9D/8N Vietnam Grand Explorer: Hanoi, Sapa, Ha Long Bay, Da Nang & Saigon

Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) where your private tour chauffeur welcomes you. Board a premium express limousine or luxury mountain coach departing directly for Sapa through the breathtaking Hoàng Liên Sơn mountain range. Check in to your hotel in Sapa, unwind, and take an evening stroll around the French colonial Sapa Stone Church and mist-shrouded Sapa Lake.

After breakfast, take the record-breaking Fansipan Legend Cable Car gliding over the Muong Hoa Valley to reach the summit of Mount Fansipan (3,143m), the highest peak in Indochina. Admire the panoramic views, giant Buddha statues, and mountain temples. In the afternoon, trek through the scenic Cat Cat Village of the Black H’mong people, discovering traditional indigo-dyeing, giant wooden waterwheels, and the picturesque Tieng Sa Waterfall. Enjoy an authentic salmon hotpot dinner.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before taking the morning express limousine back to Hanoi. Arrive in the capital and check in to your boutique hotel in the historic Old Quarter. In the evening, embark on a guided street food walk sampling authentic pho, banh mi, and bun cha. Conclude the evening at a trackside cafe along Hanoi Train Street, watching the train rumble inches past while sipping famous Vietnamese egg coffee.

Explore the 1000-year-old cultural treasures of Hanoi. Visit the serene Temple of Literature (Van Mieu), Vietnam’s first national university built in 1070. Proceed to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, One Pillar Pagoda, and the historic Tran Quoc Pagoda gracefully set on West Lake. In the afternoon, walk across the scarlet Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple in the center of Hoan Kiem Lake, followed by shopping in the 36 ancient guild streets.

Journey via the modern expressway to Tuan Chau Marina, Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage wonder. Board your luxury cruise vessel with a welcome drink and embark on an unforgettable voyage through thousands of soaring limestone karsts. Savor a lavish seafood lunch while sailing past iconic islets. In the afternoon, explore the magnificent Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave and kayak through Luon Cave. Enjoy sunset tea on the sundeck, a chef-led cooking class, and night squid fishing.

Start your morning with refreshing Tai Chi on the sundeck as dawn breaks over the mist-clad karsts. Visit Ti Top Island for swimming or climb to the summit for a 360-degree panorama of the bay. Savor an early brunch while cruising back to the harbor. Transfer to Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi) for a short domestic flight to Da Nang. On arrival, transfer to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An. Spend your evening taking a wooden sampan ride releasing floating lanterns onto the Hoai River.

Ascend to Sun World Ba Na Hills on one of the world’s longest single-rope cable cars. Walk across the internationally acclaimed Golden Bridge, supported by colossal moss-covered stone hands appearing from the mountainside. Explore the French Village, Linh Ung Pagoda, and Fantasy Park amusement rides. In the late afternoon, transfer to Da Nang International Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Check in to your hotel in central District 1.

Morning excursion to the legendary Cu Chi Tunnels, exploring the underground network of living quarters, hospitals, and command centers that played a pivotal role in the Vietnam War. Return to the city for lunch. In the afternoon, tour Saigon’s greatest landmarks: the War Remnants Museum, the historic Reunification Palace, the French-colonial Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Gustave Eiffel-designed Central Post Office. Conclude with shopping at Ben Thanh Market.

After breakfast, embark on a morning excursion to the lush Mekong Delta (My Tho). Cruise along the Mekong River, glide through narrow palm-fringed canals aboard traditional wooden sampans, taste fresh tropical fruits in local orchards, and visit traditional honey bee farms and coconut candy workshops with folk music performances. Return to Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon for final souvenir shopping and timely transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) for departure.