Myanmar Train expedition on Gohteik Viaduct 5 Days
PRIVATE TOUR - CODE: VIB11 When we were in our initial planning stage of our trip to Myanmar we read many a horror story of travellers experiences of train travel...
This is truly a luxury collection of Vietnam. You will stay in the outstanding 5 star hotels and resorts throughout the tour. Begin in Hanoi, Vietnam’s fascinating capital and intellectual center. Continue to scenic Halong Bay for an overnight cruise on a luxurious, traditional junk-style boat. Sail among beautiful limestone islands. Explore Hoi An, an atmospheric port town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stay at a luxury beachfront resort, and experience the best of this centuries-old town during private touring. Visit the Mekong Delta, a vast network of islands and waterways and cruising by private sampan (traditional boat) through the canals, visiting floating markets, fruit orchards and rural villages.
Travel route: Start – Hanoi – Halong – Hoa Lu – Trang An – Hanoi – Hue – Da Nang – My Son – Hoi An – Saigon – Cu Chi tunnels – Mekong delta – Saigon – Finish
Day 1: Arrive Hanoi (D)
Upon arrival at Hanoi / Noi Bai International Airport you are met and transferred between the airport to your hotel in a private vehicle with an English speaking guide. Dinner is pre-arranged at nearby restaurant so that you don’t need find out somewhere good to dine in the first hours in a new city. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi Full day city tour (B,L)
Full day Hanoi city tour to visit Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and his former residence (Closed on Monday, Friday and the whole of Oct & Nov), One pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature. Afternoon, continue city tour to one of the National Museum of Vietnam History (closed on Monday), Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple and experience a one hour cyclo tour. Finish your day off at the Thang Long Opera Theatre for a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show. Lunch with “pho bo” beef soft-noodles the spirit flavour of Hanoi and overnight in Hanoi.
Day 3: Hanoi – Hoa Lu –Trang An Ecology reserve – Hanoi (B,L)
Morning meet and transfer to Ninh Binh province – 100 Km south of Hanoi – is known to travelers as Vietnam’s “Inland Halong Bay”. You will be offered a leisurely sampan cruise on a creek across three vast stretches of rice field. Upon arrival, visit Temples of the Dinh King and Le King built on the site of the Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel. Sampan trip along the stream in Trang An ecology site, which is now listed as a tentative UNESCO World Heritage. During the 2 hour boating, you will go through the 5 long grottos and hear the soul of nature. Stop visit Trinh temple. This is a round boat trip and you can immerse yourselves with nature. Lunch included. Afternoon, drive back Hanoi and free at leisure for shopping in the Hanoi old quarter.
Day 4: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on Cruise (B,L,D)
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and our tour guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel’s lobby to drive to enchanting Halong Bay for an overnight cruise. This exciting cruise will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. The limestone karsts formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. Stay overnight aboard the junk boat.
Day 5: Halong Bay Cruise – Hanoi – Flight to Hue (Brunch)
For early risers complimentary tea, coffee and pastries are served in the restaurant followed by-if you so desire – a Tai Chi Class on the Sundeck (07:00 am). A great morning activity to feel one with this natural wonder.
Then it is time for an early morning swim – in the Bay. By tender boat we bring the guests to a natural white sandy stretch. Sporty ones can also climb up to a hill top to have a last view from above over Halong Bay before we return to the boat and cruise slowly back to Halong City, passing picturesque areas like the Tam Cung Cave and Poem Mountain.
During our trundle breakfast is served before we arrive at the shore at around 11:00 am. The crew will bid you farewell and you disembark with our tender boat to the jetty.
Driving back to Hanoi and then straightly transfer to the airport to catch 1-hour flight to Hue city.
Meet and greet by a local reprentative and transfer to hotel in Hue. Check-in the hotel and rest of time will be at your leisure.
Day 6: Hue city tour and river tour (B,L)
Morning visit the Hue Citadel – Vietnam’s former imperial capital and a recognized UNESCO World Heritage site. With an area of 500ha and a system of three circles of ramparts, this citadel is far more elaborate than those constructed by previous empires. Stop at Khai Dinh tomb and Tu Duc Tomb. After lunch (included), continue your tour with a boat cruise along the Perfume River. Enjoy this romantic cruise and visit the Minh Mang Tomb. Finish up at Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious worship in Hue. Stop at Dong Ba market for shopping.
Day 7: Hue – Da Nang (via Tam Giang lagoon) – Hoi An (B,L)
Morning free at leisure until private transfer to Hue Railway station. You take the day-train Hue for Hoi An via Hai Van Pass for whole view of Pacific Ocean and famous Tam Giang lagoon.
Tam Giang Lagoon is an amazing place in Hue to see real life. Boat cruise on Tam Giang Lagoon to daily fishing activities, coral system, stilt houses on the Lagoon … to see how beautiful and peaceful the lagoon is. Enjoy Vietnam stunning landscapes when the sun downs on the lagoon. Seafood lunch is included.
Proceed for Hoi An along the east coast of Pacific ocean, and travel on Hai Van cloudy pass. Arrive at Hoi An in late afternoon. Check in and overnight in Hoi An.
Day 8: Hoi An – Da Nang – Morning Flight to Saigon – Cu Chi tunnels (B,L)
Private car transfer with tour guide to Da Nang airport. You take the internal flight to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), the economy and entertainment hub of Vietnam. Pick-up by our guide and driver in Saigon airport for Cu Chi tunnels. Drive to visit Cu Chi tunnels (75 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City) an important base during the American War, because of its strategic location. The Vietcong built a 200 km long network of tunnels connecting command posts, hospitals, shelter and weapon factories. Dug out of hard laterite by hand tools without the use of cement, this amazing network was never discovered. Return to Saigon to check in hotel and overnight.
Day 9: Saigon – My Tho Boat trip – Thoi Son islands – Buffet dinner on Saigon river cruise (B,L,D)
After breakfast, full day tour traveling south from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho, the gateway to the Mekong Delta. Known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam, the Delta is the most fertile region in the country, and the main producer of rice and tropical fruits. From My Tho, you board your boat and travel to one of the islands located in the middle of the Mekong River. On the island visit a fruit orchard and sample some of the local produce, before boarding a smaller sampan that winds along narrow canals. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit a local family’s house and enjoy their hospitality and share with them some tea or rice wine. After lunch in My Tho return to Ho Chi Minh. Buffet dinner on Bonsai cruise Deluxe.
Day 10: Leave Saigon (B)
Today you are transferred to the Airport (with driver only) to board flight for Onward Journey. End of services.
INCLUSION