ITINERARY IN BRIEF:
DAY 1: GOOD MORNING HANOI
DAY 2: DAY TRIP TO PERFUME PAGODA
DAY 3: HANOI – NINH BINH – HANOI
DAY 4: HANOI, CITY TOUR
DAY 5: NINH BINH – HALONG BAY ON DRAGON PEARL JUNK
DAY 6: FULL DAY TO EXPLORE THE MOST ISOLATED PARTS OF THE BAY
DAY 7: MORE TIME ON THE BAY – HANOI – NIGHT TRAIN TO SAPA
DAY 8: ARRIVE LAO CAI – BAC HA SUNDAY MARKET – SAPA
DAY 9: SAPA & SURROUNDINGS
DAY 10: MORE TREK AND BACK TO SAPA – NIGHT TRAIN TO HANOI
DAY 11: HANOI – FLY TO HOCHIMINH
DAY 12: CU CHI TUNNELS & CITY TOUR
Day 13: SAIGON – BEN TRE – CAN THO
Day 14: CAN THO – SAIGON
DAY 15: DEPARTURE SAIGON GOODBYE VIETNAM
TOUR PHOTOS
DAY 1: GOOD MORNING HANOI
Welcome to Hanoi, we will meet and take you to your hotel, check-in and today is free at your leisure.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, hotel
DAY 2: DAY TRIP TO PERFUME PAGODA
08:00 – 08:30, our guide & driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer for about 2 hours to Perfume pagoda. On arrival, we take a row-boat trip to go visit that land on the Yen stream “romantic time” about 1 hour to Thien Tru harbor. Then you will enjoy time to trekking go up and down visit the main cave so nice~ step by step you will arrive Huong Tich cave on the top of the mountain. To see Golden-Silver tree rice stuck….One hour down. Lunch at the local restaurant at the bottom of the mountain
In the afternoon, you will see the Heaven Kitchen pagoda and to know about Buddhism ancient architectural at Le Dynasty. Then you will come back by row-boat-trip and 2 hour road trip to Hanoi.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fees, boat row, hotel, breakfast and lunch
DAY 3: HANOI – NINH BINH – HANOI
This morning continue your tour program to Hoa Lu Ancient Capital located 13km from Ninh Binh Town to visit Dinh & Le Dynasty Temple. These two temples were first built in the 11th century and reconstructed in 1696 to dedicate to King Dinh Tien Hoang and his successor Le Dai Hanh. After which, you will take a sampan on a river through the rice paddies to the grottoes of the sacred Tam Coc Caves, known as Vietnam’s “Halong on Land”. Lastly you will visit Bich Dong caves pagoda before we come back to Hanoi.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fees, boat row, hotel, breakfast and lunch
DAY 4: HANOI, CITY TOUR
After breakfast, we head out to Ba Dinh Square and start our day with The Presidential Palace (formerly Palace of the Governor-General of French Indochina), and Ho Chi Minh’s house-on-stilts. Followed by a visit to the Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam built in the 11th century.
Next is a visit to the Museum of Ethnology, which gives us an excellent overview of the country’s ethnic groups, their customs and ways of life. The beautiful grounds display original old houses from many different ethnic groups.
We then drive to Hanoi Center, pay a visit to the Sword Lake & Ngoc Son Temple, before exploring the lively Old Quarter using the new electric cars promoting green tourism in Hanoi, the perfect and most relaxing way to navigate the busy streets full of street vendors and shops. The 36 streets of the Old Quarter date back to the Middle Ages when they supplied the Emperor’s citadel.
Before finishing the day by attending a wonderful Water Puppet Performance, we take a rishaw around apart of Hanoi Old Quarter for nearly one hour.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrances fees, breakfast, hotel
DAY 5: NINH BINH – HALONG BAY ON DRAGON PEARL JUNK
Breakfast at hotel, then we leave Ninh Binh for Halong bay.
12.00 Embark at Hon Gai International harbour.
13.00 Check-in, enjoy a welcoming drink and cruise briefing.
13.30 Have lunch while cruising in the magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay, admiring the fascinating rock formations in the bay.
15.00 Cruise to Cap La.
16.30 Enjoy paddling around Cap La and Tra San by kayak.
17.45 Back to junk for swimmingor relaxation.
19.00 Have dinner and stay overnight on board.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide on board, entrance fees, kayak, shared junk, breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 6: FULL DAY TO EXPLORE THE MOST ISOLATED PARTS OF THE BAY
07.30 Enjoy the bay’s morning landscape with a cup of tea or coffee. Have breakfast in the open air.
08.30 Cruise to Cong Dam while appreciating the rock formations of Halong Bay.
09:00 Kayak through hidden lagoons and Cong Damgeological park.
11.30 Sunbathe, relax or swim at Tra Gioi Beach.
12.30 BBQ lunch followed by relaxation on this deserted beach.
14:30 Visit Cong Dam Fishing Village by a rustic rowing boat, meat the local peopleand pass through the lagoons.
16.00 Cruise back to Cong Do for swimming or kayaking.
19.00 Have dinner and stay overnight on board.
Inclusion: Guide on board, kayak, shared junk, breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 7: MORE TIME ON THE BAY – HANOI – NIGHT TRAIN TO SAPA
07.30 Enjoy the fresh air and gentle breezes of the bay in the morning while having breakfast on board.
08.30 Visit Thien Canh Son Cave followed by swimming.
10.30 Cruise towards the harbour while an a la carte lunch is served
11.45 – 12.00 Disembark. Drive to Yen Duc village in Dong Trieu province.
14.00 – 14.30 Enjoy water puppet show performed by local artist.
17.00 – 17.30 Arrive in Hanoi. Have your own time for dinner.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, breakfast, lunch, train tickets (private cabin for 2 people only)
DAY 8: ARRIVE LAO CAI – BAC HA SUNDAY MARKET – SAPA
Arrive in Laocai in the morning (around 5.30 AM), our local tour guide and driver will meet you at the train station and transfer you to a local restaurant for early breakfast and refreshment. After that, we travel to Bac Ha Sunday market
Bac Ha is the largest market in the region, a place where many ethnic groups gather to buy and sell, eat and drink together. There are 10 minority groups in the Bac Ha region. You can buy homemade handicrafts and clothes. Have your own lunch at the market.
In the afternoon we will trek to Ban Pho village (Flower H’Mong people). In the village we can have a look in their house and understand little more about their lifestyle and traditional customs. Especially, we can try homemade wine from corn. If time permits, we will take a boat trip on Ha Nhi river before driving back to Sapa town. Have your own time then.
Inclusion: Transfer, tour guide, hotel, breakfast
DAY 9: SAPA & SURROUNDINGS
After breakfast, we leave the hotel and start trekking. The first part is on the road but we soon turn to the right and walk on a small path down the valley to Muong hoa river and visit the Black Hmong in Lao chai. Black Hmong is one of the biggest minority group in Sa pa district. They are proud of their culture and keep their traditions way of living. They have their own language, wear traditions indigo blue clothing…
After that you continue go to Ta van village to visit the Zay People. Zay is a fairly small minority group of 38.000.people who live in the mountains in the North West Vietnam. The development has meant that some of their old custom has been lost but many women still wear tradition shits with purple, blue or green colour. The Zay houses are built in wood and bamboo with clay floor. We stay overnight with a local family in Ta van and have dinner there.
Inclusion: Transfer, local English speaking guide, breakfast, lunch, entrance fees and hotel
DAY 10: MORE TREK AND BACK TO SAPA – NIGHT TRAIN TO HANOI
After the breakfast we continue to visit Red Zao people at Ta Phin village. The Red Zao women have very colorful embroideries and coins on their clothing. On their head they wear a red scarf. Some of the women have shaved off their eyebrows because of a nice Red Zao Legend.
Time in the afternoon is for you to walk around Sapa town before we transfer back to Lao Cai station for night train to Hanoi.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, breakfast, train tickets (private cabin for 2 people only)
DAY 11): HANOI – FLY TO HOCHIMINH
Upon your arrival in early morning, we will arrange a mini hotel (standard one) for you to take a short rest and have breakfast. Next, we transfer you to Hanoi airport for your flight to Hochiminh. Picked up on arrival then we transfer to hotel downtown. Check in then you are on your own.
Inclusion: Mini hotel in early morning, Transfers, guide, flight tickets, hotel, breakfast
DAY 12: CU CHI TUNNELS & CITY TOUR
Departing Saigon at 8:00 am, we transfer to visit the Cu Chi outdoor museum to learn about the infamous tunnel systems of the Viet Cong. Take this opportunity to get a unique understanding of the guerillas underground fight strategies during the war and crawl through 50 – 100 meters of the 200 km tunnel system. On the way back to Saigon, local rice paper workshops, and views of Vietnam countryside and paddy fields are pleasant sights.
In the afternoon, we take Ho Chi Minh City tour. Sightseeing includes the Notre Dame Cathedral and the General Post Office Building, which is admired for its French Colonial architecture. If time permit, we would visit the Re-unification Palace and War Museum. Also, the surrounding streets are a common landmark as Ho Chi Minh downtown is the city’s liveliest and most bustling marketplace. Here, you can get great bargains on local food produce, handicrafts and souvenirs.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fees, breakfast, hotel
Day 13: SAIGON – BEN TRE – CAN THO
This morning we will drive to Ben Tre, a southern province located in the Mekong Delta. We will pass lush rice paddies and fruit farms emerging alongside the highway as we leave the city behind.
Upon arrival in Ben Tre, take a short stroll through a shaded area of coconut gardens before reaching a rest-stop to enjoy freshly picked fruit, a cup of honey tea and a traditional folk song performance.
Walk further to the river bank where we continue our journey by sampan, in which we are paddled by a personalised rower. Take the time to discover the maze of small palm-lined canals. We will have the chance to see a family-run business where they make coconut candy directly in front of the pier.
Embark on another motorised boat ride toward Turtle Island. Take a leisurely walk through the village observing fruit orchards along the way. Our lunch will consist of typical Mekong dishes at a local restaurant. Afterwards we cruise to Chuong Duong waterfront pier where we can take in the Delta scenery of stilt houses and local fish farms.
Later we continue by road to our hotel in Can Tho city located deep in the Mekong Delta for an overnight stay.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fees, boat trip, breakfast, hotel
Day 14: CAN THO – SAIGON
We take a boat trip today from Nink Kieu pier to Cai Rang Floating Markets where everything the local villagers could ever need is on sale. From haircuts and coffins to fruit and vegetables, which make up the lion’s share of the wares that are on offer. As we cruise through, each boat we pass has a sample of its produce hanging from a bamboo mast in its bow so that we know what each vendor is selling.
After sailing through the markets we will visit a local rice husking mill and a factory that produces vermicelli noodles before returning to Saigon, stopping for lunch en route.
Free the rest of the day until your dinner.
Inclusion: Boat trip, transfer, guide, entrance fees, breakfast, hotel
DAY 15: DEPARTURE SAIGON GOODBYE VIETNAM
Breakfast at hotel then we transfer the airport for your flight out.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide and breakfast.
TOUR PRICE INCLUDES:
- 10 nights’ shared Accommodation in double room with daily breakfast at the above indicated room types (check in and check out at around noon time)
- 02 nights on private cabin on train Hanoi – Lao Cai (Sapa) – Hanoi
- 02 nights on a nice and fancy junk in Halong bay
- All transfers and transportation with air-con vehicles
- Local ENGLISH speaking guides
Note:
- For the night train from Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi, our guide will not go with you on the night train
- For the Dragon Pearl junk, our guide will not go aboard on cruise.
- All entrance fees as program
- Domestic flight ticket Hanoi – Saigon
- Meals (B/L/D) (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) as indicated in the program (Vietnamese Local food)
- 02 bottles of mineral water per person per day on bus on days of transfer and sightseeing only
TOUR PRICE EXCLUDES:
- Airfares (international and others not mentioned)
- Meals (other than mentioned in the program)
- Drinks
- Visas to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
- Mineral water beyond that supplied
- Tips
- Early check in or late check out
- Insurances
- Optional excursions and activities
- Additional transfer required due to any emergency situation
- Items of a personal nature (Phone calls, laundry, beverages…)
- All not mentioned above
