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TailorMade Vietnam: North to South Explorer
9 days, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Itinerary
Day 1Hanoi
Arrive at any time. Your arrival transfer is included.
Airport Transfer
Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow
Tran Quoc Pagoda Visit
Visit one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam located on the eastern shore of Tay Ho. Learn about Tran Quoc's history from the 17th-century stela found on site. View it later in the day, if you can – the tall structure is striking against the setting sun.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum Visit
Free-1USD per personTour the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum built in the square where Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence in 1945. Get in line to tour the grounds; queues of visitors come to pay their respects daily.
Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre Performance
200000VND per personWatch a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show with beautiful live music and intricate puppets dancing in a water stage. The price listed above is for a VIP seat.
Day 2Hanoi/Ha Long
Drive to Bai Chay harbour, the jumping off point for Ha Long Bay where thousands of islands with intricate cave systems rise dramatically from the water. Sail past limestone karst mountains in a traditional junk boat and stop to visit some of the islands and caves. Transfer from boat to kayak for a guided water tour, giving you the chance to get even closer to the stunning natural surroundings. In the evening, devour a seafood dinner, then opt to enjoy a drink on deck under the stars.
Shared Van
Climb aboard and make friends with your seatmate en route to the next stop.
Ha Long Bay Overnight Cruise Package - 1 night
Spend the day aboard a traditional junk boat. Cruise slowly on the calm bay on this comfortable craft, soaking in the magnificent karst scenery. Relax on deck and catch some rays or stay inside – you’ll still be able to enjoy the scenery through the windows.
During the cruise, feast on local seafood, visit one of the massive cave systems on the islands, and stop off at a floating fishing village. Head out in kayaks or dive in for a refreshing swim.
The next day, continue to cruise through the limestone karsts in the morning with a stop after breakfast by the islands of Man's Head and Turtle Island. Enjoy your final seafood lunch before disembarking.
On rare occasion Halong Bay is closed to tourist vessels by the government authorities due to extreme weather conditions. Should this occur, an alternate activity will be provided.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 3Ha Long/Hanoi
Enjoy breakfast on board before a morning sail back to the port. Drive back to Hanoi and enjoy some free time in the city to explore.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Free Time
Spend a few hours exploring this beautiful capital city. Visit some shops, have a bia hoi on a street corner or grab a coffee in a lakeside café.
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 4Hanoi/Huế
Catch an early flight to Hue, once the imperial capital of Vietnam. Start the day with a guided tour of the Imperial Citadel, a visit to the tomb of one of Vietnam’s former emperors, and check out Tien Mu Pagoda.
While in the city, try some local Hue specialties such as banh khoai (Hue savoury pancakes), and banh bot loc boc tom thit (thin rice paper filled with meat and shrimp). Wash it all down with a Hue beer.
Airport Transfer
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Airport Transfer
Huế Royal Tombs, Tien Mu Pagoda and Imperial Citadel Tour
Visit the Royal Tombs along the Perfume River. Embracing the concept of Feng Shui, these tombs are extremely ornate and provide fantastic insight into the lives of the former rulers. Tour the Tien Mu pagoda before visiting the imperial citadel, a one-time capital city and UNESCO World Heritage site. See the walled fortress and former palace, which has many palaces, gateways, courtyards, and gardens to explore. The Forbidden Purple City (modelled on China's Forbidden City) inside the citadel was once home to the imperial family and was significantly damaged during the Vietnam War.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Huế/Hoi An
Cross the Hai Van Pass (weather permitting), with fantastic views in all directions, before arriving to Hoi An in the afternoon. Upon arrival, take a guided city tour and get acquainted with this city's many options. There's plenty of time to explore all this charming town has to offer; opt for a cooking class, riverboat trip, bike ride, beach time, tailor visit, or My Son ruins.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Hoi An Guided City Walking Tour
Stroll through the narrow winding streets of Hoi An’s Old Town on a guided tour to see the Chinese assembly halls, ancestral homes, the Japanese covered bridge, and well-preserved pagodas. The entrance fee for the old city is included.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Hoi An
Dive into the Vietnamese culture and enjoy a noodle making demonstration and lunch at Oodles of Noodles, a G Adventures-supported project. Enjoy free time in the afternoon. You could rent a bike or visit a tailor, the choice is all yours.
Your G for Good Moment: Oodles of Noodles Meal and Demonstration
Try some of the oodles of noodles (more than 26 types!) available in the city in this tasty cooking class. Run by G Adventures for Good partners, STREETS International, the class was developed exclusively for G Adventures. Former street youth that are part of this hospitality training program, will help you prepare and cook a number of different types of noodles. This program helps these youth practice their English, increasing their skill-set and opportunities available to them in the tourism industry. Enjoy your yummy creations while learning more about the local cuisine and this initiative which empowers street youth through skills and employment training.
Free Time
Explore this charming city.
Optional Activities - Day 6 HideShow
Thu Bon River Boat Trip
12USD per personThe Thu Bon River plays an important part in Hoi An's history and culture. Take a trip down the Thu Bon by river boat for an alternative tour of the city.
Bike Rental
Rent a bike from a local shop and head out to explore.
Tailor Shops
Go home with some new (handmade!) clothes from one of Hoi An’s famous tailor shops. Walk the streets lined with hundreds of local shops that turn out gorgeous suits, dresses, winter coats, shoes, purses – almost anything – in a day's time to create next season's wardrobe.
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 7Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City
Drive to Da Nang for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, once the capital of South Vietnam and the country’s commercial centre. Start exploring the small alleys and busy streets, keeping an eye out for lacquerware shops and delicious local food stalls.
Airport Transfer
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Airport Transfer
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Ho Chi Minh City
Enjoy a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels and learn more about the Vietnam War. Use free time in the afternoon to explore sprawling Ho Chi Minh City. Opt to visit the Thien Hau and Giac Vien pagodas and stroll through the immense Ben Thanh Market. Also well worth a visit are the Reunification Palace (the residence of South Vietnam presidents before 1975), the city's Chinese quarter of Cholon, and the War Remnants Museum.
Cu Chi Tunnels Guided Tour
Take a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels, a complex network of tunnels that the Viet Cong lived in to protect themselves from opposing forces during the Vietnam War. Try crawling through some of the tunnels (if you’re not claustrophobic). These tunnels stored ammunition, had underground hospitals, and served as a hidden base for attacking allied forces.
Free Time
Get out and explore this frenetic city.
Optional Activities - Day 8 HideShow
Cholon Visit
Take in the busy rhythm of daily life in Cholon, the Chinatown of Ho Chi Minh City. Tour the area full of teahouses, pagodas, and people, and learn a little more about the unique culture within the city.
Giac Vien Pagoda Visit
Find this hidden pagoda behind some small alleyways – it’s a rare treat of a monument that has been spared the over-restoration that has been done to so many temples. Tour the inside of this 18th-century pagoda to see nearly 100 carvings of divine beings.
Thien Hau Pagoda Visit
Visit the Thien Hau Pagoda, a beautiful temple in the Chinatown district of Ho Chi Minh City. Learn more about the customs associated with this 19th-century monument – it is dedicated to the goddess Thien Hau (the 'Lady of the Sea') who is worshipped in Chinese communities throughout Asia by those who depend on the sea for their livelihoods.
Ben Thanh Market
Wander this bustling market for more insight into Ho Chi Minh City. Pick up souvenirs, sample local cuisine, and experience local living. Learn a little history along the way; Ben Thanh started as a cluster of street vendors selling wares by the Saigon River, and was formalized into a true market in 1859.
War Remnants Museum Visit
2USD per personVisit the War Remnants Museum, a gut-wrenching but worthwhile experience that includes three storeys of exhibits and military hardware. Learn about the devastation that occurred in Saigon during the Vietnam War, a period that greatly contrasts the joy and liveliness of the Vietnamese people today.
Dam Sen Water Park Visit
4USD per personGet away from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City at this nearby water park. A lush setting and refreshing water make Dam Sen the perfect place for the whole family to cool off and have some fun—splash around or take a ride down one of the slides.
Reunification Palace Visit
2USD per personWander the historic halls of the Reunification Palace (Independence Palace), a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City. This former home of the South Vietnamese president during the Vietnam War became the location of the end of the war when a North Vietnamese tank pushed through the palace gates on April 30, 1975.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 9Ho Chi Minh City
Depart at any time.