| This newly designed trip is packed full of variety covering the major sights in both the north and south of Vietnam in 16 days. From the capital city of Hanoi to the tranquillity of trekking in Mai Chau and cruising in Halong Bay, from the historical and cultural centres of Hue and Hoi An to the modern metropolis of Saigon, this tour has it all. There's even time to relax on the beaches of Nha Trang and meander through the lush Mekong Delta. Day 1
Hanoi
You will be met and transferred to your hotel. Day at leisure. Following the meeting with the tour leader, we will have dinner at one of Hanoi's many fine restaurants. Day 2
Hanoi
This morning we drive to the Ho Chi Minh Complex. Completed in 1975 the complex contains Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh museum. Here, large crowds gather to pay their respects to the man they simply call "Uncle Ho", as they silently file past his glass sarcophagus. When visiting the mausoleum the following rules need to be observed: No short sleeves & skirts are allowed. Silence should be observed when entering the tomb and definitely no photographs (in fact all bags have to be left outside). It's quite an experience as you queue with many Vietnamese, some of whom have traveled many miles to make the pilgrimage. The complex also contains the One Pillar Pagoda, which is said to resemble a lotus blosssom. The Presidential Palace and Uncle Ho's house on stilts can also be seen here. Ho Chi Minh was not comfortable with the idea of living in a palace, and so had the more simple stilt house built for him. We follow this with a walking tour of Hanoi's vibrant Old Quarter. Also known as the 36 streets, this bustling area of narrow streets is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. Originally each of the 36 streets names' related to the products being sold there. Hence you can walk from Fish Street to Tin Street to Bamboo Street. It's a great place to explore on foot with numerous photo opportunities. In the afternoon we visit the Temple Of Literature. Originally built as a temple to Confucius, this is the site of Vietnam's first university dating back to 1070. Inside are the stone stele mounted on the backs of turtles, inscribed with the names of the university's graduates. The complex is divided into five courtyards with different paths that would originally have been reserved for the Emperor and his mandarins. One of the courtyards contains the statue of Confucius guarded by two beautiful bronze storks standing on turtles. The temple highlights the importance that Vietnamese society placed then and now on education. Also Hoan Kiem Lake, the focal point of the city. Day 3
Mai Chau Trek
After breakfast we depart Hanoi for Hoa Binh province and the town of Mai Chau. This scenic drive takes around three hours. Along the way we pass fields of tapioca and sugar cane as well as rice paddies. After lunch in a traditional stilt house of the Thai people, we drive for one hour to Sa Linh Village to begin our trekking. The verdant and rugged mountain scenery combined with the colorful local population makes this an unforgettable experience. Today we walk along gravel tracks and small paths used by the locals. Our destination for this evening is Hang Kia village, home of the H'mong Minority people. Here we stay overnight as the guests of an H'mong family in a traditional long house, situated in a picturesque valley of peach orchards.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included) Day 4
Mai Chau Trek
Today we get well and truly off the beaten track as we trek through tropical rain forest, using the local tracks and passing through cornfields as we descend in to Mai Chau Valley. Along the way we encounter the local villagers as they go about their daily business: whether it be tilling the fields, logging or herding buffalo. The trek usually takes around 7 hours and is quite steep in places. Lunch will be provided en route, and weather permitting, we will have a picnic near a babbling brook at the foot of the valley. From here we pass through several White Thai villages, and are sure to attract attention as this part of the country receives very few visitors. We arrive at Van village by late afternoon and will have time to walk around this charming little village, enabling us to understand a little more about how the people live. The village is home to the Thai people, and tonight we will be their guests in one of their traditional stilt houses. There, we will be toasted as honored guests and will be able to sample some of their homemade rice wine!
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included) Day 5
Mai Chau - Hai Phong
This morning we trek for a couple of hours passing through several more Thai hamlets. We walk on the valley floor and are surrounded by rice paddies and beautiful scenery. At the small village of Khoe we meet up with our waiting vehicle and drive back towards Mai Chau. Lunch is again provided in Mai Chau and there is also the chance to do a little souvenir shopping before we continue on to Vietnam's busiest port and third largest city, Hai Phong. Day 6
Hai Phong - Cat Ba Island
This morning we stroll around Hai Phong, well known for its beautiful French colonial architecture. On the way we visit the City Museum, Du Hang Pagoda and the Hang Kenh Tapestry Factory. Then at 1 p.m. we board the local ferry to Cat Ba island, arriving at around 4:30 p.m. This gives us the perfect opportunity to meet some locals and even try out our Vietnamese! The rest of the day and evening are free. You may like to explore the nearby beaches or perhaps stretch your vocal chords in one of Cat Ba's many Karaoke bars in the evening!
(Breakfast and lunch included) Day 7
Ha Long Bay - Hanoi
Today we board our own private boat for a five-hour cruise around the secluded and majestic Halong Bay. Situated in the Gulf of Tonkin, Halong Bay covers an area in excess of 1,500 square km. Legend has it that a huge dragon fell to the earth, creating the natural wonder that is Halong Bay. Indeed Halong means 'descending dragon'. This UNESCO listed world heritage site is the perfect place to unwind amidst the towering limestone karsts. The islands contained within the bay are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. One such cave was believed to have stored the wooden stakes that General Tran Hung Dao used to scupper the invading Mongol fleet in the 13th century. We have the chance to swim in the bay's emerald waters and also visit one of its many splendid caves. Whilst on board our boat a wonderful seafood lunch will be served. There will be time for another swim after lunch, or if you prefer, you can simply laze around on deck and soak up the sunshine. In the afternoon we drive back to Hanoi. On the journey back to Hanoi we will stop at the Sao Do charity centre. This is a non-governmental organization run for disabled people. In the evening we board the famous Reunification Express for our southbound train to Hue.
(Breakfast and lunch included) Day 8
Hue
We arrive in Hue, Vietnam's former capital until 1945, in the afternoon and transfer to our hotel. There are many things to see in this city, regarded by many as the cultural centre of Vietnam. The Royal Tombs of the Nguyen Emperors on the outskirts of the city are easily accessible by bicycle. Also not to be missed is the Citadel, containing the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City, the Emperor's private residence. Both were heavily damaged during the Tet Offensive of 1968, when the Communists took the city from the South and held it for 3 weeks. The Imperial City, created in the 19th century and modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing, has many palaces and temples inside. You enter through the impressive Ngo Mon Gate and continue on past the Emperor's throne room. One of the most interesting parts of the City is the ancestral Temple dedicated to the memory of the former Emperors. Another important site in Hue is the Thien Mu, or Heavenly Lady pagoda. Situated 4 km upstream on the banks of the Perfume River, it is an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601. One of the most poignant displays here is a car belonging to a former monk, Thich Quang Duc, who in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime and its treatment of Buddhists.
(Breakfast and lunch included) Day 9
Hue - Hoi An
Today we continue south by road to Hoi An. The scenery en route is beautiful as we hug the coastline of the South China Sea before winding our way up the spectacular Hai Van pass. Here we stop to admire the stunning views north, to Lang Co beach and south to Danang City. Once in Danang we will stop to visit the Cham Museum. It houses the most complete collection of Cham artifacts anywhere in the world. We continue on to China Beach, where the American GI's used to have their R&R (Rest and Relaxation!) and the
Marble Mountains, whose five peaks represent the five elements of the universe (water, wood, fire, metal and earth). The largest peak, Thuy Son contains a number of caves that have become Buddhist sanctuaries.
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