12 NIGHTS: VIETNAM CLASSIQUE
Hanoi. Ninh Binh, Hue, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho
DAY 1 HANOI
Welcome to Hanoi
Arrive in the capital city of Hanoi. A private vehicle awaits curbside to take you to your hotel. Settle in and freshen up before this evening's exciting introduction to the city. In the late afternoon, walk to the Old Quarter of Hanoi for a cyclo ride around the Old Streets which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake to learn about legend of the lake. Stop at art galleries, handicraft shops for shopping, followed by a Water Puppet Show, a typical art performance of people of the Red River Delta..
DAY 2 HANOI
Insider's Guide by Vespa
The best way to travel in Vietnam is by Vespa motorbikes behind. Hop on and let your driver take you to the must-see landmarks as you ride through small alleys, away from the tourist areas that only a true native Hanoian would know. Visit the City Gate, Long Bien Bridge, West Lake, Tay Ho Temple, Van Nien Pagoda, the local market on the railway track, Ngu Hiep Lake with B-52 Bomber wreckage, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a 1000-year- old citadel and the French Quarter.
DAY 3 HANOI
Hanoi Heritage and Arts
This morning take a short trip to a local community just outside of the city. Bat Trang village is over 500 years old, located on the banks of the Red River and is well known for its ceramics. At the village, meet the community and admire their expertise in molding clay bricks into cups, plates and jugs.It is tradition for small villages to have a specialty such as silk, water puppets, bronze or fans etc. Generations of artisans can learn and hone their crafts to create high quality products, which can be sold to support the community. In the afternoon, return to the city for lunch and more insight into Vietnam's arts at the National Museum of Fine Arts, followed by a traditional water puppet show at the local theatre.
DAY 4 NINH BINH
To Ninh Binh and Tam Coc Caves
After breakfast, take a 2hr 30min drive out of Hanoi to Ninh Binh, one of the most picturesque landscapes in the regoin. After lunch, board a small rowing boat to travel along the canals amidst local villages and green fields. Explore the ancient caves of Tam Coc,, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tam Coc refers to the 3 caves: Ca Cave, Hai Cave, and Ba Cave, which were created by the erosion of cliffs over millions of years by rain, waves and geological changes.
DAY 5 NINH BINH
Hoa Lu Ancient City
This morning hop on a bicycle and ride on paths along rice fields and dirt roads that lead to local villages. Experience the rural life and see where the locals live, how they work in the fields and spend their day. Make your way up to the hilltop Hang Mua Temple, which has sweeping views over Tam Coc Caves and the rice fields below. Explore the legendary Hoa Lu, the old 10th century capital of Vietnam before it was moved to Thang Long (now Hanoi). The ancient town houses a number of edifices, pagodas, walls, and relics. Also visit the La Dai Hanh Emperor Temple, the Phat Kim Princess Temple, and the One-Pillar Pagoda.
DAY 6 HUE
To Hue
This morning take a private transfer to the Hanoi airport then a flight to the city of Hue. Private transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, relax on a boat cruise upstream on the Perfume River and admire the beauty of Hue city and its peaceful atmosphere along the river bank. Disembark to discover the Thien Mu Pagoda, meaning Heavenly Lady. Built in 1601, the pagoda is one of the oldest religious buildings in the country. Return to Hue by boat.
DAY 7 HUE
Hue's Imperial Citadel
This morning explore the ancient Imperial Citadel with your local guide, visiting the Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, and Forbidden Purple City, or Tu Cam Thanh. Lunch is at a garden house restaurant serving regional Hue cuisine. In the afternoon, travel our of the city to King Minh Mang’s tomb and the tomb of King Khai Dinh, the twelfth Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. We return to the Hue city to sample a varity of street foods, including cakes and sweetened lotus-seed desert.
DAY 8 HOI AN
Hoi An Old Town
After breakfast, we travel along the coast road to Hoi An, stopping at Hai Van pass for views over the beach and coastline. After settling in to the hotel, take a guided tour to discover the Old Town with well-preserved architecture reflecting foreign and local influences. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall, and the local market and admire the charming yellow buildings that house restaurants, art galleries, cafes and tailor shops. Take a slow cruise on the Thu Bon river to a local village before returning to the hotel. You may wish to return to town in the evening when the colourful lanterns are lit and the night market comes to life.
DAY 9 HOI AN
Rural Villages and the Champa Kingdom
We meet our motorbike drivers, hop on and set off for Cam Kim Island, riding along the riverbank and through the countryside. Arriving in a village, we stop at the 100-year-old ancestral house of Mr. Huynh Ri where you can experience a local farmer's life. Learn about sleeping mat weaving then visit a traditional boat builder yard and the Duy Hai fish markets. After lunch, set off into the jungle to explore My Son Temple and the surrounding ancient ruins from the Champa empire dating back to the 4th century.
DAY 10 HO CHI MINH CITY
Ho Chi Minh City
This morning we take a flight south to Ho Chi Minh City, from Danang Airport. In the afternoon, experience the bustle of the former capital of the south. Visit the Reunification Palace, the former residence of the President of the Republic of Southern Vietnam until the fall of Saigon in April 30, 1975. We pass historically significant French colonial buildings including the Opera House, the Continental Hotel, General Post Office, and City Hall and Notre Dame Cathedral. Then head to Cholon, the city's Chinatown and explore the Binh Tay Market. Near sunset, meet your Vespa drivers and set off for the city night tour, starting at a Vespa-themed café, Café Zoom. Try a variety of food and drinks at two local restaurants and samplings of the cities best authentic local food. Passing the famous sights of Ho Chi Minh City, we then stop at a Vietnamese-style coffee shop with live music then finish the evening at a music bar where young Vietnamese unwind.
DAY 11 CAN THO
Remnants of the American War
Today we gain an insight into the history of modern Vietnam and the wars that formed it. We begin with a visit to the famous Cu Chi tunnels, taking a short ride on a private speedboat. This network of underground tunnels were used by guerrillas to hide from French forces then later by Viet Cong soldiers as hiding spots during combat. Meet a veteran who will guide you through the tunnels and tell his side of the story of the American War. In the afternoon, visit the War Remnants Museum, a powerful and historically significant museum that gives a perspective of the Americal War as viewed by the Vietnamese.
DAY 12 CAN THO
The Mekong Delta
Depart Ho Chi Minh City and travel south stopping at Cai Be, a town in the Mekong Delta. Board a private sampan for a cruise down the Delta. Visit the floating market then cross the Mekong River to reach the fertile island ofTan Phong. Take a bicycle ride through shady village roads with orchards on the way, stopping to visit local families making traditional and handicraft products such as a rice wine distillery, bamboo nail files, furniture’s made from water hyacinth, and hammocks made from banana ropes. Visit the monkey bridge, which local people use to cross the canals daily then enjoy a cup of tea and local specialties of banana candies. Hop on a sampan for a ride through the island’s tiny canals, arriving at a French-Indochinese restaurant for a lunch of local specialty dishes. After lunch, return to Ho Chi Minh City.
DAY 13 HO CHI MINH CITY
Departure
Private transfer to the airport for your onward flight.