Travel Tool

DETAILED ITINERARY

NOTE: 9days- 8nights, from the mountain to the sea, discovering unique ethnic culture, viewing beautiful Vietnam - land and people. We recommend that you depart from Hanoi on Friday night for the colorful markets on Saturday and Sunday.

Day 1: Hanoi City Tour, Thursday (D)

Warmly welcomed at the airport, transferred to your hotel, we will arrange an itinerary for you depending on your flight-city tour, water puppet show, walking tour to the old trading streets then a "complimentary" dinner in one of the city's leading restaurants. Overnight in Hanoi

Day 2: Full Day City Tour (B, L, D), Friday.

Today we have plenty of time to discover the pearl of South- East Asia Hanoi . With charming streets, lined with dozens of old trees, beautiful lakes, colonial architecture and countless interesting monuments, this city will impress you with its lively characters.

We begin our city-trip at the Restoreded Sword Lake , famous of the legend of the tortoise and the sword of 15th century. After the bombardment of this lake by the Americans in 1968 the huge turtle was killed and the little pagoda in the water is the final resting place of this legendary animal. We will continue our way with a visit to the Temple of Literature , dedicated to Confucius and his disciples. This temple used to be Vietnam's first university founded in 1076. After visiting this historical sight then we invite you to visit one pillar pagoda, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the house of the hero Ho Chi Minh, who lives in the heart of every Vietnamese. We also bring a visit to the Tran Quoc Pagoda and the army museum and you will learn more about Vietnam-land and people. We finish our city-tour by participating in one-hour ride in a traditional rickshaw (bike) around old quarter trading center. After dinner we visit the famous water puppet show then take you to the train station to Sapa, soft sleeper. Over night on train.

Day 3: : Bac Ha- Lung Sui- Can Cau (B, L, D)

Viewing the morning CanCau Market which is close to China border and home to many ethnic minorities such as Flower H'Mong, Nung, Dzao they all come down from mountainous, isolated villages taking along with horses, buffaloes, cats, dogs, chickens for sales, at the market place you will be surprised and impressed by what they trade and their colorful clothes. You will have a real discovery on the cultures and lifestyles of the hill tribes here because they live in a remote and isolated region and far away from the modern life.

Back to BacHa by jeep, check in hotel, in the afternoon you walk to Thai Giang Pho Village of the Flower H'mong, see people life, meet the lovely kids at school, trek through beautiful plump gardens on the side of the highest mountain in BacHa before visiting to the H'MONG KING PALACE. Overnight in Bac Ha

Day 4: Colorfull CanCau Market on Saturday (B, L, D)

Viewing the morning CanCau Market which is close to China border and home to many ethnic minorities such as Flower H'Mong, Nung, Dzao they all come down from mountainous, isolated villages taking along with horses, buffaloes, cats, dogs, chickens for sales, at the market place you will be surprised and impressed by what they trade and their colorful clothes. You will have a real discovery on the cultures and lifestyles of the hill tribes here because they live in a remote and isolated region and far away from the modern life.

Back to BacHa by jeep, check in hotel, in the afternoon you walk to Thai Giang Pho Village of the Flower H'mong, see people life, meet the lovely kids at school, trek through beautiful plump gardens on the side of the highest mountain in BacHa before visiting to the H'MONG KING PALACE. Overnight in Bac Ha

Day 5: Bac Ha Unique Market on Sunday - Sapa (B, L, D)

Waken up by the footsteps of people walking to the market, and you will be more surprised to enter the market. The whole market looks colorful like flowers. It is getting bigger and bigger , more and more colorful and special when seeing people taking along pigs, cats, buffaloes, horses for sales, and the way they trade, drink, and enjoy their life. Jeep drives you to SAPA after the market, stop at the border gate with China to visit a nice temple, check in hotel in SAPA, afternoon at leisure, free to visit 'Sapa Culture Market'. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 6: LaoChai- Ta Van- Giang Ta Chai (B, L, D)

After breakfast, jeep takes you to LaoChai Village of Black H'mong where you cross a suspension bridge over MuongHoa River then trek through the terraced rice fields and learn more about the lifestyle and tradition of the tribe. You keep trekking to TaVan Village of the Dzay (picnic lunch) then to GiangTaChai Village of the Red Dzao through the bamboo forests and it is time to admire amazing landscapes and deep impression on the hill tribes. You meet your jeep back to Sapa, have shower, take a rest before getting transferred to LaoCai for the night train to Hanoii ...

Our car takes you to your hotel in Hanoi from the train station for shower, breakfast, resting before 3 hour drive to Halong Bay. Started at around 8:30 am from Hanoi . After about 3 hour drive through fertile Red River Delta, passing wonderful landscape, rice paddy fields...You will be in Halong Bay . Get on boat, then cruising around the bay when having lunch with fresh seafood and viewing wonderful islets, fishing villages...After lunch you will visit Surprising Cave that is called 'cave of legends - really beautiful then we cruise to a really beautiful and romantic place for you start your kayaking to explore the caves, sandy beaches...You also can paddle to Titop Island for a nice swim or climb up to the top to see wonderful sunset.

Overnight on boat under stars and in the dream-like environmentt

Day 8: Halong- Hai Phong- Tam Coc (B, L, D)

Waking up in a dreamy environment decorated by white sandy beaches as the tide begins to fall. Great time for swimming and sunbathing. We take a small boat to reach some fishing villages in middle of the bay to experience their floating life. On the way you will see some nice rocky mountains that we call 'Man's head and the Turtle, then cruising through hundreds of nice islet that are believed to be the place where the child dragon landed. Lunch in Tuanchau Resort in a nice restaurant. After lunch we drive to Haiphong City to visit Hangkenh Communal House which is famous for its great wood sculptrure and DuHang Pagoda built from the 10^th century. Overnight in hotel in Van Lam   Village , next to Tam Coc.

Day 9: Tamcoc - Hanoi (B, L)

Tamcoc is situated in a wonderful and spectacular setting of lime stone rocks rising among the magnificent green rice paddies .this place is called "Halong Bay on land" while making a site - seeing tour per boat downstream the river. We will immediately recognize why this place deserves this name. By boat, we will sail through three stunning grottos where you will be overwhelmed by the scenery of the environment. Sailing same way back and get off your boat to visit a very nice temple "Thaivi Temple", the one to pay homage to our three great Kings in 13^th century). We continue our trip to Kenhga Floating Village You will be impressed and surprised of the local life on the water. It is really beautiful, peaceful and tranquil here. Car back Hanoii

Tour ended..

End of our service.

Iinclusion:

   Accommodation in standard hotels (hotels can be upgraded upon request)

   Meals as stated in the program (B = Breakfast ; L = Lunch ; D = Diner)

   Air-conditioned vehicles for all transportations

   Train tickets

   English speaking guide

   Boat trips as mentioned in the program

   Entrance fees.

 Exclusion:

   International air-tickets and airport departure tax.

   Meals not mentioned in the program (between 5 - 7 Euros/meal/person)

   Drinks, phone calls and all personal expenses