ST OP 05 : HOCHIMINH CITY - MY THO - NHA TRANG - DA NANG
HOI AN - HUE - HA NOI - HA LONG

( 12 days ) Vietnam Overview - Daily departure

This trip can be started from Hanoi

Highlights:
Discover the landscapes of Vietnam with this tour. Start with a visit around vibrant SaiGon and then take a boat trip along famous Me Kong river. 
A short flight brings you to Da Nang. Transfer to Hoi An ancient town – an ideal place for visiting and shopping. You will continue to visit Imperial City of Hue and some royal tombs here.
Leaving Hue for a flight to Ha Noi where you learn about the 1,000-years history and culture of the capital City. 
Finally, you depart to Ha Long bay for a cruising trip to admire a natural wonder with thousands of island rising from the water. 
Finish your tour with a transfer to NoiBai airport in Ha Noi

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh - Arrival (D)
Meet at Tan Son Nhat international airport. Transfer to hotel. Dinner on floating restaurant on SaiGon River. 
Diner program:
7:00PM: Welcome guests on Boat
 Service dinner, Performance music & dances
7:45PM: Depart Dinner– Cruise along Saigon river
9:30PM: Dropping the guests off at Bach Dang harbor
Transfer back Hotel. 
Night in Ho Chi Minh City

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh city – Cu Chi tunnel (B,L) 
8h00 am. Our tour guide will pick you up at your hotel. Depart from Ho Chi Minh city to Cu Chi tunnels (about 50km). As you know, Cu Chi tunnels is one of the most famous historical Vestiges of Vietnam’s national liberation War. It is network consists of over 200km of tunnels linked to the other like a Cobweb. You go to inside the tunnels which has the kitchens, food and ammunition storage caches, medic-care chambers (a small clinic), meeting room, commanding chambers ..etc. You discover the tunnels by entering inside on it, about 15 m, 30m, 60m and 100m long belong to your health. At the end of the tunnels, you can eat Cassava (called KhoaiMi), this is the main food for Vietcong people during the war.
Say goodbye the Cu Chi tunnels, it’s take you by car about one and a half  hour to back Ho Chi Minh city. You have lunch in nice restaurant. 
Pm: After lunch. You will take city tour to visit  Saigon-Hochiminh city.
As you know, Saigon-Hochiminh city is famous, called “Little Paris” during the French War an“The pear of the Far-East” during US war.
Your visits:
Notre dame Catheral, built between 1877 and 1883 by French, most of the materials were transferred from Marseille (France). Next to the Church, you walk to visit the Central Post Office, built 1886 and ended 1891 by Gustave Eiffel. Your next destination is Reunification Palace which was built in 1868, named Norodom Palace and inaugurated in 1873. In 1963, this palace was heavily destroyed by bombs. On 30 April 1975, the tanks of the liberation army entered Independence Palace. After the liberation, Independence Palace became the headquarters of the City’s military Administration Committee. 
And then You can discover the activities war during US war by visiting. The War Museum in which is an interesting collection of American Weapons.
At the end of your tour with stop at Ben Thanh market, the goods in here are abundant, including almost all-domestic products. Night at hotel.  

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh city – Mekong delta (B,L)
8h00 am . Our tourguide will pick you up at your hotel or the airport. You leave Saigon to My Tho city, about 75km, 1h30 by free way, this is the first free way in the South of Vietnam. An unforgettable way of seeing the Mekong Delta is driving along the provincial Roads down on the Southern Region of Vietnam through the Paddy rice fields, orchards and small hamlets.
On arrival in My Tho city, you’ll take a local motor boat, cross Mekong River (the biggest River in Asia, through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, its length about 4.800km long). You enjoy fresh coconut juice on the boat. Your first visit at Unicorn island where you taste the natural pure honey bee, bee pollen and Royal jelly bee. Your second visit byboat is in the Dragon Island where you can see how the local people make coconut candy . This is the special product in the Ben Tre province. Walking on the village, then you take the Horse Carriage about 1,5km around the village. Upon arrival at the Garden, you can eat the tropical fruits as pine-apple, water melon, longan, royal bananas. You listen to the traditional folk music, called “CaiLuong”. Next, you take a sampan, rowing boat by hand, about 2km, you can discover the rural daily life of local people inside the water coconut tree jungle. You have  lunch in the Turtle Island with the special food as the “Elephant Ear fish:,..ect
Back to habor for 2 hours back Ho Chi Minh city. Night at Hotel.

Day 4: Ho Chi Minh city – Da Nang – Hoi An (B, L ) By Flight 
Tranfer to NhaTrang airport for flying to Da Nang by Vietnamairline. Visit Cham Museum.Lunch. 
P.M. Visit DaNang Beach, NguHanh Son Stone Village (handicraft). Drive to Hoi an. Visit Hoi An- an old trading town including Japanese Covered Bridge, TanKy Old house, PhucKien Pagoda, Hoian Museum and Market. Overnight in Hoi An town.

Day 5: Hoi An – My Son – Hue (B,L)
Pick up at your hotel in Hoi An at 8.00AM . We 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, we still see many majestic ancient ruins of temples in the area.
Arrive in My Son at 9:00AM. Walk around with your guide for 2 hours to see the historic and cultural ruins of the 16th century, you will be brought back to the glorious time of the Champa civilization. Then leave My Son for Cau Lau boat station. Take a motorized boat excursion to visit Kim Bong carpentry village, 3km west of Hoi An.  Have a lunch.
P.M: Driver to Hue (120 km) through Hai Van Mountain Pass of 30 km length. Stop on the top of the mountain for photo. Relax at Lang Co Beach. Free time for dinner and night in Hue - The Old Capital. 

Day 6: Hue – City tour - Hanoi (B, L, ) ( night train )
Visit The Old Capital full day.
AM: Boat trip on Perfume River to visit handicraft village: making conical hat and bronze casting. Visit Thien Mu Pagoda considered as Royal Pagoda of the Nguyen Dynasty and Imperal Citadel. Lunch. 
PM: Visit Mausoleums of TuDuc and KhaiDinh King. Visit a typical garden-house in Hue (Hue has another name as "city of garden"). Visit Dong Ba market. Take the night train to Hanoi. Overnight on the train.

Day 7: Hanoi city tour (B,L) 
This morning we start our itinerary with a morning city tour of Hanoi, taking in the Ho Chi Minh Complex which includes the Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Presidential Palace, Fine Arts Museum as well as Ho Chi Minh's former stilt house residence. Then, visit Temple of Literature, Ngoc Son Temple. After lunch, visit Bat Trang pottery, HoanKiem Lake and the vibrant old quarter .Overnight at the hotel.

Notes:

Day 8: Hanoi – Mai Chau   (B, L, D)
Morning: 7.30 am departure to Mai Chau. On the way to Mai chau, pay a Visit to Hang Pagoda (Ancient Cave pagoda) to enjoy a peaceful scenarios and to get a more understanding of the most popular religion - Buddismn. Visiting a Muong ethnic minority village to see stilt-house and their lives. 12.30 am lunch at restaurant.
Afternoon: 1.30 pm drive to MalChau. Visit Lac village ,Go shopping around Lac Village. Walking throughout some White Thai villages to see people making traditional dress and stools.  Dinner 
Overnight at Mai Chau Hideaway Resort. 

Day 9:– Mai Chau - Hanoi (B, L )
Am : Breakfast. Short walk to the Muong
minority village. Walking through plum & peach gardens to contemplate peaceful scenery. 12.30 am lunch at village then return to Ha Noi Return to Hanoi Noi at 5.30 pm.

Day 10: Hanoi - Halong (B, L ,D)
Pick-up at hotel and start the 3 hour-and-a-half drive to Hong Gai Tourist Wharf, check in
Oriental Sails JSC’s private waiting hall - The OS Lounge.
Embark on Oriental Sails followed by cruise briefing.
Savor a delectable lunch as Oriental Sails cruises further along the limestone islands of Bai
Tu Long Bay.
You are free to choose one of the below options:
Option 1:            Fishing village visit
Those are interested in local daily life: Take a bamboo rowing boat trip (around 45 minutes) around VungVieng fishing village - one of the largest fishing villages in Halong Bay to see the life of local fishermen. The village is set in closed lagoon, surrounded by mountains, excellent settings for some good photos.
Option 2:            Beach and kayaking
For those who like some water activities and beach. The tender shall take you to Ban Chan beach, where you can enjoy yourself on the beach, swimming or playing volleyball…, or try your hands in some kayaking in the magnificent setting for Halong Bay.
Return to Oriental Sails and have bath then relax as the sun starts to set. 
Enjoy the Happy Hour at the bar and on the sun deck and take part in our cooking class with
Oriental Sails Chef
Dinner is served. Socialize with other guests, night squid fishing or just laze around. Singing and
dancing activities are available till 22h00.
Overnight on board at Cong Do Area. 

Day 11: Halong - Hanoi  (B, L )
Start your day with Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck.
Catch morning view of seascapes with a cup of tea or coffee, have breakfast while cruising
toward ThienCanh Son Cave
Visit ThienCanh Son Cave – the medium size and less visited cave in BaiTu Long Bay
Check-out room. Luggage can be delivered to the reception area.
Head back to the Harbor. Have early lunch on board.
Disembark Oriental Sails at around 12h00.
Transfer back to Hanoi and trip finishes at the hotel around 16h30. Night in Hanoi.
 
Day 12: Hanoi - Departure (B)
Breakfast. Shopping. Transfer to NoiBai airport for departure.

Accommodation offering in this trip ( click to see ) :

Tour Cost includes:
- Full transportation by private car or bus as tour program indicated. 
- Half board meals as indicated in the itinerary. Lunch at local restaurant ( Vietnamese food )
- Domestic flight : Saigon –Danang by Vietnamairline – Eco class
- Train ticket : Hue -Hanoi ( soft sleeper )
- English- speaking guide 
- Entrance fees.
- Boat trip in Halong Bay, Perfume River, Tiengiangriver in Mytho.
- Twin-share accommodation with daily breakfast; ( AC room)

Tour Cost excludes:
-International airfare to/from Vietnam
-Personal insurance
-Expenditure of a personal nature, tips, such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry, emergency transfers & etc.
-Visa to Vietnam

Trip Summary:

Where:	Trip starts in Hochiminh and ends in Hanoi
When:	All year round;
Grade:	Moderate to Strenous;
Accommodation:	Tourist-class hotels (Standard and clean hotel),
Transport:	Private car or bus, boat, public ferry,
Meals:	As indicated; (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)

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