HA NOI – HA LONG – HUE – DA NANG – HOI AN – SAIGON – MEKONG DELTA

Day: 13 days/12 nights

Itinerary for

Arrive at Noi Bai airport by …….

Transfer with ESG to InterContinental hotel in Hanoi.

Accommodation at Hanoi hotel

Meals included: none

Pick up at hotel

Private transfer from your hotel in Hanoi to Halong Bay (approx. 4 hours drive). Discover the wonders of Halong Bay with your very own private junk. Board the Legend Halong at Tuan Chau Marina and enjoy a welcome cocktail while slowly sailing to Bai Tu Long Bay. Savour a delicious Vietnamese lunch on board.

The Legend Halong cruises on to the Sung Sot cave. Visit Sung Sot cave – the most beautiful cave in the Bay. Participate at a cooking class on board and learn how to prepare traditional Vietnamese dishes. Watch the sun slowly set while the junk cruises to its anchorage point for the night. Dinner is served on the deck or in the restaurant.

Overnight onboard

Meals included: Lunch, Dinner

Greet the day during the morning Tai Chi lesson or take the opportunity to view the sunrise on deck.

The Legend Halong boat weighs its anchor to cruise and visit the Dark and Bright Lagoon and explore the cave by kayak. 

Enjoy brunch while the junk takes you back to the Tuan Chau Marina. Private transfer to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi with a Cyclo Tour in the old quarter of Hanoi (if time permits).

Evening flight to Hue by  …..                    

Meet your guide upon arrival at Phu Bai International Airport in Hue and transfer to hotel.

Accommodation at hotel

Meals included: Brunch

Breakfast at hotel. Start the day with a 40 minute boat trip on the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda. Visit a garden house in Kim Long Village, this village used to be the residential area for the Mandarins and many of the old houses have been persevered. Explore the royal residences and temples in the Imperial Citadel, where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

The impressive royal mausoleums are set in wonderful natural landscapes along the river south of Hue. Visit the enormous tomb of Tu Duc and the unique tomb of Khai Dinh. Back in Hue, take time to stroll around the lively and colourful Dong Ba Market.

Accommodation at hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast at hotel. Drive north of Hue to Vinh Moc (approx.. 2 hours drive). On the way visit the Hien Luong Bridge and cross the Ben Hai River, which demarcated North and South Vietnam. The network of tunnels in Vinh Moc was built by locals to shield them from bombing by the US forces. The underground village took 18 months to construct, and for over 4 years more than 90 families lived in the 2 km long tunnels. The tunnels have 13 entrances, 3 levels and bomb shelters which go 23 meters into the ground. On the way back to Hue visit the ruins of Quang Tri Citadel where, in 1972, a fierce battle raged for 81 days. Its museum displays photographs, war remnants and artillery. Lunch is taken at a local restaurant on the way.

Accommodation at hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast at hotel. Leave Hue over the Hai Van (Sea Cloud) Pass. Enjoy spectacular views of the coastline. Visit the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Danang, it has the world’s largest collection of Cham artefacts and displays around 300 pieces dating from the 5^th to the 15^th centuries. After the museum visit, lunch is taken in a local restaurant in Danang. Continue the short distance to your hotel in direction Hoi An.

Accommodation at hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: At leisure for own activities.

Afternoon: Discover Hoi An Ancient Town, which used to be a prosperous seaport city during the 15th to 18th centuries by foot. Visit the assembly hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation (Phuc Kien Hoi Quan), the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Tan Ky House, the Museum of Folk Culture and the handicraft workshop “Reaching Out Arts & Crafts”. See how traditional Vietnamese handicrafts are performed in this social business, operating according to Fair Trade principles. A scenic boat trip brings you to the Red Bridge Restaurant. Enjoy a local dinner and do not miss to visit the restaurant’s herb garden. (Rainy season Sep-Jan: Dinner at local restaurant in Hoi An.)

Accommodation at hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast at hotel. Day free at leisure.

Accommodation at hotel

Meals included: Breakfast

Breakfast at hotel. Time free at leisure until transfer to Danang International Airport for your morning flight to Saigon. Meet your guide upon arrival and transfer to hotel. Lunch is taken at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the War Remnants Museum Museum (alternative: FITO Museum - Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine). The museum shows that war is horribly brutal, so be mentally prepared. Visit the bustling Ben Thanh Market and test your bargaining skills for anything from food to clothes to souvenirs. Finish the day with a visit to a rooftop bar (free-flow of soft drinks, fruit juices, water and beer).

Accommodation at hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast at hotel. Visit the former Presidential Palace, now known as Reunification Palace, where recent history has been made. Continue to the Central Post Office, designed by Gustave Eiffel, and marvel at the famous mosaic of Ho Chi Minh on its far wall. Discover the central district 1 further on a walking tour, passing by the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House and the City Hall.

Lunch at a local restaurant

Afternoon at free leisure.

Accommodation at hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast at hotel. Private transfer from hotel in Saigon to the Mekong Delta (approx. 2.5 hours, 110 km), popularly known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam.

Board your private Cai Be Princess sampan (CBP-02).

Your crew welcomes you on board with cold towels and a refreshing drink while your sampan sets off for its leisurely cruise on the busy waterways. Observe from the comfort of your sampan life as it plays out on the riverbanks - the people, the stunning landscapes – while your attentive crew serves you tea and seasonal fruit. Visit an ancient house built in the 19^th century. You make stops along the way to provide glimpses of local cottage industries: coconut candy and puffed rice (the local equivalent of popcorn), products that provide a living for the river people. Your cruise ends at Le Longanier Restaurant. Lunch is served in this exquisite colonial-style villa set in a lush tropical garden by the river, surrounded by fruit trees, giving you a sense of life during Indochinese times.

After lunch, re-board the Cai Be Princess and continue your cruise towards Vinh Long, via the Dong Phu Canal, before arriving at Binh Hoa Phuoc and An Binh, small islands renowned for their fruit orchards. Stop on the way to visit historic An Binh Church. After crossing the Co Chien River, your sampan docks at Vinh Long Pier at around 16:30 pm, where your driver awaits for the drive towards Can Tho. Farewell dinner at a nice local restaurant.

Accommodation at VICTORIA CAN THO

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at hotel. Take an early morning boat trip to Cai Rang Floating Market, the biggest floating market in the delta. Visit a steamy local rice noodle factory. Before you leave Can Tho you visit a Khmer temple and the Binh Thuy Ancient House. Numerous local and foreign directors have chosen it as movie set, the most famous being the French movie L’amant (The Lover) directed by Jean-Jacques Arnaud.

Back to SGN.

Accommodation at hotel

Meals included: Breakfast

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer with ESG to airport for departure flight by

Meals included: Breakfast

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*** Itinerary is subject to change depending on confirmed flights, road conditions, availability of rooms and weather conditions. ***

Inclusions

• Accommodation in shared double/twin room
• Transportation in air-conditioned vehicle (Toyota Innova or similar) including cold towels, snacks, soft drinks, water and beer
• Tour & services with English or French or German speaking local guides
• Entrance & boat fees
• Meals as mentioned in the program (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner) including soft drinks, fruit juices, water and beer
• Small expenses such as fruits, souvenirs and baggage handling
• Surprise picnic with a bottle of sparkling wine and snacks on Cai Be Princess

Late check-out or early check-in have to be paid on the spot.

 Itinerary is subject to change depending on confirmed flights, road conditions

availability of rooms and weather.

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* We wish you a pleasant trip! *