The fourteen days Vietnam and Sa Pa Adventure adds beautiful Sa Pa and the colorful hill tribes to the highlights of Vietnam. Used by the French as a hill station, Sa Pa is now thriving on a burgeoning tourist trade. Visit the hill tribes, enjoy the glorious natural landscape of the stunning and spectacular mountain scenery and experience the culture and life of minority tribes. This is the Shangri-La of Vietnam.
- 9 nights hotel accommodation as below listed or similar.
- 1 night on board in Ha Long Bay.
- 1 night home stay in Vinh Long
- 13 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 3 dinners.
- Return train ticket Hanoi - Lao Cai - Hanoi.
- Modern, comfortable transportation throughout the tour.
- Boat cruises in Perfume Pagoda, Ha Long, Hue and Vinh Long.
- Entrance fees as stated in the tour program.
- Local English or French speaking guide in the North, Centre and the South.
- International flights
- Domestic tickets Hanoi - Da Nang/ Hue - Saigon
- Any meals, drinks other than specified.
- Tips/ gratuities and personal expenses.
Dinner
Arrive at Noi Bai airport and transfer to your hotel in Hanoi. Free time at your leisure.
Breakfast - Lunch
Here we will spend a day exploring enchanting Hanoi. We start with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, then the impressive, but simple house on stilts that was Ho’s former residence, and One Pillar Pagoda, before taking a walk in the ancient Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university established during the construction of the capital in 1070. In the afternoon, we visit the Ethnological Museum, the most interesting museum in Hanoi. Then, we take an hour Cyclo tour viewing the charming French colonial architecture of the bustling Old Quarter and attend a performance of the unique water puppetry.
Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
This morning, we depart for Ha Long Bay. Passing through the rich farmland of the Red River Delta, we enjoy the lush scenery and photo opportunities. Arriving at Ha Long pier, board a traditional, but luxurious, wooden junk and cruise through the spectacular islands rising from the tranquil emerald sea. Enjoy sumptuous on-board seafood and explore Sung Sot Cave, one of the most beautiful caves in the bay. Witness a splendid sunset. Dinner and overnight on your boat.
Breakfast - Lunch
Early morning coffee and tea will be served on the sundeck followed by a Tai Chi class. We continue exploring magnificent Ha Long Bay. Change to a small motor or rowing boat to see the floating village. When we return to the junk, a sumptuous meal, combining Vietnamese and Western cuisine will be served. On leaving the cruise, we depart for Bac Ninh Province to learn more of Vietnam’s fascinating history and culture. Then we enjoy a traditional music show Quan Ho or Quan Ho Folk song. We transfer directly to the airport for our flight to the Imperial city of Hue.
Breakfast - Lunch
We visit the impressive tombs of King Minh Mang and Tu Duc together with the Tu Hieu Pagoda, and then cruise the Perfume River to the ancient Thien Mu Pagoda. In the afternoon, we visit the imposing Citadel and the crowded market of Dong Ba, where you can bargain for anything from souvenirs and bronze goods, to Hue sesame sweetmeat and conical poem hats.
Breakfast - Lunch
We cross the spectacular Hai Van Pass to Da Nang city, where we visit the best Cham Museum in Vietnam and take a short break at spectacular Marble Mountain, before continuing to Hoi An, an ancient town of meandering narrow streets dating back to the 16th century. An afternoon tour takes us to the ancient Japanese Bridge, Phuoc Kien Pagoda, the ancient house Tran Phu and the Hoi An Museum. Enjoy shopping for tailor made clothing, lanterns, shoes and food, or simply relax on the beach or in the myriad restaurants and cafés.
Breakfast - Lunch
This morning, we transfer to the airport for our onward flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Here you have the opportunity to visit the controversial War Remnants Museum, the historic Notre Dame Cathedral, post office and bustling Ben Thanh Market. Explore Dong Khoi Street, the city’s most upscale shopping boulevard with boutiques selling clothes and accessories by Vietnamese designers, hill tribe crafts, high quality linens and house wares. Don’t miss Ho Chi Minh City’s atmosphere by night. This city lives up to its exciting and often mischievous reputation.
Breakfast - Lunch
In the morning, we depart for Vinh Long Province. On arrival at Cai Be, we take a boat tour to the Cai Be floating market and experience the locals buying and selling goods, fruit and many other commodities on their vessels. We cruise the small canals to enjoy the charm of the upper Mekong Delta and visit An Binh Island and a local orchard, bonsai garden and tropical fruit garden. Later we will see some handmade products of coconut candy and crispy rice popcorn. Enjoy a folk music recital before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.
Breakfast - Dinner
This morning, we fly to Siem Reap and the treasures of the Kingdom of Cambodia. On arrival at your hotel you have free time. In the evening you will be treated to a welcome dinner and the Apsara Dance show at a local restaurant. For those travellers thirsting for the cultural highlights of Cambodia, no visit to Cambodia is complete without attending at least one traditional Khmer dance performance, often referred to as Apsara Dance, one of the most popular classical dance pieces. This traditional Khmer dance is described as dance-drama in that the dances are not merely dance but also convey a story or message.
Breakfast - Lunch
This morning, we start our visit with the magnificent Banteay Srei temple. The special charm of this temple lies in its compact size, remarkable state of preservation, and the excellence of it decorative carving. We continue to Banteay Samre. Its rose-colored sandstone walls are decorated with carvings and bas-reliefs, which are among the most accomplished Angkor has to offer. In the afternoon, we see the fabulous Ta Prohm, embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers, and the Prasat Kravan, famous for its unique brick sculptures. Continuing our tour, we inspect Srah Srang, the Royal Baths, once used for ritual bathing and the Banteay Kdei, surrounded by four concentric walls. The last stop of today is Thommanon and Chaosay Tevorda temple.
Breakfast - Lunch
We start our day with a 45 minute cycle ride to world heritage areas on the less travelled roads including jungle paths through local villages. It is a very special day as we explore some of Angkor’s most beautiful temples, such as the secluded West Gate of Angkor Thom. In the afternoon, we visit the famous temple, Angkor Wat, a world heritage site since 1992, famous for its beauty and splendor. This site features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology. Visit Bakheng temple and a romantic sunset from Bakheng hill. Enjoy a relaxing foot massage before transferring to our hotel.
Breakfast - Lunch
We board our boat on Tonle Sap Lake and enjoy a cruise past floating villages complete with schools, restaurants, and hospitals. Then we visit Puok, home to the Artisans d’Angkor Silk Farm. Here we will witness the entire silk production process, from the silk worm munching on the mulberry leaves, to spinning their cocoons, the cocoons being harvested and turned into silk thread, women weaving, and of course the beautiful finished silk products, which we can purchase at the on-site boutique, a wonderful souvenir of Cambodia. Transfer to the airport for your departure.