Vietnam Spectacular

Today, a full day tour of Hanoi includes Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Museum, West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Temple of Literature. After lunch time, you will continue to visit Opera House, Cathedral, and Ngoc Son Temple. An hour on Rickshaw will give you an insight of Hanoi Old Quarter called 36 streets. Enjoy the Water Puppet Show in a theater near Hoan Kiem Lake. Dinner and Overnight in Hanoi.

Morning transfer from Hanoi to Hoa Binh and the town of Mai Chau. It takes around 3,5 hours. Passing fields of tapioca and sugar cane as well as rice paddies. After lunch in a traditional stilt house of the Thai people, your will take a walk to explore around the village. Overnight as the guests of a White Thai family in a traditional stilt house, situated in a picturesque valley.                                                                         

Leave the people of the mountains behind, you will drive through rural countryside to Trang An – a new tourism complex. Upon arrival, you will get on sampans and start a loop tour through 9 caves in which the longest one is 320m, it is a good chance to walk up some temples and enjoy the spectacular view of the valleys created by Karts that’s why it is called Halong bay on land. The rowing trip is around 2,5 hours. Lunch before continue  to visit Bai Dinh Pagoda complex, which has the biggest statue of Budha in Southeast Asia.  Return to Hanoi for your overnight stay.                                                                        

Arrive at Hanoi Railway Station early this morning. Enjoy breakfast prior to driving to Halong Bay.

On arrival board a private boat and enjoy a welcome drink on the Hai Long vessel. The cruise will head toward the Cave of Surprise which will be visited via small sampans. Once there, enjoy a walking tour through the cave before returning to your boat. Depending on the weather there may be time to swim at Titop Beach before heading to Trong Cave where you can enjoy dinner. Overnight on boat.

This morning enjoy breakfast on board. Afterwards visit Luon Cave by small sampan. We will continuously pass the area where the scenes of the famous film “Indochina” were filmed. See the famous islets along the way such as Teapot Islet, Marker Islet, Fire Islet, and Dove Islet. After lunch on board, arrive at the wharf where your coach will be returning you to Hanoi. This evenining, you will take an overnight train to Hue. Overnight on the train.

Arrive in Hue in the morning, check in at the hotel for your refreshment.  After lunch, you will take a boat cruise to visit Purple Forbidden City, Khai Dinh Tomb and Dong Ba Market. Tonight, after dinner, you will take a boat cruise on Perfume River to enjoy the Traditional Music Performance.

Overnight in Hue.                                                            

Head further south to Hoi An via the Hai Van Pass then to Da Nang, where you will visit Non Nuoc Mountain presenting the 5 element factors of universe and Cham Museum displaying carvings from a once powerful and prosperous civilization. Arrive in the old merchant town of Hoi An around 2:00pm you will visit Tan Ky Old House, Chinese Assembly Hall, Hoian Museum. Rest is free to explore the art galleries, hand crafted woodwork, ceramics, lanterns, embroidery and tailor shops where an entire wardrobe can be made overnight. Overnight in Hoi An.  

Free and leisure time for your own activities. Overnight in Hoi An.                 

Morning flight to Ho Chi Minh.  On arrival, transfer to visit some highlights of the city such as War Remnant museum, Independence Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and Post Office. Rest of the day is free to explore around or window shop in Ben Thanh market. Overnight in HCMC.   

Depart to Tay Ninh near the Cambodian border, is home to the unique Cao Dai sector. The temple's exterior is decorated with multi-colored dragons of all shapes and sizes competing for space with a number of swastikas. Above the main entrance is the all-seeing holy eye, the symbol of the Cao Dai sect. The interior is just as engaging as statues of Jesus Christ, Buddha and the Hindu god, Brahma, stand side by side.

After lunch in a Vietnamese restaurant, going on the road trip to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. At its height the tunnel system stretched over 200km, from Saigon to the Cambodian border and is three levels deep. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life in the American war must have been like. The tunnels have been widened for our benefit (otherwise we would not be able to enter them!) For those who are interested, there's even the opportunity to fire off rounds from an AK47 or M60 at the nearby rifle range.

Back to HCMC late in the afternoon for your overnight stay.                                                                       

After breakfast, free at leisure until transferring to airport for your flight home. End of services.