famous battlegrounds in the world. The hidden network of Viet Cong tunnels is believed to stretch to “hundreds of miles,”  in total length, and to include living quarters, storage rooms, makeshift hospitals, and kitchens, etc. Although originally very narrow, some parts have been widened for the tourists and you have the opportunity to explore parts of the system.

Please note that these tunnels will be hot and can feel claustrophobic, so there is an option to view from above ground if you’d like. 

Try some of the main foods of the Viet Cong Soldiers with a cassava tasting served with tangy tea. After experiencing the Cu Chi Tunnels, transfer back to the city with lunch en route at Ben Nay restaurant.

Afternoon

Spend the rest of the day visiting some of Ho Chi Minh City’s key highlights. We’ll tailor your tour to suit you, but we particularly recommend visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, the ornate City Hall (Hotel De Ville), the old Opera House, the historic Rex Hotel, the Central Post Office, renowned for its architecture, and Ben Thanh Market, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts, appealing to every taste.

Later stop at the Reunification Palace and the moving War Remnants Museum for an insightful, yet sombre, look into Vietnam’s military history and turbulent past.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Morning

After breakfast, your private guide and driver will take you out of Ho Chi Minh City in a private vehicle and onto some beautiful country roads to Ben Tre Town in the Mekong Delta, famous for its vast rice fields, numerous waterways, and beautiful landscapes. Known as the ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam, this region produces most of Vietnam’s fruit, rice, sugar cane, and coconuts.

After the two-hour drive through the lush farming land, you will arrive in Ben Tre where you will set out on a motorized boat trip on narrow channels winding through the coconut forest. During the boat ride, you will stop at the local cottage industries to see how the local people make bricks and weave sleeping mats by hand. Learn about their craft handed down through generations.

Take a leisurely walk along the village lanes, visiting the local homes to try fresh fruits, taste delicious honey tea while enjoying a local Tai Tu music show. Continue to visit another workshop where the local delicacy of coconut candy is produced and a wide range of coconut husk and fiber products are skillfully handcrafted.

Next, take a small sampan through palm-fringed back canals, gliding peacefully along the hidden waterways surrounded by an immense variety of tropical plants. The quiet, rural setting is a welcome and restorative retreat to the frenetic buzz of Ho Chi Minh City, which seems far, far away.

Enjoy sitting in the back of a Motor Cart (xe lôi) passing local hamlets, rice fields, coconut groves, and lush orchard farms while meeting with local people.

Afternoon

After finishing your sightseeing tour, your guide will take you to a riverside restaurant for lunch with local specialties, then return to the pier and drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.

This evening, you will be free to visit the night market to discover the authentic local cuisine. Or simply enjoy a glass of cocktail on the rooftop bar of the historic Rex Hotel.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast at the hotel, your private guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby and transfer you to the airport for your flight to Da Nang.

Upon arrival at Da Nang Airport, you will be welcomed by your new local guide and driver, and then transferred to your hotel in Hoi An.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Morning

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel to visit the Ancient Quarter of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you will embark on a walking tour visiting the major attractions such as Chua Ong Pagoda, Tan Ky Ancient House, Fujian Assembly Hall, and the Japanese Covered Bridge.

Continue to visit the Precious Heritage Museum, home to the permanent exhibition of Réhahn’s Precious Heritage Collection. While transporting you to the furthest reaches of Vietnam, the collection will unveil the rich cultural tapestry of the ethnic tribes

Move on to the house of a lantern craftsman. There, you can observe the lantern craftsman’s technique before hands-on work through each stage of lantern-making under the guidance of the enthusiastic craftsmen: from bending it into the frame, cutting cloth, gluing, to completing lanterns. Before this trip concludes, you will have your own lantern created by your own hands.

Every day at 4 pm, Hoi An’s streets are filled with a myriad of street food carts, stalls, and vendors. You can discover local foods on your own.

Your afternoon is at leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Spend your full day to relax at your leisure in this UNESCO heritage town, which has some of the best food, architecture, and shopping in all of Vietnam. Hoi An is the perfect place to potter around, shop at the many tailor stores, and dine at the town’s fabulous restaurants. In this town, you can get a suit/ tuxedo made within 24 hours at a reasonable price. You can also take an opportunity to join a cooking class to learn about the arts of Vietnam culinary; visiting the local market, choosing ingredients and preparing and cooking Hoi An special dishes. This is great fun.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Have breakfast at the hotel and check out at 9 am and transfer to Da Nang Airport without a guide to take your flight to Hanoi. (Expected flight Vietnam Airlines VN166 12:00 13:25)

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport – Domestic Terminal, you will be welcomed by your local guide and transferred to your hotel downtown to check in. The rest of your day is at leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Today, with the help of your private guide and driver, you’ll uncover Hanoi’s top attractions and savor authentic local dishes, dining street-side alongside the locals.

Morning

9:00 Begin at the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex, where Vietnam honors its ‘Great Father.’ Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed afternoons, Fridays, and Mondays) to see his embalmed body, his House on Stilts, and the One Pillar Pagoda, a historic 11th-century Buddhist temple.

Next, explore the millennia-old Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university and a tribute to Confucian values.

Enjoy lunch at Lan Ong Restaurant, where history, culture, and modern Vietnamese dining come together in an intimate and immersive experience.

Afternoon

After lunch, visit the historic Hoa Lo Prison (nicknamed the Hanoi Hilton), once used by French colonists and later for U.S. prisoners of war.

Take a fun cyclo ride through the French Quarter, admiring its colonial architecture, including the Vietnam History Museum, Metropole Legend Hotel, and Opera House.

Enjoy a cup of Hanoi’s famous Egg Coffee at Pho Co Café, offering stunning views of Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple.

Wrap up the day with a walking tour through the vibrant Old Quarter, discovering Hanoi’s dynamic street food scene. Sample dishes like Nom Du Du (green papaya salad), Banh Mi Pa Te (Vietnamese sandwich), and Bun Cha (grilled pork with noodles) while seated on tiny plastic stools in a lively back alley.

It’s then time for dessert as we venture down a small alley to join in the local tradition of feasting on fresh fruit served in a cup and smothered with crushed iced – this specialty is one not to be missed!

Overnight in Hanoi.

Have breakfast at your hotel, then depart from Hanoi at 8 AM for a two-hour drive to Ninh Binh. Arrive at the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital around 10 am and spend an hour exploring the historic temples dedicated to King Dinh and King Le, immersing yourself in the rich history of Vietnam’s first capital.

By 11:00 AM, continue to the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, just a 20-minute drive away. At 11:30 AM, embark on a tranquil sampan boat ride through scenic waterways, limestone caves, and lush landscapes. This 2-hour tour offers breathtaking views of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After the boat tour, enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant around 1:30 PM, sampling specialties like goat meat and fried rice.

Following lunch, visit Mua Cave at 3 PM. Climb the 500 stone steps to the summit for panoramic views of Ninh Binh’s stunning countryside. Spend about an hour taking in the beauty of the region.

At 4- 4.30 PM, begin your return journey to Hanoi, arriving back by 6:30 PM. This itinerary offers a perfect blend of history, nature, and scenic beauty, making it a memorable day trip from the capital.

Overnight in Hanoi

07:45 – 08:30 | Pick-up (estimated time)

For those who book transfer service, our bus will collect guests from hotels around Hanoi Old Quarter. The exact pick-up time will be informed in the afternoon before the departure date.

11:30 – 12:00 | Arrive Tuan Chau Harbor

12:00 – 12:30 | Transfer to the main boat by tender. Embark on Sena Cruise

Warmly welcome to Sena Cruise! While enjoying a welcome drink, our cruise manager will deliver a cruise briefing and safety introduction. After that you will check in your cabin.

13:00 – 13:30 | Enjoy fabulous lunch

Fabulous lunch is served while Sena Cruise – Luxury Boutique Cruise starts her sail into magnificent Lan Ha Bay – an extension of Ha Long Wonder which is much quieter and has fewer tourists. She will pass a thousands of uniquely shaped limestone towers and islands.

15:00 | Explore Lan Ha Bay

We will visit the Dark and Bright Cave – famous for the pristine natural beauty and poetic, attractive seascape of Lan Ha Bay. Here you will take some photos of the romantic, lyrical local see-sights. This is also the best time for tourists to enjoy bamboo boats or swimming – which is an interesting activity to discover the truest beauty of the Limestone Mountains and the blue sky of Lan Ha Bay. Afterwards, visitors immerse in the emerald green water of Lan Ha Bay with exciting swimming activities.

17:00 | Return to Sena Cruise. 

Enjoy a sunset party on Lan Ha Bay. It is an ideal time for photography enthusiasts to capture the stunning moment of sunset at Lan Ha Bay.

You will also have a chance to join our Cooking class to challenge your skills in preparing the very famous Vietnamese spring rolls.

Before dinner, our experienced captain will choose the most tranquil area to anchor for overnight.

19:00 | Savor deluxe dinner

Reward yourself with a large selection of cocktails at a panoramic bar or take one of our onboard activities: squid fishing, karaoke. (We open the light and prepare the squid fishing rods)

Overnight on board

06:00 | Sunrise Tai-chi section on sundeck

Be an early bird for a photo hunt and join our Tai-chi session on the sundeck to refresh your body and mind.

07:00 | Having light breakfast

Sena Cruises – Luxury Boutique Cruises continues her sail, passing amazing karst towers. Tea, coffee and light breakfast is served with fresh air and peaceful surroundings.

08:15 | Explore Tra Bau Area

Join kayaking & swimming to explore the Tra Bau area – the famous filming location for Kong Skull Island (King Kong) in Quang Ninh in 2018.

09:30 | Return to the boat for check-out

10:00 | Lunch time

During the time well prepared lunch is served, Sena Cruise – Luxury Boutique Cruise slowly navigates emerald water and thousands of Karst Mountains towards the Harbor.

(If you want to go to Cat Ba Island, you must let us know, we will transfer you by Sena Cruise small transfer boat to Gia Luan Port – please inform in advande).

11:30 – 12:00 | Disembark Sena Cruise and farewell the crew and back to Hanoi by bus

15:00 – 16:00 | Arrive at your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter, end of unforgettable trip.

Overnight in Hanoi

Notes: Itineraries may be subject to change without prior notice due to weather, pandemic conditions, or regulation of Port authorities. Wi-Fi is available in the restaurant/bar area, but internet connectivity is limited due to the geography of the bay. Thank you for your understanding.

Departure flight: Guest’s own tickets

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be free at leisure till check out.

We wil pick up 4 hours before your departure flight time for your transfer without guide to Noi Bai International Airport for your flight home.