This trip
is for the traveler with limited time. It takes you around Vietnam's most
popular sights in just 12 days. But we use our time well. Everything that
everybody talks about is in it and we save time by flying or traveling on the
overnight train. Highlights include the wonders of Ha Long Bay, now listed as a
World Heritage site, the capital city of Hanoi with its fascinating Old
Quarter, Hue, the Imperial City in the 18th and 19th centuries, the picturesque
port town of Hoi An, a favorite with many travelers, and finishing at the
vibrant Ho Chi Minh City.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival Hanoi (D) Our
representative/tour guide will meet and greet you at the airport. Drive to your
hotel. Overnight in Hanoi
Day 2: HanoiCity tour (B, L) After breakfast
at your hotel, you'll be picked up to start a Hanoi city tour. You’ll visit Ba Dinh Square,
where silent sentries guard the marble and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum where Ho Chi
Minh lies in state (closed on every Monday & Friday and October &
November) and see the simple cottage where Uncle Ho lived and worked. You’ll
continue to visit the One Pillar Pagoda and hear the legend of its
construction, born from the love of an emperor in the 11th Century. You’ll
drive to visit the serene Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest in Hanoi,
on the banks of Hanoi’s West
Lake.
After
lunch at local restaurant, driver and guide will take you to visit the EthnologyMuseum
for an overview of Vietnam’s
54 distinct ethnic. Continue to visit LiteratureTemple and Quoc Tu Giam, built in 1070
and the dedicated to Confucius; it is a serene retreat from the busy streets
outside and later become Vietnam’s
first university. Pass by HoanKiemLake,
also known as Lake
of Restored Sword from
the legend that surrounds it en-route to one of the city’s fascinating museums.
Enjoy 1 hour cyclo tours around the HanoiCity's old quarters and
the traditional water puppetry show. Transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi
Day 3: Hanoi
- Ha LongBay
and Cat Ba Island(B, L) Am: 7h30 depart to Halong bay. Boarding on your private boat for a
five-hour cruise around the secluded and majestic HalongBay.
We have the chance to swim in the bay's emerald waters and also visit one of
its many splendid caves.
Arrive Cat Ba Island. Check in hotel. Overnight
in Cat Ba island.
Day 4: Cat Ba Island - Hanoi
(B, L) Am: Explore the township
of Cat Ba or visit the
National Park
Pm: Catch the local ferry to Hai Phong. Pick up at Haiphong
boat station and transfer back to Hanoi.
Arrive Hanoi.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 5: Hanoi
- Hue (B, L) Flight Am: Transfer from your hotel in Hanoi
to the airport. Flight VN 245 to Hue
(10h10 -11h20 ). Pick up then transfer to your hotel in Hue. Bus trip to visit HueCity.
Visit Citadel and the Forbidden PurpleCity, the ImperialMuseum.
Overnight in Hue
Day 6: HueCity tour (B, L) Arrival in Hue
at 7.00 for a transfer directly to our hotel. Cruise along the PerfumeRiver
to visit the ornate tomb of Emperor Minh Mang, stopping on the way to visit the
Thien Mu Pagoda, considered by many as the unofficial symbol of Hue. From here we will
cruise back to the eccentric Tu Duc's tomb, and discover this Emperor's opulent
lifestyle. Free time at the Dong Ba market. Lunch at the local restaurant.
Overnight in Hue
Day 7: Hue
- Hoi An (B, L) This morning we drive to Hoi An, we will cross Hai Van Pass where you will
have magnificent view of the China Sea. Stop
at Lang Co to have break. Visit the fascinating ChamMuseum, famous ChinaBeach and the MarbleMountains en route to charming Hoi An.
Known as Faifo to early Western traders, it was one of South
East Asia's major international ports and today it still retains
that special old-world feel. Overnight in Hoian.
Day 8: Hoi An (B, L) Fullday visit
Hoian: FucKien Pagoda, HoiaMuseum, JapaneseCovered Bridge, TanKy Old
house, Assembly Hall of Cantonese Chinese Congregation, Hoian market. Overnight
in Hoian.
Day 9: Hoi An - Danang - Ho Chi Minh City (B, L) Flight Transfer to the airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, where we will be
transferred directly to our centrally located hotel. Following the lunch, take
the city tour will include a visit to Cholon, Saigon's Chinatown and home to Vietnams biggest market, the ReunificationPalace
and the War Crimes museum.
Day 10: Cu Chi Tunnels & Cao Dai Temple (B, L) Enjoy a morning drive through typical southern Vietnamese countryside to Cu
Chi district, and TayNinhProvince.
Upon arrival in Cu Chi district, make a couple of stops for photo opportunities
and a visit to a rice paper making factory at TanPhuTrungVillage.
Experience ourselves the underground village
of Cu Chi guerrilla
fighters, which is simply a network of tunnels built during the long years of
wars. Continue to drive another an hour and half from Cu Chi towards Tay Ninh
to visit the incredible Cao Dai Great Temple, and attend the noon time service
with architecture that could have come straight from a Walt Disney fantasy and
where all the major faiths of the world blend together in a unique religious
cocktail; photo opportunities during the ceremony. Lunch is at a local
restaurant. Drive back to Saigon, free at
leisure for the rest of day. Overnight in Saigon
Day 11: My Tho - Mekong Delta (B,L) After breakfast, you'll be taken to My Tho, a city nearby Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, you’ll board a
boat to cruise on the MekongRiver and rowing through small canals and channels to
ThoiSonIsland where you’ll disembark and walk
along a small village road to visit fruit gardens, the elementary school, the
local distillery, and witness the daily life of Mekong
villagers. You’ll have chance to sample some of area’s tropical fruits and
watch a traditional music show. After lunch at a local restaurant on the
island, you’ll climb back on the boat to visit a coconut candy workshop. You’ll
then be driven to visit Vinh Trang Pagoda - the greatest pagoda of TienGiangProvince. You’ll spend
the night in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 12: Depart Ho
Chi Minh City (B) Free time until
being transfer from the hotel to the airport for your flight out of Vietnam.
End tour.
Private tour cost:
All prices quoted in USD
per person valid 31 Dec 2008
Class
2-3 pax
4-5 pax
6-9 pax
10-14 pax
Single Sup
2 stars
1020
780
668
598
175
3 stars
1130
888
768
696
276
4 stars
1460
1208
1080
1010
595
5 stars
Accommodation offering in this trip:
Cities
2 satrs
3 stars
4 stars
Hanoi
Classic
Thien Thai
Sunway
Catba
Prince
Holiday view
Sunrise
Hue
Binh Minh
Asia hotel
Saigon Morin
Hoian
Vinh Hung
Indochine
Vinh Hung Resort
Ho Chi Minh
Freedom
Vien Dong
Rex Hotel
The trip includes:
- Accommodation (double/twin sharing) - Private pick up and transfer (A/C
car/van) - English/French speaking tour guide
- Meals specified in tour
program (B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner))
- All Internal/domestic air
tickets per program - Boat trips specified the tour
program
- All entrance, permission and visiting
fees
- Express
boat from Cat Ba to Hai phong.
The trip excludes:
- Visa to Vietnam - Departure airport tax - Meals which are not included in
the program
-
Personal travel & medical insurance - International flights to and from
Vietnam - All personal & daily expenses