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Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights
Depart / Return: Saigon / Hanoi
Visit: Saigon, Mekong Delta, Danang, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Halong
This Vietnam tour is ideal for budget conscious travelers wishing to get "up close and personal" with the diversity of sights, sounds and experiences Vietnam has to offer. Stay in comfortable hotels, with one overnight train journey and one night on board a traditional luxury cruise vessel. This trip captures the colour of Vietnam's destinations and attractions: the liverly river-life of the people in the Mekong delta; the old world imperial atmosphere and charms of Hue and Hoi An; the amazing natural splendor of Halong bay; the burstling boulevards of Saigon and the historic Hanoi streets...
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Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City - Arrival
Upon arrival at the airport, pick up and transfer to your hotel in Saigon. After checking-in to the hotel, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy.
In the evening, join your Tour Guide and fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner. Overnight in Saigon
Day 2: Saigon - Mekong Delta - Saigon (B/L)
After breakfast, travel out of Saigon and spend the full day boating along the waterways of the lush Mekong Delta region on an exploration excursion. On arrival in My Tho, take a boat ride along the narrow Mekong Delta waterways, overhung with dense vegetation, to visit a floating market where the local people buy, sell and barter produce from their boats. There is also an opportunity to stroll through the abundant fruit orchards and witness traditional rice paper making, cooking crispy rice cakes and other traditional products.
Enjoy lunch before continuing on to a bonsai garden or fruit garden, a traditional boat building yard, and home-business cottage industries such as coconut candy and griddle cake shops. Overnight in Saigon.
Day 3: Saigon - Da Nang - Hoi An (B/L)
In the morning, discover the Saigon’s most attractive sites, taking in the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office before ending the morning with a visit to Chinatown.
In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for the short flight to Danang. On arrival, you will be met at the airport for transfer to your hotel in Hoi An and then the evening is free. Overnight in Hoi An. Day 4: Hoi An (B) In the morning, enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow, lively streets of the ancient town, visit the Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200-year old Tam Ky ancestral house, the Japanese Covered Bridge and the colorful local market.
After that, take a short boat ride across the Thu Bon river to a nearby island to visit a handicraft village specializing in ceramics and boat building yards where the craftsmen still hew the boats into life much as they have done for centuries. The rest of the day is free. Overnight in Hoi An. Day 5: Hoi An - Hue (B/L)In the morning, drive along the coastal highway north to the imperial city of Hue. On the way to Hue, stop for a refreshment break at Lang Co, on a beautiful white sand beach set against a majestic backdrop of the Annamite Cordillera. After check-in at your hotel in Hue, visit the Imperial Citadel and Forbidden City, created in the 19th century for the Emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. Enjoy some “retail therapy” at Dong Ba Market before transferring back to the hotel. Overnight in Hue. Day 6: Hue - Hanoi by train (B/L)In the morning, take a boat ride along the romantic Perfume River. Stop off at the Thien Mu Pagoda on the banks of the river to see the 7-storey Stupa. The pagoda is also home to the old Austin car driven to Saigon by the Venerable Thich Quang Duc in 1963 for his self-immolation. Continue on to visit the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang (1791-1841), built between 1841 and 1843. The Emperor’s mausoleum complex consists of 40 constructions (palaces, temples, pavilions etc.) designed on a symmetrical axis. Lunch is a special vegetarian meal with the nuns of Dong Thuyen Pagoda.
In the afternoon, board the train for the overnight journey to Hanoi. Day 7: Hanoi City Tour (B/L) Arrive in Hanoi in the earlier morning and be met at the railway station for transfer to your hotel in Hanoi. Then start exploring Hanoi by visiting the Ho Chi Minh complex, starting at the late-President’s Mausoleum. The excursion continues on to his humble “stilt house” before visiting the French colonial Governor’s Palace and the 11th century One-Pillar Pagoda. Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest in Hanoi. Finally, explore the bustling Old Quarter with its 36 “Guild streets” on a fantastic Cyclo tour. The evening is free. Overnight in Hanoi... Day 8: Hanoi - Halong (B/L/D)Depart Hanoi in the morning for the scenic three-hour drive through the countryside to Halong Bay, a natural wonder with thousands of islands rising out of the water, creating a unique and beautiful landscape. On arrival, embark on a traditional luxury cruise vessel for a voyage through the 3, 000 limestone islands which dot the Bay.
There is time to explore Halong Bay at a leisurely pace: swim, relax with a drink or a good book, indulge in a revitalizing massage or simply take in the exotic views before experiencing the magic of falling asleep onboard in this beautiful part of the world. Overnight onboard Halong Bay. Day 9: Halong - Hanoi (B/L)Early risers can enjoy a morning swim in a quiet, secluded cove near an island in the Bay. After breakfast, continue cruising before disembarking and returning to Hanoi. Transfer to the airport for onward flights or take a holiday extension. |
Class | 2 Pax | 3 - 6Pax | 7 - 10Pax | 11-14Pax | 15 PaxUp | Single Supplemental | Cost/pax | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ |
Trip Included services6-nights hotel accommodation on a twin-share basic with daily breakfast 01-overnight on the train Hue to Hanoi (soft sleeper bed, air-conditioned cabin, 4 beds/cabin) 1-night onboard Cruise in Halong Bay in twin-share cabin Flights as specific (economy class): Saigon - Danang Meals as described in the itineraries: 08 Breakfasts, 06 Lunches, 03 Highlight Dinners and 01 Brunch All transfers within the tour by air-conditioned vehicle, including pick-up and drop-off at airports on arrival and departure days (without guide) Boat trips in the Mekong Delta and Hue All entrance and sightseeing fees English or French speaking guides (other languages available upon request) Approval letter for landing visa to Vietnam: single entry, one month valid
Trip Excluded servicesInternational airfare and airport tax in Vietnam Beverages and other meals do not indicate in the program Visa fees to Vietnam Early check-in and late check-out at all hotels Massage onboard Travel insurance Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, shopping...) Tipping/ Gratuities Single room Any additional expenses caused by reasons beyond our control such as natural calamities (typhoon, floods), flight delays, rescheduling or cancellations, any accidents, medical evacuations, riots, strikes etc.
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