Upon your arrival in Hanoi your guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the Sofitel Metropole. Built in 1901, this stunning colonial hotel is the epitome of French chic and has been home to Fidel Castro, Charlie Chaplin and, honorary Hanoian Graham Greene. The rest of the day is free to recover from your flight in the hotel pool or spa or venture around Hanoi.
Day 2
Spend the day getting familiar with Hanoi with a whole day city tour. A private vehicle will collect you from the Metropole at 8.00am. The day begins by visiting “Uncle” Ho Chi Minh. This fascinating man and his life are displayed at the Ho Chi Minh complex which includes the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, and his quaint wooden stilt house. Our next stop is a visit to the Museum of Ethnology - a research centre and a public museum dedicated to preserving the culture of the ethnic groups of Vietnam.
Following this, visit the Temple of Literature, the site of Vietnam's first University. Built in the twelfth century, the serenity of the temple is an impressive example of traditional Vietnamese architecture. Lunch is at KOTO - a vocational training centre for disadvantaged youth. Here you have the opportunity to chat to some of the trainees who have had their life changed by this program. After lunch, an environmentally friendly cyclo ride around the old quarter allows you to observe life in this UNESCO world heritage area. Dinner is at one of the best restaurants in town before attending a performance at the world renowned Water Puppet Theatre. (BLD)
Day 3
Today we depart to the World Heritage site of Halong Bay. Our home for the night is courtesy of the Indo-China Junk company the only positive impact boat company on the bay. This unique com-pany works with the local community to remove litter from the bay and also raises funds to build schools in the floating villages. Enjoy lunch on board whilst sailing amongst over 3,000 limestone karsts, before diving into the famed waters of the South China Sea for a refreshing swim. Explore caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites before spending the night on board the boat. (BLD)
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History, food, culture and style are all encapsulated in this five-star trip creating an unforgettable voyage of the senses. Discover the spirit of Vietnam as we travel from north to south, taking in all the attractions in between. Starting in Hanoi and traveling south through Hue and Hoi An and onwards to Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, you won't want to leave!
Leaving the magical Halong Bay behind, we return to Hanoi, stopping at Dong Trieu Factory to watch locals working on the tradi-tional art of ceramics. Once back in Hanoi, there's a chance for more exploration before transferring to the Airport for an hour flight to Hue city. Another World Heritage site, the pace of life is slow and tranquility prevails in this former imperial capital of Vietnam. Your accommodation is the La Residence hotel which was the residence of the French governor of central Vietnam. This art deco hotel overlooking the Perfume River was featured in Conde Nast’s 2007 ‘Hot List'. (BL)
Day 5
We start the day with a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River to visit the royal temple of Tu Duc. After lunch, stroll through the grounds of the Imperial Citadel – the home of the Nguyen dynasty until 1945. Built in 1802, this massive complex houses both the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City. The citadel also played a significant role in the 1968 Tet Offensive. Journey to the famed Thien Mu (Heavenly Lady) Pagoda and outlying handicraft villages before enjoying a dinner of imperial Hue cuisine at the Ancient Hue restaurant. This cultural centre comprises five royal houses and a tranquil lotus pond. (BLD)
Day 6:
Traveling by bus, we leave Hue and head south through coastal rice paddies to the fishing village of Lang Co, before taking the scenic mountainous route over the spectacular Hai Van Pass.
In the afternoon, we arrive at the one-time major river port of Hoi An and take an orientation tour. Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An is being beautifully restored and preserved. It's also a shopping Mecca, with much to browse and buy. Choose from original paintings, handcrafted woodwork, ceramics, embroidery, lanterns and more. Hoi An has also become famous for its tailoring and there is a huge variety of fabrics to choose from. Simply bring along your favorite article of clothing or just a photo of what you want and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly and accurately it's copied. Your accommodation is at the Nam Hai - a six star resort located on China Beach. This understated and tranquil resort provides you with all the facilities you could ever want. (BL)
Day 7:
The morning begins with a trip to My Son, the ancient city of the Champa before returning to town for a visit to the “Reaching Out” program. Reaching Out trains and employs people with disabilities. Using the principles of fair trade their store offers a place to market and sell their beautiful products to international customers. A percentage of the profits are used to fund other community programs for Vietnamese people with disabilities. Dinner is at the River Lounge restaurant which specializes in chic fusion food. (BLD)
The former French hill station of Sapa is situated in the sweeping valleys near the Chinese border. A former colonial summer retreat, it’s famous for stunning scenery, colorful markets, and ethnic hill tribes who live in nearby villages. Your guide for this trip will be May Pham who is from the Red Dao hill tribe. Her village Ta Phin is part of a venture between iTravel and Hanoi Open University to develop sustainable community based tourism.
Day 1
Our trip starts in style with an overnight train journey from Hanoi to the border town of Lao Cai. The exclusive Victoria Express departs at 21:15pm and arrives to Lao Cai at approximately 6.00 am the next day.
Day 2
Upon arrival to Lao Cai station you will be picked up by your guide and transferred to the Victoria Hotel. After checking in, we will embark on an easy walking tour to Cat Cat, home to the H'mong minority people. As we walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa, we will meet some of the local hill tribes going about their daily business. Here we have the opportunity to chat to the families that live in the area. A picnic lunch will be served on the way. Dinner is at a great restaurant in town, the Chapa Garden restaurant. Specialties of the restaurant include local trout and H’mong style smoked pork. After dinner you are free to wander around Sapa town or relax at the hotel.
Day 3
Another trekking day 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 an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scen-ery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Our lunch will be shared with a family in Ta Van village. Dinner is at a great local restaurant and once again we are staying at the luxurious Victoria Hotel.
Day 4
Today you are at leisure to discover Sapa. Shop in the market for hand embroidered crafts, or explore the traditional gardens of Ham Rong Mountain. Sapa is also home to a number of sustainable tourism projects such as ‘Baguette et Chocolat’. This café doubles as a hospitality training centre for dis-advantaged youth. In the evening you will transfer to Lao Cai train station for the evening train back to Hanoi. Upon arrival to Hanoi we will transfer you to your hotel.
After breakfast transfer to Danang Airport, for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival you will be transferred to the Park Hyatt ho-tel. This gorgeous colonial hotel is located in the heart of District 1 – in the Paris end of Ho Chi Minh City. In the afternoon tour the sites of the city by cyclo including the somber and at times gruesome War Remnants museum. This evening you are free to shop till you drop at the Ben Thanh Market, walk around enjoying the beautiful colonial buildings all lit up, or even try to catch a performance at the opera house. (BL)
Day 9
Today we take a day trip to My Tho where we board our private boat for a cruise to the four beautiful Islets (Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise and Phoenix) on the Mekong River. We continue our journey from here by rowboat and stop in on a local family of beekeepers who run a cottage industry making honey from longan flowers. Later, walk through a remote village and stop at some local houses to experience the everyday life of Mekong residents, usually hidden from the outside world. Here, you'll also have a chance to try some local specialties for lunch before returning to Ho Chi Minh City for an afternoon of last-minute shopping and sightseeing before our final night's din-ner. (B L D)
Day 10
Say au revoir to your guide upon your return to Ho Chi Minh City.
Private A/C vehicle, guide, entrance fees, meals as specified in the itinerary, Accommodation throughout Vietnam of a five star standard, permits, admission fees, meals as specified, flights, boats and drinking water.
Excludes
Some drinks, insurance, any tips in recognition of excellent service and personal expenses.
Visas
Please note that visas are the responsibility of the individual traveler unless you ask us to help you. The visa requirements for your trip vary depending on where you are from and where you are going. We keep the following informa-tion up to date as much as possible, but rules do change. It is important that you check for yourself. It is your responsibility to arrange visas before you travel. Vietnam: Required for all nationalities, except for Singaporean, Japanese, Finnish, Korean, Norwegian, Finn and Swedish passport holders who do not require a visa for a stay of 15 days or less. Please obtain a visa before arriving on the tour. You should allow 3 weeks for processing. The cost is US$60 to $100. Remember to keep the customs and immigration form you receive on arrival, as you need it to complete exit formalities on departure. For more information please contact the Vietnamese embassy in your country.
Passport:
While in Vietnam you will need to carry your passport throughout your trip. This is so you can be registered with the local authorities each night. A copy of your passport will not suffice.
What to wear
When packing be aware that dress standards are conservative throughout Asia. To respect this and for your own comfort, we strongly recommend modest clothing. This means covering shoulders and no short shorts. Loose, light-weight, long clothing is both respectful and cool in the predominantly hot Asian climate. Shorts should be knee-length. singlets and tank tops are not suitable. Topless sun bathing is unacceptable.
Payment
We require a deposit of 50% to confirm a booking. The balance is payable 90 days before the planned starting date. As payment is non-refundable, we recommend travel insurance in case of trip cancellation.
