FREE AND EASY SUMMER VIETNAM
Hanoi – Ha Long Bay – Hoi An Beaches – Ho Chi Minh City
11 Days / 10 Nights
11 Days / 10 Nights
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Summer is the most beautiful time to spend enjoying the beaches of Central Vietnam. This relaxing 10 night / 11 day itinerary is centered around the white sand and blue water of Binh Minh beach near Hoi An, but also gives you free time in the charming old quarter of Hanoi, an overnight cruise on the UNESCO heritage site of Ha Long Bay and a day in bustling Ho Chi Minh City. We’ll take you to the best cities, and you’ll have the freedom to explore at your own pace without a guide.
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This itinerary can be extended to 13 days / 12 nights if you’d like to slow down and extend your holiday on the beach near Hoi An, and add-on excursions can be booked (in advance) if you’d like to add a more guided experience in any of the three locations.
Price for 10 nights start at $1095 per person based on 2 persons traveling together, double occupancy. Prices per person lower with additional people. Click here to contact us to for more information about this itinerary and available options. This itinerary is only offered from May – August.
Price for 10 nights start at $1095 per person based on 2 persons traveling together, double occupancy. Prices per person lower with additional people. Click here to contact us to for more information about this itinerary and available options. This itinerary is only offered from May – August.
Day 1: Hanoi - Arrival
Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by our driver and transferred to your hotel in Hanoi’s city center to check in. Settle in, then venture out to explore the charming atmosphere of Hanoi and its old quarter. Explore the many shops, street cafes, watch the local lifestyle, or partake in the nightlife. Immerse yourself or just rest on your first evening in Vietnam. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi – Free day (B)
Your first full day is a Free Day to explore the city of Hanoi by yourself! There’s much to see, do and take in. Most of the old quarter can be explored on foot from your hotel. You choose your style, pace and experiences.
Add On Activities:
Optional excursions are available in Hanoi if you would like to add a more guided experience to your holiday.
Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by our driver and transferred to your hotel in Hanoi’s city center to check in. Settle in, then venture out to explore the charming atmosphere of Hanoi and its old quarter. Explore the many shops, street cafes, watch the local lifestyle, or partake in the nightlife. Immerse yourself or just rest on your first evening in Vietnam. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi – Free day (B)
Your first full day is a Free Day to explore the city of Hanoi by yourself! There’s much to see, do and take in. Most of the old quarter can be explored on foot from your hotel. You choose your style, pace and experiences.
Add On Activities:
Optional excursions are available in Hanoi if you would like to add a more guided experience to your holiday.
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Day 3: Hanoi – Bai Tu Long Bay – Overnight on boat (B/L/D)
Wake up and get ready to explore beyond Hanoi. After breakfast, meet our driver and take a 2.5 hour transfer to Ha Long Bay, one of the World Natural Heritage sites recognized by UNESCO with over 3,000 spectacular limestone islands rising from the clear, emerald sea in the Gulf of Tonkin.
- 11:30: Ready at the Signature check-in lounge
- 12:00 - CHECK-IN: You will be warmly welcomed by the Signature Team in Halong International Harbour. Check in your luggage at the waiting lounge before boarding the cruise.
- 12:45 - ONBOARD: Transfer to the Signature Cruise is by a tender boat. The Cruise Manager and the whole crew will welcome you onboard. A safety briefing and itinerary overview will be delivered while you enjoy a Signature welcome drink.
- 13:00 - HAPPY LUNCH: Lunch is served at the cozy restaurant. As the cruise departs towards Bai Tu Long Bay–-a hidden gem of the Halong Bay region--immerse yourself in the gorgeous scenery and famous sights of the limestone karst islands.
- 14:45 - ACTIVITIES: The cruise stops at Vung Vieng Floating Fishing Village, a wealthy fishing village that had its reputation for culturing pearls. Here we have time to discover the life and culture of fishing people by kayaking (included) or in a traditional woven bamboo boat rowed by a local boatman (public tickets charged based on the attraction's price).
- 16:00 - RELAX: We will return back to the Signature Cruise to enjoy free time. Massages are available--please book in advance with the Cruise Manager.
- 17:30 - COOKING CLASS. A Cooking Demonstration of traditional Vietnamese dishes will be organized by Athena Head Chef.
- 18:00-19:00 - HAPPY HOUR. Take advantage of the Happy Hour’s “Buy 1 get 1 free” drink while the sun is giving way to stunning twilight over the bay.
- 19:00 - DINNER: A fusion set menu will be served to warm up your stomach after a long active day.
- 20:30 - CHEERFUL EVENING: Evening is your free time to relax with an exotic cocktail or whatever takes your fancy. The bar has a wide range of wines, beers and liquors and is always a welcomed sight for guests after a day on Bai Tu Long Bay. You can also order a specialized massage in your cruise cabin if you like. Or choose from other activities such as watching documentary movies, squid fishing or simply relaxing on the roof top deck under the cover of a star filled sky.
Day 4: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi – Fly to Danang – Hoi An (B/L)
- 06:30 - TAI CHI CLASS: The nicest time of the day on Bai Tu Long Bay is the morning. Head to the Sundeck to participate in daily Tai Chi sessions for 30 minutes while cruising to Thien Canh Son. Or simply relax with an early morning cup of tea, coffee or juice anywhere you wish on the boat and watch the never-ending miraculous scenery unfold before you.
- 07:00 - BREAKFAST: Light breakfast will be served in the restaurant (pastries, tea, coffee).
- 08:00 - VISIT THE CAVE: Thien Canh Son Cave is comprised of three caverns in total, each one strewn with stalactites and stalagmites and that’s where we will visit next. 200 steps are waiting for your legs, are you ready to beat it? Before re-boarding your cruise, walk along the white sand beach and enjoy the Bai Tu Long paradise views.
- 09:00 - CHECK-OUT: Come back to the Signature cruise, relax and pack your luggage. Leave your luggage outside the door, the Signature team will collect them and have them ready on the pier after you disembark.
- 09:30 - BRUNCH: Enjoy a brunch buffet at the restaurant after check-out while cruising toward the port.
- 10:45 - GOODBYE: Transfer by tender back to Halong International Harbour and disembark. Your driver will transfer you back to Hanoi and straight to the airport for a flight to Danang.
Upon landing in Danang, you’ll be greeted by our driver and transferred to Binh Minh Beach just South of Hoi An where you will settle down at a beautiful beach resort. A complimentary plate of fruit will be delivered to your room on your arrival day. Overnight in Binh Minh Beach.
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Day 5 – 8: Hoi An – Binh Minh Beach (B)
Spend 4 glorious days in and around Binh Minh Beach. Binh Ming means “Sunrise” in Vietnamese and the beach is perfect for admiring the spectacular morning glow over the golden sands and iridescent blue waters. Summer is the perfect time to visit with its calmer waters and long coastline.
Bask in the luxury of Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness, nestled amidst the pristine sands of Binh Minh Beach, an idyllic retreat for couples seeking a truly unforgettable getaway. Bliss focuses on peace and pleasure by providing daily Yoga, Tai Chi or Fitness, and signature treatments of Ngoc Linh Spa.
Choose what level of activity or relaxation you prefer for your summer beach vacation. Spend every day with a pineapple on the beach if you like. Take advantage of the complimentary shuttle busses to Hoi An (3 times per day, as scheduled, approximately 30 minutes each way) for shops, more restaurants, sightseeing or countryside. Be sure to take advantage of the complimentary afternoon tea (once per stay only).
Extend your Holiday:
Want to slow down your pace and stay a while? Extend your 4 free days (and 5 nights) to 6 free days (and 7 nights) starting at +$100 USD pp.
Add On Activities:
Optional excursions are available around Hoi An if you would like to add a guided excursion during your holiday.
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Day 9: Hoi An – Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (B)
Wake up to one more sunrise at Binh Minh, enjoy your breakfast, then enjoy some free time until it’s time to meet your driver and transfer to Danang Airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, you’ll be met by our driver and travel to downtown. Check into your hotel and overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City – Free (B)
Ho Chi Minh City is a cosmopolitan metropolis. Its dynamic cityscape draws together old and new Vietnam in a compact space, representing the city’s past as well as its future. This city has many well-known attractions, including the War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, and Ben Thanh Market.
You are free to explore the city all day, as full or relaxed as you like. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Add On Activities:
Optional excursions are available in Ho Chi Minh City if you would like to add a guided excursion during your holiday.
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City – Departure (B)
You will be free today in Ho Chi Minh City until our driver takes you to the airport in good time to connect to your departure flight.
OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS
Want a more guided experience during your free days? Add on any of these optional excursions for an additional fee and our experienced guides will lead you through some of Vietnam’s most interesting and popular sights.
Hanoi – City Tour 1 day with lunch
08:30am: Meet your guide and visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (visit outside) before exploring his house on stilts and lush garden. A short walk from the mausoleum is one of the great symbols of Hanoi, the One Pillar Pagoda, an 11th-century wooden temple built on a single stone pillar in the water. It was designed to resemble a blooming lotus. Pass by the Presidential Palace to the West Lake where you will visit one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam named Tran Quoc, meaning “protecting the country”. Visit the venerable Temple of Literature built in 1077 – Vietnam’s first university.
Lunch will be at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, continue to the Museum of Ethnology displaying artifacts of 54 minority groups who live in Vietnam before moving to the Old Quarter of Hanoi for a cyclo (rickshaw) tour around the Old Streets which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son temple to learn about legend of the lake. The day ends with a Water Puppet Show.
Hoi An – Joined cooking class & Walking tour with lunch
In the morning, you’ll be met by our guide and transferred to Hoi An Town. Gather at the Hai Scout Café in Hoi An’s old streets to meet the chef. Visit a local market to buy the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. Board a boat for a leisurely cruise along the Thu Bon River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. On arrival, explore the school’s herb and vegetable garden before learning about some of Hoi An and Vietnam’s well-known dishes, which are a mix of Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines. The cooking lesson lasts about 2 hours– each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge’s chef before you prepare the same dish by yourself. The class also contains a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carvings (plate decoration). After the lesson, we sit down and taste what we have cooked. Then the boat or car will take you back to Hoi An town.
In the afternoon, take a guided walking tour around Hoi An Ancient Town. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall, and the local market. There are numerous art galleries, souvenir and tailor shops where you can get some express made-to-order clothes if you like! Return to your resort after a full day of interesting activities.
Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels & City Tour with lunch
In the morning, visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, which are 70 kilometers North West of Ho Chi Minh City, created in 1948 to assist the Viet Minh to combat the French during the war. The tunnels are an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapon shops, field hospitals, and command centers. During the American/Vietnam War, the entire area of Cu Chi was designated a fire free zone and was heavily bombarded. Since 1988, two sections of the tunnels have been open for visitors.
Return to Ho Chi Minh City for lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will explore Ho Chi Minh City’s highlights including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Centre Post Office and Ben Thanh market.
Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta & Ho Chi Minh City with Lunch
At 8:30am, meet your guide and take a 2-hour pleasant drive to Ben Tre province crossing Rach Mieu bridge. Upon arrival at Hung Vuong Pier, hop on a motorized boat on Ben Tre River--one of the tributaries of the Mekong river--while sightseeing lively activities along the river such as fishing and boats transferring fruits, flowers and rice to local markets. Our first stop is at a brick kiln to see how to make bricks traditionally by printing and baking. Those brick kilns are open in summer time only when there is enough sunshine to dry bricks. Continue to visit one coconut processing workshop located along the canals. Return to the boat and go through natural scissors creeks to a village and see some local houses, making sleeping mats, and enjoying some local fruits.
Take a Tuk-Tuk (motorized cart) or bicycle on shady paths, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to touch on real life and find out about tropical culture from peasants. Have lunch at a local riverside restaurant.
After lunch, we take a rowing-boat along a beautiful water palm creek before meeting the motorized boat. Return to Ho Chi Minh City late afternoon.
Want a more guided experience during your free days? Add on any of these optional excursions for an additional fee and our experienced guides will lead you through some of Vietnam’s most interesting and popular sights.
Hanoi – City Tour 1 day with lunch
08:30am: Meet your guide and visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (visit outside) before exploring his house on stilts and lush garden. A short walk from the mausoleum is one of the great symbols of Hanoi, the One Pillar Pagoda, an 11th-century wooden temple built on a single stone pillar in the water. It was designed to resemble a blooming lotus. Pass by the Presidential Palace to the West Lake where you will visit one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam named Tran Quoc, meaning “protecting the country”. Visit the venerable Temple of Literature built in 1077 – Vietnam’s first university.
Lunch will be at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, continue to the Museum of Ethnology displaying artifacts of 54 minority groups who live in Vietnam before moving to the Old Quarter of Hanoi for a cyclo (rickshaw) tour around the Old Streets which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son temple to learn about legend of the lake. The day ends with a Water Puppet Show.
Hoi An – Joined cooking class & Walking tour with lunch
In the morning, you’ll be met by our guide and transferred to Hoi An Town. Gather at the Hai Scout Café in Hoi An’s old streets to meet the chef. Visit a local market to buy the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. Board a boat for a leisurely cruise along the Thu Bon River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. On arrival, explore the school’s herb and vegetable garden before learning about some of Hoi An and Vietnam’s well-known dishes, which are a mix of Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines. The cooking lesson lasts about 2 hours– each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge’s chef before you prepare the same dish by yourself. The class also contains a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carvings (plate decoration). After the lesson, we sit down and taste what we have cooked. Then the boat or car will take you back to Hoi An town.
In the afternoon, take a guided walking tour around Hoi An Ancient Town. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall, and the local market. There are numerous art galleries, souvenir and tailor shops where you can get some express made-to-order clothes if you like! Return to your resort after a full day of interesting activities.
Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels & City Tour with lunch
In the morning, visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, which are 70 kilometers North West of Ho Chi Minh City, created in 1948 to assist the Viet Minh to combat the French during the war. The tunnels are an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapon shops, field hospitals, and command centers. During the American/Vietnam War, the entire area of Cu Chi was designated a fire free zone and was heavily bombarded. Since 1988, two sections of the tunnels have been open for visitors.
Return to Ho Chi Minh City for lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will explore Ho Chi Minh City’s highlights including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Centre Post Office and Ben Thanh market.
Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta & Ho Chi Minh City with Lunch
At 8:30am, meet your guide and take a 2-hour pleasant drive to Ben Tre province crossing Rach Mieu bridge. Upon arrival at Hung Vuong Pier, hop on a motorized boat on Ben Tre River--one of the tributaries of the Mekong river--while sightseeing lively activities along the river such as fishing and boats transferring fruits, flowers and rice to local markets. Our first stop is at a brick kiln to see how to make bricks traditionally by printing and baking. Those brick kilns are open in summer time only when there is enough sunshine to dry bricks. Continue to visit one coconut processing workshop located along the canals. Return to the boat and go through natural scissors creeks to a village and see some local houses, making sleeping mats, and enjoying some local fruits.
Take a Tuk-Tuk (motorized cart) or bicycle on shady paths, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to touch on real life and find out about tropical culture from peasants. Have lunch at a local riverside restaurant.
After lunch, we take a rowing-boat along a beautiful water palm creek before meeting the motorized boat. Return to Ho Chi Minh City late afternoon.
:>> Our prices include:
> Breakfast and accommodation in a twin or double sharing room
> Travel in an appropriate private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced safe driver
> Services of an local English-speaking guide on boat in Ha Long Bay only
> Where necessary, entry fees and boat fees for all visits mentioned in the program
> Lunch and dinner on specified days (see itinerary) in the best local restaurants, or picnics where no suitable restaurant is available (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
> Domestic flights from Hanoi to Danang and Danang to Ho Chi Minh City, including 20kg of checked baggage
> Bottled water and wet wipe during transfer and sightseeing
> VAT and other taxes
:>> Our prices do not include:
> International flight and airport taxes
> Drinks and other meals not clearly mentioned
> Surcharge for public holidays, and special request on food arrangement.
> Entrance fees, permits and guide service during free time.
> Insurance, gratuities and personal expenses, and other service not stated in the program
> Visa stamp fee for Vietnam
> Optional excursion
> Breakfast and accommodation in a twin or double sharing room
> Travel in an appropriate private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced safe driver
> Services of an local English-speaking guide on boat in Ha Long Bay only
> Where necessary, entry fees and boat fees for all visits mentioned in the program
> Lunch and dinner on specified days (see itinerary) in the best local restaurants, or picnics where no suitable restaurant is available (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
> Domestic flights from Hanoi to Danang and Danang to Ho Chi Minh City, including 20kg of checked baggage
> Bottled water and wet wipe during transfer and sightseeing
> VAT and other taxes
:>> Our prices do not include:
> International flight and airport taxes
> Drinks and other meals not clearly mentioned
> Surcharge for public holidays, and special request on food arrangement.
> Entrance fees, permits and guide service during free time.
> Insurance, gratuities and personal expenses, and other service not stated in the program
> Visa stamp fee for Vietnam
> Optional excursion
