FROM CENTRAL TO SOUTHERN VIETNAM
Overview
Day 1: Da Nang Arrival – Hoi An
Day 2: Hoi An Discovery
Day 3: Hoi An – Transfer to Da Nang – Hue
Day 4: Hue City Tour
Day 5: Hue – Flight to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) – Cu Chi Tunnels
Day 6: Ho Chi Minh Discovery
Day 7: Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta
Day 8: Ho Chi Minh Departure
Customizable itinerary
Arrival at Da Nang International Airport, collect your luggage process through custom. Your private tour guide and driver from Indochina Pioneer will be waiting for you outside the baggage claim/customs area to transfer you in a private vehicle to the hotel Hoi An ancient town.
Please look for your tour guide who will hold up your names on a welcome signboard.
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 Hoi An
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a half-day walking tour of Hoi An through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter. From the 16th to the 18th century, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port. Today it will be a quaint riverside town popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailor shops, and cafes.
The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure. Hoi An has an abundance of tailors who can produce a custom suit in 24 hours or less, at very reasonable prices.
Overnight in Hoi An
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)
After breakfast, we will drive approximately 4 hours to Hue, via the scenic Hai Van Pass. En route, we will stop to visit the Cham Museum in Da Nang, Marble Mountain with the carving village at the foot of the mountain (optional/ depends on your health condition) and My Khe Beach which was home to American GIs during the war.
Head to your hotel in Hue. We will check in and relax at our own leisure.
Overnight in Hue
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up for an adventure on a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River. During the cruise, you will visit the Thien Mu (Heavenly Lady) Pagoda with its characteristic seven-tiered tower. You will also see the Austin car which took Monk Thich Quang Duc to Saigon where he famously set himself on fire in 1963 as a dramatic protest against the unfair treatment of Buddhists by the Diem regime.
Continue on to the Hue Royal Complex, former home to the Nguyen Dynasty, the last Monarchy of Vietnam from 1802 – 1945. You will explore the ancient and atmospheric walled Citadel which contains the former Imperial Palace and the Forbidden Purple City.
After lunchtime, we will visit Tu Duc Tomb and Dong Ba market to learn about the life of local people.
Return to your hotel after the visit. The rest of the day will be for relaxing at your own leisure.
Overnight in Hue
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)
After breakfast, our driver will transfer you to the airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).
Upon arrival in HCM City, your private tour guide will take you on a 2-hour tour of the legendary Cu Chi Tunnels as (travel time approximately 1 hour). This vast network of tunnels, stretching over 150 km, was built by the Viet Cong during the battles that took place in the south. You will take a walk through the reserve and get to see:
– The Secret Entrance to the tunnels
– Workshops for the handmade weapons
– The clinic, commander, meeting and kitchen bunkers
If you are feeling brave, you can crawl inside the Cu Chi Tunnels to experience how difficult life must have been, and discover the 3 underground levels. After the visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, you will return to HCM City.
Transfer to your hotel after the visit. The rest of the day will be for relaxing at your own leisure.
Overnight in HCMC
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)
After breakfast, your private tour guide will take you on a full-day tour and impart another perspective of the familiar and not-so-familiar landmarks in modern-day HCM City. You will discover the city’s culture, architecture, religious practices, and fascinating history. Below are the recommended sites, but of course, your guide will be happy to modify the list based on your preferences.
Visits:
– Tao Dan Park, to catch the bird lovers club who show up only between 6 and 9 am every morning. Enjoy some local coffee while your guide explains the history and practice of keeping birds in Vietnam.
– Thich Quang Duc monument – attribute to a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who burned himself to death on June 11, 1963, in protest against the persecution of Buddhists by South Vietnam’s Ngo Dinh Diem administration
– The colorful Ho Thi Ky flower market
– A drive through Cho Lon to visit Nhi Phu Temple, built at the end of 17thcentury by Chinese immigrants from the Fukien province in China.
Lunch will be served at Pho 2000 Restaurant where former US president Bill Clinton once patronized.
In the afternoon, you will continue to visit:
– General Post Office (GPO), noted for its neoclassical architecture, designed and constructed by the famous architect Gustave Eiffel
– Notre Dame Cathedral considered being one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Vietnam. It was built in the period 1877 – 1880 by the French architect Bourad.
– Reunification Palace (the former Presidential Palace), where the war officially ended on April 30th, 1975 when tank 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of the home of the President of the Republic of Vietnam
– The previous CIA Office
– A drive down Dong Khoi Street, where, in 1975, during the dying days of the former regime, the iconic photograph was taken of a helicopter lifting people out of Saigon.
– The Opera House (now the Municipal Theatre), built in 1880, was used in the filming of “The Quiet American”.
– HCM City People’s Committee (formerly Hôtel de Ville), built in 1902-1908, one of the most photographed buildings in Vietnam, notable for its gardens, ornate facade and elegant interior lit with crystal chandeliers
– War Remnants Museum, highlighting the suffering of the Vietnamese people during recent conflicts – not entirely unbiased
Return to your hotel after the visit. The rest of the day will be for relaxing at your own leisure.
Overnight in HCMC
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)
Today your private guide and driver will take you out of Saigon in a private vehicle and onto some beautiful country roads to Ben Tre Town, the heart of the Mekong Delta, popularly known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam, and is famous for its vast rice fields, orchard farms, coconut trees, numerous waterways and beautiful landscapes.
After approx 2 hour driving through the lush farming land, we’ll arrive at Ben Tre town where we will embark on a motorized boat trip around the scenic Bến Tre River, viewing various local industries along the way. During the boat ride, we will stop to visit the small local factories where bricks and sleeping mats are made. Take a leisure walk along the village lanes visiting the local homes to try dry fruits, taste honey tea while enjoying a local Tai Tu music show. Continue to visit a coconut mill workshop where the local delicacy of coconut candy is produced and a range of coconut husk and fiber products are skillfully handcrafted.
Overnight in Mekong Delta
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)
Free at your own leisure until our driver transfers you to the airport for your departure flight home.
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)
Useful Information
This tour is built upon our firsthand knowledge & experience, offering you the best choices available. The price of this trip varies depending on the number of people in your party, dates of departure, and the availability of ground services. Please click on REQUEST A FREE QUOTE (above) and supply the required information, enabling us to send you your personalized quote within 24 hours!
Note: Amendments CAN be made to this tour to suit your requirements.
What’s Included?
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- Accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels
- Private Vehicles and Drivers
- Private English Speaking Guides (Other languages if available, upon request)
- Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
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- Domestic flight
- Airport Taxes and Fuel charges
- Entrance fees for all mentioned sights visited
- Service Charge & Government Taxes
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What’s Not Included?
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- Your International Flight to and from Vietnam
- Vietnam entry Visa Fees (contact us for further information)
- Personal Expenses (such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc.)
- Any bank fees or charges at your end
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- Meals other than those mentioned in the itinerary
- Personal Travel Insurance
- Tips for guides and drivers
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Free service. No credit card required
Reviews on Our Service
Vietnam Luxury Vacation Review: Sightseeing, Culture, 12-Day Travel
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Sightseeing, Rice Fields, Boat Rides, 18-Day Trip
We started searching for our tour for Vietnam / Cambodia back in October 2022 to start the tour in the first week of January 2023. We selected this travel agency, and contact name provided to us was Elly. She was extraordinary with her communication with us. Excellent English speaking language capability & excellent in communication on Whats app and email communication. We went back & forth few times to arrange the tour we wanted. She was very accommodating in arranging our schedule. We requested automobile tour for both countries, just for two of us.
We requested SUV FOR OUR COMFORT AND WE GOT IT!
We requested to get the high end hotel in each city and she gave us choices and not only that but send videos of each hotel for each City and then waited for us to decide which hotel we select. All the Hotels turned out to be one of the best we would expect to be. M/s Elly, personally came to visit with us on the evening of our first day tour. Very respectful and asked if she could do anything for us.I had requested before in our communication, if she would arrange for power converter for us, since my camera chargers are all in 110. So brought two power converters for us! Something, not everyone will do this kind of service. So all the kiddos to her!
as to the drivers in each city were very courteous, very professional and very careful in how and where they have to do driving.
our Guides in each city were so friendly, courteous and knowledgeable in where ever we visited. How ever wish two guides in Hue An and Ho Chi Minh City spoke English more clearly.
We only wish we had one extra day in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, , however, there is so much to see in the world! Perhaps next time will visit Vietnam.
As to Cambodia, same thing to express about site seeing and our Guide and drivers. Guides and drivers really made our travel thro’ the countries where we do not speak that language, made it so comfortable and enjoyable.
Outstanding!
Hi Lam…hope you don’t mind me contacting you directly. My wife Barb & I (Paul) have just arrived home after completing a great tour of Vietnam which was organised through your company Asia Pioneer Travel.
We want to tell you personally how impressed were were with the level of service that we received…it was amazing and the best that we have experienced anywhere. After we made initial contact with you, you handed us over to Chloe to arrange the trip which she did in very quick time and the amount of detail that she went to was fantastic. From the moment that we walked out of Hanoi airport on arrival to see our guide waiting, we knew that we were in for a great trip. The drivers & guides were fantastic and Chloe was in contact by email constantly making sure that everything was going to plan & that we were happy. At one stage we need to vary the itinerary by extending accommodation & changing air tickets and Chloe did that without any fuss or bother.
We also met some wonderful Vietnamese people along the way and Ive got to say that they are our kind of people, very generous & friendly.
Enough of my ramblings, thanks for a great visit to Vietnam, and a special thank you to Chloe for looking after us in such a terrific manner…she is a very special caring lady.
Kind regards & I hope that we have the opportunity to use Asia Pioneer Travel again….Paul & Barb Little from Newcastle Australia
Superbly organised and very flexible
We travelled to Vietnam for two weeks, booking the whole trip through Lizzie at Asia Pioneer, including hotels, excursions, trips, guides and internal flights. Lizzie was so helpful and flexible, accommodating changes to our schedule until the last minute, especially as we missed our connecting flight in Dubai and arrived a day later than planned (our fault). Nothing was too much trouble, including getting my wallet back to me after I left it in the car taking us to the airport.
We started in Hanoi in the North and worked our way south to Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon), taking in Ha Long with its amazing sea stacks and sleeping on a boat, then to Sa Pa on the overnight sleeper train from Hanoi, with its wonderful countryside and rice terraces. Afterwards, we went to Hoi An for three days of relaxation. Hoi An probably my favourite place and three days are enough to cover it. Then onto Hue, the original capital, my least favourite place and then finally on to HMC, which was a real contrast to the North.
The 3-star hotels that Lizzie picked were very good and comfortable, and the guides were very knowledgeable. I would definitely use Asia Pioneer again for future Asia trips.
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