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Tantalise your Travel Bug with Vietnam
Visit: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hoi An - Saigon
Number of pax: Min 2pax - Max 14 pax (guaranteed departures)
Introduction to all things Vietnam. Off the beaten path City tours like no other. The perfect mix of cultural, history, and of course adventure.
Complete relaxation and wellness in Halong Bay. Market and street food explorations. Life with the locals in Mekong delta.
Free time to explore independently.
Xin chao! Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam. Hanoi, one of Asia’s most enchanting cities, is full of culture, history and the engaging contradictions of a rapidly developing and deeply traditional society. You are greeted by your guide and driver at Noi Bai International Airport for your transfer to the hotel.
We start our evening with a welcome dinner hosted in a lovely local restaurant where you can taste the various ethnic gastronomy specialties of Northern Vietnam. During dinner will learn about two important aspects of Vietnamese life that will prove very useful during your trip – basic language and chopsticks handling skills. We will teach you the most common phrases and expressions that can used during the many encounters to be expected on our trip; and do not fear the use of chopsticks, we will teach you all the tips and tricks that can be used to really enhance your Vietnamese experience.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Get ready to see Hanoi as very few others do. This tour is the perfect blend of iconic cultural sites of Hanoi and offbeat districts to sample some genuine local life. The guide meets you in the hotel lobby and off we go. After a short car transfer to the South of Hanoi through a busy urban area, we veer off the main road and enter a very special district. It suddenly feels like stepping back in time, into the 1960’s when Hanoi was a quaint capital populated mostly by modest workers. Wander around these narrow alleys covered in colourful market stalls, feel the incredible vibe and let the guide tell you the story of these unusual big yellow buildings. We have a coffee break before transferring to the temple of literature. We visit the little gem of architecture and huge piece of history. For lunch, we suggest to walk to a nearby street food shop. There are several options, our favourite would be the Bun Cha flame-grilled pork meat served with sticky rice noodles.
In the afternoon, we continue to the garden of the Presidential Palace, where you can also see the one-pillar pagoda and the house on stilts where Ho Chi Minh lived. Afterwards, we have a quick fresh beer in a local Bia Hoi, the Vietnamese version of a pub. We return to the hotel in the afternoon. The rest of the day is at your own leisure.
Overnight in Hanoi.
We gather in the lobby at 8.00am for our departure to the majestic Halong Bay. We drive across the Red River delta and reach the coast a little before noon. We then embark on a beautifully crafted junk for an overnight cruise in the legendary seascape of Halong Bay. Once on board, we are served a delicious seafood-based lunch, while the surrounding limestone outcrops make for a truly magical setting. In the afternoon, we reach a less travelled area where we will devote ourselves to pure relaxation. The program is not fixed and depends on the time of the year and weather, but there will be an opportunity to visit a cave as well as explore a floating village or do a little bit of kayaking over the course of these 2 days. We end the day on the sundeck as the sun sets on this magical seascape. This evening, you can enjoy an aperitif or attend a cooking demonstration before dinner. Overnight in a comfortable private cabin with an en-suite bathroom.
Note: Cruise itinerary and schedule are subject to change due to weather, tide levels and operating conditions. Swimming or kayaking excursions may be cancelled due to poor weather.
Note: the tour leader will not be accompanying guests on the shuttle bus or boat. There will be an on-board cruise manager who will be available for guests should they have any questions or concerns.
For those early birds, start the day with a tai chi class or enjoy a cup of tea or coffee as the sun rises and illuminates the surrounding seascape. We then continue our exploration of the bay. Upon returning to the boat, check-out of your cabin and enjoy a lunch while cruising back to the pier. We disembark and transfer to Hanoi airport for your flight to Danang. On arrival in Danang, you are greeted and driven to your hotel in Hoi An.
Overnight in Hoi An.
This morning after breakfast, we start our walk across the enchanting ancient town of Hoi An. Follow your guide as you meander your way through the beautiful streets and narrow alleys, which are bordered by ancient yellow-walled houses. We reach a market where you can spend some time exploring the colourful stalls and the variety of foods and souvenirs on offer. Try some local delicacies before we venture further into the town. The guide will show you various places of interest and will also arrange some spontaneous food tastings as we walk.
Afternoon is at your own leisure.
Overnight in Hoi An.
At 8am this morning, our guide will pick you up from your hotel, and equipped with bicycles you will set off directly towards Duy Vinh Commune. The picturesque cycling route is highlighted with rice fields, local gardens and markets. Stop as often as you wish to take photographs or engage in some laidback chats with locals (using our guide as a translator). There is also time to pay a visit to a local family who are still practicing the craft of weaving sedge mattresses using traditional techniques.
After about 1.5-hours cycling, it is time to hop into a kayak and off we go to explore the river. As you paddle towards Cam Thanh cocopalm forest, you will notice that the area is a large mangrove ecosystem unique to Hoi An, and the scenery is just spectacular. To end an active morning, your lunch will be served at a local farm with tasty Vietnamese food. Take as much time to relax as you wish before transferring back to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your own leisure to enjoy the town or some time relaxing on the beach.
Overnight in Hoi An.
You are met in the lobby of your hotel for a short transfer to Danang airport. Embark on your flight to Ho Chi Minh city, the big metropolis of the South. You are greeted upon arrival and driven to your hotel in the city centre, historically called Saigon. Dinner is served at a local restaurant.
Overnight in Saigon
Your guide meets you in the hotel lobby at 8.00am and off we go for an original morning to explore the less travelled trails of this fascinating city. Prepare to travel back in time as we first head to District 3, where we visit the oldest café in town which was opened in 1938. Enjoy a refreshment, before we immerse ourselves into the genuine Saigon popular culture. Walk through a massive street-market, as you gently elbow your way between conical hats and mobile street food sellers to exit at Chung Cu. Here you will find yourself in the heart of Saigon’s working-class, which remains mostly unchanged since the 1960’s. Marvel at the size of these old residential buildings as we walk through and into the Ho Thi Ky quarter. A place known for its spectacular flower market, and its maze of quiet narrow streets. A place also surprisingly famous for its Khmer delicacies since the 1990’s. Here you will be able to enjoy some of these traditional snacks. We continue deeper into District 10, a fantastic destination where every street corner holds a surprise and a chance to amaze you. Our urban adventure ends at one of the most famous street-food streets in the city, time for lunch!
In the afternoon, we take a digestive walk around the colonial buildings of the District 1. We start at the Independence Palace, continue to the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Saigon Central Post office before we get to the beautiful Nguyen Hue street where the City Hall stands. To complete the day, we take you to taste a few brews in one of the most famous craft beer taprooms of the country, located in Pasteur street. We transfer back to your hotel afterwards, and end the day at your own leisure.
Overnight in Saigon.
Departing from your hotel at 8am, we drive out of the metropolis and after about 2 and a half hours we reach a less travelled region of the delta, about 30-kilometres away from the mouth of the mighty Mekong river. We hop onto our private boat and start our exploration. We will meet some friendly locals, learn more about their daily lives and navigate the Mekong. After visiting a local factory and an ancient communal house, we reach a small island for lunch at a local guesthouse.
In the afternoon, we visit a honey-bee farm before hoping onto bikes and cycling narrow pathways across the island. We stop at another local farm to unveil the secret of Sâm jelly and sample it. We continue across some orchards and transfer onto a small sampan to explore a thick mangrove. We return to the mainland, where our vehicle awaits to return us to Ho Chi Minh city. We arrive at your hotel in the late afternoon.
Overnight in Saigon
The day is free at your own leisure until your transfer to the Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your departure flight. We wish you a pleasant flight!
Inclusion
- Accommodation in twin/double room with daily breakfast (check-in and check-out around noontime) - 1 night on train Halong Bay cruise (private cabin in sharing boat) - Meals (B/L/D) (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) as indicated in the program - All transfers and transportation with Air-Con vehicles (types of vehicles depend on the number of pax): - Local ENGLISH speaking guides - All entrance fees - as per program - Government tax and service charge - 02 bottles of mineral water per person per day on bus - on days of transfer and sightseeing onlyExclusion
- Early check-in or late check-out - Compulsory Tip amount for Driver and Guide (cost available on request) - Optional excursions and activities - Airfares (international and domestic) - Meals (other than mentioned in the program) - Drinks - Additional transfer required due to any emergency situation - Visa - as per country requirements - Personal Insurance - Mineral water beyond that which is supplied - Peak season surcharges if any - Items of a personal nature (Phone calls, laundry, beverages, etc.) - All not mentioned in inclusionsNote
SURCHARGE FOR DOMESTIC AND REGIONAL AIRFARE is available on request Passport must be valid 6 months ahead since the time of departing the visited country Compulsory dinners on Dec 24th (Christmas), Dec 31st (New Year) and applicable public holiday event within your host country will be advised at time of booking. Hotel List Category: Superior 4* - Destination Hotel Hanoi May de ville Old Quarter or similar Halong Bay Bhaya Classic or similar Hoi An Blue Sky hotel or similar Saigon Muong Thanh Centre hotel or similarTour Category
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