Outlined itinerary: 2 Saigon, 2 Siem Reap, 3 Hanoi, 2 Hoi An, 1 Hue, 2 Saigon
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive Saigon (own ticket) (flight TBA)
Upon arrival in Saigon Ho Chi Minh city, the economic hub of Vietnam, meet with your guide waiting for you at the exit gate with welcome signboard and transfer to the hotel for check-in.
Meals: None
Accommodation: hotel in Saigon.
Day 2: Cu Chi & Saigon city tour
After breakfast, your journey begins with a scenic drive to the outskirt of Saigon to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, the remains of a real bloody battlefield, which is a complex network of tunnels built during the long years of wars. Afternoon, return to Saigon for a half day trip of Saigon’s historic landmarks including the Post Office & Notre Dame Cathedral circa 1880, highlight tour of the former Presidential Palace, once headquarters for the Saigon Government during the “Vietnam War”, and a choice of the Historical Museum or the War Remnant Museum. The remainder of the day is free at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: hotel in Saigon.
Day 3: Saigon – Siem Reap by air (Flight TBA)
After breakfast, check out hotel and if time permits, stroll along downtown streets to visit the Opera House, City Hall, Rex Rooftop and Dong Khoi street before transferring to the airport for late morning flight to Siem Reap. On arrival, meet and transfer to hotel. Afternoon, enjoy a special tour with Mr. Bunat, a famous Khmer archeologist to visit the mysterious Royal city Angkor Thom. Its 50-tower temple is an awesome sight. At first glance it seems a shapeless mass of stone, but further scrutiny reveals a face, and then another and another until suddenly you are engulfed by the silent, heavy, enigmatic and silent gaze through half-closed eyes, staring out from a primitive and remote time. End the day with a ride on a hot air ballon above Angkor Wat to enjoy the magnificient sunset.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap
Day 4: Siem Reap
After breakfast, continue to visit the intricately carved Khmer ruins at Angkor Wat– one of the world’s most impressive ruins. The temple still owns fine Apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. Afternoon, continue your exploration with a visit to the picturesque Ta Prohm that had nearly disappeared into the jungle and remains overgrown, an oddly haunting and exotic scene. The magnificent roots of a tree, pushing between the huge stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, evoke feelings that you may remember forever.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: hotel in Siem Reap
Day 5: Siem Reap – Hanoi via evening flight (TBA)
The morning is free on your own until check out at noon. Afternoon, drive to Tonle Sap lake for a boat cruise to visit floating village along Tonle Sap lake. Then transfer to the airport for flight to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Upon arrival, meet and transfer to the hotel for check in.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Day 6: Hanoi
Enjoy a leisure breakfast until setting out for a city tour of this charming capital Hanoi city including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and his house, the lotus-shaped One Pillar Pagoda in the form of a lotus, it emerges from the water and rests on a single stone pillar. It contains a statue of the Goddess of Mercy with its legendary “thousand arms and a thousand eyes”, the Temple of Literature. Afternoon, continue your visit to the Fine Art museum housing a variety of ancient art works dated back to the 11th century. Then drive to visit to a very beautiful Museum of Ethnology to enhance your understanding of Vietnam’s diverse culture through its unique presentation of objects & dress from daily life. This evening attend a traditional water puppet, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form especially designed for depicting scenes from rural life and many episodes of national history.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Day 7: Hanoi
After breakfast at 9am, meet with a famed Hanoi chef, Madame Tuyet, who has inherited a special cooking skill from her mother who used to be the chef of the French Ambassador to Hanoi in the 1950s. walk with the chef through a local market of Hang Be to learn how to choose the fresh ingredients. After getting the food buys, walk back to her house for a cooking demonstration. Lunch with what you have cooked. Afternoon, shuttle 30km from Hanoi to Bac Ninh for a short biking trip into Tho Ha noodle village. Continue to bike along rice paddies with stops en route to visit Van village known for making rice wine. Late afternoon, shuttle back to Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Day 8: Hanoi – Danang via morning flight (TBA)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flight to Danang. Upon arrival, meet and transfer to Hoi An Acient Town. After check in, take a walk of this ancient town to visit the Hoi An colorful market, Japanese covered bridge, Phuc Kien Congregational Hall, Tan Ky ancient house, Hoi An museum, and a handicraft center. Afternoon, drive to the outskirt to visit Cam Chau agricultural village, and Tra Que herbal village. The rest of the day is at leisure for shopping.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
Day 9: Hoi An cooking class
Hoi An is also best known for its food fusion. This morning we will be transferred to the Central market in Hoi An to start the market tour with our chef and learn how to choose fresh ingredients. Chance to buy cooking knife. Continue to a famous cooking class for a hands on experience to impress our friends back home. Lunch with what we cook. The rest of the day is at your leisure to revisit the tailors or explore this ancient town
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
Day 10: Hoi An – Hue
We leave Hoi An this morning and head north to Hue. This drive will take us over the scenic Hai Van cloudy Pass, passing the fishing village of Lang Co, as we enjoy panoramic views of the central coastline (if weather permits, otherwise, we will have to drive through the tunnel).
Hue was the imperial capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, when the last emperor abdicated the throne, yet is still regarded as the seat of Vietnam’s culture and religion today. The Imperial Citadel, which dominates the city, was modelled on China’s Forbidden City. The city boasts many significant pagodas and temples, as well as the grand tombs of the Nguyen Emperors. Lunch is served at a garden restaurant on arrival. Afternoon, continue to visit Thien Mu pagoda before embarking on a dragon boat for a cruise downstream to visit Hue Citadel and the forbidden purple city. Return to hotel for check in.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue
Day 11: Hue – Saigon via afternoon flight (TBA)
Morning, visit the fascinating humble royal tomb of Tu Duc. Back to hotel for shower and check out. Then, transfering to the Phu Bai airport for flight to Saigon. On arrival, meet and transfer to hotel for check in. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon
Day 12: Saigon – Mekong Delta
After breakfast, at 7:30AM, enjoy the drive from Saigon to Cai Be in the Mekong Delta. Upon arriving in Cai Be, take a motorized sampan to cruise and see the floating market with sellers and buyers, busily bargaining and exchanging goods on their colourful boats, optional a visit to the puffed rice cakes and a rice paper-making workshop. Continue the boat trip through small canals to experience Mekong river life, visit the village making thatch roof from palm-water coconut leaves. Mekong Delta-style lunch is served in a local farmer’s garden, followed by dessert of a wide range of fruit. We end the trip with a visit to a brick and pottery village. Afternoon, return to Saigon and drop off at your hotel
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon
Day 13: Departing Saigon (TBA). End of services.
Transfer to the airport for homeward flight.
Inclusive of Non-inclusive of
• Accommodation with daily breakfast
• Local English speaking guides
• Private transfers and transportation on tour
• Entrance fees and boat trip
• Air-ticket (coach class): SGN-REP/ REP-HAN/ HAN-HUI/ DAD-NHA/NHA-SGN
• Vietnam domestic airport taxes
• Meals as specified (no drinks at meal)
• Water & cold towel on sightseeing days
• Special visits & arrangements as indicated • Vietnam & Cambodia visa
• Meals and all drinks at meals
• Other flights & other airport taxes
• Hotel early check in / Late check out
• Overweight luggage
• Personal expenses
• Travel insurance
• Tips & gratuities
• Other services not listed in inclusive column
Regular hotel check-in time at 0200pm and check-out time at 1200pm