This tour offers a great mix of various landscapes, cultures a nd histoty from the mountainous North to amazing Halong Bay, then further to the cultural and charming areas in the Middle, and end in the wonderful Mekong delta.

Schedule: First Tuesday of the month

Code: ST - VN 02

Day 1: Ha Noi ( L - D)
Arrival in Hanoi, the nearly 1,000– year – old capital city, airport pick-up , stop to visit the Ethnology museum on the way , hotel check-in.
Afternoon enjoy a fascinating rickshaw through the unique Old Quarter of Hanoi.
The day ends with the enjoyable water puppet show.

Day 2: Hanoi – Ba Be National Park
(B-L-D)
Transfer to Ba Be National Park with beautiful natural lakes and tropical forests.
Overnight at the park guesthouse

Day 3: Ba Be (B-L-D)
Full day enjoy peaceful boating on the lake and walking in the park.
Overnight at home stay at a Tay village

Day 4: Ba Be – Bac Ha (B-L-D)
Full day enjoy scenic drive through mountains and passes to Bac Ha, a popular mountainous town

Day 5: Bac Ha (B-L-D)
Morning visit Can Cau colourful market of hill tribe people
Afternoon soft trekking around Ba Ha town

Day 6: Bac Ha – Sa Pa (B-L-D)
Morning enjoy Bac Ha Sunday market of hill tribe people.
Afternoon scenic drive to Sapa, admiring stunning views of rice terraces and mountains.

Day 7: Sa Pa – Ha Noi (B-L-D)
Morning enjoy soft trekking to Lao Chai and Ta Van villages of the H’mong and Giay peoples.
Afternoon enjoy another lovely soft trekking at Ta Phinh of the Red Dao people.
Take evening train from Lao Cai to Hanoi

Day 8: Ha Noi (B-L-D)
Early arrival in Hanoi Railway Station, hotel checkin and rest till lunch
Afternoon city tour Hanoi with visits to the Temple of literature, Fine Arts museum, and the Old Quarter.

Day 9: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay (B-L-D)
Morning visit the Ho Chi Minh area, then tr ansfer to Halong bay by bus , check-in aboard. Be delighted by dilicious seafood and relaxing cruise through gorgeous scenery.
Overnight aboard.

Day 10: Ha Long – Hue (B-L-D)
Transfer from Halong to Noi Bai airport by bus, take a flight to Hue, the last Royal city, hotel check-in.
Afternoon enjoy fantastic motorbike ride to villages around Hue.
Evening ends with a special feast of Hue.

Day 11: Hue (B-L-D)
Morning take a lovely boat trip on the beautiful Perfume river, stops at the Thien Mu pagoda (Hue’s symbol) and Minh Mang tomb , and take 1 hour’s cooking lesson to learn about the art of Hue cuisine.
Afternoon transfer by bus to the Citadel of Hue, a World Cultural Heritage site, and visit the busy Dong Ba market.

Day 12: Hue – Hoian (B-L-D)
Morning transfer to Hoian via Da Nang with many photo stops on the way, visit the fine Cham museum, nice climb on the Marble Mountians.
Arrival in Hoian ancient town, a world Heritage site, a peaceful place to relax and hang around.

Day 13: Hoi An (B-L-D)
Full day enjoy the wonderful features of Hoian: relaxing, charming, and great shopping
Activities: pleasant city walk to a museum, a Chinese temple, an old Chinese merchant’s house, the famous Japanese pagoda bridge, and many beautiful shops. Afternoon enjoy a uniquely fabulous bicycle ride through the gorgeous sceneries of the countryside.

Day 14: Hoi An – Danang – HCMC (B-L-D)
Morning flight from Danang to HCMC, the biggest city of Vietnam, a modern hustle and bustle city.
City tour: visits to busy China town, beautiful Jade Emperor pagoda, interesting War museum, charming city center, interesting lacquer ware factory.

Day 15: HCMC – Tay Ninh – Cu Chi (B-L-D)
Full day excursion to visit two contrast sites: the colourful Cao Dai Holy See of the most egalitarian religion and the impressive tunnels system of the most violent battlefield of the Vietnam War.

Day 16: HCMC – Can Tho (B-L-D)
Start your exploration of the terrific tropical Mekong Delta with a bus drive to My Tho located on the riverbank of the Upper Branch of the Mekong River, and then enjoy wonderful boat trips along small canals, visits to family factories and gardens, floating houses of fishermen, enjoy local food and fruits.
Late afternoon drive to Can Tho, the capital of the Mekong delta

Day 17: Can Tho – HCMC (B-L-D)
Morning a wonderful boat trip to lively floating markets and villages along the Lower Branch of the Mekong, a fascinating tuk tuk ride along evergreen rice fields and orchards.
Afternoon drive back to HCMC by bus.

Day 18: Departure Home Sweet Home (B)

Transfer to the airport for departure

End of service

Price: USD/pax (valid till May 2006)

Inclusions:

• Hotel accommodation with breakfast (based on twin sharing, superior rooms)
• All meals indicated in the program
• All ground transport on tour with A/C vehicles , train, boats, motorbike, bicycle, rickshaw, tuk tuk, etc., all the domestic flights
• All entrance fees and domestic airport taxes
• Local English, French, German speaking guides
• Gifts and maps

Exclusions:

• International flight tickets to and from Vietnam
• Single entry Visa for VN (40 USD/pax)
• Domestic and International Insurance surcharge
• Personal Insurance
• Personal expenses such as d r inks, camera fees
• All other accounts not mentioned in the above inclusions.