Experiential Vietnam: 10-Nights
$2299 per person
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*prices are CAD per person, private trip for 2 pax. This trip can be modified based on your request. If you have a group you’re traveling with, the pricing per person is reduced and will be quoted based on total number of guests in your party. International airfare and the two domestic flights are not included; please contact us for preferred rates and schedules.
Experience the wonders of Vietnam, as you travel from North to South. Enjoy the old streets of Hanoi, stunning scenery of Halong Bay on a day cruise, Central Vietnam to explore the cities of Hue and Hoi An, the Colonial City of Saigon with it’s stunning French architecture. Complete with English speaking guides, many meals, and much more!
What’s Included: airport transfers, private air conditioned vehicle, 4-star Superior accommodation, daily breakfast, lunches and dinners as indicated, English speaking guides, admissions and tours as mentioned, bicycle, 2 bottles of mineral water per person per day on bus on days of transfer and sightseeing only
What’s Not Included: International Airfare and two domestic flights ($400 CAD approx), Meals (other than mentioned in the program), drinks, Visas to Vietnam, Mineral water beyond that supplied,Tips, Early check in or late check out, Insurance, Items of a personal nature (Phone calls, laundry, beverages…), Peak season surcharges if any, All not mentioned above
Call for assistance: 1-800-481-9739 ext. 1
Mention Promo Code for Savings: TMJ
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Destination
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Arrival City
Hanoi, Vietnam -
Departure City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -
Activity Level
Moderate/Fairly Active -
Passenger Limit
N/A
1
Arrival in Hanoi & city orientation
Upon arrival in Hanoi, you're welcomed by your guide and driven to the hotel for check-in. Take the rest of the morning to rest a bit and refresh. In the afternoon, we will take a orientation tour of Hanoi. First we walk from our hotel across the former residential colonial district. We pass in front of the Opera House, the legendary Metropole hotel and we reach the shores of the Hoan Kiem lake. The guide will tell you the story of the legendary turtle. We then enter the old quarter and indulge in a refreshment break on a rooftop café, where we have a view over the entire 36-street district. We then transfer by car to the Tran Quoc pagoda, an icon of Hanoi and the oldest temple of the city. Hanoi has over 100 lakes. We then begin an electric cart ride around the largest of the lakes called Ho Tay. It will give us a glimpse of a more modern and westernized Hanoi. We return to the hotel to refresh before dinner is served in a nice restaurant, a short walk away from the hotel. Overnight in Hanoi
Accommodation: The Lapis Hotel
Meals Provided: Dinner
2
Hanoi, city in depth
Today we get to visit the city more in depth. Our day is filled with cultural visits and slices of daily life. We start with the Museum of Women, a quite underestimated museum yet probably one of the best documented cultural spaces of the city. We continue to the Temple of Literature, a must-see landmark in Hanoi, the first university of the country, and a treasure of History and ancient architecture. For lunch, we go to a restaurant nearby that serves as a social enterprise, providing vocational training to disadvantaged youths of the region. In the afternoon, we walk up the beautiful Hung Vuong Avenue and enter the gardens of the Presidential Palace, where we visit the one-pillar pagoda and the house-on-stilts of Ho chi Minh. From there we drive along Phan Dinh Phung Avenue in the former administrative colonial district until we reach the doorsteps of the old quarter. Three-wheel cyclos are waiting us here to take us on a nice ride all across the old quarter and along the Hoan Kiem Lake. Overnight in Hanoi
Accommodation: The Lapis Hotel
Meals Provided: Breakast, Lunch
3
Hanoi – Halong bay – Hanoi
Early breakfast for an early departure to the coast. We take a 2.30-hour drive across the Red River delta to the recently opened Pha Got pier, in the South of Halong. There we board a beautiful boat and start our day cruise along the Northern edge of Cat Ba Island and into Lan Ha bay, one of the least traveled corners of Halongs archipelago. The cruise lasts from 10.30 to about 17.00, it includes a somptuous lunch on board, the exploration of lagoons by kayak or rowed sampan and a cooking demonstration. You will have plenty of time to relax and admire the limestone rocks. Upon disembarkation, we drive to your hotel in Hanoi, rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi
Accommodation: The Lapis Hotel
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch
4
Hanoi – Mai Chau
The guide meets you in the lobby of your hotel at 8am for departure. We head west to the valley of Mai Chau. It takes about 4 hours including rest stop break along the way. Mai Chau is a circus surrounded by high limestone mountains and covered with ricefields, stretches of forest and other seasonal crops. From the top of the last pass we drive up, we will stop and you can see the whole valley dotted with hamlets of wooden houses on stilts. Welcome to the White Thai lands. We leave the touristy spots of Mai Chau behind and travel a bit farther into a remote valley. We arrive at a family-run guesthouse on stilts, where lunch will be served. Dine in the traditional Thai ethnic style, sitting around a nice set of various dishes to share. After lunch, we start a walk from the village to explore this valley further. We travel on small trails passing along various seasonal crops, the opportunity to meet locals at work and to learn more about the ancestral rural lifestyle in these mountains. Later in the afternoon, we do a short transfer to a beautiful ecolodge. Check-into your private bungalow. Spend some time at the swimming pool before heading to dinner. Overnight in Mai Chau
Accommodation: Mai Chau Ecolodge
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5
Mai Chau – Pa Co – Hanoi – fly to Hue
We depart early this morning to travel about 30 kilometres to the North and the heights of the province in Pa Co. We leave the White Thai lands to enter the Hmong territories. Every Sunday, a colourful market is held in Pa Co. It is smaller than the most famous ones around Sapa, but also much less touristy and much more intimate. We take the time to enjoy the weekly event. We then drive back towards Hanoi. We stop in Hoa Binh city to have lunch at the Muong museum, a large space that offers a nice setting for lunch but also features a numerous artifacts about the Muong ethnic culture. An opportunity to learn more about them after having rub shoulders with Thai and Hmong people. In the late afternoon, we arrive at Hanoi’s airport to take a flight to Hue. We are greeted in Hue and driven to the hotel. End of the day at leisure. Overnight in Hue
Accommodation: Eldora Hotel
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch
6
Hue, heritage and people
Hue was a cradle of culture, the Nguyen Emperors made it their capital and traces of this period of grandeur are still very visible all around the city. This morning we start with a visit to Emperor Tu Duc’s tomb, a large space that served as a palatial retreat to the emperor and his wives before his death. We continue to the nearby village of the Mandarins. A hamlet of ancient houses built by the Mandarins of the Emperors. These beautiful garden houses are today inhabited by their descendants and still surrounded by lush fruit trees including the famous thanh tra fruit, a special kind of grapefruit grown specially for the Emperors. We explore the village on a bicycle (about 8 kilometers on narrow flat roads) and arrive at house for a home hosted lunch. After lunch we take a boat trip on the Perfume River to go visit the imperial citadel, a landmark not to be missed in Vietnam. We exit the citadel and visit nearby the workshop and gallery of Truc Chi. A contemporary artist who created his own art based on bamboo paper carving. We return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Evening at leisure. Overnight in Hue
Accommodation: Eldora Hotel
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch
7
Hue – Lang Co – Hoi An
Enjoy a relaxing morning. We depart mid-morning after breakfast and make our way to the South and Lang Co bay. Famous for its aerial views from the summit of the Hai Van or Bach Ma mountains. The bay offers a scenic setting for a lunch. The floating restaurant is simple, but the food is great and the view is stunning… We then continue to the South, to experice the highlight of the day, the drive up the Hai Van pass and its breathtaking vistas over the sea. We pass Danang and arrive in the afternoon to Cam Thanh mangrove nested between the beach and the ancient port town. We meet a bamboo craftsman there, who will show us around his workshop and some of his original creations. We then hop on a boat and enjoy a nice sunset cruise on the Thu Bon River. We unveil the beauty of Hoi An's ancient architecture from the waterways at the time lanterns are lightning up on the river. Overnight in Hoi An
Accommodation: Hoi An Silk Marina Resort
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch
8
Hoi An at leisure
Enjoy a full day at leisure to enjoy some shopping in Hoi An town or to go to the beach. We recommend An Bang beach, located about 4 kilometers North of Hoi An. If you want to try some typical local food, here comes a handful of little hints: street food addicts, we highly recommend you get a Banh Mi sandwich at Madam Khanh’s stall (115 Tran Cao Van street), a legendary Cao Lau soup or a plate of crispy Hoanh Thanh. If you crave seafood, look for the little Huyen Tran Cong Chua street that goes along the River to the East of the old quarter ; grab a seat at Song Thu restaurant. Overnight in Hoi An
Accommodation: Hoi An Silk Marina Resort
Meals Provided: Breakfast
9
Hoi An – Danang – Ho Chi Minh City
After a leisurely morning, we drive you to the airport in Danang to catch a flight to Saigon around mid-day. You're greeted upon your arrival and driven to the hotel in the city centre. Take the time to refresh at the hotel then follow the guide on an orientation walk around the city centre and the major colonial landmarks that shape a part of Ho Chi Minh City’s character. In the late afternoon we end our walk on Pasteur street, where the most renowned craft beer taproom of the country is located. We will sample some nice brews before heading back to the hotel. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City
Accommodation: Liberty Saigon Central Hotel
Meals Provided: Breakfast
10
Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong delta – Ho Chi Minh Cityon
The guide meets you at 7am in your hotel’s lobby. We make our way out of Saigon and reach the doorstep of the Mekong delta. We leave the touristy places behind and continue driving to Sadec town. A charming little town, with its canals, narrow streets and flower fields. We take the time to enjoy all of this before boarding a private boat on the mighty River and have lunch while cruising. We reach a less travelled area near Cai Be in the early afternoon. Opportunities to cycle the rural lanes of the area, meet locals, discover their crafting or cooking skills and be immersed in their lush orchards. In the mid-afternoon, we return to Saigon for an early evening arrival. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City
Accommodation: Liberty Saigon Central Hotel
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch
11
Ho Chi Minh City - Departure
Enjoy your day at leisure until our driver picks you up to drive you to Saigon’s airport where you will catch your outbound flight.
Meals Provided: Breakfast
Meals Provided: Breakfast
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