DISCOVERY NORTHERN TO CENTRAL VIETNAM IN 10 DAYS

Day 1: Arrival – Ha Noi – Overnight in Hanoi

Arrival to Ha Noi, our driver will pick you up at the airport and transfer to your hotel in the famous old quarter of Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi hotel

Day 2: Hanoi city tour – over night train Lao Cai / Sapa (B/L)

0800h: Guide will meet you at your hotel & you will depart to visit:

Ho Chi Minh Complex: Completed in 1975 the complex contains Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, his former stilt house residence, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh museum.

Next stop is a visit to the Temple of Literature.

1200h: A delicious set menu lunch will be provided for you in a local restaurant.

1300h: Your tour recommences with a visit to the Museum of Ethnology which is widely acknowledged as the best in Vietnam and has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic minority peoples.

Then it is on to the Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake: The Ngoc Son temple is set on a tiny island on the Hoan Kiem Lake and was erected in 18th century. The temple is reached by crossing the Huc Bridge which literally means “Place Touched by Morning Sunbeams”. Hoan Kiem Lake is a focal point of the city and the source of many legends including the legend of the returned sword which dates back to the 15th century and refers to a magical sword used to free Vietnam from Chinese rule.

The Old Quarter, also known as the 36 streets, is a bustling area of narrow streets home to literally thousands of small businesses and street vendors, selling a wide variety of goods. Originally each of the 36 streets names’ were related to the products being sold there. Hence you can walk from Fish Street to Tin Street to Bamboo Street and you will enjoy exploring the area while riding in a traditional cyclo.

1700h: Back to your hotel where you will have free time to have dinner and a short rest.

2000h: After checking out of the hotel, our driver will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to Hanoi train station.

2100h: Train departure and sleep the night in a shared soft sleeper 4 berth cabin on board the train. Travel time approx 9 hrs.

Over night on train.

Day 3: Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Cai – Sa Pa (B/L) – Overnight in Sapa

0600h: Arrive at Lao Cai railway station where you will be met and transferred by shuttle bus to the township of Sapa which takes approx one hour.

0800h: After breakfast, a morning shower and leaving your main luggage at the hotel, we will walk from Sapa towards Muong Hoa valley. Here you will discover the wonderful scenery of the Hoang Lien mountain range and meet people of the Black H’mong tribes before Trekking through terraced rice paddies and minority villages along the Muong Hoa River.

Back to your hotel.

Overnight in Sapa.

Day 4: Giang Ta Chai – Su Pan – Sa pa – Ha Noi (B/L)- Overnight in Ha Noi

Enjoy views of the magnificent landscape with your sunrise coffee and enjoy a delicious breakfast.

After breakfast we will set off to trek through bamboo forests towards Giang Ta Chai waterfall, cross over a rattan suspension bridge and enter Giang Ta Chai village which is inhabited by the Red Zao minorities.

Here we will experience daily life before crossing over Muong Hoa River & walk up the mountain to visit Supan village, the home of the H’mong people. We then board the bus back to Sapa where you will travel back to Hanoi by road.

Check into your hotel in Hanoi

Overnight in Hanoi

Day 5: Ha Noi – Ha Long Bay (B/L/D)- Overnight on boat

0800h: Your guide will meet you at your hotel and you will set off by road on the scenic 3 hour drive through the Red River Delta to Ha Long Bay.

1200h: Check-in at the Marina at Tuan Chau Island and transfer to your beautiful luxury Junk. You will be welcomed on board by the crew and while you enjoy a refreshing drink, you will receive your cruise briefing.

1300h: A delicious Vietnamese style buffet lunch will be served as you cruise slowly east towards Vung Vieng floating fishing village.

1530h: Transfer to a smaller boat and enjoy a 1 hour visit to the Vung Vieng fishing village by local rowing boat.

1630h: You can then return to the main Junk to enjoy some free time on the sun deck, or take a swim near the boat. For the more adventurous, you can spend some time kayaking before returning to your luxury Junk.

1700h: While the Junk starts to slowly cruise back through the bay to its overnight anchorage near Ho Dong Tien, you can attend a cooking demonstration in the dining room or if weather permitting, it will be held on the sundeck.

Happy Hour (Buy one get one free) at the bar is from 1700h until 1830h

1930h: A sumptuous set-menu seafood dinner will be served onboard in the dining room.

2100h: Enjoy the movie or join our staff for some fun and try your hand at squid fishing.

Overnight on the Boat.

Day 6: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi – Flight – Hue (B/L) – Overnight in Hue

0615h: Start your day enjoying the early morning view from the Sundeck while complimentary tea and coffee is served.

0700h: As the crew weighs anchor and you begin to cruise slowly through the calm waters of the bay, a delicious Continental breakfast will be served in the dining room.

0745h: You can choose between two different available options;

• Option 1: Visit Titov island to enjoy swimming at crescent shaped beach and to climb to the viewing area approximately 20m from the top of the island to take in the panoramic view of Ha Long Bay.
• Option 2: You will have the opportunity to explore what is commonly thought to be the biggest and most amazing cave in Ha Long Bay, the Surprise Cave. The cave has a large number of spectacular formations and is one of the most popular attractions at Ha Long Bay.

0900h: Return to the main boat for check out and to place your baggage in the corridor ready to be picked up by the crew and taken to reception.

0930h: Buffet brunch will be served in restaurant while boat cruising back to harbour.

1045h: Disembark at Tuan Chau Marina and begin your road journey back to Hanoi.

1600h -1630h: Arrive in Hanoi and be taken to the airport where you can board your flight to Hue

Arrive to Hue airport where a driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Hue

Over night in Hue

DAY 7: HUE CITY TOUR- TRANSFER TO HOI AN (B/L)- Overnight in Hoi An

0730h: Your English speaking guide will meet you at your hotel and take you to the magnificent Imperial Citadel.

Built in the 19th Century and surrounded by high stone walls and a moat, the Citadel was once the exclusive home of the Nguyen Imperial Family. It is similar in design to the famous Forbidden City in Beijing and is not to be missed.

Next is time for boat ride on the Perfume River and depending on time, visit Tu Duc and Khai Dinh tombs.

Tu Duc Tomb is one of the most beautifully designed tombs of the Nguyen dynasty. Embedded in a lush pine forest, the tomb is the final resting place of Emperor Tu Duc (1848-83) who had the longest reign of all emperors of the Nguyen dynasty.

Khai Dinh become the Emperor of Vietnam in 1916 but unfortunately his close relationship with the French made him unpopular with the Vietnamese people and he branded nothing more than a paid employee of the French government. However, his tomb is a remarkable structure which began construction in 1920 but was not finished until approximately 5 years after his death.

1500h: Back to the hotel for a change of clothes and freshen up before staring your road transfer to Hoi An via the road tunnel.

1800h: Arrival to Hoi An and overnight in Hoi An

DAY 8: HOI AN – FREE DAY (B)- Overnight in Hoi An

Enjoying a relaxing day in Hoi An and overnight in Hoi An.

DAY 9: MY SON – HOI AN CITY (B/L)- Overnight in Hoi An

0800h: Start from your hotel and travel 50km from Hoi An to My Son holy land in a private air conditioned vehicle with your English speaking guide. My Son was a major religious site for the people of the ancient Champa Kingdom which flourished between the 4th and 13th centuries The Champa people ruled Central Vietnam until it was finally annexed by the Vietnamese in the 19th Century.

You will start your journey back to Hoi An arriving at approximately 1400h .

The guide will take you on a two hour walking tour of Hoi An Old Town. Famous for its quant mixture of Chinese, Japanese and European architecture, the old town was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. You will visit, the Japanese bridge built in the 16th century and famous for being the only covered bridge known to incorporate a Buddhist pagoda, the 200 year old Tan Ky house, museum of trade ceramics and several other historical sites.

Over night in Hoi An

Other option in Hoi An you can choose – Cooking Class – Farm tour – Bicycle or fishing tour

DAY 10: HOI AN – DA NANG – DEPARTURE (B)

Free time until The driver we will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Da Nang airport.

Tour the end.