Vietnam culture and beach break

• ITINERARY BRIEF:

  * Day 01: Hanoi Arrival * Day 02: Hanoi ­ Halong Bay ­ Overnight on board (B, L, D)                   –Join Tour * Day 03: Halong Bay ­ Hanoi (B, Brunch)                                                      –Join Tour * Day 04: Hanoi City Tour Full Day – Fly to Hue (B, L)                              –Join Tour * Day 05: Hue City Tour (B, L)                                                                          –Join Tour * Day 06: Hue – Transfer to Hoian – Free Day (B) * Day 07: Myson Holyland Half Day (B)                                                          –Join Tour * Day 08: Hoi An – Transfer to Danang – Free Leisure at Beach (B) * Day 09: Danang – Free Leisure at Beach (B) * Day 10: Danang – Free Leisure at Beach (B) * Day 11: Danang – Fly to Hochiminh (B) * Day 12: Hochiminh City Tour & Cuchi Tunnels (B, L)                            –Join Tour * Day 13: Hochiminh – Mekong Delta Tour (B, L)                                        –Join Tour * Day 14: Hochiminh – Departure (B) . …IN DETAIL . DAY 1: HANOI ARRIVAL Arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by driver with signboard and transfer Hanoi central. Check in hotel & relax (the room may not be available until 12:00 PM) Rest time, you will have free time to relax at hotel or explore Hanoi ancient town by your ways.   Overnight at hotel in Hanoi   Included: Private transfer  . DAY 2: HANOI – HALONG BAY OVERNIGHT ON BOARD (B, L, D) –JOIN TOUR Breakfast at hotel, 08:00AM, cruise’s staff (no private guide) will pick up and transfer by shuttle bus of cruise to Halong Bay. From Hanoi, head east for more than 3 hours to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994. The road will pass by the Red River delta with green paddyfields and rural villages, where hard-work farmers are busy with their farming jobs, ploughing buffaloes or planting seedling. Upon arrival in Halong, we’ll take a big boat to cruise the Bay to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch of fresh seafood on board, we can visit the Surprising Grotto, stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating villages and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the boat for dinner late afternoon. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure.   Overnight on the Halong Cruise   Note: Program may differ slightly base on cruise ships.   Included: Shared shuttle bus, shared tour guide, lunch & dinner .   DAY 3: HALONG BAY – HANOI (B, BRUNCH) –JOIN TOUR Breakfast on boat, The Vietnamese call the “East Sea” by a point-oriented name “Eastern Sea”, so you may guess how miraculous it is seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. The boat will take us to go about marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent, including the Fisherman’s Head, Turtle, the Sail, the Incense Burner Rock, the cute Sea Dog Rock or Cock Fighting Rocks and so on. Brunch on boat. Check out and get back to the shore and transfer to Hanoi check-in and relax.   Overnight at hotel in Hanoi   Included: Shared shuttle bus, shared tour guide, brunch  . . DAY 4: HANOI FULL DAY TOUR – FLY TO HUE (B, L) –JOIN TOUR AM: 7.45 – 8.15: Free pick up at your hotel. Then visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to explore the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-place. Just next door is Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts and lying to one side of the Mausoleum is the One Pillar Pagoda, which was founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049 – the structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. . Then continue on to the Ethnology Museum (apply on Sun, Tue, Thu & Sat), the Literature Temple and Quoc Tu Giam, see Vietnam’s first university, constructed in 1070 –  it’s gardens and well-preserved architecture will offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past. Then continue on to the Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda at West lake (One of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam). Lunch at local restaurant.   PM: After lunch proceed to visit Bat Trang pottery village (applied on Mon, Wed & Fri). Take you past Hoan Kiem Lake to see the peaceful waters, and the beauty of Ngoc Son temple. At the end, journey through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, where you’ll then have a chance for some shopping and exploration.   At 16:00, we transfer to Noi Bai Airport for departure flight to Hue city.   Overnight at hotel in Hue   Included: Private transfer, shared English tour guide, lunch .   DAY 5: HUE CITY TOUR (B, L) –JOIN TOUR Morning:

• Dragon boat trip to Thien Mu pagoda – The oldest pagoda in Hue city.
• Imperial Citadel – The home of Vietnam’s last royal dynasty – the Nguyen Dynasty.
• Hue Royal Antiques Museum – A collection of ornaments from the Nguyen dynasty.
• Dong Ba Market to see the daily life of local people.

  Afternoon:                                                          

• Lunch at local restaurant.
• Khai Dinh King’s Tomb – a blend of Western and Eastern architecture.
• Minh Mang King’s Tomb, one is impressed by the majesty and symmetry of the architectural constructions.
• Conical hat village
• 4:00 – 4:30 pm: Back to your Tour ends.

  Overnight at hotel in Hue   Included: Shared transfer, shared English tour guide, lunch   DAY 6: HUE – TRANSFER TO HOI AN – FREE TIME (B) After breakfast and you have free time until check-out hotel, then a private car & driver will pick up you at hotel and depart from Hue to Hoi An. Arrive Hoi An, check in hotel & relax (the room is official available after 14:00). The rest time, you can explore Hoi An by your ways.   Overnight at hotel in Hoi An   Included: Private transfer, no tour guide .       DAY 7: MYSON HOLYLAND HALF DAY (B) Breakfast at your hotel. This morning, we will visit the ancient Champa Kingdom of My Son, a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled between lush valley and mountain that was the spiritual and political capital of the Champa Kingdom from the 4^th to 13^th Century. One of the most stunning sights to see in Hoi An area is My Son, Vietnam’s most important site of the ancient kingdom of Champa. Between the 4th and 13th century a unique culture which owed its spiritual origins to Indian Hinduism developed on the coast of contemporary Vietnam. This is graphically illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive tower-temples located in a dramatic site that was the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom for most of its existence. Located in the heart of a beautiful valley and surrounded by high mountains ranges My Son was named a Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999. Originally built with wood, they were completely destroyed by fire in the 6th century and restored in the 7th century by Sambhuvarman who rebuilt the temples with locally made bricks. Up to the 13^th century, more than 70 similar temples were built, establishing My Son as a sanctuary of Hinduism in the Champa Kingdom. The My Son Sanctuary is a remarkable architectural ensemble that developed over a period of ten centuries. It presents a vivid picture of spiritual and political life in an important phase of the history of South-East Asia.   Then transfer back hotel & relax. Afternoon, you will have free time to explore Hoi An ancient town by your ways.   Overnight at Hoi An   Included: Shuttle bus transfer, shared guide .   DAY 8: HOI AN – TRANSFER TO DA NANG – FREE AT LEISURE AT BEACH (B) Have breakfast at hotel. This morning, you will have free time until driver pick up you and transfer to the Da Nang. Then check hotel (the room will be official available after 14:00 PM). The rest time, you will be free to relax at beach in Danang.   Overnight at hotel in Danang city   Included: Private transfer, no guide . DAY 9: DA NANG – FREE AT LEISURE AT BEACH (B) Have breakfast at hotel. Today, you will be free to relax at beach in Danang by your ways.   Overnight at hotel in Danang city   Included: No transfer, no guide . DAY 10: DA NANG – FREE AT LEISURE AT BEACH (B) Have breakfast at hotel. Today, you will be free to relax at beach in Danang by your ways.   Overnight at hotel in Danang city   Included: No transfer, no guide . . . . DAY 11: DA NANG – FLY TO HOCHIMINH (B) Have breakfast at hotel. Depend on your flight, you will have free time until driver pick up you and transfer to the Da Nang Airport for your flight to Hochiminh city.   Once arrival Tan Son Nhat Airport in Hochiminh, driver will pick up you to hotel, then check in hotel and relax. The rest time, you will be free to relax or explore Hochiminh city by your way.   Overnight at hotel in Hochiminh city   Included: Private transfer airport pick up in Danang, Hochiminh . . DAY 12: HOCHIMINH CITY TOUR – CUCHI TUNNELS (B, L) –JOIN TOUR 07:30 – 08:00AM, Pick you up at hotel, visit The Reunification Palace, War Remants Museum, The Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office, Jade Emperor Pagoda. Have lunch in the restaurant.   Then head to Cu Chi tunnels. Arriving tunnels, a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed will be given. We then spend time exploring the maze of tunnels including innumerable trap doors, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Overnight at hotel in Hochiminh city   Included: Shared tour guide, shared shuttle bus, lunch . DAY 13: MEKONG DELTA (MYTHO &BENTRE) (B, L) –JOIN TOUR Highlight: vist Vinh Trang Pagoda, Floating Fish Farm, Hand Rowing Sampan, Traditional Workshop (how to make coconuts).   07:30 – 08:00AM, you will pick up at your hotel, travel by shuttle bus to My Tho – 9:30 AM, board a private wooden boat to Unicorn Island. On this boat along the river’s bank, you’ll be passing through natural creeks and quiet villages and watch rural people going to work. You will see an interesting fishermen’s port,stilt houses. One of the boat’s stops during this trip is at a large orchard that has many different types of tasty tropical fruits for your enjoyments. Another boat stop is for the Turtle Island 1 hr from the previous one. Here, on a small row boat, you’ll see interesting transportation modes that local people use to move around. From there, we’ll take you to a bee farm where you have a chance to taste a tasteful cup of authentic honey tea while checking out the folk music that is typical to only the people in Southern Vietnam. After that we’ll take you to a village where you can smell the flavor of coconut candies being made many yards away. This is a great chance to witness how village people make candy and handcrafted items from coconuts. You might learn that those people can amazingly make dozens of useful products out of coconut trees.     Overnight at hotel in Hochiminh city   Included: Shared tour guide, shared shuttle bus, lunch   DAY 14: HO CHI MINH – DEPARTURE (B) Have breakfast at hotel. Today, you have free time until a driver will come to your hotel and pick up you to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your departure flight.   Included: Private transfer   Say goodbye Vietnam. Thank you for traveling with us.