Vietnam essentiel 10 jours

Day 01: Hanoi - Arrival - First visit (L) 

• French-speaking guide & private driver

• From Noi Bai Airport - Hotel: 30km~45' drive

Upon arrival at  Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) , you will be met by our perfectly English-speaking guide and driver, who will then transfer you by car to the center of Hanoi. The first scenes of chaotic Vietnamese traffic will unfold before your eyes.

Depending on your arrival flight schedule, you will either have the opportunity to rest at your hotel if the room is available, or to go on an orientation tour of the city.

HORIZON VIETNAM TRAVEL offer  :

Upon arrival at our office, you are greeted by the  captivating melodies of traditional musical instruments . The soft notes will easily transport you to a wonderful world of traditional culture, filling your heart with emotions.

You are participating in our  tea ceremony . It goes far beyond simply tasting the drink; it represents an act of sharing and expression of cultural refinement, where every gesture and every choice—from the selection of tea to the way it is served—has profound meaning. It is a space where we celebrate friendship, social harmony, and an intimate connection with the cycles of nature, resonating with Buddhist and Confucian traditions that value balance and serenity.

Then you have the opportunity to participate in a  meditation session with singing bowls . Immerse yourself in the depth of your breathing and mind, leaving behind all worries and tensions. In the silence, the sound and vibration of the singing bowl resonates like a gentle melody, awakening in you a feeling of deep relaxation.

Finally, you can enjoy an  exceptional massage session , whether for your body or feet. The gentle, professional movements will stimulate blood circulation, dispelling fatigue and accumulated pain. You will feel perfectly relaxed after a long flight.

Welcome lunch in a typical Vietnamese restaurant.

You will make the first discovery of Hanoi by walking in the old quarters of Hanoi through the old colonial quarter with beautiful architecture and the old quarter of the 36 trades full of animations: a jumble of vehicles, small businesses, practices and habits that have nothing to do with those in your country...

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in the heart of the capital.

Your hotel room is available from 2 p.m. 

Day 02: Hanoi - City Discovery (B. L)

• French-speaking guide & private driver

Breakfast at the hotel, now we offer you an unusual tour of the city , far from the classic tourist circuit, we will go off the beaten track. Let's start by sharing an egg coffee , a specialty of the city, to get to know our guide. Crossing some of the 36 streets and corporations of the old quarter of Hanoi, we will visit an old typical Hanoian house . You will then stroll through the typical market of Dong Xuan and visit the temple of Bach Ma . Then you will stroll on the Doumer bridge . After strolling on this bridge, you will visit the railway that crosses the city.

Next, we head to the Western District to visit  Tran Quoc Pagoda,  located on the shores of West Lake. It is known as one of the oldest and most beautiful pagodas in Vietnam.

Lunch at a good local restaurant.

The afternoon is dedicated to visiting the  Temple of Literature  in Hanoi - a symbol of Vietnamese feudal education and living proof of the passionate spirit of Vietnamese learning. Afterwards, we take a short walk to visit the  Ngoc Son Temple, "Jade Mountain,"  located on the shores of the Lake of the Restored Sword, an opportunity to contemplate the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake at dusk.

Theater evening  : You attend thewater puppet dance show.

Free dinner and overnight at the hotel in Hanoi city.

Day 03: Hanoi - Hoa Lu - Tam Coc - Ha Long Bay on land (B. L) 

• French-speaking guide & private driver

• Hanoi - Ninh Binh: 100 km ~ 2 hours drive

Breakfast at the hotel, departure by private vehicle to  Hoa Lu , the ancient capital of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty (968-980) and at the beginning of the earlier Le Dynasty (980-1009). Here, we visit the two temples of these kings which date back to the 10th century. They retain all their beauty. We can admire the finesse of their art: sculptures, wood and stone engravings were made by Vietnamese artists dating back to the 17th century.

Lunch at a good local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will embark on a rowboat for a beautiful trip on the Ngo Dong River . Along the water, in the middle of the rice fields, you will admire the extraordinary landscapes of numerous limestone peaks with tormented shapes covered with lush vegetation. This is the reason why this place is nicknamed the terrestrial Ha Long Bay. You will go up the river to the  three beautiful caves (Tam Coc) .

You will then take a beautiful bike ride and visit the Bich Dong Pagoda (the Jade Pagoda) . In front of the pagoda's courtyard, you have a view of the terrestrial Ha Long Bay. Free dinner and overnight at the hotel in Ninh Binh.

Day 04: Ninh Binh - Ha Long - Bai Tu Long Bay - Cruise (BL D)

• French-speaking guide & private driver

• Ninh Binh - Ha Long: 180 km ~ 4 hours drive

After breakfast, departure by private car for the departure to Bai Tu Long Bay which is wilder and less frequented.

Arrival in Ha Long around noon, immediate boarding a beautiful junk, converted into a floating hotel for a magnificent cruise to discover the UNESCO world heritage . Welcome drink and presentation of the cruise program. Then you settle into your cabin to freshen up. Lunch is served while your junk begins its cruise sailing among the magnificent landscapes of the 7th wonder of the world with its thousands of islands and islets shaped like sugar loaves. 

You then use the small boat to reach the island of Cap La where you take a beautiful kayak ride through breathtaking landscapes among steep limestone peaks on the emerald waters of Bai Tu Long Bay , then free time for swimming and relaxing at the unspoiled white sand beach. Return on board, then free time for a shower and relaxation on the upper deck or taking photos while contemplating the sunset. 

Then you enjoy the Sunset Party with fruits and snacks. You participate in a Vietnamese cooking demonstration . You can quickly learn a simple but delicious Vietnamese dish that Gordon Ramsay (a 2 Michelin star chef) used to guide – Nem Cuon or challenge yourself to chop fruits and vegetables.

Lunch and dinner are served with excellent local dishes and fresh seafood specialties on the menu.

Dinner and overnight stay on board the junk. 

Day 05: Bai Tu Long Bay - Cruise - Ha Long - Hanoi ✈ Hue (B. Br) 

• French-speaking guide & private driver

• Ha Long - Hanoi: 150km ~ 3h – 3h30' drive

• Hanoi ✈ Hue 1h15' by plane

If the weather permits, we recommend waking up at dawn to practice Tai-chi on the upper deck of the junk and to watch the sunrise which offers a picturesque view of Bai Tu Long Bay . 

After a morning swim, you will have breakfast on board before embarking on Hon Co Island where you will visit Thien Canh Son Cave ; one of the most beautiful and well-preserved hidden in Bai Tu Long Bay . 

Back on board, your junk then continues its cruise to take you through spectacular landscapes of the bay, continuing the cruise to the most beautiful and quiet corners of the bay. 

Light lunch is served as the junk returns to the pier.

Return to Hanoi in the afternoon, passing the magnificent landscapes of the extensive rice paddies of the Red River Delta . Then transfer to Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi) at the end of the day for the domestic flight to Hue.

You'll be met by your driver at Hue Airport and then taken to the city center for check-in at your hotel. Dinner is free and you'll spend the night at your hotel in Hue.

Day 06: Hue - Discovery (B. L)

• French-speaking guide & private driver

Hue   was the capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, and this chapter was one of the most turbulent in the country. The city's preserved architectural and historical heritage deserves your full attention.

Breakfast at your hotel, today you visit the  majestic Imperial City  where 13 Emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty lived between 1802 and 1945.

It is the only Imperial City still visible today in Vietnam, time has passed, but it retains its beauty of original Vietnamese-Chinese architecture. You visit sumptuous monuments of the complex including: the South Gate, the Palace of Supreme Harmony, the East and West pavilions, the Reading Pavilion, the Royal Theater, the private palaces of the Queen Mother, the Palace of Longevity, the Tea and Boat pavilions, the Pavilion of Benevolence, the Gate of Virtue…

Next, you visit the beautiful Celestial Lady Pagoda perched on top of the hill overlooking the  Perfume River . You take a lovely walk to visit the  Dong Ba Market  where you will find products that demonstrate the skill of Hue women, such as their talent for making the famous conical hats! 

You will enjoy a lunch with typical Hue dishes .

In the afternoon, you'll visit the  Imperial Mausoleum of Tu Duc  —a sumptuous tomb built in a peaceful haven amid frangipani and pine trees. This building was constructed according to plans drawn up by the emperor himself. On the way back, you'll stop to explore the craft district where incense sticks and conical hats are made.

You will be transferred by car to reach the village of Thanh Tien . This village is known for its paper flowers , which local artisans have been making traditionally for 4 centuries. An introduction to making these flowers is planned , and everyone will leave with their creation. The whole family will thus be able to keep a tangible memory of Thanh Tien....

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in the heart of Hue city.

Day 07: Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An (B. L)

• French-speaking guide & private driver

• Hue - Hoi An: 120 km ~ 3h30' – 4h drive

Breakfast at the hotel. Then, depart by private car to  Da Nan , crossing beautiful landscapes along the central coast of Vietnam. Several stops along the way, including one at  Cloud Pass,  offer a beautiful view of  Lang Co Beach;  one of the most beautiful peninsulas in Vietnam.

Arriving in the ancient town of Hoi An  around noon, you will first have lunch in a local restaurant and then stroll through small and narrow streets lined with pretty ancient houses, testimonies of a flourishing period of foreign trade in the country. With its architectural and historical values, Hoi An, known in the past under its name “Faifo”, ​​was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. During this walk, you will visit the most beautiful vestiges of Hoi An such as the  Japanese Bridge, the Chinese temple, the old house as well as the craft district…

In the afternoon, we'll take you to a lantern-making workshop in Hoi An's ancient quarter. You can make your own lantern. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this ancient port town on your own. Dinner is free and you'll spend the night at your hotel in Hoi An.

Day 08: Hoi An – Da Nang ✈ Saigon (B.L) 

• French-speaking guide & private driver

• Da Nang ✈ Saigon: 1h15’ by plane

Breakfast at the hotel before transferring to Da Nang Airport for the domestic flight to Saigon; (renamed Ho Chi Minh City)  an active, bustling, rebellious, commercial, and casual city, it is the economic heart of the country. Arrival in Saigon, welcome by our guide and driver who will take you to the city center.

You begin your city tour with the  Chinese district of Cho Lon  with its  Binh Tay market  and the Thien Hau pagoda  dedicated to the worship of the Goddess of the Sea.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon: you will stroll among the colonial remains, witnesses to the presence of the French in this part of the world for almost a century. Discover the city of Saigon and its charming buildings:  Notre Dame Cathedral "seen from the outside", the HO CHI MINH post office, the municipal theater  "seen from the outside" . Then you will visit the  Reunification Palace , former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975.

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in the city center.

Day 09: Saigon - My Tho - Ben Tre - Mekong Delta - Saigon (B. L) 

• French-speaking guide & private driver

• Saigon – My Tho: 80 km ~ 2 hours drive

• Ben Tre – Can Tho: 120 km ~ 2h30 -3h drive 

Breakfast at the hotel, then departure by car to My Tho in the Mekong Delta (the rice granary of Vietnam) . 

Arrive in My Tho, board the boat for a beautiful trip on the Tien River, crossing four renowned islets, each named after a sacred animal in Vietnamese culture: Long (the Dragon) – Lan (the Unicorn) – Quy (the Turtle) – Phung (the Phoenix) . Along the river, you see the fishing raft village and the floating fish market . You visit the beekeeping garden on Unicorn Island to discover the taste of honey directly from the honey boxes raised by locals . You also taste fruits and listen to folk music "Don Ca Tai Tu" - intangible cultural heritage of the world at Mr. Nam Chanh's garden .

Back to the boat, you cross the canal and visit the coconut craft workshop: you will see how people use all parts of the coconut and you will taste these sweets (specialty of Ben tre ) . Continuing, you take a ride in Lambro "motorized vehicle", winding under the cool shade of the coconut trees on the village road to the garden restaurant where you will have a good lunch with local dishes.

Then you take a rowboat ride between two rows of water coconut trees which will take you through preserved and romantic landscapes. 

Return to Saigon . Arrival in Saigon at the end of the afternoon, free dinner and overnight at the hotel in the heart of Saigon.

Day 10: Saigon/ Departure flight (B)

• Private driver

After breakfast at the hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore the city on your own, as well as for last minute shopping until you are transferred to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your international departure flight.

1. Climate in Vietnam

The climate of Vietnam is very different and characteristic from one end of the country to the other due to the different latitudes. The geographical characteristics of the country allow you to have a nice trip to Vietnam in every season. Indeed, when one region is humid or suffocating, another represents a sunny and very temperate climate.

+ From December to February:

The north and center of the country is in winter. The average temperature varies between 15°C and 23°C. It is quite cool and humid, with irregular rainfall, especially in the mountains, where the temperature often drops below 10°C. This period is characterized by frequent light rain, so there is very little sunshine. 

Southern Vietnam is considered an ideal time, as it is the dry season with 1 or 2 rainy days per month. It is also the time when the temperature is pleasant, ranging between 22°C and 33°C. The vegetations are very green and offer beautiful opportunities for taking beautiful photos.

+ From March to May:

This period is known as the most beautiful season of the year for an ideal stay in Vietnam. During this period, the climate is very pleasant. It is the dry season in all three regions of the country, but it is also the time when the vegetation is lush, the green rice fields offer you beautiful opportunities to take great souvenir photos.

The North is in spring, when the climate is mild. This region benefits from the cool wind with an average temperature between 15°C and 25°C. During this period, this region is very sunny, but it rarely rains.

It is also the best time for the Center to visit. The climate is quite favorable and tropical. The weather becomes sunnier with a pleasant rise in temperature between 25°C and 32°C.

The South is considered a good time. The climate is dry and very sunny. The heat, however, can be annoying: the average temperature is between 28°C and 34°C and can rise up to 41°C. In addition, frequent and short rains bring a bit of coolness.

+ From June to September:

This is the third season of tourism in the country. Overall, the climate is pleasant from North to South for traveling in Vietnam.

The north of the country is in summer. The climate brings a warm characteristic, with an average temperature between 25°C and 33°C. Rainfall in this season is abundant (early showers) but short-lived from about 30 minutes to 1 hour. For the mountainous region, it is also hot, rains are frequent but also strong and rapid. The sky is blue and sunny and the weather is the clearest of the year, while the rice terraces are green. It is ideal for short walks in ethnic villages.

The center is the best time to visit this region, as it is not affected by the summer monsoons. The weather is nice, often with a heat haze, and the temperature can rise up to 40°C. The frequency of precipitation in this region is however less than in the north. However, if you are in the central locations, the beach is the best choice for cooling off.

The south has a tropical climate with an average temperature between 25°C and 33°C. This is the rainy season, but the rains are often in the form of very fast showers (about 15-30 minutes), after the rain, there is immediately a generous sun under clear weather, also the vegetation is very green.

+ From October to November:

Generally, the months from October to November are considered a great time to travel to Vietnam. 

The North is in autumn with a very pleasant climate, it is cool and dry with an average temperature of 15°C - 23°C.

The center has a pleasant temperature between 20°C and 28°C. This period is also the season of thunderstorms with heavy rainfall that would lead to more or less intense floods on the coastal strip. In this region there are also heavy rainfalls, although they do not last long.

The south has a tropical climate, with average temperatures ranging from 24°C to 32°C. Sunshine and heat are always present. During this time, showers cool the atmosphere. Keep in mind, however, that heavy rains usually arrive at the end of the day and should leave you with a free day to explore the region.

Our weather advice 

•  Vietnam is in the path of typhoons and tropical storms and is particularly affected between mid-July and mid-November. Thanks to improved infrastructure and weather forecasts, there are no major dangers.

• Rainy season is not synonymous with rains all day long, so monsoon season seems to be a more appropriate term, and contrary to popular belief, these rains are nourishing and synonymous with life in Vietnam, the land of water!

List of hotels:

The hotels offered by Horizon Vietnam Travel are classified from 02 to 05 stars according to international standards, comfortable and equipped with all the required services.

+ Standard category: 2 stars. The rooms are clean, decent, equipped with bathroom, television and air conditioning.

+ Superior category: 3 stars. Rooms are generally spacious, with more amenities and facilities.

+ First class category: 4 stars. The rooms are luxurious and spacious, with a wide range of quality services.

+ Deluxe Category: 4 - 5 stars. Excellent comfort and a string of excellent hotel services. (pool, spa, jacuzzi, etc.).

+ On the other hand, we have developed fair tourism, through contacts with local people, the possibility of sleeping in the homes of the inhabitants and sharing their daily life. The accommodations offered are well insured by us and with the best possible conditions.

Inclusions:

• Transfer by comfortable and air-conditioned private car, with a helpful, professional and competent driver, from the moment of reception at the airport until the end of the tour.

• Accommodation in hotels or homestays as mentioned in the program (subject to availability).

• All flight tickets for flights mentioned in the program: ( HANOI - HUE; DANANG - SAIGON ) in economy class.

• Meals indicated in the program (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)

• Meals are served in local restaurants with typical local cuisine.

• Guide in Italian at each stage of the tour.

• All entrance tickets to tourist sites 

• Boats for excursions as described in the program

• 02 bottles of mineral water 0.5l/person/day

• Unforgettable cruise in Ha Long Bay for 02 days and 01 night.

• Other services as indicated in the program (bicycle, boat trip, etc...)

Exclusions:

• Drinks during the meal

• Personal insurance

• Personal expenses 

• International flights to/from Italy

• Tips during the trip

• Entry visa