Vietnam Discovery (14 days and 13 nights)
DESCRIPTION
This tour combines the urban highlights of a trip to Vietnam with the most exciting cultural destinations. Start your trip in cosmopolitan Hanoi, where you will be treated to a private city touring, a performance of the famed water puppets. Also spend a day cruising Halong Bay, where thousands of limestone rock sculptures jut dramatically from the sea and numerous grottoes have created an ephemeral, fantastic landscape. After Hanoi, take the train to Sapa. Set among the highest mountains in Vietnam, at the border of China, Sapa is one of the country's most intriguing destinations. It gains its reputation most notably for its terraced rice paddies and colorful markets where villagers converge to sell and buy goods and, most importantly, to socialize. In Sapa, spend time learning about the local hill tribe villages and absorbing the magnificent scenery before taking the train back to Hanoi. Next, fly down to Danang and Hoi An a wonderful oasis of traditional Vietnamese architecture, Chinese clan houses, temples, pagodas, and houses open to the public that display superb woodwork and beautiful antiques From Hoi An, depart on a coastal drive to Hue, where you will visit the Citadel and the tomb of Tu Duc, and take a sunset cruise.
Fly to Saigon for city touring , stay on night in CanTho where you could gain good understanding about the living in the Mekong Delta and excursion to Cu Chi that were used during the Vietnam War. Spend one last night in Saigon before your departure flight.
   
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive Hanoi
Greeting at the airport, you are welcome by your local tour guide and transfer to hotel.
Check in hotel and have tour briefing.
Have an orientation walk around you hotel area OR take a short walking tour in the Old quarter of Hanoi to get the general view of the city. Free in the evening and Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour – Night Train to LaoCai (B)
After breakfast in the hotel, we will have a morning city tour in Hanoi and visit the most tourist attraction in town:
- HoChiMinh Mausoleum
- One pillar pagoda
- Tran Quoc Pagoda and Temple of Literature
- Hoa Lo Prison which is known as “Hanoi Hilton”.
Evening highlight will be Water Puppet Performance – the unique form of Vietnamese art derived from wet-rice civilization in South East Asia. At 21.00,transfer to the Railways station for the night train to LaoKai,Overnight on the train (Soft sleeper, air-conditioned carriage,4 berth compartment)
Day 3: LaoKai – Sapa
Early morning arrive at LaoKai –a border town between Vietnam and China. Drive uphill to Sapa town, check in hotel. Spend the rest of the day exploring the charming town, visit the market and acquainting with some hill tribes people mostly Black H’mong.Overninght in Sapa.
Day 4: Sapa (B)
After breakfast, we trek along the vast valley decorated with terraced fields to some remote villages of hill tribe people. There are some trekking option: Soft trek (~ 3 km),medium trek (~ 6km) and long trek (~12km).This is great opportunity to explore the local daily life, get to know their culture and meet with H’mong,Dzao,Dzay people who well preserved their unique culture and traditions. Overnight in Sapa.
Day 5: Sapa - Laokai- Hanoi (B)
There are several options for today :
You can take a Jeep tour over TramTon Pass to Heaven ‘s Gate Pass – The highest Pass in Vietnam over 2000m .Enjoy the great view from the top.
If it is on Sunday, you can drive to BacHa (over 100km from Sapa) and join the biggest colorful fair market of tribe people in this region.
Day 6: Hanoi- Halong
You will be pick up from railway station and drive to Halong passing the country side of Red river Delta. Spend a afternoon discover Halong Bay by private boat.
12.00 you set sail to the sea. Cruise around many islands such as Dinh Huong island, GaChoi island…visit one of 3 biggest caves in Halong Bay: Thien Cung,Dau Go or Sung Sot. You can swim in the blue water of South China Sea (weather permitted).Back to the main land in the late afternoon and overnight in Halong.
Day 7: Halong –Hanoi-Hoian (B)
After breakfast, You will drive straight to the airport in Hanoi for the flight Hanoi- Dangnang VN 315 ( 11.45-12.45).You will meet the second guide at the airport .
Sightseeing in Danang – the biggest city in the central of Vietnam include visiting:
- Cham Museum,
- Marble mountains,
- China beach
Arrive Hoian, spend rest of the day explore this quiet and peaceful town ,walking around in the charming streets, good place for bargain hunting. Overnight in Hoian.
Day 8: Hoian(B)
This town is wonderful stop in the middle of you long journey.
Today you can choose biking around and visit craft village or just relax on Cua Dai beach.
An optional tour to MySon- the World heritage site is available.
Day 9: Hoian - Hue(B).
Leave HoiAn in the morning, drive northward to Hue over the 500m high HaiVan pass with a stop at scenic beach of Lang Co for a drink before proceeding to Hue.
Afternoon sightseeing in Hue –the ancient capital city of Vietnam include:
-Royal Citadel and imperial Purple Citadel
-ThienMu pagoda.
-Mausoleum of King TuDuc –a replica of the king palace build purposely for the next carnation of the King. Stay overnight in Hue.
Day 10: Hue- Saigon (B).
Breakfast in the hotel and transfer to the airport for the flight to Saigon (8.40-10.00)
Afternoon you will have city tour visiting Central post office, Nortre Dame Cathedral, Reunification palace,BenThanh market. Rest of the day you may want to spend time in Saigon down town with plenty of gift shops. Over night in Saigon.
Day 11: Saigon – MyTho- CanTho (B)
Depart for hotel early this morning for My Tho,Take a boat trip in Mekong river and visit the traditional floating market. Meet local people, visit their home, see snake farm.. Car will pick you up in Vinh Long and drive to CanTho.Stay overnight in CanTho.
Day 12- CanTho –SaiGon (B)
It is long interesting day. The private boat pick you from hotel early in the morning to CaiRang floating market ,then continue to another floating market in PhungHiep.Car will pick you up and drive back to CanTho for lunch. Get back to Saigon in the late afternoon.
Day13: SaiGon-CuChi (B)
This morning, you will visit Cu Chi tunnels, which is only 70km from the center of Saigon. This place was called ‘Iron Triangle’ by American during the war and actually it stood as a stronghold of Vietcong (Vietnamese Army) for almost 30 years despite of many American bombs and military actions. A walk underground the tunnels will help you understand how the Vietnamese people had fought and won the war. Return to Saigon in the afternoon and spend rest of the day free in your own or shopping. Overnight in Saigon.
Day 14: Departure (B)
You are free until you are transfer to the airport for departure.
COST (Cost per person based on double occupancy)
| Number of Pax | 2p | 3 - 4p | 5 - 6p | 7 - 9p | 10 - 15p | 16p upper | | 3 star Hotel | 998 | 896 | 725 | 685 | 620 | 550 | | 4 star Hotel | 1,125 | 1,080 | 920 | 898 | 850 | 760 |
BenThanh Tourist |
