Day 1
Transport
Meals:None
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Transfer to Hanoi Downtown
Detailed Itinerary: Today you’ll land in Hanoi. Warmly welcome by Tour Guide & Car Driver at airport then transfer to Hanoi Downtown, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards, public parks, and the capital of Vietnam. Check into your hotel. Stay overnight in Hanoi. Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Day 2
Transport
Meals:B, L
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Visit Tam Coc
Detailed Itinerary: After breakfast at hotel, we start to Tam Coc, Ninh Binh. Arrive in Tam Coc, we will take 2hour-boat trip to visit Tam Coc. Known as “Halong Bay on land”, Tam Coc are three limestone caves stretching along Ngo Dong river. The boat trip is a nice journey along the river with peaceful scenery of limestone mountains, rice paddy and the site of some temples along the way from Hang Ca (first cave) to Hang Hai (second cave) and Hang Ba (third cave). Having lunch in Tam Coc in a local restaurant and enjoy lunch served with goat meat which is famous as the local specialty. Afternoon, we will visit Hoa Lu where there are now 2 temples have been built on the ground of the old royal palace, one is dedicated to King Dinh Tien Hoang, the other is to King Le Dai Hanh. The visit offers a chance to know more about part of feudal dynasties and historical periods in Vietnamese history. Then We drive back to Hanoi in the late afternoon and drop you off at your hotel. Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Day 3
Transport
Meals:B
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)You will visit: Ho Chi Minh’s (HCM) Mausoleum and Presidential Palace
Detailed Itinerary: After breakfast, you will have a full day of your own to see the city so good walking shoes are a must. You will visit: Ho Chi Minh’s (HCM) Mausoleum and Presidential Palace, HCM’s Stilt House, O¬ne Pillar Pagoda; Temple of Literature, built in 11th Century and the country’s first University; Ethnology Museum or Hoa Lo prison which is also known as the “Hanoi Hilton”; Opera House; West Lake & Pagoda. Also we will attend a Water Puppet show then have a leisurely dinner while waiting for the 21:00 departure o¬n the deluxe Night train to Lao Cai. Overnight o¬n train in air conditioned cabin. Accommodation: Soft Sleeper Cabin with AC
Day 4
Transport
Meals:B
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Drive to the Bac Ha Fair market
Detailed Itinerary: Early morning arrive at Lao Cai – a small town at the border between Vietnam and China. Have breakfast and drive to the Bac Ha Fair market (o¬n Sunday)/ Coc Ly market (on Tuesday), Can Cau market (on Saturday) which was hold only one a week on. You will chose one of market to visit:
Bac Ha market: Every Sunday, Bac Ha hosts the biggest fair near the mountainous highlands and the Chinese border. It is a trading centre and meeting place for couples, friends, and relatives, and it is a typical weekly activity for the H’Mong and other minority groups living in the locality. Local products for sale or barter are carried on horseback.
Coc Ly market: Coc Ly Market is a colorful Tuesday market in a mountainous area where ethnic people gather to buy and sell goods, dine and drink, or just wander to enjoy the ambience of the montagnard market by the Chay River. They are busy with buying and selling their homemade products, whatever they can sell to the festive market. Scarves, clothes, decorations and other items made of ethnic fabric on sale also add color to the bazaar by the Chay River.
Can Cau market: Can Cau Market is a small, but very colourful market, set in the mountains near the Chinese border. The Flower Hmong minority is the most common here, and their colourful dresses makes is a beautiful sight. Combining the market activities with visiting to some tribal villages set amongst beautiful nature for new culture discovery the trip is really memorable and yields good chance for photo hunters. Drive to Sapa in the afternoon. Check in hotel and relax.
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa
Day 5
Transport
Meals:B, L
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Visit Sin Chai & Cat Cat village of the H’mong people.
Detailed Itinerary: You will be taken by car to the Silver Waterfall; from there you can see stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the lush forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park. Continue by car or van uphill to Heaven’s Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Here you will have a fantastic opportunity to view the magnificent scenery. After the Pass, take off the car to trek down to Fanxipang valley. You follow the paths of the local people in the mountain & reach Sin Chai village. Visit Sin Chai & Cat Cat village of the H’mong people. Then the car wait for you in Catcat & take you back up to Sapa roughly 4:00 PM. Overnight in hotel. Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa
Day 6
Transport
Meals:B, L
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Transfer to Lao Cai station for night train to Hanoi.
Detailed Itinerary: Get the show on the road in the morning from the hotel to head for the valley where to visit 2 villages of the H’mong and the Dzay. Picnic lunch on the way or in a local family. Go on visiting the Red Dzao in GiangTaChai village, visiting a waterfall and a suspension bridge. Walk up to the road for the car back to Sapa. Transfer to Lao Cai station for night train to Hanoi. Overnight o¬n train in air conditioned cabin. Accommodation: Soft Sleeper Cabin with AC
Day 7
Transport
Meals:B, L
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Visit one of the largest caves in Halong Bay
Detailed Itinerary: You will be met by your guide early this morning at Hanoi’s railway station. After breakfast at local restaurant, you will have over 3 hours drive along the country side of the Red River Delta to the UNESCO world’s heritage site of Halong Bay. A traditional style Vietnamese Junk Cruise is waiting your arrival and will set sail at noon today. Lunch will be served o¬n board amidst spectacular views of the bay. Today you will visit o¬ne of the largest caves in Halong Bay and included is a beach stop where perhaps you may want to take a swim or dip in the water of the South China Sea. Tonight enjoy a fresh seafood dinner on the Junk. Accommodation: On board
Day 8
Transport
Meals:B, L
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Return back to the junk
Detailed Itinerary: Enjoy your morning cup of coffee or juice before setting out to the near- by cave o¬n row boat. Watch for monkeys high o¬n the cliff tops. Return back to the junk, where breakfast is served, while sailing around Bay Tu Long bay where the film “Indochine” was made. Your cruise will end at noon and you will be met by your guide & driver for the trip back to Hanoi. The trip ends in Hanoi at 3PM. Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Day 9
Transport
Meals:B, L
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Visit the Cham Museum
Detailed Itinerary: Today, leave Hanoi for Da Nang in the morning. You will take the flight VN1507 at 08:00/09:15. Upon arrival in Da Nang, visit the Cham Museum, which features a fine collection of open air sandstone carvings. Stop at China Beach, made famous in the American TV series of the same name. It stretches for many miles north and south of the Marble Mountains. The Marble Mountains surrounding the area are five stone hillocks – once islands made of marble – and each is said to represent one of the five elements of the universe. There are many natural caves in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. Arrive in Hoi An Ancient Town. Check in hotel & overnight in Hoi An. Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
Day 10
Transport
Meals:B
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Transfer to hotel and relaxing on the beach.
Detailed Itinerary: Enjoy a full-day excursion to Hoi An, a major trading centre, once known as “Faifo” to the earliest Western traders. It was also an important port for the Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and other merchant vessels from the Far East. Visit a temple with partially gilded statues in the centre, a pagoda dedicated to sailors and fishermen and a chapel with origins in the 1700s that reflects the influences of Chinese and Japanese styles. Stop at the Sa Huynh Museum, located near the Japanese Covered Bridge, which contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An’s history. Transfer to hotel and relaxing on the beach. Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
Day 11
Transport
Meals:B
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Visit the Imperial City
Detailed Itinerary: Today, journey south past the Hai Van Pass and Land Co, over a spur of the Truong Son Mountain Range that juts into the South China Sea, with spectacular views along the way to Hue. Arrive in Hue, we will start to visit Hue City, Vietnam’s political capital from 1802 to 1945 under the 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. Traditionally, the city has been one of Vietnam’s cultural, religious and educational centres. Visit the Imperial City, which is located in the Citadel. Modeled after the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Imperial City was built in the early 19th century. Explore the Thai Hoa Palace, with its spacious hall and ornate roof of huge timbers supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns. See the Halls of the Mandarins, the Nine Dynastic Urns and the site where the Forbidden Purple City once stood. Also you will visit Dong Ba market. Afternoon, you will take a boat on Perfume river to visit Thien Mu pagoda and the Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang, built in 1840, which is known for its magnificent architecture and elaborate decorations and is considered one of Hue’s most beautiful pagodas. Overnight in Hue City. Accommodation: Hotel in Hue
Day 12
Transport
Meals:B
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Visit the War Remnants Museum
Detailed Itinerary: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (VN1371 at 08:50/10:10), Saigon, the largest Vietnamese city. There are street markets, sidewalk cafes and sleek new bars. This teeming metropolis offers 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture. To the west of the city is the huge Chinese neighbourhood called Colon, which means "Big Market." Notre Dame Cathedral, in the heart of Saigon's government quarter, is of neo- Romanesque architecture with two high square tower and iron spires. The Central Post Office is French-style and City Hall, known as "Hotel de Ville," is typical of the French architecture that would be seen in any village in France. Visit the War Remnants Museum, featuring collections of weapons and photographs from the two Indochina wars. Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. Accommodation: Hotel in Hue
Day 13
Transport
Meals:B, L
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)We will transfer to the town of Cai Be
Detailed Itinerary: After early breakfast at hotel, we will transfer to the town of Cai Be, well-known for it's floating market. Here we will board our private boat for a cruise to The Cai Be market as an other name River Market. Wholesalers on big boats more here, each specializing in one or a few types of fruit or vegetable. Your cruise the market in small boat and can easily find what they're looking for as the larger boats hang samples of their goods from tall wooden poles. One interesting thing you won't see at other markets is the huge Catholic cathedral on the riversides- a popular and fantastic backdrop for photographs. Then on to Binh Hoa Phuoc and An Binh Island where is low-lying-region is as much water as land and houses are generally built on stilts. Please ! Bring plenty of firm or Flash Memory Disk because there are photo opportunities in every direction. Towards the end of the day we transfer to Can Tho. Arrival in Can Tho, check in hotel and relax. Accommodation: Hotel in Can Tho
Day 14
Transport
Meals:B, L
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Take the boat trip to Cai Rang Floating Market
Detailed Itinerary: Wake up in early morning to take the boat trip to Cai Rang Floating Market – one of the most bustling floating markets in Mekong Delta with hundreds of small boats barging and jostling for space to sell their goods and to experience the Mekong rural lifestyle. After sampling local fruits, our guide will escort the guests back to the hotel through myriad canals. Lunch at local restaurant before return to Ho Chi Minh City. Arrive Ho Chi Minh City at 4:00pm. Free for leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh
Day 15
Transport
Meals:B, L
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Arrival Siem Reap Airport, transfer to hotel for relaxing.
Detailed Itinerary: This morning, we check out hotel bring all luggage and leave Saigon for CuChi to see the tunnels, you will visit Cu Chi tunnels, which is only 70km from the center of Saigon. This place was called ‘Iron Triangle’ by American during the war and actually it stood as a stronghold of Vietcong (Vietnamese Army) for almost 30 years despite of many American bombs and military actions. A walk underground the tunnels will help you understand how the Vietnamese people had fought and won the war. Afternoon we return to the airport in Saigon and take the flight Saigon – Siem Reap (VN3821 at 15:55/16:55). Arrival Siem Reap Airport, transfer to hotel for relaxing. Overnight in Siem Reap. Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap
Day 16
Transport
Meals:B
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)Visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom
Detailed Itinerary: After breakfast at hotel, we will visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom (12 century) : the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Afternoon, we will continue to visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Overnight in Siem Reap. Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap
Day 17
Transport
Meals:B
Activities (time & subjects may change when necessary)We board on boat in Tonle Sap Lake, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia
Detailed Itinerary: Breakfast at hotel. We board on boat in Tonle Sap Lake, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia. Here, enjoy a brief cruise past floating villages complete with schools, restaurants, and hospitals. Free leisure for your own time for rolling at local market for shopping until transfer to Siem Reap International airport departure flight. Finish unforgettable Vietnam trip with Vietnam Tour Advisor. Good bye & see you in the next time!