VIETNAM WHOLE – Sights & Cities
(14 DAYS, 13 NIGHTS)
Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong – Hue – Danang – Hoi An – Nha Trang – Dalat – Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta
Description
This comprehensive trip explores the best sights of Vietnam; it is a journey across stunning landscapes, fascinating cultures, and exhilarating cities; all among friendly peoples. The main attractions feature the image of both the new and the old city of Hanoi, the imaginary world of Halong Bay, the romance and peacefulness of Hue and Hoi An, the sea paradise of Nha Trang, the highland tranquility of Dalat and the bustling Saigon in contrast to the green land of the Mekong Delta. These tours are a diverse and satisfying experience for all.
Highlights
- Enjoy the delicious tastes and culinary expertise of Vietnamese culture
- Experience the friendliness and the smiles of Vietnam’s inhabitants
- Visit the renowned sites, monuments and temples that make Vietnam stand apart
- Travel by cyclo and absorb the endless bustle of activity
- Enjoy a water puppet theatrical show depicting agricultural traditions from first millennium.
- Row in a traditional sampan through rice paddies to sacred remote grottoes
- Cruise in the otherworldly and spectacular Halong Bay
- Shop around and wander through the charming streets of ancient Hoi An
- Enjoy a marvelous boat trip on the romantic Perfume River
- Visit the most significant monuments of Vietnam’s imperial dynasties
- Snorkel the pristine waters of the South China Sea
- Tour the cool and green colonial hillside resort of Dalat
- Visit Cu Chi network of underground tunnels, strategic centre of the Vietnamese resistance
- Cruise along meandering rivers to evergreen islands in the Mekong River.
Program
Day 1: Welcome to Hanoi
Arrive at Noi Bai Airport and transfer to hotel. Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city, boasts tree-lined streets and centuries-old temples. A half-day city tour features both cultural and historical highlights, comprising Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and his house on stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, Ethnology Museum, the Quan Thanh Temple, the Tran Quoc Pagoda, the old quarters and a downtown pedicab ride (1 hour). Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Excursion to Ninh Binh
Take a full-day excursion to Ninh Binh, 100km from Hanoi. Ninh Binh is known as Vietnam's "inland Halong Bay". Visit the Dinh & Le dynasty temples in Hoa Lu, an ancient capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1009 AD. The highlight of the trip is a sampan ride to Tam Coc. Then onwards to the Bich Dong cave pagodas dating from the 17th century. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay
Leave for Halong (170km) with a stopover at a ceramic and hand embroidery workshop. Get on the junk for a stunning cruise in Halong Bay (4 hours), a World Heritage site. Visit some magical grottoes and relax in the best scenic beauty of Vietnam. Traditional lunch of the freshest and finest seafood is served on board. Overnight in Halong.
Day 4: Halong – Hanoi – Hue
In the morning, transfer to Noi Bai Airport for a flight to Hue. The city is widely known for its magnificent monuments built under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 -1945). In the afternoon, visit a garden house where a typical wooden home among a variety of flowers and trees can be found. Take a marvelous boat ride on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, a symbol of Hue, viewing the rural landscape and local activities at sunset. Overnight in Hue.
Day 5: Hue
The morning is highlighted with a visit to the Dong Ba Market, famous for its best conical hats in Vietnam and the Imperial Citadel, built in 1804 on a site chosen in accordance with the principles of geomancy. In the afternoon, the tour focuses on the tombs of King Tu Duc (who ruled from 1848 to 1883) and King Khai Dinh (1916-1925). The monuments, designed by the kings themselves, were also used as holiday retreats during their lifetime. In the evening, enjoy a typical royal court dinner with a presentation of ancient dancing and court music. The royal court music of the Nguyen Dynasty has been recognized as a world intangible heritage by UNESCO in late 2003. Overnight in Hue.
Day 6: Hue – Danang – Hoi An
Transfer to Danang (110km). Admire the beautiful landscape on the road through the Hai Van Pass. Panoramic views of the clouds, the sea and the surrounding mountains unfold at the scenic Lang Co lagoon. Onward to Hoi An. After check in, enjoy an afternoon tour of Hoi An, a trading post of seafaring Chinese, Japanese and Portuguese merchants several centuries ago. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 7: Hoi an – Danang – Nha Trang
On the way to Danang Airport, stop by at the stone-carving village of Non Nuoc where a wide variety of articles is sculptured from marble and sandstone. Take a short flight to Nha Trang, the most charming coastal town with white sandy beaches, fascinating islands and year-round dry weather. The remainder of the day is a pedicab tour (1 hour) along the beachfront to the Po Nagar Towers. Overnight in Nha Trang.
Day 8: Nha Trang
Transfer to Cau Da Jetty for a day cruise to the islets. The water is clear and the marine life is diverse for snorkelling and sunbathing. Optional activities include scuba diving, jet skiing, wind surfing and parasailing on Tam Islet. A seafood lunch is served on board. Overnight in Nha Trang.
Day 9: Nha Trang – Dalat
Free for swimming or leisure activities in the morning. In the afternoon, transfer to Dalat (230km), a romantic city with European-styled villas and pine forests in the Langbian Plateau at 1,500 metres (about 5000 feet). Stop-over at the 13th-century Po Klong Garai Towers in Phan Rang, then drive up over Ngoan Muc Pass, named Bellevue Pass by French, with a series of switchbacks and a view of coastal plain. Overnight in Dalat.
Day 10: Dalat
A full day sightseeing tour is highlighted with the Dalat Market, Lovers' Lane, Truc Lam Pagoda, Chinese Pagoda, Domain de Marie Church and a flower farm. Overnight in Dalat.
Day 11: Dalat – Ho Chi Minh City
Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City (310km) past vast rubber plantations, extinct volcanic cones and endless pine forests. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 12: Around Ho Chi Minh City
In the morning, take an excursion to Cu Chi, 70km north of Saigon, famed for its 200-kilometre-long tunnels. An afternoon tour, around major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City, features the former Presidential Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office, Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Continental Hotel, Opera House and City Hall, the History Museum and the former Presidential Palace. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 13: Excursion to Mekong Delta
Enjoy a full-day excursion to My Tho, 75km south of Saigon, a peaceful town on the bank of the Mekong River. The tour comprises a cruise on the Mekong River, a visit to orchards and local homes, a sampan ride on palm-shaded creeks, a taste of seasonal fruit-and-honey tea and a performance of traditional southern singing. Lunch of Mekong specialties is arranged. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 14: Departure from Ho Chi Minh City
Spend last minutes for downtown shopping (embroideries, silk, lacquerware,...) or at leisure before check-out. Transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for departure.