Diversity Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Danang, Hue, Hanoi, Halong 9 Days 8 Nights Day 1 Ho Chi Minh City Welcome to! Upon your arrival at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel In the afternoon, you will depart on an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels. These tunnels were an important Vietcong base during the War. Stretching over 200 km, this incredible underground network, dug by hand out of hard laterite, connected command posts, hospitals, shelters and weapon factories. Today, you can walk through the area and learn about the day-to-day life of the Vietcong, see the cleverly disguised entrances and elaborate booby-traps, and even venture inside the tunnels, some of which have been modified to accommodate tourists. Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh for 2 nights
Day 2 Ho Chi Minh City Mekong Delta (B, L) Depart from Saigon around 8am after breakfast and head south to Ben Tre province, the coconut island and fruit basket of the South West. On arrivals, you will be greeted by our local guide at Balai Bridge. Take a short walk through a lush shaded garden to Mrs. Ba Dung Pier where you will board our Coco River Cruise. Enjoy your welcome drink with fresh coconut juice while cruising along the canal and head to HuuDinh village. You will continue on a rickshaw trip on the village path through rice paddies and coco garden to get to Ca Ro dyke. Stop for a visit at a local house of Mr. Hoang who and his wife live on making incense sticks for living. As incenses are used in most temples and local homes those work ship Buddha and ancestor. The local believe that burning incense in the house to keep it cozy. And they also believe that burning incense when they pray to god or ancestor, that holy smoke will transfer their words and god will understand. This traditional job had been existed for many decades. Afterwards, Take a rowing sampan through a beautiful small canal and enjoy the tropical scenery with its tranquility. Along the way, you will see the daily activities from the locals. Getting back to your Coco River Boat, refresh yourself with honey tea and fruits on board and continue cruising to visit another local business, a coconut processing place as Ben Tre has been famous as a coconut land and its products. You will be amazed of how useful the coconut is to local life here from coconut fibers, oil, candies, wood etc. This plant plays an important role in the local economy. Then you will continue the cruise to a local restaurant for lunch. Enjoy the Mekong Delta specialty and relax before head back to your boat to get back to brick processing where your car will bring you back to Ho Chi Minh City for overnight.
Day 3 Ho Chi Minh City Hue (B) Breakfast will be served in your hotel. Check out of your hotel in the morning and transfer to the Airport to board your flight to Hue. (**Suggested Flight** VN1372 at 9:10, est. arrival 10:30) Arrive in Hue and depart on your city tour. Hue served as the capital of for more than 140 years and houses ancient temples, imperial buildings and French-style edifices. Today you will visit the Imperial Tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh, located on the slopes of Chau E Mountain in Chau Chau Village. You will then take a walking tour of the Old Imperial City; a vast complex built in the early 19th century and modeled after the Forbidden City of Beijing. You will approach the city past the striking Flag Tower, where a giant ese flag waves proudly overhead, before passing through the imposing Ngo Mon Gate. Once inside the city you will visit Dien Tho Palace, Thai Hoa Palace, the Halls of the Mandarins and the original Nine Dynastic Urns. You will end your tour with a visit to the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum before you transfer to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Day 4 Nue Danang Hoi An (B, L) Breakfast will be served in your hotel. Have a morning relax day with a city tour on rickshaw, passing the Ancient town, the French Quarter. The rickshaw tour also will take you to visit Dong Ba Market, the biggest market in Hue. Then you boat a cruise to visit Thien Mu Pagoda. But beside Thien Mu, there are a lot of pagodas in this ancient city as well. Let the driver take you to a special place, an ancient female pagoda nested in a very tranquil village in of Hue city. Meet & talk with your host, the master nun who is in charge of the pagoda which is also home for many homeless elderly & orphans in the area. Play with the disadvantaged kids, teach them some English words, make friend with them. Join Buddhist chanting & pray with the in-house community (nuns, kids and elderly people). Following, a vegetarian Buddhist meal (which is as same as the normal meals of the monks here) will be served at this pagoda. Later in this afternoon, you will then travel by vehicle from Hue to Hoi An, travelling over the dramatic Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Beach. You will then make a stop at the Cham Museum in Danang before arriving at your hotel. Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An for 2 Nights
Day 5 Hoi An (B) Breakfast will be served in your hotel. Today you will tour the exquisitely preserved merchant town of Hoi An, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. The best way to explore the town is on foot, and your tour today will start with a visit to the bustling Central Market and the nearby Harbour. You will also visit a local Family Chapel and a traditional Chinese style Pagoda before visiting the Sa Huynh Museum, which contains exhibits from the earliest period of the town s history. You will then visit a handicraft workshop before arriving at the famous Japanese Covered Bridge Pagoda. In the afternoon you will depart on a cruise down the Thu Bon River, where you will stop to visit a local Pottery Village as well as a Woodcarving Village. Return to your hotel at the end of your tour. Day 6 Hoi An Danang Hanoi (B) After breakfast, you will be transferred from Hoi An to Danang Airport to board your flight to HaNoi. (**Suggested Flight** VN162 at 9:00, est. arrival 10:20) Upon arrival, start your tour at the Temple of Literature, a peaceful series of walled courtyards and graceful gateways, this monument is one of the best-preserved examples of traditional ese architecture. Founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, this was also the site of s first university. You will then stroll through the nearby park to visit Ho Chi Minh s Stilt House and the One Pillar Pagoda. You will then travel by electric car to Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Sword Lake, a natural freshwater lake in the city. You will also visit Hoa Lo Prison, which was more known as the Hanoi Hilton, and the Hanoi Opera House. Check in to your hotel at the end of your tour. Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi for 1 Night
Day 7 Hanoi Halong (B, L, D) After breakfast, you will depart by road to Ha Long Bay, a Wor ld Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. Travel through the rich farmlands of the Delta of Red River and the landscape of rice fields, water buffalo, and the daily life of the ese village. Proposed cruise itinerary for Day 1: 12:30 13:00 Embark on the cruise followed by a short cruise briefing. 13:30 14:30 Savor a delectable lunch as V Spirit Classic cruises among the limestone islands. 15:00 16:00 Explore the amazing Sung Sot Cave the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay. 16:00 17:00 Cruising to Titov island. Go swimming and relaxing at the beach of Titov or climb up to the top of the island for a panorama view of Halong Bay. 17:00 17:30 Return to the main boat and continue cruising to the quiet area while enjoy beautiful seascape on the way. 17:30 19:00 Enjoy Sunset Party on sundeck and admire the best moments of the day when the sun starts to set. 19:00 Dinner is served. Socialize with other guests, take part in board games, fish for squid, or just laze around. Accommodation: Cruise in Halong Bay for 1 Night Day 8 Halong Hanoi (B) Proposed cruise itinerary for Day 2: 06:30 07:15 Start your day with Tai Chi exercises or a photo hunt. 07:30 08:30 Have breakfast on board and enjoy the peaceful morning of Halong Bay. 09:00 10:00 Kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, around the Man s Head Islet area. 10:15 Return to the boat. Freshen up and check out of your cabin. 10:15 11:00 Continue your cruise exploring the Bay, passing Ba Hang fishing village, Dog Islet, and more. 11:00 12:15 While heading back to the harbor, watch the fruit carving demonstration and participate in the cooking demonstration before enjoying a traditional ese lunch. Disembark your cruise and transfer back to Hanoi for overnight. Along the way you will visit Phat Tich Pagoda, which dates back to the 7th century, and Do Temple. Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi for 1 Night Day 9 Hanoi Departure (B) Breakfast will be served in the hotel you stay Transfer from your hotel to the airport to board your onward flight or return flight to Canada. B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner
ACCOMMODATIONS: City 4-Star Hotel Nights Hanoi Ha Long Hue Hoi An Ho Chi Minh City Golden Lotus Luxury V' Spirit Cruise Moonlight Hotel Silk Boutique Hotel Ramana Saigon Hotel 2 1 1 2 2 TOUR PRICE PER PERSON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY MINIMUM 2 PERSONS *REF/16/16PC Land Only Daily Departure min. 2 3-4 5-6 7-9 10-14 Single Supp. 01 May - 30 Sep, 2017 1396 1235 1060 986 987 325 01 Oct - 31 Dec, 2016 01 Jan - 30 Apr, 2017 01 Oct - 31 Dec, 2017 1414 1252 1076 1005 1000 343 **HIGH SEASON AIRFARE SURCHARGE is additional and is subject to date of travel. **PRICE INCLUDED DOMESTIC AIRFARE, SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY UNFORSEENABLE REASON WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. **HOTEL BLACK OUT DATES may apply. **ALL PRICES ARE IN CANADIAN DOLLARS AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE Your Tour Package Includes: Domestic airfare as per stated in the itinerary Hotel accommodation: in twin sharing room with daily breakfast Private air conditioned transfers Entrance fees, visiting fees Meals (food only) at local restaurants as indicated (IM: inflight meal, B: breakfast, L: lunch, D: dinner) Private boats in Hue, Hoi An and Mekong Delta Tours with local English speaking guide as indication Two bottle of drinking water per passenger per day (Complimentary) One group picture per passenger (Complimentary) Special gift per passenger (Complimentary) Government tax and service charge Your Tour Package Does NOT Include: International airfare from Canada to Any applicable weekend and other surcharges imposed by airlines. Any taxes, airport fees and fuel surcharge. Travel insurance, Travel Visa and all personal expenses. Tipping and gratuities to local guides, drivers, and hotel staff. Any items not specified as included.