Vietnam Explorer 19 Days

In the Morning

• You will start with the Ho Chi Minh Complex including his Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, the historic Stilt house, and the One Pillar Pagoda.
• We take a short drive to the outskirt of Hanoi to visit the Museum of Ethnology exhibiting the 54 officially recognized ethnic groups in Vietnam. Some of them we will meet during our trip to Sapa.
• Today we will have Pho for lunch, a Vietnamese Noodle shop. Some of the local people call this world-famous Noodle soup “Mac-Noodles” since it is as popular here as Mac Donald’s is in other parts of the world! At the restaurant your tour guide will explain the routine during Vietnamese meal times, and also tell you which special ingredients are needed for you.

In the Afternoon

• We will embark on a walking tour around the Old Quater of Hanoi. You will start your lovely walk tour into the old quarter of Hanoi. First, you will visit Ngoc Son Temple – the temple located by Hoan Kiem Lake, connected to the mainland by the Huc (Rising Sun) bridge. The bridge was constructed in a classical Vietnamese style lined with flags.
• After that, you will walk a short distance to the lively Dong Xuan Market – one of the densest markets in Hanoi. Then continue the tour to the Historic House on Ma May Street, an interesting attraction for culture. The house was built at the end of the 19th century and restored in 1999 to preserve the ancient architecture and lifestyle of Hanoians as the way it was.
• After visiting the house, you will wander along the busy streets, passing stores and street stands to sell their wares. You may find some exciting things for yourself and relatives on the streets here. Stop at Hang Quat Street, where you will have a chance to see and order the stamp maker. The walking tour will continue to the largest St. Joseph’s Cathedral which was built by the French in 1887. The cathedral is located in Nha Chung street where now becomes ‘lemon tea’ street, a popular place for the young in Hanoi. The tour will end at a cafe overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake where you will have a chance to relax and reflect all that you have seen today.

Return to your hotel where the balance of the day will be at leisure. Dinner is on our own arrangement for flexibility (with support from tour guide and tour operator with information about food, list of loal restaurants, ect…).

• Hanoi Half day Food, Culture, Sights & Fun on vintage Minsk or Vintage Vespa or Gaz69 Jeep
• Evening show: Water Puppet show or spectacular My Village show.

Breakfast at hotel in Hanoi.

• About 08.00am: Pick up from hotel & transfer to Halong Bay (about 3hrs driving, including breaks on the way)
• Arriving in Halong Bay around noon time, you will board a Cuise, begin a relaxing and unforgettable cruise around the breathtaking and unique limestone karsts and islets.
• A delicious fresh seafood lunch will be served as you cruise this spectacular bay, a UNESCO listed site.
• Towards the end of the day the boat sets anchor for the night.
• As the sun sets over the bay, dinner is served with fresh seafood, salad, and fruit

• Enjoy breakfast on the Cruise.
• Follow cruise’s itinerary.
• Brunch or Lunch on Cruise (depending on cruise’s services)
• Disembark at around noon time and take shuttle bus back Hanoi.

• Breakfast at local restaurant.

• Heading to Bac Ha Market (About 2.5hrs driving). Opened every Sunday at the center of Bac Ha township, this is the biggest ethnic market in Lao Cai Province and probably among some most interesting ones in the northern mountains. Peoples from ethnic groups including Black Zao, Tay, Phu La and Flower H’mong wearing their best traditional clothes attend the market to turn it into a kind of festival. Commodity sold at the market is varied from embroidered clothes, handicraft, farming products, food… to poultry and cattle such as vegetable, spices, chili, chicken, cat, piggy, doggy… At the market place, after finishing their shopping, peoples gathered into groups at footstalls or restaurants enjoying “Thang Co” a kind of H’mong traditional specialty, drinking corn wine and talking cheerfully. Not far away from the main market place, there is the buffaloes and horses’ market and it is really interesting to see the buyers carefully searching in order to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the animals before buying because a buffalo or horse is a real important property in their farming work. The best time to join the market is from 09.00 to 12.00 but it is fascinating to spend few hours earlier to see the people along the trail to the Bac Ha Market.

• Lunch at a local restaurant.

• After Lunch and short rest, we take a short visit the ancient house of H’Mong King – Hoang A Tuong, before leaving Bac Ha for Sapa town (about 3hrs driving).

After breakfast at hotel.

• We start the day trekking through the beautiful Muong Hoa Valley to Y Linh Ho village, home to Black Hmong minorities. If the weather permits, you will enjoy stunning views across the valley with mountains and rice terraces as far as the eye can see.
• Next on the route is a stop at Lao Chai, an established Hmong minority village which has been inhabited for centuries. Here you will have the opportunity to see the products of this minority at its best with hereditary rice terraces, homes and a vibrant community.
• Continuing on to Ta Van Village you will visit the Giay minority people. This group traditionally fished for a living and as a result established themselves close to rivers. They have mastered the art of fishing with bamboo sticks, and cook the fish inside bamboo. Nowadays, however, you are more likely to see the Giay working in fields planting or harvesting rice.
• Lunch at local house in Ta Van village, with great view over the rice fields and valley.

• Depending on your physical ability, the trek can be shorten with start from Lao Chai Village, to Ta Van village (without Y Linh Ho village)
• Appropriate footwear should be used for treks to local villages. Note that in wet weather condition, programs may be adjusted.

• You can climb up Ham Rong mountain or take a leisure walk to nearby Cat Cat Village.
• Or take the train over Muong Hoa Valley to Fansipan Cable Car base, from here take cable car to Fansipan Peak (it is about USD 10/person for the train, and USD 35/person for cable car to Fansipan peak, and you can buy tickets yourself on spot).
• Or just hanging around Sapa market

• Our driver will pick you up at your hotel in Phong Nha village, then transfer you to Paradise Cave – the longest dry cave in Asia (located in Phong Nha – Ke bang National Park’s core zone). You will then be taken by golf cart (1.6km) from the main gate through the jungle, to where you will then climb to the mouth of the cave; a climb that boasts spectacular views of the mountainous region around the cave.
• 12:00 Lunch at Ozo restaurant. Here you will enjoy a traditional Vietnamese dish. Vegetarian option available. Please contact us in advance if you have any dietary restrictions and we will do our best to accommodate you.
• 13:00 Visit Ozo treetop park (located in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park). Participate in the many adventure activities: Monkey Bridge, Hanging step, Hanging log, Rafting, SUPing, Tarzan, Flying fox, Flying Skateboard, Flying Carpet, Hanging Loop, Ring Swing, Aerial walk, Sky Bridge, Sky Step, Spider Web Challenge, Vine Walk, Tarzan Web Swing
• 17:00 Depart back Phong Nha village. Tour ends when you will be dropped off at your hotel.

*** Please be sure to bring: swimwear and towel. Lockers for your belongings will be provided with a 50,000 deposit which will be refunded upon return of the locker key.
Using the zip-line requires you to be between 40-90 kg. No exceptions.

Spend the night in a local homestay or Farmhouse in Phong Nha village.

• 8:45-9:10: Our driver will pick you up at your hotel in Phong Nha village, then transfer you to Dark Cave (located in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park). Participate in the many adventure activities: mud bath, zip-lining, swimming, kayaking, adventure course, caving etc...
• 12:30 Lunch at local restaurant in Phong Nha village. Here you will enjoy a traditional vietnamese dish. Vegetarian option available. Please contact us in advance if you have any dietary restrictions and we will do our best to accommodate you.
• 13:30 Depart for your exploration of the most impressive Phong Nha caves. You will then take a 25 minute ride to the cave via traditional dragon boat. This cave is called a water cave as it boasts an underground river. After going into the cave by boat, you will explore 300 meters into the cave on foot. Then, you will be taken back by boat. This cave is famous for its spectacular rock formations. It has been given names such as the “Lion”, the “Fairy Caves”, the “Royal Court”, and the “Buddha”…
• 16:00 Back to Dong Hoi or Phong Nha Village. Tour ends when you will be dropped off at your hotel.

*** Please be sure to bring: swimwear and towel. Lockers for your belongings will be provided with a 50,000 deposit which will be refunded upon return of the locker key.
Using the zipline requires you to be 40-90kg. No exceptions.

Spend the night in a local homestay or Farmhouse in Phong Nha village.

• We stop in Danang, enjoy a hike up to the Marble Mountain, a cluster of five hills made from limestone and marble. It’s also a well-known pilgrimage site with peaks, caves, tunnels, and temples. Reaching the summit, you will get spectacular panoramic views of Da Nang city.
  
  
• We continue to the nearby town of Hoi An. From the 16th to the 18th century, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port. Today it is a quaint riverside town popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailor shops, and cafes.
  
  
• We arrive in Hoi An in the afternoon, check in hotel before exploring this beautiful town on foot. We take a walking tour through the winding narrow streets of the Ancient Quarter, visits Chua Ong Pagoda, The Assembly Hall, The 200-year-old Tam Ky house, and The Japanese Covered Bridge. During the walk, you will also have a chance to attend a cultural show with traditional music and dance performances.
  
  
• The last point is Precious Heritage Museum, is home to the permanent exhibition of Réhahn’s Precious Heritage Collection. Discover striking portraits, stories, and heirlooms that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.

• Upon arrival, you will have a chance to watch a brief video that will introduce you to the Cu Chi tunnels, followed by a walk through the reserve. In this walk, you can see the Secret Entrance to the tunnels, workshops for the handmade weapons, the clinic bunker, the commander bunker, the meeting bunker and the kitchen bunkers, which are all open and above ground. Nearby is a chilling exhibition of the traps and weapons used against the American GIs.
  
  
• You also can experience the Cu Chi tunnels by crawling inside to see how difficult life must have been, and discover the 3 levels underground. For those who do not like the claustrophobic atmosphere, you do not have to crawl into these tunnels, the small replica displayed outside will give you a perfect example of what the interior looked like.

• General Post Office, one of the oldest buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. It was built between 1886 and 1891, based on Gustave Eiffel’s design, a famous French architect and has become the busiest post office in Vietnam. Here you can send postcards, buy stamps and books, change money, buy souvenirs and enjoy the elegant architecture. At first sight, visitors may feel they are seeing an old 20th century railway station in Europe!
• Notre Dame Cathedral that was constructed between 1863 and 1880 by French colonists. It is a famous Romanesque cathedral in Southern Vietnam. Notre Dame Cathedral is also in the center of the Paris square, France.
• Reunification Palace (formerly known as Independence Palace) has stayed in the mind of many generations. It is the famous historical building which went through the two fierce wars against the French and Americans. It displays many pictures, weapons, and other artifacts in the basement under the palace.
• Cantonese Thien Hau Pagoda in China town, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess, Mazu.