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VIETNAM
– A PROFOUND VERSION 14 days from Hanoi to Saigon (EV17-14) Itinerary
Arrive Hanoi, our
guide and car pick you up and transfer to hotel for check in. In the
afternoon, take a half day city tour visit: 36 Old Quarter streets, Hang Be
market, Temple of Literature – the first ancient university of Viet Nam. Have
dinner and overnight in Hanoi. Day
2 Sat. HANOI – LAO CAI Take a full day to
visit: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh Museum and Ho Chi Minh’s house on
stilts, One Pillar Pagoda – built in the 11th century, of wood on a single
stone pillar resembling a lotus blossom – symbol of purity, rising out of a
sea of sorrow, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple where people
believe that you can balance yin and yang by putting your hand on Huyen Thien Tran Vu God statue,
the biggest black bronze one in Viet Nam. Have lunch. In the afternoon, visit
Ethnology Museum which gives an insight into Viet Nam’s diverse culture of
the 54 ethnic groups and different development stages of Viet Nam. Enjoy the
traditional water puppet show in the evening. Transfer to Ha Noi railway station to take a night train to Lao Cai around 21h30. Overnight on train. Day 3
Sun. LAO CAI – BAC HA Arrive at Lao Cai in the early morning, have breakfast in local
restaurant near the railway. Car pick up and transfer to Bac
Ha, visit local market of Flower H’mong people(only on Sunday). In the afternoon, take 3 hours for
trekking to visit ethnic minorities in the region: ancient house of Meo King, Giang Pho village
(Flower H’mong ethnic), Phu
La village (Phu La ethnic), Na
No village (Tay ethnic). Have dinner and home-stay
at Na No village. Day
4 Mon. BAC HA – SAPA After breakfast, car pick up and depart to Sapa
and visit Ta Phin village (Red Dzao
ethnic) on the way. Check in hotel. Visit central market at Sapa and see Black H’mong
people, Red Dzao people as well as the King’s
products. Have lunch at Sapa. In the afternoon, car pick up and depart to Lao Chai
village (Black H’mong village) for trekking and
walk through Muong Hoa
valley in Ta Van village (Dzay ethnic). Return to Sapa by car late in the afternoon. Have dinner and
overnight in Sapa. Day 5 Tue. SAPA – COC
LY – LAO CAI Depart in the early
morning to visit Coc Ly local market (only on
Tuesday). Continue to take a cruise on the Chay
river to visit Bao Nhai,
have lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, return to Lao Cai, visit Chinese border. Have dinner. Take a night
train to return Hanoi. Day 6
Wed. HANOI – HA LONG Arrive in Ha Noi in the early morning, enjoy
breakfast with Pho Ha Noi (Vietnamese traditional
noodles). Enjoy the interesting 3–hour drive to Ha Long, along the way you
will see rice fields, water buffalos and daily Vietnamese village life, stop
over to visit Dong Trieu pottery workshop. Get on
the boat for check in and start to have a cruise around Ha Long Bay, visit
the Surprise natural grotto and enjoy swimming at Ti Top beach. Dinner with
fresh seafood. Have one magic overnight on board. Day 7 Thu. HA LONG – HA
NOI Enjoy café and
biscuits with sunrise morning. Continue to take cruise to visit Luon grotto. Then, breakfast on boat. Return to the wharf
and come back to Hanoi. On the way, stop over to visit the disabled’s handicraft workshop in Sao Do. Return Ha Noi, check in hotel for relax. Overnight in Hanoi. Day 8
Fri. HA NOI – HOA LU – HA NOI Depart to Ninh Binh by car, visit ancient
Hoa Lu Capital, which dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh dynasty (968 – 980), and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Ly dynasty (980 – 1009). Continue to visit Bich Dong pagoda by bicycle. Have lunch at local
restaurant. In the afternoon, take a private sampan boat on the river for an
hour and a half through the rice paddies to the grottoes of the sacred Tam Coc. Return Hanoi late in the afternoon. Overnight in Hanoi. Day 9
Sat. HANOI – HUE Transfer to Noi Bai airport to take flight
to Hue. Arrive in Hue, car pick up and transfer to hotel for check in. In the
afternoon, depart to visit Imperial Citadel, enjoy a musical royal show at
ancient theatre in the citadel, continue to visit Tu Duc Mausoleum and shopping
at Dong Ba market. Overnight in Hue. Day
10 Sun. HUE – HOI A boat trip on the
Perfume River, stop over to visit Thien Mu pagoda,
situated on the bank of river. Continue to visit Minh Mang
Mausoleum and Khai Dinh
Mausoleum. Have lunch at a typical local restaurant, then transfer to Hoi An by car (through Hai Van
pass). Check in hotel. Overnight in Hoi An. Day
11 Mon. HOI AN Depart to My Son, the
most important site of the ancient Kingdom of Champa
– an UNESO World Heritage site. My Son is considered
to be Champa’s smaller counterpart to the grand
cities of Southest Asia’s other Indian influenced
civilizations: Angkor (Cambodia) and Bagan
(Malaysia). Return Hoi An for lunch. In the
afternoon, visit Hoi An ancient town: walk around Hoi An
market, Tan Ky ancient house, Phuc
Kien Temple, Japanese Covered Bridge and go
shopping. Return hotel by boat on Thu Bon river. Have dinner at a typical
local restaurant. Overnight in Hoi An.If you come
on 14th of the month on the Lunar calendar, you will enjoy a night of lantern
lights on streets in Hoi An. Day 12 Tue. HOI AN – DA
NANG – SAIGON Transfer to Da Nang airport to take a short flight to Saigon. Arrive
in Saigon after one-hour flight, car pick up and transfer to hotel. After
lunch, take a half day city tour to visit Central quarters where have many houses and buildings constructed under French
domination: Notre Dame Cathedral and Center Post Office. Continue to
visit China town, Cho Lon with its famous Binh Tay market and Thien Hau pagoda. Have dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight
in Saigon. Day
13 Wed. SAIGON – VINH LONG Depart to Vinh Long, take a boat to visit along Tien
Giang river, link upper Mekong Delta, visit Cai Ba
floating market. On the way, stop over at island to
visit ceramic tile factory, coconut candy factory and a rice husking business.
Have lunch in an orchard garden, then enjoy fruits,
home-made honey alcohol, local traditional songs. Return to Saigon late in
the afternoon. Have dinner and overnight in Saigon. Day 14 Thu. DEPARTURE Transfer to airport.
End tour. QUOTATION* PER PERSON AND DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
• Hotel in twin or
double sharing room basis with daily breakfast. Tour
services exclude • Travel insurance,
visa fee to Vietnam *Price is subjected to change without prior notice Contact
Information: PACIFICWIDE TRAVEL & TOURS 3005 Silver Creek Road, Suite 214 San Jose, California 95121 Tel: 1 (408) 532-1538 |