Immersive Vietnam Cultural Tour

Xin Chao! Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam.

A warm greeting awaits at Noi Bai International airport; your private guide and driver will meet you OUTSIDE the arrivals lounge and transfer you to your hotel in Hanoi.

Please look for your tour guide who holds up your names on a welcome signboard.

While every effort is made to have your room available upon arrival, check in time is at 02:00pm; 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 day will be at your leisure basis.

We have left the rest of day free for you to relax, unwind, and become accustomed to your new surroundings.

Please note: Your travel documents contain a Vietnam eVisa (unless otherwise arranged). Please ensure to pack this in your carry-on luggage. Your Vietnam eVisa must be presented to Customs upon entry into the country.

Today with the help of your private guide and driver, you will get to explore the city’s top attractions, sample Hanoi’s authentic local dishes away from the tourist trails, hunkering down with the locals on the street at a variety of atmospheric food stalls.

Morning

Begin with a tour of Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex where the Vietnamese people honor the country’s ‘Great Father’. Here you’ll visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closes every afternoon, Friday & Monday) which contains the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh and his House on Stilts to observe how he lived and how his life unfolded to become one of modern history’s greatest names. Nearside his house is the miniature 11th-century One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple of historical and cultural significance.

Today you will have Pho for lunch, a Vietnamese Noodle shop. Some of the local people call this world-famous Noodle soup “Mac-Noodles” since it is as popular here as MacDonalds is in other parts of the world!  At the restaurant, your tour guide will explain the routine during Vietnamese meal times, and also tell you which special ingredients are needed for you.

Afternoon

After lunch, continue to visit the millennia-old Temple of Literature and explore its role in the country’s past, as both a university and a Confucius temple. Next is Hoa Lo (so-called Hanoi Hilton), a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for U.S. Prisoners of War.

Embark on a fun cyclo (a three-wheeled bicycle taxi) ride through the French colonial architecture of the precinct known as the French Quater, past the French-style villas, the Vietnam History Museum, the heritage Metropole Legend Hotel and the Opera House, name to a few.

Enjoy a cup of unmissable Egg coffee at Pho Co Café with stunning views of Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, and the surroundings.

For your dinner experience, tonight you can have the opportunity to taste our local cuisine at Lan Ong restaurant. Lan Ong Restaurant is a must-visit, offering a perfect blend of Hanoi’s distinctive cuisine. Enjoy expertly crafted dishes, from refined broths to simple delights, all made with local ingredients and spices. Every flavor is a tribute to the culinary heritage of historic Lan Ong Street!

Overnight in Hanoi.

08:30 A private car without guide takes you to Quang Ninh province. Enjoy the landscape of the Red River Delta on the way to Ha Long Bay.

12:00 The crew members of Peony Cruises will welcome you at No.34, Tuan Chau Marina, Quang Ninh. Phone for receptionist at Peony Cruises lounge: +84 987671669 / +84 936905115.

12:30 You will be taken aboard our support vessel and travel from the wharf via the bay to board our luxurious craft, Peony Cruises. Itinerary briefing is announced during this time.

13.00 Welcome fresh drinks, wet towels and a special lunch of fresh food and an assortment of appetizing delicacies will be served. You will be enchanted when decadently dining on our luxury junk. Life just doesn’t get better than this! We then set sail for Lan Ha Bay – A member of the World’s Most Beautiful Bays.

Enjoy the delicious luncheon of fresh seafood and an assortment of appetizing delicacies while cruising along Lan Ha Bay with the breathtaking scenery.

15:30 Visiting Tra Bau area, known as an area famous for its unspoiled, poetic natural beauty and attractive seascape of Lan Ha Bay. This is the best time for kayaking to discover the truest beauty of the limestone islands.

Immerse yourself in the emerald green water of the bay or enjoy the Jacuzzi pool on the Peony Cruises.

17:30 – 18:30 Joining us for Cooking demonstration to learn how to make one of the most famous Vietnamese cuisines, the spring rolls. Or reach the top deck of cruise where the guests can admire the magnificent sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin.

Enjoy a Happy Hour time – BUY ONE GET ONE FREE at the bar. It is an ideal time for photography enthusiasts to capture the greatest moment of sunset over Lan Ha Bay.

19.30 Enjoying delicious local food prepared and served by our skillful chef. This is a delightful meal in an intimate romantic setting.

21:00 – 22.00 Relaxing and sipping the exotic cocktails and drinks at the sky bar (with surcharge). Indulge yourself with spa service (optional) or simply relax on the top deck just under the cover of a brightly illuminated sky.

Or try to get your luck at the squid fishing on the main deck.

6:00 Begin the day full of energy with the Tai Chi session and enjoy the sun just rising up beyond the horizon.

6:45 – 7:15 Breakfast is served while cruising back to Gia Luan jetty. (Breakfast time may be adjusted and follow the real itinerary)

7:30 – 9:00 You will join the tour of Cat Ba World Biosphere by transshipment. It takes 30 minutes to transfer from Gia Luan to Trung Trang – one of the most impressive caves in Cat Ba island, Vietnam. The limestone cave has thousands of talactites in various shapes, offering geological values with a typical cave ecosystem.

9:30 Return to the main boat from the cave and the guests will do the cabin check out. Luggage is placed outside of the cabin. Lunch is served at the restaurant. Settle the bar bill by the desk at the restaurant (if any)

10:30 – 11:00 Disembark the Peony Cruises and transfer back to Block #34, Big Bay group terminal, Tuan Chau Marina. Relax and wait for the luggage.

11:30 – 12:00 The guests are ready at Tuan Chau Marina, say best wishes, and end your cruise with us. Your private car takes you back to Hanoi and heads directly to the airport for the flight to Hue, in the central part of Vietnam.

Upon arrival at Phu Bai airport, you will be picked up by your private guide & driver and taken to your hotel in the Royal City of Hue

Overnight in Hue.

Today you will explore the royal city of Hue once served as an imperial capital to the Nguyen Lords, a feudal dynasty that reigned from 1802 to 1945. With splendid emperors’ tombs, ancient pagodas, and the remains of the citadel, the city retains its royal charm.

Morning

After breakfast, you are picked up by your private guide and driver and begin your day with a visit to the atmospheric Imperial Citadel, a large complex that contains the remains of the former Imperial Palace and Forbidden Purple City, where the emperors and their family once lived. The two-hour walking tour allows you to see the magnificent architecture and gardens as your guide explains the events and the intrigue of the former royal court.

From the Imperial City, your guide will take you to visit the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda – Hue’s most famous religious site, with its origins dating back to 1601. Here you will explore the pagoda’s landscaped gardens, the seven-tiered octagonal tower, and watch the monks chanting.

Leaving the city center, you will drive to the outskirts heading to a local nunnery for lunch. Experience a fantastic traditional meal at this peaceful retreat and have the chance to interact with the nuns to learn more about Buddhism and gain a unique insight into their daily lives.

Afternoon

After lunch, you will explore the tomb of the longest-reigned Emperor Tu Duc, located in a tranquil setting of gardens and ponds, inspired by the Chinese Confucianism, harmonious design of balance and symmetry for the emperor’s resting place. You will also visit the tomb of King Khai Dinh, designed in the traditional Vietnamese style with a European touch, making it unique from the other tombs in Hue.

End your day at Dong Ba Marke,t which runs along the north bank of Huong (Perfume) River. You will have a chance to discover a favorite Noodle shop by Anthony Bourdain, the World Famous Chef and TV Producer. Sample the best Bun Bo Hue “Hue Noodle soup”.

Overnight in Hue.

Morning

After having breakfast at hotel, you will check out and start the day by visiting Thuy Bieu – an ancient village long known as a symbol of transition and harmony. Besides the well-preserved communal houses, the aesthetic wooden architectures, and Feng Shui-based gardens depict a mingling of royal legacy and rustic lifestyle. In proximity, you will explore some original monuments closely attached to the rise and fall of the Nguyen dynasties: the Roman Colosseum-styled Tiger Arena hosting duels between tigers and elephants, the unique temple cemetery dedicated to the Kings’ loyal elephants, and the long-established bronze casting village.

Cruising on the poetic Perfume River, cycling past green orchards and shady lanes, and engaging in hands-on experiences with locals, such as cooking, making local crafts, and enjoying a herbal footbath, are thoughtfully designed activities for a relaxing yet enriching discovery.

Highlights: 

• Exploring rare cultural relics such as the unique Tiger Arena, village temples, and garden houses.
• Connecting with locals through hands-on experiences, tasting seasonal fruit, and enjoying local delicacies.
• Assisting a local family in preparing a home-cooked meal using garden ingredients, followed by a herbal footbath.
• Cycling on rural paths and cruising on the poetic Perfume River.

Tip: Cycling distances can be shortened upon request. Possible to disembark or visit Thien Mu Pagoda. In the dry season (March-August), an afternoon tour starting from 14:00, including dinner, is a good alternative.

Afternoon

After lunch, we will depart Hue and head to Hoi An, the UNESCO heritage town (approximately 4 hours). Today, the drive over the Hai Van Pass will be one of the most scenic ones on your trip. En route, you will stop to visit Lang Co Beach and the fishing village, My Khe Beach, which was home to American GIs during the war, and the Marble Mountain

Arrive in Hoi An and check into your hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Morning

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel to visit a local fishing village by cycling on level ground to the Thu Bon River. For safety purposes, you will be given a short bicycle competency test. For those uncomfortable with riding a bicycle, a private car can be arranged (an additional cost will be added).

Ride along country lanes at a peaceful pace, viewing local life, and pause to see farmers toiling in their rice fields using centuries of farming practices. Peddle your way through palm forests, across bridges, fields of water buffalo, etc.

Take a short break in a local family at Cam Thanh Village before enjoying a 1.5 hours ride on Traditional Basket Boat (round boat) in the Water Coconut Palm Forest. Learn how to sail the basket boat and spend your time catching fish and “purple crabs” in the Canal.

Continue to ride your bike to Tra Que Organic Vegetable Village, where a large variety of vegetables is produced for the local community. At the village, you will be shown the environmentally sustainable practices which the local villagers have used for centuries and is still being used extensively today.

After some farming practices, head to a local family to enjoy a foot massage and the traditional herbal foot dip. You will then ride back to the hotel to rest during the day. Get ready for the afternoon walking and food tour.

Afternoon

Your tour guide will pick you up and take you to 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.

The highlight of the day is the visit to the Reaching Out Tea House, a welcome little oasis of calm in the busy, vibrant Old Quarter, owned and operated by the mute and deaf people. Here you will be treated to delicious cakes and incredible tea in the Eastern style.

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 created your own lantern by hand.

Now, it’s time for your Hoi An street food discovery tour. With your guide, you will weave in and out the tiny alleyways, get to chow down with the locals at stalls you’d never discover on your own. Every day at 16:00, Hoi An’s streets are filled with a myriad of street food carts, stalls, and vendors. The street food tour is a great introduction for you to enjoy a few of the Hoi An specialties cooked up by the locals, to introduce you to the faces behind the stock pots, and to teach you how the Hoi An locals deal with those condiment trays!

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 art of Vietnamese cuisine; visiting the local market, choosing ingredients, and preparing and cooking Hoi An’s special dishes. This is great fun.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Our private guide and driver will collect us from the hotel lobby and transfer us directly to the My Son Sanctuary, a breathtaking cluster of abandoned and partially decayed Hindu temples constructed between the 4th and the 14th century A.D. in the name of Shiva and considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.

Discover the majestic ancient ruins of the more than 70 architectural works in the complex, situated between two mountain ranges. Admire the ancient towers, and pay a visit to the historic town of Tra Kieu nearby, the former administration center of the Champa ruling dynasties.

On your way back to Hoi An, stop to visit some fascinating locals and learn how they breed silkworms and weave silk beside the Thu Bon River. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then drive back to our hotel in Hoi An.

The rest of the day is free at leisure. We can enjoy the comforts of the hotel, explore the town further or enjoy shopping.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Departure Flight: Guest’s own tickets

Breakfast at the hotel and then prepare for check out. Your private driver will be waiting for you at the hotel’s lobby and take care of you on a private transfer to Da Nang International Airport for your flight back home.