Authentic Vietnam: 15 Days Exploring Culture and People

You will be met by Luco Travel’s driver at Noi Bai International Airport and transfer to Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Check in at the hotel. Free & Easy.

“ Xich Lo ” – Cycle Tour & Water Puppet Show.

18:00 Pick up at the hotel by “Xich Lo”, drive you around Ha Noi’s Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngọc Sơn Temple an hour at night and drop off at the Ha Noi Water Puppet Show.

“Xich Lo”

Water Puppet Show

We will watch the Water Puppet Show. Traditional content of water puppet performance contains daily life of Vietnamese farmers (cultivating, tending buffalo, catching fishes…), communal entertainment (swimming contest, dragon dancing…), and/or historical legends (Le Loi returns precious sword…), with a performance that has appealed to audiences for centuries.

Have dinner. Back to the hotel.

Overnight in Ha Noi, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

07:30. Breakfast at the hotel and check out.

08:00. After that our driver and tour guide will pick you up at your hotel and depart to Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay is located in Northern Vietnam and is one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions. Aside from being popular with tourists, it is also a culturally recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bay is well known for its scenic karst topography, which is a subject of many popular photos of Vietnam.

Ha Long Bay

On the way to Ha Long Bay, we will have a short break of about 20 minutes. The car will arrive at Bai Chay, Hon Gai Harbor.

12:00. Pick-up at Hon Gai harbor. Transfer to Cruise by tender (5 -10 minutes)

12:45  Enjoy a welcome drink, then check in to your cabin

13:30 Cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay & enjoy lunch aboard with a set menu.

Bai Tu Long Bay

15:30 Explore VungVieng Fishing Village: Guests may choose to discover the daily life of the fisherman communities by bamboo boat or kayak around the Vung Vieng area. ( both options lasting about one hour )

Kayaking in Halong Bay

17:30  Relax and enjoy the sunset while the boat is cruising to the Cong Dong-Cong Do area to anchor overnight.

18:00  Free time or take part in the cooking class: learn how to cook traditional Vietnamese cuisines. (Cooking class can be arranged upon request )

19:30. Enjoy delicious dinner on a cruise

21:00  Free evening to join some activities like board games, squid fishing, or karaoke (upon request)

Overnight on Cruise, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

07:00. Wake up early in the morning for Tai Chi exercise.

07:30. Have breakfast on a cruise.

07:45 – 09:00 Catch morning view of seascapes with a cup of tea or coffee, have breakfast while cruising toward Thien Canh Son Cave. Visit Thien Canh Son Cave – the medium size and less visited cave in Bai Tu Long Bay

Thien Canh Son Cave

09:00  Return to the boat, relax on the sundeck or watch fruit carving demonstration

09.30: Check out of the cabin while our boat heads back toward the harbor.

10:00 Transfer by tender to the pier and relax inside the pier building while waiting for return transportation.

10:30    Enjoy the last scenery of the Ha Long Bay over lunch when the boat cruises back to shore.

12:00:   After lunch, you will board our tender and head back to the wharf where you will be met by your return trip vehicle to transfer you to Hanoi.

15:30 Arrive in Ha Noi. Check in at the hotel.

Overnight in Ha Noi, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

08:00 After breakfast at the hotel, you will departure for Hoa Lu – Tam Coc, enjoying the beautiful sceneries of the rural areas on the way

10.00: After arriving in Ninh Binh province, the guide takes you to visit Hoa Lu – the Ancient Royal capital of Viet Nam. We will visit Dinh king temple and Le king temple in the 10th century, finding out the heroic histories of these two Kings in Chinese Wars. After that, we will go to Tam Coc (10 km far from Hoa Lu).

We have lunch at a local restaurant.

Hoa Lu – Tam Coc

After lunch you will get on a bamboo boat – rowed by the local people – in Hoang Long river to visit Tam Coc (three caves) on the way. You pass through three enormous caves that provide a brief respite from the intense summer sun. It takes approximately two hours to go up and down the river and along the way, you witness local fisher folk, village life along the river and, of course, the striking limestone karst formations that Tam Coc is famous for.

Tam Coc

If you like to go biking, it is a good idea. You will have a chance to visit real villages and amazing landscapes by bicycle about one hour (from Restaurant). After that you will take the van back to Ha Noi. Dinner by yourself.

Back to the Hamoi. Free time until our driver picks you up and takes you to the train station. Dinner by yourself.

20:30. Our driver will take you to the train station.

22:00 Take the train to Sapa.   

Overnight by train, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator

06:00 Early morning, you will arrive Lao Cai, our guide and driver will pick you up and take your family to the local restaurant for breakfast.

Sapa Rice Terraces

After that we drive around 45minutes to Sapa.

You start trekking to Cat Cat village which is occupied by the Black H’mong tribe. Here, you can see the hydroelectric power station which was built by the French in the twentieth century.

You will experience the tribal way of life of ethnic minorities while enjoying wonderful views of the terraced rice paddy fields and the waterfall in Cat Cat village.

Cat Cat Village

Enjoy your lunch at the local restaurant.

After lunch, Check in at Homestay in Lao Chai Village.

15:00 Trekking around Lao Chai – Ta Van Village. In this village you will have a welcome feeling at any house of the hospitable people there. You can interact with them, learn about their culture and customs.

Overnight in Homestay, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

Wake up by a chicken or bird sound, you will have breakfast at the homestay.

Here you will enjoy the fresh air, see terrace fields, stream, visit and discover some of the H’mong’s families, three large villages with over 100 families of the Black H’mong ethnic, and people here are quite hospitable.

12:00 Check out and have lunch at the restaurant.

Fansipan Mountain

13:00 Our guide will transfer you to Fansipan Mountain, is the highest mountain of Vietnam is also the highest peak in the three Indochina should be dubbed as “Indochinese crown” Take cable car for an amazing trip to reach the Indochina Roof, 3143m above the sea level: Starting by cable car and step up to the Peak, enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful landscapes from the high.

16:00. Take the Limousine van back to Ha Noi.

21:00 Arrival Ha Noi, check in at the hotel. Free & Easy

Overnight in Ha Noi, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

You will be met by Luco Travel’s tour guide and driver at the hotel. You will visit the memorial complex for the historic figure and father of modern Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh, You will visit the Presidential palace, Uncle Ho’s house on stilts, One Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature – Vietnam’s first university that built in 1076, You will also – the picturesque West Lake and the sixth century Tran Quoc Buddhist Pagoda. 

Later, you will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with special Vietnamese food. Check out.

Afternoon:  You will visit the fascinating Vietnam Museum of Ethnology – which is both a research centre and a public museum exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam. The mission of the museum is scientific research, collection, documentation, conservation, exhibition and preservation of the cultural and historic patrimony of the nation’s different ethnic groups. The museum also serves to guide research, conservation, and technology that are specific to the work of an ethnographic museum.

Hoa Lo Prison

And then, your guide will take you to Hoa Lo Prison.  Most exhibits relate to the prison’s use up to the mid-1950s, focusing on the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France. A gruesome relic is the ominous French guillotine, used to behead Vietnamese revolutionaries. There are also displays focusing on the American pilots who were incarcerated at Hoa Lo during the American War.

Hanoi Capital

You will also visit Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son Temple where a legendary turtle is reserved, and Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as the ‘36 streets’ with plenty of photo opportunities all around you.

Hoan Kiem Lake

Free time until our driver picks you up and takes you to the airport and take flight to Hue.

Luco Travel’s tour guide and driver will meet you at the Phu Bai Airport and take you to the hotel in Hue City. 

Overnight in Hue, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

In the morning, at 8:00am our driver and tour guide will pick you up at the hotel lobby. depart to visit Imperial Citadel – where 13 emperors of Nguyen Dynasty used to work and live. We will visit in turn of: Nine Holy Canons, Ngo Mon Gate, Court Yard, Thai Hoa Palace, The Temple, the Forbidden Purple City, …

Hue Imperial City

Thien Mu Pagoda

Leaving the Imperial Citadel, we will drive along the romantic Perfume River to visit the last tourist attraction in the itinerary – Thien Mu Pagoda. Thien Mu Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Hue with more than 400 years old.

Continue to visit Tu Duc Tomb – the palace in the life after life of 4^th emperor of Nguyen Dynasty. This tomb is a superb example of Nguyen Dynasty’s Architecture. Our tour guide will help you to get the deep knowledge about the architecture, history, culture of Viet Nam under the reign of Nguyen Dynasty. Especially, the philosophy of the emperor.

Have lunch at a local restaurant.

Travel to Hoi An Ancient Town, on the way you can stop at Lang Co Beach – one of the most beautiful beaches in Viet Nam. Lang Co Beach has the white sand with more than 10km.

Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An, a little ancient town nestled on the banks of the Thu Bon River is one of the World Heritages in the country. Before the river silted up, Hoi An was one of the most important trading ports in Southeast Asia. Over the years, merchant ships from both the East and the West docked in Hoi An, making it hustle commercial centre. For now, Hoi An’s architecture, lifestyle and atmosphere is well preserved and combined to produce this unique heritage site. It’s also a shopping paradise – with much to browse and buy.

Afterwards, check in hotel and we will take a walk of Hoi An Ancient Town for featured sights of the town such as the central market, former merchants’ houses, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, a Chinese communal hall and Hoi An Museum.

Hoi An Ancient Town

Overnight in Hoi An, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

07:30 After breakfast at the hotel, our guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel to visit Ba Na Hills – King Mountain, also known as the second DaLat/ Sapa in Central Vietnam. The beautiful weather here is always cool.

08:30 You will admire the heights by riding the most modern cable car system in Southeast Asia. You will visit Dream Stream Cable Car Station. Afterward, you will visit and play games at the Fantasy Park.

Golden Bridge

We will then explore King Peak, which sits at an altitude 1.487m. You can see panoramic views of the Bana Hills and Quang Nam – Da Nang on high. On the top of the mountain, you will see Linh Tu Pagoda, which has a special temple construction.

You will then visit Golden Bridge one of the famous bridges in Vietnam and Asia, before heading back to the hotel to relax.

Enjoy buffet lunch at Bana Hill restaurant.

Continue to visit the Marble Mountains, one the most famous points in Da Nang. This is a cluster of five limestone mountains with sacred pagodas and beautiful caves inside. Let’s conquer 151 steps of Thuy Mountains – the highest mountain here. Visiting in turn: Linh Ung Pagoda, Xa Loi Tower, Van Thong Cave, Hoa Nghiem Cave, Huyen Khong Cave, Tam Thai Pagoda, … 

Huyen Khong Cave

You can spend your time visiting Stone Carving Village under the mountains. Back to the hotel & Relax.

Overnight in Hoi An, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

In the morning, 08:00am, our driver and tour guide will pick you up at the hotel lobby. depart to visit My Son Sanctuary – a sacred sanctuary of Cham People from 4^th century. Our tour guide will help you to get the deep knowledge about the culture, architecture, religion, … of Cham People.

My Son Sanctuary

Let’s try to find out the best answer about the way to stick a brick with each other and how to keep the external surface of the tower-temple always clean.

Have lunch at a local restaurant. Transfer back to the hotel in Hoi An.

15:30 Go to Hoi An Beach to relax, swim, sunbathe and enjoy your time.

Hoi An Beach

18:00: Transfer back to your hotel. Free & Easy

Overnight in Hoi An, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

After breakfast our guide will take you to Da Nang Airport, You will take a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. (Timing is dependent on flight schedule), You will be met by Luco Travel’s tour guide and driver at Ho Chi Minh Airport and transfer to the hotel.

We will visit the War Remnants Museum: Formerly known as the Museum of Vietnam War, this is a poignant display of the futility of war. Some of the black and white photography in the ‘Requiem’ exhibit is particularly touching, dedicated to both foreign and Vietnamese journalists and photographers who perished during the conflict. The courtyard outside contains the spoils of war, namely rusting jets, tanks and cannons captured from the American military regime.

Enjoy your lunch at the restaurant.

Visit the former US Embassy where the last helicopter flew out of Saigon in 1975. Then you can go sight-seeing at the Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office: built between 1877 and 1883. This is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture. Remarkably every stone used in its creation was shipped from France to Vietnam. Her two 40m towers, topped with iron spires dominate the city’s skyline. The Old Post Office is another example of French colonial architecture and is also the country’s largest post office.

The Notre Dame Cathedral

A tank crashed through main gate of The Reunification Palace on 30 April 1975

Visit The Reunification Palace: This is one of the most important buildings in the city. Here on April 30th 1975 the ‘American War’ officially ended when tank number 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of what was, at the time, the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam.

Back to the hotel. Free & Easy.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

The morning: 7:30 Am. Our car and tour guide will pick you up at your hotel and depart to Cu Chi Tunnels, we take about 1,5 hours to Cu chi, arrive to Cu Chi tunnel to explore the amazing site where Viet Cong hid during the War. It is now a popular spot for both Vietnamese & foreign tourists – the network of over 250km of tunnels became legendary when they played a vital role in the War.

Cu Chi tunnel

In their heyday, the tunnels were functioning underground cities including numerous trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers & kitchens. There is plenty of evidence of the fierce battle that took place here during the 1960s when Cu Chi was a “Free Target Zone”. Visitors can watch a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed before entering the tunnels. Spend the next hour exploring the tunnels.

After that travelers can try delicious manioc which was the main food for guerilla-warriors in Cu Chi during the war. Visitors can try to fire off an AK47 or MK16 or machine guns at the nearby shooting range. (on request and under control by Vietnamese Army, allow above 18 years old)

14:30 Back to HCM city after lunch, relax.

Saigon Street Food Tour On Scooter At Night.

At 18:00, our tour guide will meet and greet you at the hotel. You then receive safety instructions on how to ride on the back of a bike properly in order to ensure the safest experience.

You will participate in the rush hour of Saigon the way we, the locals do: all from the back of the bike. We ride through the beautiful lit boulevards, the back alleys and the busy streets, which is undoubtedly more awesome of an experience than looking through pictures in your handbook!

First, let’s enjoy Vietnamese pancakes (Bánh xèo), spring rolls,… and you will learn about the customs and background knowledge of the food you eat from our guide and you also will try how to make it. We also would sit on small plastic chairs in the alleys, enjoy our food and drink like Vietnamese.

Later on, our guide takes you around Saigon and explore “Chung cư” – a Vietnamese residential building which was built a very long time ago. We will sit down to taste coffee in the hidden coffee shop and learn how to make a glass of coffee without a machine. It is so good and that is why it has its place in everyone’s bucket list when coming to Vietnam.

On our way, you will see local activities and discover small alleys where Vietnamese always enjoy their spare time in the evening and of course, getting some snacks (Vietnamese pizza) with which almost every Vietnamese falls in love, is a must.

Your last stop is the famous Vietnamese dessert, the sweet soup. You will have a chance to let us rock your senses until your jaw drops with 3 – 5 kinds of sweet soup desserts.

At around 21:30 pm, we will take you back to your hotel.

The morning: 8:00am. Our driver and tour guide will pick you up at your hotel, departing for the Mekong Delta. It takes one hour and thirty minutes driving to get to My Tho town in Mekong Delta. One the way, travellers will have a chance to see these beautiful landscapes along the road such as the green rice fields, the peaceful Vam Co Dong river and the busy Long An town. End route, Our bus will stop at Mekong rest stop where you can take a rest and see the bonsai garden.

Arrive at My Tho town, visit Vinh Trang pagoda an oldest ancient one in Southern Vietnam. Known as the largest pagoda and the most special architecture in Mekong Delta. It’s architecture was influenced by Vietnamese culture and Khmer’s culture as well as European’s architecture.

Vinh Trang pagoda

After visiting Vinh Trang pagoda, the bus will take tourists to the pier to get on a motor boat. Take a leisurely boat ride in Tien river to enjoy fresh air, to see the peaceful life of the local people, Passing the stilt house, the fishing floating farm, the four Islands: Dragon, Phoenix, Tortoise, Unicorn

After taking the boat for about 30 minute, we will arrive at Thoi Son Island, the biggest of four islands. Take a leisurely walk on the village paths, visit local people’s home, orchard garden and enjoy seasonal fruits while listening to traditional Southern folk music. Take a hand- rowing boat through the creeks for sightseeing the natural water coconut trees, a symbol in the Delta areas. The local people will give you the “nón lá”, the Vietnamese traditional hat.

Mekong River

After that you can try to row the boat by yourself. After 20 minutes we will arrive at bee keeping farm, then visit the honey bee farm and taste delicious honey tea with lemon that is really good for health. Local people also have python farm for those tourists, who like adventure can take a photo with pythons.

Return to the motor boat then cruise to Ben Tre province, visit coconut candy workshop to know how to make delicious candies by hand. The highlight of the trip is to take a sightseeing tour through the peaceful villages by horse cart. And then the tourists go back to the motorboat to visit the Phoenix Island to visit crocodile farm and visit the remains of Coconut belief. Having lunch in the orchard garden. Do not forget to taste dried Ear Elephant fish that is one of the special dishes in Mekong Delta 

After lunch, ride a bicycle through the village paths to enjoy the fresh air and observe the pastoral life. Then take a short walking through the narrow village path to the boat.

Return to the boat and take you back to the bus, then the bus will take you back to Can Tho. Check in at the hotel.

Overnight in Can Tho, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

After breakfast, the bus will take you to the Ninh Kieu Wharf. Then you will visit Cai Rang Floating market by boat. The market is around six kilometers from Can Tho, or a 30-minute boat ride. While floating down the river, you will glimpse life along its shores. You’ll pass vibrantly painted boats anchored along the shore, merchant vessels carrying loads down the river and houses built on stilts over the water.

Cai Rang Floating market by boat

Once you finally reach the market, it’s an impressive site. A stretch of boats selling all varieties of goods lines the river. Not really a place for souvenirs, people  come here instead to buy large quantities of goods, mostly foodstuffs, and you will get an idea of what water commerce in the Delta looks like. Your guide on the boat will usually give you tidbits of information about Cai Rang Floating Market as you weave through the hordes.

You’ll learn that boats identify what they are selling by hanging a sample off the top of a long pole; if you want pineapple, simply scan the horizon for a hanging pineapple. You’ll also get the opportunity to interact with some of these floating merchants; most commonly this happens when a small boat selling drinks latches onto the tour boat’s side.

Cai Rang Floating Market

Have you tried the Vietnamese vermicelli noodle? Now, you will see how it is made. After that you will trek along the village to get in touch with the locals. You will have the opportunity to cross a “monkey bridge”, built with one bamboo tree.

Leaving the village, you will visit Can Tho market and have lunch there.  Then, our car will take you back to Ho Chi Minh. Check in at the hotel. Free & Easy.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh, arranged by Luco Travel – Vietnam Tour Operator.

Time dependent on flight schedule. Enjoy some free time for last minute purchases or simply relax at the hotel.

After that, our guide will take you to the Coffee Shop – Trung Nguyen Legend Coffee G7, one of the best Vietnamese coffee and very famous coffee in the world. Enjoy a cup of coffee and get some coffee as a souvenir for your friend and your family.

Trung Nguyen Legend Coffee

Back to hotel, check out and have lunch with Vietnamese Noodle Soup – “Phở” at the local restaurant more than 50 years old.

Your tour guide and driver will transport you to Tan Son Nhat International Airport.  Thank you for spending time in our beloved Vietnam.

Have a great journey with Luco Travel !!!

Kindly note:

• Rates are in USD per person.
• Packaged prices for minimum 01 pax.
• Please note for any kind of payment: bank fee is on the sender.

 Tour Price Includes:

• Included 14 breakfast, 14 lunches, 03 dinners: 01 dinner BBQ on Ha Long Bay Cruise.
• Sharing a tourist bus and cruise in Ha Long Bay (private cabin)
• All domestic flight in Vietnam.( 1. Ha Noi – Hue. 2. Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh)
• English speaking Tour Guide. (01 in Hanoi, 01 Hue, 01 in Saigon.)
• All airports pick up/drop off with private A/C cars.
• 12 nights hotel during Vietnam trip,
• 01 night on cruise in Ha Long Bay.
• 01 night at the Homestay in Sapa.
• Boat in Mekong Delta – Floating market.
• Transport and transfer as a tour program.
• Bicycle tour in Mekong Delta.
• A/c hotel room (Twin/Double share)
• All of the entrances are free as mentioned.
• The fruits, candy, coconut water.
• Meals as mentioned above.
• Saigon street food tour.
• Cooking class on request
• Mineral water & tissue.
• Water Puppet Show
• Trekking in Sapa
• Life jacket, raincoat.
• Luco Travel’s gift.

 Tour Price Excludes:

• Visa & international flights in and out the country
• Other services & meals than mentioned
• Tips, bank transfer fee if any.

Children Policy:

• Children under 05 years old are FOC.
• Children from 05 – 09 years old are charged at 75% based on adult rates.
• Children above 10 years old are charged at 100% based on adult rates.