Vietnam Grand Tour 17 days

Brief Itinerary:
Day 1: Welcome to Hanoi
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour – night train to Sapa
Day 3: Sapa arrival and easy trekking to Ta Van
Day 4: Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai - Sapa town
Day 5: Sapa - Cat Cat village - night train to Hanoi
Day 6: Hanoi - Halong bay
Day 7: Ha Long Bay - Hanoi
Day 8: Hanoi - Hue
Day 9: Hue City tour
Day 10: Hue – My Son – Hoi An
Day 11: Hoi An Ancient Town with cooking class
Day 12: Hoi An – Danang - Nha Trang
Day 13: Nha Trang boat trip
Day 14: Nha Trang - Ho Chi Minh City
Day 15: Ho Chi Minh City - Cao Dai temple - Cu Chi tunnel
Day 16: Ho Chi Minh City –Mekong Delta
Day 17: Ho Chi Minh City depart
 
Detail Itinerary:
 
Day 1: Welcome to Hanoi - Vietnam
Arrive at NoiBai Airport. Our guide and driver welcome you and transfer to the hotel in the center. Welcome dinner at traditional restaurant.
Meals: Welcome Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
 
Day 2: Hanoi City tour and night train to Sapa
Morning: Getting started from your hotel at 8.30 AM, driving to visit Ho Chi Minh complex, including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the final resting place of the Vietnamese great father or uncle Ho, President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt House – where he lived on and off from 1958 to 1969, the next place to move to is One Pillar Pagoda – a group of structures consisting of a pagoda and a tower built in the middle of a square lake. Leave One Pillar Pagoda and transfer to West Lake, visit Tran Quoc pagoda.
After lunch, you will be transferred to visit the Temple of literature. Continue to visit Museum of Ethnology – the most interesting museum in Hanoi with many different things relating the 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups. After that, you will visit HoanKiem Lake (Restore Sword Lake). The last place of the tour is taking a walk for few minutes to visit the Old Quarter of Hanoi, finally enjoy Vietnam traditional water puppet show within one hour, and then transfer to railway station for night train to Sapa.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: On Train
 
Day 3: Sapa Arrival and easy trekking to Ta Van village  
AM: The train arrives in Lao Cai at 6.30 a.m, welcome you and drive up to Sapa about 50 minutes, you will be taken to a small guesthouse for a morning showers then your breakfast at a local restaurant here. After breakfast & short morning beak, we start trekking from Sapa town. Our trekking route is from here to through the villages of Hmong and Zay people, chances to meet the locals working on the mountainsides or the rice terraces, kids ride on back of buffalo, to take photograph of  picturesque valleys & awesome scenery. We have picnic lunch on trekking route.
PM:  After lunch keep on trekking to Ta Van village of Zay people, where you will be warmly welcomed by the host, share the dinner with them, and stay at their traditional wooden house.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Home stay
 
Day 4: Ta Van village, trek to Giang Ta Chai.
AM: After breakfast: we are on the beaten track to GiangTaChai village of the Red Dzao minority via the paths between terraces and through bamboo forests. Visit Silver Waterfall and suspension Rattan Bridge, visit the people in the village and then cross MuongHoa River up to the mountain to visit the last village of the trek - Supan village of the H'mong then having picnic lunch.
PM: Get back to Sapa,on the way back: we enjoy visiting the ancient stone circle where stones are decorated with ancient carvings. Check in hotel. And free time explore Sapa town.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa
 
Day 5: Sapa town to Cat Cat village and night train back Hanoi
AM: Breakfast, visit village of the black H'mong (Cat Cat village), walk around visiting people in the village and the hydroelectric power station built by the French in the old days.  Back town have lunch
PM: Check out hotel, free to explore the town. Around 5 PM, drive to Lao Cai station for a night train to Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: On Train
 
Day 6: Arrival Hanoi -Halong bay
AM: Arrival Hanoi station around 5am, hotel was prepared for shower and breakfast before leaving Halong Bay, driver will pick you up and we start our 4-hours drive to Halong City stopping on the way for some refreshments and local hospitality. Upon arrival at Halong City, we transfer to our boat for a cruise in the stunning Halong Bay. Sea food lunch will be served on board.
PM: After lunch we will have opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful caves of Halong, Surprise Cave. From here we take our boats to the Ti Top Beach, where we can have a swim or climb up to the top of the island for outstanding panoramic view of the Bay. Stay overnight on board
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: On Boat
 
Day 7: Halong - Hanoi
AM: Following breakfast this morning, we kayak around Luon Cave before returning to Halong Bay harbor for lunch.
PM: After lunch, we meet with our vehicle for transferring to hotel in Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue
 
Day 8: Hanoi free and flight to Hue city
Free at leisure till transfer to the airport for flight to Hue. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel in Hue.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue
 
Day 9: Hue City tour
8.00am pick you up at hoteland transfer to the pier for a motor dragon boat ride along Perfume River, the first impression is a green and peaceful on both side of the river. First stop at Thien Mu pagoda, the magnificent architecture was found in 17th century and Minh Mang Tomb. Next place we visit the Imperial Citadel, Flag Tower, Noon Gate, Nine Dynasty Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace. Enjoy lunch at Vietnamese restaurant for special dishes in Hue Vietnam.
PM: After lunch, visit King’s Tombs of Tu Duc and KhaiDinhTomb.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue
 
Day 10: Hue – My Son – Hoi An
Leave Hue in the morning, drive Southward to Hoi An (140km) with a stop at scenic beach of Lang Co for a drink then drive over the 500m high Hai Van pass. From top of the pass, on nice days, you can enjoy the whole vista of Danang, the Tien Sa seaport, Son Tra Peninsula, Cham island and long sandy beaches. You can also stop to visit Mable Mountain before proceeding to Hoi An. Check in your hotel.
P.M: visit Ruins at My Son Holy Land, former capital of the ancient Cham civilization that ruled Central Vietnam from the second to the thirteenth century. Their religion was primarily derived from Indian Hinduism. My Son is considered to be one of the best-preserved Cham structures in Vietnam. The complex is comprised of seventy Hindu-like towers and temples dating from the second century. This site is a must-see for those people who are interested in architecture and ancient civilizations and is now one of five UNESCO World Heritage sites in Vietnam
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian
 
Day 11: Hoi An city and cooking class
From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoian was a thriving international commercial port for Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, and Portuguese and Arab traders. These people came primarily to trade in the high grade silk & ceramics which is still produced in the area.
Today, Hoian is a quaint riverside town, popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailors shops, and numerous cafes. Some of the buildings in the narrow streets have remained unchanged for more than a century.
We enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200 - year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge.
In the afternoon, we will join in the cooking class, where our Vietnamese chef, will teach you some of our great Vietnamese cuisines. After your class, you will have dinner right there of what you have done at your class.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian
 
Day 12: Hoi An – Nha Trang
Have breakfast at the hotel then transfer to the airport in Da Nang for flight to Nha Trang. Upon arrival, takes you to your hotel, it is free to chill out on the beautiful white sand beach.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Nha Trang
 
Day 13: Nha Trang Boat Trip
AM: Getting started from hotel, transfer to the boat station (45 minutes). The first stop will be at Mum Island - one of the best places for snorkeling in Nha Trang. Hold your breath for as long as you can and dive deep into this colorful world of fish and coral. Next place is Tam Island for sun bathing and relaxing on the off shore beach.
 
PM: Lunch will be served at a nearby fishing village with a selection of fresh seafood. After the lunch we will visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium then take the boat back to hotel in Nha Trang city.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Nha Trang
 
Day 14: Nha Trang - Ho Chi Minh City
AM: We take morning flight to Saigon, welcome at the airport and transfer to downtown and check-inhotel before our city tour of bustling Saigon started.
• The Reunification Palace: This is one of the most important buildings in the city. Here on April 30, 1975, what the Vietnamese refer to as the ‘American War' officially ended when tank number 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of what was, at the time, the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam.
• War Remnants Museum: Formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes, this is a poignant display of the futility of war. Some of the black and white photography in the ‘Requiem' exhibit is particularly touching, dedicated to both foreign and Vietnamese journalists and photographers who perished during the conflict. The exhibit includes the last shots these photographers had taken before their deaths. The courtyard outside contains the spoils of war, namely rusting jets, tanks and cannons captured from the American military machine.
• Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office: Built between 1877 and 1883 this is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture. Remarkably every stone used in its creation was shipped from France to Vietnam. The Old Post Office is another example of French colonial architecture and is also the country's largest post office.
• Ben Thanh Market: This bustling and well-organized market is very popular with tourists, primarily due to its central location. It has a wide selection of goods ranging from fake Nike shoes to beautiful silk Ao Dais.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon
 
Day 15: Ho Chi Minh City - Cao Dai temple - Cu Chi tunnel
Enjoy a morning drive through typical southern Vietnamese countryside to Tay Ninh Province to visit Cao Dai, a local sect of Buddhism, and join a memorable noon daily ceremony of the Cao Dai followers.
After lunchtime back to a historic site of the Vietnam War - the Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground network constructed by the local people and guerillas to survive the war against the American explosive attacks. We can even crawl a part inside the tunnel to understand the living of Vietnamese shoulders during the wartime.
Drive back to Saigon in the afternoon, check in hotel and relax.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon
 
Day 16: Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong delta
 
Departure for Mytho, on arrival we cross RachMieu ferry and start back country road, feeling lost on winding road under the green coconut canopy. The coconut palms that make BenTre famous in Vietnam. On arrival in BenTre at noon time, we cruise down the busy branches of Mekong and into a peaceful canal. Visit an island orchard, lunch break with traditional meal, see the daily life of farmers and try exotic seasonal fruits unique to the region. Hammock siesta, then we explore this quiet area, call on coconut-candy workshop and other handicraft workshop (if time permitting) before coming back to Saigon. 
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon
 
Day 17: Saigon departure
Free at leisure till transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for your flight departure.

RATE:  This rates are quoted in US$ per person

Categories	From 1st Jan to 31st Dec 2016
	2 pax	4 pax	6 -8 pax	SS
Superior 3*	1589	1502	1211	442
Deluxe 4*	1857	1770	1479	710
Luxury 5*	2198	2111	1820	1051
Child from 4 – 10 years old	75%

 
Trip Included:

• Accommodations (double/twin sharing) with daily breakfast
• Transportation by A/C car as itinerary
• English speaking guide
• Meals as indicated
• Flight tickets (Vietnam Airline – economy class)
• Boat trips specified the tour program
• Kayaking
• All entrance, permission and visiting fees
• Purified water and wet towel.
• Train tickets Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi

 
Trip Excluded:

• Visa stampinto Vietnam
• Personal travel insurance
• International flights
• All personal expenses
• All gratuities and tips to driver and tour guide.