Essentials of Vietnam 20 days 19 nights

Xin Chào, Welcome to Hanoi! You will be met at the airport and transferred to hotel in Hanoi. Renowned as the “Paris of the East”, Hanoi is one of Asia’s most delightful cities. Rich in culture and history this diverse city draws its influences from both French and Chinese culture. The rest of day is yours to enjoy. Check in the hotel from 14:00 PM. 17h30- 17h45 tour guide picks up for Ha Noi Street Food Tour - Tour guides will take tourists to eat at lots of special corners , alleys and restaurants of The Old Quarter that you might miss if you go by yourself to try variety of street foods and drinks such as:Bún chả ( Grilled pork with noodle), Phở bò,gà ( Beef, chicken noodle soup), Bún ốc (Snail noodle soup), Bánh cuốn ( Steamed rice papper rolls), Bánh gối ( Pillow dumpling), Nem rán ( Fried spring rolls), Bánh tôm (Shrimp dumpling), Bánh Mỳ (Vietnamese sandwich), Chè ( Sweet gruel soup), Bánh Bao (Vietnamese dumpling), Bánh khoai, chuối ( Sweet potato,Banana cake), Hoa quả dầm ( Mixture fresh-fruit), Bia Hơi (Fresh beer), Trà đá (Iced tea), Café trứng (Egg coffee) ……. - Tour ends at Hoan Kiếm Lake or anywhere convenient for tourists to return, and then tour guides will show them how to get back your hotels/hostels if tour has more than 2 groups otherwise we will take you back hotels. Overnight in Ha Noi.

Breakfast take-away and do check out. 6.30 - 7:00: the driver (no tour guide) picks up at the hotel and then depart for Sapa. You will spend around 5hrs on the car. You will have a short break time at the rest stop. 13.00: Arrive Sapa Town with colorful traditional costumes of H’mong, Dzao, Tay ethnic People. Enjoy the lunch with local Vietnamese dishes, check-in procedures 14.30: A short drive to the gate of Cat Cat village which is home of Black H’mong ethnic people and is located near the bottom of a deep valley at the foot of Fansipan Peak. Our local guide will show you the daily life activities of the locals, trek down to the valley bottom to the waterfall where the French built a Hydraulic Power Station; stop for photo with bridge and waterfall then you will walk uphill for bus to pick up to get back to Sapa in the afternoon. Trekking distance is about 2.5 kms and it lasts for 2 hours 17.00: Come back to Sapa Town. Have dinner and overnight in hotel with night activities Overnight in Sapa Notes: - Do check out hotel in Ha Noi - You can bring a small luggage on the tour. The rest of luggage can be sent at the reception. You will get it back when you come back to Ha Noi.

7.00 – 7.45: Have breakfast at hotel and prepare light pack for trekking 8.00: A short drive to Y Linh Ho then trek through the rice terraces and along Muong Hoa Stream to the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai to see the spectacular landscape of Hoang Lien Son Mountain after that heading to Ta Van village - home of Dzay ethnic people. Trekking distance is about 9 kms and it lasts for 3.5 hours 11.30: Bus picks you up at Ta Van Bridge to Sapa. 12.00 have lunch and time at leisure on your own. 14.00- 14:30 the driver pícks up at the hotel and then depart to Ha Noi. Come back to Ha Noi around 20:30 PM. Check in and free and easy. Overnight in Ha Noi.

08.00 – 8.30 Leave Ha Noi city for Ha Long International Cruise Port in Bai Chay town, Ha Long city. Refresh up at the lounge. 12.00 – 12.30 Embark Ha Long Cruise. Enjoy welcome drink and get a brief introduction about cruise and safety guidelines. Check-in your cabin. 13.15 Have lunch while cruising in the magnificent Ha Long Bay, admiring the fascinating nature, then anchor at Titop Island area. 15.00 – 16.00 Join a guided visit to Sung Sot Cave (also called Amazing Cave), one of the biggest and the most beautiful cave in Ha Long Bay. 16.00 – 17.00 Climb to the peak of Titop Island for the panorama view of the bay. Going down and relaxing on the beach, swimming in the crystal water. 17.20 Return Ha Long Cruise , enjoying the sunset while relaxing with Happy hour from now to dinner time at the bar. 18.00 Enjoy happy hours with various drinks on discounts. Take part in a cooking demonstration and food décor with our Chef 19.00 – 21.00 Dinner is served. Private dinner is available on requested 21.00 – 22.00 Time to join squid fishing with the crew, sing karaoke or just laze around or relax in your cabin. Overnight on Ha Long Cruise Notes: - Do check out hotel in Ha Noi - You can bring a small luggage on the tour. The rest of luggage can be sent at the reception. You will get it back when you come back to Ha Noi.  

06.30 Welcome a new day with amazing dawn on the Legendary Gulf of Tonkin. Refresh your body & soul by a Tai-chi lesson on sundeck. 07.00 – 08.00 Catch morning view of seascapes with a cup of tea or coffee, have breakfast while charming the labyrinth of Karst. 8.00 – 9.00 Join a guided to explore hidden parts of the bay, Luon cave. You share a sampan with other tourists with a local rower or taking a kayak on your own. 09.00 Return to Ha Long Cruise for shower. 09.30 Check out your room. Ha Long Cruise weighs the anchor to continue to roam the picturesque route toward Bai Chay bridge for photos. 10.50 Have lunch. 11.30 – 11.45 Disembark. Cruise ends. 12.00 – 16.30 Transfer back to Ha Noi City and trip finishes at the hotel around 16h30. Overnight in Ha Noi

07h30 – 8h00: Get picked up by our friendly guide then depart for Ninh Binh province 09h15: Have a short break for 15 – 20 minutes to relax 10h30: Visit Hoa Lư ancient capital of Vietnam between 968 and 1010. You have a chance to learn about Vietnamese history in the feudal system under Dinh, Le, and Ly Dynasty 11h45: Have a buffet lunch in the restaurant with a lot of local foods such as goat meat, fish, chicken, and fried rice …Vegetarian foods are always available in the buffet lunch 13h00: Visit Tam Coc by 1.5-hour bamboo boat. You will be surprised by the charming beauty here with paddy fields, river, water, cloud, sky, and a stunning cave system during the boat trip. All make a masterpiece that the Vietnamese people called “Ha Long Bay on land” 15h00: Continue the tour for 45 mins - cycling around the village to discover the life of the local people. 16h00: Get on the bus to return to Hanoi 18h00: Get dropped off at Hotel in Hanoi Overnight in Hanoi  

Breakfast at the hotel and do check out. 8.00- 8.30: Get picked up by our friendly guide and start to explore Hanoi City 08.45: Arrive at Tran Quoc Pagoda located on Golden Fish IsLand in West Lake It is the oldest pagoda in Ha Noi built in the 6th century. 09.30: Visit Ho Chi Minh complex, you have a chance to see the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh then walk around the garden to see 2 houses where he lived & worked from 1954 to 1969. Then visit One Pillar Pagoda where worships the Godess of Mercy – It is the most unique padoga in the world Should dress modestly by covering from shoulders to knees when visiting Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, temples, pagodas… Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays. Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed at least 2 months (15thJune -15thAugust) for the annual maintaining but still can take picture Mausoleum and visit around that area 11.15: Visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum to learn about the culture of 54 ethnic groups living in the whole country of Vietnam Special Note : we will visit Women Museum instead of Ethnology Museum closed on Mondays 12.45: Have lunch at our restaurant. You have an opportunity to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine with 8 delicious dishes. 14.00-14.15 : Continue to visit Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam, established in the 11 century 15.15: Leave for Hoa Lo Prison Museum which originally used by the French colonists in Indochina for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. During this later period, it was known to American POWs as the "Hanoi Hilton 16.15 -16.30: Back to hotel, then they are free time to shopping until the car transfer train station to the Hue, take night at 19:25 PM to Hue. Overnight on the train

Arrive Hue at 9:00 AM, The driver will pick you up at the train station, transfer to the hotel. All meak by your account. Free at your leisure time in Hue Overnight in Hue  

Breakfast at your hotel, the tour guide will pick up at 7:45 to 8:15 to discover Hue City 1.The Citadel 2.Thien Mu pagoda: free Noon: A short break and enjoy lunch (vegetarian food on request ) In the afternoon: 3 .Minh Mang tomb 4.Khai Dinh tomb 5.Conical hat making and Incense making village: free You have a chance to travel by boat for sight-seeing along the Perfume Rive and stop to visit a fishing village and sampan on the way back. Finishing the tour at boat station. Then, we transport you back to the hotel Overnight in Hue

In the morning: Pick up guests at the hotel at 07:30 am by bus and drive to Hoi An. Arrive Hoi An at 12:00 to 13:00, please find your hotel, the bus does not drop off at the hotel in a town. Free time to visit Hoi an as Phuc Kien Temple, Tan Ky Ancient House, Phung Hung Ancient house, Japanese Bridge and cultural showroom in Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An

Breakfast at the hotel 08:30 AM Local guide pick up at the hotel - Go to market with our chef (about 30 minutes) - We will have a chance to see and experience the noise as well as directly contact sellers. In addition to this, we will show the ingredients for use in our lesson. 09:15- Transfer to Cam Thanh village by car or boat on the way, you can explore the beautiful views of the Vietnamese countryside, and see the water and coconut trees growing together. 11:00- Enjoy a welcome drink and take a rest at our restaurant, then join the cooking class. Our chef will teach you how to cook some local food. After the lesson, enjoy what you have cooked. 13:00- PM Keep your moving to Hoi An city and depart to My Son Sanctuary - The World Cultural Heritage. 14:30- Arrive at My SonSanctuaryand we'll have 2 hours to discover the site by walking throughout the landscape, learning histories with our local English-speaking guide, and enjoying the Champa's traditional performances. 16:30- Get back to minivan then transfer to the wharf for taking a boat trip to Hoi An with a nice and cool breeze on boarding, beautiful sunset river scenery on the biggest river in Vietnam Central named Thu Bon River. Get your camera ready for the amazing moment of local people's activities along the river 18:00- Arrive at Hoi An, we will drop you at your hotel. Overnight in Hoi An

Breakfast at Hoi An, free and easy until the driver takes you to Da Nang airport take flight to Nha Trang. Notes: you can book anyime of flight from Da Nang to Nha Trang. If you need a support to book this flight, please contact us. Arrive Nha Trang! Our driver picks you up at the airport transfer to hotel for a rest. Check in time from 14:00 PM Overnight in Nha Trang

8:30 – 9:00. Bus will pick you up at your hotel, then move to Cau Da port. From here, you will be on the vessel to begin the journey. Visit of Mun island: Mun island is the first park for conservation of marine life in Vietnam, where is appropriate for the growth of corals and tropical marine species. When coming here, tour guide will also give you the support equipment such as snorkel, goggles, life jackets for snorkeling to see corals and many other colorful sea creatures. Time for lunch Visit Mot island: We also have performance showed by our own music band to help tourists interact and relax. We make sure that it will give you unforgettable memories in the romantic Nha Trang sea. Visit Tam island: Here, you can swim next to a white sandy beach or in a swimming pool with 2,700 square metres wide. Come back to Cau Da port. Overnight in Nha Trang

Breakfast at Nha Trang, shuttle bus picks you up at your hotel and transfers to Da Lat. Arrive Da Lat! the shuttle bus will drop you off at the hotel. Check in hotel and free time  Overnight in Da Lat 

Breakfast at the hotel. Free and easy day to discover Da Lat city. Overnight in Da Lat

Breakfast at hotel and take the bus to Ho Chi Minh city, it spends 6 hours to Ho Chi Minh city, Arrive Sai Gon, the bus will drop you off at the central so please take the taxi to your hotel check in hotel  Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Breakfast at the hotel and do check out 7h00- 7h15 AM pick up you at your hotel. A smooth one and half hour bus ride passing the green rice fields, leads you to the beautiful rural Mỹ Tho town. Arrive to Mỹ Tho town , visit Vinh Trang pagoda an oldest ancient one in Southern Vietnam. Known as the largest pagoda and the most special architecture in Mekong Delta. Its architecture was influenced by Vietnamese culture and Khmer’s culture as well as European’s architecture The morning trip continues on the motorized boat on the Tien River to the Qui (Tortoise islet). On the way, you will view the fishing port, stilt houses, boat-building workshops, the other Dragon, Phoenix and Unicorn Islet. The cruise will lead you through Bao Dinh canal to enter Ben Tre province, "the country of coconut", to see a typical agricultural model call "Garden - Pond – Cage” then enjoy coconut candy mill and the relaxing honey tea. Then the amazing rowing boat trip on the small canal - fully covered by the shadow of the water coconut’s tree and cool breezes is something you cannot miss. Lunch will be served right in the heart of the orchard garden. After lunch, we will walk along the village, visit fruit garden, enjoy the tropical fruit while you are listening to the sound of "Southern Vietnamese folk music" performed by the islanders. Here we also can join the daily activities of the local people and enjoy the atmosphere of this beautiful natural countryside. Your expectations will be fulfilled by final boat trip back to MyTho on the Tan Thach natural canal. Then take a short walking through the narrow village path to the bus and process to Can Tho city. Arrive to Can Tho city, check in 3-star hotel. Then the bus pick you up at hotel and have dinner on the boat Overnight in Can Tho Notes: - Do check out hotel in Ho Chi Minh - You can bring a small luggage on the tour. The rest of luggage can be sent at the reception. You will get it back when you come back to Ho Chi Minh.

After breakfast, you first take the boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong River. The boat trip later takes you to the Cai Rang floating market, which is the most original ones and bustling places of the region. Have you tried the Vietnamese vermicelli noodle? So, you will go and see how it is made. After that, you will trek along the village to get in touch with the local people. Here, you have a chance to experience how to pass a "Monkey bridge" which is built by only one bamboo. Leaving the village, you will go to visit My Khánh Tourist Village and have lunch there. Then, our bus will transfer you back Ho Chi Minh city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

PICK UP: 07:30 – 08:00 (the time of pick up depends on customer’s hotel/ accommodation’s exact position). RETURN: 19:00 Take the morning trip to visit Independence Palace, also known at the Reunification palace, was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. Continue seeing the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office. Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of the both the Indochina wars. Have lunch at local restaurant. Depart for Cu Chi tunnel, the trip will take approximately one and a half hours bus driving. Upon arrival, before exploring the tunnels, you will have some short introduction followed by introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of the war time. Then, spend your time to explore the remaining area and tunnel systems which included the special constructed living areas with kitchens, bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers helping whoever lives inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are also many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the maze-like tunnels for security purpose during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla’s food during the war) will be served. Break time for relax or time for those who want to try the real shooting gun. Return to Ho Chi Minh city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Breakfast at hotel then fee and easy until the driver picks you up at your hotel and transfers to Tan Son Nhat airport for departure flight Note: Check out time before 12:00 at noon. End of trip!