Hi Ms Tu,
On behalf of all the four of us, I would like to thank you for this wonderful trip we had. We just arrived back now feeling fulfilled with the marvelous sights and the experience we had. You played a great part in this adventure - pulling the strings behind, taking care of all, and always listening, reacting immediately and trying the best to help. You represent to us the beauty of Vietnam!
I have no other word than to describe your service as excellent ! I will definitely recommend you and Asiatica to all my friends!
I am just so sorry we missed you in the office.
If there is any specific feedback you would like to get from me - do not hesitate to ask me.
Best wishes
Sofi, Yossi, Arik and Ora.
PROGRAM DETAIL
Day 01 . Tue 19 September 2017 : Hanoi arrival (VN614 BKK HAN @18:25) (-) | Guide and driver
Arrival in Noi Bai airport , you will be picked up then transferred to the hotel in city center. The check-in is available at 2 pm. The day is free for your own exploration and shopping. Overnight at hotel.
Day 02 . Wed 20 September 2017 : Hanoi city & street food tour (B, L) | Guide and driver
You will be picked up at the hotel at 9:00am. Starting the day trip will be a visit of the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which compromises Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (closed on Mondays & Fridays), his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh Museum. We will then visit the Temple of Literature constructed in 1070 to worship Confucius, which served as the first Royal National University in Vietnam. The site also honors 82 Vietnamese doctorates who passed a number of rigid exams in the feudal ages. Their names, birthdays and birthplaces are engraved in 82 headstones perched on stone tortoises. It is widely believed that touching the heads of these tortoises will bring luck. Its peaceful green compound with its neatly maintained lawns, gardens and lotus ponds make it a tranquil hideaway from the city’s bustle and heat. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, discover the Old Quarter, also known as the “36 Streets & Corporations”. It is a veritable labyrinth of lanes where each of them is specialized in a trade or art. The best way to explore and discover this district full of life is by foot. Designed to capture all aspects of local life, the course will cover all the elements of the daily life of the inhabitants in an original way: crafts, Buddhism, temple, gastronomy, local market, visit of traditional house-tube (Vietnamese particularity), medicine…
Discover the capital through food, as a local, a real experience and a highlight of the journey.
The tour ends with a stroll around the HoanKiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword) before watching water puppet show. Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 . Thu 21 September 2017 : Hanoi - drive to Sapa - Cat Cat - Y Linh Ho (B, L) | Guide and driver
In the early morning, you will takek 6-hour drive to Sapa. On arrival, check in hotel & have lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we will go downhill to Cat Cat village. Enjoy beautiful landscape and scenery along the road. Upon reaching a waterfall and a hydroelectric station, we will take a short rest before continuing our trek on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraced fields. The area is still covered by rain forest under the protection of Hoang Lien National Park. We will arrive in Y Linh Ho village inhabited by Black Hmong people where we will have one more rest before climbing toward the main road. Our vehicle will pick us up there and drive us back to Sapa.
Approx: 15 minutes driving/ 3 hours walking.
Day 04 . Fri 22 September 2017 : Sapa-Lao Chai & Ta Van Villages - Giang Ta Chai (B, L) | Guide and driver
The day is devoted to a beautiful hike through the breathtaking scenery of Sa Pa valley. Start by road that descends in the wake of the street Cau May (6 km) En route, admire the rice terraces hidden behind mist of the morning, a truly awe-inspiring sight.
Follow a small track and cross Muong Hoa River and pass well tended rice terraces on your way to the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai. Continuing through the colorful rice terraces you will reach the village of Ta Van Giay. As you continue your trek along the Muong Hoa River you will cross a small suspension bridge, roughly 2km from the settlement. Here you can discover a fascinating collection of rock carvings. These engravings depict some beautiful images of man, stilt houses and some beautiful decorative patterns. We lunch in a home in the village. After lunch the walk continues through a bamboo forest to Giang Ta Chai, a Red Dao ethnic minority village. After taking a rest nearby a waterfall to refresh, you start climbing uphill to a road where the car is ready for your journey back to Sapa. Overnight in Sapa
Approx: 1-hour driving/ 4 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.
Day 05 . Sat 23 September 2017 : Sapa - Can Cau market- drive to Hanoi (B, L) | Guide and driver
After breakfast, then transferred to Bac Ha to visit Can Cau market near the Chinese border.The road is relatively flat from Lao Cai to Bao Nhai bridge. After crossing the bridge, we begin our journey uphill offering beautiful views over the valleys. Situated 20 km from Bac Ha, Can Cau is a small, but very colorful market. Opening only on Saturdays, it always delivers a very photogenic display of Flower Hmong, Black Zao, Phu La ethnic costumes. After spending the whole morning exploring the market, you will leave the market for lunch before driving back to Hanoi.
Overnight in Hanoi
Day 06 . Sun 24 September 2017 : Hanoi - Halong (B, L, D) | Guide and driver
After breakfast, at 8AM, depart to Halong Bay via Thai Binh and Nam Dinh, passing a peaceful countryside typical of Red River Delta with endless rice fields and winding rivers. We will arrive at Halong’s tourist wharf around noon and embark an elegant wooden junk. Lunch will be served while the boat gently cruises past numerous islands and limestone structures rising from the emerald water. A fresh seafood dinner will be prepared by an experienced chef and served on deck. A peaceful night on board in your private cabin.
Day 07 . Mon 25 September 2017 : Halong - Hanoi - flight to Hue (VN1545 HAN HUI 1730 1840 by guest) (B) | Guide and driver
Rising to the tranquil beauty of the bay you have time for an early morning dip while the sun rises, followed by breakfast on board. We will continue to sail through the bay during the morning to explore more secluded areas. The junk will stay close at all times serving as a backup vessel for those that require it. Around midday we will return to the main harbor. A 3-hour drive will take you to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Hue where you check into your hotel. Overnight at hotel in Hue.
Day 08 . Tue 26 September 2017 : Hue- Thuy Bieu village (B, L) | Guide and driver
Start the day with a visit to Hue Imperial City, the remaining vestiges of Hue's citadel, including: Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace and the Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh), Then, we will take a boat trip on poetic Perfume River. Stop to visit Thien Mu Pagoda (Celestial Lady Pagoda) built in 1601 - the symbol of Hue city. Cruise toward Thuy Bieu eco-village, an old laid back village situated on the bank of Perfume River known for its green tea fruit orchards. Arrive in the village, and join our cooking class to prepare Hue’s signature dishes with our chef’s instruction, then enjoy your creations in the open air riverside restaurant surrounded by lush trees. The afternoon is reserved for cycling through the peaceful village, visiting several communal houses, ancient temples and the garden-house, a typical and unique feature of Hue. Soaking your feet in medicinal herb water followed by an excellent blind massage will refresh them after a day of sightseeing. Back to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Hue.
Day 09 . Wed 27 September 2017 : Hue- Danang- Hoian (B, L) | Guide and driver
In the morning drive along the Mandarin road, a scenic journey from Hue to Hoi An, which allows you to see a picturesque Vietnam with stunning beaches and lush tropical forest. Take some photos en route before visiting the Museum of Cham Sculptures, with many precious antique artifacts of the former Cham Kingdom on display & stunning Marble Mountain. You then continue our drive to Hoi An’s ancient town, once an important international trading port and now a charming riverside town. Hoi An features a fantastic combination of Chinese, Dutch, Japanese and Portuguese culture. Check in hotel for refreshment.
In the afternoon, explore Hoi An ancient town, when visiting the Japanese Pagoda Bridge, Chinese streets, old Phung Hung houses, Hoi An’s market and ancient port. On the 1st and 15th of every lunar month, Hoi An’s ancient town is lit up by hundreds of colorful lanterns, giving it an extra portion of sparkle. Enjoy the city’s transformation and stroll through this quaint, glowing fairytale town in your free time. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 . Thu 28 September 2017 : Hoi An - Danang - Saigon (VN113 DAD SGN 0845 1010 by guest (B) | Guide and driver
After breakfast, you will be taken to the airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
Upon arrival, check into hotel. In the afternoon you will visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and the General Post Office. The Saigon city tour then continues along Dong Khoi Street, where the Opera House and the Peoples’ Committee building, built in 1897 by French architect Ferret Eugene, are situated. The 800 seat Opera House served as the home of the Lower House Assembly of South Vietnam after 1956. You will then visit The Reunification Palace, formerly known as Presidential Palace, which was the residence of the president of South Vietnam until the end of April 1975. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 11 . Fri 29 September 2017 : Saigon - Ben Tre - fly to Siem Reap (VN815 SGN REP 1930 2035 by guest) (B, L) | Guide and driver
You will be picked up at your hotel at 8:30am and driven to Ben Tre. Upon arrival at Hung Vuong pier you will embark a boat to cruise on Ben Tre River, one of the tributaries of the Mekong River. Enjoy the lively activities on the river like fishing and water transferring. You will stop at a brick-factory, to see how bricks are made by hand in a traditional way. Your next stop is one of numerous coconut processing workshops located along the canal.
Take a bicycle-cart along a village path and stop at a farmer’s house for lunch. You then talk a walk to a mat-weaving village before embarking small rowing-boats to travel along palm tree lined waterways back to Hung Vuong pier. You return to the airport for flight to Siem Reap, stopping along the way to visit the beautiful Vinh Trang Pagoda. On arrival, you are transfered to hotel for check in & overnight
Day 12 . Sat 30 September 2017 : Siemreap - Angkor Thom - Angkor Wat - Siemreap (B, L, D) | Guide and driver
We will visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom also referred to as "Great City", the famous Bayon Temple built in the late 12th century and the Baphoun Temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and Phimean Akas known as "Heavenly Palace". In the afternoon, we will tour the World Heritage site "Angkor Wat", the world's largest religious building. We continue our day with a visit to Bakheng Hill Temple and watch the sunset from the top of the hill. Back to the hotel. Dinner with special Aspara dance show.
Day 13 . Sun 01 October 2017 : Siem Reap - Kbal Spean - Banteay Srei (B, L) | Guide and driver
We will start our day trip by visiting Kbal Spean referred to as “The river of a Thousand Lingas” which is situated 30km north of Angkor Wat, roughly a one hour drive. It closes at 3pm. We will take a forest walk and then return for lunch. We will continue from there straight to Banteay Srei, "The Citadel of Women" built at a time when the Khmer Empire was gaining significant power. Like numerous others, it is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It is a masterpiece of Khmer art with its intricate, pink sandstone construction and ornate design. On the way back to Siem Reap, we will visit Srah Srang, "The Royal Bath" and Banteay Kdei, a richly decorated Buddhist temple. Overnight at hotel.
Day 14 . Mon 02 October 2017 : Siem Reap - Tonle Sap - departure @20:30 (B) | Guide and driver
After breakfast, take a boat trip to explore Tonle Sap lake- the largest natural lake in Indochina. 1 to 2 hours cruising will bring you closer to the floating villages and Cambodian waterfront life.
Then transfer back to hotel for your own leisure until being picked up at 17:30 for departure flight.
Late check out included!