Do you think Viet Nam is a copy of China? This tour offers a rather thorough exploration of the two countries and helps you answer that question.

Schedule: First Tuesday of the month

Code: ST-VN CH

Day 1: HCMC (D)
Arrival in HCMC, the biggest city in Vietnam, pick up, hotel check-in.
Afternoon city walk downtown to admire the sparkling charm of the busy city.

Day 2: HCMC (B-L-D)
Morning visit the well-know historic site of the Cuchi tunnels to learn about the strong wills of the Vietnamese.
Afternoon city tour in HCMC to China town, the busy Cho Lon (Big Market), a beautiful Chinese temple, and some free time on your own.

Day 3: HCMC – Xeo Quit – Can Tho (B-L-D)
Start your exploration of the terrific tropical Mekong Delta with a bus drive to Xeo Quit, a former communist military base, and then enjoy wonderful boat trips around scenic swamps and forests of eucalyptuses and ivies.
Late afternoon drive to Can Tho, the capital of the Mekong delta

Day 4: Can Tho – HCMC (B-L-D)
Morning a wonderful boat trip to lively floating markets and villages along the lower Mekong branch, a fascinating tuk tuk ride along evergreen rice fields and orchards.
Afternoon drive back to HCMC

Day 5: HCMC – Danang – Hoi An
(B-L-D)
Morning flight to Danang, transfer to the charming ancient city of Hoian, a World Cultural Heritage Site. The rest of the 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 6: Hoi An (B-L-D)
Another enjoyable day including boat and bus trips to the most impressive ruins of the country in My Son.
Afternoon some free time for shopping and relaxation in Hoian

Day 7: Hoian – Hue (B-L-D)
Enjoy a scenic drive to H ue with many beautiful photo stops on route and stop to visit the Cham museum in Danang .
Arrival in Hue in the afternoon, visit the Royal Citadel of Hue, a World Cultural Heritage site and the bustling Dong Ba market.

Day 8: Hue – Hanoi (B-L-D)
Morning enjoy boat trip Thien Mu pagoda, a beautiful symbol of Hue, continue to Tu Duc and Khai Dinh Royal tombs, two of the most splendid tombs in Hue.
Some free time in the afternoon before transfer to the train station for evening train to Hanoi (17:16 – 5:30)

Day 9: Hanoi (B-L-D)
Early arrival in Hanoi, pick-up, hotel check-in, continue with a pleasant city tour to visit the peaceful Temple of Literature, the first university of Vietnam, an interesting walk through the hustle bustle of the Old Quarter of Hanoi. After lunch, enjoy another fantastic exploration of Hanoi by rickshaw, then free time for t he rest of t he day.

Day 10: Hanoi – Halong Bay (B-L-D)
Morning continue Hanoi city tour with pleasant visits to the Ho Chi Minh area including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, House and garden, the famous One Pillar Pagoda, the Museum of Ethnic groups.
Afternoon transfer to Halong Bay, a gorgeous World Natural Heritage site. Hotel c heck-in , free time

Day 11: Halong – Hanoi – Lao Cai (B-L-D)
Morning enjoy the wonderful cruise along thousands of islands.
Afternoon drive back to Hanoi and go aboard a night train to Laocai after dinner.

Day 12: Lao Cai – Muong Khuong – Sapa (B-L-D)
Early arrival at Lao Cai railway station. Transfer to the colourful Muong Khuong Sunday market of hill tribes.
Afternoon drive to Sapa, a lovely mountainous town.

Day 13: Sapa (B-L-D)
Enjoy soft trekking to Lao Chai and Ta Van villages to see how the local H’mong and Giay tribes live, especially to be breathtaken by the terrific landscapes.
Some free time on your own for the rest of the day.

Day 14: Sapa – China Border – Hekou – Kunming - Dali (B-L-D)
Arrival at border in Laocai, immigration procedure, reach Hekou border in China, bus pick-up then transfer to the railway station to take a train to Dali via Kunming, O/N on train .

Day 15: Dali Old town (B-L-D)
Arrival in Dali New town, transfer to Dali Old town, one of very few attractive traditional towns surviving modernization streams in China, hotel check-in, free time for self exploration.

Day 16: Dali Old town (B-L-D)
Morning enjoy lovely bicycle ride to Xizhou village to explore Bai culture of beautiful traditional architecture and colourful costumes.
Free afternoon for relaxing exploration of the old town

Day 17: Dali – Lijiang (B-L-D)
Bus drive to the delightful old town of Lijiang, a World Cultural Heritage site, hotel check-in, lunch.
Afternoon nice walk around the old town of cobbled streets, criss-crossed canals, and from A to Z souvenir shops, enjoy lively dancing performance by Naxi ladies at the market square

Day 18: Lijiang – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Lijiang (B-L-D)
Day trip to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world, enjoy a rather tough but very impressive 3 - hour- trekking.
O/N in Lijiang

Day 19: Lijiang – Chengdu (B-L-D)
Morning flight to Chengdu, excursion to the Giant Panda breeding research center, hotel check-in, lunch
Afternoon city tour: nice walks at the People Park and walking street area

Day 20: Chengdu – Jiuzhaigou by plane (B-L-D)
Explore Jiuzhaigou Park, a uniquely beautiful world natural and biological park, offering lot of time for walking, admiring the gorgeous sceneries and relaxing in the park. O/N in the park

Day 21: Jiuzhaigou (B-L-D)
Explore Jiuzhaigou Park, a uniquely beautiful world natural and biological park, offering lot of time for walking, admiring the gorgeous sceneries and relaxing in the park. O/N in the park

Day 22: Jiuzhaigou - Chengdu – Xian (B-L-D)
Flight from Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu, then take evening train to Xian

Day 23: Xian (B-L-D)
Arrival in Xian, a significant historic city of China, then excursion to the Army of terracotta warriors after arrival
Back to Xian in the afternoon, hotel check-in, at leisure to relax or explore the old city center on your own.

Day 24: Xian – Beijing (B-L-D)
Morning city walk along the wall, Drum and Bell towers, Muslim square
Visit the splendid Taoist temple of Eight Immortals.
After lunch, take afternoon train to Beijing.

Day 25: Beijing (B-L-D)
After early arrival, hotel check-in.
City walk starts at the huge Tiananmen Square, well-preserved Forbidden City, walk to lunch place, then enjoy Hutong tour on pedicabs through centuries-old streets and communities, passing by the bell and drum towers, end at the colourful Lama temple. Visit the Lama temple and the Confucian temple nearby. Back to hotel

Day 26: Great Wall – Temple of Heaven (B-L-D)
Morning excursion to Juyonguan Great Wall, conquer the truly great wall, admiring the great work and views, have picnic lunch on the wall.
Afternoon drive back to Beijing, visit the temple of Heaven, the symbol of Beijing

Day 27: Summer palace (B-L-D)
Spend more than half day for this pleasant and beautiful place and some free time for shopping in Beijing city center.
Dinner: Enjoy Special Beijing duck

Day 28: Departure (B)
Transfer to the airport for home 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 in Viet Nam and China
• All entrance fees
• Local English, French, German speaking guides
• Gifts and maps

Exclusions:

• International flight tickets to Hanoi and from Beijing
• All domestic and international flights tax : In China: 90yuan /pax (international flights)
• Visa upon arrival for VN (40 USD/pax), China (65 USD/ pax for American and 40 USD/pax for other nationalities)
• Domestic and International Insurance surcharge
• Personal Insurance
• Personal expenses such as drinks, camera fees
• All other accounts not mentioned in the above inclusions.