Vietnam Like a Local Private Tour

Morning

Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City which is still called “Saigon” by locals. BestPrice’s tour guide and driver will welcome you at Tan Son Nhat Airport and drive you to your hotel to check-in.

NOTE: The check-in time is usually 14.00. Early check-in is available with a surcharge.

For anyone who wants to explore Saigon right on the very first day, you can try the below optional suggestions:

You can choose the departure time at 08:00 – 08:30 or 13:00 – 13:30 then get ready for a half-day city tour to have a general view of Ho Chi Minh on a motorbike:

Visit Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office stand as iconic landmarks in Saigon, boasting stunning French colonial architecture characterized by intricate Gothic styling, offering visitors a glimpse into the city’s rich historical heritage.

Note: The Cathedral is temporarily closed for renovation.

Take a look at Saigon Opera House, which stands as an architectural gem, boasting a striking façade adorned with ornate details reminiscent of the Belle Époque era, offering a glimpse into Vietnam’s colonial history and cultural heritage.

Then, travel to Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Head Office, which was the city hall, and the beautiful Nguyen Hue Walking Street where you can take nice photos from the Apartment cafes here.

Continue to visit some hidden gems of the city such as The venerable Thich Quang Duc monument, Ho Thi Ky flower market, Thien Hau Pagoda, and Cambodian market.

The next stop is Nguyen Thien Thuat Oldest Apartment – a famous street food area with considerable diversity in the style of cuisine and local culture. Take a short walk to explore the lifestyle of local people here.

At the end, we will drive you back to the hotel and pass by Nguyen Trai Street located in District 5 which is famous for hundreds of fashion shops along the street.

Afternoon

Return to your hotel. The rest of the day will be your free time to discover this bustling city by yourself.

Morning

Around 08:00, the Mekong Ecolodge boat will pick you up at the Cai Be tourist pier, be ready for a trip to explore the authentic Mekong Delta with various family-friendly activities:

The first stop is Cai Be market and Com Candy Craft Village, where your children will be excited to see the production process of candy nuggets and try freshly baked sweet nuggets.

The next destination is the bee farm where you can explore more wonderful things about the bee world while enjoying a cup of sweet honey tea.

After that, travel to Tan Phong Island to experience garden tourism and visit local specialty fruit gardens such as durian, rambutan, longan, jackfruit, etc. Next, participate in the garden folk music exchange with local artists and enjoy a cup of tea, and welcome fruit from the host.

Sailing in a small canal around Tan Phong island to Mekong Ecolodge to check in, have lunch, and rest.

Afternoon

Let your kids explore the lodge campus to see fruit and colorful flower gardens. Here, guests can pick and eat fruits for free on the spot such as apples, guavas, toads, To Nu jackfruit, etc.

Around 16:00, join us on a fantastic trip to a new level with exciting activities suitable for families with teenagers.

First up, try your hand at fish-catching by slapping the ditch, a unique and thrilling experience that requires teamwork. After the aquatic excitement, head to the garden to pick fresh veggies for dinner.

Then, work with our chef at Mekong Ecolodge to cook up a delicious meal using the veggies and fish you caught. Enjoy a delicious dinner after an active day.

Stay overnight in the Ecolodge.

Morning

08:00: Get on bicycles to start a family journey of discovery and participate in activities with the people on Tan Phong Island.

First, we go to local houses to see the process of making rice paper rolls, knitting a hammock with banana rope, and knitting water hyacinth, your family can try to knit one together and then receive beautiful gifts with the guidance of residents.

Visit a friendly local workshop to see the process of making nail files with bamboo sticks with locally available materials. Then, cycle back to Ecolodge to participate in making jackfruit leaf cake with the guidance of a professor and enjoy them together. The cake is said to be a specialty of Tan Phong Island.

Cycling back to Ecolodge to participate in a cooking class to make jackfruit leaf cake with the guidance of local people and try your product. The cake is said to be a specialty of Tan Phong Island.

Afternoon

It’s time to check out and travel from the Tan Phong ferry with local people to Hiep Duc. Our driver will pick you up at the port and drive you directly to the airport for your flight to Da Nang.

Note: You will have lunch midway in a restaurant while traveling back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Arrive at Da Nang Airport and then be transferred to your hotel in Hoi An. The rest of the day is all yours. You can sleep to recover after a long trip or explore the stunning Hoi An by night.

Morning/ Afternoon

In the daytime, you are free to explore the Hoi An on your way. You can leisurely walk through the pretty street of the ancient town, take some photos or drive to the beach.

Evening

Our guide will pick you up in the late afternoon and lead you through small streets to start a walking food tour to many coffee shops, restaurants, and eateries to try some famous local food:

Banh Mi: Worldwide famous Vietnamese food made by Banh Mi Queen

Cao Lau: Hoi An signature dry noodles with many different layers created by many toppings in one bowl.

Banh Beo: Vietnamese traditional steamed rice cake which is round, small, and thin as a leaf, and only found in Central Vietnam

Banh Khot: A traditional street food in Central Vietnam which is a round pancake made from rice flour, turmeric, and coconut milk and topped with quail eggs and vegetables.

Balut: Listed in the top 10 weird foods in the world. The taste is amazing, and this dish contains a huge amount of proteins. However, the ingredient will dare you to try the dish; it’s a little duck that still stays inside its eggshell.

Coffee: Made from the best Vietnamese coffee beans. Adds some sweet condensed milk and this drink will be a perfect ending for your food tour.

After a flavorful night, return to your hotel to rest.

Morning

It’s a farming day! Meet your tour guide at the hotel at 08:00 then begin with a bicycle ride to Cam Thanh Village, a well-known location on the outskirts of Hoi An old town:

Arrive at Cam Thanh, you will be greeted by a local host and then join them in many interesting farming activities of growing rice.

You can try plowing and raking with buffalo, transplanting rice, flood farming, grinding, and pounding rice with the help of the host family. If you are brave enough, you can try riding the water buffalo and take many unique pictures.

After that, you will get to a local fishing village to try fishing with the professional fishermen here. End the tour with a basket boat trip to explore the lush water coconut jungle.

A delicious lunch will be served at a local house before you finish the trip.

Afternoon

Return to the hotel and take your much-needed rest after an active day.

Morning

08:00:  Have breakfast and prepare for a long day transferring from Hoi An to Hue by road via the famous Cloudy Pass (shuttle bus or private car depends on you).

On the travel way, our driver may stop at some places for photoshoots or sightseeing. Take this chance to admire the majestic beauty of the Pass, where the mountain and the cloud meet (admission fee is not included).

Afternoon

Arrive at your hotel in Hue. Check in and relax.

Morning

You will be picked up at Toa Kham Wharf by a dragon boat, a unique way to experience the serene beauty as well as the slow life of Hue along the Perfume River.

The boat will stop by one of the most ancient shrines of the city – Thien Mu Pagoda, a tall brick pagoda with seven stories standing in the center of lush gardens and tranquil atmosphere.

After the visit, travelers are back to the dragon boat then head to the next destination – Hue Ecolodge, where our friendly guide will greet you warmly and lead you to Thuy Bieu Eco-village.

The eco-village is a relaxing place famous for its serenity, verdant fruit gardens, and ancient houses, bringing a rejuvenating experience for relaxation lovers who come here. You will spend time taking a stroll or biking around this beautiful village.

On the way, travelers can visit some handicraft families to learn more about their lifestyle and how they make their living by witnessing the incense-making process, or paper painting.

After that, let’s take part in the cooking class at Hue Ecolodge to learn how to make Hue cuisine such as Vietnamese traditional spring rolls and Banh Khoai. It’s time for you to have a taste of the delicious dishes you have made, our Eco-chef also gives you some feedback and advice for your cooking skills.

Afternoon

Ending the tour, you have a wonderful time soaking your foot in hot water from boiling medical herbs and enjoy excellent massage by blind people.

Have breakfast at your hotel.

You have the whole day to explore Hue yourself. If you don’t know where to go, you may take one of the suggested day trips below:

Morning

Make the most of your remaining time in Hue before our driver comes to take you to the airport and fly to Hanoi.

You will be picked up by BestPrice Travel’s driver at Noi Bai Airport and get to the hotel to check in.

Have a rest before your food tour at night.

Evening

This evening visitors will join an exciting street food walking tour to enjoy authentic Vietnamese foods.

Take a stroll through the sparkling Hanoi Old Quarter and try some soup-based delicacies such as Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodles), Bun Thang (Rice Vermicelli Noodles With Chicken And Eggs), or Bun Bo Hue.

Keep walking and have some Banh Cuon, often known as “Steamed Rice Rolls,” and Banh Mi on the way. Get a taste of some local delicacies sold as snacks on the street, such as Nom Bo Kho (Dried Beef Salad), Nem Chua Ran (Fried Fermented Pork Roll), etc.

Round off your tour of the Hanoi street food scene with Ca Phe Trung, also known as Egg Coffee, a well-known local specialty.

End of the trip, return to your hotel and relax.

Morning

Meet your tour guide at the hotel at 08:00 and start your motorbike tour to explore Hanoi and visit several famous sites in the city.

Start with Long Bien Bridge, the nearby Chuong Duong Bridge, get some famous Trang Tien ice creams, and pass by the Hanoi Opera House, where many art performances are still taking place.

Visit the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake, a signature destination in Hanoi, which is near the Ly Thai To Monument, built to honor the King in Thang Long Capital (Hanoi today). Continue to Hoa Lo Prison or Maison Central to take a look at the crime of the French colony in the past.

Travel to West Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Hanoi and is also called the “lungs of the city”. Lying on a small island in the lake is the oldest Buddhist temple in Vietnam – Tran Quoc Pagoda.

Visit the Huu Tiep Lake – B52 crash site, which marks Vietnamese soldiers’ victory in the Vietnam War. From this site, our tour guide will also take you to a nearby market and observe the locals’ daily life.

End the tour with a trip to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the outstanding leader of the Vietnamese people rests in peace. You can admire the mausoleum from the outside and take pictures.

Before returning to the hotel, the tour guide will take you to a nearby restaurant to enjoy tasty Vietnamese food.

Note: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is viewed from outside, closed on Monday & Friday and from June – August. The above itinerary is subject to change based on the day’s weather and traffic conditions.

Afternoon

Get back to your hotel. You are free for the rest of the day.

Morning

Wake up to enjoy breakfast at the hotel before our driver picks you up at 08:00 and departs for Halong.

Arrive at the port and get ready to board the cruise at around 11:30 – 12:00 for your voyage to explore the majestic Halong Bay. After checking in, lunch will be served while the boat is sailing among the magnificent limestone islands.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, you will follow your cruise’s itinerary, which may include some exciting activities such as sightseeing, kayaking, or swimming.

Return to the boat around 17:30; you may enjoy the sunset party program for “buy-1-get-1-free” cocktails while admiring the gorgeous sunset in the bay or join a cooking class.

Dinner is served on board, and then you are free to enjoy the nightlife activities: squid fishing, karaoke, board games, etc.

NOTE: The detailed itinerary will be provided depending on each cruise.

Morning

Wake up early and say hello to a new day with a simple Tai-chi exercise on deck, or you may sleep until breakfast time. Then, you will continue with the cruise schedule to explore more in Halong Bay by visiting a cave, joining a rowing boat trip, or swimming in the cool water.

Return to the boat and then check out. Enjoy a brunch when the cruise returns to the port.

11:00 – 12:00: Get off the board and say goodbye to the crew. Our driver will transfer you to Hanoi.

Afternoon

Back to your hotel and relax for a while. The night in Hanoi is all yours; you can explore the city by night freely on your own.

Enjoy your last time in Hanoi before our driver meets you at the hotel and takes you to the airport for the departure flight.

Goodbye and see you again!

Note: The hotel check-out time is 12:00. A late check-out can be arranged with a surcharge.