Vietnam Classic Tour - 12 days

DAY 1: HANOI ARRIVAL

Arrive in Hanoi. Greeted by your guide/driver at the airport. Transfer to your hotel in the city centre for check-in and at leisure in the rest of the day.

• Meals: N/A
• Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

DAY 2: HANOI CITY TOUR

Today, we will spend a full day to visit the city. We start with visit to President Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and residence. We also visit the famous One Pillar Pagoda nearby. Leaving the President's complex, we continue to visit the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu). Although several Van Mieu can be found throughout Vietnam, the most prominent and famous is that situated in the city of Hanoi, and was functioned as Vietnam's first university
After lunch in a local restaurant, we go to the Museum of Ethnology, which is an excellent museum containing the ethnic costumes of the various minorities of Vietnam, as well as relics, tools and even full size replicas of their homes and buildings.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
• Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

DAY 3: HANOI - HALONG BAY - NIGHT ON BOARD

08h00: Pick up from your hotel in Hanoi. Drive to Halong City through the paddy fields in the Red River Delta.
10h00: Stopover on the way for a refreshment break
12h00: Arrive at Tuan Chau wharf – Break and photography time
12h30: Board the Cruise for departure. Welcome drink will be served
13h00: Lunch is served while cruising through the bay
15h30: Visit exciting Cua Van fishing village. The village is free of busy roads and streets, electric lights, houses and high rise buildings. Instead, there are only herds of little boats and rafts. You will have the chance to discover the traditional culture and customs of the fishermen.
16h30: Enjoy kayaking or swimming (if the weather permits).
17h00: Back on board and continue cruising.
19h00: Dinner is served.
21h00: Take some leisure time to enjoy chatting at the bar or enjoy some night fishing.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
• Accommodation: Night on board

DAY 4: HALONG BAY - HANOI - FIGHT TO DANANG

07.00: Coffee and tea will be served
08.00: Continue cruising
08h15: Visit splendid Sung Sot Cave
09h00: Check out and enjoy a fantastic cruise on the bay, passing Dinh Huong Island, fishing villages, Ga Choi Island, Dog Island and Sail Island.
09.30: Buffet brunch (breakfast/lunch) while cruising back through Halong Bay to the pier
11h30: Arrive at the pier. Time to say goodbye to the crew.
12.00: Return from Halong to Hanoi. Arrive Hanoi at about 17pm.

Airport transfer for late flight to Danang. Transfer to the hotel in Hoian upon arrival.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
• Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian

DAY 5: HOIAN - MY SON TOWERS TOUR

Pickup at the hotel at 7:50 am, we drive to visit My Son. The My Son temple complex is regarded one of the foremost Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia and is the foremost heritage site of this nature in Vietnam. It is often compared with other historical temple complexes in Southeast Asia, such as Borobodur of Java in Indonesia, Angkor Wat of Cambodia, Bagan of Myanmar and Ayutthaya of Thailand. Although badly damaged by bombing raids in the 1960s, the site still has more than 20 structures and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

Leaving My Son for boat station and taking a boat trip on Thu Bon river. You could visit the living of the local people and feeling the fresh air. You will have soft lunch on the boat and see the beautiful views along the river. Arrive Hoian in early afternoon. Free time to explore Hoian ancient town.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
• Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian

DAY 6: HOIAN - FREE DAY

Free and easy day to explore Hoian town or swim at nearby beach.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian

DAY 7: HOIAN - HUE SCENIC TRAIN JOURNEY

Free in the morning.

In the afternoon, transfer to the station for day train to Hue. Enjoy scenic view of Hai Van Pass on the way. Arrive Hue in late afternoon. Transfer to the hotel and enjoy free time.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

DAY 8: HUE CITY TOUR - FLIGHT TO SAIGON

08:00: Pickup at the hotel.
Today, we will spend a full day touring Hue city. Our visiting sites includes Old Imperial City, Flag Tower, Thien Mu Pagoda, Royal Tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. The tour ends with your self exploration of Dong Ba bustling market then transfer to the airport for the late afternoon flight to Saigon.

Transfer to the hotel in Saigon upon arrival.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
• Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

DAY 9: SAIGON CITY + CU CHI TUNNELS TOUR

Pickup at the hotel at 7:40, we head out of town to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, which is an extensive underground network of approximately 200 kilometers of tunnels dug initially by the Viet Minh and then expanded by the Viet Cong. Here contains hospitals, plus accommodation and schools, and were used extensively for refuge and storage and also utilized as a military base for the Viet Cong close to Saigon.
In late afternoon, transfer to Saigon for half day city tour. Our city tour will help you to see the best of Saigon. We visit the historic Reunification palace and War Remnants Museum, followed by the architectural treats of French colonial Notre Dame Cathedral and the post Office. Free time at leisure or shopping at Ben Thanh Market nearby.

Airport transfer for late flight to Danang. Transfer to the hotel in Hoian upon arrival.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
• Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

DAY 10: SAIGON - PANORAMA MEKONG RIVER CRUISE

Pickup at the hotel in Saigon to Can Tho or Cai Be. You board your comfortable wooden Mekong Eyes cruise vessel around noon. After a refreshing welcome drink we show you our on-board facilities and your cosy cabin. As lunch is served, the Mekong Eyes Cruise starts cruising. Sit back and watch the fantastic scenery and the daily life of the Mekong people.
In the afternoon you can disembark for a guided leisurely stroll through a village and the surrounding fruit orchards or rice fields. Meet the friendly locals and taste the local produce and fruits.
Get back on board and enjoy a drink at the bar or relax on deck as the sun sets over the magnificent water landscape of the Mekong river. The Mekong Eyes Cruise will anchor for the night. The day ends with a delicious on-board dinner. You stay overnight on board your floating hotel in the Mekong Delta.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
• Accommodation: Night on board

DAY 11: CAIBE/CAI RANG FLOATING MARKET - SAIGON

Wake up well rested to the sound of the river and get ready for another exciting day of sightseeing in the Mekong Delta. At 6.30h the Mekong Eyes cruise vessel sets off for a sunrise cruise. Watch the locals go about their daily work drying exotic fruits and building ships on the wooden yards while enjoying an early breakfast.
After breakfast, we will board a sampan boat to Cai Be or Cai Rang floating market, the region’s busiest and most lively markets. Marvel at the sheer abundance of exotic fruits, vegetables and skilfully handcrafted regional products. We will pull up to the boats for talking and bargaining with the merchants. We will also visit some of the local candy and cake making factories or boat through the green water landscape to see local houses, verdant orchards and ship-building yards.
Note*: The floating markets in the Mekong Delta are no tourist markets but wholesale markets where produce of the Mekong Delta like fruits and vegetables are traded. For this reason the number of boats on the market fluctuates depending on harvesting seasons and market demand. Furthermore, modern wholesale markets are becoming more popular in Vietnam. This can result in decreasing numbers of boats being present on the markets.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

DAY 12: SAIGON DEPARTURE

Today, you are free till airport transfer for departure flight. Trip ends!

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodation: N/A

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