Activities

Day 1: Arrive Hochiminh

Arrive in Hochiminh city, welcome by your guide then transfer to the hotel for check – in.

Short city tour around Hochiminh, 1st impression of our Country – Vietnam. Visit the 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.

Welcome dinner in restaurant,

Overnight in Hochiminh city

Meal: Dinner

Day 2: Hochiminh

A full day city tour takes in the city’s bustling Chinatown and begins with a visit to the Thien Hau Temple, from where you will take a cyclo ride; the most appropriate and unusual way to explore Cholon, literally meaning ‘big market’. The ride will take you to the lively Binh Tay Market. After lunch visit the War Museum and the former Presidential Palace.

Free for shopping in the centre.

Overnight in Hochiminh city

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 3: Hochiminh - Can Tho, Bassac Cruise

Boarding at Can Tho at Ninh Kieu pier. Welcome drink, introduction to the ship and crew, check into the cabins. Departure downstream of the Hau river. Lunch on board while en route. Tour near Tra On floating market. Turning into Nicolai canal, towards the Mang Thit and Co Chien rivers. Rest on the upper deck in a scenery of rice fields, sugar cane, woods on the near banks. By mid-afternoon, the Bassac casts anchor for a visit on shore: past the first tree line, quiet discovery of the peaceful life in the delta's countryside, of rice fields, fruit trees and the welcoming inhabitants. Boarding back, complimentary drink as a welcome back on board. Rest on the deck or around the bar enjoying the sunset. The crew will serve dinner while the Bassac is cruising Mang Thit river towards her anchorage point for the night. The Bassac sets anchor for the night on river Mang Thit. Dinner and overnight on board.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 4: Cai Be – Hochiminh

06:30 Departure towards Cai Be. The passengers take their breakfast while enjoying the scenery on the banks.

The Bassac crosses Co Chien river then branches into Cho Lach canal for 30 minutes through the traffic of sand and rice barges, in a scenery of fruit drying facilities and wooden ship building yards. Arrival in Cai Be, check-out and boarding of a local boat for a tour of Cai Be floating market and handicraft. Tour end by mid-morning on shore at Cái Bè. Disembark and route for Sai Gon. Transfer to hotel. Overnight in Hochiminh city

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 5: Hochiminh – Cu Chi - Hochiminh

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. We drive back to Ho Chi Minh City and enjoy free time at leisure for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hochiminh city

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 6: Hochiminh – Nha Trang

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for short flight to Nha Trang, best well known beach station in Vietnam.

Visit the city: Long Son pagoda, Cham Ponagar tower, the Institute of Ocean where you have an idea about the sea products of Vietnam and Asia.

Free time to enjoy the beach.

Night in hotel in Nha Trang

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 7 : Nha Trang

Full day at leisure to enjoy the beach.

Night in hotel in Nha Trang.

Meal: Breakfast

Day 8: Nha Trang - Danang

After breakfast, transfer to the airport then take 1 hour flight to Danang. Meet our tour guide and travel to Hoian town. Stop to visit Cham museum in Danang city.

Arrival in Hoian then . 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. 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. Overnight in Hoi An

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 9 : 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 10: Hoian – Danang - Hue

After breakfast, transfer by road to Hue, Ancient Royal city. We’ll enjoy the scenic Hai Van Pass, Marble Mountains and the China Beach. We arrive in Hue at lunch time.

Afternoon, start for the discovery tour of Hue Imperial Citadel. 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. After the tour of Hue Citadel, we’ll check into the hotel and enjoy free time at leisure for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hue.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 11: Hue Royal tombs

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a morning river cruise to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda and Tombs of King Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Afternoon, visit to Dong Ba market then have free time for your own explorer. Overnight in Hue

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 12: Hue - Hanoi

After breakfast, transfer to Hue airport for 1hour flight to 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. Welcome dinner. Overnight in Ha Noi

Meal: Breakfast; Dinner

Day 13: City tour Hanoi

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. Afternoon, visit the Ethnology museum then enjoy the water puppet show. Night in hotel in Hanoi.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 14 : Hanoi – Hoalu. Train to Lao Cai – Market of minority ethnic - Sapa

0800 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.

Transfer Hanoi station for night train to Laocai. Overnight in hotel on train.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 15: Lao Cai – Market of minority ethnic - Sapa

Arriving at Lao Cai in the early morning, you can sip the hot coffee and enjoy the view of China on the other side of the Red River. From Lao Cai the road winds up the terraced hillsides to Sapa, which offers the stunning mountain views of the North West of Vietnam. We meet our driver and drive further into the mountains to a local market where we'll take part in an exotic weekend market of the local ethnic groups right in a pristine valley. Note: Visit Coc Ly market on Tuesday Visit Can Cau market on Saturday Visit Bac Ha market on Sunday Leaving the market, we travel to Sa Pa. We check into the hotel and enjoy free time at leisure. Overnight in Sapa Town.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 16: Sapa

Met up at your hotel in Sapa by Green Sapa local guide and driver then transferred to Ban Ho. We will trek through the scenic valley of “Ban Ho”. This is a village of Tay ethnic minority. The Tay preserve a traditional and fairly developed agriculture with cultivation of all kinds of plants including rice, maize and sweet potato as well as seasonable fruit and vegetables. Then we continue walking to Thanh Phu village where your lunch will be provided in a local house. After lunchtime, you head to Sin Chai village. This is a village of of Red Dao people. Dinner and overnight at the village.

Approx: 1-hour driving/ 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 17: Sin Chai – Ben Den LaoCai – Hanoi

After breakfast, we will start our day with a long trek towards Lao Cai. The route from Sin Chai, one of the most remote area in Sapa offers beautiful scenery and landscape. The trek will take us through rice paddy fields, bamboo forest, old trees jungle. Your lunch will be provided at Nam Ket.

After lunch, we will trek downhill. Upon arriving in Ta Thang village, a Tay village we will be greeted again by our driver who transfer us then to Laocai station for our journey back to Hanoi. Overnight on train

Approx: 0.5-hour driving/ 7.5 hours walking/ 1 hour lunch.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 18: Hanoi – HaLong bay

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 19: Ha Long Bay - Ha Noi.

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

Free at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meal: Breakfast; Brunch

Day 20: Hanoi – Duong Lam village

After breakfast, departure from Hanoi for nearly 2 hours drive to Son Tay.

Visit Mia pagoda which is 45km from Hanoi. Old and nice pagoda but nobody knows the year of the pagoda’s construction, only know that It was built longtime ago but in 1632, Mrs. Ngoc Dong - lord Trinh Trang’s wife had renovated the pagoda with help from local people of Duong Lam. And until now, there were many renovations but still keep the old architecture of the past-time.

From Mia pagoda, we walk for few minute to join Mong Phu village: A famous village with his Communal house dated 18th century and Old houses dated 17th, 18th century. Visit an ancient house and the famous Communal house.

Have a picnic lunch.

Continue our journey by taking a bicycle from Mong Phu village to join other village called Cam Lam. Magnificent landscape with rice-fields and hills. The two Kings Phung Hung & Ngo Quyen were born there and the village people are very proud of this. That’s why it has the second name as “The village of 2 Kings”. At Cam Lam, we can visit the temple of Phung Hung – very beautiful temple and also the Mausoleum of Ngo Quyen in the countryside facing rice fields and nice landscape. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meal: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 21: Hanoi Departure

You have free time until we transfer you back to the airport for your departure flight. End of our services.

Meal: Breakfast

INCLUSIONS

• Accommodations in twin or double sharing in all tour
• Private transfer in air-conditioned vehicles as program.
• Train ticket Hanoi – Laocai – Hanoi in compartment of 4berth sharing.
• French or 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
• Package tour 2days/1 night on board of traditional boat in Mekong delta in twin sharing
• A sleeping bag/pax
• One 0.5l mineral water and cool facial towel/pax/day
• Trekking tour in Sapa with overnight in local home stay
• Meals as mentioned in the program with Asian cuisines (B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
• Visa application 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.
• All services not mentioned clearly in the inclusive portion