This 14-day tour of Vietnam provides opportunities for homestays with local people in rural areas to learn about their daily lives. Visitors will split time between homestays and hotels while traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay to the Mekong Delta. Key experiences include a homestay with the White Thai people in Mai Chau, overnight on a boat in Halong Bay, and a homestay on Long Ho island in the Mekong Delta. The tour offers immersion in local cultures through activities like helping with farm work or visiting local markets.

1. HOMESTAY EXPERIENCES/ 14 DAYS 13 NIGHTS
14 days for you to explore the real experiences in Vietnam not only travelling to popular destination but
also stay with local people to learn more about their daily life. The tour mix between home stay and hotels
from Hanoi capital, Hoa Lu Ancient city, Mai Chau stilts house, staying at home of Dzay or Red Dzao
people, enjoy the beautiful of sun set & sun rise on board in Halong
bay. Your trip continues to explore South Vietnam with Cu Chi tunnels
and stay my Mekong river house before departure
Tour route from A to G
Day 1 – 2: Arrival Hanoi & Tour
Welcome arrival and start by easy tour to capital of Hanoi and Ancient
city of Hoa Lu with 2 hours boat trip among rice paddy fields and lime
stone mountains.
Day 3 – 9: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Sapa Home stay
This is the focus section of the tour lead you to home and life style of
hill tribe people in North Vietnam, interactive with them to know more
about our culture and traditional, taking memory photos of natures and
people in charming costumes.
Day 10 – 11: Enjoy Halong bay on board
Let relaxing and enjoy your trip by overnight on board in Halong bay,
the World Heritage in North Vietnam viewing Sun rise and Sun setting
over the spectacular of lime stones mountains rising from green and
clear ocean.
Day 12 – 14: Exploring Mekong delta
Your trip continue to explore litter about South Vietnam history of Cu Chi tunnels, the commercial city and
staying with local people by Mekong river where you will know the different between North and South of
Vietnam.
Details program
Day 1: Arrival – Hanoi (D)
Upon arrival Noi Bai airport, you are met and transferred to your hotel.
Then you are free. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc – Ninh Binh (B/L)
This morning you will take 2 hours drive to Ninh Binh to visit ancient
capital of Vietnam from 968 AD to 1010 AD during the Dinh and early
Le Dynasties. You’ll visit two small temples of the Kings, each of which
is nearly a thousand years old. From here you start cycling in the quiet
countryside roads to the spectacular limestone peaks to Tam Coc,
passing colourful rice paddies and through the rural villages.
Lunch is served in Tam Coc in the local restaurant. After lunch you will take a traditional boat trip to visit
Tam Coc often named as Shadow of Halong Bay with Limestone peaks, rice paddy field spreading along
your paddling, beautiful cave the boat ride about 2:30 minute before disembark and drive to hotel for
check in. Overnight in Ninh Binh.
Day 3: Ninh Binh – Mai Chau (B/D)
After breakfast at hotel you are greeting and leaving city for Mai Chau, Hoa Binh home of Muong and
White Thai minority people living. The journey through out developing site of Hanoi such as

2. International convention, high standard living area with the plan this
will be new commercial centre of Hanoi.
Along the way you are driving through Hoa Binh province stop over at
the biggest hydro power station in Vietnam built by Russian in 1979.
Stopping along the steep up to Mai Chau as an option for coffee or
taking photos. Group is supposed to be tip top of Mai Chau valley by
the Sun downing for photo. O/N in Pom Coong village
Village facilities
Stay on the house on stilts
Hot water
Share bathroom
Instant Coffee made
Beverage & Local beers available
Western set breakfast (Butter, Jam, Eggs)
Local breakfast instant noodle
Prepare yourselves
Towels, mosquito spray (Feb – April), walking shoes
Good time for travel: January – April, September – December
Thai people: There are about 1.5 millions living in Vietnam mainly
residence in the Northwest of country. There are White Thai and Black
Thai click here to get more information about group
Day 4: Mai Chau (B/L/D)
Now it is really a time for you to explore culture and traditional of White
Thai people. They start a day in early morning 5 AM, working on the
rice paddy fields, raising their Cocoon, go to market prepare for a day.
Today our tour guide will take you go for couple hours walking to some
nearby villages such as Lac, Nameo for daily life experiences of local people. At lunch return to your home
stay for lunch and take afternoon free at leisure. (Easy walking every one can join)
Day 5: Mai Chau – Hanoi – Lao Cai (B/ L)
Morning free time on your own to wander around talking to local people, we will return to Hanoi to take
overnight train to Sapa. Overnight in the train to Lao Cai.
Day 6: Lao Cai – Sapa (B/L)
The train arrives in Lao Cai early in the morning, you will uphill to Sapa. At an elevation of 1,500 meters,
was once a hill resort of French administrators when the summer heat became unbearable. The
remoteness and the simple lifestyle of ethnic minority people are a highlight of Sapa though conditions
are basic. After settling into your hotel you will take a soft trek to Cat Cat village about 3 kilometres
away from town take you about 3 hours walking to visit H’Mong minority people who first lived in Vietnam
in the 17th & 18th centuries, then you’ll walk to Ham Rong mountain about 2 hours for a fabulous
overview of Sapa town. Overnight in Sapa.
Day 7: Sapa tour (B/L)
Today you will get away from main town and road through nature
towards Lao Chai village of the Black Hmong minority, Tavan village
of Dzay minority and spend some time in the afternoon by the
waterfalls of Giang Ta Chai village before reach your home stay.
Overnight in the village
Day 8: Sapa – local market – Lao Cai (B/L)
After breakfast at hotel this morning group will continues to visit a local market on Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday depend on your arrival date visit many minority groups
like Flower H’mong, Black Dzao, Dzay…come to trade for their weekly plan.

3. You will then start a short walk to Trung Do village, which belongs to the Tay minority. Here you can stop
by a traditional Tay house for a cup of tea before you get on a boat. You will have a cruise downstream
the Chay River to experience the picturesque scenes and the magnificent sight of a beautiful cave. The
boat ride ends at Bao Nhai bridge, where you get on the car for the journey back to Lao Cai for overnight
train to Hanoi.
Day 9: Hanoi – Halong (B/L/D)
On arrival you will check in a day room for few hours and breakfast at
hotel before transfer out to the internationally famous and stunning
beautiful Halong Bay, made world famous by James Bond in Tomorrow
Never Dies. Arriving just before lunch, you’ll embark on a traditional
Vietnamese junk. Take lunch on board and enjoy the afternoon and
overnight cruise as it provides you with fantastic views of the fabulous
scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands which
amazingly rise from the clear and emerald water. The limestone karst formations are littered with
beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves, some of which you’ll visit. Overnight on board in Halong Bay
Day 10: Halong – Hanoi or Hai Phong – Ho Chi Minh (B & Brunch)
The tour continues with a morning spent cruising on to the Man’s Head, Tortoise islands and then Luon
Cave by small bamboo boat. After an brunch check out and continue to travel though Bai Tu Long to Bai
Chay for disembark, meet the driver and guide to transfer you back to Hanoi or Hai Phong for 2 hours
flight to Ho Chi Minh. Greeting on arrival transfer to hotel, overnight in Ho Chi Minh
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh – Cai Be (B/D)
In the morning you are met and transferred to Cai Be with a stop at Trung Luong for some cups of
tea/coffee and toilet.
10.30am: get on a motorized boat (with cover and life jackets). Cruise to see a bit of the wholesale
floating market, and catch some pictures of fishing activities (cameras should be ready on your hands
most of the times). A visit stop on a nearby island to see local businesses e.g. pop rice made, coconut
candy made, rice wine made, rice paper made... a lunch stop at a local family on another island with
Mekong specialties such as elephant ear fish, fresh water prawns... keep going to cruise to another island
to see more other local businesses, for instance brick/tile factory, knife made, keep going to cruise to a
home stay in Long Ho island a dinner will be included with more local cuisines such as rice soup with
chicken, steamed elephant ear fish with rice paper (make your own rolls)...and some cups of rice wine will
make your meal more tasty and lively... an optional folksong showed if requested.
Overnight on Long Ho island (a folded single bed, a pillow, a blanket
and a small towel will provided - hot and cold shower with private toilet
well-set up here - so should not worry!)
Village facilities
Stay on the mattes
Hot water for shower
Share bathroom
Instant Coffee available
Beverage & Local beers available
Western set breakfast (Butter, Jam, Eggs)
Local breakfast instant noodle
Prepare yourselves
Towels, mosquito spray
Day 12: Cai Be – Ho Chi Minh (B/L)
For whom that can get up early! - 6am - 7.30am: a walk around the island to see a local market and a
primary school near-by. Highly recommended!
- 6am - 7.30am: an optional short cycling trip around the island (bike can be rented easily at the home
stay).
For everyone!

4. - 7.30am - 8am: breakfast
- 8am: cruise to see more the floating market
- On the way back, stop at Dong Tam snake farm, the biggest farm in the country.
- Lunch at Trung Luong
- Keep going to head back to the bustling and hustling Saigon for
overnight.
Day 13: Ho Chi Minh tour – Cu Chi tunnel – Ho Chi Minh (B/L)
After breakfast, you are followed by a guided tour of some of the most
important attractions in Ho Chi Minh City, beginning with the
Reunification Palace, which was the former residence of the
Southern Vietnam President until the end of April 1975. Close to the
palace are some striking French colonial structures including the Notre
Dame Cathedral and the Old Saigon Post Office. You'll also visit the
Jade Emperor Pagoda, one of the best examples of Taoist temples in Vietnam.
After your own lunch you'll be driven to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground network of
approximately 200km constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence. The
tunnels contained hospitals, accommodation and schools, and were used as a military base for the Viet
Cong in the American War.
Day 14: Ho Chi Minh – Departure (B)
There is some free time for your own exploration in Ho Chi Minh until we transfer to airport for your flight
departure. The trip ends at airport.
Trip notes:
- Best time to travel: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar & Apr
- Time to save money to travel: May - September
Included in the tour price:
• Transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
• Accommodation: twin/ double sharing room at mentioned hotels or similar
• Domestic flights: Hanoi or Hai Phong – Ho Chi Minh on economy class with airport tax
• Meal as mentioned in the program
• Entrance fee to indicated sights
• Boat trip in Tam Coc, Chay River and Cai Be, Ving Long
• English speaking guide
Exclusive:
Other meals, tips, drinks, international airport taxes, single room supplements, peak season surcharges,
personal expenses, travel insurance, visas, flights in and out Vietnam, any optional additional tours or
activities during free time.