Inside Vietnam

In the morning, Cattour’s representative pick you up at the lobby of your hotel in Saigon and depart for Ben Tre province in Mekong Delta. You will take a 2-hour drive to Hung Vuong Pier. Embark and cruise along Ben Tre river. 

Our first stop is a handicraft workshop to discover how coconut flesh is processed into many different forms and woven into mats with the aid of dried reeds and a huge loom. 

Enjoy some tea in a coconut candies manufacture before taking a walk around the idyllic village. A short bike ride or tuktuk will allow you to explore the countryside and stop to visit a family braiding mats.

Enjoy local specialities for lunch in local restaurant. Then, boarded a rowing boat to join the canal through a maze of arroyos and return to the landing stage.

Drive to hotel in Can Tho for overnight.

Early in the morning, you will have a visit to the floating market of Cai Rang, a centre for commerce in the city and its neighbouring provinces, such as An Giang, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Tra Vinh and Soc Trang. They traditionally sell all kinds of fruits and vegetables, and recently added coffee, breakfast dishes and even lottery tickets. The market is where local and foreign tourists go to learn about the colourful life on the river.

Then, take a walk in an orchard garden - Ba Cong, where it will also be possible to enjoy fresh tropical fruits and visit a vermicelli factory.

The day will continue with a visit to Binh Thuy ancient house where the film adaptation of Marguerite Duras' novel L' Amant was filmed in 1992. Unique architectural in the harmonious combination between East and West has taken Binh Thuy ancient house to become one of the must-see tourist attractions in Can Tho. Return to Saigon in the late afternoon. Overnight at the hotel in Saigon.

 Breakfast at your hotel, Cattour pick you up then head to visit Cu Chi Tunnels, which is located 70km from Saigon city. The tunnels was constructed around 1948 to assist Viet Minh in their fight against French occupiers. They offer visitors a sneak-peek at the underground life of Vietnamese soldiers back in 1948. The site has over 120km of underground tunnels, with trapdoors, living areas, kitchens, storage facilities, armoury, hospitals, and command centres. Since 1988, 2 sections of the tunnels are open for visitors to better understand the war in Vietnam.

After lunch at a restaurant, we continue to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and the General Post Office. Finally, stop at The Reunification Palace, the base of  Vietnamese General Ngo Dinh Diem until his death in 1963. In 1975, a tank belonging to the North Vietnamese Army crashed through its main gate, ending the Vietnam War. 

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Hue. Upon arrival in Hue, our guide and driver will pick you up then take you to your hotel for overnight.

At 08:00, Cattours’ representative will pick you up at your hotel. We will take a nice boat trip on Perfume River – a poetic river which was named due to the scent of flowers dropping in the water from upriver orchards. The boat takes us to visit Thien Mu Pagoda which means Celestial Laday Pagoda – the symbol of Hue.

Our next stop is Minh Mang mausoleum, an architecture of art, poetry and philosophy. The mausoleum is located in a peaceful landscape showing both the Emperor's strictness and deep beliefs. 

After lunch at a local restaurant, we will drive to visit Hue Imperial City, the last royal city of Vietnam. The complex includes the Forbidden Purple City (the residence of the royal family and damaged in Vietnam war), the Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, the temples, library and museum. After that we will visit Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, which are imbued with poetry and freedom. Emperor Tu Duc was crowned king in the historical period of Vietnam facing the Western developing capitalism. To seclude himself, he ordered the construction of this tomb as a fairyland with poetical features, making it a lifetime recreation ground and a world for his eternal life after death. Take your time to relax and enjoy the fresh air and peaceful scenery before going back to your hotel in Hue.
 

Breakfast at hotel before we drive from Hue to Danang. Stop at Hai Van Pass, the border between the Danang and Hue to enjoy the stunning view in the peak.  Hai Van  is the longest and highest mountain pass in Vietnam and a clear blue sky day offers glamour views of Tien Sa Port, Danang, Son Tra and the Cham Islands and their endless white beaches and gorgeous green jungle foliage. 

Continue our journey up to Monkey Mountain. You will experience the lush tropical vistas of the peninsula, home to rare flora and fauna, rising 642 metres above the coast line.   We also stop to visit a helipad that was used by the Americans in Vietnam war. Take your time to enjoy the stunning wide view from the helipad.

Our next stop is Linh Ung Pagoda. Legend said that at XIX century, the time of Minh Mang King, there was a Buddha statue from nowhere to drift on the sandbank there. Believing that was an auspicious sign, local people established a shrine for worship, from that, the region was stable and fishermen could work in peace. Linh Ung Pagoda is also famous for its beautiful 67 metre tall Goddess of Mercy statue standing on a lotus shaped platform

Return to our private car and head to visit Marble Mountains also known as Ngu Hanh Son (The Five Element Mountain). Accordingly, there are five separate mountains named after the five basic elements of life (based on Eastern philosophy): Mt. Metal, Mt. Plant, Mt. Water, Mt. Fire, and Mt. Soil. Let’s hike up to the top of Water Mountain for a bird’s eye view of the countryside. 

Optional activity: walk through a re-creation of a Buddhist hell where sinners confess crimes, suffer punishments, and hope to reach heaven’s light called the Hell’s cave in the Marble mountain.

Leave the mountain behind, we head to Hoi An. On arrival, check in hotel in Hoi An. The night is your free time to explore the ancient town.
 

In the morning, Cattour’s representative will pick you up at the lobby of your hotel. We will head to My Son Sanctuary. Enjoy the scenic view en route, you could ask our driver to stop for photos. 

Arrive at My Son, you will listen to fascinating ancient stories about the previous Champa Kingdom. This historical tourist attraction is located in the mountainous border Duy Xuyen District of Quang Nam Province, in central Viet Nam. It is situated within an elevated geological basin surrounded by a ring of mountains, which provides the watershed for the sacred Thu Bon river.

You will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before get back to Hoi An, an ancient town beside Thu Bon river. You will have a chance to explore the old streets with ancient houses along, the pagodas, temples, assembly halls, ancient tombs. The architecture of Hoi An is characterised by a blend of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese influences. 

We will then take you back to your hotel in Hoi An.

Enjoy your breakfast at hotel. The morning is free for your own relaxation and exploration of the peaceful and beautiful riverside town. Hoi An in the morning is peaceful, silent to have a walk or cycling around.

In the afternoon, Cattour take you to the airport in Danang for your flight to Hanoi. 

On arrival at Noi Bai airport, Cattour’s representative will pick you up then take you to hotel in city center for check in. The rest of the day is free for your own exploration.
Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Our guide and driver will pick you up at the lobby of your hotel at 08:30am. Starting the day trip will be a visit of the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which compromises Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (closed on Mondays & Fridays), his stilt house, the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh Museum. After that, we will visit the Temple of Literature, which served as the first Royal National University in Vietnam. The site also honors 82 Vietnamese doctorates who passed a number of rigid exams in the feudal ages. Their names, birthdays and birthplaces are engraved in 82 headstones perched on stone tortoises. It is believed that touching the heads of these tortoises will bring luck for exam. 

In the afternoon, after lunch at a restaurant, we will visit Hoa Lo prison, ironically nicknamed the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ by US prisoners of war (POWs) during the American War. We will then go back to the Old Quarter for a walking tour, to explore deeper the local life of Hanoians . We then head to Ngoc Son Temple set on a island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. In local people’s eyes, the lake is the picturesque heart of Hanoi.

You will then be taken to a mini hotel for refreshment before going to the railway station for night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on train (4 soft berth cabin)
 

Arrive in Lao Cai railway station around 6:00am, and drive to Bac Ha by car to visit Bac Ha market, which is held on Sunday only and is the biggest minority peoples market in Northwest Vietnam. You will have chance to meet Red Hmong, Black Dao, Tay, Nung, La Chi, Phu La and other minority groups who come to buy and sell a wide variety of goods and livestock, to exchange news and to renew friendships. 

After lunch, you will leave the market behind, to walk along the mountain to visit Ban Pho 1 and Ban Pho 2, the village of Black H’Mong and Flower H’Mong. We will stop at a local house to see how corn wine is made - a special wine Bac Ha is renowned for. Taste some wine and you will truly feel its local flavor. Return to Sapa in the late afternoon. Overnight at hotel in Sapa

Breakfast at hotel. Leaving Sapa town, descending into Muong Hoa valley, you will reach home of Black H’mong ethnic minority (Lao Chai village) and Ta Van village inhabited by Dzay. You will experience the different life, culture there and enjoy the stunning view of rice terrace curving around the hillside.

Enjoy our picnic lunch in a local restaurant.

You will then return to Sapa town by our car and our luxury bus will pick you up to get back to Hanoi.

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

After breakfast depart to Ha Long Bay, passing a peaceful countryside typical of Red River Delta with rice fields and winding rivers. We will arrive at Halong’s tourist wharf around noon and embark an elegant wooden junk. 

12:15 – 12:45 Embark on Starlight Cruise by transfer boat. Listen to cruise briefing and receive room key.

13:00 – 15:30 Savor a delectable lunch as Starlight Cruise further along the limestone islands of Bai Tu Long Bay, heading to Vung Vieng fishing village – one of the largest fishing villages in Halong Bay to see the life of local fishermen.

• Option 1: Take a bamboo rowing boat trip around Vung Vieng Fishing Village
• Option 2: Take kayak and go kayaking by yourself with help and instruction of tour guide around the Village.

17:30 – 18:00 Return to Starlight Cruise and have bath then relax as the sun starts to set.  Enjoy the Happy Hour at the bar and on the sun deck while cooking demonstration is organizing.

19:00 Dinner is served. Socialize with other guests, night squid fishing or just laze around. Singing and dancing activities are available till 22h00.

Overnight on board at Cong Do Area

06:30 – 07:00 Start your day with Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck.

07:00 – 09:00 Catch morning view of seascapes with a cup of tea or coffee, have breakfast while cruising toward Thien Canh Son Cave. Visit Thien Canh Son Cave – the medium size and less visited cave in Bai Tu Long Bay

09:30 Check-out room. Luggage can be delivered to the reception area.

09:30 – 11:00 Head back to the Harbor. Have early lunch on board. Disembark Starlight Cruise at around 12h00.

12:00 – 16:30 Transfer back to hotel in Hanoi.

Enjoy your breakfast at hotel. You are free until being transferred to Noi Bai airport for your departure flight. Your room is available until 14:00pm only.

Cattour’s services end here.