DAY 1 - HANOI ARRIVAL - CITY TOUR
Welcome to Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam!
Our local guide will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport; it takes us 35 minutes driving to the center of Hanoi. Check in hotel and have a short time to freshen up.
Late afternoon, have an overall view of the capital by a “cyclo” visit, which will go through the fascinating network of narrow alleys and shops, houses also known as ‘The 36 Streets’ – each street being named after the merchandise traditionally sold there, ranging from fabrics to crafts and from medicines to tombstones. Drop by at Ngoc Son temple located on the Hoan Kiem lake.
End of the day, we will enjoy a unique fascinating show of Water Puppetry, a traditional stage art of Northern Vietnam.
Overnight stay in Hanoi.
Please note: The normal check in time is 14:00pm.
DAY 2 - HANOI FULL DAY CITY TOUR (B)
Today, we will start our city tour from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his simple house-on-stilts and the One-Pillar pagoda near Ba Dinh Square, where the most solemn ceremonies of Hanoi take place. Go on to the Temple of Literature, the very first high school of Vietnam Scholars and a temple dedicated Confucious. Have lunch at KOTO Van Mieu restaurant where provides hospitality and life skills to disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.
In the afternoon, we will move on to the Museum of Ethnology, where you can find an excellent full collection of 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam and wonderful implications of artifacts and patterns from their traditional handicrafts and clothes. Continue the trip to picturesque West Lake to visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi built from 6th Century. Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 3 - HANOI - NINH BINH - TAM COC - HANOI - TRAIN TO LAO CAI (B,L)
After breakfast, drive to Ninh Binh, the site of the one capital city of ancient Vietnam before Hanoi took its leading role in the 11th century. The area is featured by lots of well-known sceneries, which include Tam Coc Caves and Hoa Lu ancient capital with the old temples dedicated to King Dinh & King Le reigned in the 10th century. The visit in Ninh Binh starts by a boat trip in Tam Coc where spectacular limestone karsts just out from the green paddy fields reminding about Guilin (China) and Halong Bay of Vietnam, which gives this scenery the name “Halong-bay-on-land”. Further discovery in Ninh Binh will be continued by visiting Thai Vi Temple and Bich Dong Pagoda. Late afternoon turn back to Hanoi. Take a rest at your day-use mini nitel. Dinner at your own arrangement before transferring to Hanoi Railway Station to board the night train to Lao Cai, land of the hill tribe people. Overnight on the train at 4-berth wooden compartment with AC.
DAY 4 - LAO CAI - BACHA MARKET - SAPA (B)
Arrive at Lao Cai Station at 06.00. Picked-up and transfer for breakfast at a local restaurant.
If today is Saturday, Sunday or Tuesday, nothing will be better than driving overland to a market of the hill tribal people, mainly from Flower Hmong ethnical group. Depending on the day, you can choose either Can Cau (Sat), Bac Ha (Sun) or Coc Ly (Tues).
After breakfast, we will drive toward Bac Ha, about 70km from Lao Cai. With a dozen of tribes living in the surroundings, including Flower Hmong, Chinese, Nhang, Dzao, Nung, Phu La, Thai and King (or Viet), the market is extremely exciting especially in the early morning. The winding road to Bac Ha helps maintain the colours (in both literal and figurative sense) of the area. The distance to Can Cau and Coc Ly from Bac Ha is 30 – 50km. In all these markets, we can meet hundreds of beautiful women from Flower Hmong tribe, who are famous for their wonderful craft and hand-made flowering clothes and textile fabrics, or intermingle with people from Black Hmong, Dzay, Dzao and other ethnic groups coming to the market not for purchasing stuffs, but for meeting and chatting – just once a week - like in a real cultural center. After lunchtime, we can hike around or take our car heading to further hamlets in Ban Pho, Trieu Cai, or Na Hoi. Afternoon, driving to Sapa for overnight.
DAY 5 - SAPA - CAT CAT VILLAGE - TA VAN- LAO CHAI - LAO CAI - TRAIN TO HANOI (B)
After breakfast, hanging around with our guide to visit the Sapa town including the church, walking streets where we can meet the montagnards and admire their handicrafts made of wood, silver, or dyed and embroidered fabrics and clothes. We then take a 2-km short trekking to Cat Cat Village, the home of Hmong Ethic. Meeting and talking with locals to learn more about their daily life. Go on to Lao Chai (10km from Sapa) and walk thru 3km to Tavan with stops at the villages of the tribal people Hmong. Afternoon drive to Lao Cai Station to board the night train back to Hanoi. Overnight on the train. (4-berth wooden compartment with AC).
Note: Around 4-5 hours walking/trekking in total.
Optional tour: Take the train thru the valley then cable car to Fanxipan Peak in the afternoon instead of visiting Lao Chai and Ta Van Villages. (cost quoted separately)
DAY 6 - HANOI - HALONG BAY OVERNIGHT CRUISE (B/L/D)
Upon arrival in Hanoi, we will be picked-up at the Station and arrive in a mini hotel for Breakfast and a short relax before transferring to Halong Bay. At 9am, head East for more than 2 hours to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994 and 2006. The road will pass by the Red River delta with green paddyfields and rural villages, where hard-work farmers are busy with their farming jobs, ploughing buffaloes or planting seedling. Upon arrival in Halong, check in the overnight cruise to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch on board, we can visit the Grottos, stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating houses and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the cruise, enjoy cooking demonstration before having dinner. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the cruise.
Please note the program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose.
DAY 7 - HALONG BAY - HANOI - FLIGHT TO HUE (B/BRUNCH)
You should wake up early to enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning. The Vietnamese call the "East Sea" by a point-oriented name "Eastern Sea", so you may guess how miraculous seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. After breakfast our boat will continue to cruise in marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent like Sail Island, Fisherman’s head rock, Butterfly rock or Turtle islet etc. Check out your room and have brunch on board while the cruise coming back the pier. Disembark from the cruise, transfer overland to Noi Bai Airport for boarding the flight to Hue, the Old Captical of Vietnam before Hanoi took its role as the current Capital City of Vietnam. Upon arrival, picked up by the local tour guide, transfer to check in hotel. Dinner and Overnight in Hue.
DAY 8 - FULL DAY SIGHTSEEING IN HUE (B)
You should wake up early to enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning. The Vietnamese call the "East Sea" by a point-oriented name "Eastern Sea", so you may guess how miraculous seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. After breakfast our boat will continue to cruise in marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent like Sail Island, Fisherman’s head rock, Butterfly rock or Turtle islet etc. Check out your room and have brunch on board while the cruise coming back the pier. Disembark from the cruise, transfer overland to Noi Bai Airport for boarding the flight to Hue, the Old Captical of Vietnam before Hanoi took its role as the current Capital City of Vietnam. Upon arrival, picked up by the local tour guide, transfer to check in hotel. Dinner and Overnight in Hue.
DAY 9 - HUE - DANANG - HOI AN (B)
Have breakfast at hotel and check out. Transfer to Hoi An, an architectural combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese styles. The trip will take about more than 3-hour driving through Hai Van Pass (the “Ocean Cloudy Mountain Pass”), enjoy the beauty of Lang Co Beach en route. Upon arrival, check in hotel.
Afternoon, you take interesting walk over the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls, enjoy the attractiveness of ancient houses or listen to folk music of Central Vietnam at old club-houses. Later we can stop at shrines or stroll into the market located by Thu Bon river, where you may find the same feelings of the artists, who see the rooftops of Hoian a magical old world of Oriental feel and source of inspiration. This is also a wonderful town to shop for lanterns, soft silk, raw silk, or get your clothes tailored within a day. Rest of day will be free on your own to discover the town lighten up with thousands of colorful lanterns and night market by the River. Overnight in Hoian.
DAY 10 - HOI AN COOKING CLASS & MY SON SANCTUARY TOUR ( B/L)
Have breakfast at hotel. Today is your time for cooking class to learn more about the Vietnamese cuisine. Together with your tour guide, you will be transferred by boat trip to a local market to purchase the food. Here your guide will explain to you about the river life, traditional fishing methods as well as guide you how to choose the food for your lunch. After that, having a cooking lesson with our chef, on the floating restaurant. Enjoy your lunch and take a short rest.
Afternoon, drive to visit My Son Sancutary where you can discover the hidden treasure of the Cham culture that once brightly developed in the area of present Central Vietnam. Thanks to the beauty and secrets of building the Cham Towers hereby, My Son had been also designated by UNESCO as one of the five World Heritages in Vietnam. Transfer back to Hoian Town. Overnight in Hoian.
DAY 11 - HOI AN - DANANG - HO CHI MINH CITY (B)
Breakfast at hotel. Time at leisure for strolling around Hoian ancient town for shopping or relax at beach. Afternoon, transfer to the airport for the flight to Saigon.
Upon your arrival to Saigon (official name as Ho Chi Minh City nowadays) – the most hectic and business city of Vietnam, welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel for check in and relax. Dinner on the cruise on Saigon River, enjoy traditional folk music on board. Overnight in Saigon.
DAY 12 - HO CHI MINH CITY TOUR & CU CHI TUNNELS (B)
After breakfast, your day will begin with a visit to the Reunification Palace, the witness of the fierce Vietnam War ended in 1975. The grand building today is a Museum and Hall of official receptions. Nearby the Palace are the Notre Dame Cathedral (view from outside only), built between 1877 and 1883 and colonial-styled Central Post Office, one of the city’s major landmarks. Then visit Ben Thanh market, a symbol of Saigon. Lunch at local restaurant.
In the afternoon, transfer to visit Cu Chi tunnels – the network of over 200km of tunnels became legendary when they played a vital role in the War. In their heyday, the tunnels were functioning underground cities including numerous trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers & kitchens. After a short introduction video showing how the tunnels were constructed, you will have a chance to crawl into a short section of the tunnels to feel the oppressive narrowness and heat inside. Return and overnight in Saigon.
DAY 13 - HO CHI MINH CITY - MEKONG DELTA - HO CHI MINH CITY (B/L)
Breakfast at hotel and check out. Head to My Tho, the homeland of coconut and family factories with local products like coconut candy, rice paper,… Upon arrival, embark on the boat cruising on the mighty Mekong River viewing the life to the local people live along the banks. We stop to visit an island in the area, enjoy the fresh tropical fruits served in the heart of the lush garden accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music. Later, embark on other small boats rowed by the local people thru the small canals shadowed by water coconut trees to visit the local factories. There you will taste the honey tea and see the local people produce the coconut candy milk and of course you also can try it or stroll in the garden where the locals feed honeybee. Lunch is served at local restaurant by the river.
In the afternoon, continue to visit Vinh Trang pagoda, a famous pogoda in the area with architecture combination of Chinese, Cambodian, and French cultures. Return to Saigon late afternoon. Overnight in Saigon.
DAY 14 - HO CHI MINH CITY DEPARTURE (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Time at leisure untul check out time and transfer to the airport for the departure flight back to your sweet home or extending some days for beach relax or next destiantions.
The standard check out time is 12:00pm
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