From Saigon to Luang Prabang

Upon arrival, meet our Authentik Travel’s tour guide and transfer to hotel in the downtown.
Check in and relax. Overnight in Saigon.

Depart Saigon to discover one of the most striking places in the history of the Vietnam War, the Cu Chi Tunnels. 

Cu Chi is a real underground city made up of a large network of tunnels covering an area of over 250km where the Viet Cong conducted the war of resistance against American troops. All of the tunnels were dug by the Viet Cong over a period of twenty years using only pickaxes and shovels. You will also have a chance to visit Ben Duoc memorial temple nearby but far less touristic built in 1993 in memory of the Vietnamese killed at Cu Chi.

Return to Saigon.
Visit the Reunification palace (or the war memorials Museum), Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office inspired by Orsay Station in Paris.
Then, transfer to Cho Lon District to discover its old quarter, Binh Tay Market and the colorful Quan Am pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in the city. Its architecture and decorations have remained since its construction. Overnight in Saigon.

Our tour guide and driver welcome you at your hotel for your transfer to Ben Tre, a beautiful region  in the Mekong Delta River, famous for making coconut candy.
Arrive at Hung Vuong pier, then take a boat trip on the Ben Tre River to discover the daily local life.

Stop to visit the brick kiln of Mr Tu Lo and discover the craft methods of making bricks.
Next, visit the coconut factory and meet Mr Vo Van Ba. He is a man passionate about traditional music and has spent all his life making a collection of fifty folk instruments. Here, you can attend a show to appreciate his passion.
Continue your boat trip on a canal to Nhon Thanh Village. This will be an opportunity to taste the fresh fruits.

Take a bike ride (or Tuk tuk) on a small path through the villages and enjoy views of the coconut ranges, rice fields and vegetable gardens. A lunch of Elephant ear fish is served in the village . A short walk will help you to discover the local life in depth. This is followed by a boat ride on the small canal shaded by the wild palm trees.
FREE OPTION:
For those who wish to ride a bike, you can go to Mr Sau Khanh’s house to admire his collection of ancient objects. Then, continue through the rice fields and meet the locals and join them in their work.
Transfer back to Saigon in the late afternoon.
 

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to airport for your short flight to Danang.

Meet our tour guide and driver from Danang airport for 30km coastline to Hoian ancient town which is listed in the Heritage of Humans.

Some real treasures that need to be discovered are Hoian Museum, Japanese bridge, China Town, Quan Thang ancient house, the local market and the old busy port of the 15th century for the international boats from China, Netherlands, Japan, and Poland.
Finally, visit the Thang Loi silk factory, known as a good establishment in Hoian to have tailor-made silk clothes.

In the evening, Embark on a small boat in Hoian town then depart to Thu Bon River which was once a very busy exchange place for a lot of international ships throughout the 15th century. The boat trip will take you along the river. This is a good chance for you to appreciate the landscape of the peaceful village by the river bank and admire the fishermen’s activities on the river. Enjoy the sunset in the late afternoon from April to November.
Overnight at Hoian.

At 8:00am, go on a bike ride (or car) to Tra Que farming village. It is famous for its aromatic herbs, mint and basil. Their leaves are smaller than normal ones and have a special flavor.

Bike through the village and vegetable fields and meet the farmers who work all the seasons of the year. It is a good opportunity to observe the techniques of vegetable gardening.
Enjoy crab catching in the water palm trees forest. This is a relaxing moment after hours of biking.
Continue biking to Cam Thanh. Along the way the landscapes of fishing farms and water palm trees will accompany you. Arrive in Cam Thanh and embark a small round bamboo sampan basket boat 
Lunch is served in family restaurant Mr Day, a family fisherman working in tourism.

After lunch, enjoy a nice walk in the village to discover how they make nipa for roofs and their daily activities.
Overnight in Hoian.

Have breakfast at your hotel and depart to the sacred valley of the Champa Kingdom. Located 70km from Hoian Town, My Son was the capital of the Champa Kingdom which ruled central Vietnam between the 4th and 13th century AD.
Recognized as a World Culture Heritage site by Unesco, the site preserves the 70 ruined architecture works of bricks and stones built between the 7th and 13th century

Return to Hoian at 13.00 for a transfer to Hue. Drive along the coastline and arrive in Danang. Enjoy a walk to My Khe beach where you can enjoy the view of giant Goodness of Mercy statues in the Linh Ung Pagoda. Take photos of fishermen by the beach and visit the Cham Museum which preserves the most important Cham culture collections in the world.
Continue to Hue on the Mandarin Road via Sea Cloud Pass (Hai Van Pass). Stop on the top of the pass to enjoy the breathtaking view to the ocean and Da Nang city.

Arrive in Hue – check in your hotel.

At 8.00, transfer upstream of the Perfume river to visit the emperor, Minh Mang's tomb, an architectural masterpiece that harmoniously highlights the nature and imperial religious works.

After that, we will voyage along the Perfume River to Thuy Bieu Village taking in the picturesque landscapes on both sides. After 1 hour, we arrive in Thuy Bieu known for its divine grapefruit trees where you can take a bike around the village under the shade of the grapefruit trees and enjoy their pleasant perfume aroma and the harvested straw. The peaceful atmosphere is in every corner of the village.

Then, visit a temple dedicated to the village protector, a traditional garden house built several centuries ago. This is a wonderful opportunity to stop for great photos and interact with the villagers working in the gardens and vegetable fields which should not be missed. 
Lunch is served at Mrs. Loan in the village of Thuy Bieu.

In the afternoon, visit Thien Mu Pagoda,  one of the oldest pagodas in Hue, dating back to 1601. This is the spiritual highlight of the city and well known for its majestic octagon tower and beautiful view of the Perfume River.
Then, continue to the most anticipated site in Hue, Hue citadel, the only vestige symbol for what was once the imperial city of Vietnam. It is inspired by the fortification of Vauban. The city is composed of three parts: Kinh Thanh (the Capital city), Hoang Thanh (the Imperial city) and Cam Thanh (the Forbidden City).The most beautiful sites in Hue are concentrated in this area including the flag tower, the South gate, the palace of supreme Harmony, the Dynasty temple area and the settlement area. During the visit, we will attend a traditional dancing show in the royal theater.

Return to your hotel.
Overnight in Hue.

Transfer to Hue airport for a morning flight to Hanoi.

On arrival, get a pick up to the city center. Leave your luggage at hotel and enjoy a full day city tour.

Get picked up by tour guide to the Temple of Literature which was built under the Ly dynasty in the 11th century for worshipping Confucius and teaching Royal children. Enjoy a walk in the garden to the city’s symbol Khue Van Cac. You will then visit the World Heritage "stone steles” which shows the names of outstanding students. Continue to explore the Quoc Tu Giam which is considered the first national university of Vietnam.

The next stop is the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (closed every Monday) which offers a deep insight into Vietnamese culture through traditional costumes, tools, musical instruments, and traditional houses of many ethnic groups. To fully explore this interesting museum, it takes you around two hours. 

In the afternoon, visit (outside) Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum before continuing the day with a walking tour in the Hanoi Old Quarter. Start with a small pagoda named Ba Da quietly located in a small alley - only a few steps from the Hanoi Great Cathedral, built by French colonialism in the 19th century. Your tour guide takes you to typical streets of Hanoi, such as Lan Ong Street, which sells traditional medicine, and Lo Ren Street, where metal items are produced. Stop to visit the Dong Xuan Central Market - the largest in Hanoi. Continue walking to the famous area for night activities and street food - Ta Hien Street, where you can see the vibrant streets with a lot of amazing local foods and drinks. Try to taste some for an unforgettable experience.

Return to the city center and take a break before attending the water puppet show, a unique performance that originated in the 11th century. These shows depict the daily life, culture, and beliefs of the Vietnamese people through puppets moving on water. The performance often includes traditional music as well.

Come back to the hotel. End of the day​
Overnight in Hanoi.

08:00 - Meet our driver for a transfer to Halong via Bac Ninh and Sao Do. Extensive rice fields as far as your eyes can see will follow you along the way.
12:00 - Embarkation at Hon Gai port, relax with a welcome drink.
13:00 – Enjoy a seafood lunch on the boat while cruising in to the bay through the enchanting landscapes of Bai Tu Long Bay ( Small Dragon Bay).
15:30 - Take part in activities according to the boat such as: visit Thien Canh Son cave, go kayaking, take a bamboo sampan ride to the Vang Vieng fishing village or simply just relax on the boat.
18:00 - Return to the boat, shower and take a rest.
19:00 - Enjoy a delicious dinner on the boat.
Stay overnight in a private cabin (with air conditioner and shower)

You are advised to get up early to enjoy the fresh air and sunrise in the beautiful scenery of Bai Tu Long.
Breakfast on the boat.

08:30 - Enjoy activities. Either visit the cave or embark a small bamboo sampan to visit Vung Vieng Fishing village, one of the spectacular floating villages in Halong. Encounter the locals and fishermen’s farm as well as a floating school (depends on the boat’s activity schedule)
09:30 - Return to the boat and check out of the cabin.
10:00 - Cruise back to Hon Gai port. On the way back, we will enjoy lunch on the boat. Last look at the legendary bay where dragons once descended.
11:45 - Arrive at the pier and transfer back to Hanoi and directly to airport for a short flight to Luang Prabang.

Upon Luang Prabang airport, our local tour guide and driver will welcome you and transfer to your hotel in the city center. Meals on your own and take a rest.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.

After breakfast at your hotel, meet our tour guide and driver to go to Mount Phousi where you can enjoy a great panoramic view of the City and the river.
Take a short drive to Vat Xien Thong (the temple of Royal city). This is one of the most important Laotian monasteries and still remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, traditional art and royalty.

The next  stop will be Wat Visoun temple, dating back to 1513 and the reign of King Visoun . This is the oldest temple in Luang Prabang and was once the home to Luang Prabang Buddhas. Wat Visoun temple is with an unusual structure which represents the earliest Laotian style.
Follow this with a visit to Wat Mai, a beautiful temple built in the 18th century, located by the Royal palace. It is the biggest temple in Luang Prabang with beautiful decorations.
Enjoy a driving through rice fields and a beautiful small village. Make some stops to discover their daily life before reaching Khuang Si fall, a gorgeous turquoise waterfall. Refresh and swim in the clear water.

Return to city and spend the rest of day at your leisure.
Stay overnight at a hotel in Luang Prabang.
 

Have breakfast at your hotel then visit a local market in the town to discover the daily life. (We recommend visiting early in the morning).

Transfer to the pier, embark a boat and enjoy a trip upstream along the Mekong River. Discover the numerous Buddha images in the Pak Oo caves such as Pak Oo cave (the mouth of the Oo River), Tham Ting cave ( Lower cave) and Tham Theung ( Upper cave). They are on the right side and overlook the Mekong River. Travel a short distance from the caves to the village of Ban Xang Hai.

Encounter the locals and learn how to make LauLao (Laotian whisky) and LauHai (Laotian wine). Return to the city, making stops at  Ban Xang Khong village and Ban Xieng Lek village, well known for handmade Jute Sar paper.
Return to your hotel and relax and stay overnight in Luang Prabang.

In the morning, meet our tour guide at your hotel and you cross the Mekong River via a local ferry towards Khmu village. En route, make a short visit to Ban Chan pottery village. It is a rare chance to try your hand at creating beautiful pots from clay. 

Along the way, you will pass through some rustic villages, encounter the local people, and see the children playing together or farmers doing their work on the fields. Visit Ban Boum Xieng to observe the ethnic traditions and daily life. Continue driving to a Khmu family and enjoy lunch with them.
In the afternoon, drive back to the Mekong River and discover the decorative, less visited Wat Long Khun temple. From here, take a short transfer to Wat Tham Xieng Maen located in a limestone cave and visit its Buddha images. 

The last highlight of the day is Wat Chom phet - This is an excellent spot for a panoramic view of the area as well as an excellent photo opportunity for a sunset photo hunter.
Return to your hotel and stay overnight in Luang Prabang.

Free till meet our driver to transfer to airport for your flight home or next destination.

Tour ends.