Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Taste of Vietnam


Duration: 11 Days and 10 Nights
Destination: Hanoi - Sapa - Halong Bay - Hue - Hoian - Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta
Accommodation: Hanoi - 1 night, Train - 2 nights, Sapa - 1 night, Hue - 1 night, Hoian - 2 nights, Hochiminh - 2 nights
Transportation: Car, Cruise, Plane
Start: Hanoi
Finish: Hochiminh City

Tour summary
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (D)
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour - Night train to Lao Cai (B)
Day 3: Lao Cai - Sapa Trek (B)
Day 4: Sapa - Bacha Market - night train to Hanoi (B)
Day 5: Hanoi - Halong Bay (B, L, D)
Day 6: Halong - Hanoi (B, L)
Day 7: Hanoi - Hue (B)
Day 8: Hue - Danang - Hoian (B)
Day 9: Hoian - Danang Cooking Class (B,D)
Day 10: Hoian - Ho Chi Minh City (B)
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City Mekong Delta (B, D)
Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City - Departure (B)

Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (D)
Welcome to Vietnam, Upon arrival at Hanoi International Airport, our tour guide will greet and transfer you to your hotel. In the afternoon, enjoy a walking tour in The Old Quarter. In the evening, you will be entertained by Vietnam Water Puppet Show and Vietnam Traditional Music at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. After the show, our tour guide will host welcome celebration dinner at local restaurant with Vietnamese cuisines. Stay overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour - Night train to Lao Cai (B, D)
After breakfast at the hotel, visit the capital city of Hanoi including the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam, Ba Dinh Square for visiting Uncle Ho's (Ho Chi Minh President) Mausoleum, His Residential Area and One Pillar Pagoda. Next is Vietnam National Museum of Ethnology, the largest and most interesting museum in Vietnam. The afternoon cooking demonstration at local restaurant allows you to discover Vietnamese culinary, cooking technics and spices. In the evening transfer to Hanoi Train station for overnight train to Sapa. Stay overnight on train.

Day 3: Lao Cai - Sapa- Hill Tribe Villages (B)
Upon arrival at Laocai Train Station then go up to Sapa which is located at 1600 m high above the sea level. Enjoy morning walk to Sapa Market for mountainous herbs and indegrents then continue to the Black Mong Village of Catcat. On the way you can discover the techinics of planting rice in mountainous area. In the afternoon, take a drive to visit Ta Van Village, the home of Dzay hill tribe and Taphin Village, the home of Red Dao minority. In the evening, free at your leisure. Stay overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Day 4: Sapa - Bacha Colorful Market - Night train to Hanoi (B)
Breakfast at hotel, then go to Bac Ha Market which is located 100 Km away. We will spend 2 hours in Bacha Market where you will try local corn wine and taste different minority herbs. In the afternoon, go back to Lao Cai Train Station. On the way, visit King Mong Palace and border gate between Vietnam and China. The balance of the day is free at leisure before embarking on overnight train to Hanoi. Stay overnight on train.

Day 5: Hanoi - Halong (B, L, D)
Arrive in Hanoi early in the morning then head to Halong Bay, the World Natural Heritage. Enjoy drive though the rural area with scenic view of rice paddy field in the Red River Delta. You may be lucky enough to see cows or pigs on motor bike or Vietnamese kids ridding on water buffalo flying kites. Upon arrival, check in Vietnamese Cruise then journey along the spectacular limestone islands, floating villages while having sea food lunch on board. Follow by disembark to visit 'Sung Sot' or Surprising Cave, one of the most beautiful grottoes in Halong Bay. Next stop is Titop Island where you could swim on sandy beach or climb up to the top for panoramic view. In the evening, you will be delighted by candle light dinner on board with sea food. Stay overnight on board in Ha Long Bay.

Day 6: Hanoi - Hue (B, D)
A breakfast will be served in the restaurant with the combination of western style and local cuisine. Experience the Bay up close and personal with a leisure sampan tour to Hang Luon or Lagoon Cave which allows you to see flora and fauna system of Catba National Park, then continue to Halong City. Disembark then enjoy the last seafood meal at local restaurant. In the afternoon, go to Noi Bai Airport for short flight to Hue city. Tonight, be our guest for special dinner at Royal Park Restaurant with Hue royal cuisine while enjoy Hue Folk songs performed by ladies in traditional dresses. Stay overnight hotel in Hue.

Day 7: Hue - Danang - Hoian (B)
After breakfast at hotel, we have half day to visit Hue with the Imperial Citadel, King Minh Mang's Tomb and Thien Mu Pagoda.In the afternoon, head south to Hoian Town. On the way stop to visit Cham Museum, the last collection of powerful Champa Kingdom in 14th century. Next is Nonnuoc Stone Carving Village and continue to Hoian. Stay overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 8: Hoian - Danang - Cooking Class at Red Bridge Cooking School (B, D)
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy oriental tour in Hoian including Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall and Phung Hung Houses. In the afternoon come to the Hai Scout Cafe at 98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street to meet the Chef for cooking demonstration. First, have a lesson of buying ingredients to be used later. After the market visit, embark on boat for a leisure cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoian River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. Upon arrival, explore the cooking school's herbs and vegetable garden before learning Hoians and Vietnam's well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours. Each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef's, before you prepare the same dish for yourselve. After the lesson, enjoy what we have cooked. Then take a leisure boat trip back to Hoian Town. Stay overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 9: Hoian - Ho Chi Minh City (B)
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to Danang Airport then take a short flight to Hochiminh City. Upon arrival, enjoy half day city tour including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and China Town. Stay overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta Excursion (B, D)
After breakfast at hotel, today go to Mekong Delta for Cai Be Floating Market. Upon arrival, embark on motorboat to visit coconut candy, pop corn and rice paper factories then enjoy local musical show with sweet molody while trying locally made products like beehoney tea, rice wine, and tropical fruits like Jackfruit, Litchi, Rambutan...then move to small sampan which allows you to take closer look to their life and scenery. Disembark and drive back to Hochiminh City. In the evening, be our guest at local restaurant for farewell dinner. Stay overnight hotel Hochiminh City.

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City - Departure (B)
After breakfast at hotel, you will have free time for shopping before transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for departure.

This article written by Lanh Nguyen from Vietnam Travel Agent
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