12-Day Journey That Reveals the True Beauty of Vietnam

Hoi An is typified by the 16th century Vietnamese, French, Chinese and Japanese architecture. The morning walking tour offers you a chance to see how charmingful the Old Quarter area is. The sites include the Japanese Covered Bridge; Phuoc Kien Assembly; Tan Ky ancient house; Hoi An Culture and History Museum and Quan Cong temple. Lunch at a local restaurant.

• Accommodation: hotel in Hoi An

• Meal included: breakfast, lunch

Drive over one of the most beautiful mountain passes along the coast with an Easy Rider from Hoi An to Hue. The Hai Van Pass – also known as the Ocean Cloud Pass – is perhaps one of Vietnam’s most famous roads, thanks to Top Gear and The Guardian, who declared it one of the most scenic routes in the world. Along the way we will explore the caves and temples of the Marble Mountains, take a swim at the Elephant Springs and try some delicious local food.

Arrive Hue, check in your hotel and rest.

• Accommodation: hotel in Hue

• Meal included: breakfast, lunch

Hue City Tour. Rising up in the ancient land, breakfast in hotel, we board on a private boat for cruising on the romantic Perfume River. This time we head out for the countryside. Being the ancient capital, Hue is surrounded with ancient tombs of emperors past, and a visit to some of these tombs will be on the itinerary for today. Setting on the bank of rivers, it gives you a great view on the Perfume River and surrounding area. This afternoon you will embark on a tour of Hue's Citadel, Hue special cuisine and salted coffee. The walk through the complex is very interesting and informative.

After the trip, at 5:30, you will embark on an evening food tour by walking or motorbike with driver. Sample a lot of kinds of Hue street food at different local shops. Learn more about the culinary, dishes recipes, and culture of Hue and enjoy the beauty of Hue by night.

Back to your hotel and rest.

• Accommodation: hotel in Hue

• Meal included: breakfast, lunch, food tour for dinner

You will take the morning flight at 10:00 to Hanoi. On arrival, get picked up by our guide and driver and make the day to the downtown. A Vietnamese lunch will be served at a restaurant in the city.

After lunch, transfer to Ba Dinh Square where you will visit to the mausoleum of the historic figure and father of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh (View from outside on Fri & Mon) and the former president’s stilt house where he lived from 1958 to 1969, his former home illustrates the modesty of this Vietnamese revolutionary. The One Pillar Pagoda, founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049 will be visited next: This structure is one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples. Continue on with the Temple of Literature: In 1076 Quoc Tu Giam - Vietnam's first university, also referred to as Van Mieu, was established within a temple to educate Vietnam's royalty, mandarins and members of the elite. The university functioned for an incredible 700 years and its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a fascinating glimpse into Vietnam’s past.

At the end of the afternoon visit Ngoc Son Taoist Temple, located on a little island of Hoan Kiem Lake and listen to a beautiful legend of this central Lake and learn about the rare species of tortoise which lived there.

Evening is free, maybe wandering around the Old Quarter of Hanoi or Hoan Kiem lake.

• Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

• Meal included: breakfast, lunch

At 8:30am, check out of your hotel in Hanoi and take the transfer to Ninh Binh. The drive to Ninh Binh takes around 2,5hour. Visit Hoa Lu temple, known as the first capital of Vietnam with a wide range of historical landmarks. Then have lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, drive to Trang An boat operation station, where you will get on a small sampan boat and enjoy a 3 hour row on a little river which goes through many small limestone caves. The scenery is spectacular as you are rowing in between the towering karst formations of this newly recognized Unesco’s heritage. After the row, check in your hotel and rest.

• Accommodation: hotel in Ninh Binh

• Meal included: breakfast, lunch

Breakfast is served at the hotel as usual. Transfer by car to the Hang Mua area. where you'll embark on a hike up to Ngoa Long mountain. There are about 500 steps to go for the summit of this limestone mountain. The panoramic view from the top is worth your hard work!

Get back down and continue on with a gentle walk on the ground of rice fields, villages, and ponds of lotus. This walk is very scenic through rural land. Lunch at a local restaurant.

Then you will jump on a bike for a stunning ride along the back roads through the beautiful scenery of towering karsts on the ground of ponds, rice paddies and rural villages in the area. On the bike, we will have as many stops as you want to take photographs. One of the stop is Bich Dong Pagoda. Bich Dong pagoda is an important religious place for the locals in the region. It comprises three structures: Ha (Low), Trung (Middle), and Thuong (Upper) pagodas in ascending order at the side of a rocky mountain. We will take a slow hike up to visit the three structures. Beside learning about the local belief, you will get a beautiful view when you reach the highest one. Then, we pedal back to where we start.

Back to your hotel in Ninh and relax.

• Accommodation: hotel in Ninh Binh

• Meal included: breakfast, lunch

8AM: check out of your hotel and get picked up for the drive to Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Pu Luong is not only the habitat of plentiful of flora, but the living environment of many species of fauna as well. A smooth drive will take you out of the bustling city to the beautiful rural scenery of Hoa Binh province. You will have some impressive photo opportunities on the way. Arrive at Pu Luong Nature Reserve, check in your accommodation and have lunch.

In the afternoon, you will embark on a soft trek to visit the nearby villages like Don village, Hieu villages or relax walking around. Overnight at a lodge in Pu Luong. Dinner at your account.

• Accommodation: hotel in Pu Luong

• Meal included: breakfast, lunch

Getting ready for a wonderful trekking day. You quickly leave the village's rice paddies behind to wade cross a small river. Once over the river, the valley narrows into a tight jungle-clad ravine, before once again opening out into the terraced paddy fields of the neighboring community. The landscape is very green and stunning along the way. Have a noon break at a local house where your local guide prepares the picnic lunch. After lunch break, move on the trek along the larger road to Kho Muong village. Nestled between steep karst Limestone Mountains, the village is really one of the most amazing settings on this trip.

Back to your lodge and overnight. Dinner at your account.

• Accommodation: hotel in Pu Luong

• Meal included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

After having breakfast at the lodge, embark on the trek for this morning. The trek today is quite gentle downhill as we descend a wide-open valley but still offers you great opportunities to enjoy the marvelous landscape of Mountains, dense forest and farms.

The rest of the day is free for you to relax or walk around the villages.

• Accommodation: hotel in Pu Luong

• Meal included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

6:00AM Breakfast and check out of the hotel, then spend 4,5 hours driving back to Hanoi airport. Lunch is on your own account.

Arriving at the airport, you will catch the flight back to Ho Chi Minh. Check in your hotel in Saigon (the hotel is excluded and arranged by you).

• Accommodation: hotel in Ho Chi Minh (arranged by you)

• Meal included: breakfast

Today is your last day of the trip, you are free at leisure or go out for some last shopping until getting picked up and take the private transfer to the airport for your departure flight. End of service.

• Meal included: none