ITINERARY
Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport, welcome by our guide and transfer to your hotel. (Driving time is approximately 45 minutes).
Hanoi or “River-bound City” as its name literally means is Vietnam’s capital with a thousand-year-old history dating back to 1010. The city’s fascinating beauty which is characterized by unique cultural relics, ancient streets of antique houses, elegant French colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and romantic lakes has made it one of the most charming cities of Asia.
The post-colonial capital city of Hanoi is a unique Asian city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, numerous lakes, pagodas and temples. This Hanoi day tour takes you around the city’s most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and his Stilt House, the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda nearby. Also on the tour will be the Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, and the Temple of Literature.
This evening, enjoy “My village” show which a delicate merge of tradition and innovation, where the poetic beauty of Northern Vietnam’s village life is presented under new cirque approach. Farming, building activities, traditional games, lifestyle of Northern villagers are recreated by ancestral bamboo props, breathtaking cirque and rhythmic dance, juggling, and acrobatic movements to distinct folk music played from more than 20 musical instruments. Lang Toi (My Village) has toured around the world from 2009 to 2012, with over 300 shows in France, Holland, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Germany, Hong Kong. You will stay overnight in Hanoi.
After breakfast, depart from your hotel and continue your Vietnam classic tour to Hoa Lu, which is ancient capital of Vietnam during the 10th and 11th century. Along the way, you can take photographs of local villages and the surrounding landscape. On arrival in Hoa Lu, you can visit two temples, one of them dedicated to Emperor Dinh (968-980) and the other in memory of Emperor Le (980-1009). Continue to Tam Coc Town for a Vietnamese lunch; then board your private sampan boat on Ngo Dong river through “the Ha Long on land” the quiet and peaceful landscape of rice fields surrounded by limestone formations to visit three grottoes of Tam Coc (Hang Ca, Hang Giua & Hang Cuoi). Back to Hanoi to enjoy Vietnam traditional water puppet show.
After breakfast, let’s get on Halong Bay trip.
Check in room onboard then enjoy welcome drinks while our Cruise Manager does the itinerary and safety briefing. Let the trip begin with a tasty lunch while the boat cruises towards the southwest of Halong Bay. Discover the mysterious cave which is not only a beauty spot but also an archaeological site. Covering an area of 1,000 m2 with stunning stalactites and stalagmites, the cave is one of the finest caves in Halong Bay.
It’s also time to admire the sunset over enchanting Halong Bay while the boat anchors for an overnight stay. Enjoy set-menu dinner on board while your Cruise Manager introduces the following day program. Retire to your cabin or join our staffs for squid fishing. Overnight on board.
Start off your day with a Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck with complimentary tea and coffee being served. Rejuvenate your body and mind with the slow movement of Tai Chi and enjoy the dawn on the bay. Light breakfast is served onboard. The boat weighs anchor to sail to Cua Van floating village. Take your time to visit the village which is voted as one of the 11 insanely beautiful small towns around the world by huffingtonpost.com. On Halong Bay tour, you can choose either kayak or traditional rowing boat to discover the local life on the waters. Return to your boat and relax. Enjoy the brunch before checking out. Disembark at Tuan Chau International Passenger Port.
Transfer back to Hanoi. Free time, overnight in Hanoi.
Breakfast at hotel. Free at your leisure to enjoy Hanoi. Then, you will transfer to the airport for your flight to Hue City. Upon arrival at Phu Bai Airport in Hue, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel. In the evening, enjoy Hue night tour by experiencing the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City’s at night. You will enjoy royal-style dinner before an overnight stay in Hue.
Rising up in the ancient land, you will enjoy your breakfast in the hotel and then board a private boat for a cruise on the romantic Perfume River. You will visit the Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda), and then take a drive to visit King Minh Mang’s tomb and King Tu Duc’s tomb before lunch at a local restaurant.
Afternoon: Free to explore Hue city by your own. Overnight in Hue
You will then head to Hoi An Ancient town over the Hai Van pass. You will stop in Danang City for a visit to the Cham Museum and stop at the Marble Mountain “Five element mountain” – a cluster of five marble: Kim-metal; Moc-wood; Thuy-water; Hoa-fire; Tho-earth and limestone hills located in Ngu Hanh Son ward. Move to Non Nuoc carving stone village. Once in Hoi An, you will check into the hotel and have some free time to explore the town. You will stay overnight in Hoi An.
In the morning you will enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200-year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge. Following Hoi An tour there will be free time for shopping or relaxing. Take part in a lantern making class before releasing lanterns on Thu Bon River in the romantic evening. Overnight in Hoi An.
Accompanied by your tour guide, you commence the day leisurely cycling along country roads witnessing local Vietnamese rural life first hand, discovering all manner of photo opportunities – coming and visiting a beautiful organic vegetable village, watering and planting vegetable, hoeing a soil with local farmer, riding a water buffalo in a rice paddy field; seeing ducks swimming along the rice farm or farmers tending their crops. The photo opportunities are endless. As well you will experience the friendliness of the local people greeting you along the way. Later you will board on a Hoi An river cruise to meet and engage with local fishermen and enjoy a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. You will also experience paddling the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat while the waterways of coconut palm paradise. This Vietnam local tour provides you with a cultural window into the ways of life of both our farming and fishing communities. Overnight in Hoi An.
Move to Danang for morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Your friendly guide will transfer you directly to your centrally located hotel. Lunch will be served at a nice restaurant. In the afternoon you will embark on a city tour of HCMC (Saigon) including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office and bustling Ben Thanh Market. You will stay overnight in HCMC
This morning you will drive to Cao Dai Temples in Tay Ninh. Cao Dai Holy See Temple is the cathedral of the Cao Daism religion and home of the Divine Eye, the official symbol of this unique religion. Cao Dai followers worship Jesus Christ, Confucius, Taoism, and Buddha. You will also be able to observe the midday service.
After lunch, transfer to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which consist of more than 200km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The network includes innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life was like during the U.S.-Vietnam War. You will stay overnight in HCMC.
The Mekong Delta is the southernmost region of Vietnam and is often referred to as the rice bowl of Vietnam as it produces three crops of rice per year. The fertile Mekong Delta is also famous for its tropical fruits and flowers.
You will leave HCMC to lush My Tho, where you will board a private boat to go through the green vegetation of the canals to an orchard, where guests are treated to a delicious lunch in a local restaurant in the heart of the Mekong, complete with succulent tropical fruits. You also visit the snake farm, Dong Tam, which breeds snakes for, among other things, snake wine. Then you will head back to HCMC for an overnight stay.
There is no activity planned for today, so you can enjoy your free time souvenir shopping until transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
From $2,326 per person
- Accommodation in a double or twin room with daily breakfast
- One night cruise on a wooden junk in Ha Long Bay
- Services of a driver and private air-conditioned vehicle during all tours and transfers
- Experienced English-speaking guide during all tours and transfers
- Domestic flight tickets
- Private board for sightseeing in My Tho
- Entrance fees for all visits as mentioned in the itinerary
- Lunch or dinner as specified in the itinerary
- Vietnam visa approval letter on arrival as complementary
- Mineral water is available as complementary
- Vietnam visa stamping fee at the airport (25 US$ by cash payable directly at the airport for single entry visa)
- Meals, if not specified in the itinerary
- Travel insurance (we highly recommend that you purchase adequate insurance)
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses, such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc.
- All other services not specified in the itinerary
- Child under 12 years old sharing with 01 adult: 90% of adult fare
- Child under 12 years old sharing with 02 adults with extra bed: 75% of adult fare
- Child under 12 years old sharing with 02 adults without extra bed: 50% of adult fare
- Child under 02 years old sharing with 02 adults without bed: FOC
- Prices quoted in USD and subject to change without prior notice.
- Please be informed that the quotation does not imply or constitute availability.
- In case if the hotel listed is unavailable, other similar class hotel shall be provided.
- Compulsory Gala Dinner will be applied during Christmas Eve and New Year Eve
