VIETNAM IMPRESSIONS
Vietnam Tours - Vietnam Highlight
| Trip code: VET.HI-07 Type of trip: Private Trip Duration: 11 Days Starting: Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city), Vietnam Finishing: Hanoi capital city, Vietnam Destinations: Saigon – Mekong – Cu Chi - Hoi An – Hanoi – Ha Long |
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Description: VIETNAM IMPRESSIONSÂ is a 11 day trip, that provides a quick glance of Vietnam highlights including Saigon, Mekong delta, Hoi An, Hanoi, Ha Long. In this trip you will visit the modern Saigon largest city of Vietnam, boat trip in Mekong delta, the ancient town Hoi An, the 1000 year old Hanoi capital and the mystical Halong Bay.
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BRIEF ITINERARY
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Day 1: Saigon arrival - transfer to hotel |
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Day 2: Saigon – Mekong delta boat trip |
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Day 3: Saigon – Half day Cu Chi – Half day city tour |
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Day 4: Sai Gon – Fly to Hoi An |
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Day 5: Hoi An City tour |
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Day 6: Hoi An - free at leisure |
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Day 7: Hoi An – Fly to Ha Noi |
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Day 8: Hanoi City tour |
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Day 9: Hanoi – Drive to Ha Long |
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Day 10: Ha Long – Hanoi |
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Day 11: Hanoi depart |
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ITINERARY:
Day 1: Saigon arrival - transfer to hotel (Dinner)
Upon arrival to Ho Chi Minh city airport, our guide will welcome you after clearing custom, transfer you to the hotel for check in. Welcome dinner in a fine restaurant hosted by Explorient Travel .
The rest of the day you are free at leisure.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon
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Day 2: Saigon – Mekong delta boat trip (Breakfast, Lunch)
Today, escaping from the high-rise hotels, shopping malls and chic restaurants of Ho Chi Minh City, we drive to My Tho with paddy fields, thick orchards and canals. Upon arriving, we board a private boat start exploring the vast Mekong River. We will pass by the floating market, Fish Quay along the water way to Turtle Island, a beautiful island with many orchards. Here we can enjoy a variety of fresh tropical fruits while listening to traditional South Vietnamese folk songs performed by local artists.
We then visit a coconut candy workshop before taking a short horse cart ride to visit a Bee Farm where we try some honey tea, tastes local confectionery. After that, we will have a short rowing sampan boat ride along the water coconut shady canal to our main boat then go to Phoenix Island that was the lonely bastion of Coconut Monk. Here we enjoy lunch of local cuisines with delicious Elephant Ear fish, before go back to the harbor. Drive back to Ho Chi Minh by late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon
Day 3: Saigon – Half day Cu Chi – Half day city tour (Breakfast, Lunch)
This morning, we leave Saigon for driving through pleasant countryside before arriving at Cu Chi. We then spend the next hours exploring the maze of underground tunnels where the Viet Cong stayed and mount surprise attacks. Also on display are various mantraps and the remains of an American tank as well as numerous bomb craters made by B52 bombers. Cu Chi was really a former battlefield. After that, we drive back to Ho Chi Minh city.
Today we have scheduled a special lunch for your taste of Saigon cuisines at a popular local restaurant in Saigon.
After lunch, you enjoy a half day city tour of Saigon highlights. This half day tour features the Notre Dame Cathedral church that was built between 1877 and 1883. This church is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture. The nearby Old Saigon Post Office is another example of French colonial architecture and is also the country’s largest post office. Then, we move on to see the Reunification Palace. This was one of the most important buildings in the city. Here on April 30th 1975 the ‘American War’ officially ended when tank number 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of what was, at the time the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam. After that, we continue to visit War Remnants Museum - Formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes, this is a poignant display of the futility of war.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon
Day 4: Sai Gon – Hoi An (Breakfast)
Breakfast is at hotel. You are free at leisure until being transferred to Tan Son Nhat airport to take one-hour flight to Danang City. Our guide will pick up upon arrival and transfer for almost an hour to Hoi An city. Stop en-route to visit the fascinating Cham Museum, the famous China Beach on the way to charming Hoi An. Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site. Check in to hotel, then you are at leisure for the rest of day.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
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Day 5: Hoi An City tour (Breakfast)
Today, we spend a half day for exploring Hoi An town. From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port for Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab merchants. These people came primarily to trade in the high grade silk, which is still produced in the area, as well as ceramics.
Nowaday, Hoi An is a quaint riverside town, popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailors shops, and numerous cafes. Some of the buildings in the narrow streets have remained unchanged for more than a century. We enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200- year old Tan Ky ancestral house and the Japanese covered Bridge. Overnight in Hoi An.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
Day 6: Hoi An (Breakfast)
Today you are free at leisure or explore the city on your own.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
Day 7: Hoi An – Ha Noi (Breakfast)
Transfer to internal flight to Hanoi. Upon arriving in Hanoi, our tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is time at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
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Day 8: Hanoi City tour (Breakfast, Lunch)
Full day Ha Noi City Tour today will give you an over view of Hanoi ‘s highlights and its interesting history, culture and life style of Vietnam's capital city. Pick up at your hotel by a car/van, and dropt off to visit Ho Chi Minh Complex including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda. We then visit the Vietnam’s first university – temple of Literature which was built since 11th century. Lunch is at nice restaurant with local cuisines.
After lunch, we take a short drive to the outskirt to visit the Ethnology Museum that offers informative and well documental displays of 54 ethnic groups. Much to learn at this best museum in Indochina. Then we go back to the city centre to visit Hoan Kiem lake and Ngoc Son temple. Enjoy an hour cyclo tour around the bustling old quarter once known as 36 streets and guilds of its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquer ware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. Finally, enjoying the famous traditional water puppet show in Thang Long Theatre. Here the daily activities of the red river delta are lively reappeared on almost a thousand year traditional art of unique made-in Vietnam water puppetry. Go back to your hotel and dinner is on your own arrangement.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Day 9: Hanoi – Ha Long (Overnight on Junk) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
After breakfast, we will depart for Halong Bay – designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site since 1994. Traveling through the scenic fertile Red River Delta countryside, we get to Ha Long Bay by noon. The natural world heritage site Halong Bay is truly one of the most impressive scenery that should not be missed if someone ever come to the north. Upon arrival at Ha Long, we embark on a Chinese style junk for an exploration of the legendary Halong Bay. This exciting hours cruise passing by the evocatively shaped islets will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands and islets rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. Enjoy a Sea food lunch while you cruising through the bay.
Here the limestone karts formations are littered with beaches. You then explore the Surprising Sung Sot cave which still reserve much of the amazing original stalactites and stalagmites. By summer, there is always some chance to leisurely swim in a secluded cove of the bay. Dinner will be served on board and stay overnight on the Junk Cruise.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight on boat
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Day 10: Ha Long – Hanoi (Brunch)
Wake up in the morning to the calming sound of the waves crashing on the nearby islands. Enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning and relax. Sitting on the upper deck, you can enjoy the breath - taking beauty of the rocky Islands rising from the crystal-clear waters of the Bay. The quiet is almost eerie; in summer you can hear birds singing, even that cicadas chirping ashore and the gentle lapping of the waves against our boat, the perfect soundtrack to accompany the fresh air and gentle breeze. Our boat start cruising back and brunch buffet will be served on the way. Check out and arrive at the harbor by 11:30. You get back on our car and head back to Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi around 16:00, check in the hotel and enjoy the rest fee day.
Meals: Brunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Day 11: Hanoi depart (Breakfast)
Today you are free at leisure until being transferred to Hanoi airport for boarding your flight back to home.
End of trip.
Meals: Breakfast
PRICE & INCLUSION
This rate is quoted in USD per person, based on Double/Twin occupancy with 3-star hotel standard.Valid until 31.December - 2013
| Group Size | 2 persons | 4 persons | 6 persons | Single Supp* |
| Price / pp | 1,014 | 759 |
651 | 343 |
| Supplements flight: | SAIGON - DANANG: US$ 110 /pax included airport tax |
| DANANG - HANOI: US$ 110 /pax included airport tax |
Price Inclusions:
• All land transportation by private air conditioned vehicles
• Tour arrival and departure airport transfers
• Hotel accommodation on a twin-share basic (Sleeping boat on Halong bay)
• Meals as mention in the program
• Local English speaking guides
• All entrance and sightseeing fees
• Visa approval fee
• Travel insurance
• Mineral water
Price Exclusions:
• All domestic flights
• International airfare and airport tax in & out Vietnam
• Drinks and other meals do not indicate in the program
• Early check-in and late check-out at all hotels
• Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, shopping...)
• Tipping/ Gratuities
• Additional expenses in case of force majeure
Notes:
• All the points of interest are open for visit based on current updating. In case of closing for construction or any reason, we will replace with similar point of interest.
• This Private Journey will depart on your desired date. It can also be taken in reserve starting in Hanoi and finishing in Saigon
