Vietnam Tours | Culture Tours

Vietnam in Depth 19 days
Tripcode: VCVD19D

Travel the length of Vietnam, stopping in Ho Chi Minh City (in the south), Hanoi (in the north), and the beaches and small towns of the central coast in between. Begin in dynamic HCMC, the country's commercial center and home to a growing number of upscale restaurants and shops. Visit Chinatown , the Thien Hau Pagoda, the Reunification Palace , the Opera House and Hotel de Ville. If desired, also visit the moving War Remnants Museum. Explore colorful outdoor markets and Dong Khoi Street, the city's upscale shopping boulevard with boutiques selling clothes and accessories designed by new Vietnamese designers, hill tribe crafts, high quality linens and housewares. Take a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels and watch an eccentric religious ceremony at the main temple of Cao Daism, an ecelectic fusion of world religions, in Tay Ninh . Alternatively, spend the day cruising the narrow canals of the Mekong Delta and stay in the boutique hotel in Can tho, the heart of the Mekong Delta .

Next, fly to the resort of Nha Trang to spend several days in a secluded island resort overlooking beautiful Nha Trang Bay. Snorkel or dive among the coral reefs in crystal blue waters, hike nature trails, cool off in your pool, indulge in spa treatments or just relax on the white sand beach and admire the unspoiled mountain and sea views.

Fly to Danang and land transfer to the atmospheric Hoi An, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage site. It is a riverfront port town crammed with historic homes, tiny museums, cafes, and bustling silk and fish markets. Nearby, see ancient sculpture in the Cham Museum, and tour Buddhist cave temples in the Marble Mountains. Opt to stay at a luxury beach resort in nearby Danang, or a boutique riverside hotel in the heart of Hoi An.

Next, huge the dramatic landscape of central coasline by a private car or minivan to Hue, the former Imperial capital of Hue is a quiet city renowned for the magnificent architecture of its citadel, palaces, royal tombs, pagodas and temples, built under the Nguyen dynasty on the banks of the Perfume River .

Wrap up in Hanoi, Vietnam's artistic and intellectual capital. Explore the fascinating Old Quarter and its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquerware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake , ride a cyclo to dinner, and watch a performance at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. Dine in French colonial villas converted into gourmet restaurants. Enjoy people watching at stylish cafes. Shop for impressive modern art in the city's many galleries. Also visit Hanoi 's main cultural attractions, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Fine Arts Museum and the Temple of Literature .

Next, board the Victoria Oriental Express Train bound for remote Sapa, a mountain village near the Chinese border. Visit local markets where hill tribe minorities (including Hmong, Red Dao, Tay, Xa Pho and Giay) trade their goods. View spectacular waterfalls and drive through mountain valleys. Explore the hill station town of Sapa , and visit several villages where the tribes live. During free time, enjoy your mountain chalet hotel, where you can enjoy fondue by the fire, swimming, tennis, and mountain walks.

Also spend an overnight in Halong Bay , where thousands of limestone rock sculptures jut dramatically from the sea and numerous grottoes have created an ephemeral, fantastic landscape. YOU MAY LOOSE THE WAY BACK!

Day 1: Arrival HCMC. (-,-,D) Arrival transfer to hotel for four -night stay. Welcome Dinner.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City Tour (B,L,-) Full-day private city tour of HCMC

Day 3 : HCMC – Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temples (B,L,-) Full-day private excursion to Tay Ninh and Cu Chi Tunnels

Day 4 : HCMC – Can Tho (B,L,-) 2 day to explore the Mekong Delta. Night in the heart of the region.

Day 5 : Can Tho - HCMC (B,L,-) Back to Ho Chi Minh City for one night stay.

Day 6 : Fly HCMC – Nha Trang (B,L,-) Fly to Nha trang for 3 night stay.

Day 7 : Nha Trang (B,L,-) Full Day Cruise in Nha Trang Bay

Day 8 : Nha Trang (B,-,-) Free time at the resort.

Day 9 : Fly Nha Trang – Danang - Hoi An (B,L,-) Fly to Danang and land transfer to Hoi An for 2 nights stay.

Day 10 : Hoi An Free at leisure (B,L,-)

Day 11 : Hoi An – Danang - Hue (B,L,-) Private land transfer to Hue for 2 nightsstay and visit Hue.

Day 12 : Full Day City Hue (B,L,-) Full day visit in Hue.

Day 13 : Fly Hue - Hanoi (B,L,-) Half Day City tour Hanoi.

Day 14 : Hanoi - Lao Cai (B,-,-) Full day of leisure and evening on Victoria coach to Sapa.

Day 15 : Sapa - Village Walk (B,L,-) Full day of walking to villages

Day 16 : Sapa - Hanoi (B,L,-) Full day of walking to villages, night train Victoria back to Hanoi.

Day 17: Sapa - Hanoi - Halong Bay on Junk Cruise (B,L,D) Cruise and overnight on junk cruise

Day 18: Halong Bay on Junk Cruise – Hanoi (B,L,-) Morning cruise and back to Hanoi for one night before departure.

Day 19: Departure Hanoi (B,-,-) Transfer to airport.

Remark:

P = Person B= Breakfast , L = Lunch , D = Dinner

Sgl Sup = Single room supplement (if required)

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