Day 1: Hanoi – Arrival (D)
Transfer via: International flight – your arrangement
Accommodation: Flower Garden hotel
After the flight we will be welcome and transferred to accommodation in Hanoi. Tonight we will have a welcome dinner at one of the fine restaurants in town.
Temple of Literature
Day 2: Hanoi Tour (B, L)
Accommodation: Flower Garden hotel
Site visited: Ho Chi Minh Complex, Ba Dinh Square, Temple of Literature, Ethnology Museum,
Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Water Puppet Show
In the morning we will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, His House on stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the outside of the Presidential Palace and the Temple of Literature which was Vietnam’s first University. In the afternoon we will go to the intriguing Ethnology Museum followed by an hour on a cyclo (a pedal rickshaw) being taken round the old quarter of Hanoi. Then we can enjoy the ancient and unique water-puppet show.
Notes: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum opening time: Open from Tuesday to Thursday and weekends from 8 Am to 11pm. Closed on Mondays and Fridays. The mausoleum is closed for two months of the year, usually October and November, when Ho Chi Minh’s body is maintenance.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay (Overnight on deluxe junk) (B, L, D)
Accommodation: Paloma Junk cruise
We transfer to Halong today for our 2 day boat trip. Arriving at Halong Bay at midday, we will be welcome on board with welcome cocktail before checking in. Enjoying seafood lunch and seeing the stunning views of the bay while the junk is sailing through the calm water.
The Paloma junk cruise will take us around the Bay with Bai Tu Long bay, visiting Vong Vieng floating fishing village to see the daily life of people here. We also join activities like: swimming, kayaking, sunbathing… and some other services available like massage, sauna… (your own paid).
Enjoying sunset, dinner and overnight on boat.
Bai Tu Long Bay
Day 4: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Overnight train to Hue (B, L)
Transfer via: Vietnam Airlines 20:10 – 21:20
Accommodation: Saigon Morin hotel
Early morning wake up today for Taichi session the sun deck and sun rise on the Bay. Then enjoy breakfast while the Paloma junk cruise sails through the Bay with marvelous islands and islets passing. Stop at Sung Sot cave for 1 hour then back to the junk for relax. Check out time at 10:00 and enjoy early lunch before returning to the wharf.
Our waiting vehicle will transfer us back to Hanoi. We will have day room in Hanoi to leave the languages and freshen up. We then have free times until transfer to Hanoi Railway station for Overnight train to Hue. Overnight in on soft sleeper train to Hue.
Food in halong Bay
Day 5: Hue Tour (B, L)
Accommodation: Saigon Morin hotel
Upon arrival at Hue Railway Station, we will be transfer to our hotel in Hue (Check in time at 12:00). We will have breakfast in the hotel.
Hue is known as an ancient Capital city of many original historical vestiges. There are more than 100 architectural works to be extremely reflected the life of Emperors and Mandarins under Nguyen’s reign. Situated in the middle of hills on the Southern Bank of Perfume River are very beautiful tombs of Nguyen Kings.
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 (The Heavenly Lady pagoda), from here we will have a good view of Perfume River and surroundings. Then we back to the awaiting vehicle to visit Tu Duc King’s tomb, which is one of the most beautiful works of Royal Architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty. The tomb lies in a boundless pine forest.
Then we transfer back to the city for our delicious lunch at a fine local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we will visit the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City; and Dong Ba market. Then we relax at hotel. Overnight in the hotel in Hue
Forbidden Purple City
Day 6: Hue – Transfer to Hoi An – Hoi An Tour (B)
Accommodation: Hoi An River Beach Resort & Residence
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, 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 at hotel in Hoi An.
Lang Co Beach
Day 7: Hoi An – Cooking Class (B, L or D)
Accommodation: Hoi An River Beach Resort & Residence
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
Note: afternoon class will be at 13:00 to 18:00
Hoi An Cooking Class
Day 8: Hoi An – Fly to Ho Chi Minh city – Cu Chi Tunnel (B)
Transfer via: Vietnam Airlines @ 10:30 – 11:40
Accommodation: Grand hotel
After breakfast, transfer to Da Nang Airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh city. Arrival Ho Chi Minh City, transfer to the hotel for check in & relax.
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. Before entering the tunnels, we will see a short introductory video showing how they were constructed, followed by 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. After that we transfer back to Ho Chi Minh city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.
Cu Chi Tunnels
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh city Tour (B, L)
Accommodation: Grand hotel
Sites visited: Reunification Palace, Remnant Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Post Office, Ben Thanh market, Cho Lon, China town…
After breakfast at hotel, at 8:00, 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.
In the afternoon we will visit: Ben Thanh market, Cho Lon, China town and market. 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.
Ho Chi Minh City
Day 10: Ho Chi Minh city – Vinh Long – Can Tho (B)
Accommodation: Victoria Can Tho resort
08:00, we start our tour to Mekong Delta, visiting the local market of Vinh Long town then boating to visit the brick kilns, the orchard and traditional house; enjoying the local fruits and tea, listening the traditional music at Ut Trinh home. After that, we boat deeper into the countryside on smaller canals to enjoy our peaceful time…
After lunch, we are biking on the village path to see the local farms, house, “monkey” bridges…; then boat back to Vinh Long for our continuous trip to Can Tho. Overnight in Can Tho.
Ut Trinh Home
Day 11: Can Tho – Chau Doc (B)
Accommodation: Victoria Chau Doc resort
After breakfast this morning, we will take the morning boat trip to visit the Cai Rang floating market with the busy sense right at the time. Then we keep on cruising through the small channels system, visit the rice noodles making village. Let’s try experience the “Monkey Bridge” in the Mekong Delta. After that we transfer to Chau Doc where we will be relax before taking a boat trip to Phnom Penh at 7AM next day.
Money Bridge, Mekong Delta
Day 12: Chau Doc – Boat trip to Phnom Penh – Phnom Penh Tour (B, D)
Accommodation: Sunway hotel
Goodbye Vietnam at 07:00AM, we take a hydrofoil up stream to Phnom Penh. It takes us 5 hour boat trip along Mekong River. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
- Pick-up place: Victoria Chau Doc Hotel.
- Drop off place: Prah Sisowath Jetty.
- Departure time: 7.00AM.
- Arrival time: 11.00 AM
- Running time: 3.00 hours
7.00 AM Pick-up tourist at Victoria Chau Doc Hotel – Cruising in Hau river, Tan Chau canal, Tien river – Arriving at the Custom Station in Viet Nam side at 7.30 AM – Our guide will present and stamp the passport for tourists – Going on Tien – Stop at Custom station in Cambodia side – Present and stamp the passport – Going on Tien river – Arriving in Phnompenh at 11.00 AM.
Upon arrival, you would be met and transferred to hotel.
We spend the full afternoon to visit Royal Palace which visit to the silver pagoda with their compound afterwards we continue to visit National Museum as well as to learn more about the pre-Angkor period, Angkor period and Post Angkor. Overnight in PNH.
Victoria Chau Doc Hotel
Day 13: Phnom Penh Tour – fly to Siem Reap (B)
Transfer via: Cambodia Angkor Airs @ 13:55 – 14:40
Accommodation: Grand D’ Angkor Hotel
After breakfast at the hotel, then we drive 16km south-west of Phnom Penh to visit Cheong Ek known as killing field during the Khmer Rouge regime then we return to Phnom Penh for visiting Toul Sleng Museum which is former high school after Khmer Rouge came to power and then they turn it into prison that most of people now called Genocide Museum or S21. Afternoon, we will transfer to airport for flight to Siem Reap. Overnight in Siem Reap
Toul Sleng Museum
Day 14: Angkor Temple complex (B)
Accommodation: Grand D’ Angkor Hotel
In the morning, we will explore Angkor Thom the site of the ancient capital of the Khmer empire. Visit the South Gate, Bayon, Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of Leper King. Then, we visit Ta Prohm, which many consider to be the most charming of all the temples. Afternoon, we will explore Angkor wat and enjoy sunset on hilltop of Phnom Bakheng overview of Angkor Complex. Overnight in Siem Reap
Elephant Terrace
Day 15: Siem Reap – Departure (B)
Transfer via: International flight – your arrangement
Today this morning we will enjoy Tonle Sap Lake, Asia’s largest inland lake also the biggest harvest fresh water fish in the world, which swells to ten times its normal size during the wet season; here we have a two-hours boat trip observing how local people go about their daily lives, during the boat trip we stop to visit a bird garden and a fishing farm, and also our boat driver will stop for us to visit the floating school which is a lot of the poor children study in this school, and they are the fisherman’s children and a local market will also prove a rewarding experience for today. In the afternoon, transfer to airport for flight out of Cambodia.
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