PROGRAM DETAIL
Day 01 . Sat 16 September 2017 : Hanoi arrival (KA297 HKG HAN 0830 0935) (-) | Guide and driver
On arrival to Hanoi, 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 . Sun 17 September 2017 : Hanoi city tour (-) | Guide and driver
You will be picked up at the hotel at 8:00am. 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.
In the afternoon, we will visit the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays, the alternative being the History Museum), which offers informative and well-documented displays of the country’s 54 ethnic groups, including elaborate and colorful hill tribe costumes. The display continues in the museum’s garden with fascinating examples of traditional houses of numerous minority groups, from the Kinhs to the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands. Then back to the Old Quarter for a 1 hour cyclo tour. We then head to Ngoc Son Temple set on a tiny island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. Ngoc Son Temple dates back to the 13th century, and the lake itself is the picturesque heart of Hanoi, frequented by tourists and locals alike.
Overnight in Hanoi
Day 03 . Mon 18 September 2017 : Hanoi- Tam Coc - Hoa Lu - Hanoi (L) | Guide and driver
In the morning, at 8AM, our car and guide will pick you up to travel to Hoa Lu – the former capital of Vietnam , about a two-hour drive from Hanoi . On arrival, you will visit two temples, one of them dedicated to Emperor Dinh and the other in memory of Emperor Le, followed by a brief visit to the remains of the Old Palace . Feel ready to star our cycling for one more hour to Tam Coc (12km), passing scenery of paddy fields or small stream. You will have lunch in Tam Coc, enjoy the taste of Vietnamese cuisine. After lunch at a local restaurant, you will visit Tam Coc (three caves), a peaceful valley among limestone ‘karst' hills, There, you will be rowed along a gentle river between paddy fields and through the caves. In the late afternoon, you will return to Hanoi for overnight.
Day 04 . Tue 19 September 2017 : Ha Noi - Ha Long Bay (-) |
No service included on this day
Day 05 . Wed 20 September 2017 : Ha Long visite (-) |
No service included on this day
Day 06 . Thu 21 September 2017 : Halong – Hanoi (-) | Driver
No service included on this day
Day 07 . Fri 22 September 2017 : Hanoi - Sapa by car (5-hour) (-) | Guide and driver
After breakfast, at 6:45AM, our adventure starts with the drive by D'car Limousine (shared transfer) to the mountain town of Sapa. The journey to Sapa will take the best part of the day. The drive is worthwhile though, as the scenery on your northward journey into the highlands is both dramatic and breathtaking. Arriving in Sapa in the early afternoon, you will check into your hotel.
In the afternoon, we will visit Cat Cat village, home to H’Mong ethnic people. They are excellent “tho cam” weavers, a kind of brocade fabric. The “tho cam” of Cat Cat village is of especially high quality, as it is dyed with natural colors, polished with beeswax and embroidered with unique designs. Cat Cat silver jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings are known for their sophisticated production techniques. A walk through this old village offers a glimpse into traditional customs and practices of the ethnic Black Hmong. We will stop at a beautiful waterfall and the remains of a hydroelectric plant built by the French during their colonization of Vietnam. Overnight at hotel in Sapa.
Day 08 . Sat 23 September 2017 : Sapa- Lao Chai - Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai (-) | Guide and driver
Depart from Sapa town by car to Lao Chai village, following the road down the hill. Views of the Muong Hoa valley and magnificent surroundings of mountains and rice terrace fields can be seen from this road. Along the road, people from many ethnic groups (H’mong, Zay, and Red Dao) are likely to be met, and there are stalls along the way that serve tea, fruits and sweets. Soon after turning off the main road and taking a local path, we will arrive in theBlack H’mong village of Lao Chai, where you will experience the daily life of the villagers.After that, we walk from Lao Chai to Ta Van village, where the Zay hill tribes live. Here you take a rest . Afternoon you trek up and downhill. Specially you will trek through bamboo forest then relax beside the waterfall. Explore the Red Dao village of Giang Ta Chai where you will also have the chance to see their daily activities. In the afternoon the car will pick you up back to Sapa. Overnight in Sapa
Day 09 . Sun 24 September 2017 : Sapa - Bac Ha ethnic market - Sapa (-) | Guide and driver
After breakfast, drive to Bac Ha by car to visit Bac Ha market. This is the biggest local ethnic market of the region and takes place every Sunday. Tribal people from surrounding villages flock here to exchange their products. Most still use horses to carry their loads, which means an early departure to get to the market in time. On every Sunday mornings, it is literally a riot of color as many different ethnic groups gather to trade. Most of the goods are simply farming products such as rice, corn, vegetable and herbs. While the local women are more interested in foods and clothing, the unique cattle area draws a lot of attention from the local men. After spending the rest of the morning to explore the market, you will enjoy lunch in a local house in a nearby peaceful minority village (at your own account)
After lunch, you will leave the colorful market behind, to follow a zigzag road along the mountain to visit Ban Pho 1 and Ban Pho 2 villages, inhabited by Flower H'mong people. Return to Sapa in the late afternoon. Overnight at hotel in Sapa
Day 10 . Mon 25 September 2017 : Sapa - Silver waterfall - Fanxipan peak by cable car (-) | Guide and driver
After breakfast, private transport will take you to Silver Waterfall, the highest in Vietnam with a 300m drop. An ascent to the base of the waterfall will enable you to explore the surrounding landscape. This is a famous spot and is regularly visited by monks to pray. After that, we are driven to Tram Ton Pass where we will trek 30 minutes through the forest. Along the way, you have chances to see wild flowers. Trekking along the Golden Stream, you will arrive at Love Waterfall. It is the best place for relax in Sapa, returning to Tram Ton Pass. Then we continue our drive uphill to the Heavens Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Enjoy fantastic view over the valley!
After that we will be transferred to cable car station where we will have 25 minutes travelling to Fanispan Mountain where is considered to be the most beautifal landscape of Vietnam now. Back to Sapa Town to have lunch and free time in the afternoon..
Overnight in Sapa
Day 11 . Tue 26 September 2017 : Sapa- drive back to Hanoi (-) | Guide and driver
You are free until check out time, when being transfered back to Hanoi by D'car Limousine (shared transfer) at 15:30
26-27/9 the hanoian hotel - 42 Hang Cot Street
Day 12 . Wed 27 September 2017 : Hanoi - fly to Saigon - half day tour (VN0233 HAN SGN 1200 1400 by guests) (-) | Guide and driver
After breakfast, at 10AM, you will be taken to the airport (no guide) for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City (airport transfer in HCM arranged by yourself)
Upon arrival, check into hotel.
In the afternoon at 3PM, 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.
27-29/9 chez mimoza saigon - No 71, Co Giang street, district 1
Day 13 . Thu 28 September 2017 : Saigon - Cai Be - Saigon (L) | Guide and driver
You are picked up at hotel between 7:30AM to 8:00AM and start a full day to explore the Mekong Delta. For those with just a short time, this trip provides an overview of this typical Vietnam. On the way you can see the green paddy fields stretching towards the horizon (3 hours drive).
After arrival in Cai Be, we will on board for an exploration of lush vegetations of Mekong Delta and the lively floating market buyers bargaining. Next a rowing boat rides on the maze of shady canals to arrive at a local orchard to visit the daily activities the handicraft villages of local people. Break time for lunch at the fruit garden.
After lunch, take a boat along the Mekong River to Vinh Long - a center of tropical fruit; stop in for a short visit to Vinh Long market. Go across My Thuan suspension bridge and drop by Mekong Rest Stop before going back to Saigon.
Day 14 . Fri 29 September 2017 : Saigon - Cao Dai temple - fly to Siemreap (VN0815 SGN REP 1930 2035 by guests) (-) | Driver
This morning at 8AM you take a drive to Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh to observe the midday service. Tay Ninh, near the Cambodian border, is home to the unique Cao Dai sect, whose patron saints include Joan of Arc, Victor Hugo and Winston Churchill to name a few. The religion is a hybrid of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Christianity. The Cao Dai Temple at Tay Ninh has been described as a Walt Disney fantasia of the East. The temple's exterior is decorated with multi-colored dragons of all shapes and sizes competing for space with a number of Buddhist symbols. Above the main entrance is the all-seeing holy eye, the symbol of the Cao Dai sect. The interior is just as engaging as statues of Jesus Christ, Buddha and the Hindu god, Brahma, stand side by side.
Then transfer back to your hotel, free at your leisure.
At 16:30, you are transfered directly to Tan Son Nhat airport for your flight to Siem Reap (airport transfer in Siem Reap arranged by yourself)
29-02/10 metta resience siem reap - Salakamreuk Rd, Krong Siem Reap
Day 15 . Sat 30 September 2017 : Siemreap - Angkor Thom - Angkor Wat - Siemreap (-) | Guide and driver
Your car and guide wait for you in the early morning at your hotel in Siem Reap and head to the main gate of the Angkor temples and make your early morning stop to see the sunrise. Arguably the largest religious building in the world, with a volume of stone equaling that of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt; it is unlike all the other Khmer temples in that it faces west. Its symmetrical towers are stylized on the modern Cambodian flag. Return back to your hotel for breakfast and we move back into the Angkor temples to admire some of the other amazing temple ruins that define Angkor and make it a proud member on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Via the South Gate, we visit Angkor Thom. The Great City of Angkor Thom is one of the central points within the whole Angkor Complex, which was probably more opulent than most European cities in the late 12th Century. This ten square kilometers city is enclosed by an eight-meter high wall and encircled by a hundred meter long moat said to have been inhabited by fierce crocodiles. We continue to the Bayon and the Preah Khan Temple before lunch. The Bayon is a 12th century masterpiece lies at the very center of Angkor Thom City and is an archaeological wonder of symmetry and grandeur. The exterior gallery walls have extensive bas-reliefs but the main features are the towers each with 3 or 4 gently smiling faces, over 200 in total. Continue to Preah Khan, "The Sacred Sword", an extensive monastic complex covering over 56 hectares built by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a monastery and teaching complex. After lunch, you will be taken to the Ta Nei Temple and the Tao Keo temple near the Eastern Batay. Both lesser-known, yet as interesting as all the other temple ruins, both temples are of late 12th Century and constructed in stone. Both are located near the northwest corner of the East Baray. We end our day with the Ta Phrom. The Ta Prohm was built in the late 12th century by Jayavarman VII as a shrine to his mother and is another must for anyone coming to Siem Reap.
Come back to hotel
Day 16 . Sun 01 October 2017 : Siem Reap - free & easy (-) |
No service included on this day
Day 17 . Mon 02 October 2017 : Siem Reap – fly to Danang - Hoi An (VN3828 REP DAD 1545 1735) (-) | Driver
Airport transfer in Siem Reap arranged by yourself.
On arrival, you are picked up to hotel in Hoi An for check in (no guide). Overnight in Hoi An
02-05/10 la residencia hoi an - 35 Đào Duy Từ, Cẩm Phô, Hoi An
Day 18 . Tue 03 October 2017 : Hoi An walking tour (-) | Guide and driver
Breakfast at hotel. At 8AM, you will be taken on a half-day walking tour through the narrow, winding streets of Hoi An’s ancient town, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese assembly halls, the 200- year old Tan Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge. Following the tour you can explore the town and go shopping on your own. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 19 . Wed 04 October 2017 : Hoi An free (-) |
No service is provided on this day
Day 20 . Thu 05 October 2017 : Hoi An - Danang (-) | Driver
After having breakfast at hotel, drive to Danang (no guide). Overnight at hotel in Danang
05-08/10 mandila beach hotel danang - 218 Vo Nguyen Giap Street, Phuoc My Ward, Son Tra District,
Day 21 . Fri 06 October 2017 : Danang - Hue visit - Danang (L) | Guide and driver
After breakfast, at 7AM, take 3-hour drive to Hue. Start the day with a leisurely boat trip on the poetic Perfume River. En route you will visit Thien Mu Pagoda also known as “Heavenly Lady Pagoda”, the symbol of Hue city, followed by Minh Mang Mausoleum, one of Hue's finest royal tombs. An architectural complex compromised of 40 buildings (palaces, temples, pavilions, etc.). Disembark for lunch at a local restaurant.
The afternoon will be spent visiting Hue Imperial City, the last royal city of Vietnam with various beautiful structures including the Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace and the Forbidden Purple City or Tu Cam Thanh. Drive back to Danang for overnight
Day 22 . Sat 07 October 2017 : Danang free (-) |
No service is provided on this day
Day 23 . Sun 08 October 2017 : Danang - fly to Hanoi (VN0172 DAD HAN 1300 1420 by guests) - street food tour (-) | Guide and driver
You are free until transfered to Danang airport (no guide) at 10:30AM for flight to Hanoi. On arrival, be picked up & transfered to hotel by guide & driver for check in & overnight.
Tonight your guide will take you on a culinary adventure, sampling street food in the Old Quarter. It’s a great opportunity to try all those weird and wonderful foods you see but just aren’t sure what they are! Start your Hanoi Street Eats tour at Bia Hoi corner to try the local brew, ‘Bia Hoi,’ an extra-carbonated draft beer that traces its roots to Eastern Europe. Do as the locals do and pull up a stool and enjoy a drink while watching the world go by.
Continue through the old quarter’s narrow streets as your guide points out a range of tasty noodles, breads and snacks. At night the sidewalks are packed with locals perched on stools, amongst sizzling woks and bubbling pots. These small pop up restaurants are a nightly feature that all but disappear during the day. Highlights may include Banh Cuon, rice rolls that include beef and fresh herbs, or Banh My, Vietnam’s famous baguette sandwich. But the best has to be the flame grilled Vietnamese barbecue of beef, chicken, tofu and vegetables on skewers. End the night with dessert from Hanoi’s best-known ice-cream parlour.
Day 24 . Mon 09 October 2017 : Hanoi departure (CX5294 HAN HKG 1945 2235) (-) | Driver
Freetime before the transfer to the airport for your flight off at 16:30. Your room is available until 12h00.