Day 1: Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City (D) |
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Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International
Airport, our guide will greet and accompany you to your hotel. (If time
permits) we stroll around the down town to explore the different local
ways of life. Welcome dinner at one of the finest restaurants in Ho Chi
Minh City. Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. |
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Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City Tour - Cu Chi Tunnels (B, L) |
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Breakfast at hotel. The sightseeing tour of Ho Chi
Minh begins with a visit to the Reunification Palace which was the
former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April
1975. Close to the palace are some striking French colonial structures
including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. We
also visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum before
continuing to the bustling Ben Thanh Market where everything and
anything is for sale!
We then transfer out to explore the Cu Chi
Tunnels, an incredible underground network of approximately 200 km
constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for
independence. The tunnels contained hospitals, plus accommodation and
schools, and were used as a military base for the Viet Cong in the
American war. Back to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight at hotel.
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Day 3: Mekong Delta - Can Tho (B, L) |
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Breakfast at hotel. Depart for the Mekong Delta.
We take a boat around the tributaries of the mighty Mekong River to
give us a proper perspective of Delta life such as floating market,
bonsai garden, and orchid fruits. Overnight at hotel in Can Tho. |
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Day 4: Can Tho - Ho Chi Minh City (B, L) |
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Breakfast at hotel. Return to Ho Chi Minh City,
visiting the snake farm on the way. The remainder of afternoon is free.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. |
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Day 5: Ho Chi Minh City - Mui Ne (B) |
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Breakfast at hotel. Free until time transfer to
Mui Ne, Phan Thiet province with the long beach and dunes. Here you
have the day free for activities like swimming or snorkeling. Overnight
at resort in Mui Ne. |
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Day 6: Mui Ne - Free (B) |
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Free at your leisure on the beach. |
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Day 7: Mui Ne - Free (B) |
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Free at your leisure on the beach. |
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| Day 8: Mui Ne - Nha Trang (B) |
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Today we drive along the coast to the next
destination, Nha Trang. The city famous for it's long beach and white
sand. Here you can do as little or as much as you desire – from
snorkeling or diving on the nearby reefs to lazing on the beach in the
crescent-shaped lagoon. Overnight in Nha Trang. |
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| Day 9: Nha Trang Full Day Boat Trip (B, L) |
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Full day boat cruise around the offshore islands
of Nha Trang bay with ample opportunities for swimming, snorkeling and
sunbathing. Transfer back to hotel. |
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| Day 10: Nha Trang Free (B) |
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Free time on the beach. |
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| Day 11: Nha Trang - Quy Nhon (B) |
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Leave Nha Trang for Quy Nhon, famous for the Cham
capital of Cha Ban from the 10th to the 15th century almost ruin.
Ancient Cham remains including walls, moats, roads, statues, temples
(Thap Thap & Canh Tien) can be found inside the ruins of Cha Ban.
The Duong Long Towers (built in the 13th century) and the Banh It
Towers (built in the 12th century) are also worth visiting for their
exquisite architecture. Overnight in Quy Nhon. |
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| Day 12: Quy Nhon - Da Nang - Hoi An (B) |
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Depart for Ancient Hoi An town, old port from the
17th century, effected by Japanese and Chinese architect. Stop over to
visit the stone carving village of Non Nuoc, Marble Mountain. Stay
overnight in Hoi An. |
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| Day 13: Hoi An Walking Tour (B, L) |
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Morning orientation tour of Hoi An’s historic old
quarter. The remainder of the day is free to wander around the narrow
windy streets of this charming of fishing town. Overnight in Hoi An. |
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Day 14: Hoi An - Hue (B, L) |
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Leave the ancient town for Hue, the Old Royal city
from 17th century under Nguyen Dynasty. Passing the Hai Van pass
(Cloudy pass), Lang Co beach. Upon arrival, we spend this afternoon
visiting the former Imperial citadel. Remainder of the day is free.
Overnight in Hue. |
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| Day 15: Hue Full Day Boat Trip (B, L) |
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Drive to Perfume river bank, we embark on boat for
cruising along the river, visiting Thien Mu pagoda, Romantic Tu Duc
Tomb, Majestic of Khai Dinh Tomb and Dong Ba market nearby river.
Overnight in Hue. |
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| Day 16: Hue - Quang Binh - Boat trip (B) |
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Leave Hue legend city for Quang Binh province.
Stop on route to visit Vinh Moc Tunnels in the legendary DMZ and see
how the Vietnamese warriors lived and fought under ground. Upon arrival
Phong Nha, take boat trip to visit giant grotto of Phong Nha, one of
the Vietnam’s five UNESCO World Heritage Sites reflecting a land and
people that are known to few. Overnight in Quang Binh. |
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| Day 17: Quang Binh - Ninh Binh (B) |
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Full day drive to the North of Vietnam for the next destination - Ninh Binh province. Overnight in Ninh Binh. |
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| Day 18: Hoa Lu - Tam Coc Cave - Hanoi (B, L) |
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Take a boat trip on the river to visit Tam Coc,
known to travellers as Vietnam’s inland Halong Bay then get to know the
interesting historical twist of Hoa Lu during Dinh Dynasty and early Le
Dynasty in Vietnam. Proceed to Hanoi. Stay overnight in Hanoi. |
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| Day 19: Hanoi City Tour (B, L) |
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Breakfast
at hotel. Our full day of sightseeing includes a visit to visit the Ho
Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh's House, built on stilts in a
traditional Vietnamese style. Continue on to visit One Pillar Pagoda;
the Temple of Literature,
dedicated to Confucius; and the former "Hanoi Hilton" prison, so named
by American POWs during the war. After lunch, explore the fascinating
maze of back streets on a pedicab ride through the Old Quarter. Evening
enjoy an entertaining performance at the Water Puppet Theater, an art
form that originated in northern Vietnam over 1000 years ago. End of the show and transfer to hotel. |
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| Day 20: Hanoi - Halong - Overnight on Boat (B, L, D) |
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Transfer to
Halong city for boat cruise on the Bay. Stop on route to admire the
landscape picture, you might take picture of buffalo boy. Embark on
Huong Hai Junk, check in registration. Boat crew will greet you with a
special seafood lunch while the boat cruising around the bay to explore
a fantastic view of the some 3, 000 limestone islands rising amazingly
from the clear and emerald water. The limestone karsts formations are
littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we
will anchor for a leisurely swim (If weather permits) in a secluded
cove and an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath
towering cliffs. Have dinner on board with Vietnamese wine and
overnight on boat. |
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| Day 21: Halong - Hanoi (B, L) |
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After breakfast, you can relax on deck to enjoy the
beautiful atmosphere of the bay, boat passing the karsts islets like
Man’s head island, Tortoise island, visiting Luon cave by small bamboo
boat, Bai Tu Long bay. Have lunch on boat then return to Halong wharf
for private car transfer to Hanoi. Free at leisure until our guide take
you to Hanoi railway station for night train to Sapa. Overnight on
train. |
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Day 22: Hanoi - Sapa (B) |
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Train
arrives at Lao Cai Railway Station at around 06.00AM. Transferred to
Sapa by private small bus. Have breakfast at the hotel or in the local
restaurant (optional). Relax. Your guide will meet you at the hotel for
short downhill walk to Cat Cat village, the village of the H'mong tribe
in the valley, which remains very original and uninfluenced from other
cultures. Excellent views of the valley, the magnificent limestone and
paddy fields of H'mong village. Enjoy some visits to local families and
reach their customs. After the village and further down into the
valley, the Cat Cat waterfall will be visible. A "white curtain"
cascade appears, in the flowery valley and deep-green pines. The rocks
near the river and waterfall provide a marvelous place for picturesque
photos and sunbathing during good weather… Have dinner at a local
restaurant and then discover Sapa in night. Overnight in Sapa. |
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Day 23: Sapa - Trekking to the villages (B, L) |
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Today we have enough time to visit the bustling
Sapa Market where the Red Dao, Black Hmong, Tay and Xa Pho ethnic
minorities converge from the nearby mountainsides and valleys to trade
their goods and buy provisions. We then get well off the beaten track
as we embark on a walk to explore this beautiful mountain region and
the culture of the ethnic minority in this area. Overnight in Sapa. |
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Day 24: Sapa - Lao Chai - Tan Van (B) |
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Breakfast before private jeep transferring you to
Lao Chai village, a village of Black H’mong. Short walk down to the
river to visit a hill tribe house, experiencing their life style and
the local women making their handicraft and clothes. Further along the
road, the Ta Van is the village where the Dzay people live. See the
village and their customs. Return to Lao Cai for night train to Hanoi.
Overnight on train. |
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Day 25: Hanoi - Departure (B) |
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Train arrives at Hanoi railway station at 05: 00.
Free in the morning until time transferred to Noi Bai airport for
flight back home. |