Essence Of Vietnam Tour (7 days/6 nights)

Upon arriving at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport, you will be welcomed by one of our MinMax Travel team members and brought to your hotel in a private car. As arrival times vary and international travel can be quite exhausting, we leave the remainder of the day open. Your first night is spent in Hanoi city.

We begin our tour of Hanoi by visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Here you can experience the architectural splendor and historical importance of Uncle Ho's final resting place- a national treasure for all Vietnamese. Adjacent to the mausoleum is Ho Chi Minh's former “House on Stilts,” where the leader spent a great deal of his free time. From here we visit the nearby One Pillar Pagoda, an 11th century temple built by King Ly Thai To. This pagoda is not only historically and religiously significant, but is also an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Continuing on, we visit one of the city’s most iconic destinations: the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam). Vietnam’s first University, this 11th century establishment boasts perfectly manicured gardens and extremely well-preserved architecture, offering visitors some excellent insight into Vietnam’s rich past.

After a busy morning, we will enjoy lunch at a delicious local restaurant and travel by cyclo through the bustling “Old Quarter” of Hanoi (approximately 1 hour). Our scenic cyclo tour ends with a visit to Lake Hoan Kiem’s Ngoc Son Temple and a live viewing of Hanoi's world-famous Water Puppet Show (Mua Roi Nuoc). A traditional form of entertainment in Northern Vietnam, the roots of these memorable shows date as far back as the 10th century. Day 2 ends with a transfer back to the hotel and another night in the capital city.

At 8:00 AM, our staff will pick you up at your hotel for the 3.5-hour journey out to Halong Bay (in a private car). Upon arriving at the pier, we will board a private boat for the four-hour journey through Halong Bay (lunch included). As we cruise through the emerald waters, you’ll have endless opportunities to photograph all the famous sites of the area including the breathtaking limestone outcrops.

We will visit the Thien Cung Cave (the Cave of the Heavenly Palace, famous for its stalagmites and stalactites), which was only opened to the public in 1998. From here we will pay a visit to the newly discovered Dau Go grotto, where the famous Vietnamese General Tran Hung Dao once held stakeouts during the Mongol Army invasion in 1288. After visiting these iconic sites, we will head back to the Halong pier and drive back to Hanoi. The tour will end around 8:30 PM.

Day 4 will start with an early morning transfer to Noi Bai Airport, where you will catch a morning flight south to the city of Da Nang. A MinMax staff member will pick you up and transfer you to Hoi An City, where you will begin your “ancient city” tour. The tour will include all the main attractions of Hoi An- from the famous Japanese Covered Bridge, Ceramic/Trade Museum and 200-year-old Tam Ky House to the the Chua Ong Pagoda, Thu Bon riverside and the vibrant, outdoor Hoi An Market. One of the “old town’s” most memorable experiences is simply strolling through the picturesque, mango-colored streets.

Here you will pass rows of low-tiled shop fronts, traditional communal houses and assembly halls, which reflect the town’s multi-cultural heritage. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant and you can opt for a transfer back to the hotel, or to stay in the beautiful old town for a memorable day/night in Hoi An. (Overnight in Hoi An).

As Hoi An is often many traveler’s favorite destination in Vietnam, we leave an entire day for you to explore this vibrant, cultural town on your own. Visit Hoi An’s pristine beaches, take a bike ride through the countryside and rice paddies, take an informative cooking class or consider getting some tailor made clothes in Vietnam’s tailoring capital! With so many attractions in this favorite Vietnam destination, you won’t have to look too far to keep busy! (Overnight in Hoi An)

You are free to explore Hoi An one final time until your airport transfer to Da Nang’s airport in the late afternoon. You will take an early evening flight back to Hanoi City and arrive in the capital city where you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel. (Overnight in Hanoi)

After breakfast, you will have the chance to explore Hanoi one last time (leaving at least 2 hours before your flight’s departure). Our driver will bring you to Noi Bai International Airport, and your tour is complete!!

We would like to express our sincere thanks for considering and (hopefully) choosing to travel with MinMax Travel. We are confident that you will thoroughly enjoy every moment of your trip and every corner of our beautiful country.

MinMax: The Maximum experience for the Minimum price!