12 NIGHTS FROM 2,975 RED RIVER & HALONG BAY. w w w. j a s m i n e h o l i d a y s. c o. u k S E P M A R

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1 w w w. j a s m i n e h o l i d a y s. c o. u k S E P M A R RED RIVER & HALONG BAY 12 NIGHTS FROM 2,975 D i s c o v e r t h e b e s t o f t h e R e d R i v e r & H a l o n g B a y o n a 1 2 n i g h t R i v e r C r u i s e H o l i d a y i n V i e t n a m.

2 Day 1: UK - Hanoi Fly overnight from the UK to Hanoi. RED RIVER & HALONG BAY Day 2: Hanoi On arrival in Hanoi you will be transferred to your chosen hotel, with the rest of the day to relax at leisure. Overnight: Hanoi Meals: Breakfast included Day 3: Halong Bay Transfer to Halong Bay to embark on your Pandaw cruise with a stop for lunch en-route. Cast off in the late afternoon for an evening sailing to drop anchor in a sheltered bay amidst the amazing island scenery. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included

3 Halong Bay is one of the most ethereally beautiful locations in the whole of South East Asia. Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage protected area, stunning at any time of year, whether mist-shrouded or under azure skies...

4 RED RIVER & HALONG BAY Day 4: Halong Bay In the morning, sail around Halong Bay and beyond with its 1,500 dramatic limestone islands and extraordinary rock formations, dating back 20 million years. Visit a local floating home by local boat, and enjoy kayaking or take a rowing basket boat to bright & dark limestone caves. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included Day 5: Halong Bay In the morning continue cruising in Halong Bay before entering the river in the afternoon and setting sail to Pha Lai. Observe the lively and interesting life of the river, a key commercial waterway. Anchor mid-stream for overnight. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included

5 Long Bien Bridge - a historic cantilever bridge across the Red River near Hanoi. The Red River flows from Yunnan in China, through northern Vietnam into the Gulf of Tonkin. The heavy silt content in the river is what gives it it's name.

6 RED RIVER & HALONG BAY Day 6: Thai Binh River In the morning, sail on the Thai Binh river. Enjoy an excursion to Thanh Ha for a water puppet show & village walkabout before continuing cruising to Ninh Giang. Enjoy an afternoon walking tour in Ninh Giang and visit a local market to taste the home made special cake 'Banh Cai'. Afterwards continue by bus (25 minutes) to Stork's Island before returning back to the ship for dinner. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included Day 7: Bat Trang Village Today cruise towards Hanoi. En-route, stop at a ceramic village Bat Trang in the afternoon. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included

7 RED RIVER & HALONG BAY Day 8: Hanoi Drop anchor in the bustling city of Hanoi, and visit some highlights of this Asian metropolis. Enjoy an excursion to the notorious Vietnam war prison known as the Hanoi Hilton, and on to the Temple of Literature and Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. Take an afternoon walking tour of Hanoi including a visit to a coffee shop to learn about Vietnam s famous coffee making industry. Before returning to the ship, enjoy a traditional unicorn and lion dance at the jetty. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included

8 Exterior of Hanoi's famous Temple of Literature, one of the best preserved examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture. Founded in 1070 AD, Hanoi's Temple of Literature pays homage to Vietnam's most famous scholars and is dedicated to Confucious...

9 RED RIVER & HALONG BAY Day 9: Lower Red River Sail through the day from Hanoi up the Red River to Viet Tri, not the most picturesque of towns but an excellent base for going deeper into Highland Vietnam. Going ashore, visit a timeless Arcadian Vietnam with emerald green rice paddies punctuated by limestone rock formations. Of particular interest is the Thay and Tay Phuong Pagodas, hardly known, yet with exquisite temples dating from the 8th and 11th centuries and home to some fine Buddhist statuary carved from jackfruit trees. Enjoy an afternoon excursion to a carpenter village, before arriving in Viet Tri in the evening. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included

10 Northern Vietnam is an extremely scenic corner of South East Asia, especially when the rice paddies are verdant and flooded...

11 RED RIVER & HALONG BAY Day 10: Lo River In the morning cruise to Tien Du ferry station to the conical hat making village of Gia Thanh. Take in the sights and sounds of the bustling river with all kinds of craft and activity. Continue to Hung Lo Temple by bus. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included Day 11: Da River Enjoy a day sailing downstream admiring the unspoilt beauty of the Da River. Pass the Ba Vi National Park with its rich and diverse tropical and sub-tropical flora and fauna before arriving at Hoa Binh. Visit the UNESCO village of Duang Lam. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included

12 RED RIVER & HALONG BAY Day 12: Hoa Binh Hoa Binh was the site of a major battle with the French in 1951 & 1952 and is home to the Muong ethnic group. This morning take a boat ride on the reservoir of Hoa Binh power station and visit a local village. In the evening enjoy a traditional performance by local hilltribe people. Overnight: On board Meals: All meals included Day 13: Hoa Binh Disembark after breakfast (08.30 am) and visit a museum and local village where villagers still wear traditional dress. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant, followed by a transfer to your hotel in Hanoi. Overnight: Hanoi Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included

13 RED RIVER & HALONG BAY Day 14: Hanoi - UK Transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK. Day 15: UK Arrive back in the UK.

14 Red River Cruise Experience Cruise with Pandaw The Pandaw experience is all about exploring remote and often hard-tonavigate rivers and coasts in speciallydesigned luxury small ships. Each ship, hand-crafted in brass and teak, is an object of beauty in itself. A Pandaw adventure is very different from that offered on an ocean-going cruise. The ships are small scale, and the atmosphere is informal, and very friendly. Customers return year on year for the special ambiance and old-world beauty of Pandaw's ships as much as for the remarkable destinations. While the craft may be small, Pandaw has the highest passenger-to-deck- space ratio of any cruise ships afloat. There are plenty of quiet spots to be discovered for reading, writing a travel journal, mediating on the spectacular passing landscape or chatting with like-minded travelling friends old and new. Pandaw ships offer 360-degree promenade decks that allow passengers the freedom to interact as much, or as little, as they like. It all adds to the famous 'Pandaw spirit' that brings so many guests back on board time and time again.

15 Passengers are welcome to eat on their own or with family or friends - in the dining room or on deck. Most dietary requirement are catered for. Pandaw has an all-inclusive policy, meaing no hidden extras for excursions, and most drinks are included. While passengers are free to do their own thing onshore, transportation, sometimes in the form of a cyclo or sampan, is provided for those who prefer a guided excursion in the capable hands of Pandaw's expert guides. Unforgettable moments of tranquillity interspersed by conviviality and cultural richness, gliding through some of the world s most amazing scenery!

16 Sailing on a Pandaw ship is an outdoor, fresh air experience. However comfortable and roomy the staterooms, passengers often prefer to spend their time sitting outside, on the promenade decks or on the vast observation deck above. Unlike most other cruise ships, every window on board (except for the portholes on the lower deck) can be opened and closed to suit your comfort. "If your idea of a cruise demands private balconies, big flat screen TVs in your room, thick carpets and dressing up for "the captain s table", then Pandaw is probably not for you".

17 Many passengers describe life on board And when passengers return to the ship Pandaw as more like being a guest on a after experiencing the wonders of life private yacht, than a passenger on a onshore, they return to a floating oasis conventional cruise ship. Pandaw of low-key luxury, caring service and all itineraries strive to include the most the good things of life. spectacular sights and experiences - far more intrepid than conventional cruises. "However comfortable and roomy the staterooms, many passengers prefer to spend their time sitting outside, on the promenade decks or on the vast observation deck above".

18 The cabins are possibly the most All cabins are the same size and all celebrated feature of Pandaw, contain Pandaw's signature amenities. combining splendid colonial-era Passengers can choose from the Main character with exquisite contemporary Deck or Upper Deck. comfort. Finished in brass and teak, the main and upper deck rooms are a spacious 15.6 sq. m. "From the comfortable vantage point of a teak-floored Pandaw deck, it's hard not to become hypnotised by the unceasing human and wildlife activity that characterises the great rivers of Asia.

19 HANOI ACCOMMODATION Apricot Hotel Superb value luxury hotel in Hanoi. Located right on the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake in the centre of Hanoi, Apricot Hotel offers a superb, sweeping view of the lake from its rooftop swimming pool. Hotel de l'opera Luxury boutique hotel in Hanoi which offers a very high standard of accommodation. Combines design, style, glamour and a sense of the dramatic. Sofitel Metropole Our favourite luxury hotel in Hanoi. We love the Sofitel Legend's Metropole Wing which has a really historic feel to it, right down to the slightly creaky teak floorboards.

20 EXTEND YOUR TRIP D I S C O V E R M A G N I F I C E N T ANGKOR WAT A d d 3 n i g h t s f r o m p p A short extension to Siem Reap in Cambodia makes the perfect add on to this Red River Cruise Holiday. Just a short flight from Hanoi, Siem Reap is home to the temple complexes of Angkor, one of the most stunning sights in all of South East Asia. Spend 3 nights in Siem Reap with a day and a half touring of the temple sites included. Discover Angkor Thom, the Bayon, jungle clad Tha Phrom and iconic Angkor Wat itself. N O M A D I C 2 4

21 EXTEND YOUR TRIP H E R I T A G E & B E A C H HOI AN A d d 3 n i g h t s f r o m p p Many travellers' favourite town in Vietnam, Hoi An town is just ten minutes from a quiet stretch of beach. An old trading port, Hoi An has a charming, old-town atmosphere, with winding streets, old temples and ancient meeting halls. A 50-minute direct flight connects Hanoi with Hoi An, making this an easy and popular extension to a Red River Cruise holiday. Choose from a relaxing boutique beach resort or a small hotel in Hoi An's old town. N O M A D I C 2 4

22 DATES & PRICES Month Dates Price Sep 17: 08, 19, 30 3,195 pp Oct 17: 11, 22 3,195 pp Call us Today Nov 17: 02, 13, 24 2,975 pp Dec 17: 06*, 28* 2,975 pp Jan 18: 08*, 19* 3,195 pp 9 until 9 daily Feb 18: 06*, 17*, 28* 2,975 pp Mar 18: 07*, 14*, 21*, 28* 2,975 pp Apr 18: 14, 25 2,975 pp May 18: 06, 17 2,975 pp Jun 18: 09, 23 3,075 pp Jul 18: 07, 21 3,075 pp Aug 18: 04, 18 3,075 pp Sep 18: 15, 26 3,075 pp Oct 18: 07, 18, 29 3,075 pp Nov 18: 09, 20 3,075 pp Dec 18: 02*, 28* 3,325 pp Jan 19: 08*, 19* 3,325 pp Feb 19: 09*, 20* 3,075 pp Mar 19: 03*, 14*, 25* 3,075 pp Apr 19: 05, 16 3,075 pp Please contact us for updated prices as prices are all subject to change. Remember that all of our River Cruise Holidays can be tailored to suit your interests and dates. * Downstream departure slightly different itinerary

23 JASMINE HOLIDAYS Jasmine Holidays is a fully ATOL bonded UK Tour Operator, operating since We are based in Petersfield in Hampshire and have a small team of dedicated River Cruise holiday experts. Call us today and speak to a River Cruise Expert. Call: sales@jasmineholidays.co.uk 18 College Street, Petersfield, GU31 4AD