Indochina Essential Tour

ITINERARY IN BRIEF

 

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN HANOI (-/-/D)

Welcome to Hanoi. Short city tour with Hoan Kiem Lake – Ngoc Son Temple – Ly Thai To statue, rickshaw around the Old Quarter of Hanoi and visit the Temple of Literature. Evening enjoy a Water puppet show. Dinner and overnight Hanoi.

DAY 2: HANOI – BAT TRANG - HALONG – OVERNIGHT ON THE BOAT (B/L/D)

Transfer to Halong, Unesco World Heritage by private vehicle with stop to visit Bat Trang ceramic village. Enjoy a cruise on the Bay for sunbath, swimming or kayaking. Lunch, dinner and overnight on board.

DAY 3: HALONG - HANOI – FLY TO HUE (B/L/-)

Full morning cruise around islands. Back to Hanoi for late flight to Hue, an ancient capital of Vietnam. Overnight in Hue.

DAY 4: HUE (B)

Full day city tour in Hue with Imperial Citadel, Forbidden City, Hue Museum of Royal Fine Arts, Dong Ba market and Linh Mu pagoda, the Tombs of Kings Minh Mang and Tu Duc. Overnight in Hue.

DAY 5: HUE – HOIAN (B)

Transfer to Hoian ancient town with stopovers at Lang Co Beach, Hai Van pass and the Marble Mountain. Visit the town (inclusive of the Japanese bridge, Chinese assembly halls, trading houses, Hoian museum, short music show, etc.). Overnight in Hoian.

 

DAY 6: HOIAN - DA NANG (B)

At leisure before transfer to Danang. Overnight in Danang at a hotel on the beach.

 

DAY 7: DANANG – SAIGON (B)

Early flight to Saigon. Saigon city tour inclusive of the Notre Dame Cathedral, Reunification Palace, China Town, Binh Tay market and Thien Hau pagoda. Overnight in Saigon.

 

DAY 8: SAIGON – MY THO – SAIGON (B)

Explore the Mekong delta, homeland of rice and coconut. Boat trip on the Mekong river. Visit Dong Tam Snake farm and Vinh Trang pagoda, fruit gardens and coconut candy factory. Back to Saigon for overnight.

 

DAY 9: SAIGON - CU CHI TUNNEL - TAYNINH HOLYSEE – PHNOMPENH (B/L/D)

Visit Cu Chi Tunnels, a memorial of the Vietnam War, then Tayninh, the centre of Caodaism, a local sect of Buddhism. Reach the border with Cambodia. Vehicle picks-up at Cambodian border to transfer to Phnompenh. Overnight in Phnompenh.

 

DAY 10: PHNOMPENH – SIEMREAP (B/L/-)

Morning visit Phnompenh: the National Fine-Arts Museum, Wat Phnom and Silver pagodas, Royal Palace and Central Market of Orussey Market. Afternoon flight to Siemreap for overnight.

 

DAY 11: ANGKOR TOUR (B)

Early visit Angkor Wat for sunrise; Angkor Thom complex including the Bayon, Phimeanakas, Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King and Ta Prohm temple with giant cheesemongers. Overnight in Siemreap.

 

DAY 12: SIEMREAP DEPARTURE (B)

At leisure until transfer to the airport for departure. End of services.

 

ITINERARY IN DETAIL

 

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN HANOI (-/-/D)

Welcome to Vietnam! The tourguide and a private comfortable car of THREELAND will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport. Drive to the centre of Hanoi (around 35 minutes) and check-in hotel. Have a light tour to Hoan Kiem Lake – Ngoc Son Temple – Ly Thai To statue, hang around the Old Quarter of Hanoi on cyclo (a kind of three-wheel rickshaw) and visit the Temple of Literature, the 1^st social university of Vietnam. The first Dinner will be followed by a Show of Water Puppetry, a stage art created by the Vietnamese peasants. The show last more than an hour and is a wonderful opportunity to learn about some of Vietnam’s mythology, traditions and current customs. (Lunch at your own arrangement). Overnight in Hanoi.

Please note! Usual check-in and check-out time is 12.00 noon.

DAY 2: HANOI – BAT TRANG - HALONG – OVERNIGHT ON THE BOAT (B/L/D)

From Hanoi, head East for 3 hours to reach Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994 by private car. We will stop en route to turn into Bat Trang, a ceramic village founded in 15^th century which is well-known for refined porcelain, precious celadon, crackle-glazed pottery and terracotta for domestic use and export. Upon arrival in Halong, we will take a big boat to cruise the Bay and reach the breathtaking views of Halong seascape and discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay. After a lunch of fresh seafood on the boat, we can visit the Surprising Grotto, bypass many rocks with funny names imitating their shapes. Go swimming or kayaking near the island. After the sunset, the dinner will be served by the crew on board. Overnight on board.

 

DAY 3: HALONG - HANOI – FLY TO HUE (B/L/-)

After breakfast, go on to kayak or visit Luon Cave by tenderboat (optional) before returning to the Wharf of Halong, passing the Toad Rock, Cock-Fighting Rock and Sail Island. Arrive Halong Wharf around 11.00 and driving back to Hanoi to take late afternoon flight to Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam during 19^th century. (lunch in Halong or en route at Hong Ngoc Center). Overnight in Hue.

DAY 4: HUE (B)

More than any other cities, Hue probably reflects the former glory of the nation of Vietnam better. We can start hereby at the Imperial Enclosure including the Citadel, Forbidden City, Hue Museum of Royal Fine Arts, then visit Dong Ba bustling market to experience the daily life of Hue people. Afternoon we will reach the Linh Mu pagoda, located by the Perfume River, and visit the Tombs of Kings Minh Mang and Tu Duc. Overnight in Hue.

DAY 5: HUE – HOIAN (B)

After breakfast, we will drive south to Hoian ancient town with stopovers to enjoy the landscape of Lang Co Beach, Hai Van (the “Ocean Cloudy” Mountain Pass), and the Marble Mt. with a stone-carving village nearby. Different from royal traces of Hue, which reminisce about the ruins of feudal dynasties, Hoian’s ambience is friendly, cozy but graceful and mysterious at the same time. An architectural combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese styles, Hoian itself is an open-air museum of Central Vietnam. Let’s walk over the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls and Trading Houses, Hoian museum, pagodas, join a short show of traditional music, or stroll into the market located by Thu Bon river to discover this unique beauty. Overnight in Hoian.

 

DAY 6: HOIAN - DA NANG (B)

It is your own time in Hoian today to stroll around, visit the historical sites that sufficient in the ancient town, and go shopping at Hoian famous silk and craft shops until our guide arrives to transfer you to Danang. Check-in a hotel near the beach and enjoy your time in Danang. Overnight in Danang.

 

DAY 7: DANANG – SAIGON (B)

Transfer to the airport to take the early daily flight Danang – Saigon at 08.00-09.10. You will be warmly greeted at the Tan Son Nhat airport and transferred to the city centre. We should start the tour from the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883 and being the major seat of the Catholic religion in modern Vietnam; opposite this famous site is a remarkable building: the Reunification Palace that once witnessed the end of the American War in Vietnam and now is a Museum and a grand Hall for the most solemn receptions. After lunchtime, let’s go on to the “China town” of Saigon, including an extensive living quarter of Chinese-originated inhabitants, the bustling Binh Tay market and numerous Chinese temples. We can drop into Thien Hau pagoda, one of the most famous temples in this district before ending our trip at a lacqueware workshop. Overnight in Saigon.

DAY 8: SAIGON – MY THO – SAIGON (B)

Morning depart to My Tho, the homeland of coconut and family factories with popular local products. The trip pass by many paddy fields of the Mekong delta, the rice store that makes Vietnam achieve the position of the 2^nd world rice exporter for years. Stop en route to visit Dong Tam Snake farm and Vinh Trang pagoda. Upon arrival in My Tho, we will take a small boat to go between canals into gardens and rural houses, where families produce coconut candy, feed the honeybees or plant juicy fruit. Stop at some families and their small factories to enjoy their daily life and hard-working atmosphere. Back to Saigon in the afternoon for overnight.

 

DAY 9: SAIGON - CU CHI TUNNEL - TAYNINH HOLYSEE – PHNOMPENH (B/L/D)

After breakfast, we will depart to Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few monuments remained from the fierce Vietnam War. We can even crawl a part of the tunnel to experience the real life of the Vietnamese guerrillas, who used to use and live inside this system during the wartime. After lunch, go further to Tayninh, the centre of Caodaism, a local sect of Buddhism founded by a Vietnamese countryman in early 20^th century. Visit the Tayninh Holysee, a very special church in the region before reaching Moc Bai Bordergate to cross over to Cambodia. Picked-up at the gate by the THREELAND guide in Cambodia and transferred to Phnompenh. Check-in hotel and refresh. Dinner and overnight in Phnompenh.

DAY 10: PHNOMPENH – SIEMREAP (B/-/D)

Morning visit Phnompenh, starting at the National Fine-Arts Museum, the great museum not just of Cambodia but in Southeast Asia, and Wat Phnom, the pagoda from which the city gets its current name. Continue to the Silver Pagoda, Royal Palace and Central Market of Orussey Market. Transfer to the airport for flight to Siemreap. Welcomed in Siemreap and transferred to the city for check-in and enjoy our Dinner with a charming Apsara dance show. Overnight in Siemreap.

 

DAY 11: ANGKOR TOUR (B)

Wake up early to catch the legendary sunrise over Angkor Wat before deeply discovering the magnificence and beauty of this architectural work. Go on to Angkor Thom complex including the Bayon, Phimeanakas, Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King. Visit Ta Prohm - the ruined temple that has intentionally been left untouched to have imagination of how Angkor had appeared upon its very first recovered by the archeologists, and other ruins in Angkor. Overnight in Siemreap.

 

DAY 12: SIEMREAP DEPARTURE (B)

At your leisure until the tourguide come to pick-up you to the airport for your departure flight. End of services.

 

RATES

 

Rates vary depend on group size, travel time, accommodation level, transportation and other service. Please check with us for the best tour rates.

 

HOTELS

 

CITY OR AREA	SUPERIOR PACKAGE	FIRST CLASS PACKAGE	DELUXE PACKAGE
Hanoi	Thanglong, Hoa Binh	Maison, Thang Loi	Melia, Sheraton
Halong Bay	Baitho, Anh Duong Boat	Baitho Boat	Indochina Sails
Hue	Festival	Celadon, Huong Giang	Mercure, Imperial
Hoian	Indochine, Rose	Vinh Hung Resort	Palm Garden Resort
Danang	Tourane Beach	Sandy Beach Resort	Furama Resort
Saigon	New Epoch, Bong Sen	Rex, Duxton	InterContinental Asiana
Phnompenh	Juliana	Phnompenh, Sunway	Cambodiana
Siemreap	Pavillion, Angkor Holiday	Somadevi, Ree	Sokha Angkor, Intercontinental