Package overview
This itinerary opens with three nights in Hanoi and a full city tour, then an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay with a stop at Surprise Cave before the return drive to the capital. A domestic flight covers the long north–south distance to Da Nang, where clients settle in for three consecutive nights — enough time to cover Ba Na Hills, Hoi An's old town and a full-day excursion to Hue without packing up every morning.
Because Hue is handled as a day trip rather than an overnight stop, this routing suits agents selling a Da Nang beach base layered with cultural excursions, rather than clients wanting dedicated time inside Hue's imperial city itself. It runs well from February to August, when central Vietnam is generally drier, and pairs easily with an extra beach extension in Da Nang or Hoi An at the end.
Trip highlights
- Full-day Hanoi city tour covering Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Old Quarter
- Overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay with Surprise Cave and a swim stop near Ti Top Island
- Domestic flight from Hanoi to Da Nang, with three consecutive nights based there
- Cable-car excursion to Ba Na Hills, the Golden Bridge and Fantasy Park
- Evening walking tour of Hoi An's ancient town and its old merchant houses
- Full-day excursion to Hue with a boat trip on the Perfume River
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi (about a 45-minute, 25 km transfer from the airport)
Hanoi is Vietnam's capital, a city of tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture and centuries-old temples set around several lakes. Most first afternoons are spent settling into the pace of the Old Quarter, with its narrow streets of traditional shophouses, street-food stalls and small trades that have worked the same blocks for generations.
Day 2: Hanoi city tour
The full-day tour covers Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, then Quan Thanh Temple and Tran Quoc Pagoda beside West Lake. After lunch the group continues to the Museum of Ethnology before finishing at Hoan Kiem Lake and a walking tour of the Old Quarter.
Day 3: Hanoi to Ha Long Bay, board overnight cruise (about 3 hours / 170 km one way)
Guests are collected from their Hanoi hotel around 8am for the overland drive to Ha Long Bay, passing rice fields and villages of the Red River Delta. On arrival, they board a traditional junk to cruise past Dinh Huong, Ga Choi and Dog Island, visit a pearl-farming site and paddle into Luon Cave, with a swim stop and sunset views from Ti Top Island before dinner and an overnight stay aboard.
Day 4: Ha Long Bay to Hanoi, Surprise Cave (about 3 hours / 170 km one way)
The morning opens with a Tai Chi session on the sundeck before the cruise continues to Surprise Cave, reached by around 100 steps and explored on a roughly hour-long walk. After brunch on board, the boat passes Ga Choi Island, Binh Phong Mountain and Tortoise Island before disembarking at Tuan Chau International Passenger Port for the road transfer back to Hanoi.
Day 5: Fly to Da Nang, evening Hoi An tour (about 1 hour / 30 km one way to Hoi An)
A morning transfer to Noi Bai International Airport connects with a domestic flight to Da Nang. After checking in, the afternoon covers the Cham Museum and Marble Mountains before an evening walk through Hoi An's ancient town, taking in the Tan Ky old house, the assembly hall, the Japanese covered bridge, old wells, the local market and the riverside harbour.
Day 6: Ba Na Hills excursion
The day centres on Ba Na Hills, reached by one of Southeast Asia's longest cable-car systems and known locally as central Vietnam's answer to Da Lat or Sapa for its cooler air. The route takes in the French wine cellar, the flower-lined Golden Bridge supported by its giant stone hands, Linh Ung Pagoda, the Fantasy Park amusement area and King Peak at 1,487 metres, with Linh Tu Pagoda at the summit.
Day 7: Full-day excursion to Hue, boat trip on the Perfume River (about 2 hours / 100 km one way)
The drive to Hue passes Minh Mang Tomb, Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Beach before a boat trip on the Perfume River calling at Thien Mu Pagoda and Hon Chen Temple. The day also covers Hue's Forbidden City and Dong Ba Market before the return drive to Da Nang in the evening.
Day 8: Departure from Da Nang
The final day is kept free until transfer to Da Nang International Airport for the onward or homeward flight, closing a routing that trades a Hue overnight for three settled nights in Da Nang.
What's included
- INCLUSIONS
- EXCLUSIONS
- ACCOMMODATION
- VISA
- PAYMENT TERMS
- CANCELLATION POLICY
- DO'S IN VIETNAM
- DON'TS IN VIETNAM
- Accommodation with twin/ double/ triple sharing room basis with daily breakfast in the category chosen or similar (subject to availability).
- Meals as mentioned in the Tour Itinerary.
- Sightseeing & Transfers according to the above Tour Itinerary Details only.
- Transportation by vehicle with A/C
- Local English-speaking guide’s assistance.
- All Entrance fees for attractions included in the program
- All activities and cruises clearly mentioned in the program
- Government taxes & service charge
- Air Fare / Train fare.
- Personal Expenses such as Laundry, telephone calls, tips & gratuity, mineral water, soft & hard drinks, porterage, water sports.
- Early check-in, late check-out
- Additional sightseeing or extra usage of vehicle, other than mentioned in the itinerary.
- Room Up gradation Charges.
- Any cost arising due to natural calamities like, landslides, road blockage, political disturbances (strikes), etc (to be borne by the client, which is directly payable on the spot).
- Travel Insurance.
- Bank Charges
- Tip to Driver & Guide (Compulsory)
- Airport Taxes
- Visa and Visa arrangement
- Anything which is not included in the inclusion.
Not included
- Air Fare / Train fare.
- Personal Expenses such as Laundry, telephone calls, tips & gratuity, mineral water, soft & hard drinks, porterage, water sports.
- Early check-in, late check-out
- Additional sightseeing or extra usage of vehicle, other than mentioned in the itinerary.
- Room Up gradation Charges.
- Any cost arising due to natural calamities like, landslides, road blockage, political disturbances (strikes), etc (to be borne by the client, which is directly payable on the spot).
- Travel Insurance.
- Bank Charges
- Tip to Driver & Guide (Compulsory)
- Airport Taxes
- Visa and Visa arrangement
- Anything which is not included in the inclusion.
Book this package
Visa requirements, payment terms and cancellation rules for this destination are set out on our [Vietnam travel information page](vietnam/travel-information).
Rates are quoted on request for your dates, party size and hotel category. Send us the itinerary reference and we will come back with a net B2B quotation.