ESSENCE OF VIETNAM TOUR

* BRIEF ITINERARY:Day 1: Arrival – Ha Noi Sightseeing Tour
Day 2: Ha Noi City Tour to Ha Long Bay
Day 3: Ha Long Bay Cruise Tour – Ha Noi City
Day 4: Ha Noi City to Da Nang – Hoi An Sightseeing Tour
Day 5: Hoi An to Hue – Full Day City Tour in Hue
Day 6: Hue to Ho Chi Minh City – Ho Chi Minh Sightseeing Tour
Day 7: Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho – Mekong Delta Sightseeing Tour
Day 8: Ho Chi Minh City – Departure

Day 1 – Essence of Vietnam Tour: Arrival – Hanoi Sightseeing Tours (-/-/-)

On arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is a stylish and gracious city that retains an unique old world charm and some Asia’s most striking colonial architecture. The many lakes and parks make for relaxing atmosphere. If time permits we enjoy a short cyclo ride through the bustling old quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places.
O/N in Ha Noi.

Hanoi: Cyclo Tour around Old Quater

Halong Bay: Overview

Day 2 - Essence of Vietnam Tour: Hanoi City Tour to Halong Bay – Halong Tour (B/-/-)

Today we commence our sightseeing of Hanoi with the Ho Chi Minh Complex, containing the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of Hanoi. We follow this with a visit to the Temple of Literature, well known as Vietnam’s first university, and the History Museum which displays an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the Vietnamese history. The peaceful lake of Hoan Kiem with its sacred temple and the bustling Dong Xuan Market are also visited before we depart for Halong Bay past the scenic countryside. En route we make stopover at Dong Trieu pottery village to stretch our legs and admire the craftsmen at work.
O/N in Ha Long.

Day 3 - Essence of Vietnam Tour: Halong Bay Cruise Tour – Halong to Hanoi (B/L/-)

The legendary Halong Bay is truly one of Vietnam’s most impressive scenic sights. We board a traditional boat for a five hour trip around Halong Bay. This exciting cruise provides us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. These limestone karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. We round off our excursion with a seafood lunch served on board and travel by roads back to Ha Noi, arriving in time to see an evening performance of Hanoi’s famous water puppets.
O/N in Ha Noi.

Day 4 - Essence of Vietnam Tour: Hanoi – Flight to Da Nang – Hoi An Sightseeing Tours (B/-/-)

The following destination is Danang via an early morning flight from Hanoi. On arrival you are greeted by our guide and driven to Danang center to visit the famous Cham Museum. This gleaming mansion contains the largest collection of Cham treasures in Vietnam. Today we catch a chance to see the Marble Mountain, whose peaks represent the five elements, and the China Beach on our way to Hoi An. This charming town was originally a Cham seaport but has been influenced down the centuries by a myriad of traders from various cultures. There are plenty to see in Hoi An, some of which are the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200 years old Tam Ky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda and the vibrant market. We include these sites in a walking tour past many low tiled houses scattered along the small streets and assembly halls which reflect the town’s multi-cultural past.
O/N in Hoi An.

Hoi An: The Old Town

Hue: Imperial Citadel

Day 5 - Essence of Vietnam Tour: Hoi An Package Tour – Hue Sightseeing Tours (B/-/-)

Upon leaving Hoi An we make our way northwards to Hue. The winding roads begin as we make our way up the spectacular Hai Van Pass. Here we make stop to admire the stunning view north to Lang Co village and south to Danang City. Once arriving at Lang Co, we have a pleasant break by the beach before we head towards Hue. This small and quiet town was once Vietnam’s feudal capital from 1802 to 1945. We visit the massive citadel, containing the Imperial City and the Purple Forbidden City. This royal residence was all but destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, however it is still fascinating to walk among the ruins. The next stop is an elaborate mausoleum dedicated to Emperor Tu Duc. We see this masterpeice and enjoy a boat trip on the Perfume River giving us a chance to visit the beautiful riverside Thien Mu Pagoda and catch the spectacular sunset. The sightseeing also includes Dong Ba Market that sells a wide variety of local goods and handicrafts. Along the way we pass by many fantastic eating spots, ideal places for visitors to sample some local delicacies.
O/N in Hue.

Day 6 - Essence of Vietnam Tour: Hue – Flight to Ho Chi Minh City – Ho Chi Minh Sightseeing Tour (B/-/-)

The south bound journey continues with a short flight to Ho Chi Minh. On arrival you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. This metropolis ,contradiction of its northern counterpart, is crowded with bikes and motorbikes, excited by numerous shopping areas and sidewalk cafes. An afternoon will acquaints us with some major sights of Ho Chi Minh. We drive past many lively streets on our way to the Reunification Palace. This mansion was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975. Close to the palace are some striking French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. We follow these with a visit to the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War remnant exhibit. The final stop is Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sale!.
O/N in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 7 - Essence of Vietnam Tour: Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta Package Tour (B/L/-)

Heading out of town, we travel by roads to the Mekong Delta. This plain region boasts the largest rice bowl of Vietnam. On arrival in My Tho we board a boat navigating around the intricate small canals, which is a great way to observe thelocal lifestyle close-up and catch a view dotted by many islands. The exciting river trip will pass by the lush green vegetation towards the famous Unicorn Island where we have a chance to stroll around an orchard, taste many seasonal fruits and see farmers at work. We navigate some narrower canals using small rowing boats to Ben Tre Province for an interesting visit to some local industries. The extra enjoyment is a lunch at one of the famous local eating spots. We drive back to Ho Chi Minh, stopping off en route to see the beautiful Ving Trang Pagoda and the Saigon’s Chinatown, locally named Cho Lon. This bustling area is crammed with sacred temples and mysterious, narrow lanes.
O/N in Ho Chi Minh.

Saigon: Overview

Saigon: Boat Trip on Mekong River

Day 8 - Essence of Vietnam Tour: Ho Chi Minh City – Departure (B/-/-)

There is a free time to relax or further explore Ho Chi Minh. The tour ends after your transfer to Tan San Nhat Airport for departure. (B) 

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