Vietnam Honeymoon: Hidden Gems and Local Charm - 10 Days

On arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, complete immigration and customs formalities, then proceed to the exit, where your guide and driver will welcome you. They will take you to your hotel in the heart of the Old Quarter. Check in and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Notes:

- Overnight at La Siesta Hang Be Hotel.

- Transfer duration: 1 hour

- Transport: private car

Today, explore charming Hanoi, often called the “Paris of the East”, with its ochre colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and picturesque lakes. Visit the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing marble and granite monument housing the preserved body of the revered revolutionary leader. You will also see the One Pillar Pagoda, shaped like a lotus blossom. Continue to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first national university, built in the late 11th century.

In the afternoon, explore the Museum of Ethnology's collection of traditional costumes and artefacts representing Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. Then stroll through the maze of streets in the Old Quarter, whose names recall the craft guilds that lived and traded there in the 13th century. End the day with an entertaining water-puppet performance, a distinctive northern Vietnamese art form originating in the flooded rice fields of the Red River region. Colourful wooden puppets portray scenes of rural life and episodes from national history, accompanied by music.

Notes:

- Overnight at La Siesta Hang Be Hotel.

- Transport: private car

- Meals: breakfast, lunch

- The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays, and on mornings from 15 June to 15 August.

- The Museum of Ethnology is closed on Mondays.

Today, join local farmers in their activities and explore a remarkable cave. In the morning, travel to Tho Ha village in Nho Quan and begin a leisurely bicycle ride through peaceful villages and scenic countryside. Continue to Dong Tam hamlet to take part in farming activities such as catching crabs, fishing, transplanting vegetables and watering the crops. Afterwards, learn to prepare Vietnamese dishes and share lunch with a local family.

In the afternoon, take a boat trip along the river and visit the 900-metre-deep Galaxy Cave, named for the stalactites that hang from the ceiling like stars. A large colony of bats also lives near the far end of the cave. Afterwards, return to Hanoi.

Notes:

- Overnight at La Siesta Hang Be Hotel.

- Tour duration: 9 hours

- Transport: private car, bicycle, boat

- Cycling distance: 5–15 km

- Difficulty: easy

- Meals: breakfast, lunch

Rise early for your transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay. On arrival at the pier, board your cruise and complete check-in formalities. Enjoy lunch as the boat sails into the bay's striking limestone scenery. In the afternoon, join the activities organised by the cruise or relax on board. Towards evening, the boat anchors among the karst formations for the night. Dinner is served on board.

Notes:

- Overnight aboard Peony Cruise

- Transfer duration: 3.5 hours

- Transport: private car, boat, cruise

- Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

- This excursion may change depending on weather conditions.

As the sun rises over Halong Bay and the boats slowly return to port, breakfast is served, or brunch on some vessels. After disembarking, transfer to Hanoi Airport for your flight to Da Nang. On arrival, you will be met and taken to your hotel in Hoi An. The evening is at leisure.

Notes:

- Overnight at La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

- Transfer duration: Halong to the airport — 3–4 hours; in Hoi An — 1 hour; flight duration — 1.5 hours

- Transport: private car, plane

- Meals: breakfast, brunch

Between the 15th and 19th centuries, Hoi An, then known as “Faifo”, was a prosperous trading port attracting Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish merchants. Today, this World Heritage town is known for its well-preserved architecture, traffic-free streets and distinctive local cuisine. Walk through its narrow lanes to visit old merchants' houses in Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese styles, the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge dating from the 1590s, the Chaozhou Chinese Assembly Hall with its intricate woodcarvings, and the colourful market.

In the evening, travel to Cam Thanh, known for its dense water-coconut forests and broad rice fields. Take a bamboo basket-boat ride on the scenic Co Co River to enjoy the sunset. Then arrive at a bamboo tower built in a riverside rice field, where a cosy tent and a table set for dinner await. Enjoy a memorable barbecue dinner of fresh local dishes and vegetables. Relax in the intimate setting, surrounded by rice fields and the river.

Notes:

- Overnight at La Siesta Hoi An Resorts & Spa

- Tour duration: walking tour, starting at 08:30 — 3 hours; romantic dinner, starting at 16:30 — 3 hours

- Transport: private car, on foot

- Meals: breakfast, dinner

In the morning, travel to Vong Nhi and set off by bicycle through the village. Enjoy peaceful countryside with green water-coconut forests, shrimp and redfish farms, and rustic rice-field scenery. Arrive at Thanh Dong Organic Farm, a 10,000 m² organic garden supporting 10 local families. Take a short walk through the vegetable garden and learn about organic farming methods. Join the farmers in their work, then ride a basket boat along the Do River to The Field Restaurant. Here, enjoy the views or go fishing with local people. Before returning to the hotel, take a short cooking class and enjoy a family-style Vietnamese lunch. The afternoon is at leisure.

Notes:

- Overnight at La Siesta Hoi An Resorts & Spa

- Tour duration: 5 hours

- Transport: private car, bicycle

- Cycling distance: 6 km

- Meals: breakfast, lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, travel to your hotel to freshen up and rest.

In the evening, a culinary adventure aboard a classic Vespa introduces you to bustling Saigon after dark. Weave through the streets and sample delicious local food at authentic eateries as you discover southern Vietnamese specialities. End the night in a cosy bar, trying signature cocktails, or mocktails for children, and chatting with local people.

Notes:

- Overnight at La Siesta Premium Saigon

- Tour duration: 4.5 hours

- Transfer duration: Hoi An — 1 hour; Ho Chi Minh City — 1 hour; flight duration — 1.5 hours

- Transport: private car, plane, scooter

- Meals: breakfast, dinner

- Guests ride pillion, each with an experienced driver.

Leave Saigon for a 1.5-hour drive to Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta, watching the cityscape give way to lush rice fields and fruit orchards. At the pier, board a motorboat for a short trip to the floating market. Then change to a rowing boat to explore the rural canals and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Continue to An Binh Island for lunch at Ut Trinh Homestay.

In the afternoon, walk through the orchard, enjoy a cup of tea and listen to traditional music in the old house. Visit the village and a workshop to see how rice paper, coconut sweets and puffed rice are made. Sample some sweets with a cup of hot tea. If you still have energy, take a bicycle ride through the village to discover local life: orchards, a school, a church, a pagoda and traditional homes. Then visit the brick kilns to see how local people create attractive pottery from clay. The boat trip ends in Vinh Long City before your return to Saigon.

Notes:

- Overnight at La Siesta Premium Saigon

- Tour duration: 8.5 hours

- Transport: private car, boat, bicycle

- Meals: breakfast, lunch

With more than eight million residents and four million motorbikes, Saigon is truly a city that never sleeps. Despite its modernity, it retains a strong connection with the past, which you will explore on this tour. Visit the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, a twin-towered red-brick building constructed with materials brought from France. Cross the square to the Central Post Office, completed in 1891. A short drive away stands the former Presidential Palace, headquarters of the Saigon government during the American War. Continue to the War Remnants Museum for a powerful Vietnamese perspective on the conflict. Finish with a taste of Saigon's famous street-café culture as your guide offers a brief language lesson and insights into a local resident's daily life. Then transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Notes:

- Tour duration: 4 hours

- Transport: private car

- Transfer duration: 1 hour

- Meals: breakfast, lunch

- Entry to Notre Dame Cathedral is permitted only when no services are taking place.