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US$958
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BOOK TOUR
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OVERVIEW
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This Vietnam tour of cultural values is designed for you to see the main attractions of Vietnam within 14 days including 1000 year old city of Hanoi, world's most beautiful rice terraces Sapa, famous World Heritage Sites of Ha Long bay &Trang An scenic landscape complex, the former port Hoi An ancient town, Hue Royal Citadel. End the trip in Ho Chi Minh city with Cu Chi underground tunnels and Mekong delta - the 'rice bowl' of Vietnam, being famous for its mighty waterways and floating markets.
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HIGHLIGHT
- Explore Vietnam on an impressive journey that takes you from North to South.
- Take a cyclo tour in the charming old quater Hanoi and see the typical Vietnam style.
- Relax in clean fresh air of green valleys in Sapa.
- Explore rich culture of minority villages.
- Interact with Black H'mong, Giay and Red Dzao minorities in the small mountain villages of this region - a true Peregrine experience.
- Trek or walk through valleys, leisure walk villages to villages through rice paddy.
- Visit the the ancient citadel Hoa Lu and cruise through the Trang An landscape complex grottoes.
- Cruise on the UNESCO Natural heritage Ha Long bay and explore the beautiful karsts and islets.
- Get through the Hai Van pass, one of the most beautiful panoramas of Vietnam.
- Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites – Hoi An ancient town.
- Cruise along the Perfume River to the Thien Mu pagoda.
- See the UNESCO-listed Imperial Citadel and learn about the Nguyen Dynasty.
- Explore the lush landscape of the Mekong Delta and the bright lights and urban bustle of Saigon.
- Fascinating daily life and products in Mekong Delta with “Deluxe” Cai Be princess Cruise.
- Experience the culture and taste the typical foods with special cuisines.
- Cruising among local barges full of fruits and vegetables of Cai Be colorful floating market.
- Visiting the local village where the local people make pop rice and coconut candy.
- Experience and learn about the vast underground network Cu Chi tunnels.
- See the latex and listen to the explanations of the origin and economic benefits of rubber trees in Vietnam
ITINERARY
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Day 1: HANOI – ARRIVAL (Nil)
Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling capital. Your driver and guide will meet you outside the baggage claim of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center for check-in procedures (after 02:00 PM). Overnight in Hanoi.
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Day 2: HANOI CITY FULL DAY (Breakfast)
Start to visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum and his house on stilt, the botanical garden and the Presidential palace while learning about his life and revolutionary activities. This used to be the residence of the Governor of Indochina. On the way out visit One Pillar pagoda. The pagoda was constructed in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong according to his dream of Bodhisattva seating on a lotus flower and led him to the pagoda. Arriving at the Temple of Literature, this is the first Royal National university in Vietnam.
Continue to visit Hoan Kiem lake (Restored Sword lake) and Ngoc Son temple. Situated in the heart of Hanoi, the lake got its name according to a legend story. In the end of the tour you will take the 45 minutes-cyclo tour around the Old quarter through its streets which are named after the guilds that used to represent such as Hang Bac (Silver Street), Hang Gai (Silk Street), Hang Tre (Bamboo Street) etc… Overnight in Hanoi.
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Day 3: HANOI – SAPA – CAT CAT – SA PA (Breakfast)
08:00: Pick up and depart to Sapa with two breaks on the way.
13:00: Arrive in Sapa town, you will see colorful traditional costumes of H’mong, Dzao & Tay ethnic people. Check-in procedures.
14:30: A short drive to the gate of Cat Cat village which is home of Black H’mong ethnic people and is located near the bottom of a deep valley at the foot of Fansipan peak. Our guide will show you the daily life activities of the locals, trek down to the valley bottom to the waterfall where the French built a Hydraulic power station; stop for photo with bridge and waterfall then you will walk uphill.
Trekking distance is about 2.5 kms and it lasts for 2 hours
Come back to Sapa town. Overnight in Sapa.
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Day 4: SAPA - LAO CHAI - TA VAN - GIANG TA CHAI - SAPA (Breakfast)
Embark on a lovely trek that will take along buffalo paths and trails and through several hill tribe villages Lao Chai and Ta Van, home to Black H’mong and Dzay people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Once on the valley floor you can really appreciate the wonderful scenery surrounding you. The walls of the valley are covered with multi-layered rice terraced fields. After small break at noon, we will walk to the rice paddy field where we will have a nice photo session of the amazing surrounding landscapes. A trek through the bamboo forest soon follows which gives you the experience of Vietnam tropical jungle. Along the way, we will stop by a waterfall to have a panorama view of Giang Ta Chai village. Then walk to main road to drive back to Sapa. Overnight in Sapa.
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Day 5: SAPA – SUOI HO – TA PHIN – HANOI (Breakfast)
08:00: We begin the day with a 3km trek through breathtaking landscape to the village of Suoi Ho, home of H’mong minority. From here you can enjoy views over endless rice terraces and tea plantations. You will have the opportunity to see some of the animals used by the locals. Continuing on to Matra village you will come across the impressive ruins of a church dating back to the French occupation in the early 1900s. Take a minute to explore this intriguing sight and take some photos. Trekking to the village of Ta Phin you will be able to meet both Black H’mong and Red Dzao minorities. The Red Dao are known for their expertise in herbal medicine, and use plants from the land to treat many illnesses.
13:00: Say goodbye to Sapa and drive back to Ha Noi. Overnight in Hanoi.
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Day 6: HANOI – HA LONG BAY (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Halong bay must be a Vietnam’s most famous and most popular UNESCO World Heritage site. We start at 8.00 A.M for the 3 hour drive (170 km) through the Red River delta, which offers plenty of chances for taking photos of Vietnamese farmers tilling the vast green paddy fields. At half way, we'll have a visit to a handicraft workshop with fine clothes, embroidered paintings, stone statuettes and all kinds of gems mined in Vietnam such as star rubies or sapphires... Our destination is the World Heritage site of Ha Long bay. The name “Halong” means the descending dragon in to the sea. Legend states that gods sent dragons, who dropped jewels and jade from their mouths into the bay, creating the islands. The towering limestone karsts represent the dragon’s back, surrounded by jade green water creating an unforgettable site. There are more than 1600 limestone islands and islets with different shapes jutting out from the sea. Most of them are still intact from human activities thanks to their uninhabited and uncultivated characters.
12:30 Upon arrival, receptionists welcome guests at the International Tuan Chau harbour.
12: 45 Captain welcomes guests to Syrena Cruises by tender. Check in cruise whilst enjoying a welcome drink, safety briefing and check in cabin.
13:00 Leaving International Tuan Chau harbor to discover the Halong Bay - natural wonders of the world. Have buffet lunch with special dishes while cruising through famous sights Ba Hang fishing village, Đỉnh Hương island, Chó Đá islet, Gà Chọi islet...14:30 Cruise stops at 587, the core area of the world natural heritage. Transfer by tender to Luồn cave - one of the caves with haft-open formhas special endemic plants of Halong Bay. Visit Luồn cave by a traditionally woven (bamboo) boat rowed by a local boatman.
15:30 Leaving Luồn cave, transfer by tender to the Titov islandwhich was named by Uncle Ho, after Gherman Stepanovich Titov - the Soviet astronaut who visited in 1962. Enjoy swimming, relaxing on the beach or climb the steps of the Rock mountain. On the top of the mountain, you can see a corner of magical Halong Bay...
16:30 Back to the cruise. Relax and enjoy sunset on the sun deck. You can book 45 minute chargeable kayaking program to discover more about Halong Bay (contact with cruise manager for service price). While cruising to overnight anchorage at Trong Cave, you wil approach Đầu Người islet, Yên Ngựa islet, Động Tiên cave.
18:00 HAPPY HOUR- Buy 1drink get 1 free (wine excluded) and joinVietnamese cooking demonstration.
19:00 Dinner is served (set menu).
20:30 Evening activities include: film entertainment (in the dining room); squid fishing; massage (contact with cruise manager for service price) or karaoke (applied to charter group). Overnight on Syrena cruise.
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Day 7: HA LONG BAY – NINH BINH (Breakfast, Lunch)
06:00 Morning call (if you request).
06:30 Enjoy Tai Chi instructions on the sundeck in 30 minutes.
Visit Sửng Sốt cave.
07:00 Coffee, tea, fresh milk, water, pastries, fresh fruit, cereals… will be served in the dining room.
08:00 Arrive at Bồ Nâu cave. Transfer by tender to the Sửng Sốt cave. - one of the most beautiful caves in Halong Bay.
09:00 Come back to Syrena Cruises relax and check out of cabin. Approaching International Tuan Chau harbour.
09:15 Enjoy brunch buffet menu served in the dining room and settle the bills (if you have).
10:45 Transfer by tender back to Tuan Chau harbour and disembarkation. Your private guide and driver will pick up and transfer you to the next destination in Ninh Binh.
Upon arrival in Ninh Binh around 16:00pm and check in hotel, you may choose to either relax and enjoy the facilities at your hotel, to take a walk or bicycle ride through the rice paddy fields that surround beautiful limestone mountains of the country side. Overnight at hotel in Ninh Binh.
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Day 8: NINH BINH – TRANG AN – HANOI – DA NANG – HOI AN (Breakfast)
After breakfast, visit Hoa Lu ancient capital. Hoa Lu is the site of a 10th-century capital of an ancient Vietnamese Kingdom. Take a 3 hour rowing boat (2 pax/boat) for a peaceful cruise on the river to explore Trang An grottoes. June 2014, UNESCO has inscribed Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh Province to its World Heritage List. During the journey through Trang An, you will travel through 12 caves and 3 temples and the scenery of the nature of Trang An is just unreal.
Transfer back to Ha Noi for your flight to Da Nang.
Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to Hoi An. Free evening. Overnight in Hoi An.
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Day 9: HOI AN – TRA QUE VILLAGE – HOI AN (Breakfast, Lunch)
08:00: Join the tour to a local farm Tra Que village with bicycle. A short stroll will take you around the vegetable garden and then you can join the farmers in preparing the land and fertilizing it with seaweed from the local lake. Following steps are raking the ground, sowing, watering, picking vegetables and many other gardening activities. After all these activities, you will take a short rest and enjoy foot bath before getting to preparing lunch with a local family. Your lunch will consist of many local delicacies including ‘tam huu’ spring roll, Banh xeo or local pancake of people in Viet Nam middle region. You can join the cooking with the chef on these meals. After your morning excursion and your lunch, you will take a Vietnamese traditional post-prandial nap before learning how to harvest and wrap the vegetables.
Around 14.00: bid farewell to the host family before riding back to Hoi An, on the way back we will stop at Japanese tomb.
Take a walking tour of the ancient town centre to visit former merchants’ houses, the 400 year-old Japanese covered bridge and the colorful market. Overnight in Hoi An.
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Day 10: HOI AN – HUE (Breakfast)
Transfer to Hue (ca. 130km with 2,5 hours driving). You will stop and visit Marble mountain which is made up of five limestone outcrops in isolation from the surrounding plains, each riddled with caves and grottoes, with some made into pagodas and shrines. The top offers spectacular views of Da Nang and the surrounding. On the way get through the Hai Van pass, one of the most beautiful panoramas of Vietnam offering stunning view over the central.
Upon arrival, take a boat trip on the romantic Huong (Perfume) river to visit Hue's best-known religious site, Thien Mu 7-storey pagoda, Minh Mang tomb. Visit Imperial citadel from where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Overnight in Hue.
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Day 11: THUY BIEU VILLAGE – HO CHI MINH CITY (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Take a boat trip to Thuy Bieu eco-village. Thuy Bieu is the cradle of Hue culture. The village is surrounded by a corridor of natural and cultural attractions. To the north, south and west is Perfume River and to the east is a stunning backdrop of low hills, including Vista Hill. The French figuratively put it “Belvedere”, this place allows you to contemplate panoramic view of Hue and Perfume. Visit the Thien Mu pagoda - the symbol of Hue city., then continue cruising to Thuy Bieu village - famous for Thanh Tra fruit. Visit the garden - house, ancient ancestral temple and communicate with local people. Visit joss paper making family to know more about a traditional custom of Vietnamese people and know why they use joss paper, also known as ghost money, for the died people. Visit paper painting family to see the countryside painting art of the young local artists.
Have lunch at local house with Hue traditional specialties.
Relax by steeping your foot in medicinal herb water - a traditional therapeutic practice.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh city.
Have dinner at Ngon restaurant. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.
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Day 12: HO CHI MINH CITY TOUR – CU CHI TUNNELS (Breakfast)
8:00 am: Start your sightseeing in the morning with a walking tour in Dong Khoi street and visit Notre Dame cathedral, the spiritual and cultural crucible of the French presence in the Orient & the General Post Office, City Hall and Opera House, the ancient & with French colonial architecture style. Then visit Reunification palace which was the workplace of the President of South Vietnam & was then known as Independence Palace. Visit Ben Thanh market which is always loaded with varieties of goods, such as consumer goods, cakes and candies, food and foodstuff, and particularly high-quality fruit and vegetables.
Afternoon leave Ho Chi Minh for Cu Chi tunnels. In Cu Chi, starts with an introductory video detailing its long 25-year construction. Then it is time to go underground in the infamous 120-mile Cu Chi tunnel system which offered a safe haven for soldiers and thousands of Vietnamese people during the Vietnam War. It is virtually an underground city with dwelling houses, schools, hospitals and factories. On display are booby traps, the remains of a US army tank and huge craters left by American B52 bombs. Here you will have the opportunity to witness how rice paper is made and to explore the amazing labyrinth of tunnels used by the guerrillas during the war.
On the way back to Saigon, take a break in the rubber forests, where you can touch the rubber tree, see the latex and listen to the explanations of the origin and economic benefits of rubber trees in Vietnam. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.
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Day 13: HO CHI MINH CITY – MEKONG DELTA – CAN THO (Breakfast, Lunch)
8:30 am: Drive to Mekong delta.
Arrival at pier at 10.00 AM. Welcome on board of Princess cruise. Fresh towels are served.
Cruise to begin with the visit to Cai Be colorful floating market, cruising among local barges full of fruits and vegetables. Proceed to Dong Hoa Hiep Island located between Vinh Long and Cai Be to discover beautiful landscape along the river.
Visiting the local village where the local people make pop rice, coconut candy, rice paper on their own way, the tourist do not only know how to make cakes but also try on and taste the warm one right after processing by the breezy river bank.
Visit to ancient Mandarin house dating from 1890 with personal welcome by the House Owner.
Observe the activity of rice business at the biggest rice market in Cai Be while sailing to visit a traditional brick factory or to learn how locals build houses with palm leaves. Stop at local home factories to observe the traditional procedure of making rice ice paste, coconut candies and other specialties.
Lunch at "Le Longanier", a superb Indochinese villa located by the river, in a lush tropical garden surrounded with fruit plantations.
After a short walk along a beautiful canal, the excursion will end at around 3.30 PM at Ba Bon Bridge where your own private transportation vehicle will await for you.
During the cruise, cold towels, hot green tea, mineral water and exotic seasonal fruits will be served on board free of charge.
Set menu lunch: vegetable soup, Le Longanier fried spring rolls, fried Mekong elephant ear fish, fried mixed, vegetables with pork, caramelized pork in clay pot, seasonal fresh fruits.
Transfer to Can Tho. Have a free evening in Can Tho. Overnight in Can Tho.
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Day 14: CAN THO – HO CHI MINH CITY – DEPARTURE (Breakfast)
After breakfast, you will board a sampan boat to Cai Rang floating market, the region’s busiest and most lively markets. Marvel at the sheer abundance of exotic fruits, vegetables and skilfully handcrafted regional products. We will pull up to the boats for talking and bargaining with the merchants. We will also visit some of the local candy and cake making factories or boat through the green water landscape to see local houses, verdant orchards and ship-building yards.
Then, take a short cycling tour through the green water landscape to see monkey bridges, local houses, verdant orchards and ship-building yards of Ba Lang island.
14:00 pm: Transfer back from Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh city.
18:00 pm: Arrive in Ho Chi Minh city and transfer to the airport for flight departure. End of services.
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INCLUSION
Meals
20 meals: 13 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 2 dinners
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Transport
Private transportation, boat, night cruise
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Accommodation
Hotels (12 nights), Night cruise (1 night)
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Activities
Hanoi city tour
Hanoi – Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van
Hanoi – Ha Long
Hanoi – Tam Coc Bich Dong
Hoi An – Tra Que village
Hue – Thuy Bieu village
Ho Chi Minh city – Cu Chi tunnels – Mekong delta
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Guide
English speaking guide
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Price
* Any group size greater than 8 pax, please contact us at inbound.sgn@transviet.com for better quotation
* Date and time correspond to Vietnam time zone (GMT+7)
* All prices are quoted in US$
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