Ultimate Vietnam

Duration: 11 Days
Destinations: Hanoi - Tam Coc - Hoa Lu - Sapa - Bac Ha Market - Halong Bay - Hoian - Hue - Hochiminh
Arrival City: Hanoi
Departure City: Hochiminh City
Accommodations: 2 nights in Hanoi, 2 nights on train - 1 night in Sapa - 1 night on cruise in Halong Bay, 1 night in Hoian, 2 nights in Hue, 1 nights in Hochiminh City
Transportation: Car, Plane, Dragon Boat, Speed Boat, Cruise, Sampan
Tour Guide: Local English speaking
Meals: 10 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners

Tour summary
Day 1: Arrive Hanoi (D)
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour (B)
Day 3: Hanoi - Tam Coc - Night Train (B)
Day 4: Sapa Treking (B)
Day 5: Sapa - Bac Ha Market - Night Train (B)
Day 6: Hanoi - Halong, overnight on Vietnamese Cruise (B, L, D)
Day 7: Halong - Hanoi - Danang - Hoian (B, L)
Day 8: Hoian - Hue (B)
Day 9: Hue City Tour (B)
Day 10: Hue - Ho Chi Minh (B, D)
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh Departure (B)

Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (D)
Welcome to Vietnam, on arrival at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport, our tour guide will greet and transfer you by private car through the city to your hotel in Hanoi. In the afternoon, enjoy walking tour in the Old Quarter. In the evening, be our guest at local restaurant for welcome dinner with authentic Vietnamese cuisines. Stay overnight in Hanoi hotel.

Day 2: Hanoi (B)
After breakfast at your hotel, visit Ho Chi Minh Complex including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's House on Stilt and One Pillar Pagoda, then visit Temple of Literature, built 1070 which is the first university in Vietnam. The next attraction is Vietnam National Museum of Ethnology, the special collection of 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam.In the afternoon, make your way to Hoan Kiem Lake for Ngoc son Temple and Dong Xuan Market and in the evening, you will be entertained by Water Puppet Show and Vietnamese traditional music at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Stay overnight hotel in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi - Tam Coc - Night Train (B)
After having breakfast, we drive through rural northern Vietnam to the former capital of Hoa Lu where you visit the two remaining sanctuaries for King Dinh and King Le who ruled Vietnam in 10th century. Then move to Tamcoc where you enjoy a leisure sampan trip along the Nhue Dong River to sacred Tam Coc Caves. In the afternoon, return to Hanoi and free at your leisure. In the evening, transfer to Hanoi Train Station for overnight train to sapa homestay tours. Stay overnight on train.

Day 4: Laocai Train Station - sapa hiking tours (B)
At 6 am, disembark Lao Cai Train Station then drive up for 1 hour to Sapa, the home of six different hill tribes. Do pre-check in procedure and enjoy "Pho" the typical breakfast for Vietnamese People. The morning walk to Sapa Market where you can find all local ethnic minority's art and craft items and Cat Cat village for Black Hmong village. Next is the Red Dao Village of Taphin, one of dominant hilly tribe in Sapa. In the afternoon, trek along natural stream for village of Lao Chai where 30 Black Hmong families living together. Continue to Ta Van Village, the home of Zay minority. After 3 hours trekking through beautiful scenery, drive back to your hotel. Tonight is free at leisure. Overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Day 5: sapa hiking tours - Bacha Market - Night Train (B)
After breakfast at your hotel, check out and enjoy drive on mountain road to Bac Ha Market, the biggest mountainous market where 10 different tribes are selling their home-made products. Lunch at local restaurant then visit Mong Royal Palace built by French in 1923 and drive back to Lao Cai Train Station. On the way, stop at border gate between Vietnam and China. Embark and stay overnight on train.

Day 6: Hanoi - Halong bay (B, L, D)
Today, get up early for [http://de.pons.com/�bersetzung?q=morning&l=deen&in=&lf=en morning] Tai Chi with local people at Hoan Kiem lake, then have "Pho" the typical breakfast for Vietnamese people. Leaving Hanoi by road for Halong Bay cruise, enjoy drive though the rural area with scenic view of rice paddy field in the Red River Delta. You may be lucky enough to see cows or pigs on motor bike or Vietnamese kids ridding on water buffalo flying kites. On the way, enjoy famous Vietnamese Coffee at Vietnam Handicraft Certer. Upon arrival, check in Vietnamese wooden cruise in Halong Bay. Journey along the spectacular limestone islands, floating villages while having sea food lunch, then disembark to visit 'Sung Sot' or Surprising Cave, one of the most beautiful grottos in Halong Bay Bay. the nextstop is Titop Island where you could swim on sandy beach or climb up to the top for panoramic view. In the evening, you will be delighted by candle light dinner on board with seafood dishes. Stay overnight on cruise in Ha Long Bay.

Day 7: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Danang - Hoian (B, L)
A breakfast will be served in the restaurant with the combination of western style and local cuisines. Then experience the bay up close and personal with a leisure sampan to "Hang Luon" or "Lagoon Cave" which allows you to see flora and fauna system of Catba National Park. Continue to Halong City, disembark and enjoy seafood lunch at local restaurant and drive back to Hanoi airport for a short flight to Da Nang then transfer to Hoian. In the evening, free at your leisure. Stay overnight Hotel in Hoian

Day 8: Hoian - Hue (B, D)
After your breakfast, bike shortly to the Ancient Town of Hoian and take a walking tour to Japanese Covered Bridge, Phung Hung Ancient House, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall and Chua Ong Pagoda. In the afternoon, enjoy peaceful boat ride along the Thu Bon River to Thanh Ha Ceramic Village then check out resort in Hoian for going to the former Imperial Capital of Hue. On the way, visit the Cham Museum, the last collection of powerful Kingdom of Champa and drive over the 'Pass of Ocean and Clouds'. The special treat tonight is dinner at Vuon Y Thao Restaurant for royal cuisines. A superb 3-course meal will be served to you with royal style. Stay overnight at hotel in Hue.

Day 9: Hue (B)
Rise for an early breakfast, followed by a visit to the city's vibrant Dong Ba Market then The Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled the country between 1802 and 1945. After exploring the ruins of this wonderful monument, depart to the Hue Royal Fine Arts Museum and one of Hue's beautiful garden houses. The afternoon dragon boat trip on The Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda allows you to go through history Buddhism in Vietnam then visit King Minh Mang's Tomb and King Khai Dinh' Tomb where you can compare the contrast of traditional and modern architectures. Stay overnight in Hue hotel.

Day 10: Hue - Hochiminh City (B, D)
Breakfast at the hotel, this Vietnam Vacation continues with the short flight to dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, followed by an oriental visit to the former Presidential Palace, the War Remnants Museum, the colonial Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Saigon Post Office. The afternoon tour leads you to China Town where you will visit Thien Hau Temple and Binh Tay Market. Tonight, experience true southern hospitality with a candle light dinner at local restaurant with southern cuisines. Stay overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 11: Hochiminh City Departure (B)
Free at leisure then transfer to the airport for home departure