Essential Vietnam & Thailand Tour

Today you will fly to Hanoi. On arrival, your private guide will welcome you at the arrival hall and transfer you to your hotel with a private car and driver. Your guide will help you with luggage and hotel check-in and ensure your arrival is worry-free.

Today you'll jump into Hanoi's sights and sounds on a tour that covers all the essentials. You'll visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes the Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh's former stilt-house residence, The Hoa Lo Prison, The One Pillar Pagoda and The Temple of Literature, which, dating back to 1070, is Vietnam’s oldest university.

After lunch, you will explore the enthralling Museum of Ethnology, which contains an extensive display of life-size structures dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minorities. Next, enjoy an hour-long cyclo ride winding through the narrow, chaotic streets of the Old Quarter - a must for any visitor to Hanoi! The day finishes with a traditional performance of the famous Vietnamese Water Puppets Show.

After breakfast, you will take a private transfer for about 3 hrs to Halong City, where you will begin your one and a half days' Halong Bay cruise. You will board the tradtional Vietnamese junk in the afternoon and cruise around the Halong Bay's limestone islets and caves doted the sea and see the sun set over the clam waters at the deck. Enjoy a wonderful dinner at evening. All meals are included during your stay on board. There are also a variety of optional activities waiting for you. Such as swimming, kayaking, diving...etc.  

Wake up early this morning to catch the sunrise over the bay with a Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck. Continue cruising and you can choose either kayak or traditional rowing boat to around discovering local life on the waters. Disembark at Tuan Chau International Passenger Port at around 11:00, where your guide and driver will wait for you and drive you to Hanoi airport for your onward flight (arrive at the airport at around 1:30 pm).  

Today you will fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, our guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is on your own to relax.

This morning set out for the incredible underground Cu Chi Tunnels and then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City to visit the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace (the former Presidential Palace), the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office and Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat) absolutely nice choices for a free stroll.

In the early morning, you will head out of the bustling city to Mekong Delta Area. Cruising on the Mekong river for sightseeing: islands of Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, Phoenix. 

Land on Unicorn island, take a walk on the village road, visit an orchard of tropical fruits. Visit a bee-farm, enjoy honey-tea and visit a typical house in Mekong Delta. Visit coconut candy workshop, taste fresh candies. Enjoy tropical fruits at local farm, listen to Southern traditional music. 

Next to land on Dragon island, transfer by cyclo or motorbike to local home. Have a homemade lunch and enjoy cooking time with some dishes such as “Banh Xeo” (Vietnamese crepe); Spring Rolls.... with the owners. After lunch, return to boat station. Transfer back to Saigon. End of tour at your hotel.

Your guide will escort you to the airport for your flight to Bangkok. On arrival, your private guide will welcome you at the arrival hall and transfer you to your hotel with a private car and driver. Your guide will help you with luggage and hotel check-in and ensure your arrival is worry-free.

Pick up from your hotel in Bangkok and head out from Bangkok to Bang Wha train station to get on the local train at 10:10 am. This train will take you to Maeklong Railway Market where there is a variety of food stalls, raw ingrediency, seafood, and all shops selling on the railway. Arrive at Maeklong Market and enjoy walking around this famous market you will have a chance to try seasonal fresh fruit and local snacks.

Continue to the most famous floating market in Thailand - Damnern Saduak Market. Get on the long tail boat and enjoy the scenic views of Thai houses of Thai people living along the river and canals. And enjoy tasting famous coconut pancakes, coconut ice cream, noodles etc.,

Afternoon return to Bangkok to visit the Grand Palace which is the most important and impressive Royal Palace in Thailand. We will show you the palaces used for different occasions – the Funeral Palace, the Reception Palace, and of course the mysterious Emerald Buddha, the most revered Buddha image in Thailand. 

After a long day, our guide takes you from Grand Palace to the hidden rooftop café to enjoy your drink with sunset moments behind the Temple of Dawn (WAT ARUN). Finish the tour and return to your hotel.

Depart for a 1.5-hour drive through Bangkok's rural outskirts to Ayutthaya History Park which was the capital of the Thai Kingdom for 417 years. The city was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong and in 1767 it was destroyed by the Burmese army. Nowadays the ruins of the former city are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. 

Stroll around the ruins of several ancient temples including Wat Yai Chaimongkol, a temple famous for its huge reclining Buddha lying comfortably in the sun (28-meter-long reclining Buddha); Wat Mahathat, where the roots of a tree surround the head of Buddha. During the visit, your guide will take you to sample a notable local snack – Roti Sai Mai which is also referred to as 'Sweet Angel Hair'.

This afternoon at around 1:00 pm, Welcome on board the Chao Phraya River cruise and enjoy a Superb buffet lunch whilst cruising back to Bangkok. Coffee breaks will be served while you enjoy the enchanting sight along the river banks such as the Royal barges, Thammasat University, The Royal Grand Palace, and the graceful Temple of Dawn. Witness the daily life of the river’s inhabitants and watch the scenery change from rural to cosmopolitan transfer back to Bangkok (at around 4:00 pm).

You will transfer to Bangkok airport for your internal flight to Phuket. On arrival, your private driver will take you to the hotel for check-in.

You'll take in Phuket Island's natural beauty as you are driven along beach roads through Patong, Karon, Kata, and Rawai. Your first stop will be the hilltop 'Three Beaches' viewpoint where you can take in a great vista of the beautiful bays of Kata Noi, Kata, and Karon, as well as Kho Pu Island, at one of the island's best scenic spots. 

You will continue to visit Phuket's Big Buddha, which is one of the most important and revered landmarks on the island. The huge image sits on top of the Nakkerd Hills between Chalong and Kata and, at 45 meters tall, can be seen from as far away as Phuket Town and Karon Beach. Then go to Wat Chalong is the largest and most revered. The temple complex was built in its current location in 1837. Some remains of older structures have been found, however, it is unknown exactly how old they are.

The last stop is Phuket Town. Soak up an atmosphere at a local market with many local food and people. Try to eat like locals by starting to drink Thai coffee and enjoy eating 6 local food and drink stops. For example, “Ba-Jang”, an authentic Chinese food made of sticky rice and various other ingredients all wrapped up in bamboo leaves and steamed. Enjoy the experience of the famous traditional Phuket dish “Mee Hokkein”  and taste it in a local environment. And also a fresh coconut, local dessert, and ice cream. All of the food you have known all food stories relate to people. Get many true Phuket cultures by walking through the fresh market, a Chinese Shrine, a Buddhist temple, and Phuket Old Town. Learn about its Sino-Portuguese Heritage, architecture, and Peranakan community’s culture by walking and looking at buildings along the road. 

**All the food mentioned above are samples for your reference, our guide will arrange the food for you depending on your preferences.

Day of leisure. Relax at your hotel or explore the surrounding area.

Day of leisure. Relax at your hotel or explore the surrounding area.

Enjoy your free time until your guide comes to escort you to the airport for your onward flight.