Eco Nature Vietnam Essential Discovery – 18 days

Day 1: Welcome to Ha Noi – Viet Nam’s Capital

You are greeted at the Noi Bai International Airport and transferred to downtown. Check into hotel. Today, you land in Hanoi, the centre of Vietnam’s polity and culture. Free to have dinner by your own. Then you can walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, night market and The 36 Old Streets as well as free discover Ha Noi’s beauties at night. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, hotel

Day 2: City tour – The 1000 years old Capital – Night train to Lao Cai (B L)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. This morning our guide and driver pick you up at hotel to visit Ha Noi Capital city. Today you spend your time to explore this old capital city with the charms and elegances including the Ethnology Museum where presents the culture and life of 54 ethnics of Vietnam Nation. Visiting this Museum, you can understand the colorful customs of Vietnam country and people. Then go on visiting one – millennium years temple Quan Thanh and Tran Quoc Pagoda, two of the oldest Vietnamese constructions with the stunning scenery and architecture harmony with nature. Have lunch at restaurant.

Pm: This afternoon you go on visiting Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the leader of Vietnam Nation. This is the complex of Ba Dinh Square, the Mausoleum where puts the memorial and body of this Vietnamese Leader, the place where he worked as a president, the museum, and the stilt house with garden, fish pond and many memorable things of this great President. Then visit the Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam to get more knowledge of Vietnam cultures as well as the thick history of our country. The last activity of this city tour you will enjoy water puppet show – a special art of Viet Nam. Tonight, you are free to enjoy your dinner by yourself. At 7.30 pm our guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to Ha Noi train station for getting night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on train with AC soft sleeper.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, water puppet, train tickets

Day 3: Arrive Lao Cai – Sapa – Visit Ta Phin Village & Cat Cat village (B L)

Am: The train arrives Lao Cai Train Station ~ 5:00 a.m. Then the driver and guide take you to Sa Pa town via the clouds. On arrival Sa Pa town you will stop at mini hotel for a morning shower and have breakfast. Sapa, a highland town around with the covering clouds like a picture make you to have an interesting feeling when you step your foot to get it wonderfully by your eyes. You will begin by trekking around Sa Pa town to visit Sapa Morning Market to see the noisy life of local people and get more knowledge of culture through products of minority people. Then you will then take a car from Sa Pa to Ta Phin Village to visit Red Dao people and handicraft shops. You also trek through excellent panoramas of terraced rice fields, bamboo ranges and many minority villages. Then come back to Sapa Town by car. Have lunch at restaurant.

Pm: This afternoon, you continue visiting Cat Cat village with beautiful landscapes and more experiences of tribe people here with black H’mong people family and discover their real life. You will walk down to the waterfall and Hydrogen power station built by French. At Cat Cat village, there is also traditional music show of minority people. You can has a chance to enjoy for more understanding of their cultures. Back Sapa town by car. Free to have your  own dinner at restaurant. Then you can visit Sapa night market to see the specific activity feature of this highland. Overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, early check in & hotel

Day 4: Trek to Lao Chai – Ta Van & night train back Ha Noi (B L)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. Depart from Sapa town by car to Lao Chai village, following the road down the hill. Views of the Muong Hoa valley and magnificent surroundings of mountains and rice terrace fields seen from this road. Along the road, people from many ethnic groups (H’mong, Zay, and Red Dao) likely to be met, and there are stalls along the way that serve tea, fruits, and sweets. Soon after turning off the main road and taking a local path, we will arrive in the Black H’mong village of Lao Chai, where you will experience the daily life of the villagers. After that, we walk from Lao Chai to Ta Van village where the Zay hill tribes live. Here you take a rest and enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by your local guide in his house.

Pm: After lunch, you trek around the village to get more exploration and to see daily activities of local people. Then the driver picks you up for the return journey to Sa Pa to check in mini-hotel for shower. You have more free time to walk around Sa Pa market for more experiences of minority market with colorful life. Then our guide and driver take you back Lao Cai train station for getting night train return Ha Noi city. Free to have your own dinner in restaurant near train station. Get on train A/C soft sleeper. Spending night on train (You will arrival Ha Noi ~ 5.00 am next morning)

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, train ticket

Day 5: Arrive Hanoi – Visit Ha Long Bay – Share group (B L D)

Am: On arrival in Hanoi at 5.00 am, our guide takes you to the mini hotel nearby train station for short break and breakfast. At 8.00 am, our bus driver and guide pick up at hotel and transfer you to Ha Long City. After 3.5 hours driving and viewing simple, countryside, rice paddy life, we arrive at the port. At 12.00, the junk crews welcome guests on board at Hon Gai Wharf. Check- in, enjoy welcome drink & cruise briefing.

Pm: Have lunch with fresh local seafood while cruising to Bai Tu Long bay via Indochina film studio, Teapot islet, Blockhouse islet, Goat Head islet. Stop for swimming, visit mysterious Thien Canh cave. Relax at a wild beach, swimming and kayaking to explore the bay. Back to junk to enjoy relaxing or the sunset. Dinner and overnight on board nearby Vong Vieng village or Trinh Nu cave.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, hotel for short break, entrance fees, admission fee, permission, cruise, accommodation (Deluxe cabin), breakfast, lunch, dinner, kayak

Day 6: Explore scenery in Bai Tu Long Bay – back to Ha Noi – Flight to Hue (B L)

Am: In the early morning this is a chance for you to enjoy the sunrise and the quite breath-taking beauty of Bay’s landscape. Have light breakfast and morning-coffee then you start to discover Ba Cua beach where the guests enjoy swimming, sunbathing or relaxing. Back to junk about 10:00 am and have an Ala Carte for lunch, arrange luggage and check out cabin while cruising back.

Pm: The bus driver transfers you back Ha Noi. You arrive at hotel in Ha Noi about 4.30 pm. Free to have light meal before the driver continues transferring you to the airport at 6.00 pm for taking flight to Hue city. On arrival Phu Bai airport, our guide and driver welcome at airport and transfer you to hotel in Hue city. Check in hotel. Free to have your own dinner. Overnight at hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, cruise, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, hotel, domestic flight ticket

Day 7: Hue – Chay Lap Rustic (B L D)

Am: Our guide greets you at hotel to depart from Hue for Quang Binh province. It will take you about 4 hours on 1A National High Way and pass to Ho Chi Minh Trail with the massive green mountain scenery along the street then you see the sign “Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park” on the left of main road. Drive ahead 18 kilometers in turning left of Ho Chi Minh West Branch Trail and you arrive at Rustic Chay Lap at around lunchtime. Check in homestay, enjoy your meal in traditional way of cooking foods of Mr. Khai, a truly farmer in this country and his friendly family.

Pm: This afternoon you take a kayaking route for more interesting and exciting trip. Begin at Rustic Chay Lap on the Tro Oc River, go on ahead for about 1300 meters then steer right into the Chay River and pass Chay Lap Village on the right. Continue this way you will reach Dark Cave on the left of river. This cave is the part of Phong Nha Cave System and the water here has a special green color and is very cold. It is an interesting way to admire at close Range Station and look up from its mouth in kayak. Back on the river and pass the Ranger Station, the water is still as you glide along the valley river. Come back home stay to have barbecue for dinner providing by Mr.Khai family and you can join with them in easy cooking. Stay over night in homestay.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, permission, entrance fee, homestay, lunch, dinner, kayak, boat

Day 8: Cycling to Paradise Cave – Back to Hue (B L)

Am: Have breakfast in homestay family to be willing for a cycling trip at 7:30 am. Take yourself a mountain bike with our guide to leave Chay Lap for “Thien Duong” Cave. It will take you about 1 hour to reach Paradise Cave on Ho Chi Minh West Branch Trail. On this way, you can see the imposing rock mountains around of white clouds in the morning, sometimes the birds sing in the corner of mountain or behind the clump trees. All these created a beautiful picture in your impressive trip. The Paradise Cave is a dry cave and is appreciated the most stunning cave in Phong Nha Caves System because of its size and unique making a deep impression for the visitors. After going 2000 meters on transferring by golf car through the old forest with many kinds of valuable and rare plant, you will have an opportunity to discover the Cave with its great structure and the stalactites and stalagmites inside. All these are the creations of nature, only the 1100 meters wooden pathway through the cave was man – made. You will leave more 2 hours to explore the cave, after that you will have lunch in Paradise restaurant to refresh yourself.

Pm: After your lunch time, our driver will pick you up at restaurant and back to homestay in the same way, checking out homestay and being transferred to Hue city. On the road, you will stop to have a sightseeing at Vinh Moc Tunnel where was built to shelter people from the intense bombing of people in Vinh Linh county of Quang Tri Province in the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone and used from 1966 until early 1972. It is included wells, kitchens and rooms for each family and spaces for healthcare. This is the biggest tunnel of Viet Nam… Return your hotel in Hue city. Free to have your dinner. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, mountain bike, breakfast, lunch, hotel

Day 9: City tour Hue & boat trip on Perfume river (B L)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. Our guide and driver take you to the boat landing on river for making a boat trip on Perfume River to visit Thien Mu pagoda. Perfume River is known as the second Thames in London. It divides Hue city into two parts North and South. Boating along river you see a tranquil atmostphere and a green on two river’s banks. Then you go on visiting the Forbidden City where was the palace of Nguyen Dynasty including Forbidden City with many palaces and architectures and surrounding: Noon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Nine Urn Dynastys, Mieu Temple… Have lunch at garden restaurant.

Pm: This afternoon you visit Tu Duc Mausoleum, Minh Mang Mausoleum for get some experiences of two famous Kings in Nguyen Reign. Both Kings chose natural harmony and architecture of Orient for their mausoleums. Tonight you enjoy Hue folk song performance to learn more about Hue special culture. Free to have your own dinner. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, Hue folk song, hotel, boat

Day 10: Hue – Da Nang – Hoi An ancient town (B L)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. To be responsible with society, your tour has a special destination to visit a social place – this is Orphanage Center of Hue city – where you can learn the difficult life of these children and deeply know what the hard situation they face in their life. Be very kind to support them some equipment schools or useful things in daily life. After that, transfer you to Hoi An, on the High Way you will discover some unique places such as Cau Hai salt-marsh, a fishing village keeping many kinds of fish, shrimp and sea creature. Admire Lang Co, the most beautiful beach of Asia and have excellent photos with the background of blue sea, white sand, green forest and yellow sunlight, after that is to stopover Hai Van Pass with its interesting position of geological and historical meanings. Reach to Da Nang city, you will have lunch in restaurant.

Pm: Continue visiting Cham Museum to get experiences of collection of Cham architectures are displayed. And, Marble Mountain – another name Five Mountains to visit pagodas, caves and from the top of the mountain you can see nice view of Da Nang city. Then go ahead to Hoi An. Upon arrival, check in hotel. Free to have dinner by yourself and enjoy the balance of the evening to explore Hoi An on your own. This ancient town seems brighter than at night with colorful lanterns along streets and shops create the charming of Hoi An town, especially on every 15^th of lunar calendar you can see its magnificent screen. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, permission, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, hotel

Day 11: Visit My Son Holly land & Hoi An ancient town (BL)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. This morning you make a half day to visit My Son Holly Land – the ruins of Cham People. Here you can have more chance to explore and understand of technique of Old Cham people in making red bricks to build Tower which is still now a secret to everyone and have chance to enjoy traditional music performed by Cham girls in their custom uniform. Then, transferring you back Hoi An to visit the handicraft village of Thanh Ha Ceramic. This is the place for you to sightseeing the village and having the instruction of local people so that you can learn how to make a ceramic then, try to make a small product by yourself. Take a boat trip on Thu Bon River back to Hoi An, you will admire the daily activities of people on the boat go to markets along the river’s bank to earn their life. Have lunch at restaurant in Hoi An to enjoy the special cuisine of this ancient town.

Pm: This afternoon you wander around old streets to visit Hoi An ancient town including the Japanese Covered Bridge, the beautiful Chinese Assembly Halls, the Phuoc Kien Pagoda, Sa Huynh Museum and the local market… Hoi An is also a place for shopping and making tailor with reasonable price. In the rest of this afternoon, you can choose to relax on Cua Dai beach 4 kilometers from the town for more pleasant. Free to have your dinner. At night, you are free to explore Hoi An ancient town for exploring the beauties of this ancient town with colorful lanterns, silk shops… Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, boat, hotel

Day 12: Free day in Hoi An ancient town (B)

Have breakfast at hotel. This day you will have free time to relax, wander around the ancient town for shopping at silk shops, lantern shops or you can make the tailor of clothes with a reasonable price. Another way to relax is to spend your time in Cua Dai beach – 4 km far away from the ancient town. Free to taste meals by your own account. The evening is free. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Breakfast, hotel

Day 13: Transfer to Da nang – Flight to Nha Trang (B)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. The morning is your free time. Our driver drops you off to Da Nang international airport for taking flight to Nha Trang. On arrival Nha Trang beach city, our guide and driver pick up and transfer to the hotel for checking in. Free to have your own lunch.

Pm: In the afternoon, you are free to spend your relax time on nice sandy beach in Nha Trang to enjoy the fresh air. You go along streets near the beach to get the feeling of this famous beach city. Green streets with beautiful trees make you to have a wonderful feeling of Nha Trang which is unforgettable upon staying here. Free to have your own dinner. At night, more free time to chill out or swim on beautiful beach in Nha Trang at night. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, breakfast, domestic flight ticket, hotel

Day 14: Nha Trang city tour (BL)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. Our guide and driver welcome you at hotel and take you to the boat landing for taking a boat trip to visit islands in Nha Trang Bay include: Tri Nguyen Aquarium, Mun Islands and have a snorkeling to see coral in Mun Island. Have lunch with seafood at local restaurant on beach. Back the pier and transfer to your hotel.

Pm: This afternoon you start to visit Cham Ponagar Tower to get more experiences of Cham people and their architecture works. After that, transfer you to Thap Ba hot spring to enjoy mud bathing. This is the way for you to relax and have enjoyment of Hot spring and mud – bathing to refresh yourself. Back hotel and free to have dinner. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, canoe, mud bathing, snorkeling, hotel

Day 15: Nha Trang – Flight to Ho Chi Minh – Visit Cu Chi Tunnel & city tour (B L)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. Then the driver drops you off from hotel to Nha Trang airport for taking morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival TSN airport our guide will welcome you at the airport for visiting the Cu Chi tunnels, the incredible network of tunnels that once stretched for 210 miles. Our guide shows you the structure of Cu Chi tunnels system – 200 km-long network that was built over 2 decades and used as an army base during the Vietnamese-American War. You will be amazed at the tunnels with their underground story including trap-door, living areas, storage, weapon factories, field hospitals, kitchen, command centre, etc. Have lunch at restaurant. The driver takes you back Ho Chi Minh city.

Pm: This afternoon our guide and driver take you to make a half-day city tour includes the Independent Palace formerly known as the Presidential Palace. It was towards this modern building that Communist tanks rolled on the morning of April 30, 1975, as Saigon fell. You have a stopover to take photos at the Old Post Office and Notre Dame Catholic. If time is permit you can visit Ben Thanh market for enjoy the busiest purchasing centre of Ho Chi Minh city. Free to have your own dinner. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, domestic flight ticket, hotel

Day 16: Ho Chi Minh – Mekong delta – Can Tho (BL)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. Our guide and driver pick you up at hotel and drive to My Tho. Firstly, you take a leisurely boat ride along Bao Dinh natural canal to discover traditional stilt house and fruit plantations in two sides of the canal. Next visiting site is My Tho fruit market. My Tho is also known as a prosperous town of 170,000 inhabitants in the Mekong delta. It is famous for its extensive orchards and immense rice fields. Then you will proceed to Tortoise Island to taste lunch in the heart of the orchard.

Pm: After lunch, you have a chance to enjoy a boat trip pass through Tan Thach natural canal in Ben Tre with water coconut trees. Also is an opportunity to call on a family business which is a sample of idyllic rural lifestyle. You will enjoy a boat trip along the creeks after go trekking through fruit garden on Thoi Son island. You go back My Tho on motor boat. Transfer to Can Tho city. Free to have your dinner at restaurant. Check in your hotel. At night, you are free to explore Ninh Kieu famous boat pier. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, boat, hotel

Day 17: Visit Cai Rang Floating market & back to Ho Chi Minh (B L)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. This morning you make a boat trip on Mekong River to visit Cai Rang Floating Market to enjoy the purchasing activities on boat of local people in Mekong Delta. Then go on cruising via small channels to visit rice noodle making villages. You have a chance to cross through the “Monkey Bridge” – a special cover building through channels in the Delta. Then you visit the second floating market in Phong Dien floating market to enjoy more. Floating market is a specialty of Mekong delta so coming there you can enjoy the daily life of local people and variety of Vietnamese customs. Have lunch at restaurant.

Pm: After lunch you will be transferred back Ho Chi Minh city. Arrive at hotel at 6.00 pm. Check in hotel. Free to have your own dinner. At night you can walk around and explore Ho Chi Minh City with the busy streets… Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, entrance fees, local boat, breakfast, lunch, hotel

Day 18: Relax – Depature Ho Chi Minh (B)

Have breakfast at hotel. Let check note everything for the departure flight. If you have more free time you can walk around to enjoy more of Ho Chi Minh city in 1^st District to shopping in Ben Thanh Market, streets, shops…Then the driver drops you off the airport for your flight home. Good bye and see you again!

Inclusion: Transport, breakfast

Price: USD/Person

Included: All mentioned itinerary details

Excluded: Travel insurance, drinks, airport taxes, optional tours, tips, visa fees, other services not mentioned itinerary details

What to bring: Passport, good shoes, rain gears, hat, sun cream, extra clothes, camera, your sense of adventure, meeting and trying locals

Notes:

• Hotel:  Twin shared room. Check in: 14:00; Check out: 12:00 noon
• Home stay condition: Very basic but clean
• Sites Closed: Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is closed on Monday, on Friday and the whole from 2nd September to 2nd November for the maintenance
• Ha Long Bay tour: We share mini – van, Phoenix Cruise for 2 Star, Dragon Pearl Cruise for 3 Star, Red Dragon Cruise for 4 Star and Ha Long Paradise Cruise for 5 Star
• We use Toyota for 4 seats and Ford Transit or Mercedes for 16 seats (with seatbelt & AC)

Best time to do: All year round, best from September to April of next year.

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