Compare Inside Vietnam by Overseas Adventure Travel vs Essence of Vietnam by Odynovo

DAY 1
Depart U.S.

DAY 2
Arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam
Meals included: D Accommodations: May De Ville City Centre or similar
Experience the Presidential Palace while touring Hanoi
Your OAT Trip Leader greets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel. Enjoy a free afternoon before we meet for an orientation walk around the neighborhood. We’ll be joined by travelers who took the pre-trip extension to The Hill Tribes of Northern Vietnam and tonight we’ll gather for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 3
Explore Hanoi • Enjoy water puppet show
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: May De Ville City Centre or similar

This morning, we have breakfast and set out on a full-day tour of Hanoi, where we'll drive through the French quarter and view the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, the national leader whose memory is honored here, and go inside to view the former president's preserved remains. We'll also see the distinctive One Pillar Pagoda, and stop for a visit to the Temple of Literature. Please note: The Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is closed every Monday and Friday (outside grounds and garden area will be open on these days) and normally closed from September 4 through November 5 for preservation and maintenance of the building.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the Museum of Ethnology, where we'll learn about the fascinating cultural diversity of this ancient land. Please note: On Mondays, the Museum of Ethnology is closed. If our tour of Hanoi is on a Monday, our visit to the Museum of Ethnology will be replaced by a visit to Hanoi's History Museum or Fine Arts Museum.

We return to the hotel and enjoy some free time. This evening, we enjoy a water puppet show, an art form in which puppets are suspended over water, directed by puppet masters who must sit semi-submerged for hours at a time. The tradition of water puppetry is at least 1,000 years old, originating with peasants in the Red River Delta of the north. The puppets, which the French used to call “the souls of the Vietnamese rice fields,” are made of the water-resistant wood of the fig tree and depict villagers, farm animals, dragons, and more. Afterward, we'll enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant.

DAY 4
Hanoi • Optional Tho Ha Countryside tour OPTIONAL TOUR
Meals included: B Accommodations: May De Ville City Centre or similar

This morning is free for independent exploration of this fascinating city. Because Hanoi was isolated from Western development after 1954, it has a uniquely preserved concentration of French and Chinese colonial-era architecture. You may want to stroll to Hanoi's traditional and contemporary art galleries, or visit some of the city's other attractions, including Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, Quan Thanh Temple, and the Opera House.

Or you can join us on an optional tour of rural Tho Ha. Twenty miles north of Hanoi, the Nhu Nguyet River surrounds this traditional village. After a drive and brief ferry ride, we’ll discover wonderful architecture and hard-working, friendly people. The main industries here are rice paper and pig farming. After visiting a local family to see rice paper in the making, we’ll walk the village and mingle with the locals and then stop for lunch. This tour is a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of rural life in Vietnam.

DAY 5
Visit Bat Trang Ceramic village
Meals included: B L Accommodations: May De Ville City Centre or similar

After breakfast, we depart for Bat Trang, a small village outside Hanoi known for its unique style and superior quality of ceramic pottery.

Here, we visit a workshop, where local craftspeople have been perfecting the art of ceramics for centuries. We learn about the process, from forming the clay to painting the distinctive intricate designs.

We return to Hanoi to have lunch at a local restaurant. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore the city, and dinner this evening is on your own.

DAY 6
Travel overland to Halong Bay • Embark junk
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Vietnamese junk

After breakfast, we set off for Halong Bay—the Emerald Bay of Vietnam—a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some of the roads to the bay are rough, but the journey offers quiet views of the flat green countryside dotted with rice paddies and small villages. We arrive in the early afternoon and transfer to a pier for our overnight cruise.

With its clear, emerald waters and mountains draped in velvety cloaks of vegetation, it's little wonder that Halong Bay has been the inspiration for generations of Vietnamese poets. Resting peacefully across the Gulf of Tonkin near the Chinese border, this region—literally “the bay of the descending dragon”—is dotted with more than 1,600 mountain islands, whose jagged profiles seem to rise out of nowhere.

Against the backdrop of innumerable caves, beaches, soaring cliffs, and grottoes, the Vietnamese go about their daily lives, fishing and harvesting, reaping the riches of the land and sea. Vietnamese fishermen nimbly navigate in lacquered and woven-wood coracles—lozenge-shaped, rudderless vessels that resemble an oversized tub. Oar-propelled fishing boats, or sampans, abound as well, many occupied by whole families.

Our vessel is of particular interest; we board a junk, a wooden sailboat in the traditional Vietnamese style. We stop to explore a cavernous grotto, and then drop anchor at an island pierced with surreal caverns, enjoying lunch onboard. We resume our cruise in the afternoon and enjoy dinner on our boat, where we will spend the night.

DAY 7
Fly to Hué
Meals included: B L Accommodations: Cherish Hotel or similar

This morning we enjoy breakfast onboard before cruising back to the port. We drive to the Hanoi Airport for our fight to Hué, located on the central coast of Vietnam, north of Danang. We arrive in Hué this evening and transfer to our hotel. Enjoy dinner on your own tonight.

DAY 8
Explore Hué
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Cherish Hotel or similar

After our breakfast at the hotel, we explore Hué, the former imperial capital, built by the first king of the Nguyen Dynasty during a time recognized as the golden age of Vietnam. For centuries, Hué has been a main cultural, religious, and educational center of Vietnam—and the reputation continues with the many students who live there today. The older section of Hué is a moated, walled citadel surrounded by eleven stone gates. We'll take a boat ride along the Perfume River to visit the unofficial symbol of Hué—the seven-story Thien Mu Pagoda. We'll also tour the citadel, find the Imperial Enclosure, and see its inner Forbidden Purple City, a private area reserved for the emperor.

Then we share a savory lunch with the Buddhist nuns at the Dieu Thanh Pagoda before returning to our hotel for some time at leisure.

Tonight, we gather for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 9
Travel overland to Hoi An • Cooking class
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Lotus Hoi An Hotel or similar

We rise early for breakfast before our drive to the town of Hoi An, an ancient, well-preserved port town that's changed little in the past two centuries.

En route we stop at Lang Co Beach and China Beach, the setting for the eponymous TV show about a U.S. army base in Vietnam—now a peaceful 18 miles of white sand and waves. We also stop in Danang, where we'll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before departing to Hoi An.

We arrive in Hoi An this afternoon and check into our hotel, where we'll enjoy some free time before gathering for a lively round table discussion about Vietnamese history and culture.

Tonight, we head to a local restaurant for a Vietnamese cooking class, where we'll learn the secrets to preparing some local specialties. We'll savor the fruits of our labors for dinner.

DAY 10
Hoi An • Optional cyclo-rickshaw ride and Thu Bon River cruise OPTIONAL TOUR
Meals included: B L Accommodations: Lotus Hoi An Hotel or similar
View well-preserved landmarks of Hoi An like this Japanese covered bridge
Today, we have breakfast at the hotel and then embark on a walking tour of Hoi An's Old Town. A well-known feature in this port town is the Japanese covered bridge with its own temple and statuary.We'll amble through the historic streets, ride the local ferry to the other side of town, and observe the Hoi An's mossy houses, including the Phuc Kien Congressional House. Most of Hoi An's historic houses have been maintained in their traditional design, with brick exteriors and wooden interiors. And after many centuries of maritime trade, the town boasts a multicultural air: Traders from Persia, Arabia, China, Japan, and India, as well as the first Christian missionaries to reach Vietnam, have all left their mark.

After lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy an afternoon at leisure and dinner on your own. Or, join us on an optional cyclo-rickshaw ride through a rural area of Hoi An, followed by a Thu Bon River cruise. We'll travel by cyclo-rickshaw to Cam Nam village, view Hoi An's historic cityscape from a different vantage point during a cruise along the lovely Thu Bon River, and sample a slice of daily life at the central market. We'll dine at a nearby restaurant.

DAY 11
Hoi An • Explore Champa Ruins at My Son Sanctuary FOUNDATION VISIT
Meals included: B L Accommodations: Lotus Hoi An Hotel or similar

Today, we have breakfast and then travel through the rice fields of the countryside to My Son Sanctuary, Vietnam's most significant ruin from the Champa Kingdom, which prospered from the second to the 15th centuries.

My Son was established as a religious center in the fourth century in a lush, isolated valley overlooked by Hon Quap (Cat's Tooth Mountain). We walk these red-brick ruins, enjoying time to admire the delicate masonry and to take in the peace of the place. We'll return to Hoi An in time for lunch at a local restaurant before an afternoon at leisure. Dinner tonight is on your own.

DAY 12
Fly to Nha Trang • Boat tour to fishing village
Meals included: B D Accommodations: Yasaka Saigon Nha Trang Hotel & Spa or similar
Visit a local fishing village
This morning, we fly from Danang to the town of Nha Trang.

Upon arrival in Nha Trang, we board traditional wooden “drawing boats” to visit a local fishing village on Mieu Island. The views of the water are lovely, with rocky inlets, palm-lined beaches, and refreshing breezes. Our boat tour also takes us to a beautiful beach nearby, where you can relax and enjoy lunch on your own. Afterward, we return to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure. This evening we'll gather together for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 13
A Day in the Life of Xom Gio village FOUNDATION VISIT
Meals included: B L Accommodations: Yasaka Saigon Nha Trang Hotel & Spa or similar

This morning, we visit Dien Phu Kindergarten, supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation. We’ll visit a classroom, play with the children, and have a chance to discuss local education with the school principal.

Afterward, we set out to experience A Day in the Life of the tranquil riverside community of Xóm Gio. We'll be guests of the village chief, who'll invite us into his home for a mid-morning discussion about the village's history and culture, followed by a savory lunch prepared with our help and the guidance of the chief's wife. Afterwards, we'll tour several homes that were remodeled with support from Grand Circle Foundation, visiting with families who live there. We'll learn about daily life and then be introduced to the local cottage industry—the bamboo baskets for which the village is known. Then we walk through the village, passing fields of vegetables and rice paddies on our way to a small family-run business where chopsticks are milled. On our way back to the hotel, we'll stroll through a vibrant village marketplace where you can pick up some exotic fruit for an afternoon snack.

We'll enjoy some free time back at the hotel and dinner on our own this evening.

Please note: On select departures, Dien Phu Kindergarten will be replaced with a visit to Minh Tu Orphanage in Hué on Day 8.

DAY 14
Travel overland to Dalat • University visit • Home-Hosted Dinner
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Sammy Dalat Hotel or similar

After breakfast we travel overland to Dalat, nicknamed the "City of Eternal Spring," admiring the rice paddies, vegetable patches, and gently sloping hills that we pass along the way. Prized by Vietnamese for its mild climate, Dalat, nestled in the mountains, was the site of the summer residence of Vietnam’s last emperor, Bao Dai. We arrive in Dalat around noon and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before checking into our hotel.

We gather for an orientation walk around our hotel, and then set out for our visit to Dalat University. Here, we’ll learn about the Vietnamese system of education during an informative discussion with a professor and local university students.

This evening, we'll learn more about local culture over dinner with a local family in their home. This is another chance to meet with people who call Vietnam home, learn about their daily lives, share a little of ourselves, and really experience local culture.

DAY 15
Optional Dalat Agricultural tour • Explore old French train station • Visit Linh Phuoc Pagoda OPTIONAL TOUR
Meals included: B D Accommodations: Sammy Dalat Hotel or similar

This morning, you may choose to rise early before breakfast to explore a local market in Dalat. Enjoy the rest of the morning at leisure with lunch on your own, or join us for an optional tour that focuses on Dalat's agricultural production and village life. We'll stop at a market garden to learn about flower-growing in this region. We'll also visit a silkworm factory and discover the process of silk-making from its very beginning. Then we'll continue on to the isolated traditional village of Buon Chuoi (Banana Village) to meet the Chil people, a hill tribe that practices subsistence farming. This tour includes lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we all depart for our visit to Dalat's crémaillere (cog railway) train station. Established by the French in the early 20th century, the railway linked Dalat to Thap Cham before ceasing operation in 1964 due to Viet Cong attacks. We'll admire the Art Deco aesthetic of the station and take a 30-minute train ride to the nearby town of Trai Mat. Here, we'll explore Linh Phuoc Pagoda, a striking Buddhist temple adorned with a mosaic of glass, pottery, and porcelain.

We'll return to Dalat in time for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 16
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Au Lac II Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we head to the airport for our short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Formerly known as Saigon, it is now a modern seaport and the country's largest city. Upon arrival, we embark on a city tour, which brings us first to the War Remnants Museum to see its artillery and armor collection and gain a North Vietnamese perspective on the "American War." Next, we'll see the Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame. The structure was completed in 1880 and is said to be on the site of an old pagoda. We also see the architecture of the majestic Post Office, built during the same time period and featuring two enormous murals depicting maps of Vietnam as it was many decades ago. Our tour continues to the former U.S. Embassy.

After a meal of traditional noodle soup at a local restaurant, we'll check into our hotel and enjoy free time before we gather for an orientation walk around the hotel.

This evening, we'll enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 17
Mekong Delta discovery
Meals included: B L Accommodations: Au Lac II Hotel or similar
Experience local life along the river
After breakfast, we journey outside of Ho Chi Minh City to discover Vietnam's famous Mekong Delta. We'll drive to the picturesque province of Ben Tre, where we'll enjoy a brief walk through Ben Tre village—famous for its coconut plantations—and take a sampan ride along one of the town's scenic and peaceful canals. We'll also visit a coconut candy workshop to learn about making the sweet keo dua the region is known for, and cruise to nearby Phoenix Island, where we'll learn about the local belief started by Ong Dao Dua, known as the "Coconut Monk." Then, after lunch at a local restaurant, we'll drive back to Ho Chi Minh City, where we have some time at leisure. Dinner is on your own this evening.

DAY 18
Cu Chi Tunnels tour
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Au Lac II Hotel or similar
See the Cu Chi tunnels in Vietnam
This morning, we’ll explore the Cu Chi Tunnels. We’ll begin in the village of Cu Chi, which sits on a vast network of tunnels stretching more than 125 miles. These tunnels allowed the Viet Cong to control a large area near the former Saigon. Many American visitors find this tour an especially emotional experience, as they discover how many North Vietnamese soldiers lived in the tunnels during the war.

After lunch together, you'll have the afternoon at leisure. This evening, we gather at a local restaurant for a special Farewell Dinner.

DAY 19
Return to the U.S. or begin post-trip extension
Meals included: B
After breakfast, we transfer to the airport in Ho Chi Minh for our flight to Los Angeles, making a connection in Taipei. Travelers who are flying to San Francisco will enjoy a morning at leisure before their afternoon flight home via Taipei.

Or, if you’re extending your adventure, you’ll fly to Siem Reap to begin your optional post-trip extension in Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

Day 1: Arrival - Hanoi

Overnight: Hanoi

Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam. You arrive in the country's charming capital city of Hanoi on an international flight and will be collected from the airport by your private guide. A private transfer afterwards will whisk you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is on your own to relax or go around by yourself.

Day 2: Hanoi, City Discovery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Hanoi

Get acquainted with the city on a morning excursion to some major historic sites, including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh House on Stilt, One Pillar Pagoda, Hoa Lo Prison and Temple of Literature. This afternoon, browse informative exhibitions related to the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, before hopping aboard a cyclo (Vietnamese rickshaw) to explore the maze-like streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter. End today's trip at the tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake, where you can walk leisurely to explore its surroundings like Ngoc Son Temple and enjoy a brilliant performance of traditional water puppetry.

Day 3: Hanoi - Ninh Binh

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: On Board

Depart from Hanoi in the morning and drive southward across some 90 km to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh Province. You will be rewarded with excellent views of atmospheric ruins surrounded by unspoiled scenery. Move forward to the magnificent Bai Dinh, the largest Buddhist pagoda in South-East Asia. Arguably today's highlight is the UNESCO-listed Trang An Landscape Complex, which promises the chance to cruise through many amazing caves aboard a traditional bamboo boat.

Day 4: Ninh Binh - Halong Bay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: On Board

After breakfast, travel onward by driving to the awe-inspiring Halong Bay, where over 1,600 largely uninhabited limestone islands rise out of crystal-blue waters. After boarding the cruise boat, you will sail through the bay enjoying the sights and activities: visit the Vung Vieng floating fishing village by kayaking, partake in a Vietnamese cooking demonstration, and join the others for squid fishing. For total relaxation, other options for you are to unwind in a sauna or simply sun yourself on the deck.

Day 5: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Dong Hoi

Meals: Light Breakfast, Brunch

Overnight: Dong Hoi

Wake up in paradise and kick off the day with a morning Tai Chi exercise on the deck. After a light breakfast, venture out to explore the mysterious Thien Canh Son Cave strewn with limestone stalactites and stalagmites. Once back on the boat, check out and enjoy the brunch. As your cruise boat arrives at the pier around 10:45 am, disembark and take a private transfer back to Hanoi airport for a brief flight to Dong Hoi. Upon arrival, a private transfer will whisk you to your hotel for the night.

Day 6: Dong Hoi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Dong Hoi

Today, embark on an excursion to the remarkable Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which protects a large number of karst caves and underground rivers. A scenic boat ride down the Son River will take you to first explore the mystical tunnels filled with mighty stalactites and stalagmites at Phong Nha Cave. You will then admire the magical beauty of sparkling Paradise Cave, dubbed as "Underground Royal Palace", which is believed to be the longest dry cave in Asia. After that, transfer back to your hotel.

Day 7: Dong Hoi - Hue

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Hue

After breakfast, continue your onward journey to the Imperial City of Hue in Central Vietnam, pausing on route to visit several historical relics left over from Vietnam War, like Vinh Moc Tunnels, the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and Hien Luong Bridge over the Ben Hai River. Once reaching there, settle into your Hue hotel, with the rest of the day to relax.

Day 8: Hue

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Hue

Today, delve deep into Hue's royal past as you explore the splendid Tomb of King Minh Mang, sail along the attractive Perfume River to the seven-storey Thien Mu Pagoda, and wander around the walled fortress and palace of Imperial Citadel. To close the day, take a relaxing stroll along the vibrant Dong Ba Market for a true insight into local life. After that, return to your hotel for a rest.

Day 9: Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Hoi An

After breakfast, set off on a 3.5-hour drive departing Hue for the charming ancient town of Hoi An. Along the way, you will pass by the Hai Van Pass, visit Cham Museum, and take a break at the Non Nuoc Beach. Check into your hotel on arrival, and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Day 10: Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary & Ancient Town Exploration

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Hoi An

After breakfast, set out to explore the ruined Hindu temples of My Son Sanctuary in a lush valley, about 1-hour drive from Hoi An. At the spiritual center of the once-mighty Cham

Empire, admire the crumbling ruins, hear about the Cham culture, and imagine what My Son was like in its heyday. Once back to Hoi An, take a walking tour of the ancient town center to fully absorb its old-world charms, from Vietnamese former merchant's house to the Japanese Covered Bridge, and wooden Chinese temples.

Day 11: Hoi An - Da Nang - Ho Chi Minh City

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City

Enjoy this morning at leisure before taking a private transfer to Da Nang airport for a short flight southward to Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by the locals. You will be collected from the airport on arrival by your new guide and taken to your downtown hotel. The rest of the day is on your own to relax or go around.

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels & Saigon City Tour

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City

This morning, drive out of the city to explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, an extensive underground stronghold once served as a hidden location and supply line of the Viet Cong. Crawling through the subterranean causeway, you will get to know the hardship of life in the complex and the Vietnamese resilience during combat. After that, transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City and take in major sights, including Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office, and Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat).

Day 13: Ho Chi Minh City, Day Excursion to Mekong Delta

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, head out on a day trip to explore Mekong Delta, a fertile agricultural area referred to as the country's rice bowl. A 1.5-hour scenic drive will take you through urbanized areas to My Tho, the main gateway to the Mekong Delta. You will first visit a local wholesale fruit market - Thanh Tri Market, before boarding a local ferry for a cruise on the Tien River dotted with lush islets and fishing villages. Disembark and take a short walk to Vuondau, with the chance to taste seasonal fruits and honey tea. Following this, a list of fun activities for you are drifting through the palm-shaded creek in a wooden canoe, visiting a coconut candy workshop and enjoying a horse-cart ride. After lunch at a local restaurant, hit the road for your return drive to Ho Chi Minh City, with an en-route visit to Vinh Trang Pagoda with an elegant blend of Asian and European styles.

Day 14: Ho Chi Minh City, Departure

Meal: Breakfast

Say goodbye to Vietnam and board your departure flight, either home or to your next destination.