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Code: |
VN01 |
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Routes: |
Saigon - Phan Thiet - Nha
Trang -Da Nang - Hoi An - Hue - Hai
phong -Ha Long - Hanoi |
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Duration: |
11 Days |
Itinerary in brief
Day 1: Saigon - Arrival
Day 2 : Saigon
Day 3 : Saigon - Phan Thiet - Nha Trang
Day 4: Nha Trang
Day 5 : Nha Trang - Danang - Hoi An
Day 6 : Hoi An - Hue
Day 7: Hue
Day 8: Hue - Hanoi
Day 9 : Hanoi - Halong
Day 10 : Halong - Hanoi
Day 11: Hanoi - Departure
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Detail Itinerary
Day 1: Saigon -
Arrival
On arrival at Tan San Nhat Airport, you are met
and transferred to hotel. Ho Chi Minh City is a
center of commerce, finance, culture and tourism
in Vietnam. This bustling metropolis
,contradiction of its northern counterpart, is
crowded with bikes and motorbikes, excited by
numerous shopping area and sidewalk cafés. ( If
time permits) we stroll around the down town to
explore the different local ways of
life.Overnight in Saigon.
Day 2 : Saigon [ B]
Sightseeing in Saigon and Cholon (Chinatown)8
hrs
Saigon is the largest of Vietnamese cities, with
the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life visible
everywhere. There are street markets, sidewalk
cafes and sleek new bars. The city churns and
bubbles. Yet within this teeming metropolis are
300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty
of an ancient culture. To the west of the city
is District 5, the huge Chinese neighborhood
called Cholon, which means 'Big Market'.NOTRE
DAME CATHEDRAL: built between 1877 and 1883 and
set in the heart of Saigon's government quarter.
It has a neo-Romanesque form and two high square
towers, tipped with iron spires. In front of the
cathedral is a statue of the Virgin Mary.CENTRAL
POST OFFICE: a French-style building with a
glass canopy and iron frame, situated next to
the Notre Dame Cathedral. The structure was
built between 1886 and 1891 and is by far the
largest post office in Vietnam.CITY HALL:
completed in 1908, also known as “Hotel de
Ville”, and located at the northern end of
Nguyen Hue Boulevard. With its ornate
gingerbread façade, it looks like the town hall
of a French town. (May be viewed from the
outside only).OPERA HOUSE: built around the turn
of the century and first renovated in the 1940s,
the building housed the lower division of the
National Assembly. Today it is a Municipal
Theatre and also known as the Saigon Concert
Hall. (May be viewed from the outside only).JADE
EMPEROR PAGODA: was a key meeting place for
Chinese secret societies. It has very colorful
and mysterious ambience.
REUNIFICATION PALACE: this was the Independence
Palace of the South Vietnamese president and was
stormed by tanks on 30 April 1975, signifying
the fall of South Vietnam. It has been preserved
in its original state.WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM:
collections of weapons and photographs from two
Indochina wars are exhibited along with the
original French 'Guillotine' brought here in the
early 20th century.
BEN THANH MARKET: the central market of Saigon,
its surrounding streets make up one of the
city's liveliest areas. Everything commonly
eaten, worn or used by the average resident of
Saigon is available here.GIAC LAM PAGODA: the
oldest pagoda in Saigon, built at the end of the
17th century. Because the last reconstruction
here was in 1900, the architecture, layout and
ornamentation remain almost unaltered by the
modernist renovations that have transformed so
many other religious structures in Vietnam. Ten
monks live in this pagoda, which also
incorporates aspects of Taoism and Confucianism.
BINH TAY MARKET: Cholon's main marketplace, much
of the business conducted here is
wholesale.THIEN HAU PAGODA: built by the
Cantonese congregation in the early 19th
century. The pagoda is one of the most active in
Cholon and is dedicated to Thien Hau. It is said
that she can travel over the oceans on a mat and
ride the clouds to wherever she
pleases.Overnight in Saigon
Day 3 : Saigon - Phan Thiet - Nha Trang [ B]
By vehicle from Saigon to Phan Thiet
Located in Binh Thuan province, Phan Thiet is
198 km from Saigon and it lies south of Cam Ranh
bay on the southernmost stretch of Central
Vietnam.Phan Thiet is best known for its nuoc
man (fish sauce) and fishing industry.The
population includes descendents of the Chams,
who controlled this area until 1962. Mui Ne
Beach is famous for its enormous sand dunes and
is located twenty-two kilometers east of Phan
Thiet, near a fishing village at the tip of the
Mui Ne Peninsula. Journey north along the coast
and Highway 1 past Phan Rang, Lam and Dien Khanh.
Ninh Tuan Province, where Phan Rang is located,
is home to tens of thousands of descendents of
the Cham people.PO KLONG GARAI CHAM TOWERS: the
four brick towers constructed at the end of the
13th century, during the reign of the Cham
monarch Jaya Simhavarman III, were built as
Hindu temples and stand on the top of a crumbly
granite hill.Overnight in Nha Trang.
Day 4: Nha Trang [ B]
Excursion by boat to various islands and the
seawater aquarium
EBONY ISLAND: just south east of Bamboo Island,
it is known for snorkeling.
HON TAM: southwest of Bamboo Island, Hon Tam is
similar to the nearby Ebony Island.SEAWATER
AQUARIUM: Mieu Island has an important
fish-breeding farm where over forty species of
fish, crustaceans and other marine life are
raised in three separate compartments.Overnight
in Nha Trang.
Day 5 : Nha Trang - Danang - Hoi An [ B]
Transfer from Nha Trang to Cam Ranh Airport
Flight from Nha Trang to Danang
Sightseeing in Danang, China Beach and the
Marble Mountains
Vietnam's fourth largest city marks the northern
limits of Vietnam's tropical zone, boasting a
pleasant year-round climate.CHAM MUSEUM: founded
in 1915 by the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient,
the open-air collection of Cham sculpture is the
finest in the world. Many of the sandstone
carvings are breathtaking.CHINA BEACH: made
famous in the American TV series of the same
name, it stretches for many kilometers north and
south of the Marble Mountains. During the war,
American soldiers were airlifted here for 'rest
and relaxation'.MARBLE MOUNTAINS: five stone
hillocks, once islands, made of marble. Each is
said to represent one of the five elements of
the universe. The largest and most famous, Thuy
Son, has a number of natural caves in which
Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the
centuries. When the Champas ruled this area,
these same caves were used as Hindu
shrines.Journey south past the Marble Mountains
and small villages.Sightseeing Hoi An by cyclo
Hoi An is a picturesque riverside town south of
Danang. Known as Faifo to early western traders,
it was one of South East Asia's major
international ports during the 17th, 18th and
19th centuries. It is best to visit some of the
following sites of Hoi An by walking around
and/or by cyclo.QUAN CONG TEMPLE: founded in
1653, the main altar is dedicated to Quan Cong,
whose partially gilded statue is in the central
altar at the back of the sanctuary. Stone
plaques on the walls list contributors to the
contruction and repair of the temple. The temple
was open to all Chinese traders or seamen and is
dedicated to Thien Hau – it’s a small chinese
style temple with a lintel gate, a rockery
courtyard and lucky animals depicted in
statuary.PHUOC KIEN PAGODA: Chinese pagoda built
around 1690 and then restored and enlarged in
1900. It is typical of the Chinese 'clans' that
were established in the Hoi An area. The temple
is dedicated to Thien Hau Thanh Mau (Goddess of
the Sea and Protector of Sailors and Fishermen).
JAPANESE COVERED BRIDGE: the first bridge on
this site was constructed in 1593. It was built
by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link them
with the Chinese quarters across the stream. The
bridge was provided with a roof so it could be
used as a shelter from rain and sun.TRAN FAMILY
CHAPEL: this house for worshipping ancestors was
built about 200 years ago with donations from
the family members. The Tran family traces its
origins to China and moved to Vietnam around
1700. The architecture of the building reflects
the influence of Chinese and Japanese styles.SA
HUYNH MUSEUM: located near the Japanese covered
Bridge, it contains exhibitions from the
earliest period of Hoi An's history.PHUNG HUNG
HOUSE: one family has been living here for
already 8 generations. The house is a
combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese
style.Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 6 : Hoi An - Hue [ B]
By vehicle from Hoi An to Hue
Journey north along Highway 1 past Danang, Lang
Co and the Hai Van Pass.
HAI VAN PASS: the pass crosses over a spur of
the Truong Son Mountain Range that juts into the
South China Sea. It is an incredible mountainous
stretch of highway with spectacular views. LANG
CO: a pretty, island-like stretch of palm-shaded
sand with a crystal-clear lagoon on one side and
many kilometers of beachfront facing the South
China Sea.IMPERIAL CITY: located in the Citadel,
it was built in the early 19th century and
modeled after the Forbidden City in Peking.
There are numerous palaces and temples within
these walls, as well as towers, a library and a
museum.NGO MON GATE: the principal entrance to
the Imperial Enclosure, facing the Flag Tower.
The central passageway with its yellow doors was
reserved for use by the emperor, as was the
bridge across the lotus pond. THAI HOA PALACE:
built in 1803 and moved to its present site in
1833, Thai Hoa Palace is a spacious hall with an
ornate roof of huge timbers supported by 80
carved and lacquered columns.HALLS OF THE
MANDARINS: these buildings, in which the
mandarins prepared for court ceremonies held in
the Can Chanh Reception Hall, were restored in
1977.NINE DYNASTIC URNS: these were cast in
1835-36. Traditional ornamentation was then
chiseled into the sides of the urns, each
dedicated to a different Nguyen sovereign.
FORBIDDEN PURPLE CITY: this was reserved for the
personal use of the emperor. The only servants
allowed into the compound were eunuchs, who
would pose no threat to the royal concubines.
(Today the site is in ruins).Overnight in Hue.
Day 7: Hue [ B]
Sightseeing Thien Mu Pagoda and Tomb of Emperor
Minh Mang with boat trip
THIEN MU PAGODA: just outside of Hue, on the
bank of the Perfume River, this was a hotbed of
anti-government protest during the early 1960s.
Behind the main sanctuary of the pagoda is the
Austin motorcar which transported the monk Thich
Quang Duc to the site of his 1963 self-immolation.TOMB
OF EMPEROR MINH MANG: a complex built in 1840 by
King Minh Mang, known for its magnificent
architecture, military statuaries and elaborate
decorations. It is perhaps the most beautiful of
Hue's pagodas and tombs.
TU DUC TOMB: once the Royal Palace of Tu Duc,
who ruled Hue more than 100 years ago, this tomb
consists of pavilions in a tranquil setting of
forested hills and lakes. The tomb was
constructed between 1864 and 1867. Tu Duc, who
was the longest reigning Emperor, lived a
luxurious life.DONG BA MARKET: a local market
near the Imperial City.Overnight in Hue.
Day 8: Hue - Hanoi [ B]
Flight from Hue to Hanoi
Visit Old Quarters by cyclo
OLD QUARTERS: they have well over a thousand
years of history and remain one of Vietnam's
most lively and unusual places, where one can
buy anything from a gravestone to silk pyjamas.
Exploring the maze of back streets is
fascinating and there are endless things to buy
wool clothes, cosmetics, gold and silver
jewellery, silk clothes and herbal medicines.
WATER PUPPET SHOW: a fantastic art form
originating in northern Vietnam, best seen in
Hanoi. The Municipal Water Puppet Theater is
located on the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake.Overnight
in Hanoi.
Day 9 : Hanoi - Halong [ B]
Sightseeing in Hanoi (half day)
Hanoi, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and
public parks, is the capital of Vietnam. It is a
very attractive city with French style buildings
and less traffic than other cities in Asia.
ONE PILLAR PAGODA: built by the Emperor Ly Thai
Tong, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. Constructed
of wood on a single stone pillar, it is designed
to resemble a lotus blossom. TEMPLE OF
LITERATURE: founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh
Tong, who dedicated it to Confucius in order to
honor scholars and men of literary
accomplishment. HOAN KIEM LAKE: right in the
heart of Hanoi, this lake contains an islet with
the tiny Tortoise Pagoda, topped with a red
star. HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM: in the tradition of
Lenin and Stalin before him and Mao after him,
the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh is a
glass sarcophagus set deep in the bowels of a
monumental edifice that has become a site of
pilgrimage. (Closed Mondays and Fridays).
OPERA HOUSE: a magnificent 900-seat opera house
built in 1911. (May be viewed from the outside
only).
Visit Chua But Thap Pagoda
By vehicle from Hanoi to Halong Bay
Journey east along Highway 5 across Hai Hung
Province and around Halong Bay.
Overnight in Halong.
Day 10 : Halong - Hanoi [ B, L]
Boat trip Halong Bay (4 hours)
This four-hour boat ride explores Halong Bay,
passing the islands of Trong, Mai, Am, Chen and
Cong Troi (Heaven Gates). Stop at one of the
islands and visit of one of the following
caves.HANG DAU GO: a huge, three-chambered cave,
which is reached via 90 steps. The cave derives
its Vietnamese name from the third of the
chambers, which is said to have been used by
Trang Hung Dao during the 13th century to store
bamboo stakes used against the Mongol invaders.
BO NAU: the "Pelican" caves. THIEN CUNG: "Heaven
Palace."
By vehicle from Halong to Hanoi
Journey around Halong Bay to Hai Phong and west
along Highway 5, across Hai Hung Province.
Day 11: Hanoi - Departure [ B]
today we have free time until transfer to
airport for your flight to your home . |