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| OVERVIEW |
|
ITINERARY |
|
PRICING |
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WHAT'S INCLUDED |
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16 days / 15 nights
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| Day Number of Tour |
| Day No. |
Location |
Program |
B |
L |
D |
| 1 |
Arrive Hanoi |
Arrive
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D |
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On arrival in Hanoi, you will be met and transferred to the Sofitel Plaza Hotel. Meet your fellow travellers over dinner, and the balance of the evening is at leisure.
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| 2 |
Hanoi |
Ho Chi Min's Residence, One Pillar Pagoda, Hoa Lo Prison, Old Quarter, Water-puppet Show
|
B |
L |
D |
|
Begin the day at the impressive Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, modeled on Lenin's tomb (outside). Continue behind the mausoleum, past the Presidential Palace, to visit the former residence of Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh resided in this simple house on stilts from 1958 to 1969. Stroll around the small lake, and view some of the exotic trees and plants imported for the garden. A short walk brings you to the One Pillar Pagoda - a charming structure that indeed rises on one pillar from a small pond. Next, visit the famous Hoa Lo Prison (aka the Hanoi Hilton). Constructed by the French in 1896, the museum includes an indoor guillotine room and photo gallery, plus an outdoor guillotine. The Vietnamese took over the prison in 1954 and used it primarily to house POWs. Only part of the original prison remains, as land in the city-centre is quite valuable, but the atmosphere lingers.
After lunch, visit the Temple of Literature. Dating back to 1070, this was the centre of Confucian learning for 700 years. End the day with a cyclo (bicycle rickshaw) tour of Hanoi's 36 Ancient Streets in the Old Quarter. Here, you will see artisans and shopkeepers selling their wares from shops still very much grouped by type; Silk Street, Tin Street, Gravestone Street etc. A stroll along Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Lake of the Recovered Sword brings you back toward the hotel. This evening, enjoy a water-puppet show, a traditional Vietnamese experience.
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| 3 |
Hanoi |
Halong Bay Cruise
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B |
L |
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Depart Hanoi this morning, for Halong Bay, visiting Bat Trang pottery village enroute. Board a wooden junk for a cruise through magnificent Halong Bay, with its 3,000 islands - one of the natural wonders of Vietnam. A fresh seafood lunch will be served onboard. Return to Hanoi this afternoon. Evening at leisure.
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| 4 |
Hanoi / Hue |
Boat trip on the Perfume River, Tu Duc's Tomb, Minh Mang's Tomb
|
B |
L |
D |
|
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Hue. On arrival, you will be met and begin your sightseeing tour. Take a boat trip on the Perfume River visiting Thien Mu Pagoda, Tu Duc's Tomb and Minh Mang's Tomb. Late this afternoon, transfer to the Morin Hotel for overnight.
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| 5 |
Hue / Hoi An |
Imperial Citadel, Cham Museum
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B |
L |
D |
|
This morning, visit the morning market, Imperial Citadel and Forbidden City. Depart Hue, via the Hai Van (cloudy) Pass, for Hoi An. Enroute, visit the Cham Museum in Danang and on arrival in Hoi An, transfer to the Golden Sand Resort. Evening at leisure.
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| 6 |
Hoi An |
Hoi An Walking Tour, Leisure time
|
B |
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This morning, take a walking tour through this charming ancient town. Balance of the day at leisure to visit some of Hoi An's small museums or perhaps have some custom tailoring done.
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| 7 |
Hoi An |
Cooking Class, My Son Valley
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B |
L |
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This morning, join a cooking class and learn how to prepare some of the mouth-watering Vietnamese dishes you have been enjoying. Following your fresh cooked lunch, visit the My Son Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its large complex of religious ruins dating back to the 12th century. Return to the hotel, and evening at leisure.
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| 8 |
Hoi An / Ho Chi Minh City |
Chinatown, Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral, Presidential Palace
|
B |
L |
D |
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Transfer to Danang airport early this morning for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, embark on a city tour; take a cyclo (bicycle rickshaw) ride through of Chinatown, visit bustling Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Presidential Palace - its many public and private rooms preserved much as they were left on April 30, 1975. Later this afternoon, check into the Majestic Hotel. Get acquainted with the neighbourhood around the hotel on a short orientation walk.
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| 9 |
Ho Chi Minh City |
Cu Chi Tunnels, Leisure time
|
B |
L |
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This morning, travel out of the city visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an amazing complex of tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Return to Ho Chi Minh City and enjoy an afternoon at leisure.
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| 10 |
Ho Chi Minh City / Can Tho |
Floating Market, Fruit Orchard, Bonsai Garden
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B |
L |
D |
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Depart Ho Chi Minh City this morning, travelling into the Mekong Delta, where you will visit a floating market, bonsai garden and fruit orchard. This afternoon, check into the Golf Hotel Cantho (Moderate).
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| 11 |
Can Tho / Chau Doc |
Cai Rang Floating Market, Fish Farm
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B |
L |
D |
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Depart the hotel early this morning to experience the Cai Rang floating Market. At its best in the early morning, this is the largest market in the area - busy and very interesting. Make a stop at a brickworks, one of the local businesses along the riverside and depart for Chau Doc, visiting temples, villages, and a fish farm enroute. Check into the Victoria Chau Doc Hotel.
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| 12 |
Chau Doc / Phnom Penh |
Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, Wat Phnom Temple
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B |
L |
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Depart from the hotel early this morning to embark by speedboat for Phnom Penh. On arrival you will be met and transferred to the Raffles Le Royal Hotel. This afternoon, visit the Victory Monument, the Royal Palace, built by the French in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda. End your afternoon with a visit to Wat Phnom Temple, where you can enjoy views over the tree-lined avenues of the city during sunset.
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| 13 |
Phnom Penh / Siem Reap |
National Museum, Tuol Sleng Museum, Killing Fields
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B |
L |
D |
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This morning, visit the National Museum, also called Musee des Beaux-Arts, with its collection of Khmer art, followed by the notorious Tuol Sleng Museum. This former school was used as a prison by Pol Pot's security forces. It became the largest centre for detention and torture during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. After lunch, drive to the Killing Fields of Choeng Ek. Over 8000 skulls, arranged by sex and age, are visible behind the clear glass panels of the Memorial Stupa, which was erected in 1988. Then, transfer to the airport for the flight to Siem Reap. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to the Sofitel Royal Angkor Hotel.
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| 14 |
Siem Reap |
Bayon Temple, Angkor Wat, Sunset over the temples
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B |
|
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This morning, begin your tour of the Angkor temple Complex. Visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom; the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara; the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King
Return to the hotel with free time for lunch.
In the afternoon, visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Take in the sunset from either Angkor Wat or from Phnom Bakheng, one of the two hills dominating the plain of Angkor, from where you will have a spectacular view of the Western Baray and Angkor Wat. Return to the hotel and evening at leisure.
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| 15 |
Siem Reap |
Preah Khan, Srah Srang, Ta Prohm, Cultural Show
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B |
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D |
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In the morning, you will continue your temple visits, including Prasat Kravan, Pre Rup, the Mountain Temple, Eastern Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, and Preah Khan, built by the king Jayavarman VII.
Return to the hotel with free time for lunch.
In the afternoon, transfer to the archaeological site and continue the temples tour with Srah Srang, "The Pool of Ablutions" which was doubtless used for ritual bathing, Takeo, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda and Ta Prohm. One of the area's most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it has been left to be swallowed by the jungle, and looks very much the same way most of the monuments of Angkor must have appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them. This evening, enjoy dinner and a cultural show.
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| 16 |
Siem Reap / Bangkok / Depart |
Fly to Bangkok for International Departure
|
B |
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This morning, transfer to Siem Reap airport for departure to Bangkok, where your tour concludes. Connect to your international flight, or accommodation in Bangkok can be arranged by request.
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