Vietnam discovery 19 days (from HCM city)

Day 1 : Ho Chi Minh City and arrival (D)
Arrive at Tan Son Nhat airport. Welcome by your local guide and driver. Transfer to your hotel. Take an orientation tour in the afternoon (if time permits). Welcome dinner. Overnight at your chosen hotel in HCM City.

Day 2 : Ho Chi Minh City tour (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Start your sightseeing tour at the Reunification Palace, which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until the end of the war in April 1975. Then visit some impressive French colonial structures including Notre Dame Cathedraland the Old Central Post Office. Tour of town and Thien Hau and Quan Am pagoda. After seeing the Emperor Jade Pagoda and the War Remnants Museum, we end the city tour at Ben Thanh market where anything and everything is for sale. Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in HCM City.

Day 3 : Ho Chi Minh City – Tay Ninh – Cu Chi tunnels (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive west to Tay Ninh, headquarters of Cao Dai region. On arrival, attend the fantastic mid-day temple service when followers fill the hall wearing colored robes, a symbol of the curious combination of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. On the way back, visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground network of tunnels constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the struggle for independence. The tunnels contained hospitals, accommodation, etc. and were used as a military base for the Vietcong during the American war. Drive back to HCMC. Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in HCM City.

Day 4 : Ho Chi minh city – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Can Tho (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Cai Be by car/van, stopping to take photos in Tan An town overlooking the picturesque flat rice fields. On arrival in Cai Be, set off by motor boat to visit the Cai Be floating marketand watch the locals trading fruit and many other commodities on board their vessels. Then wander into the small villages to visit the orchard and fruit plantation. Keep cruising to Vinh Long through a series of small canals to experience the charms of the Upper Mekong Delta. Visit a small family business to see how coconut candy and crispy rice popcorn are made. Arrive in Binh Hoa Phuoc village, the green pearl ofVinh Long town, where you can immerse yourself in nature. Enjoy a lunch of fresh river food served in the heart of the garden accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music. Transfer by motor boat to a small village in Cai Rang district. Check into your riverside cottage. In the afternoon, go cycling or trekking around the village to experience the rural lifestyle of the HCM people. Join a family as they prepare dinner, then share the meal with them. Enjoy an evening of traditional folk music with your neighbors. Overnight in your riverside cottage.

Day 5 : Phong Dien – Cai Rang (B/L)
After breakfast, take the morning boat trip to visit the Phong Dien floating market which is at its busiest at this time of day. Keep cruising through the small channels system and visit a rice noodle making village. Experience the “Monkey Bridge” in the Delta. Visit a secondfloating market (Cai Rang). Break for lunch. Return to HCM City.

Day 6 : Ho Chi Minh City – Da Lat (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Da Lat via National highway 20. Enjoy the smooth drive and the beautiful landscapes. Stop for photos at the La Nga lake and the floating village. Visit the Dambri waterfall. Lunch at a local restaurant. Proceed to Da Lat and visit the tea and coffee plantations in Lien Khuong. At leisure in the late afternoon. Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Dalat.

Day 7 : Da Lat city tour (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Da Lat via National highway 20. Enjoy the smooth drive and the beautiful landscapes. Stop for photos at the La Nga lake and the floating village. Visit the Dambri waterfall. Lunch at a local restaurant. Proceed to Da Lat and visit the tea and coffee plantations in Lien Khuong. At leisure in the late afternoon. Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Dalat.

Day 8 : Da Lat – Nha Trang (B/L)
Breakfast at resort. Depart for Nha Trang. Lunch en route. Stop for photos at the Polongiarai Cham tower, the Ngoan Muc pass and Canh Ranh bay on the way to Nha Trang. At leisure in the afternoon. Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Nha Trang.

Day 9 : Nha Trang and its off shore island (B/L)
Breakfast at your hotel. Take the morning boat trip to visit the offshore islands including Hon Mun, Mot island. See the Tri Nguyen Aquarium. Lunch on Hon Tam island. Free time for swimming. Return to Nha Trang. Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Nha Trang.

Day 10 : Nha Trang – Da Nang – Hoi An (B)
Breakfast at your hotel. Free until transfer to Cam Ranh airport for boarding flight No VN 336 to Da Nang (12:05 – 13:20). Pick up and transfer to Hoi An Ancient town. Free in the afternoon. Dinner on guest’s account.

Overnight at your chosen hotel in Hoi An.

Day 11 : Hoi An – My Son – Hoi An (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for My Son to visit the Cham Holy Land, a World Heritage site. Afterwards stroll around the town, visit theJapanese Covered Bridge, the Pottery Museum, Tan Ky old house, the Cantonese congregation, the silk street of Hoi An and theDanang-style temples and pagodas. Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Hoi An.

Day 12 : Hoi An – Hue (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Hue via Danang, visit the Marble mountain, the Cham museum. Stop for photos at the Hai Van passand Lang Co beach. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Visit Dong Ba market, the Imperial Citadel from where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945, and the ruins of the Purple Forbidden City. Enjoy a dinner cruise and night boat trip accompanied by a performance of Hue folk songs. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Hue.

Day 13 : Hue – Ha Noi (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Cruise on the Perfume River to visit the royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, Thien Mu pagoda and the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang, in a setting of gardens and lakes. Lunch at a local restaurant. Transfer to Phu Bai airport for boarding flight No VN 244 to Hanoi (14:55 – 16:10). Pick up at Noi Bai airport and transfer to hotel. Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Hanoi.

Day 14 : Ha Noi City Tour (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, containing the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts and the One Pillar Pagoda. Continue to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Hoan Kiem lake, Ngoc Son temple, Tran Quoc pagoda and Quan Thanh temple. Cyclo ride around the old quarter streets from Hang Dau to Hang Gai. Dinner on guest’s account Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi and transfer to Hanoi railway station for boarding the Express Train to Laocai. Overnight in an air-conditioned soft sleeper wooden cabin. (4 pax/cabin or 2 pax/cabin on request).

Day 15 : Lao Cai – Catcat – SinChai ( 4 hours trekking, 12 km, 2 villages ) (B/L/D)
6 : 00 am – Arrive at Laocai train station. Welcome by your local guide and driver. Transfer to your hotel. Have breakfast and a shower. Trek around 12 km to visit two villages of the Black H’mong (Catcat and SinChai). Enjoy a picnic lunch by a waterfall and see the hydroelectric power station established by the French. Jeep from Catcat back to Sapaat around 4pm. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Sapa.

Day 16 : Sapa – Giang TaChai – Sapa ( 5 hours trekking, 17 km, 3 villages ) (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel. Head for the valley by jeep to visit two villages of the H’mong and the Dzay. Picnic lunch en route or with a local family. Visit the Red Dzao in Giang TaChai village, stopping off to see a picturesque waterfall and suspension bridge. Walk up to the road and take the jeep back to Sapa. Dinner at a local restaurant. Transfer to Laichai train station for boarding the Express to Ha Noi (20:15 – 5:00).

Day 17 : Ha Noi – Ha long (B/L/D)
Arrive in Hanoi at around 5:30am. Pick up at the train station and leave for Ha Long through the Red River Delta. Arrive in Halong Bay and board the Huong Hai Junk. Have lunch, then visit Ha Long Bay, Thien Cung cave, Dau Go cave, Tuan Chau island, Dog island, Sail island and Ti Top Beach. Have dinner on the junk, whilst enjoying the sunset. Drinks and overnight on the junk. (Optional: Kayaking).

Day 18 : Ha long – Hanoi (B/L)
Have breakfast. Visit man’s head island, Tortoise island, Toad island, Bai Tho mountain. Return and have lunch on the junk. Back to Halong wharf. Coach trip back to Hanoi. Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Ha noi.

Day 19 : Ha Noi – Departure
Breakfast at the hotel. Free for shopping until transfer to Noi Bai airport for departure.

End of services.

Vietnam discovery 19 days : HCM city- Tay Ninh- Cu Chi- Cai Be- Vinh Long- Can Tho – Phong Dien- Cai Rang- HCM city- Da Lat- Nha Trang- Danang- Hoi An- My Son- Hue- Hanoi- Sapa- Halong bay- END

Included:

• A/c private car/van/minibus for pick up, transfer & sightseeing as per program
• Domestic flights: Nha Trang – Da Nang; Hue – Hanoi (economy class)
• English speaking tour guide
• Private boat trips in the Mekong Delta, Nhatrang, Hue
• Share cruise in Ha Long Bay
• Kayaking paddles
• A/c private soft sleeper cabin: Hanoi – Lai Cai – Hanoi ( 2 – 4pax/Cabin )
• All entrance fees
• Hotel accommodation based on Twin or Double room share
• Meals as indicated in the tour program (B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
• Approved invitation letter for Vietnamese visa

Excluded:

• International flight to/from Vietnam
• Vietnamese entry visa fee : /person
• Travel insurance
• Drinks & other meals not mentioned in the program.