Best of Vietnam – Thailand Family Vacation 14 days

Upon your arrival at Hanoi airport, your tour guide and driver will greet you and escort you to your hotel, help with your check-in. The rest of day is for your relax.

After breakfast, you have a full day today to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and his personal residence, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Tran Quoc Pagoda. End the morning with a visit to the Museum of Ethnology (or Women Museum, History Museum, Hoa Lo Prison or Army Museum)
In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, the first University for the sons of mandarins. Followed by a visit to Ngoc Son Temple nearby Hoan Kiem Lake. Enjoy a one-hour rickshaw sight-seeing tour around Hanoi Old Quarter for great fun. Then, watch a traditional water puppet show in the late afternoon. Back to your hotel, free at leisure and overnight in the hotel of Hanoi.

Note: please note Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Monday and Friday and most of museums are closed on Monday.

We start at 8.00 A.M for the 3.5 hour drive (170 km) through the Red River Delta, which offers plenty of chances for taking photos of Vietnamese farmers tilling the vast green paddy fields. Stop at half way for taking a short break. Arrive at Halong City, check in and board your junk, enjoy approximately 24 hours journey in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as we sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, enjoy some activities in the bay, or just spend some time relaxing on board (Possibility to swim in the bay if weather permits). Dinner is served on board.

Note: Visits or activities will be slightly different depending on each junk’s itinerary. Your tour guide will be replaced by a local guide on board during your cruise.

Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, and a light breakfast before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay as we navigate back to Halong City. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to Halong pier. Our guide and driver will meet you at the pier then drive back to Hanoi Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Sai Gon). Upon your arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, your tour guide and driver will greet you and escort you to Ho Chi Minh City, help with your check-in in hotel. The rest of day is for your relax.

In the morning, drive outside of Ho Chi Minh City to visit the incredible Cu Chi Tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels are an underground labyrinth of passageways, used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War (or “American War” as it’s referred to here) as protection against American air raids. Those inclined are invited to crawl through selections of the tunnels to better understand what life was like for the Vietnamese soldiers during wartime.
In the afternoon, back to Sai Gon for a visit to the 19th century ‘Notre-Dame’ Cathedral, the beautiful Central Post Office which are fine examples of classical French colonial architecture. Continue with a tour of the former Presidential Palace (Reunification Palace), now preserved as a museum. After that, we finish the day by visiting the War Remnants Museum and the bustling Ben Thanh Market.

Today we will start our exploration of the Mekong Delta, a major rice producing area. This must be one of the most fascinating riverine deltas in the world. After breakfast, drive to Cai Be in the heart of the Mekong Delta. On arrival, we will make a boat trip to the Cai Be floating Market, visit villages and meet the people of the Mekong Delta. Along the way, stop at a candy factory and orchard garden, where you have an opportunity to listen to traditional music. Enjoy a relaxing lunch at a riverside restaurant, then cross the river by motorized boat to visit some fluvial islands and explore the countryside by bicycle. Then, get on pier at Vinh Long and drive to Can Tho for the night.

In the morning, we make the boat cruise to see the Cai Rang floating market (the nicest one with heaps of rowing boats), truly highlights of any Vietnam Tours where you will enjoy the beautiful scenery and see the daily activities of the locals who live along the Mekong canals. Then venture deeper into the country-side, passing traditional houses made of wood and palm leaves as you observe the activities of the local people. Return to Can Tho then drive back to Saigon airport, arriving in the afternoon and take a flight to Bangkok.
Arrival at Bangkok airport, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel for check in. You’ll spend the night in Bangkok.

After breakfast, you’ll begin your tour of Bangkok with a long tail boat ride along the Chao Phraya River to see many lively inner canals which provide some fantastic views of the local life. Along the way you will stop over at Wat Arun, the temple of dawn, before continuing to the Grand Palace which dedicated to the Thai Royal Family’s ceremonies. Nearby is the magnificent Wat Phra Kaew, which is famous for the Emerald Buddha Image. After seeing this complex, you will drive through the many vibrant streets of China Town to some of the most significant temples in Bangkok. The landmark of Wat Traimit is well known as the Golden Buddha Temple while Wat Pho houses a gigantic Reclining Buddha. You will spend the night in Bangkok

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Bangkok airport for a morning g flight to Chiang Rai. On arrival transfer to visit the world famous Golden Triangle where the borders of three countries (Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar) are met. Enjoy the panoramic view of Mekong River and House of Opium and Boat Trip along the Mae Khong River, made a stop at Don Sao Village, Laos. Then continue to Mae Sai town, the Thailand-Myanmar border and the northernmost point of Thailand. Enjoy shopping the Myanmar products at the local market. After the tour proceed to Chiang Rai and free at own leisure. You will spend the night in Chiang Rai

Breakfast at hotel, checkout from hotel then drive to Chiang Mai. On arrival visit Doi Suthep and Hill Tribe Villages, Visit the most sacred Wat Phathat Doi Suthep, 15 kms. from the city, 3,500 ft. above sea level and built in 1383. See the marvelous golden pagoda which is contain the relics of the Lord Buddha. Enjoy the panoramic view of Chiang Mai City
After lunch, you’ll continue to Bor Srang and San Kamphaeng for all kind of local products. Check into hotel and free at own leisure. You’ll spend the night in Chiang Mai.

After breakfast, you will be free until the driver gets to go to Chiang Mai airport for a flight to Phu-ket, transit in Bangkok (No direct flight to Krabi). Arrive connecting flight to Phuket. Arrive Phuket Airport, transfer to check into hotel and free at own leisure.

Breakfast at hotel. Whole day free at own leisure on beaches

Breakfast at hotel. Whole day free at own leisure on beaches

Free time at leisure for you to wrap up your memorable Vietnam – Thailand Holiday until our tour guide escorts you to the airport for your departure flight. Goodbye and see you again.