12 Days - Essentials of Vietnam

DESTINATIONS
• Hanoi, Vietnam's vibrant 1000-year-old capital and one of Asia's loveliest cities

• Sapa area, nestled valleys, mountainside roads, high passes.

• The breathtaking natural splendor of the World Heritage Halong Bay archipelago

• Hue, a journey into the magnificence of an imperial past

• The World Heritage ancient port town of Hoi An and its seductive atmosphere

• The always bustling, never sleeping, perpetually changing Ho Chi Minh City

• The Mekong Delta, feel the pulse of the life generated by the mighty Mekong river

HIGHTLIGHTS
• Explore some breathtaking sceneries of Sapa surroundings

• See the very best of the world's nature and culture heritages in Halong, Hue and Hoi An

• Cruise along the rivers maze of canals for a taste of the lush and lively culture in Mekong delta

Day 01: Hanoi Arrival

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you'll be met and driven to your hotel. Time for relaxing after the journey. You'll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 02: Hanoi Orientation – Night train to Lao Cai
 (Breakfast and lunch included)
You can combine 2 of 3 modules for a full day trip as below:
[Program 1] Temple of literature & daily life across park and market
Your guide meets you at your hotel. Let’s grab a taxi to the Temple of Literature. After taking the time to discover this masterpiece of architecture, which was also the first university of the country, we head to the biggest park of Hanoi. The Reunification park, former Lenin park, is a green oasis in town. With its lush vegetation and large lake, it is the favorite spot of Hanoians for sport, recreation and entertainment. We will take a small train to travel around the park and witness some typical scenes of Hanoi daily life: people doing tai chi, future bride and groom taking pictures, fishermen waiting for next catch, gatherings around a Chinese chess board... We will then walk to one of the biggest market in Hanoi, the Hom market.

[Program 2] Ho Chi Minh complex and electric carting around the West Lake
Depart from your hotel, with your guide. Take a taxi to the Ho Chi Minh complex. We spare you the boring and visit only the most interesting parts of it, including its museum, the one-pillar pagoda and the garden of the Presidential Palace. We then walk to the Southern edge of the West Lake and hop on an electric cart. The ride takes us all around the lake on a small road bordered with coffees, restaurants and residential villas for about an hour and a half. It is a very pleasant journey, with nice views on the lake and the city. We will have the chance to witness fishermen at work and to stop in a beautiful pagoda.

[Program 3] Leisure cycling across garden and orchard to Bat Trang pottery village
You are picked up at your hotel by the guide and hop in a taxi to the bicycles warehouse. We get the bikes, cross the dyke road and start riding on a piece of History: the Long Bien bridge. Over the bridge, we head south and quickly get off the main roads. It is a bit over an hour and half cycling along the Red River on a small path across vegetable garden and orchards. You will have a chance to witness daily life of Hanoi’s farmers and to learn a bit more about their products and practices. We then arrive in Bat Trang village. This ancient riverside village was slowly swallowed by Hanoi’s expansion but its ancestral art remained: ceramic. We will stroll around to visit workshops where are produced most of the ceramics you may find in Hanoi. Then we take a public bus to get back to the center of Hanoi.
The public bus is a real local experience, but you may prefer to take a taxi to drive back to Hanoi. We can arrange that but the taxi will be at your expense. About 15 USD for a car from Bat Trang to Hanoi.
20:00 pm: our guide will take you to Hanoi railway station to catch the night train to Lao Cai. Overnight in a cozy cabin on train.

Day 03: Lao Cai – Sapa – Ma Tra – Ta Phin
 (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
5.00 am: Arrive in Lao Cai and be transferred by shuttle bus to Sapa. The bus ride uphill to Sapa takes a little over an hour giving you a glimpse of the stunning vistas and impressive rice terraces. On arrival, you will stop by our office, meet your tour guide and leave your luggage and take a shower in our partner's hotel if you would like.
7.00 am: Have breakfast at a local restaurant.
9.00 am: Start trekking from Sapa to Ta Phin valley. We start from Sapa and walk through the town for about 20 minutes before turning to a dirt road to Ma Tra, a black H’mong village. The trekking route offers a breathtaking view of vegetable gardens and rice terraces with green mountains rising above. There will be time for visiting with local families and learning about their traditional fiber processing. We continue trekking to Ta Phin village of the Red Dzao setting in one of the most scenic valleys. Here we’ll stop for a simple picnic lunch before exploring the village.
3.00 pm: Return to Sapa by private vehicle to check in your hotel. You’re free to explore the town, its market and sloping streets decorated with many colorful handicrafts.
Tip from Ethnic Voyage: 
At your free time, you could go up to Ham Rong peak where you are able to experience a stunning vista over the charming Sapa town. This is a great chance for some unforgettable photos! This is recommended for the good weather afternoon only (Entrance fee is not included).

Day 04 Sapa – Lao Cai 
(Breakfast, lunch included) Overnight on cozy cabin on train
You meet your guide and depart at 8.00 am and start trekking. The first part we will mostly trek down hill Y Linh Ho hamlet. The trek offers some stunning views of the rice terraces, gardens and Fan Si Pan mountain ranges. After going through a suspension bridge, we start walking up to Lao Chai San village. The scenery is great here as you will enjoy the view from a higher point of the rice terraces and small villages. Walk down through the village to the Golden Stream Valley, stopping at Lao Chai village for lunch. After lunch, we explore the villages of Lao Chai (Black H’mong) and Ta Van (Dzay) villages. This trek is relatively trouble-free though the trail can be quite slippery if it rains, so good footwear is recommended. You will visit some local families and learn about their daily life and fascinating culture.
After chatting one of the families in the village, we walk to the main road to meet up with our driver and return to Sapa town. Shower is available at our partner hotel’s waiting room.
In the afternoon, you’re free to explore the town, its market and sloping streets decorated with many colorful handicrafts.
6.00 pm: Join Ethnic Voyage's bus and getting back to Lao Cai, in a good time to catch up a night train to Hanoi (soft sleeper with air-conditioning)

Day 05: Hanoi – Ha Long 
( Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)
Early arrival in Hanoi, you'll be pick up and transferred to a local restaurant for breakfast and refreshment.
At 8.00 am - depart from Hanoi for a 3.5 hours drive to Halong City through the Red River Delta. Upon arrival, get on board of the Aloha Junk. Start cruising and enter the Bai Tu Long bay while lunch with fresh seafood is served (vegetarian menu available).
We reach the perfect spot, remote and scenic, and get ready for serious things. Swimming suits, ok. Kayaks and tender boat, ok. Paddles and gears, ok. Let's start our closer exploration of the limestone rocks. Dinner and overnight on board - traditonal junk.

Day 06: Ha Long – Hanoi – Hue
 (Breakfast, lunch included) Overnight cozy cabin on train
Wake up and enjoy breakfast while witnessing the silence of beautiful misty bay. You'll be free to relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery on sundeck, take fantastic photos of the bay. We visit a secluded floating village surrounded by the mountains. Lunch will be served while cruising back to the harbor. Finally, to conclude your tour, we provide a minibus transfer back to Hanoi.
In the evening, you'll have tickets for a night train to Hue.
Air ticket Hanoi – Hue is available with a little surcharge, please contact us for more details

Day 07: Orientation 
(Breakfast and Lunch included)
9.00 am - Upon arrival at Hue railway station, you'll be pick up and transfer to the city centre for hotel check-in.
After refreshment, you'll begin with a cruise along the Perfume River to visit to the Thien Mu Pagoda. From there, we take a short drive into a lush valley of the river where seven tombs were built for seven Nguyen emperors. Each is an expression of the unique personality of the man whose remains it holds. We will visit two of the tombs of emperors Minh Mang.
Lunch will be served with Hue cuisine at a restaurant in a beautiful garden setting. In the afternoon, you'll have a guided visit to the the Imperial Citadel – the most well known and iconic site in Hue, and then the Dong Ba market before returning to your hotel before sunset.

Day 08: Hue – Hoi An
 ( Breakfast included)
Your car now heads to Hoi An via the dramatic Hai Van pass. The panoramic views are excellent - you should be able to see Lang Co beach and village, and the lagoon far below, with the city of Da Nang spread out before you to the south.
You'll visit the Cham Museum in Da Nang which houses the largest displays of Cham art anywhere in the world. We will also drive to the nearby Marble Mountains: five limestone peaks with marble outcrops known for their beauty and their cave network.
The afternoon will be on your own arrangement. You'll spend the night in Hoi An

Day 09: Hoi An Free (Breakfast included)
The day will be free for strolling in the town, lazing on the beach, or whatever takes your fancy. You'll spend the night in Hoi An.
Hoi An town is three kilometres from Cua Dai Beach - part of what was once known as China Beach and used for rest and recreation by American GIs during the Vietnam War. The beach is composed of white sand fringed with palm trees and overlooks the beach.
There are plenty of good restaurants offering a variety of cuisines and price levels. The town is also a good place for shopping for silk. You can have your clothes tailor-made within a day or two at reasonable cost.

Day 10: Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh city
 ( Breakfast included)
Time will be on your own until our driver arrives and take you to Danang airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh city.
Upon your arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh city, you'll be met and driven to your hotel in the city centre. After checking in, you'll be free for a preliminary wander around District 1. Your overnight will be in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh city – Mekong Delta
 (Breakfast, lunch included)
Early departure from your hotel, we have a big day ahead. The guide picks you up at 7am, road to Xeo Quyt. We should be there about 10am. Xeo Quyt is a natural jewel, a cajuput forest home of a large ecosystem. It also served as a base for the resistance during the war against USA. We will spend the rest of the morning exploring the area, walking and riding a local sampan along the canals.
We then drive another 10km and take a ferry boat to Sa Dec. The ancient town loaded with culture and history. We have lunch in the house of Huynh Thuy Le, popularized in the roman of Marguerite Duras, The lover.
In the afternoon, we take a nice bicycle ride for a sightseeing of the town. We pass by Kim Hue pagoda, Trung Vuong school and Sa Dec flower village. About 4pm, we start our drive back to Saigon where we should arrive around 7pm.

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh city - Departure ( Breakfast included)
Your time will be your own until your private car and driver arrives to take you to Tan Son Nhat airport for your homeward flight.

Included
• Accommodation at all destinations

• Visa on arrival arrangement fee to Vietnam

• Meals as specified in the program

• Travel in an appropriate air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver

• Return train tickets Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi – 4-berth sharing cabin, wooden carriage

• Train ticket Hanoi – Hue in 4-berth sharing soft sleeper cabin.

• Air tickets Danang – Ho Chi Minh city at Economy class

• Boat trips in Ha Long bay and Hue as specified

• The services of an experienced English-speaking guide

• All entrance fees

• VAT and other taxes

Not included
• International flight tickets and airport tax.

• Visas stamp fee at the Noi Bai airport

• Visa on arrival arrangement for passport holder from India; Sri Lanka; Pakistan; Middle East countries; Turkey; African countries... that needs special arrangement.
• Beverages, gratuities and personal expenses.
• Gala dinner (if any)

• Travel Insurance

• Surcharge in peak season (Christmas & New Year)

• Presence of the tour guide on the train

Tour Price: Available upon Request
Rates vary frequently. Please contact us to get the best possible price based upon your travel period and specific touring needs.
 
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