Ho Chi Minh City
Itinerary
Destination
Vietnam – HCMC
Duration
3 nights
Arrival
24 Dec · 05:05
Departure
27 Dec · midday
Day 1Arrival & Night
Food TourThursday, 24 December 2026
Morning
- Land Tan Son Nhat 05:05
- Accommodation in District 1 near Notre-Dame Cathedral TBD
- Check in, sleep until late morning to recover from travel
Afternoon
- Notre-Dame Cathedral (1880 French colonial landmark)
- Nguyen Van Binh Book Street
- Central Post Office — still operational, beautiful colonial interior
- Snack at nearby café, Nguyen Hue Walking Street stroll
Evening
- Motorbike Street Food & Sightseeing Tour — come with an empty stomach Klook · 18:00
Day 2Coffee Class ·
Museums · City TourFriday, 25 December 2026 — Christmas Day
Morning
- Egg Coffee & 4 Famous Traditional Vietnamese Coffee Course Klook · 09:00–11:00
- Phở Việt Nam for lunch
Afternoon
- War Remnants Museum — allow 2 hours
- Café Apartment Building on Nguyen Hue — 9 floors of independent cafés
- Jade Emperor Pagoda (~20 min Grab)
Evening
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus City Tour Klook · 18:30
Day 3Cu Chi Tunnels &
Mekong DeltaSaturday, 26 December 2026
Full Day
- Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta full day tour Klook · 07:00–19:00
Evening
- Dinner at Propaganda(?), 21 Đồng Khởi — 5 min walk from hotel
- Book a massage nearby for ~20:30
Day 4Depart for
HanoiSunday, 27 December 2026
Morning
- Leave hotel 08:15–08:30 for 11:10 flight (07:45 for 10:00) Airport by 09:00
Hanoi
Itinerary
Destination
Vietnam – Hanoi
Duration
2 nights (pre-cruise)
Arrival
27 Dec · ~13:00
Departure
30 Dec · Ha Long Bay
Day 1Arrive · Old Quarter
· Water Puppet ShowSunday, 27 December 2026
Afternoon
- Accommodation TBD
- Land ~13:00, transfer to Old Quarter
- Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple exterior
- Hang Gai Street — wooden stamps, lacquerware, traditional crafts, Hanoi Smile souvenirs
Evening
- Light dinner before the show
- Water Puppet Show, Thang Long Theatre Book ahead · ~19:00
- Ta Hien Street after — bia hoi and street food strip
Day 2Ninh Binh — Hoa Lu ·
Trang An · Hang MuaMonday, 28 December 2026
Full Day
Evening
- Return to Hanoi, dinner in the Old Quarter. Early night — big day tomorrow.
Day 3Mausoleum · Temple
of Literature · Bún Chả · Train StreetTuesday, 29 December 2026
Morning
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum — queue early (aim for 7:30), closes 10:30
- Presidential Palace and One Pillar Pagoda in the same complex
- Temple of Literature — Vietnam's first university, 1070 AD
Afternoon
- Bún Chả Hương Liên, 24 Lê Văn Hưu — where Obama and Bourdain ate. Marked table preserved.
- Tran Quoc Pagoda + West Lake walk — Hanoi's oldest pagoda, 30–45 min visit
- Grab back to hotel — rest and freshen up
Evening
- 18:45 — Train Street, south side. Café seat before it fills. Target 19:15 train Verify via Hanoi 1990s Café Facebook
- Dinner at Cha Ca La Vong (?) (~10 min walk) — iconic turmeric fish, open since 1871
Ha Long Bay
Itinerary
Cruise
Grand Pioneers 2D1N
Duration
1 night on board
Departure
30 Dec · 07:30 pickup
Return
31 Dec · afternoon
Day 1Board · Karst
Exploration · Sunset on DeckWednesday, 30 December 2026
Morning
- Hotel pickup ~07:30, transfer to Ha Long Bay (~3.5 hrs). Board Grand Pioneers, departs ~noon.
Day 2Morning on Bay ·
Return Hanoi · NYE CountdownThursday, 31 December 2026 — NYE
Morning
- Sunrise tai chi on deck, morning activities. Disembark ~noon, transfer back to Hanoi (~3.5 hrs).
Evening
- Accommodation at Old Quarter TBD
- Arrive Hanoi late afternoon, freshen up
- NYE dinner reservation near Hoan Kiem Book well in advance
- Hoan Kiem pedestrian zone midnight countdown, fireworks over the lake
Hanoi
Post-Cruise
Destination
Vietnam – Hanoi
Duration
2 nights (post-cruise)
Arrival
31 Dec · late afternoon
Departure
2 Jan · morning
Day 1Quan Thanh · Lotte
Mall · MF SpaFriday, 1 January 2027 — New Year's Day
Morning
- Late start — recover from New Year.
Afternoon
- Quan Thanh Temple — one of Hanoi's four sacred guardian temples, 1010 AD
- Lotte Mall, Tay Ho district — shopping
- West Lake walk (?)
Evening
- MF Spa, 11 Ngõ Bảo Khánh Book ahead
- Dinner in Tay Ho area after
Day 2Easy Morning · Fly
to Da NangSaturday, 2 January 2027
Morning
- Relaxed breakfast, checkout. Dong Xuan Market if time allows.
- Airport by 08:30 for 10:00–11:00 departure Target 10:00–11:00 — cable car closes 16:30
Bà Nà Hills
Itinerary
Hotel
Mercure French Village
Duration
1 night on mountain
Arrival
2 Jan · afternoon
Departure
3 Jan · morning
Day 1Arrive · Ba Na Hills · French Village NightSaturday, 2 January
2027
Afternoon
- Land Da Nang, transfer to Ba Na Hills cable car station (~45 min) Last cable car up ~16:30
- Check in at Mercure Da Nang French Village Bana Hills
- Golden Bridge — first visit, fewer crowds than morning
- Alpine coaster — do while afternoon energy is high
- Fantasy Park indoor amusement zone if time allows
Evening
- French Village cobblestone streets lit up at night — magical without day crowds
- Debay Wine Cellar — built 1923, French colonial era
- Dinner at the hotel
Day 2Golden Bridge
Sunrise · Hotel Breakfast · DescendSunday, 3 January 2027
Morning
- Golden Bridge early — 08:00–09:00 before day-tripper cable cars. Mist over the valley, best photos of the trip Before 09:00
- Le Jardin d'Amour gardens, Linh Ung Pagoda
- Proper French hotel buffet breakfast
Afternoon
- Cable car down, transfer to Da Nang city hotel (~45 min). Check in, relax.
Đà Nẵng
Itinerary
Destination
Vietnam – Da Nang
Duration
3 nights
Arrival
3 Jan · afternoon
Departure
6 Jan · morning flight
Day 1Settle In · Hoi An
Memories ShowSunday, 3 January 2027
Afternoon
- Check in Da Nang (Han River area — Novotel Premier Han River or Sheraton)
- Rest, unpack, settle in after Ba Na Hills. Dragon Bridge walk if energy allows.
Evening
- Transfer to Hoi An (~30–45 min) for Hoi An Memories Show
- 500-person cast, outdoor stage on Thu Bon River, 500 years of Hoi An history, ~75 mins Book ahead · Confirm Sunday schedule
- Grab back to Da Nang after show
Day 2Rest & Chill
DayMonday, 4 January 2027
MorningOptional
- Marble Mountains — 30 min Grab from Da Nang, 1–1.5 hrs on site. Buddhist caves, pagodas, and panoramic coastal views in five marble hills. Skip entirely if you'd rather sleep in — no obligation.
Afternoon
- My Khe Beach walk — Da Nang's main 30km coastline
- Han Market — local covered market for souvenirs, coffee, snacks
- Café hopping along the Han River
Evening
- Relaxed dinner in Da Nang — no agenda, properly wind down
Day 3My Son Sanctuary ·
Hoi An Ancient Town · LanternsTuesday, 5 January 2027
Morning
- My Son Sanctuary half-day tour — depart ~07:30, back by ~13:00 Klook tour · fixed departure
- 4th–14th century Hindu Cham temple complex (UNESCO) — one of the most significant ancient sites in Southeast Asia
Afternoon
- Transfer to Hoi An (~30 min). Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky Old House, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall.
- Café hopping on Nguyen Hue Street
Evening
- Ancient Town at night — lanterns on the Thu Bon River, night market, cobblestone streets glowing
- Lantern release on the river
- Dinner at Morning Glory or Mango Rooms, Grab back to Da Nang after
Day 4Fly to Ho Chi Minh
CityWednesday, 6 January 2027
Morning
- Morning flight DAD → SGN — earliest available departure Book morning departure
- Land HCMC mid-morning
Ho Chi Minh City
Finale
Destination
Vietnam – HCMC
Duration
1 night
Arrival
6 Jan · mid-morning
Departure
7 Jan · 10:40 → BNE
Day 1Shopping · Souvenirs
· Dinner with RiciaWednesday, 6 January 2027
Morning
- Land HCMC mid-morning, Grab to District 1 hotel TBD. Check in, freshen up.
Afternoon
- Last-minute shopping — Saigon Square (fashion), Ben Thanh Market (snacks, souvenirs), Dong Khoi Street (boutiques)
- Vietnamese coffee beans, snacks, and gifts to bring home
Evening
- Buffet dinner with Ricia — farewell to Vietnam
- Back to hotel early — airport by 08:00 tomorrow
Day 2Depart SGN →
BrisbaneThursday, 7 January 2027
Morning
- Check out, transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport
- Arrive by 08:00–08:30 for 10:40 international departure Airport by 08:00
- Allow 40–50 min from District 1 — morning traffic is unpredictable
- Depart SGN 10:40 → Brisbane (BNE)
Important Reminders & Things to Book
Book Immediately
- Internal flights: SGN → HAN (27 Dec), HAN → DAD (2 Jan), DAD → SGN (6 Jan)
- Water Puppet Show — Thang Long Theatre, Hanoi (27 Dec ~19:00)
- MF Spa couples package, Hanoi (1 Jan evening)
- Hoi An Memories Show (3 Jan — confirm Sunday availability)
- NYE dinner reservation, Hanoi (31 Dec)
Verify & Confirm
- Train Street schedule — Hanoi 1990s Café Facebook ~1 week before trip
- Lotte Mall Jan 1 hours — normal trading 9:30 AM – 10:00 PM
- Vietnamese e-visa — evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn · ~USD $25/person · allow 2 weeks lead time
- Hoi An Memories Show — confirm Sunday 3 Jan availability when booking