VIETNAM DISCOVERY-14 DAYS

  Tour Code: VIT 06
 Tour Route: Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoian, Saigon, Tay Ninh, Mekong River Delta, Can Tho.
 Price From: USD 
 Tour Type: Private Tour 
 Duration: 14 days/ 13 nights

 Explore Vietnam on an in-depth journey that takes you from North to South. Start with the colonial charm of Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, then travel to the natural wonderland of Halong Bay and trek through Sapa’s terraced rice paddies and hill tribe villages. Visit the ancient capital Hue and bask on the beaches of Hoian. Explore the lush landscape of the Mekong Delta and the bright lights and urban bustle of Saigon. This tour takes you deep into our beautiful country, immersing you in our rich culture and elegant landscapes.

The whole tour is accompanied by experienced, local, English speaking guides.

- The Vietnam Discovery tour is your best choice if you want to experience the totality of Vietnam: the land, the people, the culture, and the history, as a Vietnamese person would. In this Vietnam holiday, as you travel through the country you will experience all forms of transport: car, train, airplane, boat, walking and hiking. During 2 weeks traveling with Travel Vietnam, you will trace the path of the founding of Vietnam.
- Extendable with optional tours from Hanoi and from Saigon. 

Day 1:Hanoi Arrival

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital. Your driver and guide will meet you outside the baggage claim of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center. In the afternoon, enjoy an orientation walk, visiting some of Hanoi’s main attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. In the evening, savor a welcome dinner of authentic Vietnamese food at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants.

Meals: Dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour – Night train to Laocai

Today you have a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas; Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will take you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and stilt house), the nearby One Pillar Pagoda; the Presidential Palace; the Temple of Literature; the Quan Thanh Temple, the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda & West Lake; and one of the city's museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum). In the evening enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture – before heading to the train station to catch your night train to Laocai.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: on train

 Day 3: Laocai – Sapa

 

The train arrives at the Laocai railways station in the early morning. Your guide and driver will meet you there and take you on the 40km drive to Sapa – Northwest Vietnam’s premier travel destination. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then catch a few hours of rest before beginning your adventure in this beautiful mountain landscape and home to many minority hill tribe peoples. In the late morning, your guide will take you on a two hour trek through the terraced rice fields to visit the villages Cat Cat and Sin Chai, where you will learn about local traditions and daily life. Rest of the day, you are free at leisure or explore the town on your own.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Accommodations: Hotel in Sapa.

 Day 4: Sapa – Visit Hill Tribe Villages

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, before setting out on a full day’s trek to explore Sapa’s cultural diversity and haunting natural beauty. Take a guided hike through yawning valleys decorated with terraced rice fields and pass through remote hill tribe villages. You have three trekking options to choose from: Soft trek (~ 3 km), medium trek (~ 6km) and long trek (~ 12km). Trekking is an excellent way to explore the daily life and familiarize yourself with the cultures of the H’mong, Dzao and Dzay people who populate the region. Have lunch at a hill tribe village then drive back to Laocai to catch your return night train to Hanoi..

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Accommodation: on train
 Day 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay– Overnight on cruise.

Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning. Your guide and driver will meet you at the railways station and take you to a local restaurant for breakfast, before setting out on a 3 to 4 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Halong Bay. Indochina Sails boarding time is at 12:15 pm. Upon boarding guests are greeted with a welcome drink and gather in the dining room for a comprehensive safety and boat orientation briefing followed by itinerary details. After the briefing and check in we have a bit of free time till lunch is served at 1:00pm. Lunch is a multi-course Vietnamese and Western set menu. Any and all dietary needs will be catered to. During lunch we cruise through the Bai Tu Long Bay, cruising through the most beautiful and quiet area in Bai Tu Long Bay and Halong Bay to visit Cua Van Fishing Village. Cua Van Floating Fishing Village (the largest fishing village on the Bay). At the village, which has a population of about 600 residents living in about 150 floating houses, guests can choose between kayaking through the village or visiting on small bamboo boats (sampans) rowed by the villagers. Back on board after visiting the village there will be free time of about one and a half hours before the Cooking Class on board will be held by our Chef and all the passengers could attend to this. During that time the chef will conduct a Cooking Class showing the guests how make some Vietnamese food which is traditional food in Vietnam and guests will taste the food after the class. In addition we will have the first of our double happy hours from 6:00 till 7:00 during which time one free drink will be received for each one ordered. The dinner is served at 7:30pm. Dinner is a sumptuous buffet featuring an array of salads, seafood, meat dishes, seasonal fresh fruits and deserts. After dinner guests can relax in the dining room and lounge or on the upper deck and enjoy the second happy hour from 9:00 till 10:00. Board games and playing cards are available and massage services as well (massage service is available throughout the cruise). Also, everyone can try their luck at squid fishing from the boat with help from the crew.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Accommodation: on cruise 
 Day 6: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Fly to Hue.

The next morning coffee, tea and breakfast pastries are on offer from 6:45. Tai Chi lessons are led by our tai chi master at 7:00 before we leave the boat at 7:45 for a walking tour of Titov Beach Island. About one hour is spent on the island allowing time for a climb up the steps to the peak for a breathtaking 360 degree view of the Bay (there is also an expansive viewing deck half way up). After the climb there is time left to relax on the beach and have a swim. Back on board it’s time for final packing and freshening up before enjoying a full breakfast buffet, including traditional Vietnamese Noodles (Pho). After breakfast guests may relax in the dining room and lounge or on the deck enjoying the last Bay views before disembarkation at 11:00am. Your driver will meet you at the dock and take you to Noi Bai Airport of Hanoi for your in-country flight to Hue. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will meet you and take you to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast.Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue. 

Day 7: Hue City Tour.

Spend an entire day touring the Vietnam’s former ancient capital. Start the day with a visit to the Imperial Citadel, home to the Imperial City and Forbidden Purple City – once the Emperor's private residence. The Imperial City was created in the 19th century and modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing. The Imperial Enclosure houses many palaces and temples within its walls. In the afternoon, continue on your tour stopping at the Imperial Museum, Tu Hieu Pagoda and vibrant Dong Ba riverside market..

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue. 

Day 8: Hue – Danang – Hoian.

Spend the morning on a private boat cruise down the romantic Perfume River to visit the Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda) and the ornate Minh Mang's tomb. Enjoy lunch at a riverside restaurant before starting on your drive to Hoian. Pass over the 500m-high Hai Van pass and stop en route in Danang for a visit to the Cham Museum and handicraft villages at the foot of Marble Mountain. Arrive in the sleepy riverside town, Hoian, in the late afternoon, check in at the hotel and then enjoy the rest of the evening free at your leisure..

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Accommodation: Hotel in HoiAn 

Day 9: Hoian – My Son.

Today you travel 40km outside of Hoian to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: My Son. Surrounded by the Cat’s Tooth Mountains, My Son is home to the ancient Cham ruins and is often referred to as Vietnam’s Angkor Wat. Return to Hoian in time for lunch then enjoy a free afternoon, for shopping, exploring or beachside relaxation.

Meals: Breakfast 

Accommodation: Hotel in HoiAn

Day 10: Hoian – Danang – Fly to Saigon.

Have breakfast at the hotel then drive to the airport to catch your flight to Vietnam’s modern metropolis: Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Arrive in the late morning and enjoy an orientation tour through Ho Chi Minh City’s bustling streets en route to the hotel. Have lunch at a downtown restaurant of your choosing then set out on a guided city tour. In the afternoon you will visit such sites as the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the CityPost Office and Ben Thanh Market. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon. 

Day 11: Saigon – Cu Chi Tunnels – Tay Ninh.

After breakfast at hotel, you travel outside of Saigon to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels are an underground labyrinth of passageways, used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War (or “American War” as it’s referred to here) as protection against American air raids. Those inclined are invited to crawl through selections of the tunnels to better understand what life was like for the Vietnamese soldiers during wartime. Next you will visit the beautiful Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh and partake in the noontime prayer service. This large and colorful compound is home to the hybrid religion founded in the 1920s: Caodaism, which combines elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam in order to promote peace. Have lunch in Tay Ninh and return to Saigon in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon. 

Day 12: Saigon – Mekong Delta – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Can Tho.

Today you leave Saigon and travel to the Mekong River Delta. Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before driving to the riverside town, Cai Be. Along the way, stop at a candy factory and orchard garden, where you have an opportunity to listen to traditional music. Enjoy a relaxing lunch at a riverside restaurant, then cross the river by motorized boat to visit some fluvial islands and explore the countryside by bicycle. Your driver will meet you at Vinh Long pier and take you to Can Tho City for the night..

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Can Tho. 

Day 13: Can Tho – Floating market – Saigon.

Wake early and leave the hotel to visit the famous Cai Rang floating market by motorized boat. Continue the boat ride to visit the Mekong Delta’s famous fruit orchards and sample the fresh, exotic fruit. Then venture deeper into the country-side, passing traditional houses made of wood and palm leaves as you observe the activities of the local people. Return to Can Tho for lunch then drive back to Saigon, arriving in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon. 

Day 14:Saigon Departure.

Have breakfast at hotel then enjoy a free morning before driving to the airport to catch your departure flight home.

Bon Voyage!

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: N/A.