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Tour OverviewTour Routes: All Vietnam – Siem Reap – Phnom Penh Tour Itinerary In Brief:Day 1: Good morning Hanoi Tour ItineraryDay 1: Good morning Hanoi Welcome to Hanoi, we will meet and take you to your hotel, check-in and today is free at your leisure to rest or explore, discovering your own first impressions of Vietnam. Overnight in Hanoi Inclusion: Transfer, guide, hotel Day 2: Hanoi city tourDepart at 8:00 am from your hotel by van. We will begin our day by visiting Uncle Ho, learning about his great life at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, and his residential place. Next stop is the nearby Temple of Literature. The site of Vietnam´s first University, built in twelfth century, to teach the royals the Confucius theory. Here we will also have a chance to see a traditional music performance. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant for a taste of authentic Hanoi Pho (noodle soup). In the afternoon, choose one from the numerous museums or temples around Hanoi (Museum of Ethnology, Women´s Museum, History Museum or Quan Thanh Temple). A late afternoon walk around Hoan Kiem lake and Hanoi´s fascinating Old Quarter for some great fun, shopping, and street side traditional food, maybe to try one “hanoi bia”. This is your chance to be part of typical Hanoian style and its traditional Vietnamese culture. We finish our relaxing but informative day by attending a Water Puppet Show, a favorite experience for all visitors to Vietnam. We can help you get back to your hotel if you wish, but often our guests would just rather spend the evening enjoying a drink with a view of the city. Have dinner by your own and stay overnight at your hotel. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee (s), lunch, puppet show ticket, 1 local beer, hotel. Day 3: Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Van Long, night train to Lao Cai8:00 am to leave your hotel for our day trip to Ninh Binh, we arrive to the Nature Reserve of Van Long after two hours drive (110km), we board the bamboo rowboat as soon as we arrive for our 2 hours row along this beautiful nature area, senjoying spectacular scenery surrounded by rice paddies and towering limestone mountain peaks. After lunch served at a local riverside restaurant we make a short transfer (4 km) down a peaceful country road to Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s ancient capital eleven centuries ago. Here, there are two temples dedicated to King Dinh and King Le, the founders of the ancient capital during the 10th century. Return to Hanoi late in the afternoon. Dinner on your own. 8: 15 pm: Transfer from an prearranged meeting spot to the station for your night train to Sapa (Our tour guide will show you a mini hotel which you will have shower and basic breakfast before going on Halong bay- Day 6). Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee (s), lunch, local boat, train ticket. Day 4: Lao Cai – Sapa – trek to Ta Phin village (12 km ~ 4 hours)The train arrives in Lao Cai at about 6:00 am where your iExplore guide will welcome you. Look for the “iExplore Travel” sign when you exit the train station. Then take a morning drive through the clouds by car / van to Sapa (about 1.5 hours). When you arrive in Sapa you will be taken to a local restaurant for a morning shower & breakfast. Then we will take a short ride from Sapa to our trekking base where we start our trek through terraced rice fields and Hmong villages. Chances to meet and talk with locals working in the fields are plentiful. We will break for a picnic lunch en route then continue trekking to Ta Phin village of the Dao people (4 hours). Your Dao host family will warmly welcome you to their traditional home where we will share in an ethnic style dinner and stay the night. Inclusion: Transfer, all meals, guide, entrance fee, home stay. Day 5: More trek and back to SapaAt the first of gleam of daylight, you will see and hear the sounds of morning village life. You can join them in some of their activities, like feeding the animals, cleaning the house, gardening or preparing breakfast. After breakfast, we will complete our trek on a valley route to the main road (4 hours) linking Lao Cai and Sapa. Alternatively, for this long trek, you can choose a short morning wander around the village for about 1 hour, resulting in more time spent with the host family and other villagers. For both options, you will be supported by our car / van back to Sapa (30 minutes). When we arrive back in Sapa we will check in to the hotel, shower, and break for lunch. At 2:30 pm we will visit the gardens of beautiful Ham Rong mountain & take part in a traditional ethnic music performance put on by the ethnic minority people. Then return at your own leisure with free time to discover the secrets of this colorful town. Overnight at the hotel in Sapa town. Inclusion: Transfer, breakfast, guide, entrance fee, hotel. Day 6: A wonderful trek to Hmong village (~ 6km), then Lao Cai for night train to HanoiWake up in Sapa town, breakfast at the hotel then enjoy the morning with some of your new friends that you may have met the afternoon before. You have the entire morning and lunch for free time and visiting the lively markets. At around 2:00 pm, travel by car down to the south of Sapa town then we will do a mix of wonderful trek & hike along the terraced paddy fields, streams and villages (2- 3 hrs) to visit the peaceful Hmong village of Y Linh Ho to learn more about the Black Hmong. You will return to Sapa by car. A refreshing shower will be arranged before your train in Sapa or Lao Cai. Dinner on your own well before the train leaves for Hanoi and arrives to Hanoi at about 5:00 am. Inclusion: Transfer, breakfast, lunch, guide, entrance fee, train ticket. Day 7: Hanoi – Halong, welcome on the boatArrival in Hanoi in the early morning at round 5:00 am. Please find your way by foot back to a mini hotel near the Tran Quy Cap station gate to have shower and basic set menu breakfast. Depart, 8:00 am on a shared bus from your hotel to Halong city. After 3.5 hours driving and viewing simple, country side, rice paddy life, we arrive at the at port. At 12.00, the junk crews welcome guests on board at Hon Gai Wharf. Enjoy welcome drinks and check in Deluxe cabin. Lunch with fresh local seafood while cruising into Halong bay. Get to Vong Vieng after 2 hours. Start exploring Vong Vieng fishing village and the hidden lagoons in Bai Tu Long Bay by kayaks or our small rowboats. Back to junk to enjoy relaxing or the sunset. Dinner and overnight on board nearby Vong Vieng village or Trinh Nu cave. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrances fee, kayak, boat/junk, lunch, dinner, permit, insurance, fishing gears. Day 8: Explore the tranquil scenery in Bai Tu Long bay, back to HanoiEarly risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet breath-taking beauty of Bay’s landscape. From 7.30 to 10.30, serve on a La-Carte-Menu, you can order any dishes in the menu whenever you want for breakfast and lunch. Around 8.00, start discovering Ba Cua beach where you can enjoy swimming, sunbathing or relaxing. We will also visit one cave on our way back to Halong city. After cave visit, we are back to our junk, arrange our luggage and check out cabin while cruising back. By noon at 12:00, we will be ashore then hit the road back to Hanoi. Check in hotel in Hanoi and free time to relax and stay overnight at your hotel. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, boat/junk, breakfast, lunch, hotel. Day 9: Your free day in Hanoi, Night train to HueToday is your free day in the Hanoi capital and all of its fascinating historical charm. Spend your day relaxing or shopping. Some suggestions include waking up early (about 6:00 am) and joining in the some exercise around Hoan Kiem Lake; or taking a cyclo tour around the Old Quarter for a different point of view; or visiting the numerous markets, shopping, and trying all of the street side traditional foods. At 18: 00 Hotel pick up for the evening train to Hue. Boarding at 19:00. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, hotel, train ticket. Day 10: Hue trip – City tour of Vietnam last feudal dynasty, boat tripArrival Hue at around 10:00 am. Station pick up then transfer to hotel to take a short rest, have late breakfast before visiting the former Imperial Citadel. Lunch is next at a local restaurant. Then in the afternoon is our visit to the splendid royal tombs, there are actually more than 6 tombs but we will choose to visit two of three tombs as below: Minh Mang, Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. After that we walk/transfer to the boat dock for our cruising on the Perfume River, viewing the city and the tranquil villages on the riverbank. We will walk up to visit the Thien Mu pagoda, a nicely located pagoda, overlooks the Perfume River and the beautiful scenery beyond, where you get to learn more about the Buddhism in Vietnam. Transfer back to your hotel. Check in hotel. Free time to relax, shower and stay overnight at your hotel. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, lunch, local boat, hotel. Day 11: Hue – Vietnam cyclo, visit market. Transfer to Hoi AnAfter breakfasat at your hotel. 9:00 am. We will go on a relaxing Vietnam cyclo to visit Dong Ba market around 1 hrs then transfer to Hoi An. From here it will take us about 4 hours to get to Hoi An. There is fabulous sightseeing en route and we may make stops at: Lang Co beach, Hai Van pass, Cham Museum, and the Marble mountains. Then onto Hoi An, overnight in here. This is also a very good chance for you to get clothes made with very nice and reasonable price. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee (s), breakfast, Vietnam cyclo, hotel. Day 12: Hoi An, walking tour in the ancient townThe center of Vietnam is home to many of World Heritage Sites and Hoi An is one of them. Here in this ancient town of Hoi An, 30 km south of Danang, lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. 9:00. Hotel pick up then we walk around the town with your tour guide to visit the old charming Hoi An. We will visit the old Tan Ky House, the famous Japanese Covered Bridge, the stylish Phuc Kien Assembly Hall…Drive back to your hotel then free time to relax, go to Cua Dai Beach which is only 4km away from Hoi An. Say overnight at your hotel. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, hotel. Day 13: Hoi An – Nha TrangBreakfast at the hotel then transfer to the airport in Da Nang for noon-flight to Nha Trang. Airport pick up then transfer to your hotel, it is free to chill out on the beautiful white sand beach. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, flight tickets, hotel. Day 14: Nha Trang, island boat tripMorning pick up from hotel and transfer to the boat station (45 minutes). Hop on the boat and begin a day on the water. The first stop will be at Mum Island. This is one of the best places for snorkeling in Nha Trang. Hold your breath for as long as you can and dive deep into this colorful world of fish and coral. Next stop, Tam Island, for sun bathing and relaxing on the off shore beach. Lunch will be served at a nearby fishing village with a selection of fresh seafood. After the lunch we will visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium then take the boat back to Nha Trang city. Free time in the evening and overnight at your hotel. Note: We may need to fly to Saigon this afternoon (4:45 pm) if our next morning flight is not available. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, lunch, local boat, hotel. Day 15: Nha Trang – Saigon, city toursWe take an early flight this morning at 7:45 am, arriving to Saigon at 8:40 am, transfer down town and check-in at our hotel before our city tour of this bustling Saigon started. Visit the Binh Tay Market in Cho Lon; stopover at Thien Hau, a 150 year old Chinese Temple; then to a Lacquer wares workshop and the Jade Emperor pagoda. In the afternoon visit the War Remnants Museum, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic Central Post Office, we’ll drop you off at your hotel around 5:30 pm. Inclusion: Transfer , guide, entrance fee, breakfast, domestic flight ticket , hotel Day 16: Tay Ninh and the Cu Chi tunnelsDeparting Saigon at 8:00 am from your hotel for a morning excursion to Tay Ninh to the Great Cao Dai Temple (a place to worship a mixture of Buddhism, Confucius, Taoism, Hinduism and Christianity). We see the noon mass at the temple (1 hour). Lunch in Tay Ninh. In the afternoon we visit the Cu Chi outdoor museum to learn about the infamous tunnel systems of the Viet Cong. Take this opportunity to get a unique understanding of the guerillas underground fight strategies during the war and crawl through 50 – 100 meters of the 200 km tunnel system. On the way back to Saigon, local rice paper workshops, and views of Vietnam countryside and paddy fields are pleasant sights. We’ll drop you off at your hotel around 5:30 pm. Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, hotel Day 17: Cycling & boating to Vinh Long and Can Tho8.00 am Depature for CaiBe (2.5 hrs), on arrival, we board on boat for visit the floating market and cruise over the mighty mekong river (~ 1.5km wide) to DongPhu island. We start cycling one hour under the green canopy, explore the orchards and daily life of farmers. Lunch break on island & more cruise to VinhLong. In the afternoon we have 2 hours riding on immense rice fields, cycling through numerous rural riverside villages before our bus pick up to Cantho city. Evening free time for promenade along city quay. Overnight in CanTho. Inclusion: Transportation, Mt. bike, Boat, Entrance fees, Fruit, Hotel, B, L Day 18: CanTho cycle to ChauDocEarly morning boat trip to CaiRang floating market & cruise in natural waterways before turning up a quiet canal and mounting our bikes for a ride 3 hrs in single trails along small canals and in countryside road, enjoying the beautiful Delta scenery and meeting the locals (many on bicycle too). Our van will pick you up, short transfer to LongXuyen for lunch break. In the afternoon we have around 40km nice road to Chaudoc, monkey bridges over canals, Khmer pagodas, Sam mountain. If time permitting, we will be off the bike, then hike up 2.5km to summit of SAM mountain, enjoy sun set over the panorama rice fields between Vietnam and Cambodia. Overnight in ChauDoc. Inclusion: Boat trip, Tour guide, High-end bike, Bus support, Hotel, B, L, D Day 19: Chau Doc boat trip to PhnomPenhAfter breakfast, we embark the boat for PhnomPenh destination. Meet with the tour guide on arrival then we transfer you to hotel. Check in hotel to relax. In the afternoon, Visit the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda, located within the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. Then continue your visit at Wat Phnom Temple, a small hill crowned by an active Wat (Pagoda) marks the legendary founding place of the Phnom Penh. Overnight at Phnom Penh Inclusion: Boat tickets, Transfer, Guide in PP, Entrance fees, Hotel, B Day 20: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap. Angkor tourAt 6h30, we transfer to Phnom Penh airport for short flight to Siem Reap, departs at 8h60 (VN9851). Upn arrival at Siem Reap at 9h10, meet and transfer direct to ecological sight. Visit to the antique capital of Angkor Thom (12 century) : the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Visit to the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Enjoy wonderful sunset from Phnom Bakheng Hills. Dinner and enjoy Khmer Traditional Dance Show at local restaurant. Overnight in Siem Reap. Inclusion: Transfer, Guide, Entrance fees, Flight tickets, Hotel, B Day 21: Siem Riep temple tourAM: Visit to Ta Prohm, one of the area’s most beautiful temples. Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool (representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), Ta Som, built in late 12th century C.E. the most distant temple on the grand circuit, small but classic. Preah Khan temple, Built by the King Jayavarman VII. Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, the temple of Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation. PM: Visit to the unique interior brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan, Srah Srang (“The Royal Baths” was once used for ritual bathing), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), , Ta Keo, constructed in late 10th early 11th century C.E, the first temple to be constructed wholly of sandstone. Overnight at Siem Reap in the same hotel. Inclusion: Transfer, Guide, Entrance fees, Hotel, B Day 22: Siem Riep temple tour, plus Tonle Sap Lake.AM Visit to Banteay Srei temple (10th cntury), regarded as the jewel in the crown of classical Khmer Art. Then contnue your visit to Banteay Samre, build in the third quarter of the 12th century. It consists of a central temple with four wings preceded by a hall and accompany by two libraries, the southern example remaerkably well presserved. PM After that, we continue your visit to the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Visit the village and take an excursion in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia. Inclusion: Transfers, Guide, Entrance fees, B Day 23: Departure Siem Reap, Goodbye CambodiaBreakfast at hotel. Depending on your flight you may have sometime for some more shopping. Then we will transfer you to the airport for your flight home. Goodbye and hope to see you again soon! Inclusion: Transfer, breakfast. Tour CostPrice in details: 2 persons: $US 2399 /person Trip Notes:Hotel: We use 3 stars tandard hotel, twin shared room. Upgrade is available on request. Sites: Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and almost all museums are closed on Monday and Friday weekly, you can choose to visit another site instead. No short or informal wear is allowed into the Mausoleum, Sleeper Train to Sapa/Hue: Please click here for more information. If you take flight from Hanoi to Hue instead of train, please see the additional cost per person that includes: transfers, domestic flight ticket and 3 star standard hotel in Hue (twin shared room) for that night: Homestay condition: Very basic, please visit our website for FAQs on www.iExploreVietnam.Com Meals: Vietnamese food Halong Bay tour: We share mini – van, deluxe Red Dragon or Lagoon Explore Junk with maximum 10 people and twin shared cabin aboard. Car / Van Quality: Using new AC car or van depending on your group size Tour guide: English speaking guides (on site). What to Bring: Passport, change of clothes, sun-glasses & hat, toiletries, sun-block, insect repellent, flashlights, good shoes, personal first aid kit & medicines, small VND notes for buying drinks. If you feel the need then sleeping bags, cable lock for your bags is recommended. Please Travel Responsibly: The small things you do will make a big difference! Booking Terms & Conditions: Tour itinerary and tour prices are subject to change without notice. Please click here for more information. Other Notes:Please be aware that flight times, trains, hotels and other services are subject to availability. Where flights/trains are cancelled or delayed iExplore will endeavor to secure alternative arrangements of similar value,
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Testimonials Dear Hai, ... This trip was indeed “the trip of our life” (and believe me Hai that we’ve traveled a LOT) thanks to your patient, understanding and continues effort to make absolutely the best for us, really beyond expectations and to a level of perfection that is difficult to describe! |