Day
1: HA NOI
Arriving
at Noi Bai airport. Transfer to hotel. Visit Hanoi "The city
situated on the side of Red river." Walk in the residential
district where was the Presidential Palace, the house and the mausoleum
of Ho Chi Minh, the One-Pillar pagoda. Next, we will visit the museum
of ethnology, Quan Thanh temple and Tran Quoc pagoda established
by the West lake, the temple of literature (the first university
of Vietnam in the 11th century) and Ngoc Son temple. In the late
afternoon, we go by cyclo in the old quarter. Have lunch and dinner
in city. In the evening: water puppet show. Night at hotel.
Day
2: HA NOI - HA LONG
Departure for Ha Long. A short stop en route at But Thap pagoda
which was constructed in 17th century on a levee of land in the
middle of the rice field. On arrival in Halong, check in Tuan Chau
bungalow. Have lunch with fresh seafood. Tuan Chau island has a
surface of 3 square km and populated by 1200 fishers. At an ideal
location, the hotel is composed of three villas that were constructed
during the year of 1960s to receive Ho Chi Minh. Today, the High
Dignitary Families of the Communist Party often come again to spend
their weekends and vacation there. The hotel has a very beautiful
view on the bay. It is really a privileged place that doesn't normally
available for tourists, my personal relations with the Director
Board of hotel, will enable you to enjoy it. In the afternoon, take
a walk to a fishing village. Dinner and night in bungalow
Day
3: HA LONG - HAI PHONG - HANOI
If Hanoi was Thang Long, "Ascending Dragon", the Halong
bay, "Descending Dragon". This name is originated from
a legend explaining the present of its rocky peaks that are the
remains from a fierce battle of a great dragon. The fantastic peaks
cutting the horizon in bluish teeth or sunken mountains which emerge
only their summits, caves and grottoes where the streams disappear,
game of mists and clouds. The most typical is that these peaks with
the strange shapes seem floating on the surface of water and here
the silence of this spreads sea dominates everywhere, sometimes
broken by the scream of a sea bird. Take a private boat to cruise
for a half- day on the bay. Have lunch with fresh seafood on board.
Departure for Hai Phong on road, the french colonist styled city
with its streets and avenues edged by flaming. Visit Du Hang pagoda,
Hang Kenh Communal House. Dinner and overnight in Hanoi.
Day
4: HA NOI - HOA LU -TAM COC - BICH DONG - HA NOI
Departure for Hoa Lu, the ancient capital
of Vietnam in the 10th century. Visit the commemorative temple dedicated
to Dinh and Le kings. Have lunch at Tam Coc. An excursion by boat
on Ngo Dong river that snakes between karstic hills and rice fields
in a marvelous landscape often called "Ha Long on land".
Visiting Bich Dong pagoda which is situated on the flank of hills.
Return to Ha Noi. Dinner and night at hotel.
Day
5: HA NOI - HUE
Transfer to Noi Bai airport and fly to Hue. On arrival in Hue, we
will discover the ancient capital of the Nguyen emperors in 19th
century. It possesses the palaces and the most luxurious royal tombs
of South Asia and the most charming gardens. With the Perfume river,
the harmonious hills, Hue is always the city of poetry. We visit
the imperial citadel, old trading districts and Dong Ba central
market. Lunch in city, dinner and night at hotel. In the evening:
an imperial dances show.
Day
6: HUE
Cruising by boat on Perfume river to visit Thien Mu pagoda with
its famous octagonal tower dominating the river, Hon Chen temple,
tombs of Minh Mangs, Tu Duc & Khai Dinh emperors located in
the charming sites with the pines and the sprinkled ponds. Lunch
on board, dinner in city. Night at hotel.
Day
7: HUE - DA NANG - HOI AN
Departure for Da Nang and Hoi An. Climbing over the Pass of Ocean
Clouds, a spectacular mountainous road. In Da Nang, we visit the
museum of Cham that contains the most important collection of Cham's
sculptures in Vietnam. Have lunch. Leaving for Hoi An, a pretty
town which was known as FaiFo, one of the most prosperous harbour
of Asia in 17th century. The Chinese temples, the pagodas and the
houses of the rich merchants are remarkable. Discover the city:
central market Hoi An, Tan Ky house, Japanese bridge and Phuc Kien
temple. Dinner and night at hotel.
Day
8: HOI AN - DA NANG - HO CHI MINH City
Transfer to the airport of Danang for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh-
City. On arrival take a city tour to visit the dynamic Ho Chi Minh-
City, still called Saigon by many local people, the former Presidential
Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office of Sai Gon, Thien
Hau pagoda and Ngoc Hoang temple located in the bustlle Chinatown.
Dinner and night at hotel.
Day
9: SAI GON - VINH LONG - SAI GON