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Day 1 : Arrival
Saigon (D)
On arrival at Tan San Nhat Airport, you are met and transferred
to the hotel. Ho Chi Minh City is a center of commerce,
finance, culture and tourism in Vietnam. This bustling
metropolis, contradiction of its northern counterpart, is
crowded with bikes and motorbikes, excited by numerous shopping
area and sidewalk cafes. If time permits, we stroll around the
down town to explore the different local ways of life .
Overnight in Saigon
Day 2 : Saigon –
Danang –Hoian (B,L,D)
Today we spend a half day seeing some major sights of the city.
We pass the now-demolished wartime American Embassy before we
visit the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of
the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975, and some
French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral,
the Old Sai Gon Post Office. After seeing the Jade Emperor
Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum, we continue our trip on to
the bustling Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is
for sale!. The next stop of our trip is Danang via a short
flight from Ho Chi Minh. On arrival you are greeted and driven
to Hoian, which was originally a Cham seaport but has been
influenced down centuries by a myriad of traders from various
cultures. Overnight in Hoian.
Day 3 : Hoian –
Danang – Hue (B,L,D)
The ancient architecture of Hoian is a fascinating combination
of Vietnamese traditional characters with Chinese and Japanese
influence. There are plenty to see in this delightful and
tranquil town, some of which are the famous Japanese Covered
Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200 years old Tam Ky House, the
Chua Ong Pagoda, the vibrant market. We visit these on our
morning walking tour past many low tiled houses scattered along
the small streets and assembly halls which reflect the town's
multi-cultural past. Upon leaving Hoi An, we drive north to the
old imperial city of Hue. Along the way, we make stopover at the
sensational Marble Mountains, the China Beach and Danang City
for a visit to the Cham Museum. We then follow the road crossing
over the scenic Hai Van Pass before arriving in Hue, Vietnam's
last imperial capital of Vietnam. Overnight in Hue
Day 4 : Hue – Hanoi
– Halong (B,L,D)
The massive citadel of Hue, containing the Imperial City and the
Purple Forbidden City, is not to be missed. This royal residence
was all but destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, however it
is still fascinating to walk among the ruins. We visit this
masterpiece and have free time to explore the town before
boarding a short flight to the north. On arrival in Hanoi, we
embark on a three and half hour drive to Halong, truly one of
Vietnam’s most scenic impressive sights. Along the way we will
have chance to make stop as you please, to stretch your legs and
take pictures.Overnight Halong.
Day 5 : Halong –
Hanoi (B,L,D)
Morning after breakfast, we take a wooden boat and have seafood
lunch on board. Discover Halong Bay, listed as a World Heritage
Area of outstanding natural beauty. "Dragon descending to the
sea" as it is known in Vietnamese, picturesque Halong Bay has
more than 3,000 limestone islets rising from the clear emerald
water, many of them containing beautiful grottoes. A 4-hour boat
trip will visit to Thien Cung and Dau Go grottoes. After boat
cruise at Halong, we drive back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi
Day 6 : Hanoi –
City Tour (B,L,D)
Today we enjoy a full day city tour starting with the Ho Chi
Minh Complex. This famous site contains the mausoleum of the
nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and the Ho
Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One
Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of
city. We follow this with the Temple of Literature, which is
well known as the first university of Vietnam and the impressive
Ethnologic Museum, dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. The
beautiful West Lake and the History Museum with an excellent
collection of artifacts illustrating the Vietnamese history are
also highlight of our trip. We visit these sights before
continuing to the peaceful lake of Hoan Kiem. In front of this
lake is the famous water puppet theatre where we will see a
fantastic performance.Overnight in Hanoi
Day 7 : Hanoi –
City Tour – Departure (B)
After breakfast,
transfer to airport for flight back home |
