GRAND VIETNAM -17 DAYS

Day 1: Ha Noi – Arrival – Overnight in Ha Noi

Our driver will meet you in Hanoi and transfer you to your hotel in the old quarter of Hanoi.

After check in you will have free time to take a rest or start exploring the area around the hotel and take a walk around the famous Hoan Kiem Lake.

Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 2: HANOI CITY TOUR – OVERNIGHT TRAIN TO 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 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: Our driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer to Hanoi train station.

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

Day 3: Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Overnight Bungalow in Tavan Village (B/L/D)

Arrive at Lao Cai railway station at 0600h 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.

We then cross the suspension bridge towards the Zay village, arriving at Ta Van, where we have dinner cooked on a wood fire and enjoy the hospitality of a local Zay family.

Overnight in Home stay accommodation .

Day 4: Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Su Pan – Limousine to Ha Noi  – Overnight in Ha Noi (B/L)

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

Once we have said our goodbyes, 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 up 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 can take the limousine to Ha Noi

2100h- Arrival to Ha Noi and overnight in Ha Noi

Day 5: Lao Cai – Ha Noi – Ha Long Bay – Overnight on Cruise  (B/L/D)

Between 0745h-0830h: Your transport will pick you up at your hotel and you will depart for |Ha Long Bay. You will stop for a short break at the Humanity center situated approximately half way on to the bay and enjoy local specialties.

1200h: Arrive Ha Long Bay and transfer by tender to your luxury Junk where the captain will welcome you on board the boat.

A delicious lunch will be served for you as the boat passes through many of the thousands of islands and islets within Ha Long Bay.

1530h – You will have the opportunity to explore what is commonly thought to be the biggest and most amazing cave in Halong Bay, the Surprise Cave.

1700h – Kayaking for an hour around the fishing village and observe the daily life of the local community there. Then back to boat for Sunset Party.

19.30h – Enjoy a dinner of local or western food and spend a romantic night on board the Junk.

Day 6: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi – Overnight train to Hue (B/L)

0730h: Enjoy your breakfast while complimentary tea and coffee is served.

After breakfast you will have the opportunity to continue enjoying the view as you cruise to Ba Hang Fishing Village. Once there you will board a smaller boat to transfer to the village to experience a brief look into the lifestyle of the local villagers.

1030h: Back onboard your luxury Junk, it will be time to join a cooking class in the restaurant and enjoy your lunch in the dining room while cruising back to harbor.

1200h: Sadly it will be time to disembark and transfer back to Hanoi.

1600h: Arrive in Hanoi and freshen up at the hotel.

1800h: Transfer to the Hanoi Train station to board the overnight train to Hue.

Overnight on board the train is a soft sleeper compartment in the private carriages.

Day 7: Hue – City Tour –  Overnight in  Hue (B/L)

0800h: Arrive Hue and transfer to the hotel for check in.

0900h: Your day of discovering the wonders of Hue will begin when your English speaking meets you at the Hotel.

As part of your Hue city tour you will visit the impressive complex of the Imperial Citadel. Built in the 19th Century and surrounded by high stone walls and moat, the Citadel was once the exclusive home of the Nguyen Imperial Family. It is similar to the famous Forbidden City in Beijing and is not to be missed.

1200h: A delicious set menu lunch will be served at a local restaurant and after lunch you will take a cruise on the famous Perfume River and visit Tu Duc and Minh Mang 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.

Return to your hotel at approximately 1500h.

Day 8: Hai Van Pass – Da Nang – Marble Mountains – Hoi An  – Overnight in  Hoi An (B/L)

0700h: Your guide will meet you at the hotel and travel with you in an air conditioned private vehicle from Hue to Hoi An driving over Hai Van pass. The scenery from the top of Hai Van pass is spectacular and offers some great photo opportunities.

The pass, which once formed the boundary between the kingdoms of Dai Viet and Champa, also forms a boundary between the climates of northern and southern Vietnam, sheltering the city of Da Nang from the winds that blow in from the northwest.

You will arrive in Da Nang at approximately 1130h and after having lunch at a local restaurant you will visit the Cham Sculpture Museum. Next stop will be at the Marble Mountains and Non Nuoc village where you will ride the new twin glass elevators to the main area for a visit before to  Hoi An.

Arrival to Hoi An and free after noon.

Over night in Hoi An.

Day 9: My Son – Hoi An Ancient Town (B/L)

0830h: Start from your hotel and travel 50km from Hoi An to My Son holy land in a private air conditioned vehicle with your 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.

After exploring the ruins and history of My Son and viewing a short traditional Champa Peoples music concert, you will start your journey back to Hoi An arriving at approximately 1230h.

Back to Hoi An Your guide will take you on a two hour walking tour of Hoi An Old Town. Famous for it’s 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.

Overnight in Hoi An

Day 10: Hoi An – Cooking Class – Overnight in  Hoi An (B/L)

0815h – You will be met at your hotel and taken into the exciting morning markets in Hoi An to purchase the fresh ingredients needed for your cooking class. The sights and sounds of the food market in the morning are quite interesting and a great start to your experience.

Next you is a relaxing 45 minute boat trip where you can enjoy the passing scenery before arriving at a local fishing village. For the more adventurous you can transfer into a small row boat for a short trip through the coconut water to visit a rustic village house.

Please note: for those who do not wish to ride in the row boat you can go directly to the cooking school.

You will learn how to prepare 4 traditional Vietnamese dishes under the guidance of the Chef and once you have finished cooking your meals, you will be able to sit and enjoy them for lunch.

1330h – You will then be taken back to Hoi An old town area where you can continue to enjoy your day.

Approx time end from 13.30h to 14.00h

Overnight in Hoi An

Day 11: Hoi An – Da Nang – Fly to Nha Trang  – Overnight in Nha Trang (B)

Free time untill your driver will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to Da Nang airport to board your flight to Nha Trang.

Arrive Nha Trang where your driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel.

Afternoon is free to relax, enjoy the beach or explore the area around your hotel.

Overnight in Nha Trang

Day 12: Nha Trang Countryside Tour – Overnight in Nha Trang (B/L)

0800h: Your transport and English speaking tour guide will meet you at your hotel and you will begin your day of discovering villages and countryside around Nha Trang.

You will see some of the large lush green rice fields and watch the locals and water buffalo going about their daily life.

Next is a visit to an old Vietnamese home built in the 19^th century where you will enjoy some of the local fruits and Lotus Tea. Then it will be time to move onto a traditional Village where you will see sedge mat weaving and the making of pottery stoves.

Your guide will also take you to see the Communal house where people go to pay respects to the village founder and you will have time to observe more of the rural life style.

Lunch will be at a clean local riverside restaurant before you start your journey back into Nha Trang. Along the way you will stop for a visit at a local nursery school and village market.

Day 13: Nha Trang –Fly to  HCMC – Overnight in Ho Chi Minh (B)

Free time untill your driver will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to Nha Trang airport to board your flight to HCMC.

A driver will meet you on arrival at HCMC airport and transfer you to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 14: Ho Chi MInh City Tour- Cu Chi tunnel – Overnight in Ho Chi Minh (B/L)

0800h: After breakfast your English guide will meet you at the hotel and drive with you explore the Cu Chi Tunnels which is an incredible underground network of tunnels approximately 200 km in length. The tunnels were constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence and contained hospitals, plus accommodation and schools, and were used as a military base for the Vietcong in the American war.

13.00h: After lunches your guide will arrive at your hotel and you will begin your tour of Ho Chi Minh City visiting the attractions in District 1 such as:

The Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office and the War Remnant Museum before continuing to the bustling Ben Thanh Market where everything and anything is for sale

17.00h: Return to your hotel to your hotel .

Stay overnight at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh .

Day 15: Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Cruise – Overnight on Cruise  (B/L/D)

0800h – 0830h: Your transport will arrive at your hotel and you will depart by road to either Can Tho or Cai Be in Mekong delta to board your comfortable wooden river cruise vessel around noon. After a refreshing welcome drink and a tour of on-board facilities, you will be shown your well appointed cabin. Sit back and watch the fantastic scenery and the daily life of the Mekong people while lunch is served and cruise gets underway.

In the afternoon, you can disembark for a guided leisurely stroll through a lovely local village and the surrounding fruit orchards or rice fields. You will meet with the friendly locals and taste the local produce and fruits.

Back on board and enjoy a drink at the bar or relax on deck as the sun sets over the magnificent water landscape of the Mekong river. The day ends with a delicious on-board dinner.

The cruise boat will anchor for the night and you stay overnight in the Mekong Delta.

Day 16: Cai Rang / Cai Be Floating Market – Travel to Ho Chi Minh – Overnight in Ho Chi Minh(B/L)

Wake up well rested to the sound of the river and get ready for another exciting day of sightseeing in the Mekong Delta. At 0630h the cruise vessel sets off for a sunrise cruise. You will enjoying an early breakfast and watch the river come alive as the locals go about their daily work drying exotic fruits and building ships on the wooden yards.

After breakfast, you will board a sampan boat to Cai Be or Cai Rang floating market, the region’s busiest and most lively markets. You will be amazed at the sheer abundance of exotic fruits, vegetables and skillfully handcrafted regional products. You will pull up to the boats and have the opportunity to bargain for local produce and that special gift to take home. You will also visit some of the local sweets and cake making factories or boat through the green water landscape to see local houses, orchards and ship-building yards.

After brunch or lunch it will be time to start your return journey back to your hotel in HCMC.

Over night hotel in Ho Chi Minh

Day 17: Ho Chi Minh – Departure

Free time untill the driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport

Tour the end