Sunday, August 12, 2012

Indochina Highlight Tour 18 Days/17 nights

Price: from $ 1630/pax
Duration: 18 days / 17 nights
Tour route: Hanoi - Halong - Hue - Hoi an - Ho Chi Minh ... ...
Transportation type: Airplane, Boat, Car, Cruise
Tour code: IET - IN 7
 
Day 1: Arrival Hanoi Vietnam
Today you’ll land in Hanoi. Warmly welcome by Tour Guide & Car Driver at airport then transfer to Hanoi Downtown, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards, public parks, and the capital of Vietnam. Check into your hotel. Stay overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi Sightseeing full day - Night train to Sapa (B, L)
Hanoi, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and public parks, is the capital of Vietnam. It is a very attractive city with French-style architecture. You have a full day of sightseeing ahead, including a visit to One Pillar Pagoda, which was built by Ly Thai Tong and the Temple of Literature, founded by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. Stop in the heart of Hanoi at Hoan Kiem Lake, which contains an islet with a tiny Tortoise Pagoda. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Opera House and St. Joseph Cathedral. Conclude with a visit to Bao Tang Lich, once the museum of l'Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, which includes artifacts from Vietnam's turbulent history. Water Puppet Show, Cyclo visiting Old Quarter. Dinner time then transfer to Railway Station. Take night train to Sapa. Overnight on the train.

Day 3: Sapa arrival - trekking to Villages (B, L)
Arrive Lao Cai Railway Station at 6:00am. Pick up to Sapa town for check in. Having breakfast and start trekking down to Lao Chai village to visit the Black H'mong. Have a picnic lunch on the way then keep going along the valley to get to Ta Van village to visit the Dzay people live, which supposed to be the most friendly one in mountainous area. The next is Giang Ta Chai village of Red Dzao tribe where you will see the amazing scenery and beautiful waterfall. In the afternoon, you get back Sapa Town for free to discover Sapa Market & stay overnight in Sapa Town.

Day 4: Lao Cai- Bac Ha Sunday Market - Night train back Hanoi (B, L)
After breakfast in Sapa, you leave Sapa Town for Bac Ha Town to join Sunday Market with local people. Bac Ha is considered one of the most wonderful and colourful markets in extreme north Vietnam where thousands of local people in their traditional attire buy and sell the local products. Dogs, cats, pigs, horses... are all on sales. This is a golden opportunity to take your best photos! In the afternoon, we will take a pleasant walk to Ban Pho village, home to the flower H'mong people. This is a great opportunity to interact with the friendly locals and have pleasant walk amongst tribal villages. Leave Bac Ha Town at 3:00pm for Lao Cai Railway Station. Take night train, which departs about 7.30am. Overnight on the train.

Day 5: Excursion to Halong Bay and Stay overnight on Board. (B, L, D)
Arrive Hanoi Railway Station at 5:30am. Pick up & transfer to hotel for short rest & breakfast until 8:30am. Leave Hanoi for Halong Bay, one of the most magnificent scenic environments in the world, Halong Bay. Covering 577 square miles, this vast bay is filled with more than 3,000 limestone “peaks” or karsts that jut from the deep blue water as far as the eye can see. We’ll spend a day and a half, including an overnight with dinner and breakfast onboard, exploring this overwhelming seascape from the decks of a traditional Vietnamese boat. Comfortable and intimate, your boat features hand-crafted wooden interiors including a dining room and pleasant air-conditioned cabins with private baths. Since we’re overnight on the water, we’ll be able to explore Ha Long Bay’s most beautiful spots with time to swim and even visit some of the largest rock formations and caves. This promises to be one of your most memorable travel experiences in Asia. Stay overnight on Boat.

Day 6: Halong Bay Cruise - Hanoi. (B, L)
Rising to the sound of lapping bay waters, we have time for an early morning dip followed by breakfast. Sitting on the upper deck, you can relax while taking in the breath-taking beauty of the rocky islands rising from the emerald water of the bay.
After breakfast, explore Sung Sot cave, swim and relax. Cruises back to the jetty while brunch is served while you are cruising through the bay, along the way seeing more of the fascinating formations. Cruise check-out. Rejoin car drive back to Hanoi for overnight. Arrive Hanoi at 3:00pm. Check in hotel & free time to go sightseeing in the Old Quarter. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 7: Hanoi free for leisure - Depart to Hue Imperial City (B)
Today free to go shopping in the Hanoi Old Quarter or sightseeing by your own until noon time. Leave Hanoi to airport for Hue City`s flight. Arrive Hue City in the afternoon. Transfer to hotel & check in. Overnight in Hue City.

Day 8: Full day sightseeing in Hue City - Old Imperial City. (B, L)
Spend full day to visit Hue City, Vietnam's political capital from 1802 to 1945 under the 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. Traditionally, the city has been one of Vietnam's cultural, religious and educational centers. Visit the Imperial City, which is located in the Citadel. Modeled after the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Imperial City was built in the early 19th century. Explore the Thai Hoa Palace, with its spacious hall and ornate roof of huge timbers supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns. See the Halls of the Mandarins, the Nine Dynastic Urns and the site where the Forbidden Purple City once stood. Overnight in Hue City.

Day 9: Thien Mu Pagoda/Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang. (B, L)
Just outside Hue, visit the Thien Mu Pagoda on the bank of the Perfume River, which was a hotbed of anti-government protest during the early 1960s. Next, visit the complex of the Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang, built in 1840, which is known for its magnificent architecture and elaborate decorations and is considered one of Hue's most beautiful pagodas. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Tu Duc Tomb, which was built for meditation, reading and theater performances in a tranquil setting of forested hills and lakes. Your final stop is at Khai Dinh, the last monument of the Nguyen dynasty. It has a remarkably long staircase flanked by dragons, ceiling murals and ceramic frescoes. Return to your hotel on the riverbank where your Art Deco inspired rooms are reminiscent of the 1920s and 1950s. Overnight in Hue City.

Day 10: Leave Hue to Danang/City Sightseeing. (B, L)
Today, journey south past the Hai Van Pass and Land Co, over a spur of the Truong Son Mountain Range that juts into the South China Sea, with spectacular views along the way. Upon arrival in Danang, visit the Cham Museum, which features a fine collection of openair sandstone carvings. Stop at China Beach, made famous in the American TV series of the same name. It stretches for many miles north and south of the Marble Mountains. The Marble Mountains surrounding the area are five stone hillocks - once islands made of marble - and each is said to represent one of the five elements of the universe. There are many natural caves in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. Transfer to Hoi An Ancient Town. Check in hotel & overnight in Hoi An.

Day 11: Hoi An Excursion/Thu Bon River Boat Trip. (B, L)
Enjoy a full-day excursion to Hoi An, a major trading center, once known as "Faifo" to the earliest Western traders. It was also an important port for the Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and other merchant vessels from the Far East. Visit a temple with partially gilded statues in the center, a pagoda dedicated to sailors and fishermen and a chapel with origins in the 1700s that reflects the influences of Chinese and Japanese styles. Stop at the Sa Huynh Museum, located near the Japanese Covered Bridge, which contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history. Late this afternoon, take a boat trip on the Thu Bon River to Kim Bing Village on Cam Kim Island to see the wood workers and shipbuilding families. Return to your haven on world-famous "China Beach," with the evening at your leisure. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 12: My Son Sanctuary half day Tour & free go shopping (B, L)
Leave hotel at 8:00am. Drive to My Son, a World Heritage, 50 km southwest of Hoi An. Located in a lush valley, My Son was a capital and religious center of Cham people, now remaining with red brick towers and sanctuaries. My Son, considered to be in the same league as some of Southeast Asia's greatest archaeological sites, including Angkor in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. These towers and sanctuaries was built from the 7 to 13 centuries. Return to Town for lunch. In afternoon, free go shopping in Hoi An Town. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 13: Leave Hoi An to Saigon/City Sightseeing. (B, L)
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon, the largest Vietnamese city. There are street markets, sidewalk cafes and sleek new bars. This teeming metropolis offers 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture. To the west of the city is the huge Chinese neighborhood called Colon, which means "Big Market." Notre Dame Cathedral, in the heart of Saigon's government quarter, is of neo- Romanesque architecture with two high square tower and iron spires. The Central Post Office is French-style and City Hall, known as "Hotel de Ville," is typical of the French architecture that would be seen in any village in France. Visit the War Remnants Museum, featuring collections of weapons and photographs from the two Indochina wars. Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 14: Full day to Mekong Delta/River Boat Trip. (B, L)
Today takes you to My Tho, the capital of Tien Giang Province. Situated on the Mekong River, 75 kilometers southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, the city is surrounded by orchards and rice fields, which produce grain for the entire country. Visit one or two of the islands that produce traditional handcrafts, coconut candy and bee farms. Visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, the oldest one in the delta on your boat trip on the Mekong River. Return to Ho Chi Minh City. Check in hotel & stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 15: Conclude Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City depart Phnom Penh Cambodia. (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City then taking 6hours Luxury Coach to Phnom Penh (Cambodia) via Moc Bai International Port. Arrive Phnom Penh in the afternoon, check in & free for leisure. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 16: Phnom Penh Conclude/ Departure to Siem Reap (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel then start the trip to discover the scenic beauty of Phnom Penh, the capital and the largest city of Cambodia, with a visit to the famous Notorious Tuol Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. It also includes a trip to the popular Russian market, a lively outdoor market where you will find antiquity products, jewelry, and various remarkable souvenirs from Cambodia until transfer to airport for departure to Siem Reap. You will be picked up at airport in Siem Reap then transfer to hotel for check in. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 17: Siem Reap sightseeing full day (B, L)
After breakfast at hotel. Visit Angkor Wat - the crowning jewel of Khmer architecture, ANGKOR WAT is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. To approach the temple, first cross the vast moat, continuing along a broad causeway lined with naga balustrades. As you enter the main building, ascend through a series of galleries and courtyard before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway and across the surrounding countryside. On the way, stop to enjoy the intricate stonecarvings that adorn nearly every surface, with some 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted into the walls. Along the outer gallery walls run the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which narrates stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones.
Visit Ta Prohm
TA PROHM: one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.
Visit Banteay Srei Temple
Seemingly miniature in comparison to the other Angkor temples, BANTEAY SREI is considered to be the jewel of classical Khmer art. Built in pink sandstone, the walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual delicacy. Because of its small size, fairy-like atmosphere and extraordinary examples of Khmer sculpture, this temple is often a favorite with visitors. Transfer to hotel for check in. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 18: Conclude Siem Reap/ Departure (B)
Breakfast at hotel. In the morning, continue the temple tour toTakeo, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda andTaProhm, one of the area’s most beautiful temples. Ta Prohm has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was abandoned and swallowed by the jungle, looking very much the ways most of the Angkor temples appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them.
After lunch, transfer to Siem Reap International airport for departure to your homeland. Finish the unforgettable trip with Indochina Explorer Tour! Good bye & see you again!

Destinations
Hotels/Resorts/Cruises Name
Room Type
First Class Category
Hanoi
Star View Hotel or La Dolce Vita Hotel
Superior
Halong Bay
Huong Hai Deluxe Junk or Bai Tho Cruise
Deluxe
Hue
Asia Hotel Hue  or Camellia Hotel Hue
Superior
Hoi An
Glory Hoi An Hotel or Ha An Hotel Hoi An
Superior
Ho Chi Minh City
Bong Sen Saigon Hotel or Best Western Chancery Saigon
Superior
Phnom Penh
Hotel Castle Phnom Penh or Laparranda Hotel Phnom Penh
Deluxe Room
Siem Reap
Angkor Holiday Hotel Siem Reap or Majestic Angkor Hotel
Superior Room
Superior Category
Hanoi
Flower Garden Hotel or Silk Path Hanoi Hotel
Superior
Halong Bay
Halong Emotion Cruise
Deluxe
Hue
Saigon Morin Hotel or Huong Giang Hotel Hue
 
Hoi An
Hoi An Pacific Hotel or Hoi An Riverside Resorts
Deluxe Riverview
Ho Chi Minh City
Grand Hotel Saigon or Kim Do Hotel Saigon
Superior
Phnom Penh
Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh or Phnom Penh Hotel
Deluxe Room
Siem Ream
The Angkor Miracle Resort & Spa or Angkor Home Hotel Siem Reap
Superior City View
Deluxe Category
Hanoi
Intercontinental Westlake Hotel or Sheraton Hotel Hanoi
Hanoi View Room
Halong Bay Paradise Cruises or Victory Star Cruise Deluxe
Hue
La Residence Hotel Hue or Celadon Hotel Hue
Superior
Hoi An
Palm Garden Resorts or Hoi An Golden Sand Resorts
Deluxe Oceanview
Ho Chi Minh City
Caravelle Saigon Hotel or Majestic Saigon Hotel
Superior
Phnom Penh
Intercontinental Hotel Phnom Penh or Reffle Hotel Le Royal
Deluxe Room
Siem Reap
Hotel Sofitel Angkor Spa Resort or Angkor Palace Resort and Spa
Superior Room
 
This is a sample itinerary so the cost really depends on your hotel choice, number of people in your group and time of travel. Please contact us to customize this itinerary and price to meet your needs and budget.  

Tour Cost included:
* 14 nights hotel accommodation on a twin-share basic with daily breakfast
* 2 Nights stay overnight on Sapa Train (Hanoi - Lao Cai - Hanoi)
* 1 night stay overnight on Board in Halong Bay in twin-share cabin.
* Internal flight tickets: Hanoi - Hue, Danang - Ho Chi Minh City (economy class) Vietnam Airlines including fuel charge & Airport taxes.
* Luxury Coach ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh. Airconditioning modern Coach.
* Internal flight tickets: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap (economy class) Vietnam Airlines including fuel charge & Airport taxes.
* Meals as mentioned in the itineraries: Vietnamese food, Asian Food basic.
* All landed transfers within the tour by air-conditioned vehicle, including pick-up and drop-off at airports on arrival and departure days
* English Speaking Tour guide. Other languages on request
* Boat trips in the Mekong Delta, Hoi An, Hue.
* All entrance and sightseeing fees
* Water Puppet Show & Cyclo Tour in Hanoi Old Quarter.
* Approval letter for landing visa to Vietnam: single entry, one month valid
* All taxes & services charge.

Tour Cost Non Included:
* International airfare and airport tax in Vietnam
* Beverages and other meals do not indicate in the program
* Visa fees to Vietnam & Cambodia.
* Early check-in and late check-out at all hotels
* Kayak, Massage onboard
* Travel insurance
* Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, shopping...)
* Tipping/ Gratuities
* ingle supplement
* Any additional expenses caused by reasons beyond our control such as natural calamities (typhoon, floods), flight delays, rescheduling or cancellations, any accidents, medical evacuations, riots, strikes etc. 
 
 

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