Hanoi Saigon Experience

The short trip is designed for you with 2 main cities of Vietnam: Hanoi Capital in the north and busy Saigon in the south. From Hanoi, you also have a night on a luxury boat in beautiful Halong Bay. Next, fly to Saigon for city tour and Cu Chi discovery. Then spend the day cruising through narrow canals and floating markets in the Mekong Delta.
Journey highlights:
Squeeze in the scrambling alleyways of Hanoi’s timeworn Old Quarter
Enjoy a cup of the famous egg-coffee in a hidden café with stunning view over Hoan Kiem Lake
Explore Halong Bay’s spectacular scatter of islands on a traditional junk boat
Dig into the past through untold stories of HCMC and visit to the strategic Cu Chi tunnels
Get active through the canals in the water base land of Mekong Delta
 
Day 1 - Hanoi arrival 
Welcome to our beautiful Vietnam! Upon arrival, our guide and driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in the Old Quarter. Check-in and spend the rest of the day free to relax in your room or stroll down the Walking Street to enjoy the ambience of the capital of Vietnam
 
Meal: None
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
 
Day 2 - Charming Hanoi Sightseeing (B,L)
Full day tour of Vietnam’s capital city, including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, his traditional stilt house and the revered One-Pillar Pagoda. After that, visit Vietnam’s first university, the thousand-year-old Temple of Literature. Have lunch with Pho bo Hanoi or Hanoi Noodle soup with beef and served with Hanoi flavorful spring roll. 
In the afternoon, visit the Ethnology Museum where you can learn about the customs and culture of Vietnam’s 54 diverse ethnic groups.
Finish your day with a walking through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Your local guide will then take you to one of Hanoi’s best-reserved secrets, a hidden café with stunning views over the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake. This hard-to-find café is one of the few left in the city that still serves egg coffee, a scrumptious local delicacy that we will sample whilst admiring the hustle and bustle of the city center below. Or, if coffee is not your style, a cold beer awaits! Return to your hotel later this afternoon.
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
 
Day 3 - Hanoi - Fascinating Halong Bay (B,L,D)
This morning, depart Hanoi through the Red River Delta for Halong Bay (3.5 hours driving). Upon arrival, embark on the cruise then start cruising among the limestone islands. Keep cruising to the quiet area while enjoy breath-taking seascape along the way, until enjoy sunset party on sundeck and admire the best moments of the day when the sun starts to set. Dinner is served around 19.00 then it’s time for you to socialize with other guests, to take part in board games, fishing for squid or just to laze around.
 
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight cruise
 
Day 4 - Halong Bay - Hanoi - The bustling Ho Chi Minh City (B)
Early this morning, start your day with Tai Chi exercises or a photo hunt. Then, breakfast will be served on board while you immerse into the peaceful morning of Halong Bay. After check out of your cabin, continue your cruise exploring the Bay. While heading back to the harbor, watch the fruit carving demonstration and participate in the cooking class before enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch. Disembark around 12.00 then your driver will wait for you to take you back to Hanoi. Enjoy your free time Enjoy some free time shopping around before meeting up with our driver for the transfer to Hanoi airport where you will take your flight onward Ho Chi Minh City. Our tour guide pick you up at Tan Son Nhat airport and transfer to hotel for check-in.
 
Meals: Breakfast, Brunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
 
Day 5 - Back to history: Ho Chi Minh City and Cu Chi tunnels (B,L)
After breakfast, our tour guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel to commence your day tour of Ho Chi Minh City highlights. The first destination is the Reunification Palace - formerly known as the museum of American War Crimes - was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975. You will also visit some of the best samples of French colonial architecture, which are the Notre Dame Cathedral church and the Saigon Central Post Office. Next to the cathedral stands the Central Post Office that is the country’s largest post office was built in 1891. It is another fine example of French architecture and is Vietnam's largest post office.
 
Having a special lunch at a popular local eatery in Saigon.
 
After lunch, travel to Cu Chi, 70 km to the Northwest of Ho Chi Minh. Cu Chi Tunnels consist of more than 200km 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 during the U.S - Vietnam War. Return to Ho Chi Minh in the late afternoon.
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
 
Day 6 - Saigon - Into the Mekong delta (B,L)
The program starts with the visit to Cai Be a colorful floating market, cruising among local barges full of fruits and vegetables. Then, an optional stop can be made at local workshops where you can see how rice paste, coconut candy, pop-rice, and popcorn are made. It is so interesting to visit the handicraft village where you can see how they make some special products like making rice-net for spring-rolls, or sewing coconut-leaves… A delicious lunch will be served under the shade of local orchards on An Binh Island.
After lunch, the rowing boat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals to enjoy the peaceful time. Here, you will be able to see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves and to see some local activities. You will have an opportunity to get on with the local people and see how they catch fish or pick up fruits by ancestral ways in Mekong Delta.
One more stop can be made at the nursery garden where you can learn how to have some high quality fruit trees. This offers you a choice to know the real famous farmers – Mr Tiger & his son who are very successful in Vietnam agriculture. We will enjoy some kinds of fruit from their garden as well as home made rice wine when listening to the traditional music. The boat will take you to visit the floating village to see how people farm catfish under their houses.
The cruise ends at around 3:30 pm in Vinh Long where your driver will be waiting for your transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City.
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
 
Day 7 - Goodbye Ho Chi Minh City (B)
 
At good time, our driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer back to Tan Son Nhat airport for boarding your flight back home or other destinations.
 
Tour ends.
 

This tour is built upon our firsthand knowledge & experience, offering you the best choices available. The price of this trip varies depending on the number of people in your party, dates of departure, and availability of ground services.
The prices are quoted in US Dollars per person based on 2 pax/room

 

Categories

2 pax

4 pax

6 - 8 pax

Single Sup.

Superior

653

523

472

250

First-class

764

634

523

359

Deluxe

977

847

796

574

Child from 4 – 10 years old: 75%

Please click on CUSTOMIZE YOUR TRIPS and supply the required information, enabling us to send you your personalized quote within 24 hours!

Note: Amendments CAN be made to this tour to suite your requirements, but may incur price changes

 

WHAT'S INCLUDED?
Accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels 
Private vehicles and drivers
Transport from Hanoi to Halong and return by mini van
Private English speaking guides (Other languages if available, upon request)
Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
Entrance fees for all mentioned sights visited
Vietnam visa authorization letter
Drinking water available on the vehicles
Service Charge & Government Taxes

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED?
International flights and domestic flights
Personal expenses (such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc.)
Any bank fees or charges at your end
Meals other than those mentioned in the itinerary
Personal travel insurance
Tips for tour guide and driver in each region
Peak season or public holidays surcharge if any
Compulsory gala dinner on Christmas or New Year’s Eve if any
Vietnam visa stamp fee 
Other services not mentioned above
 

HOTEL SELECTION:

The hotels listed below are our suggestions for the best value on this tour.  However, Asia Essence Tours offers many more options of hand-picked hotels, with different "star ratings", allowing you to customize the vacation to meet your taste and budget.

LOCATIONS

SUPERIOR CATEGORY

FIRST CLASS CATEGORY

DELUXE CATEGORY

LUXURY
CATEGORY

Hanoi

Mercury 
Hotel Emerald Waters Classy 
Ambassador
Golden Rooster

Hotel du Lac Hanoi
Hanoi Garden Hotel & Spa
Imperial Hotel & Spa

La Siesta Premium Hang Be 
La Siesta Classic Ma May
La Senfonia Del Rey

Capella
Sofitel Legend Metropole

Halong Bay

Venezia Cruise 

Aspira
Genesis Luxury Legal Cruise
Dora Cruise 
Madeline Cruise 

Heritage Cruise Binh Chuan 
Le Theatre Cruise 

Ginger Cruise

HCM City

Hoang Lan Hotel
Ben Thanh Retreats 
Acnos Hotel

Au Lac Charner 
Silverland Yen 

Mia Luxury Saigon

Park Hyatt
Reverie

 


 

ABOUT HOTELS:

We, at Asia Essence Tours, are aware that a good tour must have good hotels. As the hotel cost will be the major expense of your vacation in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, it is essential that all of the hotels chosen by us are the highest quality for the price paid. All of our prices are based on twin, double or queen shared rooms.

BELOW IS AN EXPLANATION OF THE HOTEL "STAR" RATINGS:

Superior/ 3 Star (from US$ 50 - US$ 80 per room/night)

The Superior/ 3 Star Hotels are good value and normally centrally located. They all have comfortable en-suite rooms, good amenities and public areas to relax in. They are usually family run hotels, so offer great personalized service for your enjoyment and comfort. Most first class properties offer an in-house restaurant, and some may even have a swimming pool!

First-Class/ 4 star (from US$ 100 - US$ 150/ per room/night)

The 4* First-Class Hotels offer a wide range of services. Many superior hotels feature a choice of several in-house restaurants. In addition virtually all of them have a swimming pool. Some may even feature a spa or health club. This grade of hotel offers more for your enjoyment and comfort, while still remaining affordable.

Deluxe/ 5 Star (from US$160 - US$ 240++/ per room/night)

These 5* Deluxe hotels are usually owned by Worldwide, well known Hotel chains. The deluxe hotels feature excellent locations, offer the highest standards of service and facilities, and are known as the best hotels in each region. Facilities such as swimming pools and spas are the norm, and guest rooms are luxurious. These hotels offer first class service and amenities throughout.

ASIA ESSENCE TOURS™ BESPOKE STYLE SUITS EVERYONE

Flexibility: The sample itinerary can be modified to suit your interests, budget as well as your personal wishes including departure date, duration, accommodation used & how long you spend in each destination.

Tailor-Made Journey: This trip can be tailor made to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more individual trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments, with the flexibility to plan a trip at your own pace. Quality and value are the hallmark of the trips, with most services being provided on a private basis.

Commitment to Excellence: We enjoys excellent relationships with all of the highly regarded hotels and finest properties in our destinations as well as with service suppliers so that we are able to negotiate the most attractive prices for our clients, which enables us to provide exclusive holidays and affordable special offers. We create one-of-a-kind vacations for groups and individuals. We love our destinations and do our best to make sure that our customers feel the same way. Our job is to make sure that everyone gets the right balance of comfort and excitement to enjoy the experience of a lifetime.

 

Extend This Tour With...

Best of Northern Vietnam


Best of Southern Vietnam


Best of Central Vietnam


Best of Vietnam