Day 01: Welcome to Vietnam – Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City | (-, -, D) |
Arrival day. Greetings at the airport, we are transferred to hotel for check in and tour briefing. We can acclimatize ourselves with a walking tour in the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City - the biggest city in Vietnam as: The former Presidential Palace, The War museum, The Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, Ben Thanh Market. A welcome Vietnamese dinner to be hosted by VNR Travel. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 02: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Del | (B, L, -) |
This day we will have chance to sample life in the Mekong River area by a full day trip exploration to My Tho. Take a leisurely boat-ride to fruit farms and markets bustling with Delta life. Sample local foods and fruit, and the rich bounty of the Mekong. Afternoon return to Ho Chi Minh City for the night. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 03: Ho Chi Minh City – Danang - Hoian | (B, -, -) |
Morning flight to Danang. After a visit to the world-famous Cham Museum in Danang, and an introduction to the history and culture of Champa, we’ll drive to Hoian Town, 30 Km. south of Danang. Start from your hotel in Hoian and explore the town’s winding streets and centuries-old architecture, which combines Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese influences. Hoian was a major Asian trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries whose architecture and relaxed lifestyle has changed little over the years. Highlights are the Chinese Assembly Hall, homes of the old merchant families, ancient temples, and the Japanese Bridge.Overnight in Hoian.
Day 04: Hoian – Tra Que village | (B, L, -) |
After a short drive through the local countryside we arrive at Tra Que Village, and the home of your host. A welcome drink of freshly picked fruits is waiting, before we take a walk around the village and learn about the history and customs of this charming village. We walk through the market gardens where hundreds of local farmers work their fields using the traditional methods of hundreds of years ago - no electrical machinery here.
We return to the home of host, and this is where the real fun begins. Everyone is given farming instruments, and we set about joining the farmers in preparing the land for sewing. Our guide describes the traditional farming methods while we help fertilize the garden using riverweed from the local river, and then water it using huge tin cans strapped to our back. Time is then spent picking vegetables and herbs, and learning how to wrap them to prevent damage.
Afternoon we take a leisure cycling along the Cua Dai beach return to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoian.
Day 05: Hoi An - Da Nang - Hue | (B, -, -) |
Leaving Hoi An, We drive to Danang - Hue. Today, discovery the ancient capital during Nguyen’s Dynasty and the self-proclaimed intellectual and artistic center of Vietnam. We enjoy a leisure trip on the quiet and peaceful Perfume River and a chance to visit Thien Mu Pagoda. Rejoin the car to visit the Imperial Citadel and Khai Dinh Tomb and Dong Ba busy- market. Overnight in Hue.
Day 06: Hanoi Sightseeings | (B, -, -) |
Take the short flight to Hanoi, Meet your guide at hotel and start a full day city tour of Vietnam’s capital. Hanoi is a unique city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and oriental temples. We’ll see the city’s outstanding historical and cultural sites: President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, House on Stilts, One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, and become acquainted with Viet Nam’s two major religions, Buddhism and Confucianism. We get back to the very heart of Hanoi for a walk around the Lake of the Restored Sword then explore the famous Old Quarter of 36 guild streets by rickshaw. Evening highlight is a performance of the internationally renowned water puppetry theater. Return to hotel and finish the memorable trip. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 07: Hanoi – Halong Bay Overnight Cruise | (B, L, D) |
In the morning, we start our exploration day by a ride to Halong Bay, northeast of Hanoi and enter into the Red River Delta, rich with rural beauty and picturesque rice-farming villages. Not just pictures, we can stop for close-up views of buffalos ploughing, women in conical hats scooping their paddies. Once reaching Halong Bay, we board our cruise and set sail for an extraordinary cruise of Halong Bay. Declared as the World Heritage Site twice for its nature beauty and geological by UNESCO, we’ll cruise through its three-thousand islands and rich rock-formations and stop at Ga Choi Island, Dinh Huong Island, Dog Island, Sail Island… You’ll be able to sample the rich seafood served on-board while viewing the islands. Late afternoon we have chance to explore the bay on our kayaks. We’ll close out the day by a romatic dinner and overnight on board.
Day 08: Halong Bay - Hanoi | (B, L, -) |
Wake-up for sun shine and morning coffee then we take a bamboo boat to visit Sung Cot Cave – one of the largest in Halong Bay. We then continue our exploration by the cruise pass-by the city’s market – Hon Gai and enjoy our last seafood lunch on-board before get back to Halong City. Our car will take us back to Hanoi in the afternoon.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 09: Hanoi – Luang Prabang | (B, -, -) |
Free until transfer to the airport for flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to the hotel. Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos. After a short rest, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat Mai; we then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred, gilded stupa as well as capture a beautiful view of the city and the Mekong River at sunset. From there, we visit the Night Market, where you can browse a lovely selection of handmade textiles, made by the local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 10: Luang Prabang – Pak Ou Cave – Khouangsi Waterfall | (B, -, -) |
An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. You will visit the morning Phosi Market where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings.
AM: After breakfast, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a panoramic view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious of Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Along the way, we stop at the small village of Ban Xanghai, where the local rice wine is distilled. We return to Luang Prabang in the afternoon, on the way we take a short drive to Ban Phanom, a small village well known for its hand weaving.
PM: We continue our excursion toward Khouangsi Waterfall, en route, we visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, Hmong Village, Ban Ou, Laoloum Village and Ban Thapene, Khmu Village, then drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can splash around in the turquoise pools or walk along the forest trails. We return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon and continue to Ban Xangkhong, a village well known for silk hand weaving and for traditional Saa Paper making. We return to the city by late evening to observe the sunset at Wat Phabath. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 11: Luang Prabang - Vientiane | (B, -, -) |
The National Museum (close Tuesday) at the former Royal Palace, displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign. The National Museum and the Central Market are not to be missed. We visit these sights in the morning before catching our flight back to Vientiane.
Upon arrival in Vientiane, we see the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket, the temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to Lao’s national precious heritage, the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop en route to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. We watch the sunset by Mekong Riverside and spend the evening here absorbing the city’s nightlife. Overnight in Vientiane.
Day 12: Departure from Vientiane | (B, -, -) |
After breakfast, we visit the Morning Market and the weaving village of Ban Nong Bouathong (if time permits). The tour ends after your transfer to Wattay airport for departure.
Ho Chi Minh - Da Nang, Hue - Hanoi, Hanoi – Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang -V ientiane
TOUR PACKAGE
Suggested Accommodation by VNR Travel:
Location | ACCOMMODATION | ||
Luxury | Deluxe | Superior | |
HO CHI MINH CITY | Majestic Hotel | Grand Hotel | Huong Sen Hotel |
HOIAN | Palm Garden Resort | Hoian Trails Resort | Vinh Hung 2 Hotel |
HUE | Laresidence Hotel | Imperial Hotel | Romance Hotel |
HANOI | De L’Opera Hotel | Silk Path | Church Boutique |
HALONG BAY | Indochina Sails | Victory Cruise | Image Junks |
LUANG PRABANG | Villa Maly Hotel | Villa Santi Hotel | Sala Prabang |
VIENTIANE | Lao Plaza | Mercure | Sengtawan Riverside |
VNR Travel Co., LTD
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Tel: 84.24 3715 3538 - 84.24 3715 3558
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