12 DAYS, HANOI TO KUNMINH LEISURE & DISCOVERY TRIP

Itinerary

ITINERARY IN DETAILS:

DAY 1: ARRIVAL HANOI
Arrival Hanoi .Transfer to the hotel. At leisure. 
Overnight at hotel in Hanoi

DAY 2: HANOI CITY TOUR (B,L)
We have a full day to visit the following places of interest.
Morning: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential palace, One pillar pagoda, Temple of literature
.Lunch at one of the following restaurants . Chaca La Vong Restaurant or Moca café.
Afternoon: We visit the following places of interest
-          DongXuan  Market, the city’s largest market, Ngoc Son temple, Hoankiem lakes
-          History  Museum or Fine Arts Museum or Museum of Ethnology
Evening water pupet show.

DAY 3: HANOI –HALONG BAY CRUISE(B,L,D)
Drive to Halong bay. Boat trip amongst the stunning limestone backdrops to visit caves, floating villages and beaches. While cruising we are treated to fresh seafood lunch. Opportunity to have  swim off boat or take photo is available. Tonight we overnight on the boat on the bay (2 people cabins)

DAY 4: HALONG BAY CRUISE - HANOI(B,L)
Breakfast over sunset and ready to  explore  Halong bay by row boat to the lagoons, coves...Visit caves, floating villages. We sail to Bai Tu Long bay and have  fresh seafood lunch  on board before our drive back to Hanoi.  Overnight in Hanoi.
Overnight at hotel in Hanoi. 

DAY 5: HANOI – VICTORIA EXPRESS TRAIN TO SAPA(B)
At leisure to enjoy Hanoi.
Transfer to station for the evening Victoria Express train to Sapa

DAY 6: SAPA TRIBAL VILLAGES(B,L)
The train arrives at the Lao Cai train station at approximately 06:00. There will be a vehicle waiting to transfer us to Sapa.  The drive to Sapa is only 33 km but it takes around 1.5 hours to make our way up the mountains. Once at Sapa, we will check into Victoria Sapa hotel , we have a freshen up and breakfast at the hotel. At 10am  from the hotel there will be a walking tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat, and Sinchai villages home to the Hmong  hill tribes minority peoples. As we walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa, we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here we have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with the families that live in the area.  Return to Sapa in the afternoon. Overnight at Victoria Sapa hotel

DAY 7: SAPA VILLAGES(B,L)
Following breakfast at the hotel we embark on a lovely  walk  that will take us along small paths and trails and through several hill tribe villages of Lao Chai and Tavan, home to H'mong, and Dzay people. This is a absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Stopping for a picnic lunch on the way at a family in Ta Van village. We continue onto Red Dzao villages  and meet with local people and sample their culture. Return to Sapa in the afternoon.
Overnight at hotel Victoria Sapa.

DAY 8: SAPA –HEKOU - KAIYUAN (B,L,D)
Drive downhill to Laocai / Hekou Sino-Vietnamese boarder. At 09:00 hrs Hanoi’s time (10:00 hrs Beijing’s time), our local Vietnamese guide will assist you with the cross-border formalities, then our local Yunnan guide will greet and accompany to Hekou. Lunch in Hekou. After lunch, drive to Kaiyuan in the afternoon. Dinner in Kaiyuan and overnight at Diannan Hotel.

DAY 9: KAIYUAN - JIANSHUI (B,L)
Two hours drive to Jianshui, an old city with traditional architecture. You will have time to appreciate the special architecture of the city: the Temple of Confucius set in a magnificent way with its glistening glazed tiles; the garden of the Family Zhu, a typical residential structure of Southern Yunnan built during the Qing Dynasty. Short walking tour in Jianshui to see the famous ancient wells still preserved in Jianshui. Lunch at local restaurant and overnight at Lin An hotel.

DAY 10: KAIYUAN – STONE FOREST (B,L)
In the morning, visit Tuanshan village for its well preserved architecture and local village atmosphere and the Double Dragon bridge, one of the best examples of a 17-arches bridge before heading to the Stone Forest. Lunch en route.  Overnight at Stone Forest Hotel.

DAY 11: STONE FOREST - KUNMINH (B,L)
Discover one of China’s most remarkable phenomena consisting of  innumerable bizarre-shaped ancient limestone cliffs and peaks created by wind and water erosion some 200 million years ago. Lunch at the Stone Forest. In the afternoon, drive to Kunming. On the way, you will visit the Golden Temple, a unique Taoist temple cast in bronze, and end your day with a visit of the colorful Flower and Bird market. Overnight at Harbour Plaza Hotel in Kunming.

DAY 12: KUNMINH -DEPARTURE (B,L)
In the morning, drive to the Western Hills followed by a 10-minute chair-lift ride up the hill. From the top you will enjoy a beautiful view of Kunming and its surroundings before taking a path down to the famous “Dragon Gate”. On the way you will also have the opportunity to visit the Huating temple, the largest Buddhist complex in Kunming. Lunch at a local restaurant before transfer to airport for departure flight