21 DAYS, VIETNAM EXPLORER

Itinerary

ITINERARY IN DETAILS:

 

DAY 01 : ARRIVAL HANOI (D)
Meet and greet upon arrival to airport. Transfer to our hotel. At leisure. Tonight we will sample Vietnamese food  at Hanoi many fine restaurant.

 

DAY 02 :  HANOI CITY TOUR (B,L)
City tour to visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One pillar pagoda, Temple of Literature - First national university of Vietnam. Visit Museum of Ethnology, then  cylo through the mazes of old quarter. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi
(Breakfast and lunch included)

 

DAY 03 : HANOI - HALONG BAY (B,L,D)
Drive to Halong bay. Boat trip to explore the stunning limestone back drops. Visit cave and explore floating villages. We are treated to a fresh seafood lunch and at leisure to take photos or have a swim ( or jumps off boat). Tonight we stay at hotel in Halong Bay City.

 

DAY 04 : HALONG BAY – HANOI (B,L)
Rising early to the sound of ocean coming to life for another lovely day. We breakfast embark on an exploration of beaches, limestone cave and beautiful Bai Tu Long area. We enjoy seafood lunch before our drive back to Hanoi. Tonight we board overnight train to Sapa.

 

DAY 05 : HANOI - SAPA (B,L)
Arrive at Lao Cai station you will be transferred to Sapa. Check in hotel. Freshen up and enjoy the breakfast before we explore Sapa region. Visit H’Mong villages of Catcat and San Sa Ho. Three will be  ample opportunity to have pleasant encounters with friendly local people. Tonight we stay overnight at hotel in Sapa

 

DAY 06 : SAPA VILLAGES (B,L)
Today we will  visit Lao Chai and Tavan villages home to H'mong, and Dzay minority people. This is the opportunity to take best photo you 've ever have as the villages peach on the slopes of the hills in scenic valley. Tonight we stay the second night in Sapa.

 

DAY 07 : BACHA MARKET (B,L)
Morning drive up hill to BacHa area. We get into this weekend market after 3 hour drive. Bac Ha hosts a market each Saturday which is well worth our effort to make the trip. The market has an emphasis on livestock. Thousands of pigs, chickens, dogs, and horses are on sales. As few visitors get there so the fair retains much of its authenticity. Young local folks in their best Sunday busily engage in talks and exchanges news or enjoy their weekly party! You will mingle in colorful attire of Flower H'mong people who come here once a week to buy or sell their produces. In the afternoon we have pleasant walk to Banpho village before our drive to Laocai station for overnight soft sleeper train to Hanoi.

 

DAY 08 : HANOI (B)
Arrival in Hanoi early in the morning. Transfer to our hotel for shower and breakfast. Free at leisure to explore Hanoi. Tonight we sill enjoy water puppet show.

 

DAY 09 :  HUE (B)
Today we take the flight to Hue. Transfer to our hotel in Hue. This  afternoon we explore Imperial Citadel and check out amazing Dong Ba market. Tonight we stay overnight at Hue.
 

DAY 10 : HUE (B)
Boat cruise on Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, Minh Mang, Tu Duc. In the afternoon drive to visit the Thanh Toan bridge. The drive takes us through quaint local villages and scenic rice field. Over night at hotel in Hue.

 

DAY 11 : HUE – HOIAN (B)
Overland to Hue via Lang Co beach, Hai van pass and Marble Mountains. Visit to Cham Museum in Danang. Arrive to Hoian, check in hotel. Free at leisure.

 

DAY 12 : HOIAN (B)
Full day to explore Hoi an ancient town.

 

DAY 13 :  HOIAN (B)
Free at leisure to do your own exploration. Whether it be a stroll about old quarter or a push bike rice through rice field to Cua Dai beach or have your clothes done at Hoian many silk shops. Hoian has it all. Over night at Hoi an hotel.

 

DAY 14 : HOIAN – NHATRANG (B)
Flight to Nhatrang. Transfer to our hotel in Nhatrang. Free at leisure. Over night at hotel in Nhatrang.

 

DAY 15 : NHATRANG (B,L)
Boat cruise to explore prime beaches and fishing villages. Opportunity to try on snorkelling or relaxe on pristine beach. Overnight at hotel in Nhatrang.

 

DAY 16 : NHATRANG – SAIGON (B)
At leisure. Tonight we take overnight train to Saigon.

 

DAY 17 : SAIGON (B)
Arrive in Saigon early in the morning we transfer to our hotel for a freshen up and breakfast. Balance of the day will be a city tour to visit Independence Palace and War crime Museum, BenThanh market, China town. Overnight at hotel in Saigon

 

DAY 18 :  SAIGON - MEKONG DELTA (B,L)
Drive through Mekong Delta to Caibe floating market where we board our private boat for a cruise along the mazes of bobbling laden bazaar. We will visit orchard farms and bonsai garden. Enjoy Mekong Detla style lunch in lush vegetation. Continue our way for another cruise to Vinh Long town where we are taken onto Cantho. Overnight at hotel in Cantho.

 

DAY 19 : MEKONG DELTA - SAIGON (B,L)
Morning excursion on endless waterway of Mighty Mekong river. Boat trip to visit  Cairang  floating market and then we proceed further to visit Phong Dien market by car. Lunch before our drive back to Saigon. Overnight at hotel in Saigon.

 

DAY 20 : CUCHI TUNNELS (B,L)
We then drive to visit the Cuchi Tunnels. At the height of the Vietnam War,  the tunnel system stretched from the outskirts of Saigon  all the way to the Cambodian border of over 250 kilometres of tunnels. The tunnel system, built over 25 years starting in the 1940s,  let the Viet Minh and, later, the Viet Cong, control a huge rural area.  It was an underground city with living areas, kitchens,  storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers.  In places, it was several  stories deep  and housed up to 10,000 people who virtually lived underground for years.... getting married, giving birth,
going to school. The ground here is hard clay, which made this whole thing possible.  But even so, the planning and construction was incredible.  People dug all this with hand tools, filling reed baskets  and dumping the dirt into bomb craters.  They installed large vents so they could hear approaching helicopters, smaller vents for air and baffled vents to dissipate cooking smoke.  There were also hidden  trap doors and gruesomely effective bamboo-stake booby traps. Today, the trees and bushes have grown back.  And since 1988, two sections of tunnels have been open for visitors. Continue our way  to Tayninh where we witness the noon time messes at Cao Dai Holy temple. Drive back to HCM city.

 

DAY 21 : DEPART (B)
At leisure until the departure transfer to airport for your flight home.