Beach and Heritage 15 days

Destination: Hanoi – Ha Long – Cat Ba – Hue – Hoi An – My Son

Code: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, G = Guide 

Day 1: Arrival at Hanoi (D, G)

Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport, our guide will greet and accompany you to your hotel. Free time until you’ll be picked up to watch water puppet performance, a traditional art form closely connected with the long-standing spiritual life of the Vietnamese people. You’ll then be driven to a good local restaurant and enjoy a welcome dinner with us. Your overnight stay will be in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi city tour (B, L, G)

The morning tour will begin with Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the resting place of Uncle Ho. You will also see his house-on-stilts and learn about the simple life of the Vietnamese’s beloved leader. Your next visit will be Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas, which still maintains its unique architecture armonious with nature and boasts many precious Buddhist statues. You will then driven to Temple of Literature, the oldest school in Vietnam, giving it the distinction of being the most significant temple in both Hanoi and Vietnam.

In the afternoon, you will call at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, an excellent instruction to the cultural heritages of Vietnam’s 54 distinct ethnic groups. Later on, you will visit the beautiful Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake – a striking blue gem in the city centre. The tour ends with 1 ?hour walking tour around the Old Quarters to enjoy its warmth and coziness, looking up to contemplate centuries-old and weather-beaten houses, both familiar and exotic, etc. Your overnight stay will be in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi/Ha Long/Cat Ba (B, L, D, G)

7.30: You’ll leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world’s largest marine limestone ‘karst’ landscape.

9.30: You’ll take a short break at Hong Ngoc Embroidery workshop.

10.00 – 11.30: You’ll continue driving to Ha Long Bay.

11.30: You’ll board your boat, a wooden junk built from the model of the old Vietnamese court vessels. It will take you first to the World Heritage area where you’ll visit Amazing Cave. You’ll have time for swimming on the emerald water in Ha Long Bay. Your lunch will be provided on board, usually based on fresh seafood. If you don’t like seafood during this trip, please let us know what you like so we can arrange for you.

17.00: On arrival to Cat Ba Island, you’ll picked up by bus to your hotel. Your dinner will be served at the local restaurant. You’ll spend the night in Cat Ba.

Cat Ba Island has a small seafront town and a large  National Park with mountains, lakes and the  Cat Ba Langurs, one of the most endangered species in the world – only 58 remain in the wild, all on Cat Ba. There are two small sandy beaches which are nice but often crowded.

Day 4: Cat Ba (B, L, D, G)

7.30 – 9.00: Breakfast at your hotel and then drive to Cat Ba National Park

9.00 – 15.30: Your guide will take you to the National Park to hike through the forest. Although the distance is only about 18 km, it will take at least 6 hours to cover the undulating terrain. On the way, you’ll have a break for a picnic lunch at Viet Hai village.

15.30 – 16.30: You’ll follow the path through some the farm, village and then to the harbour on the south of the island.

16.30 – 17.30: You’ll finally find a boat is waiting to take you back to the town’s harbour. On the way you can enjoy your swimming on Lan Ha Bay. Your dinner will be served later on at the local restaurant.

You’ll spend the night in Cat Ba.

Day 5: Cat Ba (B)

Your time will be your own to relax on the beach!

Day 6: Cat Ba/Hanoi (B, G)

8.00 – 8.30: Breakfast at your hotel, you’ll then be free to relax at Cat Co Beach.

15.00 – 16.00: You’ll take a short walk to the other harbour where you’ll take a hydrofoil to Hai Phong

16.00 – 18.00: Arrive in Hai Phong, you’ll take a vehicles back to Hanoi. End of the services..

Day 7: Hanoi/Hue (B, G)

You will be free until our car arrive to transfer you to Noi Bai airport for the morning flight to Hue. On arrival, you’ll be picked up and driven to your hotel in the city centre. Free time at leisure after check-in procedure.

In the afternoon, our guide will show you around Hue. You will first visit the Imperial Citadel, that served as the powerful seat of Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Enjoy your shopping at the famous Dong Ba Market before transfer back to hotel. You’ll spend the night in Hue.

Day 8: Hue (B, L, G)

After breakfast, you will take a cruise along Perfume River to visit Hue’s best-known religious site, Thien Mu Pagoda. Our car will then take you to visit the imposing Minh Mang tomb, a striking example of classic Sino-Vietnamese architecture.

After lunch, a continuation to visit poetic Tu Duc Tomb. This tomb is idyllically set in a romantic scenary of mounts, lake and pine forest and considered as one of the most beautiful works of the Nguyen dynasty. Last but not least, you will visit elaborate Khai Dinh Tomb, which  is the result of the interminglement of many architectural trends: European and Asian, as well as ancient and modern. Your overnight stay will be in Hue.

Day 9: Hue/Danang/Hoi An (B, L, G)

Morning transfer from Hue to Hoi An. Pass by Lang Co Beach and Hai Van pass. You will stop at Danang to visit Cham Museum, which holds the finest collection of Champa sculptures in different art styles from the 7th to the 15th centuries. Driver and guide also take you to visit Marble Mountains and Stone Carving village where famous stone products are skillfully made by local people. Afterwards, you?ll head to Hoi An ? an enchanting World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

After checking in your hotel, you will take a tour of the ancient town where the mix of Japanese and Chinese architecture reflects Hoi An’s significance in the past as an important trading port.. Your overnight stay will be in Hoi An.

Day 10: Hoi An/My Son/Hoi An (B, G)

After breakfast, you will be driven to My Son Sanctuary, once the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom for most of its existence. Set in a lush green valley, a series of impressive tower-temples dating from between the 7th and 13th centuries provide a breathtaking site. Our guide will show you the remains of remarkable brick towers, and explain their origins and purpose. You’ll then return to Hoi An with free afternoon to relax. Your overnight stay will be in Hoi An.

Day 11 to Day 14: Hoi An (B)

You’ll have free time to leisurely swim on the tranquil beach and enjoy the peaceful asmosphere. Your overnight stay will be in Hoi An.

Day 15: Hoi An/Hanoi (B)

Your time will be your own until you will be transferred to Danang Airport. You’ll take the flight to Hanoi in good time to transit for your international departure flight.