Vietnam Highlights & Central Highlands Discovery – 17 Days / 16 Nights

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN HANOI

Arrive in Hanoi, the capital of unified Vietnam, famed for shady avenues, lakes, manicured gardens, and preserved architecture. Meet your guide and driver and transfer to the hotel. Free time for a stroll.
Dinner on your own.
Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 2: HANOI SIGHTSEEING AND COOKING CLASS (B/L/-)

Begin with a two-hour cooking session (start 08:30). Market visit to select ingredients, then cook with a local family: Thanh Tri steamed rice pancake, fish roll-ups, and Southern-style beef rice noodles.
Lunch: enjoy the dishes you prepared.

Afternoon city highlights: Temple of Literature (Vietnam’s first university, 1076). Continue to Ba Dinh Square (view Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, National Assembly, Presidential Palace from outside). Walk the Old Quarter (“36 streets”) and Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son Temple. Visit St. Joseph’s Cathedral and the serene Pagoda Ba Da nearby.
Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 3: HANOI – NINH BINH – NIGHT TRAIN TO LAO CAI (B/L/-)

Depart 08:30 to Hoa Lu (10th-century capital). Explore the citadel and temples of Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh.
Lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, option A: Trang An (UNESCO) riverboat through caves amid karst valleys — “Halong on Land”.
Option B: Cycle to Bich Dong Pagoda (1428), then private sampan at Tam Coc along the Ngo Dong River through caves Hang Ca, Hang Hai, Hang Ba.

Return to Hanoi; free time until 22:00 train to Lao Cai (shared 4-berth cabin).
Overnight on the train.

DAY 4: LAO CAI – BAC HA MARKET – SAPA (B/-/-)

Arrive Lao Cai; breakfast at a local restaurant. Drive the scenic winding road to Bac Ha.
Visit the vibrant Bac Ha Market (Sun) with Flower H’Mong, Phu La, Dao Tuyen communities. See Hoang A Tuong Mansion (early 20th c., Oriental–European style), then stroll Thai Giang Pho village to learn Flower H’Mong daily life.
Overnight in Sapa.

DAY 5: SAPA – HANOI (B/-/-)

08:30 hike across the stunning Muong Hoa Valley: from Black H’Mong Lao Chai to Zay Ta Van, with terraced fields and Fansipan views; see indigo traditions along the way.
Return to Sapa for lunch (own arrangement). Join-in minivan back to Hanoi (arrive ~20:00).
Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 6: HANOI – HA LONG (B/L/D)

Depart 08:30 via the Red River Delta to Tuan Chau Pier. Board your selected Lan Ha Bay overnight cruise; lunch served while cruising among limestone islets. Afternoon activities: kayaking or swimming; relax on the sun deck.
Dinner of fresh seafood.
Overnight on board.

Alternative: Embark at Ha Long International Port for an overnight on Bai Tu Long Bay (kayaking, caves, floating villages). Dinner and overnight on board.
Note: Itinerary subject to weather/operations.

DAY 7: HA LONG – HANOI – FLIGHT TO HUE (B/Brunch/-)

Sunrise on the bay; light breakfast, then brunch while cruising past karst formations. Disembark and transfer to Noi Bai (Domestic) for the short flight to Hue. Meet and transfer to hotel.
Overnight in Hue.

DAY 8: HUE VESPA TOUR AND SIGHTSEEING (B/-/-)

08:00 meet for coffee/juice, then hop on Vespas to a family temple and French-colonial riverside quarter. Walk a bustling market; short ferry over the Perfume River to meet Vespas. Visit a worship-materials workshop and a folk art printing atelier (try your own print over green tea). Ride through rice paddies; pause at an ancient bridge. Return ~12:00.

Afternoon: tour the Imperial Citadel (Vauban-inspired: Kinh Thanh, Hoang Thanh, Cam Thanh) and riverside Thien Mu Pagoda (17th c.). Return ~17:00.
Overnight in Hue.

DAY 9: HUE – HOI AN (B/-/-)

08:30 visit Tu Duc’s Mausoleum and colorful Thuy Xuan incense village. Continue to Minh Mang’s Mausoleum (palaces, temples, pavilions in natural harmony).
Afternoon drive via Lang Co and the spectacular Hai Van Pass to Hoi An (~17:00).
Overnight in Hoi An.

DAY 10: HOI AN (B/-/-)

08:00 cycle to Cam Thanh village to observe bamboo & coconut handicrafts. Explore the water coconut forest by basket boat and try cast-net fishing.
Lunch at a local family’s house.

Afternoon walking tour of Hoi An Ancient Town (UNESCO): Japanese Covered Bridge, a Chinese communal hall, and merchant houses. End with tea at Reaching Out Tea House. Return ~16:30.
Overnight in Hoi An.

DAY 11: HOI AN – DA NANG – FLIGHT TO BUON MA THUOT (B/-/-)

Transfer to Da Nang Airport for early flight to Buon Ma Thuot. Visit the Dak Lak Museum of Ethnology (10,000+ artifacts) and Ako Dhong village (Mnong & Ede).

Afternoon in Don Village: learn about historic elephant hunting/taming, visit an ancient stilt house (Laotian-style), the tomb of the “King of Elephant Catchers,” and walk a suspension bamboo bridge.
Overnight in Buon Ma Thuot.

DAY 12: BUON MA THUOT (B/-/-)

08:30 visit the twin Dray Nur & Dray Sap waterfalls on the Serepok River. Continue to Lak Lake; see Jun Village (Mnong) with traditional long houses. Check in to Lak Tented Camp; relax or kayak on the lake.
Overnight at Lak Lake.

DAY 13: BUON MA THUOT – DA LAT (B/-/-)

Depart 08:00 for scenic drive to Da Lat (~5 hrs). En route: stop at farms (flowers, vegetables, cricket), tea & coffee plantations; visit Elephant Waterfall, Linh An Pagoda, and a silk factory.
Overnight in Da Lat.

DAY 14: DA LAT (B/-/-)

09:00 visit Domaine de Marie Church (1940, French-influenced; roof echoes Central Highlands communal houses), then Bao Dai’s Summer Palace. See Da Lat Railway Station (Art Deco & communal-house motifs); take the short train to Trai Mat and visit Linh Phuoc Pagoda.

Afternoon: Truc Lam Zen Monastery overlooking Tuyen Lam Lake; learn about Zen and enjoy the peaceful landscape.
Overnight in Da Lat.

DAY 15: DA LAT – FLIGHT TO HO CHI MINH CITY (B/-/-)

Early flight to Ho Chi Minh City and excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels: watch an intro video, visit Hoang Cam smokeless stove, hideouts, bunkers, traps, tank; walk common tunnel sections (optional crawl). Taste boiled tapioca with hot tea. Return to HCMC.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 16: HO CHI MINH CITY – MEKONG DELTA – HO CHI MINH CITY (B/L/-)

08:00 drive ~2 hours to Ben Tre (coconut kingdom). From Ham Luong pier, boat the Ben Tre River: brick kiln, coconut workshops (milk, candy, oil, mats, charcoal), sleeping-mat house (tea & fruits). Ride xe lôi or cycle shady paths by rice fields and vegetable plots.

Lunch at a local restaurant (specialties: elephant-ear fish, river shrimp).

Afternoon: row a small canal under wild coconut palms to Hung Vuong Pier; drive back to HCMC (~17:00).
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 17: HO CHI MINH CITY – DEPARTURE (B/-/-)

08:30 city discovery via market, pagoda, and history. Start at Bàn Cờ Market (District 3), then walk Nguyen Thien Thuat apartments to observe local life. Visit the FITO Museum (Traditional Medicine) or the War Remnants Museum (impact of war on Vietnamese people).

Step back in time at historic Đỗ Phủ Café with the secret weapon bunker (1968 operation) and vintage car used toward Cu Chi; enjoy coffee. See hidden Van Phat Pagoda (Chinatown, District 5) with tens of thousands of Buddhas and learn about cremation urn customs. Finish in the French Quarter (District 1) at the Saigon Central Post Office.
Leisure time until your private transfer to the airport for departure.