Day 1: Arrival Hanoi Vietnam
Our Vietnam: Highlights of the country begins when you land in Hanoi to be warmly welcomed by our representative, then transfer to Hanoi, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards, public parks, and the capital of Vietnam. Check into your hotel.
Stay overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi Sightseeing full day
Hanoi is a very attractive city with French-style architecture with much to see. You have a full day of sightseeing ahead, including a visit to the One Pillar Pagoda, which was built by Ly Thai Tong and the Temple of Literature, founded by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. Stop in the heart of Hanoi at Hoan Kiem Lake, which contains an islet with a tiny Tortoise Pagoda. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, the Opera House and St. Joseph Cathedral. Then enjoy a visit to Bao Tang Lich Su, which includes artifacts from Vietnam’s turbulent history. Enjoy a water puppet performance, a cyclo ride around the streets of the Old Quarter. Transfer to Railway Station for night train to Sapa, in A/C 4 berth sleeping cabins.
Overnight on the train
Day 3: Sapa arrival – trekking to Villages
Arrive at Lao Cai Railway Station at 6:00am. Picked up and transferred to Sapa town for your hotel check in. Have breakfast and then begin trekking down to Lao Chai village to visit the Black H’mong. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the way, then continue along the valley to Ta Van village to visit the Dzay people living there, one the most friendly minority groups in the mountainous area. Trek a little further to Giang Ta Chai village of the Red Dzao tribe where you will see the amazing scenery and beautiful waterfall. In the afternoon, transfer back Sapa Town to discover the Sapa Market & stay overnight in Sapa Town.
Day 4: Lao Cai- Bac Ha Sunday Market
After breakfast in Sapa, you leave Sapa Town for Bac Ha Town to join the Sunday Market with local people. Bac Ha is considered one of the most wonderful and colourful markets in the north, where thousands of local people in their traditional attire buy and sell local products as well as catching up with the gossip. Dogs, cats, pigs, horses… are all on sale, and there is a golden opportunity to take your best photos! In the afternoon, we will take a pleasant walk to Ban Pho village, home to the flower H’mong people. This is an opportunity to interact with the friendly locals and take a pleasant walk amongst the tribal villages. Leave Bac Ha Town at 3:00pm for Lao Cai Railway Station and take the night train back to Hanoi which departs about 7.30pm.
Overnight on the train.
Day 5: Excursion to Halong Bay
Arrive at Hanoi Railway Station at 5:30am. Pick up & transfer to a hotel to refresh and enjoy breakfast until 8:30am, when you leave Hanoi for Halong Bay, one of the most magnificent scenic environments in the world. This vast bay is filled with more than 2,000 limestone “peaks” or karsts that rise from the deep blue water as far as the eye can see. We’ll spend a day and a half, including an overnight sleep, with dinner and breakfast onboard. Enjoy exploring this overwhelming seascape from the decks of a well fitted out traditional Junk. Comfortable and intimate, your boat features hand-crafted wooden interiors including a dining room and pleasant air-conditioned cabins with private baths. Since we’re overnight on the water, we’ll be able to explore Ha Long Bay’s most beautiful spots, and enjoy the time to swim and even visit some of the largest rock formations and caves. This promises to be one of your most memorable travel experiences in Asia.
Overnight on the Junk
Day 6: Halong Bay Cruise – Hanoi
Rising to the sound of lapping waters, we have time for an early morning dip followed by breakfast. Sitting on the upper deck, you can relax while taking in the breath-taking beauty of the rocky islands. After breakfast, explore Sung Sot cave, swim and relax. Cruise back to the wharf while brunch is being served, and on the return cruise see more of the fascinating formations. Once back on land, we rejoin the car and drive back to Hanoi. Arrive Hanoi at 3:00pm, check into your hotel and enjoy free time to go sightseeing in the Old Quarter.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 7: Hanoi – Hue
After breakfast at hotel, enjoy your time in Hanoi’s Old Quarter before taking flight to Hue around noon. When you arrive in Hue City you will be picked up & transferred to your hotel for check in.
Overnight in Hue City.
Day 8: Full day sightseeing in Hue City
Spend a full day visiting some of the many sites in Hue City, Vietnam’s political capital from 1802 to 1945, under the 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. Traditionally, the city has been one of Vietnam’s cultural, religious and educational centers. We visit the Imperial City, which is located in the Citadel, and modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing, and was built in the early 19th century. Explore the Thai Hoa Palace, with its spacious hall and ornate roof of huge timbers supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns. See the Halls of the Mandarins, the Nine Dynastic Urns and the site where the Forbidden Purple City once stood.
Overnight in Hue City.
Day 9: Thien Mu Pagoda
Visit the Thien Mu Pagoda on the bank of the Perfume River, which was a hotbed of anti-government protest during the early 1960s. Next, visit the Tomb complex of Emperor Minh Mang, built in 1840, which is known for its magnificent architecture and elaborate decorations and is considered one of Hue’s most beautiful pagodas. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Tu Duc Tomb, built for meditation, reading and theater performances in a tranquil setting of forested hills and lakes. Your final stop is at Khai Dinh, the last monument of the Nguyen dynasty. It has a remarkably long staircase flanked by dragons, ceiling murals and ceramic frescoes. Return to your hotel on the riverbank where your Art Deco inspired rooms are reminiscent of the 1920s and 1950s.
Overnight in Hue City.
Day 10: Leave Hue to Danang
Today, journey south through the Hai Van Pass and Lang Co, over a spur of the Truong Son Mountain Range that juts into the Vietnam Eastern Sea (Bien Dong), with spectacular views along the way. On arrival in Danang, visit the Cham Museum, which features the finest collection of Cham sandstone carvings in the world. Stop at China Beach, made famous in the American TV series of the same name. It stretches for many miles north and south of the Marble Mountains. The Marble Mountains surrounding the area are five stone hillocks – once islands made of marble – and each is said to represent one of the five elements of the universe. There are also many natural caves in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. Transfer to Hoi An Ancient Town and check into your hotel.
Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 11: Hoi An Excursion
Enjoy a full-day of excursion in Hoi An, a major trading center, once known as “Faifo” to the earliest Western traders. It was also an important port for the Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese and other merchant vessels from the Far East. Visit a temple with partially gilded statues in the center, a pagoda dedicated to sailors and fishermen and a chapel with origins in the 1700’s that reflects the influences of Chinese and Japanese styles. Stop at the Sa Huynh Museum, located near the Japanese Covered Bridge, which contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An’s history. Late in the afternoon, we take a boat trip on the Thun Bon River to Kim Bing Village on Cam Kim Island to visit the wood workers and shipbuilding familiesthat live there. Return to your haven on world-famous China Beach, with the evening at your leisure.
Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 12: My Son Sanctuary half day Tour
Leave your hotel at 8:00am and drive to My Son, a World Heritage site, 50 km southwest of Hoi An. Located in a lush valley, My Son was a capital and religious center of the Cham people, now all that remains are red brick towers and sanctuaries. My Son, considered to be in the same league as some of Southeast Asia’s greatest archaeological sites, including Angkor in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. These towers and sanctuaries were built from the 7th to the 13th centuries. Return to Town for lunch. In afternoon, free to go shopping in Hoi An Town.
Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 13: Hoi An to Nha Trang Beach City
Free time for leisure in the morning until your transfer to Danang Airport to take a flight to Nha Trang City – one of the most beautiful Beaches in the world, with wide tree lined boulevards along its coastline. Picked up & transferred to your hotel.
Overnight in Nha Trang City.
Day 14: Nha Trang Sightseeing
In the morning you will travel to Cau Da port for a cruise on the Nha Trang Bay and visit the Tri Nguyen Aquarium on Mieu Island. Here you will discover the hundreds of precious marine creatures, then continue the cruise to Mun Island, -the best island for snorkeling, with lots of live colorful corals and fish easily spotted in the clear waters. Enjoy a tasty lunch on Con Se Tre island and spend time relaxing, before returning to your hotel.
Overnight in Nha Trang.
Day 15: Nha Trang
Today is a free day at leisure in Nha Trang, for relaxing and unwinding in the lovely surroundings. Snorkel or dive among the coral reefs in crystal blue waters, hike nature trails, indulge in spa treatments, enjoy a mud bath or just relax on the white sanded beach and admire the unspoiled sea views.
Overnight in Nha Trang.
Day 16: Nha Trang – Da Lat (City of Love)
Have breakfast then leave Nha Trang and transfer to Da Lat by car. Our journey will take 4,5 hours, and we will break for sightseeing on the way. We will arrive in Da Lat at noon, and after lunch we begin exploring Da Lat with a half day City Tour that includes palaces and waterfalls. Late in the afternoon you will be able to take a walk, and get a feel for this delightful city, and in the evening you will head out to one of the fine restaurants in town for dinner.
Overnight in Da Lat.
Day 17: Da Lat sightseeing – full day
Today you will take a tour of Da Lat and the surrounding areas. We will visit Bao Dai Palace, then the rather bizarre and very aptly named Crazy House, a brightly painted concrete house which winds itself around trees, mimicking their shapes which now functions as a guesthouse. Next we visit the Truc Lam Thien Vien and Pagoda, and this afternoon, those interested can take the short train ride on the Cremaillere railway to the village of Tri Mat. In the evening, you will enjoy fine cuisine at a local restaurant.
Overnight in Da Lat.
Day 18: Free for leisure in Da Lat
Breakfast will be severed at your hotel, then you are free to explore Da Lat City in the morning. We leave Dalat for Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon, flying with Vietnam Airlines. We arrive in Ho Chi Minh City to be warmly welcomed by your tour guide and transferred to your hotel.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 19: Ho Chi Minh City
Have breakfast at your hotel, then we will begin discovering the largest city in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City. There are street markets, sidewalk cafes and sleek new bars. This teeming metropolis offers 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture. To the west of the city is the huge Chinese neighborhood called Cholon, which means “Big Market.” Visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, in the heart of Saigon’s government quarter, the Central Post Office, City Hall (known as “Hotel de Ville”), both amazing examples of French architecture that would be seen in any village in France. Visit the War Remnants Museum, that gives a Vietnamese perspective of the two Indochina wars and features collections of weapons and photographs.
Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 20: Full day to Mekong Delta
Today takes you to My Tho, the capital of Tien Giang Province, situated on the Mekong River, 75 kilometers southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. The city is surrounded by orchards and rice fields, which produce grain for the entire country and known as “the fruit-bowl of the nation”. Visit one or two of the islands that produce traditional handcrafts, coconut candy and have bee farms for honey production. Explore the Vinh Trang Pagoda, the oldest in the delta region during your cruise on the Mekong River. You will then return to Ho Chi Minh City and check into your hotel.
Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 21: Conclude Your Tour
You have the morning free, to relax before your onward flight, or extend your stay and discover Mui Ne beach, Phu Quoc Island or other wonderful places in the country.
