Burgeoning design communities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) mean both towns now host a number of stylish boutiques and upscale galleries, in addition to refined restaurants and atmospheric cafes.
During an in-depth private tour, you will visit major cultural and historical attractions in each city and then focus on the types of design and products that most interest you, such as fine linens, modern art, custom furniture, shoes, handbags, jewelry and more. This tour can be fully customized to suit your needs, whether you’re buying souvenirs or researching new products.
On arrival at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport, you will be greeted by our guide and transferred to your hotel in town. You will see an evening water puppet performance before an overnight stay in Hanoi.
Here in Vietnam's artistic and intellectual capital, you will explore the fascinating Old Quarter and its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquer ware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. Next, you can walk around Hoan Kiem Lake before cyclo to dinner in a French colonial villa converted into a gourmet restaurant. Enjoy people watching at stylish cafes and shop for impressive modern art in the city's many galleries. Also, be sure to visit Hanoi's main cultural attractions, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Fine Arts Museum and the Temple of Literature. You will stay overnight in Hanoi.
In the morning you will drive to Halong Bay City, approximately 3 hours away from Hanoi. Once at Halong Bay City, you will be welcomed on board for a four-hour cruise on the stunning bay, stopping along the way to visit one of the limestone caves in the area. As you are cruising, the boat crew will serve you a sumptuous local seafood lunch. After 4 hours, you will sail back to the harbor, rejoin car, and head back to your hotel for another night's stay in Hanoi.
Today you will leave Hanoi and take a flight to HCMC. In the afternoon, there will be a private tour of galleries, studios and boutiques, or a half day visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels consist of more than 200km of underground tunnels and has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today, the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction, giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life was like during the U.S.-Vietnam War. You will stay overnight in HCMC.
In the morning you will have a private tour of HCMC, the country's commercial center and home to a growing number of upscale restaurants and shops. You will visit Chinatown, the Thien Hau Pagoda, the Reunification Palace, the Opera House and the Hotel de Ville. If desired, you can also visit the moving War Remnants Museum. Next, explore colorful outdoor markets and Dong Khoi Street, the city's upscale shopping boulevard with boutiques selling clothes and accessories designed by new Vietnamese designers, hill tribe crafts, high quality linens and house wares. Don't miss out on Vietnamese iced coffee and a banh mi (baguette sandwich) before an overnight stay in HCMC.
There is no activity planned for today, so you are free to enjoy your time souvenir shopping until transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
