15 days in vietnam: Hanoi – Ninh Binh - Halong Bay -  Hue - Hoian – can tho - Saigon - Cu Chi - MeKong - delta river

ESSENTIAL VIETNAM

 Day 1         HANOI ARRIVAL

Arrives Noi Bai airport, You are picked up by our driver with your name on signboard. Transfer to hotel, check-in hotel.Free for your own leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
Hotel: Hong Ngoc 1 ( 3***)/ Zeph yr/ Hoa Binh Palace

Day 2         HANOI CITY TOUR                (B, L)

After breakkie, you are picked up at 8:30, meet up with Tonkin guide & driver. Start a day sight-seeing tour, visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (closed Monday & Friday), his stilt house, the One Pillar pagoda, West lake with Tran Quoc pagoda and Quan Thanh temple. After lunch in local restaurant, visit the Returned Sword Lake with Ngoc Son Temple, Temple of Literature & Ethnology museum.

Water puppet show at the end of the day.

Overnight in Hanoi

Day 3     :HANOI / NINH BINH / HANOI / LAO CAI    (B,L,D)

8:30, check –out then meet guide & driver to transfer to Ninh Binh. A 100 km driver through rural northern Vietnam to the side of Vietnam’s first capital, Hoa Lu . Take a sampan on s river through the rice paddies to the grottoes of the sacred Tam Coc Caves. Enormous limestone karsts jut out from the green rice fields giving rise to this place’s other name,”Ha long of Land”. Lunch at a local restaurant is included. Return to Hanoi in the afternoon. In the evening , dinner at a local restaurant , experience a traditional form of entertainment in northern Vietnam at a water puppet show. 

21:00 transfer to Hanoi station then board the train to Lao Cai. Overnight on the train (22.00/6.00)

Tulico Express/ Royal / Pumpkin Express

DAY 4         LAO CAI / SAPA

6.00, arrival at Lao Cai. Meet with the local guide and transfer to Sapa by car. Check-in hotel. Breakfast at hotel. Free in the morning to explore the Sapa market or relax.

12:00, meet guide for lunch in local restaurant then visit Lao Chai and Ta Van village, home of Hmong and Dzay minorities. Back to hotel in the afternoon. Overnight in Hotel.

Hotel : Bamboo / Royal View ( 3*) or Similar

DAY 5         SAPA / LAO CAI / HANOI       (B)

Free for your own leisure in the morning.

13.00, transfer to visit Ta Phin Village of Red Dzao People. Then straight to Lao Cai station in the afternoon.

Dinner yourself at local restaurant in Lao Cai. Night train back to Hanoi. O/n on the train (21:15/5:00)

Tulico Express/ Royal / Pumpkin Express

DAY 6         HANOI / HALONG               (B,L,D)

5.00, Arrive Hanoi, car pick up at train station, Transfer to the city for breakfast, then to Halong. Arrives Halong at 12:00. In Halong tourist wharf, the Crew welcome you on Hai Long Dream Boat. Enjoy welcome drink, check into your cabin and lunch with seafood will be served right after. At 13:15, boat start cruising into Halong bay to see the amazing karsts with different formations: Fighting Cocks Islet, , Soi Sim islet... Visit Amazing cave, Stop at Titop island to relaxe, swim at your leisure or climb up the peak of the mountain seeing panorama of Halong bay  before cruise to a quiet firth for a great sunset dinner. Relaxe under the starlit sky before retiring to the comfort of your cabin

Hai Long Dream Boat – Deluxe Cabin

DAY 7     HANOI / HALONG / HUE              (B,L)

Early risers can enjoy a morning view of Bay’s landscapes with breakfast. And then explore Luon Cave by small boat. At 10:20, boat start cruising back via Bai Tu Long Bay, Mat Qui Islet and have lunch before check out at 11:30. Arrive at habour by 12:00. Get on private car back Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi at around 15.30. Transfer to airport directly, flight to Danang.

Arrives Hue airport, picked up by car , transfer to hotel. Overnight in Hue.

Hotel: Asia / Queen or similar

DAY 8         HUE CITY TOUR                (B,L)

After breakfast, 8.00, take a boat trip on the romantically named Perfume River from to Thien Mu pagoda,  Hue's best-known religious site. Then visit  the Imperial Citadel from where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945.  Lunch in local restaurant. Visits to the mausoleums of former emperors Tu Duc in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes and the mausoleum of Khai Dinh.

Overnight in Hue

DAY 9     HUE / HOI AN                 ( B,L)

After breakfast, leave Hue at 8.00 in the morning for Hoi An. The scenic route passes through Lang Co beach  then to Danang over the Pass of Ocean Clouds. Arrive Hoi An , check-in hotel . Afternoon, Visit Hoian, a major Asian trading port in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries whose architecture and relaxed lifestyle has changed little over the years. Take a walking tour of the ancient town centre to visit the former merchants' homes, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge and the colourful market.

Hotel: Vinh Hung Hotels & Resort/ Van Loi or similar

DAY 10    HOI AN                       (B)

Free for your own leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An

DAY 11    HOI AN / DA NANG/ SAIGON     ( B,L)

Transfer for early flight to Saigon. Check-in hotel.

A city tour of dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals, takes in the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Saigon Post Office. Continue to Thien Hau Pagoda & Binh Tay Market in the city's bustling China town. Overnight in HCMC.

Hotel: Star / Oscar / Riverside or similar

DAY 12    SAIGON / CAI BE – VINH LONG – CAN THO ( B, L, D)

8.00, A full day trip to the watery world of the Mekong Delta, Just a couple of hours by road from the hustle and budtle of Ho Chi Minh ‘s streets. Take a boat trip from the Cai Be Floating Market to Vinh Long along narrow waterways overhung with dense vegetation and try exotic fruits in one of he many orchards. Lunch in the garden.  Continue the boat trip to Vinh Long. Then transfer to Cantho. Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in  Cantho.

Hotel: Saigon-Can Tho or similar

DAY 13    CAN THO / SAIGON             (B,L)

After breakfast, boat trip to Cai Rang floating market. Transfer back to Ho Chi Minh city. Free time for shopping.

Overnight in Saigon

DAY 14    SAIGON / CU CHI / TAY NINH        (B,L)

8:30 departure from Saigon to Tay Ninh (110 km). Visit the Caodaism temple and assist to the ceremony at noon . After lunch, continue to Cu chi (70 km). Visit to Cu chi Tunnels, Viet cong base during the American war. Back to Saigon. Arrival in Saigon at about 18:30. O/n in HCM city

Overnight in Saigon

DAY 15    SAIGON DEPARTURE             (B)

After breakfast ,free for shopping until transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Services Includes :

• Round-trip airport transfer in airconditioned van
• Hotel accommodation in twin-share room with breakfast
• English-speaking local guide
• Meals as itemised in itinerary
• Domestic flights as itemised in itinerary
• Boat trips as itemised in itinerary
• Entrance & admission fees to locations itemised in itinerary
• Overnight trains with soft sleeper
• All transfers itemised in tour itinerary

 Services Excludes :

• International airfares and airport taxes
• Tipping at customer’s discretion
• Drinks and all personal expenses
• Other expenses not mentioned above
• Some meals (refer itinerary)
• Passport/Visa arrangements and costs
• Hospital/medical expenses
• Compulsory travel insurance

Hotels :

• Hanoi : Hong Ngoc 1 ( 3***)/ Zeph yr/ Hoa Binh Palace
• Hue : Asia / Queen or similar
• Hoian : Vinh Hung Hotels & Resort/ Van Loi or similar
• Can tho:  Sai Gon- Can Tho or similar
• Saigon : Continental Hotel

Other Accommodation :

• Halong : Hai Long  luxury junk boat with twin - shared lockable carbin
• Maichau : Local family homestay - Bedding and pillow supplied
• Mecong Delta : Local family homestay - Bedding and pillow supplied
• Overnight Train : Comfortable soft sleeper in 4 berth lockable compartment