21 DAYS, VIETNAM THE HIDDEN CHARM

Itinerary

ITINERARY IN DETAILS:

 

DAY 1 ARRIVAL IN HANOI (D)
Transfer via: International Flight on your own arrangement
Accommodation: Hanoi Boutique 1 hotel
Welcome and met by local tour guide at the airport, then we transfer to the hotel in the center city. We are free and relax till the time of the welcome dinner at a restaurant serving fine Vietnamese cuisine. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

 

DAY 2 HANOI - CITY TOUR (B, L)
Accommodation: Hanoi Boutique 1 hotel
Sites visited: Ho Chi Minh complex, Temple of Literature, Ethnology Museum, West Lake area, Hoan Kiem Lake, Water Puppet show
We will visit Ho Chi Minh complex and the Temple of Literature then we stop for our lunch at a local fine restaurant. This afternoon, we visit the Ethnology Museum, West Lake area (Quan Thanh Temple and Tran Quoc Pagoda), Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake. We have one hour to tale cyclo to travel around the Ancient city to see the daily Life of Hanoian and one more hour to watch The Water Puppet show in the Theater on the bank of Hoan Kiem Lake.

 

DAY 3 HANOI - FREE DAY - NIGHT TRAIN TO SAPA (B)
Today we have a wonderful day to relax and go shopping at the Old Quarter. Our trip will be started at around 21:00. We will meet our guide and we will transfer to Hanoi Railway Station to take the night train to Sapa. Overnight on the 4 soft sleeper berth cabins (sharing with other passengers – private cabin up on request).

 

DAY 4 LAO CAI – SAPA - CAT CAT - Y LINH HO – TAVAN (B, L, D)
Accommodation: Home-stay
Welcome up on arrival at Lao Cai railways station, we transfer to Sapa town for our breakfast at hotel, relax then we first sneak through the market and leave the busy town behind. After a couple of minutes, we will follow a road going downhill to Cat Cat village. On the way, we will stop by a waterfall and a hydroelectric station for a while before trekking on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. We will also enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river. We eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, where we can take a rest and have lunch nearby the river.
After lunch, we head Muong Hoa valley, pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route. We will spend the night in local house of Giay minority. We also can swim on the nearby river.
Approx: 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

 

DAY 5 TAVAN - GIANG TA CHAI - SU PAN - SAPA (B, L)
Accommodation: Holiday Sapa hotel
Breakfast at home-stay, we leave for Giang Ta Chai village of Red Dao minority and trekking through bamboo forest, which belongs to Hoang Lien National Park. On the way we will pass by a waterfall where we will have time to take a rest and enjoy the surroundings.
After lunch, we continue toward Su Pan, a small village located by the road. Here we start our journey back to Sapa by car. Overnight in Sapa.
Approx: 1-hour driving/ 3 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

 

DAY 6 SAPA – HEAVEN GATE – SILVER WATERFALL – LAO CAI – NIGHT TRAIN TO HANOI (B)
We are relax at town in the morning. Check out time at 12:00, we then met up at the hotel at around 14:00, depart for the Silver Waterfall. The Silver Waterfall is located about a half hour from Sapa town which offers stunning views over surrounding mountains and lush forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park. We are advised to stop by a farm for a cup of tea and talk with people to understand their local life. Then we continue our drive uphill to the Heavens Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Enjoy fantastic view over the valley!
Approx: 2 hours driving
We head back to hotel for luggage picking up and transfer to Lao Cai. Take night train to Hanoi. Overnight on train.

 

DAY 7 HANOI - HALONG BAY (OVERNIGHT ON DELUXE JUNK) (B, L, D)
Accommodation: Marguerite Junk boat
Arriving in Hanoi very early morning, we transfer to a local restaurant for our breakfast and relax.
08:00 We transfer to Halong.
11:45 Arrive at Bai Chay Wharf
12:15 Transfer by tender to the Marguerite Junk boat – enjoy Welcome Drink. Receive Junk Facilities and Cruise Instruction as well as Cruise Briefing before check in to cabins and begin cruise Off the Bitten Track.
13:00 Lunch - deluxe Vietnamese and International Set Menu.
15.00 Arrive at Titop Island Area. Transfer to Titop Island by tender. Enjoy swimming, relaxing on the beach and climbing the steps to the top of the mountain on the island for gorgeous views and photo opportunities for 45 minutes.
15.45 Transfer back to the boat and sail for approximately 45 minutes to Bat Cave area.
16.30 Arrive at the Bat Cave area. Enjoy 01 hour kayaking program to the nearby Bat Cave, lagoon and surrounding waters. Or visit the largest floating fishing village in Halong Bay by tender and tour the village for 20 minutes.
18:00 Cruise to the area to anchor for overnight.
19:00 Dinner - deluxe Vietnamese & Western Buffet or Set Menu Dinner.
20:30 Evening activities include: film entertainment in the dining room, board games and playing cards are available, join squid fishing from the boat with our crew.
21:00 – 23:00 Happy Hour! Buy two drinks - get one free.
23.00 End of program for Day One

 

DAY 8 HALONG BAY (B, L, D)
Accommodation: Marguerite Junk boat
6:45 Coffee, tea and light breakfast pastries served in the dining room.
08:00 Transfer to the Day Cruise Boat and begin to cruise to some of Halong Bay’s most secluded and untouched area. Enjoy kayaking, swimming or sunbathing on the small ambiance beaches. A multi-course lunch will be served mid-day.
16:00 Return to Marguerite Junk boat. Refreshing, Relax and enjoy the rest of the day onboard as day one

 

DAY 9 HALONG BAY – HANOI – NIGHT TRAIN TO HUE (B, L)
6:45 Coffee, tea and light breakfast pastries served in the dining room.
7:45 Arrive at the Surprise Cave area. Transfer by tender to the Surprise Cave
8:00 Walk up the 100 steps to the entrance of the cave and tour on foot for approximately 45 minutes.
9:00 Return to the boat take time to freshen up and relax.
10:30 Check-out of cabins. Enjoy Brunch Set Menu or Buffet served in the dining room while enjoy the bay scenery as we approach the pier.
11:30 Transfer by tender to the pier, relax inside the pier building while waiting for return transportation.
We stop at a Lotteria restaurant at Hanoi Railways station for our night train to Hue. The train depart at 19:00 and arrive Hue at around 08:00AM next morning. Overnight on train.

 

DAY 10 HUE - SIGHTSEEING IN HUE (B)
Accommodation: Green hotel
Sites visited: Perfume river, Thien Mu Pagoda, Tu Duc tomb
Welcome up on arrival at Hue Railways station then we transfer to hotel. Breakfast at hotel and have short relax.
Our tour starts at 08:00 in the morning at the lobby of the hotel. We will be met and transferred to the Wharf where we will cruise along the Perfume River to Visit Thien Mu Pagoda from here we will have a good view of Perfume River and surroundings.
In the afternoon, we will visit the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City; and Dong Ba market.
Overnight in Hue.

 

DAY 11 HUE - HOI AN – WALKING TOUR (B)
Accommodation: Vinh Hung 2 hotel
Sites visited: Cham Museum, China Beach, Marble Mountain
After breakfast at the hotel, we travel by vehicle to Hoi An along scenic highway 1A. Along the way we will stop to contemplate the stunning views north, to Lang Co Beach and South to Danang city. Danang city with Cham Museum, China Beach – where the American named and used to have their Rest and Relaxation; and the Marble Mountain – the five elements of the Universe (water, wood, water, fire and earth). We will arrive in Hoi An in the afternoon, relax and take our walking tour. Overnight in Hoi An

 

DAY 12 HOI AN - COOKING CLASS (B, L OR D)
Accommodation: Vinh Hung 2 hotel
Site visited: Cooking calss, Hoi An market
Our tour can be started at 08:15 AM at the meeting point
We will have meeting point at the restaurant. After taking the welcome drink, we visit Hoi An’s colorful market and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have our opportunity to interact with local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the coming cooking lesson. After that we board the boat for a leisurely cruise about 25 minutes along Thu Bon River to Cooking School.

This is a chance to view local river life and make sure your camera is in your hand. Up on arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden before learning about some Hoi An and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours, each dish is first demonstrated by the restaurant’s Chief before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson we enjoy our products then. A vegetarian lunch can be provided on request.
Our class finishes at approximately 1pm. We transfer back to central Hoi An.

 

DAY 13 HOI AN - FREE DAY (B)
Accommodation: Vinh Hung 2 hotel
Today we relax at the beach or shopping in the down town.

 

DAY 14 HOI AN – DANANG - FLY TO NHA TRANG (B)
Accommodation: Que Huong hotel
Transfer via: Vietnam Airline Economy Class
Today we take a short fly to Nha Trang beach city. Welcome up on arrival, then we transfer to hotel. Relax at beach and overnight in Nha Trang.

 

DAY 15 NHA TRANG – ISLAND AND SNORKELING TOUR (B, L)
Accommodation: Que Huong hotel
We are met up by local tour guide at lobby of the hotel then start our tour to Cau Da port where we take boat to visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium on Mieu island. Here we have chance to see a small ocean world with many kinds of sea species of Nha Trang.
Mun island is the best island for snorkeling where we can see lots of lives colorful corals and fish.
Staying on boat, we can see the sea swallows’ nests on the many caves. To Mot island or Tranh island or on a small island called “mini beach”, we relax, swim and doing water sports or other activities.
Fresh lunch at the island and then we stop at a fishing village before going to the shore; trip ends at hotel.

 

DAY 16 NHA TRANG – FREE DAY AT BEACH (B)
Accommodation: Que Huong hotel
Free at beach today.

 

DAY 17 NHA TRANG - FLY TO HO CHI MINH CITY – CU CHI TUNNEL (B)

Accommodation: Sapphire Luxury hotel
Transfer via: Vietnam Airline Economy Class
We transfer back to Cam Ranh airport for our short flight to Ho Chi Minh city where our local tour guide is waiting for us. Transfer to hotel.
In the afternoon, we will leave Saigon for the Cu Chi tunnels, otherwise known as the "Iron Triangle" or "Iron Land". On our way there we will drive through pleasant countryside; rubber plantations and rice paddies. We will have an exploration of the maze of tunnels, some of which have been widened to allow tourist access. Also on display are various mantraps and the remains of an American tank as well as numerous bomb craters made by 500lb bombs dropped by B52 bombers. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

 

DAY 18 HO CHI MINH – CITY TOUR (B)
Accommodation: Sapphire Luxury hotel
Sites visited: Reunification Palace, Remnant Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Post Office, Ben Thanh market, Cho Lon market, China town…
After breakfast at hotel, at 8:00 with the local tour guide & driver pick -up, we depart our hotel for the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace for the president of the South of Vietnam. After that we will visit War Remnant Museum, where we can see countless artifacts, photographs and pictures documenting about the second Indochina war. We also stop at Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post office to get good shots for our memory of the big, modern city of Vietnam.
Our delicious lunch will be served at a nice restaurant in the central city.
After lunch time; we continue our city tour with visits: Ben Thanh market, Cho Lon market China town. Here we can experience our Vietnamese Southern daily life. Then we will be back to hotel at around 18:00. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

 

DAY 19 HO CHI MINH - MEKONG DELTA (HOME-STAY) (B, L, D)
Accommodation: Ut Trinh home-stay or equivalent
08.00AM: we are picked up at lobby of hotel then transfer to Cai Be. Our trip will be started with a visit of Cai Be colorful floating market cruising among local barges full of fruits and vegetables by the luxury boat of Mekong Travel.
Then, an optional stop can be made at local workshops where we can see how rice paste, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn are made.
It is so interesting to visit the handicraft village where we can see how they make some special products: making rice-net for spring-rolls, fish sauce & soya sauce, cooking salt, sewing coconut-leaves for cottage proof...
The best lunch will be served at local house
After lunch, the rowing boat will take us deeper into the countryside on smaller canals and to enjoy the peaceful time. It is so interesting to see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves and see some activities of the local farmers with an opportunity to make contacts with them and see how they catch fish or pick up fruits by ancestral ways in Mekong Delta..

Then, we visit nursery garden to contact the real famous farmers – Mr Tiger & his son who are very successful in Vietnam agriculture. Have some fruits and tea when enjoying the traditional music at Ut Trinh home.
Check in Ut Trinh home stay (or other home stay on An Binh Island).
One more thing to do in this trip is biking! It will be so amazing to bike on village paths to see the local farms, houses, real life and the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong Delta..
Cooking some dishes with the owners. We enjoy diner and have cup of tea or rice wine when talking together. We can ask the locals about the culture, people, history of this Island. They do not mind to answer some personal questions. Overnight in a private room of local house

 

DAY 20 MEKONG DELTA - HO CHI MINH (B, L)
Accommodation: Sapphire Luxury hotel
Have a breakfast and walk along the village to enjoy the fresh air in the morning; then we boat trip to visit the brick kilns where we can see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay.
Our boat will go along the floating village. We will learn how to farm catfish on Mekong River.
We can visit Vinh long market in the town. This is the best choice for us to take pictures of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, vegetable...The cruise will end at Vinh Long city where we take our vehicle transfer back to Ho Chi Minh city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

 

DAY 21 DEPARTURE (B)
Transfer via: International Flight on your own arrangement
Today our awaiting vehicle will transfer us back to the airport to home. Trip ends.