Vietnam Adventure tours - 16 Days/ 15 Nights

    Vietnam Adventure tours – 16 Days/ 15 Nights

Duration: 16 Days/ 15 Nights

Depart From: Hanoi

Destinations: Hanoi – Halong bay – Hue – Danang – Hoi An – My  Son – Ho Chi Minh – Cu Chi tunnels – Mekong Delta River – Siem Reap – Angkor Wat

Description:

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Brief Itinerary

Tour Dates	Destinations	Meals Included	Transportation
Day 1	Arrival Hanoi		Car pick up
Day 2	Hanoi City Tour	B, L	By car
Day 3	Hanoi – Halong Bay	B, L, D	By car + cruise
Day 4	Halong Bay – Hanoi – Hue	B, Br	By car + cruise + flight
Day 5	Hue City Tour	B, L	By car
Day 6	Hue – Hoian Old Quarter	B, L	By car
Day 7	Hoian – Cooking Class	B, L	By car
Day 8	Hoian – My Son	B	By car
Day 9	Hoian Free Time	B	No transfer
Day 10	Hoian - Ho Chi Minh – Cu Chi Tunnels	B	By car + flight
Day 11	Ho Chi Minh – Vinh Long – Caibe	B, L, D	By car + boat
Day 12	Caibe – Ho Chi Minh	B, L	By car + boat
Day 13	Ho Chi Minh City	B, L	By car
Day 14	Ho Chi Minh – Siem Reap	B	By car + flight
Day 15	Angkor Temple Complex	B, L	By car
Day 16	Siem Reap Departure	B	By car

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Hanoi

Arrival in Hanoi, the tour guide will pick us up and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour    (Breakfast/ Lunch)

We start our one day city tour from the lobby of the hotel at 8:30am with our tour guide & driver pick -up. We will drive to Ho Chi Minh Complex, where we will spend a couple of hour to visit: Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh museum and one pillar pagoda. Keep going to see the Temple of Literature: Originally built as a temple to Confucius, this is the site of Vietnam's first university dating back to 1070. The temple highlights the importance that Vietnamese society placed then and now on education. Lunch will be served at a fine local restaurant in Hanoi.

In the afternoon, we will visit one of the most interesting museums in Vietnam, Museum of Ethnology, which is widely acknowledged as the best in the country and has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam's 54 Ethnic minority people. Finally we will have chance to enjoy the unique Water Puppet show to hear to know Vietnamese traditional instruments and singing from the live musicians who play throughout the show. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi

Notes:
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum opening time: Open from Tuesday to Thursday and weekends from 8am to 11pm. Closed on Mondays and Fridays. The mausoleum is closed for two months of the year, usually October and November, when Ho Chi Minh’s body is maintenance. Ethnology Museum is closed on Mondays.

Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay    (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)

We start our 2 day trip at around 08:30 at the lobby in Hanoi. You will be met and transfer to Halong Bay. Drive to Halong City through the paddy fields in the Red River Delta.

10H00: Stopover on the way for a refreshment break

12h00: Arrive at Tuan Chau wharf – Break and photography time

12h30: Board Glory Cruises for departure. Welcome drink will be served

13h00: Lunch is served while cruising through the bay

15h30: Visit exciting Cua Van fishing village. The village is free of busy roads and streets, electric lights, houses and high rise buildings. Instead, there are only herds of little boats and rafts. You will have the chance to discover the traditional culture and custom of the fishermen.

16h30: Enjoy kayaking or swimming (if the weather permits).

17h00: Back on board and continue cruising to Drum Cave (Hang Trong) to dock.

19h00: Dinner is served.

21h00: Take some leisure time to enjoy chatting at the bar or enjoy some night fishing.

Relax and spend a romantic night on Glory Cruise

Day 4: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Hue (Breakfast/Brunch)

07.00: Coffee and tea will be served

08.00: Continue cruising

08h15: Visit splendid Sung Sot Cave

09h00: Check out and enjoy a fantastic cruise on the bay, passing Dinh Huong Island, fishing villages, Ga Choi Island, Dog Island and Sail Island.

09.30: Buffet brunch (breakfast/lunch) while cruising back through Halong Bay to the pier

11h30: Arrive at the pier. Time to say goodbye to the crew

12.00: Return from Halong to Hanoi.

Arrive in Hanoi at around 05:00PM then the tour guide will transfer you to airport for the flight to Hue. Overnight in Hue City

Day 5: Hue City Tour (Breakfast/Lunch)

Hue city is known as an ancient Capital city of many original historical vestiges. There are more than 100 architectural works to be extremely reflected the life of Emperors and Mandarins under Nguyen’s reign. Situated in the middle of hills on the Southern Bank of Perfume River are very beautiful tombs of Nguyen Kings.
The tour guide will meet us at hotel and transfer us to have city tour. We will be transferred to the Wharf where we will cruise along the Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda (The Heavenly Lady pagoda) and surroundings. Then we back to the awaiting vehicle to visit Tu Duc King’s tomb, which is one of the most beautiful works of Royal Architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty. The tomb lies in a boundless pine forest.
In the afternoon, we visit Hue Citadel and Tomb of Khai Dinh King. Overnight in Hue City

Day 6: Hue - Hoian Old Quarter (Breakfast/Lunch)

We will travel by vehicle to Hoian along scenic highway 1A. Along the way we will stop to visit Hai Van Pass, My Khe Beach and Marble Mountain – the five elements of the Universe (water, wood, air, fire and earth). Arrival Hoian, check in hotel and relax. At 3pm, we have a walking tour in Hoian town. Overnight in Hoian

Day 7: Hoian – Cooking Class (Breakfast/Lunch)

We start the day at 8.15am with a drink at Hai Scout Café (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoian Ancient Town, Tel: 3863210) – our meeting point.

Visit Hoian’s colorful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later.

We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoian River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy.

On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoian’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is fluded in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoratirst demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef’s, before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Incion).

After the lesson, we sit down and eat exactly what we have cooked.

Recipes (our food contains no MSG):

1.      Making fresh Rice paper

2.      Fresh Rice Paper Rolls of Shrimp

3.      Crispy Hoian Pancakes with Shrimp, Herbs & a Peanut Sauce

4.      Seafood Salad with mixed Vietnamese Herbs served in Half a Pineapple

5.      Vietnamese Eggplant in Clay Pot

6.      Food Decoration – Tomato Rose & Vietnamese Cucumber Hand Fan

*   Lunch includes the above meals as well as:

Steamed Ocean Fish on a bed of Freshly Chopped Vegetables   (not included in the demonstration)

*   A vegetarian lunch can be provided on request.

Finish at approximately 1pm – transfer back to central Hoi An.

In the afternoon you are free time to relax. Overnight in Hoian

Day 8: Hoian – My Son    (Breakfast)

The trip to My Son in the morning, My Son, located 69 km southwest of Danang, was an imperial city during the Cham dynasty, and 75km far from Hoi An. My Son is the former capital of the ancient Cham civilization that ruled Central Vietnam from the second to the thirteenth century. Their religion was primarily derived from Indian Hinduism. My Son is considered to be one of the best-preserved Cham structures in Vietnam. The complex is comprised of seventy Hindu-like towers and temples dating from the second century. My Son Sanctuary is a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 70 architectural works. They include temples and towers that connect to each other with complicated red brick designs. The main component of the Cham architectural design is the tower, built to reflect the divinity of the king. We will back to hotel in Hoian at 1pm. In the afternoon, free time for relaxing later. Overnight in Hoian

Day 9: Hoian Free Time    (Breakfast)

Today we are free time for relaxing. Overnight in Hoian

Day 10: Hoian – Ho Chi Minh – Cu Chi Tunnels   (Breakfast)

Flight to Ho Chi Minh in the afternoon at 0930:1040 by Vietnam Airlines

Today we will take the flight to Ho Chi Minh. Arrival Ho Chi Minh, the tour guide will transfer us to hotel, check in and relax. In the afternoon, we visit Cu Chi Tunnel where is located in the Cu Chi District of Ho Chi Minh city. The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters. The trip ends in Saigon at around 18:00. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh

Day 11: Ho Ci Minh – Vinh Long (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)

The program will hstart with a visit of Vinhlong market in the town. This is the best choice for you to take pictures of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, vegetable.

The boat of Mekong Travel will take you to visit the brick kilns where you can see how the local people create bl faeautiful potteries from clay. Then, we visit nursery garden for you to contact the reamous farmers – Mr Tiger or his son who is very successful in Vietnam agriculture. We will enjoy some kinds of fruits from his garden & homemade rice wine when listening to the traditional music.

The rowing boat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals and to enjoy the peaceful time. It is so interesting to see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves and see some activities of the local farmers with an opportunity to make contacts with them and see how they catch fish.

Have some fruits and tea when enjoying the traditional music at homestay. Check in home-stay.

One more thing to do in this trip is biking! It will be so amazing to bike on village paths to see the local farms, houses, real life and the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong Delta.

You will cook some dishes with the owners. We enjoy diner and have cup of tea or rice wine when enjoying the traditional music. Also, you can ask the locals about the culture, people and history of this Island. They do not mind to answer some personal questions.

Overnight in a private room of local house

Day 12: Caibe – Ho Chi Minh   (Breakfast/ Lunch)

Have early breakfast and have a boat trip to Cai Be colorful floating market cruising among local barges full of fruits and vegetables.

Then, an optional stop can be made at local workshops where you can see how to make rice paper, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn.

It is so interesting to visit the handicraft village where you can see how they make some special products: making rice-net for spring-rolls, fish sauce & Soya sauce, cooking salt, sewing coconut-leaves for cottage roof. The cruise will end at Cai Be town. We have lunch before transfer to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh

Day 13: Ho Chi Minh City Tour   (Breakfast/ Lunch)

After breakfast at hotel, at 08:00 with the local tour guide & driver pick -up, we depart our hotel for the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace for the president of the South of Vietnam. After that we will visit War Remnant Museum, where we can see countless artifacts, photographs and pictures documenting about the second Indochina war. We also stop at Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post office to get good shots for our memory of the big, modern city of Vietnam.

After lunch time; we continue our city tour with visits: Ben Thanh market and Emperor Pagoda. Here we can experience our Vietnamese Southern daily life. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh

Day 14: Ho Chi Minh – Siem Reap (Breakfast)

Flight to Siem Reap at 0835/0955 by Vietnam Airlines

The drive will transfer you to the airport for the flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, you would be met and transferred to hotel. In the afternoon we visit the Roluos Group which includes the three temples: Preahko, Loile, and the mountain-temple of Pre Rup. Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 15: Angkor Temple Complex (Breakfast/Lunch)

Today, after breakfast, we will start our visit of the amazing temples complex of Angkor. We will begin to explore the complex of Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom was built by King Jayavarman VII at the end of the 12th century, a short while after the completion of Angkor Wat. Angkor Thom, which means “Great City”, is surrounded by a massive perimeter wall and a moat with five monumental gates and covers an area of more than ten square kilometers. The most important monuments are located in the centre of the city, namely the Bayon, the Baphoun and the Terrace of Elephants. The Bayon is a fascinating piece of architecture and one of the most photographed. It is a bizarre structure, with a total of 54 towers elaborately decorated with 216 enormous and enigmatic smiling faces. The numerous other structures of this fortified city are the Terrace of the Leper King, the Phimeanakas, Preah Palilay, Tepranom, Preah Pithu, North & South Kleang and Prasat Sour Prot. Then, we will visit Ta Prohm. The principal singularity of Ta Phrom is that it has not been cleared from the thick jungle, as the rest of the Angkor Complex has been. It looks nearly the same as in the descriptions of the first French explorers, shrouded in undergrowth and in the huge roots of old Banyan trees. Then we go back to hot air balloon station where we can ride a stable hot air balloon for a truly memorable sunset look over one of the Wonder of the World, Angkor Wat. Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 16: Siem Reap Departure   (Breakfast)

Free time before we will be transferred to airport for our departure flight home. End of services!

Price Inclusions:

• Entrance Fees: To scenic spots as listed in the itinerary.
• Meals: All meals as specified in the itinerary.
• Private Transfers: Transfers between airports, hotels and scenic spots while sightseeing by private air conditioned vehicle with a driver and English-speaking guide (as listed above).
• Guide: As outlined in the itinerary an English-speaking guide and driver will be provided in each city they will remain with you throughout your time in that city. A new guide and a new driver will meet you at each city on your tour, to provide you with the best local knowledge available.
• Hotels: Hotel fees are based on two people sharing one room with Double/Twin beds.
  All hotels as listed in the above itinerary serve daily Western or Vietnamese breakfast. All rooms are air-conditioned with private facilities unless specified.
• Private boat on Mekong Delta & Perfume River
• Boat cruise 2 days 1 night on Halong Bay
• Homestay in Caibe
• Cooking class in Hoian
• Daily bottle of mineral water
• Service Charge & Government Taxes

Price Exclusions:

• Excess Baggage Charges. Passengers holding an adult fare or half fare ticket are entitled to a free baggage allowance of 20kg, for economy class. Total weight of carryon baggage for each passenger may not exceed 5kg. The size may not exceed 20x40x 55cm.
• Personal Expenses: Expenses of a purely personal nature such as laundry, drinks, fax, telephone calls, optional activities, sightseeing or meals which are not included in the tour itinerary.
• Domestic & international flight with tax airport
• Single Room Supplement