Overview

Vietnam Photos is one of the most favored tour of our Vietnam packages. The tour is scheduled with departures every Friday. The tour is complete as the traveller covers most of the must-sees and off-the-tourist-tracks attractions of Vietnam from the North through the South.

In the North, the tour covers both the mountains inhabited by the colorful ethnicities  and the Red River Delta with the stunning World Heritage Site of  Ha Long Bay. In the Central Region, the tour covers the former war sites (DMZ), the Imperial Citadel and Hoi An Old Town. In the South, the tour covers extensively from the Cu Chi Tunnel through the Mekong River Delta.


The tour activities include extensively trekking and hiking in Sapa; sea cruising on Ha Long Bay; Culture, History and War touring in the Central Region and South Vietnam; river cruising on the Mekong River Tributaries. The pace of the tour is mostly moderate, except for Sapa where the tour grade is of hard adventure travel.

On the tour, the accommodation is adventure 02-03 star hotels and homestay with basic facilties. However accommodation could be upgraded to 4/5-star properties when and where available for private tours upon request.  Transports for the tour include boat, train and car. All in all, Vietnam Photos is a complete authentic Vietnam travel experience in all senses.

Day1 ( Friday ) Arrive in Ha Noi
Day2 ( Saturday ) Ha Noi City Tour (½ Day). Night Train for Lao Cai (B)
Day3 ( Sunday ) Arrive in Lao Cai/ Lao Cai - Bac Ha – Sapa
Day4 ( Monday ) Sapa - Giang Ta Chai by Jeep/ Trekking from Giang Ta Chai to Ban Ho  (B/L/D)
Day5 ( Tuesday ) Ban Ho – Thanh Phu - Su Pan (Trekking)/ Su Pan - Sapa (by Jeep) (B/L)
Day6 ( Wednesday ) Sapa/ Night Train for Ha Noi (B)
Day7 ( Thursday ) Arrive in Ha Noi/ Free At Leisure
Day8 ( Friday ) Ha Noi - Ha Long Bay Junk Cruise (B/L/D)
Day9 ( Saturday ) Ha Long Bay - Ha Noi. Night Train for Hue (B/L)
Day10 ( Sunday ) Arrive in Hue. Hue Imperial Citadel Tour
Day11 ( Monday ) Hue - DMZ - Hue (B)
Day12 ( Tuesday ) Hue Royal Tombs.  Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An (B)
Day13 ( Wednesday ) Hoi An free at leisure (B)
Day14 ( Thursday ) Hoi An free at leisure (B)
Day15 ( Friday ) Hoi An - Da Nang - Nha Trang (B)
Day16 ( Saturday ) Nha Trang full day free at leisure (B)
Day17 ( Sunday ) Nha Trang Overnight Train for Sai Gon (B)
Day18 ( Monday ) Arrive in Saigon/ Afternoon City Tour of Sai Gon
Day19 ( Tuesday ) Sai Gon - Cai Be - Vinh Long Homestay (B/L/D)
Day20 ( Wednesday ) Vinh Long – Cai Be - Xeo Quyt - Sai Gon (B)
Day21 ( Thursday ) Sai Gon - Cu Chi - Sai Gon (B/D)
Day22 ( Friday ) Depart Sai Gon (B)

Hotel List

• Ha Noi: 3*
• Sa Pa: 2* and Homestay as per itinerary
• Hue: 3*
• Hoi An: 3*
• Nha Trang: 3*
• Sai Gon: 3*

The tour price includes

• English-speaking guide;
• Transportation + airlines tickets within Vietnam as indicated on the tour program;
• Air-con soft-sleeper train tickets for Ha Noi – Hue and Nha Trang – Sai Gon, Soft-Seat ticket for the day train from Da Nang – Nha Trang
• Junk cruise on Ha Long Bay;
• Tourist boats for cruise on the Perfume River in Hue, on the Mekong River and Xeo Quyt former VC Base as indicated on the tour program;
• Accommodation on twin-shared basis and homestay as indicated on the tour program;
• Meals as indicated on the tour program: B= Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner;
• All admission fees during the guided times as indicated on the tour program;

The tour price doesn't include

• Insurance of any types;
• International airfares and airport taxes;
• Drinks or personal expenses;
• Others not clearly specified in the inclusions.

Itinerary

Day1 ( Friday ) Arrive in Ha Noi
Arriving at Ha Noi Airport, you’ll be welcomed by our driver (without a tour guide) and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Ha Noi.

Day2 ( Saturday ) Ha Noi City Tour (½ Day). Night Train for Lao Cai (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Today we’ll have a half day easy tour of the 1000 year old city of Ha Noi. We’ll will visit different highlights of Ha Noi including: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, the Ngoc Son temple, the Temple of Literature - 1st University of Vietnam. You enjoy free at leisure time in the afternoon.
In the evening, we’ll transfer you to Ha Noi Train Station for the night train for Lao Cai. Overnight on board the train.

Note: A late check-out accommodation is not included in the tour price.

Day3 ( Sunday ) Arrive in Lao Cai/ Lao Cai - Bac Ha – Sapa
Arriving at Lao Cai in the early morning, you can sip the hot coffee and enjoy the view of China on the other side of the Red River. From Lao Cai the road winds up the terraced hillsides to Sapa, which offers the stunning mountain views of the North West of Vietnam. We meet our driver and drive further into the mountains to Bac Ha where we'll take part in an exotic weekend market of the local ethnic groups right in a pristine valley. The market is in session once a week on Sunday morning. This is not only the place where goods are exchanged, but also the place for the young girls and boys to find their match and the place for the locals to socialize.  Leaving the market, we travel to Sa Pa. We check into the hotel and enjoy free time at leisure. Overnight in Sapa Town.

Day4 ( Monday ) Sapa - Giang Ta Chai by Jeep. Trekking from Giang Ta Chai to Ban Ho  (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Today we start our trekking adventure further into the mountains. We take our jeep and drive to the area near Giang Ta Chai Village where we start our trekking tour. The trek is hard, but the scenery around us is just worth it! We will be passing through a Red Zao village, a forest and will have lunch by a river.

The village of Ban Ho is located right in the heart of a breathtaking valley with a meandering river which plays music day and night. Upon arrival in the afternoon, we take a stroll along the riverside and indulge ourselves a nice swim before going back to the house for the delicious hot dinner and for socializing with the family. Overnight with a Tay family in Ho village.

Day5 ( Tuesday ) Ban Ho – Thanh Phu - Su Pan (Trekking). Su Pan - Sapa (by Jeep) (B/L)
After breakfast, it’s time to bid farewell to our host and we will keep on with our trekking trip to Thanh Phu and Su Pan. Then our jeep or van will take us back to Sa Sa town. The rest of the day is on our own for shopping the beautiful fabric and handicrafts made by local hill tribe people, or just taking a walking tour around the Ham Rong Mountain covered with wild orchids. Overnight at the hotel in Sapa Town.

Day6 ( Wednesday ) Sapa/ Night Train for Ha Noi (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Enjoy a tour by jeep to the Gate Way to Heaven in the morning. Then we’ll have free time at leisure. In late afternoon, we’ll be transferred to the train station for the overnight train for Ha Noi. Overnight on board the train.

Day7 ( Thursday ) Arrive in Ha Noi/ Free At Leisure
Arriving in Ha Noi in early morning, we’ll be transferred to our hotel and enjoy the rest of the day free at leisure.
Note: Today early check-in with breakfast is not included in the tour price.

Day8 ( Friday ) Ha Noi - Ha Long Bay Junk Cruise (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
We start at 9.00 A.M for the 3 hour drive (170 km) through the Red River Delta, which offers plenty of chances for taking photos of Vietnamese farmers tilling the vast green paddy fields. At half way, we'll have a visit to a handicraft workshop with fine clothes, embroidered paintings, stone statuettes and all kinds of gems mined in Vietnam such as star rubies or sapphires... Our destination is the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay. The bay offers some 3000 mountain islands and islets towering in the Gulf of Tonkin in the East Vietnam Sea.

Upon arrival, you'll be welcomed on board our luxury junk and treated with wine and fresh local seafood. As our junk gliding further into the tranquility of Ha Long Bay amid the towering mountain cliffs and on the emerald green water, you'll have relaxing time combining the fine tastes of the wine and the freshness of Ha Long Bay. During the cruise, we'll stop for visiting the amazing Sung Sot cave and the Ti Top white sand beach before anchoring for the night. Overnight on board the junk in the wild of Ha Long Bay.

Notes: Accommodation on the junk is twin/double-sharing cabin, the junk cruise is on a shared basis.

Day9 ( Saturday ) Ha Long Bay - Ha Noi. Night Train for Hue (B/L)
After breakfast, we'll take a little sampan to visit a secret lagoon of Ha Long Bay while the surrounding mountains are just waking up. After that our cruise takes us further into the Bay of Bai Tu Long traveling past the Human Head Island, the Turtle Island, and the Duck Islet... to the studio site where the famous Indochine film was shot.

After the last feast on board for lunch, our junk travels back to the harbor for disembarkation at 12.00 A.M. We rejoin our bus and make our way to Ha Noi. We enjoy free time at leisure until our tour guide comes back and assist you back to the train station for the overnight train for Hue. Overnight on board the train.

Day10 ( Sunday ) Arrive in Hue. Hue Imperial Citadel Tour
Arriving in Hue, meet our tour guide and travel to the city for refreshment. Then we’ll start a discovery tour of Hue Imperial Citadel. After the tour of Hue Citadel, we’ll check into the hotel and enjoy free time at leisure for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hue.

Note: Today early check-in with breakfast is not included in the tour price.

Day11 ( Monday ) Hue - DMZ - Hue (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Enjoy full day tour back in time of the war in Vietnam. We’ll travel back in time to the war and tour the formerly fierce battle sites including the Ancient Citadel of Quang Tri with live evidence of destruction, Khe Sanh Air Base, Vinh Moc Tunnels and Ben Hai River (former division line between North and South Vietnam). In late afternoon, we’ll travel back to Hue. Overnight in Hue.

Day12 ( Tuesday ) Hue Royal Tombs.  Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Enjoy a morning river cruise to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda and Tombs of King Tu Duc and Khai Dinh which are located off to the western country of Hue City. Then we'll travel back to the city for for refreshment. In the afternoon, continue our tour further south to Da Nang and Hoi An. We’ll enjoy the scenic Hai Van Pass, Marble Mountains and the Non Nuoc Beach. We arrive in Hoi An in late afternoon and enjoy free time at leisure. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day13 ( Wednesday ) Hoi An free at leisure (B)
Full day free at leisure.Only accommodation with breakfast at the hotel is provided by Private Vietnam Tours. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day14 ( Thursday ) Hoi An free at leisure (B)
Full day free at leisure.Only accommodation with breakfast at the hotel is provided by Private Vietnam Tours. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day15 ( Friday ) Hoi An - Da Nang - Nha Trang (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Have free time at leisure until we transfer you to Da Nang Train Station for the day train for Nha Trang. Arriving at Nha Trang in the evening, we’ll check into our hotel and enjoy free time at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day16 ( Saturday ) Nha Trang full day free at leisure (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Alternatively you can have a boat cruise to some stunning offshore islands for snorkeling with additional costs.
Only accommodation with breakfast at the hotel is provided by Private Vietnam Tours. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day17 ( Sunday ) Nha Trang Overnight Train for Sai Gon (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
You have full day at leisure for self-exploring the city of Nha Trang. In late afternoon, we’ll board the night train for Ho Chi Minh City, still called Sai Gon by many locals. Overnight on board the train.

Note: A late check-out accommodation is not included in the tour price.

 

Day18 ( Monday ) Arrive in Saigon/ Afternoon City Tour of Sai Gon
Breakfast at the hotel.
Arriving at Sai Gon early in the morning, we’ll be transferred to the hotel and have refreshment for the morning.
In the afternoon, we’ll have a tour of Saigon including the War Remnants Museum, the Reunification Palace and walking tour to visit Ben Thanh Market. Overnight in Sai Gon.
Note: Today early check-in with breakfast is not included in the tour price.

Day19 ( Tuesday ) Sai Gon - Cai Be - Vinh Long Homestay (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning, we drive 136 km( 4 hours) from Ho Chi Minh city to Vinh Long town. Upon arrival, we'll board our boat and start to explore the islands of the Mekong Delta. We'll visit: a temple or a community house, brick-making, pottery factories, a bean-curd making family, a blacksmith, rice-peeling process...and learn about the real local life. Lunch is served in a family on an island. In the afternoon, we cruise to discover more about the local culture, visit a bonsai garden, then anchor at a family for the night. We stay overnight with a local family on one island.

Day20 ( Wednesday ) Vinh Long – Cai Be - Xeo Quyt - Sai Gon (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
We’ll have a walking tour around the village; visit a family with century-old traditions and tools for doing farm work, an orchard with seasonal fruits. After that we'll cruise on some Mekong river tributaries to Cai Be floating market. We'll visit families making popcorn and rice paper. Then we continue our tour by road to Xeo Quyt, a former famous VC Base covered by eco cajeput forest. After a boat trip in the forest of Xeo Quyt we travel back to Sai Gon. Overnight in Sai Gon.

Day21 ( Thursday ) Sai Gon - Cu Chi - Sai Gon (B/D)
We travel 70 km to Cu Chi once famous for the legendary tunnel system which at the height stretched over 250 km. In Cu Chi, you can check out these tunnels of 3 levels by crawling through the dark and narrow way; you'll also learn more about the life of the local people during the war. We drive back to Ho Chi Minh City and enjoy free time at leisure for the rest of the day. In the evening, we'll head out for a the  farewell dinner at a cozy local restaurant. Overnight in Sai Gon.

Cu Chi tunnel was built from 1948 and gradually turned into system of tunnels which sheltered the VC during the war. In the tunnel, there are dormitories, toilets, meeting rooms, dining rooms, water wells and even a rudimentary hospital which made it possible for the fighters to stay underground for weeks.

Day22 ( Friday ) Depart Sai Gon (B)
You have free time until we transfer you (without a tour guide) back to the airport for your departure flight. We trust you had a wonderful Vietnam holiday with us.

Trip Photos

 

 
Our Vietnam photo tour starts in the capital city of Vietnam - Hanoi where life is at leisure and where architecture is a blend of Vietnamese, Chinese and French

 

 

Leaving Hanoi, we board the night train for Sapa - a hill station covered in cloud all year round where the life is easy and the landscape is just breathtaking...

 

 

Descending the mountains of the North West of Vietnam, we'll travel our way through the heart of the Red River Delta to the World Heritage Site of Halong Bay where over 3,000 islands and islets tower in the Gulf of Tonkin

 

Back from Halong Bay, we board the overnight train (air-con soft sleepers) to travel to Hue, the capital city of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. Hue is home to the only Imperial Citadel left in South East Asia.

 

 

 

From Hue, we day-trip to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) where we'll travel back in time to learn about the war that once ravaged Vietnam

 

 

 From Hue, we'll enjoy a trip through the most scenic part of the Central Region of Vietnam to Hoi An Old Town which

used to be a sojourn town for merchants from around the world before sailing back home. At Hoi An, we'll tour the ancient town dated from the 15th century

 

 

 

From Da Nang, we take the day train to Nha Trang where the sea water is turquoise and the sand is sugar white and where we'll have 3 days for worshiping the sun

 

 

 

and we'll travel back in time to learn more about the war that is still in controversy at Cu Chi where life once was a challenge

 

 

 

 

 From Nha Trang, we board an overnight train bound for Saigon where life is always on the go and where the traffic is similar to no other cities in the world...and where we conclude our fantastic experience to collect the very bests photos of Vietnam