Activities

Day 1 : Arrive in Hanoi

Arriving at Ha Noi Airport, you’ll be welcomed by our driver and tour guide and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Overnight in Ha Noi

Meal: Dinner

Day 2: Hanoi city tour

Today we’ll have a half day easy tour of the 1000 year old city of Ha Noi. We’ll will visit different highlights of Ha Noi including: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, the Ngoc Son temple, the Temple of Literature - 1st University of Vietnam. You enjoy free at leisure time in the afternoon. In the evening, enjoy water puppet show.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 3: Hanoi – Hoalu. Train to Lao Cai

After breakfast, depart for Hoa Lu to visit the temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh Dynasty (968-80), and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le Dynasty (980-1009). The ancient Hoa Lu Citadel (most of which has since been destroyed) once covered an area of three square kilometers.

Board your private sampan. As the boat gently slices through the water, notice the enormous limestone karsts jutting out from the green rice fields giving rise to Hoa Lu's other name, 'Halong on Land'. On the way visit Chua Bich Dong, set among pink lotuses, the pagoda offers spectacular views of the surrounding area.

In the late morning depart for Tam Coc Town for a delicious Vietnamese lunch, along the way stop where you wish to take photographs of local villages and the stunning landscape.

If time permits after visiting Hoa Lu (for the fit and healthy), take a halfhour walk up one of the surrounding limestone karst hills, the climb is rewarding with spectacular view before heading back to Hanoi.

Dinner in local restaurant before transferring to Hanoi station for night train to Laocai.

Overnight on the train.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 4: Lao Cai – Trekking to minority villages - Sapa

Arriving at Lao Cai in the early morning. Welcome by your local guide then transfer to local restaurant for breakfast.

After breakfast, you first sneak through the Sapa market and leave the busy town behind. After a couple of minutes, you follow a road going downhill to Cat Cat village. You will stop by a waterfall and a hydroelectric station for a while before continuing the trek on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. You also will enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river. You eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, where you can take a rest while you are served lunch nearby the river. After lunch, you head toward Muong Hoa valley. You will pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route.

You will return Sapa from Tavan by car.

Overnight in Sapa. *** Approx: 0,5 hour driving / 5 hours walking / 1 hour lunch.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 5: Trekking to Ma Tra – Ta Phin. Train LaoCai – Hanoi

Met up at your hotel in Sapa by local guide and driver then travel by car downhill to Mong Sen where we starting a dirt trail through rice fields and villages. Enjoy spectacular view along the way. Your picnic lunch will be provided on spot. After lunch, we continue our trek downhill towards Taphin village inhabited by ed Dao and Black Hmong minorities. These are two largest ethnic groups living in Sapa area. Stop by some house to meet local people and talk with them to understand their culture, customs and traditions. Late afternoon, we will trek back to to main road to get on our vehicle for transfer to Laocai station for train back to Hanoi,

Overnight on train. Approx: 1-hour driving/ 4 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 6 – 01 Apr 11: Hanoi – HaLong bay

Arrive in Hanoi in early morning. Transfer to local restaurant for breakfast. Come to Halong Bay and enjoy boat trip to visit Ha Long Bay, listed as a World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. This picturesque “Dragon descending to the sea” Bay has 1,969 limestone islets rising from the sea, many of them containing beautiful grottoes. Visit of a grotto then seafood lunch on board.

Overnight on board the junk in the wild of Ha Long Bay.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 7: Ha Long Bay - Ha Noi, flight to Hue

Relax and enjoy the sound of the nature on the bay. Brunch on boat and transfer back to Hanoi.

Transfer directly to the airport for 1 hour flight to Hue.

Overnight in Hue.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 8: Hue visit. Hue

Hue became the nation’s capital under the Nguyen Dynasty when Emperor Gia Long, the first of the Nguyen emperors, chose the location for the imperial city in 1802. The city remained Vietnam’s capital until 1945, when Bao Dai, the last of the Nguyen emperors, abdicated. Many of Hue’s attractions are found along the banks of the romantically named Perfume River that flows through the centre of town.

On the north bank of the river is the Imperial Citadel, built along the lines of Peking’s Forbidden City, enclosed by 10-metre thick walls and surrounded by a moat.

Enjoy a morning river cruise to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda and Tombs of King Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Travel back to Hue for refreshment.

Afternoon, visit the Hue Citadel of Hue.

Overnight in Hue.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 9: Hue - Hoian

Leave Hue for Hoi An, a major Asian trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries whose architecture and relaxed lifestyle has changed little over the years The scenic route passes through the wonderfully photogenic fishing village of Lang Co before climbing over the Pass of Ocean Clouds. In the afternoon take a walking tour of the ancient town centre to visit the former merchants’ homes, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge and the colourful market. Overnight in Hoi An.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 10: Hoi An

In the afternoon take a 3-hour cruise on the Thu Bon River with stops at Thanh Ha pottery village, Kim Bong carpenters’ village and the shipbuilding yard. Afternoon is free for your own leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 11: Hoi An – My Son – Hoi An

A half day trip to visit the capital and religious centre of the former Champa Kingdom, My Son. Visit the museum and the holy site then head back to Hoi An. Afternoon is free at leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 12: Hoi An – Danang – Dalat

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for 1hour flight to the cool climate of the former French hill station of Dalat, in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Dalat is a place for romantics and while here your guide will show you sites such as Lovers Lane, the delightful flower gardens, Xuan Huong Lake and Prenn Waterfall.

Night in hotel in Dalat.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 13: Dalat – Route for Hochiminh

Wake early this morning surrounded by the scenery of Dalat. After breakfast, transfer to Ho Chi Minh City, around 200km from Dalat. Stop on the way to visit the minority villages, Prenn waterfall, Cham tower (if time permits).

Overnight in Hochiminh city.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 14: Hochiminh – Cu Chi, Mekong Delta

We travel 70 km to Cu Chi once famous for the legendary tunnel system which at the height stretched over 250 km. In Cu Chi, you can check out these tunnels of 3 levels by crawling through the dark and narrow way; you'll also learn more about the life of the local people during the war.

Lunch in local restaurant in Cu Chi.

Transfer by road toward Delta Mekong – Can Tho city.

Dinner in hotel.

Night in Can Tho.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 15: Can Tho– Hochiminh

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel take an early departure at 0630 to see the Mekong's largest floating market, Cai Rang. As in Cai Be hundreds of boats congregate with a piece of fruit or a vegetable attached to a pole at the bow signifying what is for sale on each. During the early morning market hours, larger sized boats anchor and create lanes that smaller boats weave in and out of. The waterway becomes a maze of hundreds of boats packed with mango, bananas, papaya, pineapple and other types of produce. Following head back to Can Tho where you will have time to freshen up before lunch and your return journey to Ho Chi Minh City.

Overnight in Hochiminh city

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 16: Hochiminh

A half day city tour takes in the city’s bustling Chinatown and begins with a visit to the Thien Hau Temple. Explore Cholon, literally meaning ‘big market’. Back to the city centre to visit the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City: the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office, Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Continental Hotel, Opera House and City Hall.

Afternoon free for shopping and own leisure

Overnight in Hochiminh city

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 17: Hochiminh/ Departure flight

You have free time until we transfer you back to the airport for your onward flight.

Meal: Breakfast

INCLUSIONS: 

• Accommodations in twin or double sharing in all tour in Deluxe hotels mentioned above
• Private transfer in air-conditioned vehicles as program.
• Train ticket Hanoi – Laocai – Hanoi in compartment of 4berth sharing.
• Stationed English speaking guide as per program (different guide in each area)
• All Entrance fees
• Boat fees in Hue, Hoi An,
• Package tour 2days/1 night on board of traditional junk in Halong in twin sharing cabin
• A sleeping bag/pax
• One 0.5l mineral water and cool facial towel/pax/day
• Trekking tour in Sapa as per itinerary
• Meals as mentioned in the program with Asian cuisines (B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
• Vietnamese visa stamping fee.

EXCLUSIONS

• All internal airfares to and from Vietnam
• International airport tax
• Domestic airfares: Hanoi – Hue//Danang – Dalat: around 195USD per person
• Visa stamping fee.
• Drinks and personal expenses.
• Supplements mentioned in Mekong delta trip.
• All services not mentioned clearly in the inclusive portion