Unforgettable Vietnam Complete Tour 21 days

You will begin your urban experience in bustling HCMC (formerly Saigon), the country's commercial center and home to a growing number of upscale restaurants and shops. You will visit Chinatown, the Thien Hau Pagoda, the Reunification Palace, the Opera House and the Hotel de Ville. If you so desire, you can also visit the moving War Remnants Museum.

Next up, you will explore colorful outdoor markets and Dong Khoi Street, the city's main shopping boulevard with shops selling clothes and accessories by new Vietnamese designers, hill tribe crafts, high quality linens and housewares. You will surely be ready for another relaxing overnight stay in HCMC.

In the morning you will drive to the Cao Dai temples in Tay Ninh. Cao Dai Holy See Temple is the cathedral of the Cao Dai religion, whose followers worship Jesus Christ, Confucius, Taoism, and Buddha. You will observe the midday service and then have lunch.

Following lunch, you will drive to visit the Cu Chi tunnels. The tunnels consist of more than 200 kilometers of underground systems. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction, giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life was like during the U.S.-Vietnam War. You will return to HCMC for an overnight stay.

You will wake up to the sounds of the Mekong River welcoming a new day and take a boat trip to join in the Cai Rang floating market. This is one of the most bustling floating markets in the Mekong Delta, with hundreds of small boats jostling for space to sell their goods. After sampling local fruits, your guide will escort you back to the hotel through the myriad canals. You will have lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Ho Chi Minh City for an overnight stay.

Alternative for early birds: Join the floating market on the "The Lady Hau" cruise.

Enjoy breakfast on the "Lady Hau" while cruising to the floating market. When the "Lady Hau" arrives at Cai Rang floating market, guests are transferred to a local traditional boat to enter the market. Then, continue cruising with the hotel's guide along narrow creeks to visit a noodle factory and an orchard. After sampling local fruits, our guide will escort you back to the hotel by local boat through the myriad canals. (Starting at 6:30 AM, the Lady Hau cruise and tour extension takes around 4 hours; minimum 4 persons).

You will be free until transfer to the airport for a short flight to Danang.

Upon arrival at Danang International airport, you will be greeted and transferred to the hotel in Hoi An. You will have free time to walk through the narrow winding streets of Ancient Town before an overnight stay in Hoi An.

Today, you will have free time to further explore Hoi An Ancient Town.

You may want to visit Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200- year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge, followed by relaxing at a local pub, shopping or visiting the local tailors who make quality clothes in a flash. Or, you can take a boat trip to Cu Lao Cham, visit its fishing villages and do some snorkeling before enjoying a Vietnamese seafood lunch at a Cham jungle restaurant. You will have an overnight stay in Hoi An.

You will leave Hoi An for another World Heritage site, Hue, via the Hai Van pass. You will stop to visit the Marble Mountains and a handicraft village before arriving in Hue, where you will tour sites including the Citadel, the Forbidden Purple City, the Imperial Museum and Dong Ba market.

In the evening you will enjoy the fine cuisine of Hue at a local restaurant and then have an overnight stay.

You will transfer to the airport for a flight to Hanoi, the colonial capital city, famous for tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and classic pagodas and temples.

In the afternoon you will explore Hanoi, from the fascinating Old Quarter to hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquer-ware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. You can also shop for impressive modern art in the city's many galleries after visiting Hanoi's main cultural attractions, including the Fine Arts Museum and the Temple of Literature. You will stay overnight in Hanoi.

You will have a full day of leisure to explore this charming city.

In the evening your guide will take you to the Hanoi Train station for the overnight train to Lao Cai, where you will begin your Sapa adventure.

Arriving in Hanoi at around 5 a.m., you will be picked up and taken to a restaurant for breakfast and morning coffee. You will then leave Hanoi by private vehicle at 8:30 a.m., arriving at the jetty around 12:30 p.m. You will set off on a deluxe cruise and enjoy a welcome drink after check in.

A fresh seafood lunch will be served at 1 p.m. At that time, you will begin a 3.5 hour cruise through mystic Halong Bay, to see the amazing karsts and their many different formations. You will also see Mat Quy (Monster's face) Islet, But Moc Islet, Cap De Islet, Trong (Drum) Cave, Trinh Nu Cave, and a floating fishing village, with its unique way of life. Then, you will head to Luon Cave and enjoy swimming, sun bathing at Ti Top beach or climbing the peak of the mountain for a breath-taking panoramic view of Halong Bay. You will enjoy another seafood feast for dinner, and for the night owls, there is an option of night fishing before an overnight stay aboard.

Rising to the sound of the bay waters, you will have time for an early morning dip, followed by breakfast. Sitting on the upper deck, you can relax while taking in the breathtaking beauty of the rocky islands rising from the emerald water of the bay.

After breakfast, you can explore Sung Sot Cave, swim and relax. You will cruise back to the jetty while brunch is served as you are cruising through the bay and observing more fascinating rock formations. You will then rejoin your car and drive back to Hanoi for an overnight stay.