• Overview

DISCOVER VIETNAM ON A BUDGET TOUR 18 DAYS 

Group Size: Private Tour

Tour Type: Nature Landscape, Cultural, Scenic

Duration: 19 Days 18 Nights

Active Level: Moderator

^{Discover Vietnam On A Budget Tour 18 Days. Hanoi is a place where the unique flair of ancient Asia meets the vibrant face of contemporary Asia. Where medieval and contemporary coexist. A city with a mix of Parisian grace and Asian speed, an architectural museum piece that is maturing in tune with its past rather than rushing through like many of the region's cities. Hanoi is where fantasy meets reality.}

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Discover Vietnam On A Budget Tour 18 Days Itinerary:

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour - Night Train To Sapa

Day 3: Lao Cai - Sapa Tour

Day 4: Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van Hill Tribe Villages – Sapa

Day 5: Sapa Bac Ha Market – Night Train Back To Hanoi

Day 6: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight Onboard

Day 7: Halong – Hanoi – Flight to Hue

Day 8: Hue Imperial City Tour

Day 9: Hue – Da Nang - Golden Bridge - Marble Mountain

Day 10: Da Nang - My Son – Hoi An

Day 11: Hoi An – Da Nang - Flight To Ho Chi Minh City

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City Highlights

Day 13: Cao Dai Temple - Cu Chi Tunnels

Day 14: Mekong Delta - Can Tho

Day 15: Can Tho - Cai Rang Floating Markets - Ho Chi Minh City

Day 16: Ho Chi Minh City - Can Gio - Ho Chi Minh City

Day 17: Free Day

Day 18: Ho Chi Minh City - Home Departure

DAY 1: HANOI ARRIVAL - NOI BAI AIRPORT: 

Vietnam is at the top of the list of most desirable places, and Vietnam trips are diverse. Arrive at Noi Bai Airport, meet our private Vietnam tour guide and driver, and transport to your hotel for check-in. Hanoi is a place where the unique flair of ancient Asia meets the vibrant face of contemporary Asia. Where medieval and contemporary coexist. A city with a mix of Parisian grace and Asian speed, an architectural museum piece that is maturing in tune with its past rather than rushing through like many of the region's cities. Hanoi is where fantasy meets reality.

Free time for recreation. Stay overnight in a Hanoi hotel.

DAY 2: HANOI CITY HIGHLIGHTS - NIGHT TRAIN TO SAPA: (Breakfast, Lunch)

08:00-08:30 Our guide and driver will take you up from your accommodation in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Then visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum. Enjoy the architectural and historical features of Uncle Ho's ultimate resting place. Ho Chi Minh's stilt home is right next door. The One Pillar Pagoda, built by King Ly Thai To in 1049, is to one side of the Mausoleum. It has become a significant emblem for the people of Hanoi. Continue to the Quan Thanh Temple (Taoist, originating from the Ly Dynasty) and the Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake (one of Vietnam's oldest structures). Lunch at a nearby eatery.

After lunch, visit the Literature Temple and Quoc Tu Giam. Vietnam's earliest university, built in 1070, its grounds and well-preserved buildings provide a pleasant peek into Vietnam's history. Then go to Bat Trang Pottery Village. Following that, we will drive you by Hoan Kiem Lake to witness the tranquil waters and visit the Ngoc Son Temple. At the end of the tour, take a coach drive through Hanoi's Old Quarter and observe a water puppet performance.

Evening: A private tour guide will meet you at the hotel and bring you to the Hanoi train station for the night train to Lao Cai (Sapa). Overnight aboard the train.
Please note that the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ethnic Museums are closed on Mondays and Fridays, however, Bat Trang Pottery Village will be available as a substitute. On Saturdays and Sundays, visitors may enjoy a water puppet show at the Museum of Ethnology and spend an hour exploring the Old Quarter by Pedicab/Rickshaw.

DAY 3: LAO CAI - SAPA TOUR: (Breakfast, Lunch)

When you arrive at Lao Cai train station, our shuttle bus in Sapa will greet you and transport you to Sapa. Today, we have already set up a tiny hotel for you to shower and have breakfast. Free at Leisure. In the afternoon, you may go on a short hike to Cat Cat Village of the Blach H'mong people, which is located in the stunning Muong Hoa valley, part of the Faxifan mountain range (the roof of Indochina). Or take a stroll up Dragon Mountain (Ham Rong Mountain) to witness gorgeous orchid blooms, get a panoramic view of Sapa town over mountains and rice fields, experience unique traditional music and dance performed by local females, and much more.

Return to the hotel.

Overnight in Sapa.

DAY 4:  SAPA - LAO CAI - TA VAN HILL TRIBE VILLAGES - SAPA: (Breakfast, Lunch)

Your Sapa tour begins with a vehicle ride from Sapa to Lao Chai, a Black Hmong ethnic minority community. You will be able to stroll from Lao Chai to the Giay ethnic minority hill tribe. You will be able to relax and enjoy a great lunch provided by your guide in a local home.

Following lunch, the trip continues through a bamboo forest to the Red Dao ethnic minority settlement. After resting at a waterfall to recharge, you begin rising upward to a road where the car is prepared for the bus ride back to Sapa.

Overnight in Sapa. 

DAY 5: SAPA - BAC HA MARKET - NIGHT TRAIN TO HANOI: (Breakfast, Lunch)

After breakfast, take the shuttle bus to the ethnic market. On the way, you will see beautiful rice paddy fields and the guide will give you a lot of information about mountainous strange ethnic cultures. When you arrive, you will have a short walk to visit the market and explore the basic life of local people, where you can take a seat and talk and drink some corn wine with them. On the other side, you will see many domestic animals such as buffalos, dogs, cats, chickens, horses, birds...the special is so colorful. Lunch at a nearby eatery.

Afternoon, we wave goodbye to the bustling market and return to Lao Cai to catch the night train to Hanoi.

Note: This Bac Ha market is only available on Sundays.

Overnight aboard the train.

DAY 6: HANOI - HA LONG BAY CRUISE - OVERNIGHT ONBOARD: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

08:00: You will be picked up from the hotel and transferred to Ha Long Bay pier.

12:15: Depart from Tuan Chau Marina (Tuan Chau Island, Halong City). Gray Line private lounge offers a welcome drink.

12:30: Transfer by tender to the Gray Line Halong Cruise. The cruise briefings are followed by a welcome cocktail. Check into your rooms.

13:00: Enjoy a delicious set lunch. While traveling to Halong Bay, relax on the sundeck and take in the breathtaking sights. Cruise across the floating fishing town of Hoa Cuong.

Arrive at Me Cung Cave (Maze Cave) around 14:30. Join a guided trip to explore the cave. Climb numerous steep stone stairs to see a large lake surrounded by mountains that are considered a royal garden. Its water remains blue all year.

16:00: Return to the boat and go to Bright Cave, a stunning lagoon on Cat Ba Island's Lan Ha Bay.

Forget about geographical distances with Gray Line Cruise's new cave. Kayak or bamboo boat to several tube caves. It's time to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the islet's stalactites in greater depth.

Enjoy swimming around the ship (weather permitting). Unwind on the sundeck. Take in the breathtaking scenery and capture great sunset photographs.

Cooking demonstration on the sundeck at 18:30. Learn how to prepare fresh/fried spring rolls and how to make a fish sauce. A sunset celebration with fresh fruits and beverages is planned.

19:30: In a nice and romantic atmosphere, enjoy a great meal with BBQ specialties provided with a range of Vietnamese and Western delicacies.

21:00: Evening activities include viewing a movie at the outside bar, playing board and card games, and going squid fishing on the boat. Cooked squid is delicious after a day of fishing.

22:00: Overnight on the Cruise.

DAY 7: HA LONG BAY - HANOI - FLIGHT TO HUE: (Breakfast, Lunch)

06:30: Tai Chi session on the Sundeck, followed by a sunrise welcome.

07:30: Coffee, tea, and baked goods are available on board.

08:30: Arrive by tender to Gray Line's luxurious floating house in the Rang Dua region - one of the few surviving residences remained despite Management's regulation to relocate the traditional floating hamlet to the mainland.

Spend roughly an hour experiencing how life differs from living on the mainland. Discover their meals, their way of life, their children, their culture, and their own fish farm.

09:30 - 11:00: On the trip back to Tuan Chau pier, relax on the sundeck or in the dining room and take in the bay panorama. A Farewell Lunch will be provided on board.

Disembark at Tuan Chau Marina at 11:45 a.m. Gray Line's private lounge is a great place to unwind.

12:00 - 16:30 Transfer return to Hanoi, and the excursion concludes at the hotel at 16:30.

18:00: Private car and guide depart from Hanoi airport for flight to Hue. Upon arrival at Hue airport, a private car and guide will pick you up and transport you to your hotel for check-in.

Stay overnight in Hue.

DAY 8: HUE CITY HIGHLIGHTS: (Breakfast, Lunch)

08:00 Pick up from your accommodation and spend the day exploring Hue, including visits to Emperor Khai Dinh's mausoleum, Vo Kinh Van An's Performing Programs - Vietnam Traditional Cungfu, and Emperor Tu Duc's mausoleum. Stop along the route to discover how conical hats and incense sticks are created. Lunch at a nearby eatery.

In the afternoon, tour the Imperial Capital of the Nguyen Dynasty, An Hien Garden House, and the seven-story Thien Mu Pagoda on the riverfront. Return by boat along the beautiful Perfume River.

17:00 Arrive at your hotel.

Stay overnight in Hue.

DAY 9: HUE DRIVE TO DA NANG - HOI AN: (Breakfast, Lunch) 

After breakfast, we drive to Hoi An, a major Asian commercial port in the 17th and 18th centuries, whose architecture and laid-back culture have altered little over the years. Hoi An is undoubtedly a fantastic location for all types of Vietnam Tours. This magnificent route takes you past the fishing town of Lang Co before ascending to the Pass of the Ocean Clouds. Along the route, stop at Danang to view the Cham Museum, which houses the world's best collection of Cham sculptures.
Upon arriving at Hoi An, you are free to enjoy a walking tour of the old town core. Stay overnight at a Hoi An hotel.

Stay overnight in Hoian.

DAY 10: HOI AN - MY SON - HOI AN: (Breakfast, Lunch)

Breakfast in the hotel. Begin from your accommodation in Hoian. Half-day journey to explore the capital and religious center of the old Champa Kingdom, My Son. A beautiful green valley 40 kilometers southwest of Hoi An is home to hundreds of red brick castles and sanctuaries spanning from the seventh to the twelfth century. Continue to Hoi An for lunch, and in the afternoon, explore the town, which was an important commercial port in the 17th and 18th centuries and is now officially recognized as a World Heritage site.

Visit Hoi An. Explore an old town and its attractions, including the Japanese Bridge, Phuc Kien Pagoda, Phung Hung Merchant House, and Quang Dong Assembly.

Stay overnight in Hoi An.

 

DAY 11: HOI AN - DA NANG - FLIGHT TO HO CHI MINH CITY: (Breakfast, Lunch) 

Free till we pick you up and transport you to the airport for your journey to Ho Chi Minh. When you arrive at Ho Chi Minh Airport, you will be picked up and sent to your hotel to check-in.

Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

DAY 12: HO CHI MINH CITY HIGHLIGHTS: (Breakfast, Lunch)

08:00- 08:30: Pickup from your hotel. We will visit the Conflict Crime Museum, which portrays the tale of conflict from the Vietnamese perspective. Exhibits include photos, machines, and weaponry depicting the terrible reality of battle. Continue Thien Hau Temple (One of the city's most prominent pagodas, this ornate temple is dedicated to Thien Hau, the Goddess of the Sea and patron of seafarers. She is reported to go across the oceans on a mat and ride the clouds to her desired destination).

China Town (Established in the late 18th century, this labyrinthine part of Ho Chi Minh City bustles with restaurants, temples, exotic boutiques, and marketplaces) and Binh Tay Market (This is the major marketplace in China Town, where a lot of wholesale business takes place. Experience the hubbub of this essential component of the city's everyday operations). Then we eat lunch at a restaurant.

Afternoon: We visit Reunification Hall, which served as the residence of former South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem from the 1960s to April 1975. You will witness many intriguing items, like formal conference rooms, private bedrooms, and war scenario rooms 10 meters below ground level. This location still serves several vital tasks in HCMC.

English-speaking tour guide will present you with essential historical details about this edifice and various French colonial landmarks, such as Notre Dame Cathedral. As you enter this neo-Romanesque church, you are greeted with a colossal figure of the Virgin Mary, flanked on either side by two great spires.

General Post Office (Designed by Gustav Eiffel, the Post Office reflects France's presence in the late 1800s. This large edifice has the appearance and feel of an excellent railway station.

Find out why City Hall is one of Ho Chi Minh City's most photographed structures. City Hall was built in the early 1900s and is a stunning example of French colonial architecture.

DAY 13: CAO DAI TEMPLE - CU CHI TUNNELS - HO CHI MINH CITY: (Breakfast, Lunch)

You might have wondered if Vietnam had a religion of its own. The answer is yes, and it's called Cao Dai. CaoDaiists believe that before God existed, there was the Tao, which had no name, shape, or change. Then God was created as a result of the Big Bang. The cosmos could not yet be established, therefore God made Yin and Yang...

08:15 - 08:30 Our driver will collect you up from your accommodation and transport you to Tay Ninh, a region 95 kilometers southeast of HCMC near the Cambodian border. The Cao Dai Temple is reminiscent of a Walt Disney fantasy of the East. Its facade is adorned with multi-colored dragons of all shapes and sizes, contending for space with a number of swastikas. The Cao Dai sect's emblem, the all-seeing holy eye, is displayed above the main entrance. The inside is captivating, with sculptures of Jesus Christ, Buddha, and the Hindu god Brahma standing side by side.

After lunch, will travel to Cu Chi. Once in Vietnam, you must visit this spot. This is where guerilla warfare is optimized and exemplified. You’ll learn the clever design of the tunnels and the strategic use of trap doors. You’ll have a chance to crawl around a portion of the 121 km long, multiple-layered tunnel. You’ll learn how thousands of guerillas managed to stay underground many days at a time, as well as their great technique to conceal smoke from their cooking. There’s a lot more to enjoy, even a chance to fire real AK bullets…

Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

DAY 14: HO CHI MINH - CAI BE FLOATING MARKETS - VINH LONG - CAN THO: (Breakfast, Lunch)

07.30 - 07:45: Pick up and start the Mekong Delta Tour.

10.30: Arrive at Cai Be and board a motorized boat to the floating market, where you will spend time engaging in an encounter unlike any other in the world. Next, walk to a coconut candy and crispy rice cake factory (provided free with premium hot tea), where you may purchase coconut candy and artisan products from Mekong Delta coconut trees as souvenirs.

When you've had enough of the peacefulness, let's return to the huge motor boat for something new on An Binh Island. It is well-known for its fresh fruits throughout the year. On the journey, we get to explore two lengthy sides of the river and learn about rural life in the Mekong Delta. The time should now be approximately midday. It's time for lunch! Let us go to the locals' house for it (in the seasonal fruits garden).

After lunch, we are separated into several groups and board tiny row boats. During this 20-minute tour, your boat will zigzag through a maze of shadow canals, allowing you to appreciate the fresh air and stunning water coconut tree landscape. Then we'll ride bicycles around a hamlet for approximately 20 minutes to see our natural environment of quiet and peaceful communities, or we may relax in a hammock for a little break in the Mekong Delta.

The next stop is Vinh Long City, which is 35 minutes by boat from An Binh Island. We will arrive at a marketplace and go around to discover how and what the impoverished rural people of Vietnam sell. You are invited to interact with the sellers and see how kind and courteous they are. You may also be able to purchase a variety of intriguing items for very little money. We spend around an hour here before heading to Can Tho.

Stay overnight in Can Tho

DAY 15: CAN THO - CAI RANG FLOATING MARKETS - HO CHI MINH CITY: (Breakfast, Lunch) 

07:15: we board a boat and travel for about 40 minutes to our first stunning landscape: the Cai Rang floating market. This is the largest of its kind in the entire Mekong Delta. During this tour, you will get the opportunity to board a merchant boat that sells pineapples from Can Tho City. After that, we continue along our riverine path for 5-7 minutes before walking for approximately 5 minutes to a noodle and rice paper factory.

The next visit is a rice processing facility, where you'll learn about the various stages involved in transforming "rice with a brown cover" into the tasty and beautiful rice grain that we eat every day.

The timing should be about midday. It's time for lunch! Let us go back to Can Tho for it.

We conclude our sightseeing tour in downtown Can Tho. On the way back to Saigon via bus, we will stop at an attractive location to rest and take pictures.

The tour concludes in Ho Chi Minh at 19.00.

DAY 16: HO CHI MINH - CAN GIO MONKEY ISLAND: (Breakfast, Lunch)

07:30: You will be picked up from the hotel located in central Ho Chi Minh City by our expert tour guide and air-conditioned vehicle.

After arriving, we head to the mangrove forest to observe more than a thousand monkeys. From there, we take a quick stroll to an alligator farm where the locals raise large alligators that were saved from the "American war," and you can even go "alligator fishing" (optional). Proceed by speedboat to the "Sac" insurgent camp situated deep within the bush. 

We'll make a visit at the neighborhood fish market, which serves dry food and a variety of fresh seafood options, including rays, octopus, and lobster. After eating a Vietnamese-style lunch at a beach resort where we have free time for swimming and sightseeing, have a welcome drink (sugar cane juice).

Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, which was acknowledged by UNESCO in 2000, includes this island. The region is made up of wetlands, mangroves, and animals over more than 80,000 hectares. The weather on this island is significantly colder than that in Ho Chi Minh City. Visiting this island during the wet or dry season will be an amazing experience because the rain doesn't stay long and won't have a significant impact on your vacation.

Lunch should be local cuisine, and you should spend time at Can Gio Beach in the sun and sea.

Return to the Hotel.

Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 17: HO CHI MINH CITY FREE DAY: (Breakfast)

Today is your free day in Ho Chi Minh City.

Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

DAY 18: HO CHI MINH CITY - HOME DEPARTURE: (Breakfast)

Our guide will assist you with your luggage and ensure that you get to the airport on time. Whether you're returning home or continuing on your journey.

We hope to see you again for another trip to Vietnam.

 

Discover Vietnam On A Budget Tour 18 Days Inclusive:

• Check-in time at all hotels is 2.00 PM and check-out time at all hotels is 12.00 PM.
• Early check-in and late check-out are subject to availability with a surcharge.
• Meals as mentioned (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner).
• English speaking guide (for other languages upon request and supplements apply).
• Tours and transfers as mentioned by high quality air-conditioned vehicle.
• All entrance fees for the mentioned visits.
• Boat trip as mentioned in the itinerary.
• 1 night on Ha Long Bay Cruise.
• Hotel accommodation is 4-star.

Discover Vietnam On A Budget Tour 18 Days Exclusive:

• Other meals were not mentioned above.
• Visas.
• Services if not mentioned in the itinerary.
• International flight tickets.
• Laundry, telephone calls, and expenditures of a personal nature.
• Tips, Travel insurance.
• All drinks, including water, soft drink, and alcohol on all included or optional excursions.
• Laundry, telephone calls, and expenditures of personal expenses.
• Domestic flight ticket.

Recommended Dress:

• Jacket
• Swimsuits
• Hat
• Camera

Discover Vietnam On A Budget Tour 18 Days Package Price:

From 02 - 03 People: 2,800 USD/ Person

From 04 - 06 People: 2,600 USD/ Person

From 07 - 10 People: 2,400 USD/ Person

From 11 - 20 People: 2,300 USD/ Person

From 21 - 40 People: 2,200 USD/ Person

The price will be additional on Vietnam Public Holidays

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