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Destination: Hanoi - Ha Long -
Cat Ba - Sapa - Hue - Danang - My Son - Hoi An - Nha Trang - Ho Chi Minh City -
Tay Ninh - Cu Chi - Vinh Long - Can Tho
Highlights: Visit almost
important places in Vietnam: Tour from Hanoi. It’s a city of contrasts where
main roads and boulevards are a cacophony of traffic, but a few steps away tiny
back streets are calm and peaceful. The Halong Bay, a world’s most remarkable
seascapes. Overnight on traditionally styled boats, but also floating
mini-hotels. Visit the culture and heritage in Hoi An, a World Heritage Ancient
Town before discovering Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City.
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 good local restaurant.
You'll spend the night in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi City tour (B, L,
G)
9.00: You'll be picked up at your
hotel to start a Hanoi city tour.
9.30 - 10.30: You’ll visit Ba
Dinh Square, where silent sentries guard the marble and Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum
where Ho Chi Minh lies in state (closed on every Monday & Friday and October &
November). You’ll see the simple cottage where Uncle Ho lived and worked. You’ll
continue to visit the One Pillar Pagoda and hear the legend of its construction,
born from the love of an emperor in the 11th Century.
10.30 - 11.00: You’ll drive to
visit the serene Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest in Hanoi, on the banks of Hanoi’s
West Lake.
11.00 - 12.00: You’ll also call
the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and the dedicated to Confucius, it is a
serene retreat from the busy streets outside and later become Vietnam’s first
university.
12.00 - 13.30: Lunch at local
restaurant
13.30 - 15.30: Visit the
Ethnology Museum for an overview of Vietnam’s 54 distinct ethnic minorities.
15.30 - 16.15: Pass by Ngoc Son
Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Lake of Restored Sword from the legend
that surrounds it en-route to one of the city’s fascinating museums.
16.15 - 17.15: You’ll then take
to the streets by cycle ride tour of the Ancient Quarter of 36 streets District.
This densely populated corner of the city was once a centre of commerce where
goods were sold under the street name of a particular guild. Still a thriving
community of sellers today, you’ll see streets name such as Sugar Street, Tin
Street and Paper Street. Ancient homes and temples are interspersed with stores
in this souvenir hunter’s paradise.
You’ll spend the night in Hanoi.
Day 3: Exploring villages
around Hanoi (B, L, G)
8.30: Drive and guide will pick
you at your hotel to Van Phuc silk village
9.30 - 10.30: You’ll arrive in
Van Phuc village, a small village where families have specialized in weaving and
dying silk over centuries, once the creators of fine material for the robes of
the Royal court.
10.30 - 12.00: Drive to Bat Trang
- a village famous for its fine ceramics. You can stroll through the narrow
streets to watch the manufacturing process and meet the craftspeople.
12.00 - 13.00: You'll have lunch
box in the village.
13.00 - 14.30: You'll then be
picked up to drive to visit the Dong Ho handicraft village, famous for its
traditional wood-paintings, and spend time in an artist’s house to watch the
creative process.
14.30 - 16.15: You’ll drive to
one of a traditional village in the North of Vietnam to enjoy its traditional
Quan Ho music performed by villagers in the commune house. The singers have
recently been officially designated as part of Vietnam’s ‘living heritage’.
16.15 - 17.15: You'll visit Dong
Ky village where most of the local families produce furniture inlaid with mother
of pearl. It’s a good example of how the villagers work co-operatively on
different stages of the manufacturing process.
You’ll return to Hanoi to spend
the night.
Day 4: Hanoi/Ha Long/Cat Ba
(B, L, G)
7.30: 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.
9.30: You'll take a short break
at Hong Ngoc Embroidery workshop.
10.00 - 11.30: You'll continue
driving to Ha Long Bay.
11.30: You’ll board your boat, a
wooden junk built from the model of the old Vietnamese court vessels. It will
take you first to the World Heritage area where you'll visit Amazing Cave.
You'll have time for swimming on the emerald water in Ha Long Bay. Your lunch
will be provided on board, usually based on fresh seafood.
17.00: On arrival to Cat Ba
Island, you'll be picked up by bus to your hotel. You’ll spend the night in Cat
Ba.
Day 5: Cat Ba/Hai Phong/Hanoi/Lao
Cai (B, G)
8.00 - 8.30: Breakfast at your
hotel, you’ll then be free to relax at Cat Co Beach.
15.00 – 16.00: You'll take a
short walk to the other harbor where you'll take a hydrofoil to Hai Phong
16.00 – 18.00: Arrive in Hai
Phong, you'll take a vehicles back to Hanoi, have refreshment at a local 2-star
hotel then transfer to the station for your overnight train to Lao Cai.
Day 6: Lao Cai/Sapa (B, L, D,
G)
5.15 - 6.30: You'll be met by
your tour guide at Lao Cai Station and have a breakfast at the local restaurant.
6.30 - 11.30: You'll be picked up
to visit a market frequented by ethnic minority peoples. Although it’s quite a
long drive, the landscape is attractive and the ethnic markets are a fascinating
experience. Unlike those in the tourist areas, the markets that we choose are
for not only buying and selling, but also meeting places for ethnic minority
people to meet and exchange news. There will be plenty of color and authentic
costumes, but very little to buy as souvenirs unless you want to barter for a
water buffalo or a sack of fertilizer!
11.30 - 12.30: You'll have picnic
lunch at local restaurant.
12.30 - 15.30: Drive to Sapa, a
scenic mountain area with high peaks, rivers, valleys and hillside terracing.
The villages are traditional and are typically tucked away at the bottom of the
hill slopes. Most of the villagers wear traditional costumes. The rest day will
be free to explore Sapa town by yourself. You’ll spend the night in Sapa.
Day 7: Sapa/Lao Cai (B, L, G)
8.00 - 8.30: Breakfast at your
hotel
8.30 - 11.30: You’ll hike down a
scenic valley calling in at the H’mong ethnic minority villages on the way.
You'll then be driven by Jeep to visit Lao Chai village - the village of Black
H’mong people.
11.30 - 12.30: You'll have picnic
lunch.
12.30 - 14.30: You'll take a
Russian Jeep to visit Ta Van village - the village of Day people and then visit
Red Dao ethnic minority people of Giang Ta Chai village.
14.30 - 15.00: You'll return to
Sapa to refresh at a local standard hotel.
16.00 - 17.00: Escorted to Lao
Cai station. You’ll have dinner by yourselves. You'll then take an overnight
sleeper train at 20.00 back to Hanoi. You’ll spend the night on the train.
Day 8: Hanoi free (B)
5.30: You'll arrive in the
station and be escorted to your hotel. The rest day will be free. You'll spend
the night in Hanoi
Day 9: Hanoi/Hue (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 10: Hue (B, L, D, G)
7.30 - 8.30: Breakfast at your
hotel
8.30 - 10.00: You'll enjoy a
motorized boat cruise along the Perfume Riveralong to visit Thien Mu
Pagoda, a tranquil pagoda in the banks of the Perfume River.
10.00 - 12.00: Take a drive 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 11: Hue/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 Vietnam.
You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.
Day 12: 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 13: Hoi An/Danang/Nha
Trang (B)
Your time will be your own until
you'll escorted to Danang airport for your flight to Nha Trang. On arrival,
you'll driven to your hotel to check in at the hotel overlooking the bay. The
rest day will be free on the beach. You'll spend the night in Nha Trang.
Day 14: Nha Trang boat tour
(B, L, G) (join-in basis)
You'll have a breakfast at your
hotel before your vehicles comes to pick to you to the harbor for your Nha Trang
boat tour.
9.00 - 11.30: You'll take a
cruise to Mun Island where you'll anchor off for swimming and snorkeling, relax
on the beach and enjoy the beauty of the corals in the sea.
11.30 - 14.00: You’ll cruise to
Mot Island for lunch on the boat, you'll then have an entertainment such as
dancing and singing together with other passengers on the boat. A floating mini
bar will served some of Vietnamese wine with fruit.
14.00 - 16.15: You'll continue
cruising to Tam Island for swimming or relaxing on the beach. You'll have a
fruit party on the boat on the way to Mieu Island. You'll be rowed in a circular
bamboo-basket boat to visit a fishing village on Mieu Island.
16.15 - 16.30: You'll return to
Nha Trang to spend the night.
Day 15: Nha Trang city tour
(B, G)
After breakfast at your hotel,
your car and driver will take you to the Nha Trang city tour.
8.30 - 9.30: You'll be driven to
visit Long Son Pagoda and hike up on steps to the mountain where you'll have
good view to sea Nha Trang city. You'll also visit the one of the biggest
Buddhist statues in Vietnam on the top of the mountain.
9.30 - 12.10: You'll travel to
visit to the impressive Ponaga Cham tower. You'll then be taken to the hot
spring spa for your relaxing in the mud baths and mineral water pools. You can
wallow in mud in an outdoor bath, shower in spring water, and bathe for as long
as you like in a large hot mineral water swimming pool set in beautiful gardens.
In the afternoon, you'll be free
to stroll around Nha Trang's beach. You'll spend the night in Nha Trang.
Day 16: Nha Trang/Ho Chi Minh
City (B, G)
You'll be free and then be picked
up to Nha Trang airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On your arrival at
the Tan Son Nhat airport, you'll be driven to your hotel. You'll spend the night
in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 17: Ho Chi Minh City tour
(B, L, G)
8.30: Your car and driver will
come to take you for your Ho Chi Minh City tour
8.30 - 10.30: You’ll be driven to
visit History Museum, an exhibition of the 5th century ‘Oc Eo’ civilization.
10.30 - 12.00: You’ll visit the
Museum of War Remnants provides a very partial, but riveting, perspective of the
‘American War’
12.00 - 13.15: Lunch will be
served at the local restaurant.
13.15 - 14.00: You’ll visit
Centre Post Office with colonial building and the Cathedral Church.
14.00 - 14.45: You'll be driven
to visit the Jade Emperor Temple. It’s one of the best Taoist temples in
Vietnam, with superb effigies, remarkable carved panels of the descent to Hell
and somewhat incongruous terrapin and tortoise sanctuaries.
14.45 - 17.00: You’ll have
approximately two hour to visit the Ben Thanh market, one of the liveliest areas
of Ho Chi Minh City, is packed with every conceivable commodity and a visit to
lacquer workshop to see the complex processes and meticulous workmanship
involved in this traditional Vietnamese craft product. End of your services at
the hotel. You'll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 18: Ho Chi Minh City/Tay
Ninh/Cu Chi (B, L, G)
8.30 - 12.00: You’ll be picked up
to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See in time to watch the mid-day ceremony.
The Cao Dai is a ‘new’ religion unique to Vietnam with around a million
followers. Both its creed and its architecture are remarkable and exotic. The
service lasts about half an hour – the rituals are based upon an eclectic
mixture of Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. Discreet photography is
OK, but shoes must be left outside
12.00 - 13.30: You'll be driven
to local restaurant to have lunch.
13.30 - 14.30: You'll visit the
Cu Chi tunnels, a byzantine maze of underground passages, chambers, rooms and
booby traps used by both the Vietminh and the Viet Cong to suddenly materialize
as if from nowhere, launch a lightning ambush, and vanish equally rapidly.
14.30 - 15.45: You’ll drive back
to Ho Chi Minh City. End of the services at your hotel.
Day 19: Ho Chi Minh City/Vinh
Long/Can Tho (B, L, G)
8.30 - 10.30: Drive to Vinh Long,
a city famous by the Mekong River and floating market
10.30 - 15.30: You’ll cruise to
visit Cai Be floating market, fruit orchards, a traditional family-run brick
kiln, and drop in to look at some traditional cottage industries - a workshop
making the huge coffins unique to the Mekong is particularly interesting. You'll
have a lunch at one of the local family and have a short show of traditional
music in Mekong Delta which is operated by the local people.
15.30 - 16.00: You'll have time
to wonder around the fruit market to buy some kind of famous tropical fruit such
as banana, pomelo, dragon fruit and so on.
16.00 - 17.30: You'll be driven
further into the Mekong Delta to Can Tho where you'll spend the night.
Day 20: Can Tho/Ho Chi Minh
City (B, L, G)
8.00 - 10.45: You'll have
breakfast at your hotel and then be picked up to Ninh Kieu Harbour. You'll then
take about two hour boat trip to cruise along the Mekong River to Cai Rang and
Phong Dien floating markets. You can enjoy the Mekong rural lifestyle.
10.45 - 13.15: You’ll travel back
to Vinh Long to have lunch at local restaurant.
13.15 - 15.15: You’ll return to
Ho Chi Minh City. You'll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 21: Ho Chi Minh City
departure (B, G)
You'll be free until you'll be
picked up to the airport for your international departure flight.
Prices per person in US$:
|
Number of people |
2 |
3-5 |
6-9 |
10-15 |
Supplement for single
occupancy |
|
Two stars |
1783 |
1519 |
1314 |
1137 |
344 |
|
Three stars |
2012 |
1736 |
1522 |
1338 |
457 |
|
Four stars |
2740 |
2465 |
2251 |
2066 |
1200 |
|
Five stars |
3300 |
3024 |
2810 |
2626 |
1730 |
Contact Us
for more details
Valid until December 31, 2010
Surcharge for peak season and Gala Dinner of hotels are not inclusive in the prices above.
Prices include:
-
Breakfast and accommodation
in twin or double room.
-
One-way domestic flight
tickets: Hanoi - Hue, Danang - Nha Trang, Nha Trang - Ho Chi Minh City
including domestic flight airport taxes.
-
Return train tickets: Hanoi -
Lao Cai - Hanoi, air-condition soft four berth cabin.
-
Boats cruise as programme,
enjoy a private cruise on traditional junk in Ha Long Bay.
-
Hydrofoil ticket: Cat Ba -
Hai Phong
-
Travel by private,
air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced, safe driver.
-
Experienced English-speaking
tour guide as indicated in the itinerary.
-
Entry fees for all
sightseeing as mentioned in the programme.
-
Lunches and dinners, as
specified, in the local restaurants and 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: Sofitel Plaza Hotel (*****
overlooking the West Lake, indoor swimming pool, Classic Room) or similar
-
Cat Ba: Cat Ba
Sunrise Resort (**** a secluded resort by beautiful mountain and beach -
private 8000 meters beachfront, Seaview Superior Room) or similar
-
Sapa: Victoria Hotel (****
the best hotel in Sapa with separate building, Superior Room)
-
Hue: Imperial
Hotel (***** in the heart of city centre, Deluxe Riverview Room) or similar
-
Hoi An: Palm
Garden Beach Resort (***** beautiful villa and bungalow style resort on a 5ha site
on the northern section of Cua Dai Beach, Superior Ocean-view Room)
-
Nha Trang:
Sunrise Beach Resort (***** luxury hotel overlooking the bay, Superior
Seaview Room) or similar
-
Ho Chi Minh City: Legend
Hotel (***** colonial building in the city centre, Deluxe Room) or similar
-
Can Tho: Victoria Hotel (****
on the bank of Mekong River, Superior Room) or similar
Hotel list for Four Stars standard
-
Hanoi: Silk
Path Hotel (**** modern boutique hotel in the old quarter, Deluxe Room) or similar
-
Cat Ba: Cat Ba Island Resort
(**** a walking distance to the beach) or similar
-
Sapa: Chau
Long Hotel (*** overlooking Muong Hoa valley & Mount Fansipan, New Wing ROH
Room)
-
Hue: Huong
Giang
Hotel (**** on the bank
of the Perfume River, Deluxe Riverview Room) or similar
-
Hoi An: Hoi An
Trails Resort and Spa (**** beside Cua Dai beach, Deluxe Room) or similar
-
Nha Trang:
Novotel Hotel (**** in the city centre, near the beach, Standard Room) or
similar
-
Ho Chi Minh City: Grand Hotel
(**** colonial building in the city centre, Superior New Wing Room) or
similar
-
Can Tho: Golf Hotel (****
city centre, Deluxe Riverview Room) or similar
Hotel list for Three Stars standard
-
Hanoi: Flower
hotel (*** a walking distance to Hanoi old quarter, Classic Room) or similar
-
Cat Ba: Princes
Hotel (*** located in the heart of Cat Ba tourist center, Deluxe Room) or
similar
-
Sapa: Boutique Sapa Hotel
(*** nice hotel and service in the town centre, Superior City View Room) or
similar
-
Hue: Romance Hotel (**** city centre with
swimming pool, Romance Deluxe Room) or similar
-
Hoi An: Thuy
Duong 3 Hotel (*** in the ancient town, Deluxe Room) or similar
-
Nha Trang:
Green Hotel (*** new high rise building with nice view and service, Standard
Room) or similar
-
Ho Chi Minh City: Elios Hotel
(*** ideally located in the city centre, Standard Room) or similar
-
Can Tho: Kim Tho Hotel (***
overlooking the Mekong River, Superior Room) or similar
Hotel list for Two Stars standard
-
Hanoi: Van
Mieu Hotel (** near the Temple of Literature in city centre, Deluxe Room) or
similar
-
Cat Ba: Princes Hotel (**
local standard, Standard Room) or similar
-
Sapa: Thai Binh Hotel (**
city centre, on the foot of Ham Rong Mountain) or similar
-
Hue: Victory Hotel (** city centre,
Superior Room) or similar
- Hoi An: Hai Au Hotel (** near Cua Dai Beach,
Standard Room) or similar
- Nha Trang: The Light Hotel and Resort (***
overlooking the beach, Superior Room) or similar
-
Ho Chi Minh City: An An Hotel
(** city centre, Superior Room) or similar
-
Can Tho: Ninh Kieu Hotel (**
city centre, Room in Hotel A1 & A2) or similar
Creating
Unique Touring Experiences with Gia Linh
Travel
All the touring itineraries on this
website have been carefully crafted by our
in-country management teams and represent a
series of experiences we can certainly
recommend. However, we understand that every
travel experience should be as unique and
individual as each traveler. Our consultants
are waiting to hear from you so that we can
tailor or
custom design
a tour to your individual specifications. |
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