GRAND VIETNAM

GRAND VIETNAM

20 days - 19 nights

Hanoi - Sapa - Halong - Phong Nha - Hue - Hoi An - Nha Trang - Da Lat - Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi - Mekong

GRAND VIETNAM

20 days - 19 nights

Hanoi - Sapa - Halong - Phong Nha - Hue - Hoi An - N

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (-/-)

You arrive at our thousand years Capital – Hanoi city. Our guide will welcome you at the Noi Bai airport and then be transferred to your hotel in the city center.

You will start the tour to see Hanoian daily life with Cyclo (trishaw), ride around the old streets, visit Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son Temple and then enjoy one hour performance of Water Puppets show. Back to your hotel for overnight in Hanoi. 

Day 2: Hanoi full day visits – Night train to Lao Cai (B)
Today, our guide will show you the major cultural sites around Hanoi city. The first visit is to Ba Dinh Square for visiting Uncle Ho’s (Ho Chi Minh President) Mausoleum (Mondays & Fridays closed), his Residence area and One Pillar Pagoda near bythen continue to Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature & the first university in Vietnam).

In the afternoon, you will visit the largest and most interesting Museum of Vietnam Ethnology, then go back to the Old quarter for shopping, free time until local train to Lao cai – Sapa. Overnight on train.

Day 3: Sapa – Hill tribes colorful market (B)
Upon arrival at Lao Cai train station, your local guide and driver will drive you to visit one of the colorful tribal market near Sapa area (in case no market available on your arrival date, you will visit Cat Cat & Ta Fin villages).
Tuesday: Coc Ly Market
Wednesday: Cao Son Market
Saturday: Can Cau Market
Sunday: Bac Ha Market Market
Then transfer to Sapa for overnight.

Day 4: Sapa - Hill Tribe villages - Night train to Hanoi (B)
Drive to visit Lao Chai village – home of Black H’Mong – here you trek through terraced rice fields to villages, meet and talk with locals to learn more about their daily life and habits. You then trek through Ta Van village. Car pick you up at Ta Van and transfer to Lao Cai station for overnight train back to Hanoi.

Day 5: Hanoi - Halong (B/L/D) 
Early arrive in Hanoi and check in sub-hotel for fresh up and breakfast. 08:30am picked up and transfer directly to Ha Long bay,a World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. Arrival in Halong Bay after 3.5 hour, transfer to a junk for a cruise around Ha Long Bay with a delicious local seafood lunch served on board. The cruise passes by many rocks and islets in many funny shapes. The cruise may stop for a while for visiting a beautiful case, if not today, you will do tomorrow according to each boat/junk’s itinerary. Again your dinner served on board. In the evening, enjoy the night fishing (optional) and later overnight on board

Day 6: Ha Long bay - Hanoi (Brunch) 
In the morning, your breakfast or brunch will be served while doing further cruise to explore the beauties of the Bay before returning to the Wharf. Enjoy brunch on board before disembarking.Return to Hanoi by private car. Free time for optional visit and dinner is on your own arrangement.

Day 7: Hanoi - Dong Hoi – Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park (B) 
Early morning (around 04:30 am) fly to Dong Hoi town. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel for breakfast, we will drive you to visit Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. Get on boat and cruise on the world's longest underground river to Phong Nha Cave. The deeper one penetrates, the more magical are the natural aspects of the caves. After around 700m of cruising, a large dry passage appears then you can walk to discover the cave for 500m more. You will have a chance to explore the remains of Cham Altars and Inscriptions inside. Overnight in Dong Hoi Town.

Day 8: Dong Hoi - DMZ - Hue (B) 
Leave Dong Hoi early for Hue. Drive back to Hue with a stopover at historic Hien Luong Bridge, Ben Hai River and the famous Vinh Moc Tunnel. Arrive Hue at noon. Free time in the afternoon. Overnight in Hue.

Day 9: Hue – Cooking class Vuon Y Thao garden house (B/L)
This morning, you join a half day cooking class at Vuon Y Thao Garden House or similar ones. First we follow your Chef to Dong Ba central market, where she gives an instruction on how to choose ingredients for our cooking lesson. Then we have demonstration for 3 Vietnamese dishes. Lunch is the food we have prepared.
In the afternoon, you start the tour with the visit to Imperial Citadel and King Minh Mang tomb, King Tu Duc Tomb, Thien Mu Pagoda. Stay overnight in Hue.

Day 10: Hue - Hoi An (B) 
Today you will be heading to Hoi An through Hai Van pass, and Lang Co beach – one of the most beautiful beach of Vietnam. Visit Cham museum on the way, Cham museum is the open air collection of Cham sculpture. Many of the sandstone carvings are breathtaking. After check-in at hotel, visit the Ancient town of Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 11: Hoi An - My Son (B/L) 
You travel about 50km from Hoi An to My Son sanctuary. It comprises many Champa temples, in a valley roughly two kilometers wide, surrounded by two mountain ranges. It was the site of religious ceremony of kings of the Champa dynasty, and was also a burial place of Champa royals and national heroes. The My Son temple complex is one of the foremost temple complexes of Hinduism in South East Asia and is the foremost heritage site of this nature in Vietnam. Though the complex has been destroyed over time, you still see many majestic ancient ruins of temples in the area.
Leaving this site, you get back to town then will go on a boat trip along the Thu Bon river. Have a lunch box; disembark sometimes to visit the handicraft pottery village located a long the riverside. Boating on the river back to Hoian old town. You continue to walk to visit ancient town of Hoian. The visit will includes Japanese covered bridge, some Chinese Assembly Halls, and some typical Vietnamese houses of 18 century. Free time for shopping later on. Overnight stay in Hoi An.

Day 12: Hoi An - Da Nang - Nha Trang (B)
Transfer to Da Nang Airport to fly to Nha trang around noon. Relax on the beach of Nha Trang. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 13: Nha Trang (B/L)
In the morning, you take a boat trip to Mun island, the best site for snorkeling where you will see lots of live colorful corals and fish. This site has been officially protected under the support of Danish Government. Lunch on boat or Tam island. Then visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium on Mieu Island. At this place, you will see the life of the many sea species of Nhatrang ocean that being made in a smaller world of this aquarium.
In the afternoon take half day city visit to Long Son Pagoda, built in commemoration of the monks and nuns who died whilst fighting the Diem government and Cham Po Nagar temples. Just next to Cham Po Nagar temples is the Thap Ba Hot Spring center. Enjoy fun with Mud bathing and Mineral springs swimming. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 14: Nha Trang – Dalat (B)

In the morning, we drive from coastal city to highland by road. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel for fresh up.

Half day city tour commence with a short drive to Robin hill – former artillery base (1650m) (5300 feet) for full view to the city of Dalat. Then take a cable car (2,3 km ) to Tuyen Lam lake – the nicest lake of Dalat and Truc Lam Zen Monastery - the biggest Zen Monastery of Viet Nam. Next, enjoy short elephant riding near the Tuyen Lam Lake area, back to your hotel for overnight.

Day 15: Dalat - Conquering Liang Biang Mount (B, L)

Pick up from hotel and transfer to Lang Biang Mountain, the highest peak from Dalat to the South of Vietnam. Trek from the base 1.450m (4.850f) to the summit 2.169m (7.000f). Pass vegetable farms, woods and rain forest. Enjoy the commanding view of the highlands. Lunch in boxes included.

Visit Lat village – the indigenous people of Dalat with their rich culture, long houses, weavings, etc. Back to Dalat city for overnight.

Day 16: Dalat - Ho Chi Minh City (B)

Breakfast at hotel and relax until your flight to Hochiminh city. (Transfer included without guide)

Welcome at International Tan Son Nhat airport by our tour guide then transfer to your hotel in the city center. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 17: Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi (B) 
In the morning, drive to Cu Chi to visit the incredible underground tunnel networks constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence. Back to the city after 4-hours excursion.
In the afternoon, visit Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post office and China town. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 18: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta (B/L)
This trip provides a look at a wide variety of the life and scenery of the Delta. On the way you can see green rice paddy fields stretching towards the horizon. After arrival in Cai Be, a boat takes you to the floating market with sellers and buyers bargaining and exchanging their goods from their boats. Lunch at Ancient garden house then proceeding to Vinh Long, passing small and beautiful canal see peaceful tranquil life of villagers, admire marvelous natural setting of Mekong Delta region. Stop at An Binh islet famous for their fruit orchards. You will enjoy the local tropical fruits and see how local people cultivate their orchards, make their living from ceramics, popcorn and rice paper. A nice chance for bicycle riding, roaming through the village and looking at the local handicraft shops. A stop will be landed on Vinh Long market a nice walk around. Continue driving to Can Tho. Over night in Can Tho.

Day 19: Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City (B/L) 
Visit Cai Rang floating market (the nicest one with heaps of rowing boats). Take in the beautiful scenery and the daily activities of the locals who lives along the Mekong canals and you will roam through the village to visit a rice husking mill factory. Disembark at Ninh Kieu quay then visit an ancient house in Binh Thuy 10 km from Cantho city and Cantho Museum. Lunch at local restaurant on the way back to Sai Gon via My Tho. Overnight in Hochiminh city.

Day 20: Ho Chi Minh City – Departure (B) 
Free time for shopping or optional visit before transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for departure.