Promotion Vietnam Tour 14 days

Vietnam Tour 14 days

Destination: Hanoi/Sapa/Ha Long Bay/Hue/Danang/Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi/Mekong Delta

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D, G)

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey before a welcome dinner at a colonial building. In the evening, you’ll have tickets for a performance of traditional Water Puppetry (an art form unique to northern Viet Nam, and a good, light-hearted introduction to its rural culture). Your overnight stay will be in Ha Noi.

Day 2: Hanoi City tour/Lao Cai (B, L, G)

An all day city tour, possibly including the Temple of Literature, (the first university in Viet Nam dating back to the 11th C), the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Ethnology Museum and the centre of Ha Noi, including the Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ngoc Son temple and the bustling Old Quarter with a complex of architecture - traditional tube houses, religious buildings and the colonial houses.

In the late afternoon, you’ll take a refreshment at a 2-star hotel. Then, you’ll be free until the driver and guide come and take you to the station to take the night train to Sapa. You’ll spend the night on train.

Day 3: Lao Cai/Sapa (B,  L, G)

You’ll be met at the Lao Cai station and taken by a Jeep or a Land Cruiser to visit an ethnic market. After a picnic lunch, you’ll return to Lao Cai and continue your journey into the mountains to Sa Pa, a small town perched on the mountainside opposite Mt. Fan Si Pan, Vietnam’s highest peak.

The trips to ethnic markets are a fascinating experience but must be on Tuesday (Coc Ly Market), Saturday (Can Cau) or Sunday (Bac Ha or Muong Hum Markets). Picnic lunch will be prepared in the morning from Sa Pa. You’ll arrive in Sa Pa in the late afternoon, with time to relax before dinner

Day 4: Sapa/Lao Cai/Hanoi (B, L, G)

Morning stroll to the town busy market and then easy trek to ethnic villages of H’mong in a scenic valley. After stream-side picnic lunch, you’ll be picked up to visit other ethnic villages of the  H’mong, Day and Red Dao people. Return to Sa Pa and then back to Lao Cai station for an overnight train to Ha Noi.

Day 5: Hanoi/Ha Long (B, L, D, G)

Arrive Hanoi in the early morning, met and transferred to a 2-star hotel for refreshment and breakfast. Then, you’ll drive to Ha Long Bay, (one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas - the world’s largest marine ‘karst’ landscape). Travel by traditional-style boat to some of the less well-known grottoes and caves. Includes swimming, fishing, hill (not mountain) climbing for Bay overviews, exploring sea level caves in a small sampan, etc. All meals will be provided on board and your accommodation will be on the boat in a twin room with en suite toilet and shower.

Day 6: Ha Long/Hanoi/Hue (B, L, G)

Morning cruising Ha Long Bay, followed by lunch and then return to Ha Noi and transfer to the airport for your flight to Hue.

Day 7: Hue (B, L,  G)

Morning visit to the Imperial Citadel of Hue and the Antiquity Museum. Afternoon drive to visit King Tu Duc’s Tomb (the poet King, the simplest Royal tomb set in a beautiful garden) and visit to Garden Houses - (a cultural characteristic in Hue). In the evening you’ll be picked up to enjoy a Hue musical show on a boat in the Perfume River for about one hour. Overnight in Hue.

Day 8: Hue/Hoi An (B, L, G)

Morning drive to Da Nang (excellent views from high mountain pass). On arrival in Da Nang, you’ll have a brief visit to Cham Museum, then continue to travel to Hoi An. After lunch, a guided visit to the Ancient Town. Overnight stay in Hoi An.

The town is an ancient trading port, once the largest in Indochina and a meeting point for many cultures that left their mark in the different architectural features of its wooden buildings

Day 9: Hoi An/My Son (B, L, G)

Morning drive to My Son Sanctuary - World Heritage Area. Free afternoon and overnight in Hoi An.

Once the My Son Sanctuary was the spiritual capital of the Cham Kingdom that dominated SE Asia for nearly a thousand years. Its remarkable brick towers were badly bombed by the Americans, but are still impressive as is its remote valley setting

Day 10: Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City tour (B, L, G)

You’ll be free until the driver and guide come and take you to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check in.

In the afternoon, you’ll start your city tour including the History Museum (special exhibition of the 5thC ‘Oc Eo’ civilisation), the Museum of War Remnants (very partial, but riveting, recollections of the ‘American War’: not for the squeamish). You will spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi (B, L, G)

Drive to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See (in time to watch the mid-day ceremony), Cu Chi (intricate network of underground passages and bunkers that became legendary during the 1960’s for their role in the war of liberation). Farewell dinner and overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Cao Dai is a ‘new’ religion unique to Viet Nam with around a million followers. Both its creed and its architecture are remarkable and exotic

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City/My Tho/Can Tho (B, L, G)

At 8:00 you’ll be picked up at our hotel to travel to My Tho. On arrival, boat cruise on Mekong river to the Thoi Son island: rowing through small canals and walking along small village road to visit fruit gardens, elementary school, spirits distilling house, and see the daily life of villagers. On your visit you’ll have chance to enjoy some of tropical fruits and traditional music show. After lunch at a local restaurant on island, you’ll continue to cruise to visit a coconut candy workshop. In the afternoon, you’ll drive to Can Tho for your overnight stay.

Day 13: Can Tho/Ho Chi Minh City (B, L, G)

Boat cruise to Cai Rang floating market on the Mekong Delta (views of rural lifestyle). Lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon return to Ho Chi Minh city for overnight

Day 14: Ho Chi Minh City departure (B, G)

Your time will be your own until the driver and guide come and take you to the airport for your departure flight.

Price in US$ per person:

 Validity until: September 30, 2011            

Our price includes:                         

*        Breakfast and accommodation sharing a twin or double room.

*        Pick-ups and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle as specified in the itinerary above

*        One way domestic flight tickets: Hanoi – Hue, Danang – Ho Chi Minh City, including domestic airport taxes.

*        Return train tickets: Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi, air-conditioned soft four-berth cabin, good local standard four-berth cabin.

*        Boats cruise as programme. For Ha Long Bay, you’ll join other passengers on a high quality wooden boat.

*        Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced, safe driver.

*        The services of experienced 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.

*        VAT and other taxes

Our price does not include:

*        International flight tickets and airport tax.

*        Visas

*        Dinners, except as specified above.

*        Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.

*        Insurance.    

Hotel list for Three Stars standard:

*        Hanoi: Thang Long Opera Hotel (*** city centre, Innova Superior Room) or similar

*        Sapa: Holiday Sapa Hotel (*** good location, Standard Room) or similar

*        Ha Long Bay: Ha Long sails boat

*        Hue: Ideal Hotel (*** city centre, Ideal Superior Room) or similar

*        Hoi An: Lotus Hotel (*** with swimming pool, 2km from town centre, Standard Room) or similar

*        Ho Chi Minh City: Saigon Hotel (*** city centre,  Superior Room) or similar

*        Can Tho: Saigon Can Tho Hotel (*** comfortable local hotel, conveniently located, Superior Room) or similar

Hotel list for Four Stars standard:

*        Hanoi: Sunway Hotel (**** comfortable boutique hotel 15 minute’s walk from the city centre, Superior Room) or similar

*        Sapa: Chau Long Hotel (**** the best hotel in Sapa, indoor swimming pool/fitness centre in separate building) or similar

*        Ha Long Bay: Ha Long sails boat

*        Hue: Huong Giang Hotel (**** on the bank of the Perfume River, Deluxe ROH room)

*        Hoi An: Hoi An Trails Resort (**** near Cua Dai Beach, Superior Room) or similar

*        Ho Chi Minh City: Oscar Hotel (**** good location, Oscar Cosy Room) or similar

*        Can Tho: Golf Hotel (**** high-rise building in the city centre on the banks of Hau River, Deluxe River View Room) or similar