9 Days Vietnam Highlight Tour with Phong Nha Cave

Welcome to Saigon!

Upon arrival, our tour guide and driver will welcome you at the airport. You will be escorted to the hotel and check-in. The rest of the day is at your leisure for recovery.

Note: if your arrival time is early, and you prefer to explore the city instead of taking a nap, please kindly tell our travel consultant, and we’ll recommend one of our suggested activities like a night cyclo tour with dinner at Saigon Princess Cruise, or having a half-day cooking class, or street food experience tour by sidebar.

Accommodation: Overnight in Saigon

Meals: NA

After breakfast, at about 8:30 am, we will drive about 1.5 hours to Cu Chi Tunnels, where you discover these amazing systems developed by the guerrillas fighting in the Vietnam War. You will see various weapons used in the war on display. It will take the whole morning to explore and enjoy.

After lunch at a local restaurant, back to Saigon city to explore the iconic highlights, including:

1. Notre Dame Cathedral: honored as one of the world's 19 most majestic cathedrals, the only representative from Southeast Asia, seen as the architectural symbol of Ho Chi Minh City
2. Old Saigon Post Office: Vietnam’s largest post office and oldest colonial structure, is one of the must-sees, attracting visitors with its aesthetic and historical values
3. Cholon: the largest Chinatown in Ho Chi Minh with many traditional shops, markets, and local food stalls.
4. Emperor Jade Pagoda: a sacred place of Saigon, built by a Chinese merchant named Liu Daoyuan, where people pray and seek blessings.

End of the sightseeing tour, you will be escorted to the hotel and enjoy free time for the rest of the day.

Accommodation: Overnight in Saigon

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and prepare to enjoy a full-day Mekong Delta discovery. Your tour guide will meet you around 8:00 am - 8:30 am.

You will arrive at Cai Be Jetty at 10:00 am. Your crew welcomes you with cold towels and a refreshing drink while your Cai Be Princess sampan sets off for its leisurely cruise on the busy waterways. On the river, boat traffic is endless and the activity never ceases.

You will experience the following today:

1. Floating Market: observe from the comfort of your sampan life as it plays out on the riverbanks.
2. Visit Ancient House: built in the 19th century.
3. Local Cottage Industries: coconut candy and puffed rice products that provide a living for the river people.
4. Le Longanier Restaurant: a lush tropical garden by the river, surrounded by fruit trees, giving you a sense of life during Indochinese times.

After lunch, at around 2:30 pm, you’ll take a short walk along a small canal towards the Ba Bon Bridge, where your personal vehicle awaits to drive you to Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City.

Accommodation: Overnight in Saigon

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the early morning, after breakfast, our driver will pick you up at about 6:30 am, and then take a 1h35m flight to Dong Hoi for the cave tour.

Welcome to Dong Hoi! You will embark on a trekking adventure through the stunning Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its incredible caves and underground rivers.

1. Paradise Cave: the dried-longest cave in Asia. This cave has been formed over 300 million years. It looks like a secret city underground.
2. Phong Nha Cave: the first cave wonders, is also the historical history of the past Vietnam. It’s considered the first section of Ho Chi Minh trails.
3. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park: a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of Vietnam’s most beautiful natural gems. It’s a paradise for wildlife lovers.

You could trek, ride a boat cruise, and view wildlife when exploring Paradise Cave and Phong Nha Cave. There are many spectacular stalactites and stalagmites.

After the tour, you’ll be escorted to the hotel in Dong Hoi for rest.

Accommodation: Overnight on the train

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, enjoy your time and wait for our tour guide to pick you up heading to Dong Hoi airport, and taking a flight to Hanoi, about 65 minutes.

In the afternoon, your tour guide will meet you at around 13:00 to explore the iconic highlights, including: 

1. Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son Temple: famous for its peaceful beauty, cultural as well as historical values.
2. Taking a traditional cyclo tour through the Old Quarter: the fascinating experience of rickshaws driving around the Old Quarter and experience the daily life of the local.
3. Savor the best street food in the world: Never miss out the Vietnam food

After the tour, you will be escorted back to your hotel in Hanoi. The rest of the day is free at your leisure.

Accommodation: Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy your breakfast. In the morning at 8:00-8:30, you will be met by our tour guide at your hotel, start to explore the city of Hanoi. The morning’s activities include:

1. Tran Quoc Pagoda: located on the shores of West Lake, this pagoda is full of amazing Buddhist symbolism, a must-see for any of Hanoi city tour.
2. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: one of the most famous works in Vietnam. With great cultural and historical value, it will expand your understanding of the country.
3. One Pillar Pagoda: Hanoi’s iconic landmark not to be missed, famous for its extraordinary architecture. This Pagoda is not only a famous tourist attraction but also a religious stop for local pilgrims.
4. Temple of Literature: one of the top historical attractions in Hanoi, is the first university in Vietnam. The temple represents Vietnamese ancient architecture and traditional fondness for learning.

End of the sightseeing, you will have lunch at an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, then take a rest.

In the afternoon, you’ll go to Bat Trang Pottery Village, 15km away from Hanoi. Surrounded by fertile farmland, it’s a great place to watch the artisans forming, painting, and glazing their products. After that, you will have a chance to practice by yourself to make your own pottery product.

After the tour, you will be escorted back to your hotel in Hanoi. The rest of the day is free at your leisure.

Accommodation: Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, after breakfast, our driver will pick you up at about 8:00, then head to the cruise port of Halong Bay. It takes about 3 hours to arrive. Upon arrival, the cruise staff will help you with the check-in at around 12:00.

Welcome onboard in Halong Bay! You will be greeted with a welcome drink and the introduction and guidelines. Then, you will enjoy the lunch onboard in the elegant dining room.

In the afternoon, you will have some exciting activities such as sightseeing, kayaking, or swimming according to each cruise's itinerary.

While onboard, you can take advantage of the leisure time of the Spa, Beauty, and Massage services surrounded by the stunning scenery around you. Besides, you can also join in the chef’s cooking class and learn the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking.

In the evening, an elegant dinner is ready with a fusion of Eastern and Western cuisine, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages from around the world.

After dinner, enjoy a leisurely evening onboard, such as joining in board games, squid fishing, a night movie, or bars & karaoke. 

Accommodation: Overnight at the Halong Bay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Your second day of Halong Bay Cruise will start with a Tai Chi class for 20 minutes to breathe the fresh air and brighten the day.

After breakfast, continue with the exploration of the tourist sites on Halong Bay. At around 10:00, it’s time to pack your luggage for checkout.

At about 11:30, your cruise boat will sail back to the port and you will enjoy an early lunch on the way. Then, our driver will pick you up at the port, heading to the hotel of Hanoi. The rest of the day is at your leisure. 

Accommodation: Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy your breakfast and free time in the morning until your tour guide picks you up heading to the airport. Tour service ends here.

Hope you enjoyed a great trip with us and we look forward to seeing you next time. 

Accommodation: /

Meals: Breakfast