Day 6: Ninh Binh

We first visit the Jade Cave Pagoda where there are three pagodas and a monastery built in the 17th century. The first pagoda leans against the mountain in the middle of a lush garden; we access the second by a small staircase then, even higher, we visit the third which contains three Buddhas. Very pretty view of the fields and countryside, like a giant painting. Then it’s the Hang Mua Pagoda. To get there, you have to climb 450 steps and at the top of the hill you will have a breathtaking view of the entire area.

In the afternoon, rowing boat trip to Tam Coc. You will enjoy a two-hour visit through immense and countless karst peaks rising from the earth and framing a wild and green nature, hence its nickname “Terrestrial Halong Bay”. It is one of the main attractions of our 14-day Vietnam tour.

Day 7: Ninh Binh / Cat Ba

Departure for the city of Hai Phong (120km, approximately 2 hours drive). From there, a ferry ride takes us to Cat Ba Island. The car travels a good part of the island to reach the embarkation port. This is where we take the boat for a two-day cruise in Lan Ha Bay, a good alternative to Halong Bay which is very touristy and polluted. Navigation towards the floating village of Ben Beo.
In the afternoon, continue to a kayak station. For an hour, we paddle along the sugar loaves. Like in the films, we enter a 100 meter long corridor, accessible only by kayak at low tide. Plunged into the dark, we hear the sound of bats then suddenly we enter a kind of closed lagoon. The serenity of the place and the immensity of the steep cliffs surround us. Anchor in a place sheltered from the wind.
Seafood dinner. Night on board the boat.

Day 8: Cat Ba / Hue

The second day of navigation begins with a deserted beach. The captain is from the area so he knows the small beaches hidden behind the karst formations. Back at the Ben Beo pier, the boat stops at a floating fish farm. Disembarkation is scheduled for noon. Before returning to dry land, we stop at Fort Canon perched on a rocky outcrop. The first interest of Fort du Canon concerns the history of the Vietnam War. Underground tunnels and artillery pieces were installed by the Japanese during World War II. Then the French used them in turn to fight against the Vietnamese during the Indochina War. Towards the tip of this stronghold, a viewpoint offers you a panorama worthy of a postcard. Transfer to the airport and flight to Hue.

Day 9: Hue

The cruise along the Perfume River is considered an essential stop during a visit to Hue. A boat trip is an opportunity, once again, to realize that the Vietnamese are a people of the water. We begin our navigation towards the Thien Mu Pagoda – symbol of the city of Hue. In the afternoon, visit the Tu Duc mausoleum, which includes around 50 monuments. Visit to the Khai Dinh tomb. Resembling a European castle from a distance, the site brings together features of ancient and contemporary, Eastern and Western fine arts. According to experts, the tomb is a monument of artistic excellence in terms of earthenware, ceramics and glass.

Day 10: Hue / Danang / Hanoi

In the early morning, you set off to explore the Imperial Citadel of Hue. The city brings together most of Vietnam’s historical sites. Built under the first emperor Gia Long in the 19th century, it is surrounded by “Vauban” walls, ditches, canals and bastions where we find French inspiration. The city of Hue remained the capital of Vietnam for 150 years and was therefore the residence of both senior mandarins and the royal family. The garden houses were their homes and you will have the opportunity to visit one of these examples: the An Hien house.

In the afternoon, you take the road towards the south taking the famous cloud pass road (Hai Van). It then runs along the Truong Son mountain range which marks the border with Laos. At its summit, it offers a unique panorama of Danang Bay to the south and the coast of Hue to the north. Several stops are planned en route, including one at Lang Cô beach, the village of which occupies a narrow peninsula wedged between the sea and the lagoon. Danang, the former Tourane became a French concession in 1888. In Da Nang, you visit the Cham Museum. It brings together the most beautiful collection of Champa art visible in Asia.
Arrival in Hoi An late afternoon.

Day 11: Hoi An
Morning, stroll through the UNESCO-listed old town. Take the time to stroll through the streets to admire the architecture and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of this old city of Faifo which is today a real living museum where 844 sites of historical interest have been identified, such as bridges, wells , pagodas and private houses. We will note, during the visit to Hoi An, the perfect state of conservation of a good number of houses, the most famous of which is the Tan Ky House. We will have the opportunity to discover the communal house of the congregation of Phuc Kien, founded in 1786, part of the temple is dedicated to Thien Hau, goddess of fishermen. Finally, we will see the Japanese bridge: located to the south of the city, this covered bridge built in 1593 connects two districts of the city.
We then suggest a stop at Reaching Out. The particularity of the establishment lies around the staff. All employees are deaf and mute and travelers will live an unusual experience based on the absence of sound.

Day 12: Hoi An / Saigon

Morning flight to Saigon. Renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976, Saigon is the largest city in the country and established itself very early as the economic capital. The French presence is still very marked by long shaded avenues, dotted with colonial houses, gardens and monuments. A walk will take us to the Notre-Dame cathedral in neo-Roman style with two spiers 40 meters high and the central post office built in the style of the Gare d’Orsay and whose cast iron glass roof was manufactured by the workshops of Gustave Eiffel. Then, visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda, built in 1909 by the Canton congregation, it is considered the most important in the city.

In the afternoon, visit the Reunification Palace, also known as the Independence Palace. You can see reception rooms, the office of the former president as well as the fortified command center in the basement. Departure for the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, retracing the history of medicinal plants through the ages.

Day 13: Saigon / Vung Liem

Departure to Ben Tre, to begin your discovery of the Mekong Delta. Upon arrival in Ben Tre, you board a local boat. This takes you on the river, to discover the daily activities of its inhabitants. You can witness, among other things, the manufacturing of bricks and coconut fibers. Seasonal fruit tasting. Continue to the Cai Son and Nhon Thanh circuses where local families specialize in making mats. Bike ride through rice fields and vegetable crops. Lunch with locals before boarding a boat again to explore the cove of Cai Coi. Then, continue the road to Vung Liem (35km – approximately 1 hour).

Day 14: Vung Liem / Saigon

Breakfast at the locals’ home. In the morning, departure to discover authentic life on the island of Quelle Thien. It is located at the meeting point of the provinces of Ben Tre, Vinh Long and Tra Vinh. It is a hidden place, untouched by tourists covered with immense orchards and small canals on the edge of the mangrove. You will leave with the owner to greet his neighbors, cousins, family… You will discover the homes and the habits and customs of an island where time seems to have stopped. The father of the family will be delighted to share with you his passion for cockfighting, which is very popular on the island and which can sometimes bring in a lot of money! Return home and have lunch with the locals. Afternoon, direct transfer to Saigon airport and return to France with beautiful memories of your 14-day trip to Vietnam.