Vietnam Tours | Culture Tours

Essence of Vietnam 16 days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis
Tripcode: VCVH16D

Hanoi, Sapa, Hoi An, Nha Trang, HCMC

Day 1 Arrive Hanoi (D)

Arrival transfer to hotel for overnight stay. Afternoon private walking city tour, visit local market. Evening water puppet performance. Welcome dinner at local restaurant.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2 Hanoi City Tour - Lao Cai (B/L/-)

Full Day City Tour 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.

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 . Your adventure trip to Sapa begins with an overnight train from Vietnam 's capital city to the border town of Lao Cai .

Overnight on train.

Day 3 Arrive Lao Cai - Sapa (B/L/-)

The train arrives at the Lao Cai train station at approximately 06:00am. There will be a vehicle waiting to transfer us to Sapa. The drive to Sapa is only 33 km, but it takes around 1.5 hours. Once at Sapa, we will check into the Victoria hotel, and have time to freshen up, and have breakfast at the hotel.

Then, enjoy a free morning to explore around town. At 10 am from the hotel there will be a walking tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat, home to the H'mong hill tribes minority peoples. As we walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa, we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here we have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with the families that live in the area.

Overnight in Sapa.

Day 4 Sapa (B/L/-)

Following breakfast at we explore the Sapa daily market and then set out on our 3-4 hour trek that will take us along buffalo paths and trails and through several hilltribe villages of Lao Chai and Tavan, home to H'mong, and Dzay people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Stop for a picnic lunch on the way at a family in Ta Van village.

Overnight in Sapa.

Day 5 Sapa - Lao Cai -Train back to Hanoi (B/L/-)

Following breakfast, we drive to explore the Bac Ha Sunday market - the most interesting hill tribe market in Asia . Visit some villages of H'Mong people before we transfer back to Lao Cai for the train journey back to Hanoi . The train departs at 9:15 p.m.

Overnight on train.

Day 6 Lao Cai - Hanoi (B/-/D)

Early arrive Hanoi . Pick up and transfer to hotel. Free. At leisure.

In the afternoon taking part in a cooking class and enjoy dinner prepared by you. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 7 Halong Bay Excursion (B/L/-)

We drive to Halong City , approximately 3 hours away. Once at Halong City you will board our private boat for a four-hour cruise of this stunning area, stopping along the way to visit one of the limestone caves in the area. As we cruise our boat staff will serve you a sumptuous local seafood lunch on boat. After 4 hour navigation we sail back to harbor and drive back to your hotel in Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 8 Hanoi - Danang - Hoi An (B/L/-)

Transfer and flight to Hoi An for two-night stay. Afternoon tour of Marble Mountains and Cham Museum or ruins in My Son.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 9 Hoi An (B)

Enjoy a free day at leisure in Hoian. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 10 Hoi An (B)

At leisure or optional tour to the former Imperial Capital Hue. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 11 Hoi An - Nha Trang (B)

Transfer and flight to Nha Trang for three-night stay. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 12 Nha trang (B)

Free at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 13 Nha trang: (B)

Free at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 14 Nha trang - HCMC (B)

Transfer and flight to HCMC for two-night stay. Afternoon private city touring by cyclo.

Overnight in HCMC.

Day 15 Optional trip (B/L/-)

Option 1: Mekong Delta

Our one day cruise excursion starts at 8:00 from the lobby of your hotel in Saigon with a drive to Cai Be - Phu An where we will board the Cai Be Princess at around 11.00 am. The tour will start with the visit of Cai Be colorful floating market. We will proceed by the visit of some local home factories such as rice paste making, rice pop corn, coco candies, and longans drying processing.

The trip continues along the Mekong canals to Dong Hoa Hiep Island located between Vinh Long and Cai Be. During this 40 minutes cruise you will discover beautiful landscapes along the river and observe the typical Mekong delta rural life. Stops on the way can be made upon request for particular visits or photos making. These evergreen islands among the Mekong River still remain unknown to many people.

Lunch awaits you at Le Longanier restaurant at La Residence de Phu An resort, a superb Indochine style resort. After a short walk along a narrow canal, the excursion will end at around 3.30pm where the vehicle will await you for your transfer back to Saigon .

Option 2: Tay Ninh and Cu Chi

This morning we drive to Cao Dai Temples in Tay Ninh to observe the midday service. Following lunch we will drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels and then return to HCMC at around 6 pm. Tay Ninh , near the Cambodian border, is home to the unique Cao Dai sect, whose patron saints include Joan of Arc, Victor Hugo and Winston Churchill to name a few.

The religion is a hybrid of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Christianity. The Cao Dai Temple at Tay Ninh has been described as a Walt Disney fantasia of the East. The temple's exterior is decorated with multi-colored dragons of all shapes and sizes competing for space with a number of religious symbols.

Above the main entrance is the all-seeing holy eye, the symbol of the Cao Dai sect. The interior is just as engaging as statues of Jesus Christ, Buddha and the Hindu god, Brahma, stand side by side. The trip to Tay Ninh is combined with a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels. At its height, the tunnel system stretched over 250km. from Saigon to the Cambodian border and was three levels deep. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens.

Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life during the U.S.-Vietnam War must have been like.

Day 16 Departure (B)

Free until transfer to airport for departure.

Tour price includes:

•  All private transfer and transportation
•  Accommodation in twin share basis with daily breakfast
•  French or English Speaking Guide
•  Domestic flights: Hanoi/Hue & Danang/Saigon and airport taxes
•  Boat trip in Halong Bay
•  Meals as stated in the itinerary
•  Sightseeing tickets
•  Visa and visa fees
•  Services charges and government taxes

Tour price excludes:

•  International flights
•  International departures taxes
•  Personal expenses, tips and gratuities
•  Travel insurance
•  Meals and beverage

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