Explore Vietnam on an in-depth journey that takes you from North to South. Start with the colonial charm of Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, then travel to the natural wonderland of Halong Bay and trek through Sapa’s terraced rice paddies and hill tribe villages. Visit the ancient capital Hue and bask on the beaches of Hoian. Explore the lush landscape of the Mekong Delta and the bright lights and urban bustle of Saigon. This tour takes you deep into our beautiful country, immersing you in our rich culture and elegant landscapes.
ITINERARY
Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, Hue, Danang, Hoi An, Saigon, Can Tho & Mekong Delta (13n / 14d)
Day 1 : Hanoi
Welcome to Hanoi: Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital. Your guide and driver will meet you outside the baggage claim of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center. In the afternoon, take a walk around the center, visiting some of Hanoi’s main attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. In the evening enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture – followed by a welcome dinner at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants. Overnight at Hanoi.
Day 2 : Hanoi City Tour – Night train to Laocai.
Today you have a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will take you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and stilt house), the nearby One Pillar Pagoda; the Presidential Palace; the Temple of Literature; the Quan Thanh Temple, the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda & West Lake; and one of the city’s museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum). In the evening enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture – before heading to the train station to catch your night train to Laocai. Overnight in train.
Day 3 : Laocai – Sapa
The train arrives at the Laocai railway station in the early morning. Your guide and driver will meet you there and take you on the 40km drive to Sapa – Northwest Vietnam’s premier travel destination. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then catch a few hours of rest before beginning your adventure in this beautiful mountain landscape and home to many minority hill tribe peoples. In the late morning, your guide will take you on a two hour trek through the terraced rice fields to visit the villages Cat Cat and Sin Chai, where you will learn about local traditions and daily life. Rest of the day, you are free at leisure or explore the town on your own. Overnight at Sapa.
Day 4 : Sapa – Hill tribe village visits
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, before setting out on a full day’s trek to explore Sapa’s cultural diversity and haunting natural beauty. Take a guided hike through yawning valleys decorated with terraced rice fields and pass through remote hill tribe villages. You have three trekking options to choose from: Soft trek ( 3 km ), medium trek ( 6 km ) and long trek ( 12 km ). Trekking is an excellent way to explore the daily life and familiarize yourself with the cultures of the H’mong, Dzao and Dzay people who populate the region. Have lunch at a hill tribe village then drive back to Laocai to catch your return night train to Hanoi. Overnight in train.
Day 5 : Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning. Your guide and driver will meet you at the railways station and take you to a local restaurant for breakfast, before setting out on a 3 to 4 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Halong Bay. Spend 24 hours on a traditional Junk Cruise in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around noon and board your junk. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as we sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands, including Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. Along the way visit one of the bay’s 3 largest caves (Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot). Stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach and take a dip in the warm waters of the Tonkin Gulf (weather permitting). Pass the night on your junk, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters. Overnight on Cruise Boat.
Day 6 : Halong Bay – Hanoi – Fly to Hue
Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the boat for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay as we navigate back to Halong City. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to Halong pier. Your driver will meet you at the dock and take you to Noi Bai Airport of Hanoi for your in-country flight to Hue. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will meet you and take you to your hotel. Overnight at Hue.
Day 7 : Hue City Tour
Spend an entire day touring the Vietnam’s former ancient capital. Start the day with a visit to the Imperial Citadel, home to the Imperial City and Forbidden Purple City – once the Emperor’s private residence. The Imperial City was created in the 19th century and modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing. The Imperial Enclosure houses many palaces and temples within its walls. In the afternoon, continue on your tour stopping at the Imperial Museum, Tu Hieu Pagoda and vibrant Dong Ba riverside market.Overnight at Hue.
Day 8 : Hue – Danang – Hoi An
Spend the morning on a private boat cruise down the romantic Perfume River to visit the Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda) and the ornate Minh Mang’s tomb. Enjoy lunch at a riverside restaurant before starting on your drive to Hoian. Pass over the 500m-high Hai Van pass and stop en route in Danang for a visit to the Cham Museum and handicraft villages at the foot of Marble Mountain. Arrive in the sleepy riverside town, Hoian, in the late afternoon, check in at the hotel and then enjoy the rest of the evening free at your leisure. Overnight at Hoi An.
Day 9 : Hoi An – Myson
Today you travel 40km outside of Hoi An to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: My Son. Surrounded by the Cat’s Tooth Mountains, My Son is home to the ancient Cham ruins and is often referred to as Vietnam’s Angkor Wat. Return to Hoi An in time for lunch then enjoy a free afternoon, for shopping, exploring or beach side relaxation.Overnight at Hoi An.
Day 10 : Hoian – Danang – Fly to Saigon
Have breakfast at the hotel then drive to the airport to catch your flight to Vietnam’s modern metropolis: Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Arrive in the late morning and enjoy an orientation tour through Ho Chi Minh City’s bustling streets en route to the hotel. Have lunch at a downtown restaurant of your choosing then set out on a guided city tour. In the afternoon you will visit such sites as the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the City Post Office and Ben Thanh Market. Overnight at Ho Chi Minh City ( Saigon ).
Day 11 : Saigon – Cu Chi Tunnels – Tay Ninh
After breakfast at hotel, you travel outside of Saigon to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels are an underground labyrinth of passageways, used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War (or “American War” as it’s referred to here) as protection against American air raids. Those inclined are invited to crawl through selections of the tunnels to better understand what life was like for the Vietnamese soldiers during wartime. Next you will visit the beautiful Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh and partake in the noontime prayer service. This large and colorful compound is home to the hybrid religion founded in the 1920s: Caodaism, which combines elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam in order to promote peace. Have lunch in Tay Ninh and return to Saigon in the late afternoon. Overnight at Ho Chi Minh City ( Saigon ).
Day 12 : Saigon – Mekong Delta – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Can Tho
Today you leave Saigon and travel to the Mekong River Delta. Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before driving to the riverside town, Cai Be. Along the way, stop at a candy factory and orchard garden, where you have an opportunity to listen to traditional music. Enjoy a relaxing lunch at a riverside restaurant, then cross the river by motorized boat to visit some fluvial islands and explore the countryside. Your driver will meet you at Vinh Long pier and take you to Can Tho City for the night. Overnight at Can Tho City.
Day 13 : Can Tho – Floating market – Saigon
Wake early and leave the hotel to visit the famous Cai Rang floating market by motorized boat. Continue the boat ride to visit the Mekong Delta’s famous fruit orchards and sample the fresh, exotic fruit. Then venture deeper into the country-side, passing traditional houses made of wood and palm leaves as you observe the activities of the local people. Return to Can Tho for lunch then drive back to Saigon, arriving in the late afternoon. Overnight at Ho Chi Minh City ( Saigon ).
Day 14 : Saigon – Departure
Today is free at your leisure for last minute shopping or sight-seeing before driving to the airport to catch your departure flight home.
THEMESCulture
Nature
Adventure
Wildlife
DESTINATIONSGuwahati
Shillong
Mwallynong
Cherrapunjee
Kaziranga
HIGHLIGHTS
– Spot one horned rhinos riding on elephant back at Kaziranga National Park
– Trek across forest and streams to the double decker root bridge at Cheerapunjee
– Explore stalagmite caves in Cheerapunjee
– Visit to Dawki on the Bangladesh border
– See Nohkalikai Falls, the tallest plunge waterfall in India
– Ferry ride to Majuli island, the largest river island in India
– Visit Mawlynnong, the cleanest village in Asia
COST Spoiler content INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS
INCLUSIONS :
5 Nights stay at home stay / resort with breakfast, 1 Night stay at houseboat with all meals, All transfers and excursions in private vehicle including all vehicle charges – driver cost, toll, parking etc. , service charges and taxes, Wildlife Safari Charges.
EXCLUSIONS :
Other than mentioned, Entry tickets and camera charges at sightseeing places ( if applicable )
STAY & TRANSPORT
As this is a customised tour, you can choose the accommodation and transport as per your preference . Accommodation types available – Resorts, Cottages, Home stay, Houseboat. Transport – Private Vehicle ( SUV or Car )
NOTE :
COST MENTIONED IS INDICATIVE.
This is a customized trip. Cost might vary depending on your group size and type of accommodation required. Please contact us for details
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