CTV17: Trans - Vietnam Tour 16 days

Day 1 :Hanoi rrival
Arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are warmly welcomed  and transferred  to hotel by private Asia View Travel’s guide with signboard, check in, relax. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi city tour - night train to Sapa ( B, L)
Breakfast at hotel, This morning we start city tour  with the Ho Chi Minh Complex. This famous site contains the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh (Close on Monday, Friday & October for annual maintenance ), the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city. We follow this with the impressive Ethnology Museum, dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups.  Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam, Vietnam’s first university.  Constructed in 1070, the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past. We continue to visit the Restored Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake) and Ngoc Son Temple,  do a cyclos tour around   around the 36 streets of the Hanoi old quarter to learn more about simple life of Hanoian. Enjoy water puppet show- a remarkable Vietnamese art form that combines traditional music, fireworks, underwater puppeteers, and elaborate puppets floating gracefully over water. Transfer to the train station for night train to Sapa. The train leaves Hanoi at around 9:00 PM. Overnight on train.

Day 3: Sapa - Bac hamarket  sunday - Sapa ( B, L )
The train arrives at the Lao Cai train station at approximately 05:30. Pick up at train station, have breakfast at local restaurant, then transfer to Bacha Market. Arrive after 2 hour drive,  you visit a big market filled with many different hill-tribe peoples. This is the most colourful market in North Vietnam. At the market, you have chance to enjoy BacHa people's simple but unique kinds of food with special wines made from rice, cassavas, corn and different sorts of fruits such as plumps, apples, peaches... talking to the minorities through the guide's interpretation. Leave the market for the H'mong King's house (King Hoang A Tuong) built by the French colonists and the Chinese in 1920. Return the town for lunch. In the afternoon, spend time visiting another village (BanPho village) Say good bye to BacHa and transfer to Sapa, check in hotel, relax. Overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Day 4 : Sapa – Lao Chai , Ta Van village - Sapa( B, L )
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Embark on a lovely  walk  that will take us along small paths and trails and through several hill tribe villages of Lao Chai and Tavan, home to H'mong, and Dzay people. This is a absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Stopping for a picnic lunch on the way at a family in Ta Van village.  Opportunity to meet with local people and study the art of making batik and local weaving villages - study textile tradition of craft women o Black H'mong and Red Dzao.  Overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Day 5: Cat cat village - night train back Hanoi ( B )
This morning free and easy to discover Sapa by yourself. Afternoon from the hotel there will be a  tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat, visiting some H'mong hill tribe’s minority peoples. As we walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa, we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here we have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with the families that live in the area.  Transfer to Laocai to catch the night train back Hanoi. The train leaves Laocai around 8:15 PM Overnight on  train.

Day 6: Hanoi – Halong bay ( B, L,D )
Arrival 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.
Then 8:30 AM start a 3.5 hour drive through the Red River Delta to Ha Long City. Comfort stop en route for photos and coffee before arriving to Ha Long City. We then transfer to a refurbished wooden sailing junk for a cruise through the limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Ha Long Bay, giving us the chance to take in the stunning scenery of this World Heritage Site. While on board we will be served a sumptuous fresh, local seafood lunch followed by a swim and exploring some of the limestone caves in this area. When the sun comes down we drop anchor for the night nearby a remote island. Overnight on Junk.

Day 7 : Halong bay – Hanoi – Danang – Hoian ( Brunch )
Rising to the tranquil beauty of the bay we have time for an early morning dip with joys and emotions for watching sunrise on sea followed by breakfast. This morning we continue to move around the bay to find more secluded areas. The junk will be near us at all times serving as a back up vessel for those that require it. At around midday we will return to the main harbor before transferring to our awaiting vehicle and transfer directly to the airport for flight to Danang. The guide in Danang will pick you up, transfer to hotel in Hoian, check in, relax. Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 8 Hoian ancient town ( B )
This morning, take a walk tour to explore Hoian ancient town, once a major Asian trading port in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Hoi An’s architecture and relaxed lifestyle have changed little over the years. Take a leisurely walking tour of the ancient town center and visit the sites of former merchants’ homes, a 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, and a Chinese Communal Hall. Believed to have been settled no less than 2,200 years ago, Hoi An was known as Faifo to early Western traders.  Hoi An was one of the major ports of Southeast Asia from the 17th to 19th centuries. Chinese, Japanese, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and other traders had small communities here, and the old wooden houses, bridges and temples that remain are reminiscent of a Vietnam of centuries past. This unique old trading town slowly became isolated due to its river silting up and by destroyed rail lines, leaving it untouched by war and frozen in time. Nowadays, this absolutely charming and relaxed town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town is also famous for it's shops in particular it's large number of tailors. If you wanted, you could  have a whole new wardrobe made for you here. Overnight at hotel/ resort in Hoian.

Day 9 : Hoian ancient town - Hue ( B )
This morning there is plenty of time to discover Hoian by yourself. You might like to take a boat ride with one of the local women across the Thu Bon River. Perhaps you would like to hire a bicycle and head off on a scenic ride to Cua Dai beach, about 4 km away. There's even the chance to improve your culinary skills with a Vietnamese cooking lesson. One thing is for sure - there is no shortage of things to do in this town!.
Afternoon, say good bye Hoian and embark on northern bound journey to Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam.  Stop en route at the beautiful Non Nuoc Beach and the Cham Museum, which contains the finest collection of Cham sculpture in the world.  In Danang you will visit the Marble Mountains, five sacred hills containing dozens of Buddhist shrines. The guide and driver will take you over the beautiful Hai Van Pass - Vietnam's geographical and psychological boundary between north and south. The peak of the pass lies perpetually shrouded in clouds.
Arrival Hue in Hue late afternoon, check in, relax.

Day 10: Hue city tour ( B, L )
Breakfast at hotel, we then set out for the exploration of Hue's famous highlights, including the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City. Built in the 19th century by the Nguyen dynasty, the City was home to the former Emperors of Vietnam from 1802 until 1945. We embark on a boat for cruise upstream 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.  One of the most poignant displays here is a car belonging to a former monk, who in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime and its treatment of Buddhists. Disembark the board for a visit the elaborate mausoleum of former emperor Tu Duc, built decades before its occupant's death the tomb was used as a palace retreat before the emperors final resting place. On return to the city, we then take a walk to the bustling Dong Ba Market and pass many fantastic eating spots where visitors have a chance to sample some local delicacies.

Day 11 Hue - Ho chi minh ( B, L )
Morning after breakfast transfer to airport for the flight to Ho chi minh. Pick up at Tan Son Nhat airport, transfer to city center. We spend the rest of the day to visit the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975, and some French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Sai Gon Post Office before we shall see the exhibition on Vietnam War to the famous War Museum. Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon, we pass a place with its famous lacquers and the tour ends at the city's finest shopping street, Dong Khoi Street and the bustling Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sale. Overnight at hotel in Ho chi minh.

Day 12: Ho chi minh - Mekong delta –Caibe floating market -  Ho chi minh ( B, L )
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Cai Be, stop for photos at Tan An town over the flat rice fields. Arrive to Cai Be, start the motorized boat ro visit the Cai Be floating market, see how river life goes on, experience how people exchanging goods, fruit and many other commodities on their vessels. Visitors then roam into the small villages to visit the orchard, fruit plantation. Keep cruising to Vinh Long through small canals to enjoy the charm of the Upper Mekong Delta. Visit some hand made family business products such as the coconut candy mill, the crispy rice popcorn. Arrive in Binh Hoa Phuoc village the green pearl of Vinh Long town where you can indulge yourself into the nature. Have lunch with fresh river food served in the heart of the garden. Take a nice walk through the bonsai garden. Meet the car/ van in Vinh Long and transfer back to Ho chi minh city.

Day 13; Ho chi minh - Phu quoc flight ( B )
Breakfast at hotel, free until transfer to the airport for flight to Phu quoc. Pick up, transfer to resort, check in, relax.

Day 14 : Phu quoc relaxation ( B )
Whole day at leisure to relax on the beach or  enjoy all the beach activities, water sports, snorkeling ( by your own). Overnight at resort in Phu quoc.

Day 15: Phu quoc relaxation ( B )
Whole day at leisure to relax on the beach or  enjoy all the beach activities, watersports, snorkeling ( by your own). Overnight at resort in Phu quoc.

Day 16: Phu quoc - Ho chi minh departure ( B )
Free until transfer to airport for flight back Ho chi minh city .Connect your home flight at Tan Son Nhat airport, end of tour.