DISCOVER HA LONG – SAPA TOUR
Ha Noi – Sapa – Ha Long – Ha Noi
Times: 06 days 05 nights
Halong Bay, also known as the “Descending Dragon bay” is a reputable scenic attraction most suitable for over night cruises. Currently a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the islands located in the bay area were said to be created by various dragons sent from heaven, in an attempt to protect Vietnam from aggressive foreign invasion, according to Vietnamese myth. At a more scientific perspective, the rising sea level and inundated area turned hills into islands, when glaciers melted during the end of the last ice age. Furthermore, Halong Bay is famous for its spectacular caves, islands and landscapes, which were produced over millions of years of river erosion and chemical reaction within the area.
Day 1: U.S.- Ha Noi
meals: n/a
Begin your tour to Vietnam’s most popular historical sites and cities today when you depart from the U.S. for Hanoi. Arrive at Noi Bai Airport in HaNoi City. Your guide will transfer you to the hotel upon your arrival. Briefing you on the tour. City tour visit the Ethnology Museum, continue to visit the Literature Temple and Quoc Tu Giam. Vietnam”s first university constructed in 1070, it’is gardens and well-preserved architecture offers a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam”s past. Overnight in Hanoi
Day 2: Ha Noi – Sapa
meals: B/L/D
Have lunch and city tour around Hoan Kiem Lake. Hochiminh musium, See Water Puppet show and have dinner in old port of Hanoi. Take the late train to Lao Cai station to get to Sapa.
Day 3: Lao Cai – Sapa
meals: n/a
Arrive early at Lao Cai station and drive the spectacular mountainous views to Sapa. Transfer to the hotel for breakfast and then tour the village of Sapa. In the afternoon, take a 2 km trekking to Cat Cat Village, the home of H’mong ethnic. Later in the afternoon, go shopping and visit the local Sapa market where many of the ethnic minority groups gather to sell their local souvenirs. Overnight in Sapa.
Day 4: Sapa – Ha Noi
meals: B/L/D
Leave Sapa for Lao Cai, then go to Coc Ly tribal market. Here, we will have a chance to see H’mong and Dzao minority people in their most colorful costumes. Take a boat trip down the Chay river with a picnic lunch. Enjoy the scenic view from the river and trek to Dzao, Tay minority villages. On the way, visit the Vietnam – China International border. Return to Hanoi by late train.
Day 5: Ha Noi – Ha Long
meals: B/L/D
Arrive Hanoi early morning and have breakfast. Drive to Halong Bay. Visit the local floating fishing village and see the fisher’s daily life in the charming nature. During this time, you can also enjoy swimming and kayaking. Travel east to Hon Gai (approximately 170 km or three hours away from Hanoi), the gateway to Halong Bay. Halong Bay, also known as the “Descending Dragon Bay” is a reputable scenic attraction most suitable for over night cruises. Currently, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the islands located in the bay area were said to be created by various dragons sent from heaven, in an attempt to protect Vietnam from aggressive foreign invasion, according to Vietnamese myth. At a more scientific perspective, the rising sea level and inundated area turned hills into islands, when glaciers melted during the end of the last ice age. Furthermore, Halong Bay is famous for its spectacular caves, islands and landscapes, which were produced over millions of years of river erosion and chemical reaction within the area.The bay holds an important position in Vietnamese legend and continues to stimulate imaginations of visitors. Upon your arrival in Halong, transfer to your cruise ship for an overnight cruise.
Day 6: Ha Long – Ha Noi
meals: B/L/D
Explore Thien Cung Cave and Dau Go Grotto this morning as you continue your cruise on Halong Bay. Enjoy a freshly prepared seafood lunch on board before your return trip back to Hanoi. Visit the Ceramic production house at Hai Duong Town en route to Hanoi and then have a farewell party.
Option A
Discover Vietnam 15 days 14 nights
Ha Noi, Sapa, Ha Long Bay, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Tay Ninh, Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City
Introduction Hoi An Ancient Town
Hoi An, located on the Hoai River, emerged when Japanese and Chinese traders built a commercial district there in the 16th century.These diverse cultural influences remain visible today. Visitors will find Hoi An’s Old Quarter lined with two-storey Chinese shops, their elaborately carved wooden facades and moss-covered tile roofs having withstood the ravages of more than 300 years of weather and warfare. These proud old buildings, which back onto the river, remind visitors of another era, when Hoi An’s market was filled with wares from as far afield as India and Europe. Colourful guildhalls, founded by ethnic Chinese from Guangdong and Fujian provinces, stand quietly, a testament to the town’s trading roots. While Hoi An’s old-fashioned charm is always visible, on the 15 th of every lunar monthe modernity takes another step back. On these evenings the town turns off its street lamps and fluorescent lights, leaving the Old Quarter bathed in the warm glow of coloured silk, glass and paper lanterns. In ancient times, Vietnamese people made lamps out of shallow bowls filled with oil. Later, foreign traders introduced lanterns, ranging from round and hexagonal designs from China to diamond and star shaped ones from Japan.
Customized Tours
Day 1: Foreign country – Ha Noi
Meals: n/a
Begin your tour to Vietnam’s most popular historical sites and cities today when you depart from your country for Ha Noi. Arrive at Noi Bai Airport in Ha Noi. Your tour guide will pick you up and transfer to the hotel upon your arrival. Overnight in Hanoi
Day 2: Ha Noi
Meals: B/L/D
After having breakfast at the hotel, a Vietnamese History professor will give a brief introduction on the history, culture, economic development of Viet Nam. You will have a lunch welcome party. Your tour guide will pick you up at the hotel to visit the Ethnology Museum, continue to visit the Literature Temple and Quoc Tu Giam, (Vietnam’s first university constructed in 1070). Dinner and overnight in Hanoi
Day 3: Ha Noi
Meals: B/L/D
Have breakfast at the hotel and visit Ho Chi Minh Museum. After you will have a city tour by cyclo (pedicab) through the old quarters of Hanoi and go around Hoan Kiem Lake. Have lunch and see Water Puppet show. Dinner in the old port of Hanoi. Take the late train to Lao Cai station to get to Sapa.
Day 4: Lao Cai – Sapa
Meals: B/L/D
Arrive early at Lao Cai train station and drive the spectacular mountainous views to Sapa. Transfer to the hotel for breakfast and then tour the village of Sapa. In the afternoon, take a 2 km trekking to Cat Cat Village, the home of H’mong ethnic. Later in the afternoon, go shopping and visit the local Sapa market where many of the ethnic minority groups gather to sell their local souvenirs. Overnight in Sapa.
Day 5: Sapa – Ha Noi
Meals: B/L/D
Leave Sapa for Lao Cai, and then go to Coc Ly tribal market. Here, we will have a chance to see H’mong and Dzao minority people in their most colorful costumes. Take a boat trip down the Chay river with a picnic lunch. Enjoy the scenic view from the river and trek to Dzao, Tay minority villages. On the way, visit the Vietnam – China International border. Return to Hanoi by late train. Overnight in train.
Day 6: Ha Noi – Ha Long
Meals: B/L/D
Arrive Hanoi early morning and have breakfast. Drive to Halong Bay. Visit the local floating fishing village and see the fisher’s daily life in the charming nature. During this time, you can also enjoy swimming and kayaking. Travel east to Hon Gai (approximately 170 km or three hours away from Hanoi), the gateway to Halong Bay. Upon your arrival in Halong, transfer to your cruise ship for an overnight cruise.
Day 7: Ha Long – Ha Noi
Meals: B/L/D
Explore Thien Cung Cave and Dau Go Grotto this morning as you continue your cruise on Halong Bay. Enjoy a freshly prepared seafood lunch on board before your return trip back to Hanoi. Return to Hanoi and then dinner and overgight in Ha Noi.
Day 8: Ha Noi – Hue
Meals: B/L/D
Early check out of hotel and drive to Noi Bai airport to Hue city, After check in hotel in Hue to visit the Imperial Citadel, have a lunch at a local restaurant with local specialty dishes. Visit where conical hats and incents are made and Dong Ba market (Hue). Dinner and Overnight in Hue.
Day 9: Hue
Meals: B/L/D
After breackfast in Hotel, take a boat ride along the Perfume River to the seven storeys Thien Mu Pagoda on the riverbank and then visit Khai Dinh Mausoleum. After lunch at the local Restaurant, will visit Tu Duc and Minh Mang Mausoleum. Have dinner the imperialistic King style Hue – Meal for the King “Com Vua” and enjoy “Hue – Royal Court Music”. Overnight in Hue.
Day 10: Hue – Da Nang – Hoi an
Meals: B/L/D
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Da Nang and Hoi An. On the road, you will sightsee one of the most beautiful sceneries along the Hai Van Pass, visit the Cham Museum (Danang) and have a seafood along the China beach (Da Nang). Check in Homestay in Hoi An, relax with the Host family and then take a cyclo ride/bicycle around Ancient Hoi An and visit the Phuc Kien hall, Japanese covered bridge, Tan Ky old house and the workshop of traditional occupation of Hoi An ancient town. Overnight in Homestay Hoi An.
Day 11: Hoi An
Meals: B/L/D
After breakfast, you will take a Vietnamese cooking class. The Host family will pick you up and take you to the local market to buy typical Vietnamese ingredients for cooking class. You will enjoy your lunch by the meal that was cooked. After that, your guide will pick you up to Hotel and after check in Hotel, you will take a boat to the traditional boat building area of Hoi An “Kim Bong Boat Village”. After have dinner, free time and overnight in Hoi An.
Day 12: Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh
Meals: B/L/D
Early check out of hotel in Hoi An, drive to Da Nang Airport to Ho Chi Minh City, stop at Marble Mountain (Danang). After check in Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, you will have a lunch at with local specialty dishes, relax and tour guide will pick you up for a city tour visiting the Old Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, grounds of the U.S. consulate and Ben Thanh Market. You will then go to China town and visit the Chinese temple.and have dinner. Free night for shopping at the midnight- market. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 13: Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta
Meals: B/L/D
After breakfast, depart to the Mekong Delta in Mỹ Tho Province. You will discover the Mekong Delta (Nine Dragon River), by boat and see the local lifestyle of the fisherman and local homes along the delta.You will then visit the manufacturing of coconut tree handicrafts, listen to the local Mekong Delta music at a local home, continue to see the orchards and a bee farm to taste natural honey and honey wine.Return to Ho Chi Minh City in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 14: Ho Chi Minh City – Tay Ninh & Cu Chi Tunnels
Meals: B/L/D
Today you will visit the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh. The focal point of the Cao Dai religion is called “Holy See” (one eye). Exactly 12 noon everyday there is a ceremony. Here you will be able to attend a memorable prayer service.Cao Dai also known as Caodaiism is a relatively monotheistic religion, officially established in the city of Tây Ninh, southern Vietnam in 1926.
After you will have lunch and to go back to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Củ Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War. The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters.
Have dinner. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 15: Ho Chi Minh – Home
Meals: B
Go to Tan Son Nhat Airport and return to your international destination.