12 Day Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Vietnam Holiday

Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi arrival

Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey. You will have a ‘Welcome’ dinner at a restaurant in a refurbished French colonial villa.

✓ Dinner

Day 2: Hanoi/Hue 

Your morning will be free until your car and driver arrives to take you to the airport for your flight to Hue. When you arrive, you’ll be met by a guide and driven to your hotel to check in. You’ll then take a boat cruise to Thien Mu, a tranquil pagoda on the banks of the Perfume River, before driving along the river to Emperor Minh Mang’s mausoleum. You’ll then drive back to Hue to visit the Dong Ba market.

Each Royal mausoleum reflects the personality of the emperor it commemorates. The most majestic is that of Emperor Minh Mang, a staunch follower of Confucianism with many wives, concubines and a small army of children. Planned by the Emperor and built shortly after his death, the tomb is opulent and exotic in formal Chinese style – a good example of classic Sino-Vietnamese architecture. 

✓ Breakfast

Day 3: Cycling to get closer to Hue’s life (25km)

Bike from Hotel – Ngoc Son garden house and temple – Imperial Citadel – Phu Mong Kim Long – Thien Mu Pagoda – Hotel (30 km).

In the morning, your bicycles will be ready for you to ride through Dong Ba market to Ngoc Son Princess “garden houses” It has an attractive family altar and the owner is an expert on Hue’s culture and history – he will be pleased to explain the geomantic principles underpinning the building and garden’s construction. Then your route will take you back to the Old quarter to visit Tay Loc airfield ruin and the Imperial Citadel. After lunch, you will visit some of the garden houses in Phu Mong Kim Long village if you wish, then loop back to your hotel.

The garden houses are a unique feature of Hue. The houses are traditional, privately owned, and set in attractive formal gardens. Some have connections with the old Royal Imperial Court. Hue traditional architecture has long had close associations with the natural environment. The garden houses reflect this association. Each is highly individual – house and garden, people and scenery, plants, clouds and water co-exist and blend with each other in a harmonious context. The narrow streets and abundant flora give the garden house area a country village feeling.

✓ Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4: Hue/Danang/Hoi An

In the morning, your car will pick you up for the journey to Danang. On the way, you’ll cross the scenic Hai Van Pass, where views of Lang Co Beach, its peaceful village, and the lagoon make the trip feel extra special. Starting your day with mountain vistas and a calm coastline (weather permitting) is a perfect way to embrace the festive mood. Once in Danang, you’ll make a brief stop at the Cham Museum to explore its fascinating collection of ancient artifacts. From there, you’ll continue to the charming town of Hoi An.

After lunch, the afternoon is yours to relax. You might take a leisurely stroll through Hoi An’s lantern-lit streets, which have a magical festive glow at this time of year, or simply unwind at your seaside hotel. In the evening, enjoy a Christmas Eve gathering with a festive dinner, blending local charm with a touch of Christmas cheer.

Hoi An town is a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage area. An ancient trading port, once the largest in Indochina, Hoi An was a meeting point for many cultures that left their mark in the different architectural features of its wooden buildings. The original traditional street pattern still exists, as does the quay that once welcomed ships from all over East Asia and beyond. Many remained there for months at a time, waiting for favourable trade winds to carry them home. There are plenty of good restaurants offering a variety of cuisines and price levels. The town is also a good place for shopping for silk. You can have your clothes tailor-made within a day or two at reasonable cost.

Hoi An town is five kilometres from Cua Dai Beach – part of what was known as China Beach and used for rest and recreation by American GIs during the Vietnam War. The beach is composed of white sand, is fringed with palm trees and overlooks the South China Sea.

✓ Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5: Hoi An – From Farmer to Fisherman Tour ½ day (Join-in tour)

The day starts with cycling the narrow roads through the countryside, passing by rice paddy fields, water buffalos, bamboo bridges and local farmers on their daily work. You’ll then board a boat to the mouth of the Thu Bon estuary where the river meets the Cua Dai Sea and cruise along the coastline observing the lives of the local fishermen.

After joining the fisherman to try your hand at catching fish in a traditional ‘Thung Chai’ basket boat, you will meander through the water palm coconut canal. During the American War, Viet Cong soldiers made use of this area as a highly effective hiding place from enemy attacks. Following an insightful visit to a local fishing village, you’ll be free to relax and enjoy a fresh seafood lunch before cycling back to your hotel.

Thung Chai Basket boats, similar in style to coracles in use throughout the ancient world, are widely used throughout Central Vietnam, and are highly suited to the local terrain and lifestyles of local fishermen due to their relative light weight and portability, often doubling as a carrier for various handy items. Circular and constructed of bamboo and tarred for waterproofing, these small boats can typically carry up to five people, and represent a fun-filled opportunity to touch the authentic rural soul of Vietnam.

As a precaution, life jackets are provided for your safety during this excursion. Please note that the clothing and footwear used for activities is likely to get wet and or dirty out on the water, in the mud and basket boats. Travellers are suggested to bring sufficient spare clothes in case it rains or you get wet or dirty during the morning activity sessions. Please wear shoes that are comfortable, and can be worn in the mud. 

✓ Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6: Hoi An free day

The day will be free for strolling in the town, lazing on the beach, or whatever takes your fancy.

✓ Breakfast

Day 7: Hoi An/Danang/Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, your time is your own until your car arrives to take you to Danang airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Here, a guide will meet you and take you to your hotel. After checking in you’ll be free, perhaps for a preliminary wander around Ho Chi Minh City’s busy streets and shops.

In the evening, you’ll be picked up at the hotel for Vespa tour. Your first stop is to Café zoom to enjoy a cocktail and appetiser (inclusive) before adventuring into a favourite local eating spot. You’ll experience the nightlife of Saigon the way locals do, all from the back of a vintage Vespa scooter. Then the tour will continue to a hidden Vietnamese-style coffee shop to have a taste of Vietnamese music (live) as a local.

The tour will start with a ride to part Chinatown and then head to District 4 through busy streets and alleys to see the night life of locals and enjoy street sea- food and cold drinks. Leaving district 4 to district 3 the tour passes through downtown district 1 to take in the sights on the way to Banh Xeo, specialty of Saigon, and southern food with the locals.

✓ Breakfast and Dinner

Day 8: Ho Chi Minh City Orientation

After breakfast, your guide will arrive to show you around Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll visit the History Museum where there is a special exhibition of the 5th century ‘Oc Eo’ civilisation. Alternatively, you’ll visit the Fito Museum – First Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine – which is host to a large collection of relics, including traditional Vietnamese medicinal implements, and chronicles the history of medical practice in Vietnam from 2000 BC.

The Museum of War Remnants provides an overview of the ‘American War’. The Binh Tay market is located in China Town which is the biggest in Ho Chi Minh City.

You’ll also call in at the Jade Emperor Temple. This is one of the best Taoist temples in Vietnam, with superb effigies, remarkable carved panels of the descent to Hell and somewhat incongruous terrapin and tortoise sanctuaries. You’ll then return your hotel for freshen up or wander around the huge Ben Thanh market, one of the liveliest areas of Ho Chi Minh City.

✓ Breakfast and Lunch

Day 9: Cai Be – Experience lifestyle with local people in Mekong delta /Can Tho

After escaping from Ho Chi Minh City’s urban sprawl, you’ll travel to Cai Be. After approx. 2.5 hours’ drive, you’ll arrive at Cai Be pier. You’ll take a boat trip to visit the Cai be floating market. The boat cruise will also take you to visit some of the handicraft industries cottage on the bank of the river like: coconut candy, rice crackers and a honey bee farm.

After, you will head straight to Tan Phong Island where you’ll visit many fruit orchards like durian, rambutan, Longan, Plum, Jackfruit (seasonal), you can pick and taste some of the fruits as you wish. Continuing to Mr. Nam On, you’ll learn of the traditional instruments and enjoy folk song show performance by the local artists on the island. After, you’ll take a small sampan to the Mekong Ecolodge. Here you will enjoy a cooking class of local dishes of the Mekong area.

You’ll have a short break before taking the bicycles to start exploring. Here you can take part in activities with the locals, such as learning how to knit water hyacinth, making rice paper cake, and a nail polish tool by bamboo. You can try your hand to any process as you wish. After, you will drive to Can Tho, the capital of the Mekong delta region.

✓ Breakfast and Lunch

Day 10: Can Tho/Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast and a boat cruise you’ll arrive at Cai Rang floating market on the Mekong Delta. Both the journey and the market provide insights into the rural Mekong Delta lifestyle. On your return to Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll call in at the beautiful and ancient Vinh Trang pagoda, 3 km from My Tho centre. You’ll arrive in Ho Chi Minh City in the late afternoon with time to freshen up in the hotel.

Vinh Trang Pagoda is renowned for its architectural mixture of Chinese, Vietnamese and Angkor styles. It’s Located on a 2-hectare block with 5 buildings, 2 ornamental yards, 178 pillars and many valuable statues (especially the statues of 18 arahants which were carved from wood and made in 1907) the pagoda will give you a deeper look into the relationship between Vietnamese art and Buddhist beliefs.

✓ Breakfast and Lunch

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City free day

A free day to enjoy at your own pace. Whether you choose to explore or take some time to relax and reflect, the day is yours. In the evening, you’ll join the Gala New Year’s Eve Dinner Party to welcome the New Year with delicious food and a festive atmosphere. It’s a lovely way to end the day and ring in the New Year, surrounded by the vibrant energy of the city.

✓ Breakfast

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City departure

You’ll be free until your car arrives to take you to Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight.

✓ Breakfast