7 DAYS, WONDERFUL VIETNAM

Itinerary

ITINERARY IN DETAILS:

DAY 01 : HANOI - HALONG 
Arrival in Hanoi - By vehicle from Hanoi to Halong Bay - Journey east along Highway 5 across Hai Hung Province and around Halong Bay.
Overnight in Halong

DAY 02 : HALONG – HANOI (B,L)
Boat trip Halong Bay (4 hrs) - 4 hours trip in Halong Bay past the islands of Fighting cocks, Turtle islet, Stone Dog….Stop to visit :
HANG DAU GO : huge cave consisting of three chambers, which are reached via 90 steps. The cave derives its Vietnamese name from the third of the chambers, which is said to use by Trang Hung Dao during the 13th century to store bamboo stakes, used against the Mongol invaders. THIEN CUNG : "Heaven Palace"
Seafood lunch will be provided on board.
Disembark, by vehicle from Halong to Hanoi - Journey around Halong Bay to Hai Phong and west along Highway 5, across Hai Hung Province. Overnight in Hanoi

DAY 03 : HANOI (B,L)
Sightseeing Hanoi (8hrs) - Hanoi, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and public parks, is the capital of Vietnam. It is a very attractive city with French style buildings and less traffic than other cities in Asia.

HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM : in the tradition of Lenin and Stalin before him and Mao after him, the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh is a glass sarcophagus set deep in the bowels of a monumental edifice that has become a site of pilgrimage. (Closed on Monday, Friday and every afternoon))
ONE PILLAR PAGODA : built by the Emperor Ly Thai Tong, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. Built of wood on a single stone pillar, it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom. 
TEMPLE OF LITERATURE : Founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong who dedicated it to Confucius in order to honour scholars and men of literary accomplishment.
HOAN KIEM LAKE : right in the heart of Hanoi, it has the tiny Tortoise Pagoda topped with a red star, on an islet in the middle of the lake.
OPERA HOUSE : magnificent 900 seat Hanoi Opera House built in 1911. Just view from outside - no inside sightseeing possible.
ST JOSEPH CATHEDRAL : nea-Gothic cathedral inaugurated in 1886 noteworthy for its square towers, elaborate altar and stained-glass windows. 
Lunch at local restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 04 : HANOI - HUE (B,L)
Transfer for morning flight from Hanoi to Hue - meet at the airport and transfer to hotel
Sightseeing old Imperial City - IMPERIAL CITY : this is in the Citadel and was built in the early 19th century and modeled after the Forbidden City in Peking. There are numerous palaces and temples within these walls, as well as towers, a library and a museum.
(Breakfast and Lunch included)
NGO MON GATE : this is the principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure and faces the Flag Tower. The central passageway with its yellow doors was reserved for use by the emperor, as was the bridge across the lotus pond.
THAI HOA PALACE : built in 1803 and moved to its present site in 1833, Thai Hoa Palace is a spacious hall with an ornate roof of huge timbers supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns.
HALLS OF THE MANDARINS : these buildings, in which the mandarins prepared for court ceremonies, held in Can Chanh Reception Hall, were restored in 1977.
NINE DYNASTIC URNS : these were cast in 1835-36. Traditional ornamentation was then chiseled into the sides of the urns, each dedicated to a different Nguyen sovereign.
FORBIDDEN PURPLE CITY : this was reserved for the personal use of the emperor. The only servants allowed into the compound were eunuchs, who would pose no threat to the royal concubines. **today site in ruins** Lunch at local restaurant followed by the Sightseeing tour to Tombs of the Emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh.
TU DUC TOMB : Emperor Tu Duc, who ruled Hue more than 100 years ago, built his tomb when he was still alive and used it for meditation, reading and theater performances. There are pavillions in a tranquil setting of forested hills and lakes. The tomb was constructed between 1864 and 1867. Tu Duc, who was the longest reigning Emperor, lived a luxurious life.
KHAI DINH : this was the last monument of the Nguyen dynasty and was constructed between 1920 and 1931. It sits magnificently on the slopes of Chau E Mountain in Chau Chau Village. It has a long staircase flanked by dragons. There are ceiling murals and ceramic frescoes. Overnight in Hue

DAY 05 : HUE – DANANG (B,L)
Excursion on Huong Giang River to the Thien Mu Pagoda with boat trip - THIEN MU PAGODA: just outside of Hue, on the bank of the Perfume River, was a hotbed of anti-government protest during the early 1960s. Behind the main sanctuary of the pagoda is the Austin motorcar, which transported the monk Thich Quang Duc to the site of his 1963 self-immolation's. Lunch at a local restaurant.
By vehicle from Hue to Danang - Journey south along Highway 1 past the Hai Van Pass, and Lang Co.
(Breakfast and Lunch included)
HAI VAN PASS : the pass crosses over a spur of the Truong Son Mountain Range that juts into the South China Sea. It is an incredible mountainous stretch of highway with spectacular views.
LANG CO : has a pretty, island-like stretch of palm-shaded sand with a crystal-clear lagoon on one side and many km of beachfront facing the South China Sea. Sightseeing Danang - Vietnam's fourth largest city marks the northern limits of Vietnam's tropical zone, boasting a pleasant year-round climate.
CHAM MUSEUM : founded in 1915 by the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, the open-air collection of Cham sculpture is the finest in the world. Many of the sandstone carvings are breathtaking.
CHINA BEACH : made famous in the American TV series of the same name, it stretches for many kilometres north and south of the Marble Mountains. During the American War, soldiers were airlifted here for 'rest and relaxation'.
MARBLE MOUNTAINS : consist of 5 stone hillocks, once islands, made of marble. Each is said to represent one of the five elements of the universe. The largest and most famous, Thuy Son, has a number of natural caves in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. When the Champas ruled this area, these same caves were used as Hindu shrines.
Overnight in Danang

DAY 06 : DANANG – SAIGON (B,L)
Transfer for morning flight from Danang to Saigon.
Sightseeing Saigon and Cholon (Chinatown) - Saigon is the largest of Vietnamese cities, and one will see the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life everywhere. There are street markets, pavement cafes and sleek new cafes and pubs. The city churns and bubbles. Yet within this teeming metropolis are 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture. To the wet of the city is district 5, the huge Chinese neighbourhood called Cholon, which means 'Big Market'.
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL : built between 1877 and 1883, is set in the heart of Saigon's government quarter. It has a neo-Romanesque form and two high square towers, tipped with iron spires. In front of the cathedral is a statue of the Virgin Mary.
CENTRAL POST OFFICE : this is a French-style building with its glass canopy and iron frame right next to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The structure was built between 1886 and 1891 and is by far the largest post office in Vietnam.
CITY HALL : completed 1908, also known as "Hotel de Ville" at the northern end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard. With it's ornate gingerbread facade it looks like the town hall of a French town. **view from outside only**
WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM : collections of weapons and photographs from 2 Indochina wars are exhibited along with the original French 'Guillotine' brought here in the early 20th century.
BEN THANH MARKET : this is the central market of Saigon and the market and the surrounding streets make up one of the city's liveliest areas. Everything commonly eaten, worn or used by the average resident of Saigon is available here.
BINH TAY MARKET : is Cholon's main marketplace with much of the business here being wholesale.
THIEN HAU PAGODA : built by the Cantonese congregation in the early 19th century. The pagoda is one of the most active in Cholon and is dedicated to Thien Hau. It is said that she can travel over the oceans on a mat and ride the clouds to wherever she pleases.
Overnight in Saigon

DAY 07 : SAIGON (B,L) 

Excursion to TAY NINH : this town serves as the headquarters of one of Vietnam's religions, Caodism. The Caodai Great Temple at the sect's Holy See is one of the most striking structures in all of Asia and was built between 1933 and 1955. The area's dominant geographic feature is Nui Ba Den (Black Lady Mountain), which towers 850m above the surrounding plains.
Important notice: shortly before and during the annual TET festival (Vietnamese New Year) the daily ceremony of the priests in Tay Ninh may be cancelled without prior notice. Lunch at local restaurant
Afternoon : continue proceeding to - CU CHI TUNNELS : Cu Chi was an important base during the American War, because of its strategic location. The Vietcong built a 200km long network of tunnels connecting command posts, hospitals, shelter and weapon factoriesDug in hard laterite by hand tools without the use of cement, this amazing network was never discovered.
Drive back to Saigon and transfer directly to the airport for evening departure flight.