Day 1: Arrival Hanoi (D)
Upon our arrival at the Noi Bai (Hanoi) airport, our local guide will meet us and escort us to our hotel. The rest of the day is ours to relax and recover from jetlag. Tonight we will have dinner at one of the finest restaurant in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi – cycling in outskirt (B, L) In the morning we depart from Hanoi by bus and head out northwest of Hanoi. After 45 minutes, we arrive to our first destination, Thay Pagoda (note: we should dress appropriately to visit pagodas). You will be fascinated by the unique architecture and intriguing interiors of the pagoda. Especially mysterious is the story about the first Master of this pagoda which dates back a thousand years ago.
After we take in the great panoramic view of rice paddies from mountain peak, we get on our bikes and start cycling through local villages, crossing rice paddy fields. Enjoying the ride for about over an hour, we will stop to see the famous pagoda of Tay Phuong and have lunch in a local restaurant nearby. After lunch, we keep riding to the village of Dong Truc. This is a really pleasant route for easy cycling. We cross small bridges, ride along little canals, all the while being greeted by children and farmers, calling on you with nice smiles on broad faces. After that we will transfers back to Hanoi. On the way we have chance to visit the silk-worm village of Van Phuc. We transfer back to our hotel
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay (overnight on junk) (B, L, D)
This morning we will depart Hanoi at 8.00am for a four-hour drive through the Red River Delta to Halong City . On the way, we will stop for refreshments and a chance to buy hand-made souvenirs at a handicraft center run to raise money for disabled people. Upon arriving in Halong City , take all stuff we move to our junk, check in private cabin with A/C, following fresh sea lunch while boat cruising through amazing landscape of cliff stone mountains emerge from green crystal water, spend the afternoon time for visiting biggest cave, swimming, relaxing at the beach other enjoy kayaking to explore lagoon, dinner and overnight on boat.
Day 4: Halong Bay – Cat Ba Island (B, L)
After breakfast we check out our cabin move transit boat enjoy almost a full day on the calm waters of Halong Bay to explore Halong Bay and Lan Ha bay with thousands of lime-stone mountains. In the afternoon we arrive in Cat ba Island. Our vehicle is waiting for us in the wharf; we transfer to the hotel and relax. Or we spend our time at the beautiful beach on the island.
Day 5: Cat Ba Island – Hai Phong – Hanoi (B, L)
After having breakfast we visit the Cat Ba National Park with the old Military Hospital cave that was used by the North Vietnamese Army during the American war. We will return to Cat Ba Township before boarding on speed boat for more an hour riding to Vietnam’s largest sea port and third largest city, Hai Phong. Arriving in Hai Phong we transfer to our waiting vehicle for the two hour drive back to Hanoi.
Day 6: Hanoi – Fly to Hue (B, L)
After breakfast, we will be transferred to the airport to take flight to Hue. Upon arrival in the airport, we will be welcomed by our tour guide and transferred to have lunch will be serve in a typical Vietnamese cuisine in Hue and then transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, we will visit Imperial city, Forbidden Purple City, Dong Ba market.
Day 7: Hue – cycling outskirt (B, L) In the morning we will visit the former imperial capital of Vietnam. We will visit to the elaborate tombs of emperors Tu Duc & Khai Dinh. This guided tour gives you a deep understanding about King’s philosophy of geomancy and how this affected royal life. We go back to Hue city for lunch in a Italian Restaurant. In the afternoon we take a bicycle riding through the lush rice paddy fields to the Thanh Toan Village, located eight kilometers away. The village shelters a covered bridge dating back more than two centuries, offered to the villagers by the wife of a high ranking Mandarin. Continue along the river with its banks dotted with temples & pagodas. At the edge of the river banks the mothers wash their linen while their children are biking back home from school, many who will be astonished to see Westerners lost in this corner of countryside.
Day 8: Hue – transfer to Hoi An (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we depart Hue for Hoi An travel through the high pass of Hai Van with its spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean en route to Danang. We will visit: Cham Museum, Marble Mountain, “Chine Beach” and then going to Cu Dai Beach for our resort. We are free at leisure in the rest of afternoon.
Day 9: Hoi An (B)
In the Morning we will do the walking tour in Hoi An town, This quaint riverside town still boasts a wealth of century’s old traditional architecture. The influences of several Asian cultures can be seen in the old houses and waterside buildings. It is also famous as a place to be instantly created inexpensive tailored outfits .
Day 10: Hoi An – Cooking class (B, L)
8.30am or 3.30pm – Pickup at your hotel. After a short drive through the local countryside we arrive at Tra Que Village , and the home of your host, Mr Tuan. A welcome drink of freshly picked fruits is waiting, before we take a walk around the village and learn about the history and customs of this charming village. We walk through the market gardens where hundreds of local farmers work their fields using the traditional methods of hundreds of years ago – no electrical machinery here.
We return to the home of Mr Tuan, and this is where the real fun begins. Everyone is given a farming instruments, and we set about joining the farmers in preparing the land for sewing. Our guide describes the traditional farming methods while we help fertilize the garden using seaweed from the local river, and then water it using huge tin cans strapped to our back. Time is then spent picking vegetables and herbs, and learning how to wrap them to prevent damage. Many of the local herbs are used by the farmers for traditional village medicines – this includes the herbal pillow, which helps relax your body and mind, ready for a good night’s sleep.
It’s now time to try our hands at making the village specialty named “Tam Huu” spring rolls – using the local herbs and vegetables we have just picked or Xeo Cake ( Banh Xeo). We then sit down and enjoy a lovely local meal.
Menu – Tam Huu, Family’s spring rolls, Banh Xeo, Vietnamese dishes ( Fish, Soup, vegetables, Rice)& Fruit Salad
1.00pm or 6.30pm – Transfer back to Hoi An.
Day 11: Hoi An – Danang – Fly to Saigon (B)
Today we will transfer to Danang to take the flight to Ho Chi Minh City in the early afternoon, after short flight, we will be transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day, we are at leisure.
Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi tunnel (B, L)
Our tour starts at 08:30 and ends at 18:00. We depart our hotel for the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace for the president of the South of Vietnam. After that we will visit War Remnant Museum, where you can see countless artifacts, photographs and pictures documenting about the second Indochina war. Before our lunch we stop at Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post office to get our good shots for our memory of the biggest city in Vietnam. Our delicious lunch at KFC restaurant will be served at a nice restaurant in the central city.
Day 13: Mekong Delta (B, L)At 08.00 we leave Saigon behind and head to Vietnam’s rice basket, the Mekong Delta. We will pass through idyllic, rural scenes until we arrive at My Tho, a peaceful town on the bank of the Mekong River, where we will visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda. Next we will have a boat ride on the Mekong, visit local homes and orchards, a coconut candy workshop, a honeybee farm, take a sampan ride on palm-shaded creeks, try a taste of seasonal fruit and honey tea and enjoy a performance of traditional Southern singing. We return to Saigon about 5pm
Day 14: Dam Sen Theme Park (B, L)Today, students will have full day in Dam Sen Theme Park. Dam Sen is an excellent relaxing place for all ages. Especially, teenagers are the most popular patrons attracted by a variety of amusement and shows such as: Roller Coaster, Winding Fall, Magic Flying Carpet, the Virtual World, Swinging Height… DS always makes every effort to ensure that its patrons would be offered the most up-to-date entertainments. In the evening, students will have Fare well dinner at restaurant.
Day 15: Departure (B)
Today we have free time at our leisure be for transfer to airport for our departure flight home.