The toss up again.. Saigon OR Hanoi?

Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi..which city do you start in?

VIETNAM  remains one of  the most attractive countries in Asia with the natural landscapes , variety of Culture of 54 Minorities  and wonderful golden sandy beaches  from North to the South ...  

The number of tourists visiting Vietnam increase day by day. 

Most airlines now fly into Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from across the globe,

London, Bangkok, Singapore, Sydney, Cape Town,  Russia, etc, etc. 

Tân Sơn Nhất ( Ho Chi Minh City ) International Airport (IATA: SGN, ICAO: VVTS) (Vietnamese: Sân bay quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất, Vietnamese: Cảng hàng không quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất) is Vietnam’s largest international airport in terms of area (800 ha/1,977 acres compared with 650 ha/1,606 acres of Hanoi’s Nội Bài International Airport and Đà Nẵng’s Đà Nẵng International Airport^[1][2]). 

It has a handling capacity of 15-17 million passengers per year, compared with the capacity of Hanoi - Noi Bai airport of 8 million passengers and Da Nang’s 2 million passengers

So.. HCMC wins hands down! 

My suggestion is

Saigon 2 nights 

Dalat 2 nights

Nha Trang 2 nights

Hoi An 3 nights

Hue 2 nights

Hanoi 2 nights

Halong Bay 1 night

Sapa 2 nights

or visa versa

If you've got just got two weeks and want to experience the whole of Vietnam!

but.. and there's always a but!

Some prefer to have two weeks in Hoi An.. 

and really get to know that city 

and then next time around, two weeks in Hanoi, 

and then two weeks in Saigon.. 

Either way..

Get yourselves to Vietnam soon!

Best of Vietnam Now 14 days/13 nights Start in charming Hanoi , Vietnam 's artistic and intellectual capital. Explore the fascinating Old Quarter and its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquerware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake , ride a cyclo to dinner, and watch a performance of at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater.

Best of Vietnam Now 14 days/13 nights
Trip Code: VCBV14D

Hanoi - Halong Bay - Sapa -
Hue - Danang - Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City (former Saigon)

• Private tour with English/French speaking guide
• You choose the date of departure
• Starting from Hanoi & end in HCMC or vice versa

You will discover several UNESCO World Heritages sites, including magnificent Halong Bay, historic Hoi An, the enigmatic Cham Towers in My Son, and the ancient capital Hue. This trip starts in colonial Hanoi and ends in vibrant Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon).

In charming Hanoi, you will dine in one of the French colonial villas which have been converted into gourmet restaurants, explore the fascinating maze of 36 streets in the Old Quarter.

You will then visit Sapa and meet the local Cat Cat village people.

Next, you will cruise along dramatic limestone islands in Halong Bay, visit a fishing village and enjoy other local activities.

Farther south, in Hue ,  you will marvel at its citadel, palaces, royal tombs, pagodas and temples. Then it's off to the river town of Hoi An, where you will tour centuries-old merchant houses, and visit busy silk and fish markets.

In Danang you will stay several days at the beachfront Furama Resort. Nearby, you will see ancient sculpture in the Cham Museum or My Son, and tour Buddhist cave temples in the Marble Mountains.

Then visit atmospheric Hoi An, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site and riverfront port town crammed with historic homes, tiny museums, cafes, and bustling silk and fish markets.

Next will be Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's dynamic commercial center, you'll explore colorful produce markets, or perhaps stop in a designer shop to order haute couture ao dai. You'll also take a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an immense network of connecting underground tunnels and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country.

You will also visit lush My Tho and splendid floating markets as you finish up your luxurious tour of Vietnam.

Outlined Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Hanoi (D)

Day 2 Hanoi City Tour - Lao Cai (B/L)

Day 3 Lao Cai - Sapa (B/L)

Day 4 Sapa - Lao Cai - Train back to Hanoi (B/L)

Day 5. Hanoi - Halong Bay (B/L/D)

Day 6. Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue (B)

Day 7 Hue (B/L)

Day 8. Hue - Danang - Hoi An (B/L)

Day 9. Hoi An (B/L)

Day 10. Hoi An - HCMC (B/L/-)

Day 11. Cao Dai Temple & Cu chi Underground tunnels (B/L)

Day 12. HCMC - Can Tho (B/L)

Day 13 Can Tho - HCMC(B/L)

Day 14. Departure (B)

Best of Vietnam Now 14 days/13 nights

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi (D)

You will be warmly welcomed upon arrival Hanoi airport and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon you will take a private walking city tour to visit local markets and Hanoi's Old Quarter, known for its 36 streets and former craft guilds. In the evening you will enjoy a water puppet performance before a welcome dinner at a local restaurant and an overnight stay in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour - Lao Cai (B/L)

The post-colonial capital city of Hanoi is a unique Asian city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, numerous lakes, pagodas and temples. This full day tour takes you around Hanoi's most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and his Stilt House, the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda nearby. Your adventure trip to Sapa will then begin with an overnight train from Vietnam 's capital city to the border town of Lao Cai.

Day 3: Lao Cai - Sapa (B/L)

The train arrives at Lao Cai train station at approximately 6:00 a.m. and there will be a vehicle waiting to transfer you to Sapa. The drive to Sapa is only 33 km, but it takes around 1.5 hours. 

Once at Sapa, you will check in to your hotel (early check-in subject to availability). You will have breakfast at the hotel restaurant then enjoy a free morning to explore around town. In the afternoon there will be a walking tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat, home to the H'mong hill tribe minority peoples. As you walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa, you will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here you will have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with the families that live in the area. You will stay overnight in Sapa.

Day 4: Sapa - Lao Cai - Train back to Hanoi (B/L)

Following breakfast, you will explore the Sapa Sunday market and then set out on a 3-4 hour trek that will take you along buffalo paths and trails and through several hill tribe villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van, home to H'mong and Dzay people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. You will stop for a picnic lunch on the way to Ta Van village. You will be transferred to Lao Cai for the night train back to Hanoi where you will stay overnight.

Day 5: Hanoi - Halong Bay (B/L/D)

Arriving in Hanoi around 5 a.m., you will be picked up and go to a local restaurant for breakfast and morning coffee. You will then leave Hanoi for Halong Bay, arriving at the jetty around 12:30 p.m. Upon arrival, you will set out on a junk cruise on the bay while lunch is served. You will pass through the magical bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragons' teeth. After lunch, you will take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay, swimming on a quiet beach or sunbathing on the sundeck. You will stay overnight onboard.

Day 6: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue (B)

Rising to the sound of lapping bay waters, you will have time for an early morning dip followed by breakfast. Sitting on the upper deck, you can relax while taking in the breath-taking beauty of the rocky islands rising from the emerald water of the bay. After breakfast, explore Sung Sot cave (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.), swim and relax at Soi Sim beach. At 9:30 a.m., your boat cruises back to the jetty while brunch is served from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. You will continue cruising through the bay, along the way seeing more of the fascinating formations. Cabin check-out is at 11:45 am. The boat arrives at the harbor around noon and you will drive directly from Halong to Hanoi airport for your short flight to Hue. Upon arrival at Phu Bai Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 7: Hue (B/L)

You will embark on a tour of the city, including the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City, the Imperial Museum and Dong Ba market. You will stay overnight in Hue.

Day 8: Hue - Danang - Hoi An (B/L)

Rising up in the ancient land, enjoy your breakfast in the hotel. Then, board a private boat for cruising the romantic Perfume River, visit Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda), the ornate Minh Mang's tomb. We will enjoy lunch at local restaurant. Leave the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Hue for Hoi An. You will travel over the Hai Van pass, stop in Danang for a visit to the Cham Museum and handicraft villages on the foot of Marble Mountain before arriving in Hoi An. Once in Hoi An, you will check into our hotel and have some free time to explore the town before an overnight stay.

Day 9: Hoi An (B/L)

From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port for Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab traders. These people came primarily to trade in the high grade silk, which is still produced in the area, as well as ceramics. Today, Hoi An is a quaint riverside town, popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailors shops, and numerous cafes. Some of the buildings in the narrow streets have remained unchanged for more than a century. You will enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200- year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge. Following the tour there will be free time to shop or relax. You will stay overnight in Hoi An..

Day 10: Hoi An - HCMC (B/L/-)

You will then leave Hoi An for Danang Airport to take a one hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City. In the afternoon you will embark on a city tour of HCMC (Saigon) including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office and bustling Ben Thanh Market. You will stay overnight in HCMC.

Day 11: Cao Dai Temple & Cu chi Undergound tunnels (B/L)

This morning you will drive to Cao Dai Temples in Tay Ninh. Cao Dai Holy See Temple is the cathedral of the Cao Daism religion and home of the Divine Eye, the official symbol of this unique religion. Cao Dai followers worship Jesus Christ, Confucius, Taoism, and Buddha. You will also be able to observe the midday service.

Following lunch you will drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which consist of more than 200 km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life was like during the U.S.-Vietnam War. You will stay overnight in HCMC.

Day 12: HCMC - Can Tho (B/L)

You will leave HCMC to lush My Tho where you'll cruise on a private boat through the green vegetation of the canals to an orchard, where you are treated to a delicious lunch in a local restaurant in the heart of the Mekong, complete with tropical fruits. You will also visit the snake farm Dong Tam that breeds snakes for, among other things, snake wine and visit VinhTrang pagoda. You then head to Can Tho city, heart of the Mekong Delta, for an overnight stay..

Day 13: Can Tho - HCMC(B/L)

You wake up to the sounds of the Mekong River welcoming a new day and take boat trip to join in the Cai Rang floating market, one of the most bustling floating markets in the Mekong Delta, with hundreds of small boats barging and jostling for space to sell their goods. After sampling local fruits, our guide will escort you back to the hotel through myriad canals. You will have lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Ho Chi Minh City for an overnight stay.

Alternative for early birds: 
Join the floating market on the "The Lady Hau" cruise Enjoy breakfast on the "Lady Hau" while cruising to the floating market. When the "Lady Hau" arrives at Cai Rang floating market, guests are transferred to a local traditional boat to enter the market. Then, you will continue cruising with the hotel's guide along narrow creeks to visit a noodle factory and an orchard. After sampling local fruits, our guide will escort guests back to the hotel by local boat through myriad canals. (Starting at 6:30 AM, the Lady Hau cruise and tour extension takes around 4 hours; minimum 4 persons).

Day 14: Departure (B)

There is no activity planned for today so you are free to enjoy your free time souvenir shopping until transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

Cam on va chao tam biet!

To assist  you with arranging this tour..

please contact me 

jeanw@thecapeclub.com 

in association with Luxury Travel Vietnam