DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City Arrival
Meals: None
+Guide
Pick up by our guide at the airport, transfer to your hotel, free for the rest of the day. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City – Tay Ninh – Cu Chi Tunnels
Meals: B, L
+Guide
Excursion to Tay Ninh, the head quarter of Cao Dai sect founded in 1923. Visit the ornate temple of Cao Dai and attend the fantastic Midday Mass ceremony when the followers fill the hall wearing colored robes, a symbol of the curious combination of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, Christianism and Islamism. Continue to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels an incredible underground network constructed by Vietnamese guerillas. The tunnels, virtually beneath the US bases for surprise attacks, contained hospitals, accommodation, schools and were used as a military base for Vietnam Communist Army in the US-Vietnam war.
Return to Ho Chi Minh city. Afternoon free at leisure.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta & My Tho – Ho Chi Minh
Meals: B, L
+Guide
Drive to My Tho (65km). On arrival we take a private boat trip along the small canals of Mekong River seeing the daily life of the Mekong River people in both sides of the river. Then take a short tour by “xe loi” (motorized rickshaw) on the rural lane to the bank of Mekong River visiting a rice farm, coconut candy factory and honey bee farm. Continue our journey by sampan through the canals and mangrove forests to reach an island. Stroll on a fruit garden, taste diverse types of seasonal fruits, tea mixed with bee’s honey and enjoy a special folk show of traditional Mekong Delta music.
Afternoon back to Ho Chi Minh, stop en route visiting the beautiful Vinh Trang pagoda, the most famous pagoda in the south of Vietnam whose architecture is a mixture of Vietnamese, Kh’mer and Chinese.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City – Nha Trang
Meals: B
After breakfast, take a short flight to Nha Trang, a city right on the beach. Check-in hotel and rush to beach for swimming and many more activities. Free at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 5: Nha Trang
Meals: B
Free day at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 6: Nha Trang – Hoi An
Meals: B
You will take the morning flight to Da Nang Airport, then transfer to Hoi An about 35km away. In the afternoon, you can visit Hoi An ancient town on own, the town with mixed the culture of Vietnam/Chinese/Japanese with Chinese tiled houses, Chinese temples, Japanese covered bridge. Overnight in Hoi an.

Day 7: Hoi An
Meals: B
Days free to cycle through rice paddies in the countryside of Hoi An ancient town, shop for souvenirs among the antique shops and art galleries, or just sit at sidewalk cafes and soak up the atmosphere of this quaint town. Or relax on the white sandy beach of the famous China Beach.
Overnight in Hoi an.

Day 8: Hoi An
Meals: B
Transfer from Hoi An to My Son Holy land, once the spiritual capital of Champa Kingdom that dominated South East Asia for nearly a thousand years and occupied most of the central parts of Vietnam from 2nd century to 16th century with very rich in history and culture. Contemplate its remarkable red brick towers and sanctuaries dating from between the 7th and 13th centuries.
Drive back to Hoi An, free to visit the former merchants' homes, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, Phuc Kien pagoda and the colourful riverside market.
Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 9: Hoi An - Da Nang – Hue
Meals: B
+Guide
Morning drive to Hue with a visit to Cham Museum and Marble Mountain in Danang. Continue to Hue, Stop over at Lang Co beach and Hai Van pass for swimming or taking photos. Arrive in Hue in the afternoon and visit the citadel.  Overnight in Hue.

Day 10: Hue City Tour
Meals: B, L
+Guide
Morning cruise leisurely along the romantic Perfume River visiting the Thien Mu Pagoda and the Imperial tomb of the Emperor Minh Mang.

Day 11: Hue- Hanoi
Meals: B
+Guide
Morning flight to Hanoi, our guide will welcome you at the airport Noi bai airport, transfer to your hotel in the city center. In the afternoon, we would like to show you of Hanoian daily life with one hour Cyclo (trishaw) ride around the old streets, then stop at Thang Long Theatre for one hour Water Puppets show-a unique art form of northern rural Vietnam. Overnight in Ha Noi.

Day 12: Hanoi full day visits – Night train to Lao Cai
Meals: B, L
+Guide
Today we enjoy a full day city tour of this charming capital city including the mausoleum of the nation's founder Ho Chi Minh (close on Monday & Friday), the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, the impressive Ethnologic Museum, the beautiful West Lake, the Tran Vu Pagoda. at 20h00, we take you to the train station for the overnight train to Sapa.

Day 13: Lao Cai – Sapa
Meals: B
+Guide
Arrive in the early morning in the border town of Lao Cai where it's a short transfer to Sapa. In the terraced hills and mountains of this area, the monotony of the expansive green landscape is enlivened by the colours of its hill tribe population. It is here you will find hands stained with colour from fabric dyes and shades of blue, red and green intricately embroidered and stitched into jackets, waistcoats, pants, skirts, caps, purses and leggings.
Take a morning walking tour of Sapa for a visit to the busy market where Red Dao, Black & Flower H'Mong, Tay and other ethnic minority people converge from the surrounding countryside to sell their silverware and handicrafts, and to buy provisions. Afterwards, take a light trek to discover Sapa's quaint hill tribe villages. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 14: Lao Cai – Sapa- Hill Tribe villages
Meals: B
+Guide
This morning, we drive to visit Lao Chai and Ta Van village of the Black H'mong and the Day people where you can enjoy fresh air, amazing scenery of the mountain, terraced ricefields learn unique culture and life of these ethnic groups. Back to Sapa, free for the rest of the day. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 15: Sapa – Lao Cai
Meals: B
+Guide
In the morning either visit one of the areas weekly markets (the market location rotates daily, contact your travel consultant for more information) or enjoy free time to discover Sapa at your own leisure.

Market days:

Can Cau - Saturdays

Bac Ha or Muong Hum or Muong Khuong - Sundays

Cao Son - Wednesdays.

Coc Ly - Tuesdays

In the late afternoon transfer back to Lao Cai to catch the night train back to Hanoi. Overnight on the train.

Day 16: Hanoi – Halong
Meals: B, L, D
+Guide
Picked up early at the train stattion, this morning, we will arrange a room at our hotel for you to have shower and breakfast before we drive to Halong most scenic sight, a recognized World Natural Heritage Site. Upon arrival, board your deluxe traditional wooden junk. Welcome drink on board. After a relaxing break, enjoy a delicious seafood lunch while cruising through the wonderful Ha Long bay visiting its amazing grottoes and caves. Opportunity to dive off the boat and have a pleasant swimming in the deep blue water of East Sea before relaxing on your sun deck to view a Halong sunset.  Dinner on board with excellent fresh seafood.
Overnight on board.

Day 17: Halong – Hanoi
Meals: B, L
+Guide
Get up early to catch the sunrise on the bay and relax with a cup of hot coffee or tea. We depart for a visit to the splendid grotto and a quick glimpse of a nearby fishing village. Enjoy another seafood lunch on board while cruising back through Halong bay to the pier. Transfer to Hanoi.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 18: Hanoi – Transfer
Meals: B
Free until we transfer you to the airport for your flight back home.

REMARK

• Confirmation of room & price are subject to space availability at the time of booking only
• Compulsory meals & peak days surcharge to be advised at the time of booking
• All above itinerary is flexible, depending on arrival or departure flights of passengers
• Ground operator reserved the right to amend or adjust itinerary to match with real situation

INCLUSION

• Accommodation in twin/double share at hotels selected including breakfast
• Transfer by private air-conditioned car (van, bus...) as per program
• English speaking guide for each area as being requested
• Entry fees for all sightseeing as mentioned on the program
• Breakfast (B); Lunches (L) & Dinner (D) as being mentioned
• Vietnam domestic flights/economy class as program including all tax
• Government taxes (VAT…)

EXCLUSION

• International arrival & departure flight & airport tax
• Insurance, drinks, tips, personal expenses and all services not clearly mentioned

COMPANY

Lechan Travel
#5/56 Tuong Mai, Hoang Mai
Hanoi, Vietnam
T: +84 (4) 366 288 70 / 71 | F: +84 (4) 366 288 72
M: +84 165 390 82 96
W: http://lechan.info | E: travel@lechan.info