Northern Vietnam & Laos

Transcription

1 Northern Vietnam & Laos Hanoi, Halong Bay, Laos

2 Northern Vietnam & Laos Hanoi is Vietnam s Capital city with a French-colonial feel of the past yet a modern metropolis today. The modern and the medieval coexist beautifully on the streets of this Vietnamese capital. In the Old Quarter, sellers set up shop on the tangled web of streets like they have for nearly a century, locals in conical hats whiz by on bicycles, grey-bearded men challenge each other to games of chess on the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake and the city s bold and beautiful feast at posh restaurants. Hạ Long Bay is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforests. Junk boat tours and sea kayak expeditions take visitors past islands named for their shapes, including Stone Dog and Teapot islets. A community of around 1,600 people live on Hạ Long Bay. They live on floating houses and are sustained through fishing and marine aquaculture plying the shallow waters for over 200 species of fish. Birds and animals including bantams, antelopes, monkeys and lizards also live on some of the islands. Laos is a Southeast Asian country traversed by the Mekong River and known for mountainous terrain, French colonial architecture, hill tribe settlements and Buddhist monasteries. The official tourism slogan for Laos is Simply Beautiful which is totally justified. Inclusions 10 nights in a Double room for Single Use in 4 Star quality hotels 5 x Dinners, 4 x Lunches, breakfast daily English speaking guide throughout Transfers as shown 3 Day / 2 Night Halong Bay Cruise in a Double Cabin for Single Use - crew gratuities included Sightseeing Tours as shown with entrance fees included Flight from Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Laos included in economy class with airport tax Hotel bar is open almost daily between 5.30pm and 6.30pm with beer, wine & soft drinks included Porterage Water on vehicles Tips for Guides and Drivers 24 hour assistance during your stay

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4 Day 1 Welcome to Hanoi! You will be met on arrival and transferred to your Hotel With evening you will meet your new friends and Tour Manager and transfer for Dinner at Cau Go Restaurant with beer, wine & soft drinks included. You will be returned to your Hotel Apricot Hotel, Hanoi (or similar) D Day 2 This morning with your Tour Guide you will tour the city of Hanoi, with its ochrecoloured colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and scenic lakes. Stop at the old cofffee shop in the Old Quarter to get sharing from your tour guide about daily life of Hanoian. Then visit the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument of marble and granite built to house the preserved body of beloved revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, affectionately known to the Vietnamese as Uncle Ho. Tour the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built in 1049 of wood in the shape of a lotus blossom and set on a single stone pillar, considered by many to be one of Vietnam s most iconic pagodas. Visit Ho Chi Minh s House nearby, a simple wooden house in a tranquil setting where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. Some of his belongings are on display and visitors can walk up the steps to see his bedroom. Continue on to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam s first national university built in the late 11th century. The picturesque temple is an example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture and is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese dong banknote. Duration: 3.5 hours Lunch is at your leisure Eating on the street is a very typical activity for Hanoians and makes up an important part of the city s unique culture. Departing at 3.30 pm for a leisurely walk with our tour guide to the Old Quarter. Make your first stop to taste the national dish of Vietnamese Pho Ga (chicken noodle soup). Then wander around a local market to enjoy the sights, the sounds and the aroma from hundreds of kinds of food on offer. Then sit down at a tiny Banh Duc shop to try a bit of Banh Duc cooked rice powder with Vietnamese spices. Banh Duc will be served hot or cool, depends on weather. Your next stop is a little shop selling many different types of traditional Northern cakes such as Com cake (young rice) which is considered to be a part of every Hanoians childhood. Follow your guide to a small alley to get an idea of a typical tube houses of Hanoi. You will stop at Banh My Lan Ong and try their famous bread with Pâté. After the banh mi, you can enjoy some Vietnamese desserts sweet soups called Che. Then cap off your trip by tasting a cup of Vietnamese egg coffee before returning back to your hotel. Duration: 4 hours. Walking distance approx. 4km. Food sampling included. Hotel Bar is open between 7.30pm 8.30pm with house wine, beer, soft drinks Apricot Hotel, Hanoi (or similar) B

5 Day 3 With your Tour Guide you will be driven direct to Ky Son village in the morning. Take a pleasant walk around the village to get a taste of the northern countryside lifestyle of Vietnam. You will then set out on a bike ride (or a drive) to Duong Lam village with plenty of stops to take photos or talk to local people en route. Visit Mia Pagoda, several ancient houses, the Mong Phu communal house and Ngo Quyen and Phung Hung temples at Duong Lam village before returning to Ky Son for lunch. In the afternoon, you have the opportunity to join in activities at the Moon garden Home-stay, such as a short cookery class or hand massage. Alternatively you may prefer to relax or enjoying fishing or a further walk around the village. The day will end with a short foot-bath massage and snack at the Moon garden, before returning to Hanoi late this afternoon. Apricot Hotel, Hanoi (or similar) B, L Day 4 Today you will depart for a 3.5 hour journey to Halong Bay stopping for a break at Dai Viet Center the best place to stop and stretch your legs en route. On arrival in Halong Bay, board your deluxe junk, settle into your cabin for the next 2 nights and prepare your appetite for an enjoyable lunch on deck. In mid-afternoon visit the mysterious Tien Ong Cave a wide cave but short entrance which is said to resemble the shape of frog s mouth. In 2007 a team of Vietnamese archeologist conducted extensive research which led to the discovery of human bones and artifacts dating to 10,000 8,000BC, and then continue to Cua Van area. It was once the fishing village, however most of them have moved on land for their children s future due to the lack of education system and access to vital information. Head back to the boat, participate in a cooking demonstration with the chef or enjoy sunset on the top deck before dinner. Heritage Line Jasmine Cruise Deluxe Single Cabin with Balcony (or similar) B, L, D Day 5 Rise early and greet the day with a refreshing Tai Chi demonstration on the upper deck. Transfer to our day boat named Sunset, discover the biggest cave in Ha Long Bay with 10,000 square meters Surprise Cave which like Vietnamese house with three chambers as lobby, dining room and bedroom with most beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. Set sail for the Luon Cave, join the bamboo riding through the Luon cave and surrounding waters and beautiful scenery. Lunch is served while sails to the Pearl Farm Village, then visit Pearl Factory. Head back to the boat, participate in a cooking demonstration with the chef or enjoy sunset on the top deck before dinner including beer, wine & soft drinks. Heritage Line Jasmine Cruise Deluxe Single Cabin with Balcony (or similar) B, L, D

6 Day 6 Arise early and greet the day with another refreshing Tai Chi demonstration on the upper deck. Then it is time for an early morning swim in the Bay. By tender boat we bring the guests to a natural white sandy stretch. Sporty ones can also climb up to a hill top to have a last view from above over Halong Bay before we return to the boat and cruise slowly back to Halong City. Trundle breakfast is served before we arrive at the jetty in late morning. Disembark at Heritage Line Lounge in Tuan Chau New Marina. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Luang Prabang. You will be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel. Lunch is at your leisure Azerai Hotel, Luang Prabang, Laos (or similar) B Day 7 An early start today at 5.30am for a very special experience. The morning alms round (called Tak Bat in Buddhism, alms or alms-giving is the respect given by a lay Buddhist to a Buddhist monk, nun, spiritually-developed person or other sentient being) is a living Buddhist tradition for the people of Luang Prabang and dates back generations. Wake up before dawn to witness and participate in offering alms to a procession of hundreds of saffron-robed monks in the early morning light, truly a spiritual occasion! If you wish to make an offering, please inform your guide a day in advance so that a gift of alms can be prepared. After the almsgiving, watch the town come to life during a visit to the bustling morning market before returning to your hotel in time for breakfast. Duration: 1.5 hours After breakfast enjoy a lively one hour presentation by Mr. Engelmann in your hotel or at a local cafe. Born in Paris in 1947, Mr. Francis Engelmann has been a writer and consultant to UNESCO on Heritage House preservation projects since He lived in Laos for over 20 years, has expertise in the cultural heritage of the country as well as understanding of Lao history and people. After approximately an hour, say goodbye to Mr. Engelmann and set out on foot for a walking tour with your local guide to places and sites off the beaten track and observe Luang Prabang s distinct architecture. Wander through small streets and alleys to witness the rural lifestyle that local people have maintained. If time permits, stop by a local house, engage in a casual talk with the host family and get a glimpse of their daily life in this laid-back town. After the tour finishes, transfer back to your hotel. duration: 4 hours The rest of the afternoon and Lunch is at your leisure. Tonight you will enjoy Dinner at 3 Nagas Hotel with beer, wine & soft drinks included. Walking distance 1km each way Azerai Hotel, Luang Prabang, Laos (or similar) B, D

7 Day 8 Today you will spend a full day on a culinary cruise to the famed Pak Ou Caves. Board the Nava Mekong boat, a traditional Lao riverboat widened at the beam to accommodate 10 four-top tables, and begin cruising towards the caves. Located opposite the mouth of the Mekong and the Ou rivers, the two limestone grottoes house approximately 4,000 sacred Buddhist statues and images which range from mere centimetres up to 2m (7ft) in height. After exploring the caves, re-board the ship and cruise in the vicinity of the caves. A selection of typical, tasty Lao dishes is served on board as you leisurely cruise back towards Luang Prabang, witnessing rural life and peaceful scenery on the banks of the river. Arrive in Luang Prabang in the mid-afternoon. Azerai Hotel, Luang Prabang, Laos (or similar) B, L Day 9 Spend a half day exploring the area around Kuang Si Waterfall, highlighted by a private tour of the Asian Bear Rescue Centre. Depart on a 1hour drive South of Luang Prabang, with a stop at the vibrant Phou Si Market. Continue on to the waterfalls, and take a leisurely hike through the natural park to the Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre. Enjoy a 1 hour private guided tour of the centre, established by the Free The Bears Fund Inc. in 2003 to look after bears destined for use in the traditional medicine trade, including the Asiatic Black Bear (moon bears). Observe one of Laos most endangered species and learn about the threats to bears and what can be done to protect Laos precious wildlife. Arrive before 11:00 to help out with the bears midday scatter feed by hiding food around the enclosure to stimulate the animals and get them to work for their food. Afterwards, walk to the beautiful cascading Kuang Si Waterfall. Swimming in the refreshing turquoise waters is possible, although the water temperature is very cool between November and January. Afterwards, transfer back to Luang Prabang by private vehicle. Duration: 4.5 hours Enjoy the rest of the day and Lunch at your leisure Azerai Hotel, Luang Prabang, Laos (or similar) B

8 Day 10 Enjoy a free day and Lunch at your leisure. Tonight enjoy a Farewell Dinner at your Hotel with beer, wine & soft drinks included Azerai Hotel, Luang Prabang, Laos (or similar) B, D Day 11 Breakfast at your Hotel Your will be transferred to the Airport for your onward flight Farewell!