8-Day Classic Vietnam Tour: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An & Saigon

Tour Overview

Duration	8 Days / 7 Nights
Country	Vietnam — North to South
Cities	Hanoi → Halong Bay → Hoi An → Saigon → Mekong Delta
Tour Type	Private Tour — Vietnam’s No.1 Best-Selling Itinerary
Best Season	October–April (dry season, pleasant temperatures)
Price	From US$1,349 per person (4-star hotels, private guide)

Data source: indochinatour.com — verified real itinerary, Vietnam’s top-rated route

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi — The 1000-Year-Old Capital

• Noi Bai Airport Pickup — Warm welcome by your private guide and driver, transfer to hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter
• Evening at Leisure — Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, watch the sunset at Ngoc Son Temple’s red bridge, and explore the bustling night market (weekends only)
• Optional: Enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Show — a uniquely Vietnamese art form dating back to the 11th century, performed in a waist-deep pool of water

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Discovery

• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex — Pay respects at the final resting place of Vietnam’s revolutionary leader, surrounded by the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, and the iconic One Pillar Pagoda (built 1049, shaped like a lotus blossom)
• Temple of Literature — Vietnam’s first national university (founded 1070), a stunning complex of Confucian temples, serene courtyards, and stone stelae mounted on tortoise backs honoring scholars
• Vietnam Museum of Ethnology — Fascinating exhibits on Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups, including full-scale traditional houses from the Central Highlands and northern mountains
• Old Quarter Cyclo Tour — Ride through Hanoi’s 36 ancient streets, each named after the goods once sold there (Silk Street, Paper Street, Silver Street). Stop for a bowl of steaming pho and an egg coffee at a hidden café

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3: Halong Bay Cruise — UNESCO World Heritage

• Scenic Drive to Halong Bay — 3.5-hour journey through the Red River Delta, passing endless green rice paddies and riverside villages
• Board Your Luxury Junk — Welcome drink and cruise briefing as you sail into the bay’s 1,600+ limestone karst islands, each a jagged sculpture rising from emerald waters
• Sea Kayaking — Paddle through hidden lagoons and under natural stone arches into secluded coves accessible only by kayak. Visit floating fishing villages where generations have lived on the water
• Swimming & Sunset — Anchor at a quiet spot for swimming in the bay’s warm, jade-green water. Watch the sun set behind the karsts from the sundeck
• Cooking Class & Dinner — Learn to make fresh Vietnamese spring rolls, followed by a multi-course seafood dinner under the stars

Overnight on Halong Bay cruise.

Day 4: Halong Bay Sunrise → Fly to Hoi An

• Tai Chi at Dawn — Greet the morning with a Tai Chi session on the sundeck as mist rises from the karst peaks
• Explore Sung Sot Cave — The “Surprise Cave,” Halong’s largest and most spectacular grotto with massive chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites
• Brunch & Disembark — Enjoy a farewell brunch as you cruise back to the harbor
• Fly to Danang — Transfer to Hanoi airport for a short 1-hour flight to Danang, then private transfer to Hoi An (30 minutes)
• Evening in Hoi An — Wander the lantern-lit streets of this UNESCO World Heritage town, where silk lanterns glow in every color along the Thu Bon River

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 5: Hoi An Ancient Town & Countryside

• Morning Walking Tour — Explore Hoi An’s beautifully preserved merchant houses: the 200-year-old Tan Ky House (home to 7 generations), the Japanese Covered Bridge (built 1593 by Japanese traders), and the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall with its intricate dragon sculptures
• Hoi An Market — One of Vietnam’s best markets, bursting with fresh produce, aromatic spices, and local crafts
• Cam Thanh Village — Ride a traditional bamboo basket boat (thung chai) through the water coconut palm forest, try your hand at crab fishing, and visit a local family for a home-cooked lunch
• Tailor Experience (Optional) — Hoi An is famous for its 400+ tailor shops. Get measured and order custom clothing — suits, dresses, or ao dai — often ready within 24 hours

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 6: Fly to Saigon — The Pearl of the Orient

• Morning at Leisure — Enjoy a final stroll through Hoi An, perhaps pick up your tailored garments
• Fly to Ho Chi Minh City — 1.5-hour flight to Vietnam’s economic powerhouse
• Afternoon City Tour:
  — Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica — Built 1877-1883 with red bricks imported from Marseille, one of the world’s 19 most magnificent cathedrals
  — Central Post Office — Designed by Gustave Eiffel, this grand colonial building features arched ceilings and a giant portrait of Ho Chi Minh
  — War Remnants Museum — Powerful exhibits documenting Vietnam’s wartime history
  — Ben Thanh Market — The city’s iconic market with hundreds of stalls selling everything from coffee beans to silk scarves

Overnight in Saigon.

Day 7: Mekong Delta — The Rice Bowl of Vietnam

• Journey to the Delta — 2-hour drive to Cai Be through lush countryside of fruit orchards and rice paddies
• Cai Be Floating Market — Board a sampan boat and navigate through the bustling river market where merchants trade fruits, vegetables, and fish directly from their boats. Watch locals skillfully pole goods from boat to boat using long bamboo poles
• Local Workshops — Visit family-run cottage industries: watch coconut candy being made, see how rice paper is crafted by hand, and taste fresh tropical fruits straight from the orchard
• Riverside Lunch — Dine at Le Longanier, a colonial-style restaurant set in a tropical garden on the riverbank, featuring local specialties like elephant ear fish and caramelized pork in clay pot
• Canal Cruise — Glide through narrow palm-fringed canals on a small wooden rowboat, experiencing the Delta’s peaceful “rice civilization” lifestyle

Overnight in Saigon.

Day 8: Farewell Vietnam

After breakfast, enjoy your final morning at leisure — perhaps a last bowl of authentic pho or a Vietnamese iced coffee. Private transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your onward journey, carrying memories of Vietnam’s breathtaking landscapes, ancient towns, and warm hospitality.

Inclusions

• ✅ 7 nights in comfortable 4-star hotels (2 Hanoi, 1 Halong cruise, 2 Hoi An, 2 Saigon)
• ✅ Professional English-speaking Vietnamese guide throughout
• ✅ All domestic flights: Hanoi→Danang, Danang→Saigon
• ✅ Halong Bay overnight cruise with kayaking and cooking class
• ✅ All entrance fees to listed attractions
• ✅ Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver for all transfers
• ✅ Daily breakfast + 2 lunches and 1 dinner
• ✅ Airport meet-and-greet on arrival and departure
• ✅ 24/7 local support

Exclusions

• ❌ International flights to/from Vietnam
• ❌ Vietnam visa (e-visa available online for most nationalities)
• ❌ Travel insurance
• ❌ Tips and gratuities
• ❌ Personal expenses and souvenirs
• ❌ Meals not specified in itinerary