Arrive in Hanoi and transfer to your preferred hotel and stay the night in Hanoi.

After breakfast, proceed for sightseeing in Hanoi. Although it is the modern-day capital of Vietnam, HANOI still retains the mystery and charm of past centuries. Narrow lanes and traditional shophouses invite an exciting exploration by walking, while its many beautiful public spaceslakes, parks, tree-lined boulevards and monuments give the city an air of elegance and harmony with nature unique among Asian capitals. Begin your day visiting the TEMPLE OF LITERATURE, a peaceful series of walled courtyards and graceful gateways, and one of the best serving examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture. Founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, this was also the site of Vietnam's first university. Continue to the miniature ONE PILLAR PAGODA. Also dating from the 11th century, this monument was rebuilt after being destroyed by the French in 1954. Today it stands near the vast HO CHI MINH MEMORIAL COMPLEX, a lovely park setting which is home to Ho Chi Minh's final resting place, as well as a museum and other memorials. Begin at the HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM, where visitors can pay respects to the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh. The Mausoleum is closed on every Mondays and Fridays and closes annually in October and November for restoration. Continue through the park to HO CHI MINH'S STILT HOUSE,the simple two-room dwelling where Ho Chi Minh lived from 1958 until his final days ( 1969). Preserved in the same condition as during his life, it may be viewed through the windows. Preserved in the same condition as during his life, it may be viewed through the windows. Afterwards head to visit one of Hanoi's famous museums, the MUSEUM OF ETHNOLOGY (Closed on Mondays and Vietnam New Year), which brings to life the astonishing ethnic diversity in Vietnam, with art and artifacts from the 54 different ethnic groups that inhabit the country. Inside the museum are detailed descriptions of minority groups, with examples of their traditional clothing and way of life. Outside are faithful reconstructions of traditional longhouses, cemeteries and other distinctive ethnic buildings. In the afternoon, visit HOAN KIEM LAKE and Ngoc Son Temple, located in heart of Hanoi, which contains an islet with the tiny TORTOISE PAGODA. Enroute, pass other colonial landmarks such as the magnificent OPERA HOUSE (may be seen from the outside only) and ST JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL. WATER PUPPET SHOW: a fantastic art form originating in the northern Vietnam, best seen in Hanoi. Stay the night in Hanoi

After breakfast in Hanoi, take the Vehicle from Hanoi to Ha Giang. ME VILLAGE (Ban Me): located 5km away from Ha Giang center, it is a very well protected village surprisingly. Being sponsored by Ha Giang officials, it is now used to be an eco tourism category. The village is clean and beautiful, home stays are clean and well facilitated. Overnight in Ha Giang.

Take the Vehicle from Dong Van to Ha Giang with sightseeing at Dong Van town and Meo Vac market on Sunday only. Start your day with walking for 5 minutes to the well-known Dong Van market (Sunday only). The old and young walkers exchange merry chats on the long journey as they shoulder bamboo baskets of rice and vegetables as well as take cattle, fowl, or whatever they can sell at the colorful market, which is far from the pass. Many of the ethnic people, especially young girls, dress up in their colorful costumes for their journey to Dong Van Market, as if they were going to a festival. Adults take their children, sisters or brothers to the market to share with them moments of merrymaking as well as bowls of noodle soup or other food specialties of the region. By vehicle from Dong Van to Meo Vac with photo stop at Ma Pi Leng Pass. The Ma Pi Leng Pass is of course the best position to appreciate the magnificent mountain chains and cliff faces. >From the top, you can see ethnic people farming on small terraced fields by the sides of mountains, and witness how hard locals have to struggle with extreme conditions for their life. Despite the hardship, the people are friendly and willing to offer a smiling welcome to you. For these reasons many locals say proudly that the Ma Pi Leng provides visitors with "the most stunning scenery in northern Vietnam." The pass descends into a pretty valley where a colorful bustling market and little town of Meo Vac are situated. Meo Vac is a land of rugged mountains and beautiful hill villages remaining unchanged for centuries. The Meo Vac market (Sunday only) attracts a wide variety of ethnic minority groups who walk all the way from their mountain villages to Meo Vac market in order to trade goods and produce. Market sessions provide a chance for locals to promenade and young men and women in colourful costumes to meet, date or seek partners. For this reason, markets in the northern mountainous areas are often called the Love Markets. Continue to Ha Giang. Stay the night at Ha Giang.

After breakfast, take the vehicle from Ha Giang to Hanoi and stay the night in Hanoi.

After breakfast, proceed to Halong bay and take the excursion by boat through Halong Bay including lunch (4 hours, private). Board your charming traditional wooden junk for cruising through the Bay. En-route lunch will be served. Following cruise by rock formations with such names as Stone Dog, Incense Burner ( Dinh Huong), Fighting Cock ( Ga Choi). At the core of the islets, there are two wonderful caves and grottoes to visit as Thien Cung (Heavenly Residence Grotto), Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto) before returning to Halong pier. Travel by vehicle from Halong to Ninh Binh and stay the night in Ninh Binh.

Excursion to Cuc Phuong National Park and Kenh Ga floating village with boat trip. Tropical plants and exotic animals abound in the jungle region of Thanh Hoa, making CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK home to an extraordinary variety of species. Established in 1962, it is considered to be one of Vietnam's most important nature reserves. Before entering the park gates, stop at ENDANGERED PRIMATE RESCUE CENTER, which saves nearly extinct primates from hunters and medicine seekers. Tour the Center, run jointly by German and Vietnamese biologists, and observe some of the different gibbons, langurs and lorises that currently make their home here before being reintroduced to the wild. KENH GA FLOATING VILLAGE: enjoy a leisurely boat ride past verdant rice paddies to Kenh Ga village, located at the base of dramatic limestone cliffs. Enjoy watching daily life along the riverbanks and observe the unique method that the villagers use to row their boats with their feet. Stay overnight in Ninh Binh.

Travel by Vehicle from Ninh Binh to Vinh and Visit Phat Diem. PHAT DIEM is the site of a cathedral remarkable for its vast dimensions and unique Sino-Vietnamese architecture. During the French era, the cathedral was an important centre of Catholicism in the north and there was a seminary here. KIM LIEN: Ho Chi Minh's birthplace. The house in which he was born in 1890 is maintained as a sacred shrine and is a favorite pilgrimage spot for Vietnamese people. Ho's childhood home is a simple farmhouse, reflecting his humble background. Stay the night in Vinh.

Travel by Vehicle from Vinh to Dong Ho and take the excursion to Phong Nha Cave with boat trip. The PHONG NHA cave system is about 50 kilometers away from Dong Hoi, northwestern across Quang Binh Province. Arrived at the PHONG NHA CAVE a boat takes you about 5 kilometers downstream the Son river, which is the worlds longest underground river, and winds its way through the cave system. From the Phong Nha cave you will continue the trip to the Tien Son cave. Then the BI KY will be visited. This cave was used of the Cham people, an ethnic minority, in the 9th and 10th century as a Buddhist sanctuary. While visiting this cave the visitors get the chance to have a look at the altars and inscriptions of these cultures. On the way back the Tien (Fairy) cave and the Imperial Palace (Cung Dinh) will be visited as well. These caves are known for their breathtaking stalactite. Furthermore, the Suoi Moc Spring will be visited. Stay overnight in Dong Hoi

After breakfast in Dong Hoi, travel by vehicle from Dong Hoi to Dong Ha and take the excursion to Vinh Moc Tunnel and Quang Tri Citadel. QUANG TRI: the town was once an important citadel city. During the war, it was heavily bombed and not many of the original buildings of the time are left. VINH MOC TUNNELS. The villagers of Vinh Moc carved this 2.8 km network of tunnels by hand out of the the red earth, making these tunnels their home to escape what was one of the most heavily bombed areas in the war. Today these tunnels have been restored as a historical monument. Travel by vehicle from Dong Ha to Hue. Stay overnight in Hue.

Enjoy the breakfast in Hue and then proceed for the excursion to Thien Mu Pagoda and Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang with boat trip. Enjoy a leisurely boat ride down the PERFUME RIVER, stopping first at the iconic THIEN MU PAGODA, an elegant seven-tiered octagonal tower which has become Hue's most widely recognizable monument. Continue cruising into the countryside to the IMPERIAL TOMB OF MINH MANG, a majestic complex of courtyards, pavilions and temples in a beautiful natural setting. Located in the heart of Hue is the IMPERIAL CITADEL, a vast complex built in the early 19th century and modelled after the Forbidden City of Peking. The original walls stretched for 10 km and were surrounded by a wide moat. Today, most of the buildings have been destroyed due to bombing during the Vietnam-American War, but the monuments that remain provide a fascinating glimpse into the court life of the Nguyen Dynasty. Approach the city past the striking FLAG TOWER, where a giant Vietnamese flag waves proudly overhead, to the imposing NGO MON GATE, the main entrance to the Imperial Enclosure. Enter into an area of spacious courtyards and serene lotus ponds, and visit DIEN THO Residence ( Dien Tho palace) is where the Queen mother lived, visit THAI HOA PALACE, the magnificently decorated reception hall, the HALLS OF THE MANDARINS, and the original NINE DYNASTIC URNS, among other sites. DONG BA MARKET: a local market near the Imperial City. Stay overnight in Hue.

After breakfast at Hue, visit the Imperial Tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Venture into the countryside around Hue to the IMPERIAL TOMB OF TU DUC. Tu Duc, the longest reigning Vietnamese emperor, designed and built this elegant tomb during his lifetime, using it as a retreat for meditation, reading and theater performances. Take some time to soak in the tranquil atmosphere, wandering among the gracefully proportioned pavilions, courtyards and lotus ponds. Afterwards visit the IMPERIAL TOMB OF KHAI DINH, dramatically located on a hillside. The last of the monumental tombs of the Nguyen dynasty, completed in 1931, this tomb incorporates distinct European elements into the traditional Vietnamese architecture. Travel by vehicle from Hue to Hoi An with sightseeing in Danang. Journey from Hue over scenic mountainous roads with spectacular views over the coastline. Halfway between Danang and Hue lies the dramatic HAI VAN PASS, the high dividing line between the climate zones of north and south Vietnam. Continue southwards passing LANG CO, a lovely stretch of beach curving outwards between a clear blue lagoon and the South China Sea. After arriving in DANANG, tour the CHAM MUSEUM, an elegant colonial building which now houses the finest collection of Cham sculpture in the world and briefly pass NON NUOC BEACH, a famous spot for American soldiers during the Vietnam-American War. Continue south to Hoi An, stopping enroute to visit the MARBLE MOUNTAINS, five stone hillocks, once islands, that now rise sharply from the surrounding ricefields. Riddled with caves and shrines, they are said to each represent one of the five elements of the universe. Stay overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast, take the vehicle from Quy Nhon to Pleiku. PLEIKU is a major market town in the western highlands, where many members of the JARAI minority reside. The Jarai are most famous for their unusual cemeteries, with carved wooden totems representing the deceased. Visit the GIA LAI ETHNOGRAPHY MUSEUM for an introduction to the ethnic minorities of the region. Visit the LOCAL MARKET before driving to outskirt of town to visit the SEA LAKE (BIEN HO), a beautiful, deep mountain lake formed from a prehistoric volcanic crater, enjoying lovely views from the old crater rim. Enroute, visit one of the JARAI and BAHNAR minority villages. Stay overnight in Pleiku.

After breakfast at Nha Trang, travel by vehicle from Nha Trang to Saigon with sightseeing at the Cham Towers.Journey south along the coast to Saigon, stopping enroute at the PO KLONG GAI RAI CHAM TOWERS, four brick monuments from the Cham civilization, dating back to the 13th century. Stay overnight in Saigon.