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On your arrival, you are met local guide and driver who will take you around Hanoi and Halong and Sapa for couple of days. If time is permitted, you will take an orientation tour of Hanoi and take a cyclo ride (pedicab) around the ancient quarter of Hanoi. It absolutely is a fascinating way to get the first look of this peaceful and beautiful city. Evening we enjoy the water puppet show, a unique northern Vietnamese art performance that we cannot be missed on our schedule for today. We will have a chance to learn more about the rural life of Vietnamese peasants and national heroes via a series of history story which were beautifully demonstrated by the artists.
Start our day with a visit to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, this is a very special place for all Vietnamese and also famous for foreigners around the world to see the whole complex, Uncle Ho’s house on stilt where he lived and worked from 1958 -1969, his fishing pond and his garden. Then we head to One Pillar Buddhist Pagoda built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong who ruled from 1028 to 1054. Ly Thai Tong was childless and dreamt that he met the bodhisattva Avalokiteshava, who handed him a baby son while seated on a lotus flower. Ly Thai Tong then married a peasant girl that he had met and she bore him a son. The emperor constructed the temple for the gratitude for this miracle. Further on our excursion, we visit to Van Mieu, temple of literature to dedicate to Confucius and his four best disciples. This was also the first national university of Vietnam built in 1076 within the temple to educate Vietnamese bureaucrats, nobles, royalty and other members of the elite. This university remained open from 1076 to 1779. The interest thing in this place is the collection of steles of doctorates whose names, birth place, year of the examination, and the rank were engraved onto the marble stone stele placing on the top of the turtle. There are 1307 graduated doctor names on 82 stele in this place. After visiting this wonderful place, we will have lunch at Koto restaurant and refresh. Later in the day we visit to Ethnology Museum which is very rich culture collection of 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam. The simple agriculture stools, fish traps, hand weaving cloths, crafts, festivals, folk arts, traditional houses, and lively activities of each tribe are all here for us to discover. Finish our day at history Museum, we not only see the exhibits from stone age, bronze ages and prehistoric era to prove that there were the ancient Vietnamese living in Hanoi but also the modern artifacts to show how the Vietnamese has been strugling for independence, freedom, peace and love.
A new exciting day waiting us to discover, we depart for Ha Long, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. Hạ Long Bay has an area of around 1,553 km2, including 1,960–2,000 islets, most of which are limestone. The core of the bay has an area of 334 km2 with a high density of 775 islands and islets in all sides reflecting on turquoise water. The limestone in this bay has gone through 500 million years of formation in different conditions and environments.
There are a lot of photo opportunity on our way to Ha Long as we drive through the rural area, street markets, paddy fields, vegetable farms, poultry farms and lotus farms. We take a rest stop Hong Ngoc shop after 2 hour drive for a coffee break then continue to Ha Long Bay. At midday we board the overnight junk for the cruise. A welcome drink is well prepared for us as we get on board then check in and enjoy a pleasant cruise on the bay. Seafood lunch is served on board while the junk is slowly going among the islands and islets. There are some activities for us to join in in this afternoon; visiting to the cave, swimming at Ti Top beach, climbing up the top of Ti Top Island for panoramic view of the bay, kayaking in late afternoon or joining squids finishing at night. The junk is anchored in a quiet bay for overnight. Dinner and overnight on board.
Morning just join the Tai Chi Class on sundeck for half an hour and then we will have breakfast. We keep on our excursion and visit to Sung Sot cave, fantastic stalactites and stalagmites in all different sides with beautiful natural color. Return to our junk and check out. Enjoy a pleasant cruise back to the pier for disembarkation then drive back Hanoi. On arrival Hanoi, we have free time then take an overnight train Sapa.
Early morning we get to Lao Cai railway station then transfer to Sapa town. Sapa is a hill station resort built during the French in 1880s and a lovely town located at 1600 m above the sea level. Sapa is very famous for hill tribe markets, mountainous and fabulous Hoang Lien Son mountain range in which Fan Si Pan, at a height of 3314 meters above the sea level is considered as the highest peak of Indochina peninsula. We enjoy our breakfast at hotel where we can leave our luggage and refresh before trekking to Ta Van and Lao Chay village. Late afternoon we drive back hotel then check in. Rest of the day is free at leisure.
Morning we trek to Cat Cat village for 2 hours then free at leisure. Late afternoon we drive to Loa Cai railway station for an overnight train to Hanoi, en route, we visit to Ta Phin the home of the Red Dao people. We also have a chance to visit the border gate between Vietnam and China in Lao Cai City before getting on the train. Dinner is at local restaurant.
Early morning we arrive Hanoi railway Station then transfer to Noi Bai Airport for a short flight to Hue. Hue city, a lovely and romantic city located on the bank of Huong (perfume) River. Hue is the ancient capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945 and famous for the Citadel, Imperial City, Forbidden City and the royal tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last feudal regime of Vietnam. On arrival you are met local guide and driver who take you to hotel then you are free at leisure before doing sightseeing tour in the afternoon.
We start our excursion by taking a boat trip on Huong River to Thien Mu pagoda which was built in 17th century on the top of the hill overlooking the river and Truong Son mountain range. Then we drive to the Imperial and Forbidden City of Hue, most of the contraction site of a heyday royal dynasty were destroyed during the turmoil of the war for many years but there is still the sense of grace and majestic of the rulers. Entertain Vietnamese royal court music show, a World Intangible Heritage of Humanity and then we drive to the royal tombs, the place were used during both life and dead of the Nguyen Rulers. A lovely traditional architecture royal tomb of King Tu Duc built in three years from 1864 -1867 is located outskirt of Hue among the fine forest and lakes and ponds meanwhile King Khai Dinh tomb is located on the hill step of Chau E mountain, the tomb is a blend of Western and Eastern architecture style and built in 1920. We finish our day with a visiting to Dong Ba market where can buy our souvenir, handcraft items, foods, many other things. Return to our hotel then free at leisure.
Today we take our flight to HCM, the largest city in Vietnam. Its former name was Saigon which was well known as the “Pearl of Far East” during the French colony and today Ho Chi Minh has become an official name of this dynamic, bustle and hustle city since 1976. There are so many interesting thing to see in this city from very early in the morning until midnight. . After having our breakfast at hotel, we check out then take a short drive to Phu Bai Airport for our flight.
On our arrival, we take an orientation tour around the town and visit to some typical colonial buildings over hundreds of year; Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office, the Opera House and City hall
Today we will enjoy the beautiful scenery in Mekong Delta, hundreds of Canal and River system and the most productive farm in Vietnam. We just take 2 hour drive to My Tho City, which is located on the bank of Mekong River, one of the longest rivers in the world then take the boat cruise to Thai Son Island for visiting fruit farm, bee farm and local handicraft. We not only enjoy the fruits at the farm and honey tea but also entertain the traditional music show, “Don Ca Tai Tu” which has been selected as the world tangible Heritage of the mankind. Just enjoy a peaceful moment on our rowing sampan under a shady water coconut palm on both sides of canal, a fantastic view of the river, a cheerful smile and the hospitality of the local people, we are awarded to have them all. On the way back to Ho Chi Minh, we will have lunch at Mekong Rest Stop restaurant and enjoy local speciality.
Return to Ho Chi Minh City and free at leisure.
There is activity for today. Just pack up and relax until your departure flight. The guide and driver will pick you up then transfer you to Tan Son Nhat Airport.
Any part of this itinerary can be altered to fit your need, e.g.accommodation, add/skip city, tour length...
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See detailThe guides were the highlight in the trip, and this is saying something! This trip has been so well thought and perfectly adjusted to accomodate our holiday together with group. It was some sort...
The guides were the highlight in the trip, and this is saying something! This trip has been so...
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With early May 2016, a grouping of eight women within our early sixties together with seventies...
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Extremely professionally organised see. The Hotels / tour guides were so wonderful. Excellent...