Vietnam Adventure and Heritage 16 Days

Arriving Hanoi, you’ll meet your tour guide. You’ll be driven to your hotel to check in. You will spend the night in Hanoi.

At 8:00, the vespa driver will pick you up and we start off with a welcome drink and enjoy the most spectacular view of the capital. Navigating through the streets of the bustling Old Quarter, we explore the picturesque murals on Art Street. Then heading off to Long Bien Bridge and surrounding areas. Next our journey takes us to a bustling and vibrant open market to shop with the local people from Hanoi. After zooming through narrow alleyways, we reach the crash site of an American B-52 bomber in a city lake and learn of the city’s more recent history before visiting a peaceful Buddhist temple set in the most beautiful gardens. Our last stop is a quiet tea house where we enjoy some tea and learn about the ancient tradition of making tea at the home of a Vietnamese Tea Master. Returning to your hotel at noon, and rest of your day will be at your leisure. In the evening, at 15.30 you will meet your tour guide and driver and will be picked up and transferred to the suburb of Hanoi, visit an ancient village, its temple and pagoda, then visit the home of a local family where you’ll spend the evening. On arrival, your host will welcome you, and usually introduce a bit about the family and the history of the house, particularly the ancestral altar and the worship room. As the family finishes the food preparation and arranging the setting for dinner; you can join in the cooking process or simply observe as your host makes and serves dinner. During dinner, your hosts will be happy to introduce the dishes on the menu, typically including traditional Vietnamese foods such as stir-fried vegetables, noodles & fresh vegetables, spring rolls, and soup with vegetables and pork or beef. After enjoying the meal, continue your conversation in the living room over traditional tea and sweets. Your hosts are usually happy to talk about Vietnamese culture and family traditions, and show you the family photo album, while you can also share your own story with them. At 21.00, bid your hosts farewell and transfer back to your hotel for overnight accommodation. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you enjoy visiting with your Hanoi host family. Make a point to be respectful; your hosts will very much appreciate your interest in understanding Vietnamese behavioural etiquette. Be social and curious; ask about your host’s work, lifestyle, health, and anything that peaks your interest about the house, furniture, family mementos, and, especially, Vietnamese cuisine. Try to learn some basic Vietnamese vocabulary, teach your host children some English or play a game with the family. Make the effort to communicate with your host, sharing about your life and your experiences in Vietnamese culture. Avoid touching personal belongings, complaining about the food, or discussions about sensitive topics such as politics or divorce. Do your best to try all the Vietnamese dishes your host has prepared. You’re welcome to bring a small gift to thank your host.

In the morning, at 08:00AM you’ll be met and driven to Sapa on the new highway through Yen Bai and Lao Cai provinces. The highway takes you up the Red River Delta to where the river enters Vietnam at Lao Cai City on the border with China. After some breaks en-route, you will reach Sapa, a small town perched on the mountainside opposite Mt. Fan Si Pan, Vietnam’s highest peak. Sapa is in a scenic mountain area where high peaks surround river valleys, hillside rice terraces and innumerable small ethnic minority communities. These villages are traditional, typically tucked away on the lower slopes of the valleys, and many villagers wear authentic traditional costumes. After lunch in Sapa town and checking in at your hotel for a short rest, a short drive to Cat Cat village which is home of Black H’mong ethnic people and is located near the bottom of a deep valley at the foot of Fanxipan Peak. Our local guide will show you the daily life activities of the locals, trek down to the valley bottom to the waterfall where the French built a Hydraulic Power Station; stop for photo with bridge and waterfall then you will walk uphill for bus to pick up to get back to Sapa in the afternoon. Approx: Grade 2 of 5/ 15 minute driving/2 hour hiking. The evening is your leisure time to shop and talk to local vendors in Sapa town center, most of whom are ethnic H’mong or Dzao, selling handmade craft items. You will stay overnight in Sapa.

The trip today will begin at 09:00AM with a 15 minute drive to the start of your one hour hike up a long dirt trail to the Sa Seng village. As soon as you arrive, you’ll be able to have a great view of the Ma Tra and Ta Phin village, home to the Black H’mong people. Another one hour ‘rolling hill’ before downwards hike towards Ta Van and Hau Thao village will enable you to have a panoramic view over the Fansipan Mountain. After plenty of photo opportunities, you’ll stop for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, you will continue your 2 hour walk through rice paddy fields and spectacular views over a valley in the Lao Chai village. When you meet the main road, your vehicle will be waiting to take you to Sapa for your overnight accommodation. Note: You should bring your own bottles of water in Sapa as it’s not available for sale during the journey. Approx: Grade 2 of 5/ 30 minute driving/1 hour for lunch/ 4 hour hiking.

Breakfast at hotel. Around 08:30, you’ll be transferred to Muong Hoa Valley cable car station to start an amazing journey to the top of Fansipan, the rooftop of Indochina. After the cable car, you can climb up 600 steps or experience the funicular up to the peak of Fansipan. Thence, you come back to the cable car station. Going down by cable car and lunch will be at a local restaurant, then the car will drive you along the new highway again back to Hanoi. You should arrive in Hanoi by late afternoon, and will spend the night in Hanoi.

The day is free at your leisure in Hanoi.

08:30: Pick up at your hotel by your driver to drive to Halong Bay. 11:30: Arrive at Indochina Junk Office, take a rest at the Waiting Lounge before transferring to Cruise. 11:50 – 12:15: Go to the port by an Electric Cart, where the crew and staff will welcome you and assist with the check-in process onto the cruise ship. 12:30 – 13:00: After boarding the cruise ship, you will enjoy welcome tea and listen to an introduction about the itinerary and safety information for the journey, as well as check-in to your cabin. 13:15: Have lunch at the onboard restaurant, featuring seafood dishes from Quang Ninh. The cruise ship will start its journey to explore Bai Tu Long Bay, passing through limestone islands and beautiful scenery along the bay. 14:30 – 15:00: The first destination is Vung Vieng fishing village, a secluded fishing village with pristine and beautiful scenery. Here, local fishermen and their bamboo boats will take you to explore their way of life, promising a unique experience during the trip. 16:00: Back to the cruise ship and enjoy a sunset cruise on Bai Tu Long Bay. 19:00: Rest and have dinner in a quiet and romantic atmosphere on the bay. 20:30: Free time to relax and you can also join the experience of squid fishing. Spend the night on Bai Tu Long Bay.

08:00: Have breakfast onboard. 08:45 – 10:15: Explore Cap La. Enjoy kayaking to discover majestic rock islands and pristine nature (under favorable weather conditions: no fog, no significant waves or strong winds, etc.). 10:30: Back to the cruise. Cruise to Cong Dam area to explore the natural beach, take a stroll, relax, and unwind. 12:30: Enjoy a unique BBQ lunch on the picturesque beach, prepared by the chefs directly on the beach. After the meal, guests can engage in some beach activities. 14:30: Back to the cruise for relaxation and leisure. 17:15: Join a Vietnamese cuisine cooking class. 19:00: Take a rest and enjoy dinner in a peaceful and romantic atmosphere on the bay. 20:30 – 23:30: Leisure time, guests can experience squid fishing, and have a good night on board.

07:00 – 07:15: Morning view of Bay’s landscape with a cup of tea or coffee. Have breakfast in the fresh air. 07:45 – 08:45: Visit Thien Canh Son Cave, the most beautiful natural cave in Bai Tu Long Bay, where guests will be amazed by the mesmerizing stalactites and stalagmites formed over thousands of years. 09:00: Back to the cruise. 09:45 – 10:00: Check-out procedures. 10:15: Enjoy an A la carte lunch while the cruise slowly returns to the port. 11:30: The cruise arrives at the port. Drive to Yen Duc village in Dong Trieu province for a short break in this typical Vietnamese agricultural village which is rich in culture and traditions. 13:00 – 13:45: Enjoy a water puppet show performed by local artists. 14:00: Continue driving back to Noi Bai airport in Hanoi for the evening flight to Hue VN1549 HANHUI 1945 2100. Upon arrival, you will get pick up to your hotel to check-in. You will spend the night in Hue.

At 8.00: You will be picked up at the hotel in Hue City by driver and tour guide, then spend about one hour from City center to the foot of the moutain. After that, we spend another 30 minutes from there to the summit of Bach Ma National Park, concentrate together and conquer its highest point (at an elevation 1450m above sea level ). In here, we enjoy the cloudy sky make you feel standing on Heaven. At this altitute, the whole rivers and mountains, lagoons will be curled up and appears in your eyes. Prepaired helmets, raincoats, fanny-back in neccessary provided then go through the jungle mountain, pass bendy trails... on the way, you can enjoy lots of beautiful views such as streams, falls, 5 cool lakes ( Five Lakes ). Stop at the lake number 3, have picnic lunch, free for swimming, relaxing on the rocks. After lunch, we continue going to Rhododendron Waterfall (300m high), from there, you can enjoy the whole mighty view of the moutains. On the way back, you can have chance to see the big Buddha statue, then back to the started point. We will drive for about 1 hours and half back to Hue city center. You will spend the night in Hue.

After breakfast, at 8:00 your guide will take you on a tour of Hue’s ancient citadel, once the seat of the Emperors of the powerful Nguyen Dynasty that ruled Vietnam from approximately 1800 to 1945. You’ll begin with a stroll around the area between the Citadel’s massive walls and the defensive moat, now filled with lotus flowers. You’ll then enter via the Noon Gate to wander around the Thai Hoa Palace, the Pavilion housing the Nine Urns of the Nguyen rulers, and the remains of the Royal Palaces. Following to the Museums of Royal Antiquities. Next, you will visit Royal Tombs of Emperor Minh Mang and then have lunch at a local restaurant In the afternoon, you will be driven to Thanh Tan Hotspring, where you will check in Alba Wellness Resort and spend the night here. Your room at Alba Wellness includes below activities, please take your time: - 01 Reflexology treatment (50 minutes/treatment) and 01 onsen bathing for 30 minutes per night per adult. - Anywhere, Anytime Daily Breakfast - Daily hot springs bathing - Daily afternoon traditional tea ceremony & qigong in Binh An Temple - One time session of Zipline & Highwire per pax/night (children must be over 1.1m tall) - Complimentary Movement Therapies - Healthy welcome drink and welcome fruits upon arrival, Wellness turndown service – beverage and snack applied for Bungalow, Complimentary drink in minibar (1 time for Deluxe/ Premium Deluxe),

Hue → An Bang Cemetery → Lap An Lagoon → Lang Co Beach → Hai Van Pass → Hoi An This morning you will have breakfast and enjoy the spa service in the resort. At 10.00: Check out and you will get pick up from your hotel by your guide and driver, take a journey on one of Vietnam’s most famous roads! Starting from historic Hue, the drive to Hoi An will pass a curated route that takes in mountains, coast, villages and endless miles of scenic scenery! The distance is only around 120 kilometres but with hilly and windy roads it actually takes a bit of time to cover this short stretch of road. Be prepared for jaw-dropping views at Hai Van pass, sleepy deserted beaches and beautiful rural villages along the way. Starting from your hotel in Hue, our first stops give deeper insight to local life with visits to family temples, ancestral houses, cottage industries and boat building workshops. We’ll continue down the road, running parallel to the coast, pausing to admire historic Cham temples, learn about religious traditions at the ‘City of Ghosts’ and venture to a hilltop Buddhist pagoda. It takes around 3.5 hours for you to drive straight from Hue to Hoi An, but with all or most of the stops included it will take 7-8 hours total, depending on your preferred stops which your tour guide will be flexible to stop. You can stop to take a break at a local restaurant for a tasty lunch. We’ll roll in to Hoi An early evening at 18:00, check in your hotel in Hoi An.

After breakfast, at 9:00 you’ll be driven to the World Heritage ‘My Son Sanctuary’. Your guide will show you the remains of the remarkable towers constructed by the Cham builders, many centuries ago - their origins and purpose have yet to be fully explained. The Cham craftsmen built a network of intricately-worked red brick columns heavily incised with figures and motifs as well as many striking statues. Their towers were badly bombed in the American war, but are still impressive, as is its remote valley setting. The complex is set in a quiet, richly forested area bisected by a clear stream. However, the tree cover is not complete and the valley acts as suntrap, so good sun protection is important. Return to Hoi An for lunch. After lunch, you explore Hoi An ancient town, visit the Japanese Bridge, Phuc Kien Communal House, Tan Ky Traditional House, Quan Cong Temple, Museum, Handicraftsman Art Work, Hoi An Silk Village. Stroll around to central market or spend time shopping or experience ambiance in this ancient own at cafes along old streets. At sunset, you will join the sunset lantern boat ride on Thu Bon River. You will spend the night in Hoi An

At 09:00: Our guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel, depart for Ba Na Hill. Conquer the highest peak of Ba Na Hills by cable car. Take a walk to the Golden Bridge. Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Ba Na Hills from the Golden Bridge, one of the world's most striking pedestrian bridges. Continue to see L’Jardin Zone with French Architecture Building, Linh Tam garden, Linh Ung pagoda with 27 meters Buddha Statue,…. From Debay station, you will get on the second cable system to move to Nui Chua Peak – the rooftop of Da nang City. Free time to enjoy buffet lunch in Ba Na hills. Thence, you have free time for entertainment at Fantasy Park – one of the most modern indoor game centers of the Asia. In the late afternoon, go down by the cable system and get on coach and return to Danang. Check in your hotel near the beach in Danang.

Pickup Time: 08:15 This tour provides a close-up and intimate look at both the local farming and fishing communities. - You will start the day leisurely cycling along country roads and witnessing local Vietnamese rural life firsthand. This pristine and beautiful experience will offer you how to grow at Tra Que vegetable village. - On this tour, you will get the opportunity to take part in rice paddy farming and how cultivate rice in the rice field, and experience the challenges of Vietnamese farmers. Your tour guide will provide an introduction and explanation about the process of rice farming and how it grows in the wet field. Take part in the work to learn how to grow rice using water buffalo plows. Transplant baby wet rice at the paddy field. - You will board via Basket Boat - "Thúng Chai" to meet and engage with local fishermen while exploring coconut palm-flanked waterways. And hearing about the American war happened in this place - Back on board our local house, enjoy lunch and a cold beer or soft drink then take E-car back to the hotel at 14:00. Thung Chai Basket boats, similar in style to coracles in use throughout the ancient world, are widely used throughout Central Vietnam, and are highly suited to the local terrain and lifestyles of local fishermen due to their relative light weight and portability, often doubling as a carrier for various handy items. Circular and constructed of bamboo and tarred for waterproofing, these small boats can typically carry up to five people, and represent a fun-filled opportunity to touch the authentic rural soul of Vietnam. As a precaution, life jackets are provided for your safety during this excursion.

Leisure time for relaxing or stroll around and shopping in Danang. Check out at 12.00PM. Free at leisure. In the schedule time, your driver will arrive at your hotel to take you to Danang airport for your departure international flight.