Vietnam Travel

Heritage tour 9 days

Destination: Hanoi - Ha Long - Hue - Hoi An - My Son

Highlights: Walk on the World Heritage Road in Vietnam, you'll travel from north to centre to visit key cultural and historical sites of the country. Set foot on the land of majestic Hue valued for its complex of monuments, royal citadel, imperial city and emperor's tombs; turn to the Cham Museum, the largest collection of Cham sculpture and artwork; see the Cham ruins at the religious, cultural and educational centre of Cham Empire named My Son and Hoi An ancient town.

Details Itinerary:

Code: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, G = Guide

Day 1: Arrival at Hanoi (D, G)

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you'll be met and driven to your hotel.

17.15: You'll be picked up to watch the Water Puppet show an art form unique to northern Vietnam, and a good, light-hearted introduction to its rural culture.

18.30: Your Welcome Dinner will be served at one of the best local restaurant.

You'll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi/Ha Long (B, L, D, G)

8.30: You’ll leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world’s largest marine limestone ‘karst’ landscape.

10.00: You'll take a short break at Hong Ngoc Embroidery workshop.

10.30 - 12.00: You'll continue driving to Ha Long Bay.

12.00: You’ll board your boat, a wooden junk built from the model of the old Vietnamese court vessels with sails, a wide transom and rectangular superstructure, that will take you first to the busy World Heritage area and then to some of the less well-known grottoes and caves. Weather permitting, you’ll be able to swim, fish, climb a hill for an overview of the Bay’s remarkable seascape. All your meals will be provided on board, usually based on fresh seafood.

You'll spend the night on the boat.

Day 3: Ha Long/Hanoi (B, L, G)

7.30: You'll have western breakfast on boat.

8.00 - 8.30: You'll venture into some of the sea level caves in a small sampan.

8.30 - 11.45: You’ll spend the morning cruising Ha Long Bay, followed by lunch just before docking to the harbour.

11.45 - 15.30: You’ll drive back to Hanoi for overnight accommodation.

Day 4: Hanoi/Hue (B, G)

Your time will be your own until you'll be driven to the airport for your noon flight to Hue. On arrival, you'll check in your hotel in the city centre and have a Hue city tour in the afternoon.

14.30 - 16.30: You'll be picked up to visit Imperial Citadel, once the seat of the Emperors of the powerful Nguyen Dynasty that ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. You’ll begin with a stroll around the area between the Citadel’s massive walls and the defensive moat, now filled with lotus flowers. You’ll then enter via the Noon Gate to wander around the Thai Hoa Palace, the Pavilion housing the Nine Urns of the Nguyen rulers, and the remains of the Royal Palaces.

16.30 - 17.30: You'll visit the bustling Dong Ba market, which is one of the most famous markets in the Centre areas. You'll spend the night in Hue.

Day 6: Hue (B, L, G)

7.30 - 8.30: Breakfast at your hotel

8.30 - 10.00: You'll be taken by car to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, a tranquil pagoda in the banks of the Perfume River.

10.00 - 12.00: Take a cruise along the Perfume River to the Royal Tombs of Minh Mang, the most majestic emperor and a staunch follower of Confucianism with many wives, concubines and a small army of children.

12.00 - 13.30: Drive back to Hue for lunch at a typical Vietnamese restaurant.

13.30 - 16.45: In the afternoon, you'll drive to visit Royal Tu Duc tomb, the "poet Emperor", is set in an elegant garden with a magnificent lake and pavilion complex and the Royal Khai Dinh tomb is an unprepossessing concrete construction on the side of a wide valley.

In the evening, you'll sit down for dinner in the pleasant surroundings and a comfortable atmosphere of another of the garden houses. The garden houses are a unique feature of Hue. The houses are traditional, privately owned, and set in attractive formal gardens.

You'll spend the night in Hue.

Day 7: Hue/Danang/Hoi An (B, L, G)

7.30 - 8.30: Breakfast at your hotel, you'll then be picked up to travel to Hoi An.

8.30 - 12.00: You’ll drive to Lang Co Beach and the lagoon far below. You'll then cross the high mountain pass of Hai Van with excellent view to see Danang spread out.

12.00 - 14.00: You’ll have lunch at local restaurant and have a brief to visit Cham museum, a remarkable Hindu statuary.

14.00 - 15.45: Driver and guide will take you to visit Marble Mountain, Stone Carving village where you can admire the stone products of local people and Non Nuoc Beach.

15.45 - 17.30: You'll continue driving to Hoi An and have a visit Hoi An Town, and enjoy its considerable significance in the history of Vietnamtown.

You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

Day 8: Hoi An/My Son/Hoi An (B, G)

8.00 - 8.30: Breakfast at your hotel

8.30 - 11.15: Drive to visit the World Heritage My Son Sanctuary, the guide will show you the remains of the remarkable brick towers, and explain their origins and purpose.

11.15 - 12.00: You'll return to Hoi An. Rest of day will be free perhaps to stroll around the Old Quarter of relax on the beach. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

Day 9: Hoi An/Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (B, G)

After breakfast at your hotel, you'll be free and then be driven to Danang airport for your flight to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. You'll transit for your international departure flight.

Prices per person in US$:

Number of people	2	3-5	6-9	10-15	Single Supplement
Two Stars
Three Stars
Four Stars
Five Stars

Valid until December 31, 2007

Surcharge for peak season of hotels are not inclusive in the prices above.

Prices include:

Breakfast and accommodation sharing a twin or double room.
Domestic flight tickets: Hanoi - Hue, Danang - Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, including domestic airport taxes.
Boat cruise as programme.
Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver.
English-speaking guides as indicated in the itinerary
Where necessary, entry fees for all visits as mentioned in the programme.
Lunches and dinners, as specified, in the local restaurants and full board on the boat in Ha Long Bay.
Government taxes

Price do not include:

International flight tickets and airport tax.
Visas
Dinners, except as specified above.
Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.
Insurance.

Hotel list for Five Stars standard

Hanoi: Nikko Hotel (***** overlooking the Thuyen Quang, indoor swimming pool) or similar
Hue: Saigon Morin Hotel (****colonial building overlooking the Perfume River, Deluxe room) or similar
Hoi An: Life Resot Hotel (**** conolial style) or similar

Hotel list for Four Stars standard