Vietnam Tour Plan
A long narrow country in the South China Sea. A land of awe-inspiring landscape, Lush rice terrace, Dark green forest canopied mountains, Picturesque valleys, Beautiful sea beaches, and eye-catching karst islands. All these features well explain the beautiful Southeast Asian country Vietnam. Starting from its astonishing Ha-Long Bay to the bustling country capital Hanoi, it can be an ideal travel destination for your upcoming tour.
Here is a detailed tour guide to some of the most beautiful places in Vietnam.
How to Reach: Though there are many international airports in Vietnam, we prefer the NOI BAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT in the country’s capital Hanoi. As this airport is well connected to the rest of the world, you can easily get a flight to Hanoi from India.
Best Time to visit: You can visit Vietnam throughout the year. But the spring i.e., from February to April, and autumn, i.e., August to October is the best time to enjoy the country because during these months the country experiences the least rainfall and you can take part in trekking, swimming or on other beaches activities freely.
The Tour Plan
We suggest you start your journey from the country’s capital Hanoi. Day-1– Spend your 1st day by exploring the bustling country capital Hanoi. For a day-long Hanoi city sightseeing tour, you can either hire a private car, often the drivers act as your guides or you may hire a motorbike which is widely available here at a relatively cheap rate. On this city sightseeing tour, you must visit the following places.
HANOI OLD QUARTER: At this place, you can see a perfect blend of old and new. French colonial buildings, ancient temples, narrow twisty roads passing between the old buildings, modern street markets, and busy city roads filled with motorbikes all can be experienced at this place.
ONE PILLAR PAGODA: This is an eleven-century Buddhist Temple, built by an emperor of the Ly Dynasty in gratitude for being blessed by a son. The temple is a look-alike of a blossoming lotus flower over a single pillar that stands in a pond. Inside the Pagoda, there is a shrine dedicated to the bodhisattva of Mercy.
TEMPLE OF LITERATURE: This is one of the temples of Confucius and houses the nation’s first university. The temple was a copy of Confucius’ birthplace and home to various temples and other buildings. The walls here are carved with names of exceptional scholars.
VIETNAM MUSEUM OF ETHNOLOGY: This is a great place to see the socio-cultural diversity of the country. The place displays artifacts and the daily lives of 54 recognized ethnic groups present in the country.
HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM: The resting place of the Vietnamese communist leader Ho Chi Minh.
HO CHI MINH PRESIDENTIAL PALACE: Just behind the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, it is the home of the great leader Ho Chi Minh where he lived in the ’60s.
HANOI HILTON OR HOA LO PRISON: Hoa Lo Prison was used to captivate Vietnamese and American political prisoners during the colonial period and the Vietnam War respectively. Today, most of the prison has been destroyed, but a small section remains and that has become a museum.
HANOI’S WEST LAKE: This is the largest urban lake in Hanoi and a popular tourist attraction in the region.
HOAN KIEM LAKE: The lake is known as the lake of the restored sword and it is the center of ancient Hanoi.
Day 2: On day 2 of your tour go to Ha Long Bay from Hanoi. You can avail of a car or van to reach Ha Long Bay from Hanoi. Time taken will be around 3.5 TO 4.5 HOURS. But we suggest you take a cruise for 3 days to visit HA LONG BAY AND CAT BA ISLAND. Charges, in this case, will be around Rs 11000 TO 18000 PER HEAD depending on the number of people present in a group. You can book a cruise tour online and I’ll share the respective link Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island Cruise Tour Booking.
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130km away from the country’s capital Hanoi, Ha Long Bay is the most beautiful place to visit in Vietnam. Emerald-hue water, over a thousand outstanding limestone karsts, some surprising caves, and above all beautiful tree-topped islands- these are some of the most prominent features of Ha Long Bay. First, you will stop at DAU GO CAVE and see some stalagmites and stalactite structures on its wall. It is also known as the cave of wonders. A short distance away there is another beautiful cave- SUNG SOT CAVE which is a delight to visit. It is the most famous tourist attraction in Ha Long Bay for its enormous rock formation inside.
After visiting the caves you will stop at TI TOP ISLAND. It is a picturesque island most famous for its gorgeous views of the surrounding. Here you can enjoy swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. In the evening enjoy a spectacular sunset from your cruise.
Day 3: On day 3 visit CAT BA ISLAND and Cat Ba National Park. Here you will enjoy a variety of landscapes and ecosystems. The place is surrounded by Karst Mountains, lush forests, mangrove wetlands, and the sea. It is also a place of rich biodiversity hosting over 1500 species of flora and fauna.
Day 4: On the 4th day visit LAN HA BAY on the south and east coast of Cat Ba Island. It is a mostly virgin place with a plethora of natural beauty. Your Ha Long Bay tour will end here and after completing the tour of Lan Ha Bay return to Hanoi.
Day-5: On day 5 go to visit Ho Chi Minh City from Hanoi by air. The prime tourist attraction that you can cover in the Ho Chi Minh City sightseeing tour is WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM, The museum exhibits artifacts and items related to Vietnam’s struggle for independence. INDEPENDENCE PALACE The palace is a historical monument that is associated with the Fall of Saigon. It features the same antique furniture and telecommunication devices that were in the Vietnam War. SAIGON NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, it was known as the Saigon Church, but then in 1962. JADE EMPEROR pagoda was built in 1909 by Vietnam’s Cantonese community and is one of the most popular tourist places in the city. SAIGON OPERA HOUSE AND BINH TAY MARKET.
Day-6: On the 6th day of your tour, you can go for a day tour to Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City. It is a network of waterways known for its nutrient-rich. This is also one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Here you can witness waterways, rice paddies, mangrove wetlands, and enthralling wildlife.
Day-7: On the 7th day head back to Ho Chi Minh airport for departure. The Visa All Indian passport holders can get a Visa on arrival for Vietnam. All you have to do is to apply online for this visa and pay your visa fee of $17 for a single entry visa. You will get your official Vietnam visa Approval Letter issued by the Vietnam Immigration Department within two days of application and you will have to produce a printed copy of this document with two photos at the immigration office at the Vietnam airport to get your visa on arrival. I’ll share the online visa application link.
The FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION: In all of the above-mentioned places in Vietnam, you will find comfortable stays and good food within an affordable budget range. You can also book a package tour online from India. The tour package will cost around Rs 37000 per head excluding flight fare. If you love this tour plan then like and share. Also, do let us know your opinion in the comment section below. Your opinion means a lot to us. Thanks for reading it.
