From Ancient Capitals To The Heart Of Vietnam - 11 Days

Day 1: Danang Arrival.
Xin Chao! Welcome to Danang, a coastal city in central Vietnam known for its sandy beaches and history as a French colonial port.
After clearing your immigrations and picking-up your luggage, meet your driver and guide who greet you outside the arrival hall. Now you have a car transfer to hotel for check-in. Rest of the day is your own leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Danang.

Day 2: Danang – Hue – City Tour.
Breakfast at hotel. This morning you leave Danang for Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam. A short drive takes you to the Marble Mountains. A cluster of five hills named after the elements metal, wood, water, fire and earth. The place is a well-known pilgrimage site with peaks, caves, tunnels and temples. All are waiting to be discovered...
Following up is Cham Museum, the largest collection of Cham sculpture and artwork in the world. Pass over the epic Hai Van pass (Pass of the Cloud), the high dividing line between the climate zones of North and South Vietnam, with views of the Lang Co beach on one side and the lush mountainous landscape on the other.
Reach Hue by afternoon, you take the leisurely walking tour through the ancient city visiting Imperial City. You will visit Thien Mu Pagoda and the Mausoleum of King Tu Duc – a replica of the king’s palace built for the next reincarnation of the king.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue.

Day 3: Hue – Phuoc Tich Village.
This morning, you start the tour with the scooter to Phuoc Tich Village (Optional: If you cannot drive a scooter, a car with driver will be arranged to escort you). It will take one hour for us to get to the village. Upon arrival, drive around the village to visit the ancient houses, traditional handcrafts such as rice flour making, hand-made pottery (nowadays, the production has not been as frequent as before and guide will help you learn more about its history). Take a break and walk around the village to view the charming scenery, communal houses, river wharfs, and Cham culture vestiges that remain. Meet and talk with locals. By strolling along O Lau River, the village facilitator and your guide will help you know more about the village as well as O Lau River’s geographic location that is one of the three largest rivers in Hue leading to Tam Giang Lagoon, which is the biggest one in the Southeast Asia region.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue.

Day 4: Hue – Quang Binh.
After breakfast, we will leave Hue for Quang Binh. On the way, you will have the chance to visit DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) including: Vinh Moc Tunnels, Ben Hai River, Quang Tri Citadel, Khe Sanh…
Arrive in your hotel in Quang Binh late afternoon and get refreshment.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Quang Binh.

Day 5: Quang Binh – Phong Nha & Paradise Cave (Join-in).
8:30 AM, your guide and drive will pick you up to Phong Nha National Park for exploring before getting to Paradise Cave. Discovered by scientists of the British Caving Research Association in 2005, Paradise cave is the longest dry cave in Asia with 31.4km length.
Afternoon, drive back to Phong Nha town to take a boat trip on Son River to Phong Nha Cave. After 25 minutes on boat you will reach the Cave. The cave is famous for its rock formations which have been given names such as the “Lion”, the “Fairy Caves”, the “Royal Court”, and the “Buddha”…
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Quang Binh.

Day 6: Quang Binh – Countryside with bike & raft (Join-in).
8.30 AM, your tour guide will pick you up for a biking trip around the country side. You will have chance to learn about local life and understand more about local people and culture. Have lunch with a local family.
After lunch, do rafting along the canal and come back to your hotel by bike between 16:00 – 16:30.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Quang Binh.

Day 7: Quang Binh – Overnight train to Hanoi.
Today you will have a free day on your own way for exploring Quang Binh city or relaxing on the beach.
In the afternoon, you have the car transfer to train station and get the overnight ride to Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.
Accommodation: Overnight train to Hanoi.

Day 8: Hanoi Arrival – Explore Hanoi Old Quarter.
Upon arrival in Hanoi, you are greeted by our local tour guide. Now you have refreshment time at the day-used hotel, enjoy breakfast and start a full day to explore the most highlights of our capital. The tour takes you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and stilt house), the nearby One Pillar Pagoda; the Presidential Palace; the Temple of Literature.
In the afternoon, visit the fascinating Ethnology Museum (closed Mondays), which is both a research centre and a public museum exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam. At the end of the afternoon, visit Hanoi’s Old Quarter. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It's a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities all around.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 9: Ninh Binh (Tam Coc & Hoa Lu) – Hanoi.
After breakfast at hotel, you take 2.5 hour pleasant drive to Tam Coc. The place is known as Halong Bay on land, it will offer you the excellent opportunities to observe rural Vietnam up-close. Along the way, break your trip to take photographs of local villages and the surrounding landscape. On arrival in Tam Coc Town, board your private sampan boat for the ninety minute cruise along the Ngo Dong River. Pass through the three caves named Hang Ca, Hang Giua and Hang Cuoi that made Vietnam famous in the French film 'Indochine'. On the way, you also visit Bich Dong Pagoda. Set in tranquility and among pink lotuses, the temple offers the spectacular views of the surrounding area. Back to Tam Coc where you will enjoy a delicious Vietnamese lunch.
You then transfer to Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam, to visit the temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh Dynasty (968-80), and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le Dynasty (980-1009) who played a vital role in gaining the country’s independence after it was ruled by the Northern Force for a thousand years. Late in the afternoon, we take the drive back to Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 10: Hanoi – Halong Bay.
Have breakfast at your hotel before setting out on a 2.5 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Halong Bay. Spend nearly 24 hours on a traditional junk cruise in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around noon and board your junk. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as we sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands, including Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. Along the way visit one of the bay’s 3 largest caves (Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot). Stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach and take a dip in the warm waters of the Tonkin Gulf (weather permitting). Pass the night on your junk, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: On Cruise.

Day 11:  Halong Bay – Hanoi Departure.
Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay as we navigate back to Halong City. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to Halong pier. Your driver will meet you at the dock and offer you the car transfer to Noi Bai International Airport.
Get ready for your departure flight. Thanks for traveling with us.
Meals: Breakfast, Brunch.
Accommodation: N/A.