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US$1,090
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BOOK TOUR
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OVERVIEW
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This is an unforgettable tour to a unique landscape. Unlike other tourist destinations, the landscape, villages, and people are unspoiled. Vietnam’s culture is interwoven between city life and traditional tribal practices. Despite the scars of its recent history the country possesses a serene environment.
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HIGHLIGHT
- Explore fascinating places in Hanoi such as the “Hanoi Hilton,” the Ho Chi Minh Complex, and the Temple of Literature
- Enjoy water puppet show, a unique and famous traditional performance
- See colorful traditional costumes of H’mong, Dzao & Tay ethnic people at Cat Cat village in Sapa town.
- Trekking along buffalo paths and trails and through several hill tribe villages Lao Chai and Ta Van
- Cruise on the UNESCO Natural heritage Ha Long bay and explore the beautiful karsts and islets.
- Cruise by sampan through 12 caves and 3 temples and enjoy the scenery of the nature of Trang An landscape, which is also known as “Ha Long Bay on land”.
- Walk in the picturesque town of Hoi An, one of Southeast Asia's major trading ports between the 17th and 19th centuries.
- Bike along shady lanes to the village of Tra Que and join the farmers as they work on their vegetable garden.
- Get through the Hai Van pass, one of the most beautiful panoramas of Vietnam.
- See the UNESCO-listed Imperial citadel and learn about the Nguyen Dynasty.
- Cruise along the Perfume river to the Thien Mu pagoda.
- Experience and learn about the vast underground network Cu Chi tunnels.
- Visit the Great Temple Cao Dai at the sect’s Holy See is one of Asia's most unusual and astonishing structures
- Take an excursion to Mekong Delta, with a boat trip on the Mekong River to visit Cat Be floating market.
- Visiting the local village where the local people make pop rice and coconut candy.
ITINERARY
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Day 1: HA NOI - ARRIVAL (Dinner)
You will be welcomed upon your arrival at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi by our experienced English speaking tour guide and driver, then transfer to your hotel for check-in (after 14:00pm)
Have Kosher dinner at Chabad house. Overnight in Hanoi.
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Day 2: HA NOI - CITY TOUR (Breakfast, Dinner)
Enjoy a morning city tour to visit some of the city’s attractions including the fascinating Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (except for Monday & Friday & the whole Oct & Nov, Quan Thanh pagoda will be replaced), Ho Chi Minh house on stilt & One Pillar pagoda. We will visit West Lake, a picturesque area with many monuments surrounding including Literature temple which is regarded as the first university of Vietnam.
In the afternoon visit Hoa Lo (Hilton) Prison, used for years as prison for political prisoners and later prisoners of war, which gives us a glimpse into Vietnam’s history. Continue to Hoan Kiem Lake, considered the focal point of the city and Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi’s most visited temple.
Before dinner enjoy Water puppet show.
Kosher dinner at Chabad house. Overnight in Ha Noi.
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Day 3: HA NOI - LAO CAI - SAPA (Breakfast, Dinner)
07:30: 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 and have lunch at a local restaurant.
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. Vegetarian Fish Dinner in a restaurant.. Overnight in Sapa.
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Day 4: SAPA – LAO CHAI – TA VAN – HOMESTAY (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today, begin your exploration trip to Muong Hoa valley. You will follow the main road heading south for about an hour before turning right to a foot path down hill to Muong Hoa valley. This part offers spectacular scenery of the highest part of Hoang Lien Son mountain range and in a nice day, Fansipan peak can be seen. Crossing the river by a suspension bridge you will challenge your feet uphill to Y Linh Ho village. Here you will pay visiting to some H'mong families, watching them doing their daily works. After picnic Lunch, the trail continues up and down hill for about 2 hours as you reach to Lao Chai, a large village of the H'mong and then following the river bank to Ta Van of the Zay people. Paying visiting to local homes, village schools... you will enjoy much your cultural discovery of local ethnic peoples as well as breathtaking scenery of the Muong Hoa Valley. Settle down in Ta Van village for an overnight home stay and get full experience of local village.
Picnic lunch box will be arranged during your trek.
Have vegetarian fish dinner with local host in your guesthouse. Overnight at guesthouse in Ta Van Village.
Note: Guesthouse with simple factilities will be provided: hot water, mosquito net, blanket, shared toilet etc.
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Day 5: TA VAN – GIANG TA CHAI – SAPA (Breakfast)
After breakfast at your homestay, you will take the trail uphill, passing fascinating terraced rice field and some small hamlets of the H'mong before getting through a bamboo forest to a waterfall and enjoy a break for magnificent scenery and then continue walking for half an hour to Giang Ta Chai village of the Red Zao peoples. After spending time by visiting the village, you will cross the river by another suspension bridge and then uphill to a local handicraft center where H'mong and Zao women gather for exchanging experience and skill of making handicrafts.
Later, take a short back to Sapa for your overnight.
Have vegetarian fish dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Sapa.
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Day 6: SAPA – LAO CAI – ETHNIC MARKET (OPTION) – HA NOI (Breakfast, Dinner)
Optional Tour: Visit local ethnic market in the morning and it’s subject to your visiting date.
On Tuesdays: Coc Ly market is a medium sized minority peoples market where the tribes from the surrounding villages come to buy and sell goods and meet friends. You will find Flower Hmong (Red Hmong), Black Dao, Nung, Giay and Tay peoples in attendance and the goods on offer range from local fruit and vegetables to livestock, handicrafts and clothes.(Starts around 7am and closes in the early afternoon. Distance 95 km/1h 45m from Sapa, or 60 km/1 hour from Lao Cai). (with surcharge transportation)
On Thursdays: Lung Khau Nhin market is a small market very close to the border with China, close to Muong Khuong town. The Black Dao, Giay, Tay, Flower Hmong (Red Hmong) minority peoples all attend this market. The market mainly sells vegetables, seeds and livestock for the minority peoples. (Start around 7.30am and close in the early afternoon. Distance 110 km/1:45 hours from Sapa, or 65 km/1 hour from Lao Cai). (with surcharge transportation)
On Saturdays: Can Cau market located just below the Chinese border, it is a colourful, vibrant market where you will encounter minority peoples such as the Flower Hmong (Red Hmong), Nung, Phu La and even Chinese people from across the border. All kinds of goods are traded here, from fabrics to various types of livestock to the powerful local corn wine. (Start around 7.30am and close in the early afternoon. Distance 125 km/3 hours from Sapa, or 87 km/2 hours from Lao Cai). (with surcharge transportation)
On Sundays: Bac Ha Market is the biggest minority peoples market in Northwest Vietnam. Alive with the bright colours and extravagant costumes of the local people, here you will meet Flower Hmong (Red Hmong), Black Dao, Tay, Nung, La Chi, Phu La and other minority groups who come from far and wide to buy and sell a wide variety of goods and livestock, to exchange news and to renew friendships. In the past the market was a centre for trading horses but now that motorbikes have replaced them it is more common to see buffalo, cows, goats, fish and other livestock being traded. (Start 7.30am and closes mid-afternoon. Distance 110km/2.5 hours from Sapa, or 72km/1.5 hours from Lao Cai). (with surcharge transportation)
If you do not want to visit the ethnic market in the morning, you will have free time in the morning to relax or explore the town by your own.
12:00: Drive back to Ha Noi city with two breaks on the way.
Arrive in Ha Noi around 19:00pm. Have Kosher dinner at Chabad house. Overnight in Ha Noi.
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Day 7: HA NOI – HA LONG – HA NOI (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Halong bay must be a Vietnam’s most famous and most popular UNESCO World Heritage site. We start at 7.00 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.
Once at Ha Long city we board our private boat for a four hours cruise of this stunning area, stopping along the way to visit one of the lime stones caves in the bay. Fresh seafood and vegetable will be served on board for lunch.
Disembark in the late afternoon, transfer back to Ha Noi. Arrive around 19:00pm.
Have Kosher dinner at Chabad House. Overnight in Ha Noi.
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Day 8: HA NOI – NINH BINH – TRANG AN – HANOI – DA NANG – HOI AN (Breakfast, Dinner)
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. Have vegetarian fish dinner at restaurant. Overnight in Hoi An.
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Day 9: HOI AN – TRA QUE VILLAGE – HOI AN (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
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.
Have vegetarian fish dinner at restaurant. Overnight in Hoi An.
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Day 10: HOI AN – HUE (Breakfast, Dinner)
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.
Have vegetarian fish dinner at restaurant. Overnight in Hue.
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Day 11: HUE – HO CHI MINH CITY (Breakfast, Dinner)
Transfer to the airport for morning flight to Ho Chi Minh city. (Flight can be arranged by your own or book through us with airfare surcharge)
Upon your arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, pick up and transfer to city center. Room is available at 14:00pm, hotel can keep your luggage in advance.
Start your sightseeing 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. Continue visiting War museum which primarily contains exhibits relating to the American phase of the Vietnam War , and is a major tourist attraction.
Have Kosher dinner at Chabad House. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.
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Day 12: HO CHI MINH CITY – CU CHI – TAY NINH – HO CHI MINH CITY (Breakfast, Dinner)
Today morning, 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.
Then, continue to Tay Ninh town, the capital of Tay Ninh province. This town serves as the headquarters of one of Vietnam’s most intriguing indigenous religions, Cao Daism. The Cao Dai Great Temple at the sect’s Holy See is one of Asia's most unusual and astonishing structures. Its exterior is decorated with multi-colored dragons of all shapes and sizes competing for space with a number of swastikas. Above the main entrance is the all-seeing holy eye, the symbol of the Cao Dai sect. The interior is just as engaging as statues of Jesus Christ, Buddha and the Hindu god, stand side by side.
For the midday service which was unbelievable in Cao Dai Temple - do not miss this!
Return to Ho Chi Minh for Kosher dinner and overnight.
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Day 13: HO CHI MINH CITY – MEKONG DELTA (Breakfast, Dinner)
We’ll continue to tour the Mekong delta. We’ll stop along the way to see how the rice paddies are farmed. Upon arrival to Cai Be; we’ll start off by sailing to the local unique, authentic floating market. We’ll watch the locals trading goods, fruits and various wares as they sail in their small boats. We’ll stop in one of the villages to visit the tropical fruit plantations. We’ll continue sailing through the narrow canals and enjoy the view of the upper Mekong delta. We’ll visit some home-factories that produce coconut candies and puffed rice snacks. When we arrive at the village of Vinh Long - the emerald of the area - we’ll be able to feel how life and nature blend together. We’ll enjoy a performance of Vietnamese music in a bonsai garden.
Return to Ho Chi Minh for Kosher dinner and overnight.
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Day 14: HO CHI MINH CITY – DEPARTURE (Breakfast)
Breakfast at hotel. Free at your leisure until transfer to the airport for flight back home via Bangkok. End of services
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INCLUSION
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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