VIETNAM HOMESTAY

Day 1: Ha Noi – Arrival

The driver will pick you up at the airport and transfer to the hotel

Over night in Homestay Ha Noi

Day 2: Hanoi city tour – Overnight 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: Originally built as a temple to Confucius, this is the site of Vietnam’s first university dating back to 1070. Inside are the stone steles used for ceremonies and mounted on the backs of turtles and inscribed with the names of the university’s graduates. The complex is divided into five courtyards which originally would have been reserved for the Emperor and his mandarins. One of the courtyards contains the statue of Confucius guarded by two beautiful bronze storks standing on turtles. The temple highlights the importance Vietnamese society has placed on education.

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: Our driver will pick up from your hotel and transfer to Hanoi train station.

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

Day 3: Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van (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 – Overnight train to Hanoi (B/L/D)

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 shower in the hotel and have dinner before transferring to Lao Cai train station for the night train back to Ha Noi.

Overnight is in a soft sleeper cabin on board the train. Train departs 2115h.

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

0500h: Arrive at Hanoi train station and transfer to the hotel where you can have a shower and enjoy breakfast.

Between 0800h-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 Ha Long 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.

1930h: Enjoy a dinner of local or western food and spend a romantic night on board the Junk.

Overnight on boat

Day 6: Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Island (B/L/D)

0730h: Enjoy your breakfast while complimentary tea and coffee is served. After breakfast the boat will stop at Van Gia fishing village for you to take photos. Then after a short trip on the smaller day boat to Viet Hai harbor, you will ride 30 minutes by bicycle to Viet Hai village, which is part of Cat ba National Park. Once you have taken a short break it will on to get a brief look into the lifestyle of the local villagers.

1300h: Lunch is served on day boat while cruising to Monkey Island to observe the monkeys and weather permitting, you will have the opportunity to go swimming.

15.30: Arrive Cat Ba Island and check into your hotel and enjoy some free time before dinner.

19.00: Dinner will be provided in the hotel and after you will have more free time to explore Cat Ba town in the evening.

Overnight on Cat Ba Island.

Day 7: Cat Ba Island – Hanoi – Overnight train to Dong Hoi (B/L)

0630h: Your new day will starts with joining the Taichi class or simply enjoying the scenery. Breakfast is at the hotel before you board the shuttle bus to Cai Beo harbour where you will meet the day boat and cruise back to the Junk.

1000h: Visit Ba Hang Fishing Village to experience the lifestyle of local people. After returning to the boat, it will be time to join the cooking class in the on board restaurant and enjoy what you have cooked for lunch.

1200h: Disembark and transfer back to Hanoi.

1700h: Arrive Hanoi and time for a shower and short rest before boarding your train to Hue.

2000h: Transfer to train station and board your overnight train to Dong Hoi.

Overnight is in a shared softer sleeper 4 berth cabin.

Day 08: Dong Hoi – Phong Nha Caves (B/L/D)

0800h: Your English speaking guide and driver will meet you and you will start towards Phong Nha caves in a private air conditioned vehicle.

Phong Nha cave itself which lends its name to the whole system is probably the most beautiful of all, containing many fascinating rock formations, enchanting visitors with evocative names such as Lion, Fairy Caves, Royal Court and Buddha.

Phong Nha means Cave of teeth; unfortunately the ‘teeth’ (or stalagmites) that were by the entrance are no longer there. Once you get further into the cave, it’s mostly unspoiled. In 1990 a British expedition explored 35km of the cave and made the first reliable map of the underground (and underwater) passageways. They discovered that the main cavern is nearly 8km long, with 14 other caves nearby.

Lunch will be in local restaurant and after lunch you will drive to Ke Bang National Park.

Ke Bang National Park has restricted encroachment into the limestone areas and as a result, the limestone karsts are almost entirely forested, apart from steep cliff faces. The only clearing of forest has been in flat valleys within the limestone massif, and in lowland areas bordering it. Natural forest covers the majority of the national park and the most widespread forest type is limestone forest but there are also significant areas of lowland evergreen forest.

The reserve is largely covered in tropical forest with a high level of biodiversity and endemic species. Lack of research means the true significance of the biodiversity and geology of the area has not been fully assessed.

Overnight at Homestay

Day 9: Dong Hoi – Hue (B/D)

Free time until the driver will pick you up from your homestay to the train station

Arrive to Hue and the driver will pick you up from the bus station and transfer you to your homestay in Hue

Overnight in Hue

Day 10: Hue – City Tour (B/L/D)

0800h: Arrive Hue where your driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check in.

1000h: 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 Bao Dai 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.

Bao-Dai, the last Vietnamese Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, was born at Hue in 1913. The Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled the Vietnamese people during the 19th and first half of the 20th century (1802-1945). On August 25 1945, Bao-Dai abdicated when the communist Viet-Minh seized power. He then lived in exile in Hong Kong until he returned as Chief of State, with the support of the French in 1949.

Return to your hotel at approximately 1700h.

Overnight in Hue

Day 11: Hue – Hoi An (B)

Enjoy some time to relax in the morning until time to board the bus for Hoi An.

1300h: Bus will pick you up from your hotel in Hue & transfer you to Hoi An via the road tunnel.

1700h: Arrive to Hoi An and the driver will pick you up from the bus station and transfer you to your home stay in Hoi An

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 12: Hoi An – My Son (B/L)

My Son was the major site in Vietnam for the ancient Champa Kingdom which flourished between the 4th and 13th centuries. Descendants of the Champa civilisation still live along the coast of Vietnam though they are now fully integrated into Vietnamese society. My Son served as a religious and intellectual centre where Champa kings were crowned and buried. In 1999 it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

0800h: Start your group tour from your hotel and travel 50km from Hoi An to My Son Holy Land by air conditioned Bus with your English speaking guide.

On arrival at My Son you will proceed to the main area to view the ruins and learn more about the Cham Civilization.

After exploring the ruins of My Son and attending a traditional Cham Peoples music concert, you travel a short distance by road to meet your boat for the journey back to Hoi An.

On the way back to Hoi An, you will be served a light snack on the boat and stop for a visit at a pottery village and the woodcraft village.

1430h: Arrive back to the ferry station in Hoi An.

Over night in Hoi An

DAY 13: HOI AN – DA NANG – HCMC (B/L/D)

Free time until the driver will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to the airport in Da Nang to board a flight to Ho Chi Minh

On arrival to Ho Chi Minh airport, a driver will meet you and transfer you to your homestay in a private air conditioned vehicle Overnight in HCMC

DAY 14: HCMC – CU CHI TUNNELS – CITY TOUR (B/L/D)

0800h: You will be picked from your hotel and travel out of Ho Chi Minh City to visit the famous Vietcong tunnels at Cu Chi. The incredible system of tunnels, covering nearly 250km, was shelter to over 16,000 communist guerillas during the American war. You will gain an insight into the tenacity of the soldiers and have the opportunity to go inside the tunnels.

Lunch will be in HCMC and after you have enjoyed your meal you begin your guided HCM City tour

You will visit many interesting and famous places including, Ben Thanh Market, War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office. Notre Dame Cathedral was built between 1877 and 1883, and the stones used to create it were exported in its entirety from France. The Central Post Office, finished in 1891 is another fine example of French architecture and is Vietnam’s largest post office.

1630h: Return to your hotel and overnight at the Hotel.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

DAY 15: HCMC – BEN TRE – CAN THO (B/L/D)

0730h: Check out and transport will pick you up from your hotel and you will leave Ho Chi Minh city and start your scenic journey along the National Highway toward My Tho.

On arrival at My Tho and visit Vinh Trang Pagoda. Built in 1849, the Vinh Trang Pagoda is located in a large garden in My Tho City. The pagoda is a blend of Asian and European styles of architecture which together create the beautiful but simple features of the pagoda.

Next you will take a leisurely boat ride on the river and view stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages situated on the river bank. Continue on to Tortoise islet where lunch will be served in an orchard garden.

After your delicious lunch, you will take a boat ride to An Khanh and enjoy relaxing on a hand-rowed sampan on the shaded waters while you travel along the natural canals. You will also have the opportunity to enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea while listening to “Southern Vietnamese folk music” performed by locals.

Visit a small family business and taste their delicious coconut candy which is a specialty of the region & observe the local life style as you roam through fruit plantations and the surrounding area.

Continue on to Can Tho and check into the hotel and enjoy some free time to visit the bustling Can Tho market. Dinner provided at the hotel.

Overnight homestay in Can Tho.

DAY 16: CAN THO – CAI RANG FLOATING MARKET – HO CHI MINH (B/L)

0530h-0600h: Driver will meet you at the hotel and transfer you by bus to the wharf where you will board a motor boat for a leisurely trip through the tributaries of the lower Mekong to visit Cai Rang floating market.

Cai Rang is one of the 3 biggest floating markets in the delta region and you will see hundreds of boats, packed with local mangoes, bananas, papaya and pineapple as well as many other items for sale.

Then take a ride in the motorboat along small leafy creeks to a village where you can walk around and meet with the friendly locals. For the brave visitors, you can learn how to cross a Monkey bridge which is built by using bamboo and ropes.

1200h: Visit an orchard garden where you will stop for lunch.

1700h: Arrival to Ho Chi Minh and overnight in Hotel for the last night in Ho Chi Minh

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

DAY 17: HO CHI MINH DEPARTURE (B)

The driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to Ho Chi Minh international airport.