ID12: North, Center Vietnam and Siemreap 13 days

Itinerary in Brief;

Day 1: Hanoi arrival
Day 2: Hanoi city – night train to Lao cai (B, L)
Day 3: Sapa – Cat cat village (B, L)
Day 4: Lao chai – Tavan village – night train back Hanoi (B, L)
Day 5: Hanoi – Halong bay on board (B, L, D)
Day 6: Halong bay – Hanoi - Hue flight(B)
Day 7: Hue city tour  (B, L)
Day 8: Hue – Danang – Hoian (B)
Day 9: Hoian - Myson sanctuary - Hoian (B)
Day 10: Hoian – Danang –  Siem reap (B )
Day 11: Siem reap Angkor tour (B, L)
Day 12: Siem reap tour (B, L)
Day 13: Siem reap departure (B)

Itinerary in Details:

Day 1: Hanoi arrival
Arrival at Noi Bai Airport. Welcome and transfer to hotel by Asia View Travel guides with signboard, check in, relax.  Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi city tour – night train to Sapa (B, L)

This morning we start city tour  with the Ho Chi Minh Complex. This famous site contains the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh (Close on Monday, friday & November), the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city. We follow this with the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam,.Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon visit  the the impressive Ethnology Museum, dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, Restored Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake) and Ngoc Son Temple, Quan Thanh Temple, West lake. Enjoy water puppet show- a remarkable Vietnamese art form that combines traditional music, fireworks, underwater puppeteers, and elaborate puppets floating gracefully over water. Transfer to the train station for night train to Lao cai. The train leaves Hanoi around 9:00 PM. Overnight on train.

Day 3: Sapa – Cat cat tribe’s village (B, L )

The train arrives at the Lao Cai train station at approximately 06:00. There will be a vehicle waiting to transfer us to Sapa. The drive to Sapa is only 33 km but it takes around 1,5 hours to make our way up the mountains. Arrive Sapa and  freshen up followed by buffet breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy hotel facility and Sapa town. This afternoon at 1:00pm from the hotel there will be a  tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat, and Sansaho village home to the H'mong  hill tribes minority peoples. As we walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa, we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here we have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with the families that live in the area. Diner at the restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Day 4: Lao chai – Tavan village – night train back Hanoi (B, L)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Embark on a lovely walk  that will take us along small paths and trails and through several hill tribe villages of Lao Chai and Tavan, home to H'mong, and Dzay people. This is a absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Stopping for a picnic lunch on the way at a family in Ta Van village. Opportunity to meet with local people and study the art of making batik and local weaving villages - study textile tradition of craft women o Black H'mong and Red Dzao. Transfer back to Lao cai for night train back Hanoi. Overnight on train.

Day 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay on board (B, L, D)
Arrival in Hanoi in the early morning at round 5:00 am. Please find your way by foot back to a mini hotel near the train station gate to have shower and basic set menu breakfast.
Then 8:30 AM  start a 3. 5 hour drive through the Red River Delta to Ha Long City. Comfort stop en route for photos and coffee ( by your own ) before arriving to Ha Long City.
11.30 – 12.15   Welcome you at Hòn Gai Tourist International Port
12.30   Check in on Bai Tho Overnight Cruises, welcome drink and programme introduction
13.00 – 14.30   The cruise start the journey
Lunch served with local cuisines menu and passing the paramount view at Ha Long
such as Kicking Dog Island , Fighting Chicken Islet, Huong Peak, Thien Cung Cave,
Dau Go Island…
15.00 – 16.00   Explore Surprise Cave – one of the most famous caves on the Ha Long bay.
16.30 – 17.30   Small boat take you to Titop seaside: visiting islands, climb to Titop Mountain
200m in height to see the whole bay and swimming at Titop Seaside.
18.00   Return to your cruise or relaxation or enjoy sunset on the bay 19.30 – 21.00   Dinner at the restaurant with organised menu
21.00   Free at your leisure like lying on deck or going to catch squid…
Overnight on junk.

Day 6: Halong bay – Hanoi - Hue flight (Brunch)
06:30   See sunrise on the Bay or swim on the beach
07:30Continue cruising and enjoy breakfast with cakes & coffee...
09:30   Check out tine
10:00    Enjoy Brunch on the way back to port
11:30   Return to the main harbor before transferring to our awaiting vehicle for a 3-hour journey directly to the airport for flight to  Hue.The guide in Hue will pick you up, transfer to hotel in city center, check in, relax.

Day 7:  Hue city tour (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel, we then set out for the exploration of Hue's famous highlights, including the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City. Built in the 19th century by the Nguyen dynasty, the City was home to the former Emperors of Vietnam from 1802 until 1945. We embark on a boat for cruise upstream on the Perfume River which also gives us a taste of the scenic countryside as well as an enjoyable visit to The beautiful pagoda of Thien Mu. One of the most poignant displays here is a car belonging to a former monk, who in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime and its treatment of Buddhists. Disembark the board for a visit the elaborate mausoleum of former emperor Tu Duc, Emperor Khai Dinh. On return to the city, we then take a walk to the bustling Dong Ba Market and pass many fantastic eating spots where visitors have a chance to sample some local delicacies.

Day 8: Hue – Danang – Hoian (B, L)
As we bid Hue farewell this morning we continue our south bound journey, this time in the comfort of an air-conditioned bus. Today's destination is the old trading town of Hoi An. Along the way though we will stop at Lang Co beach for coffee and refreshments. From here we head up to the Hai Van pass, stopping at the top to take in the stunning views north over Lang Co beach and south over Danang city. Continuing on our way down the other side and into Da nang, where we will stop at the Cham Museum, the famed Danang Beach, and the Marble Mountains. Arrive in Hoi An, check in, relax. We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring Hoian ancient town. The ancient architecture of Hoian is a fascinating combination of Vietnamese traditional characters with Chinese and Japanese influence. There are plenty to see in this delightful and tranquil town, some of which are the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200 years old Tam Ky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda, the vibrant market. We visit these on our morning walking tour past many low tiled houses scattered along the small streets and assembly halls which reflect the town's multi-cultural past. Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 9: Hoian – Myson sanctuary - Hoian (B)
We leave Hoian early in the morning and drive to Myson. Enjoy the peaceful beautiful scenery of Myson valley and mountain. Visit  the My Son sancturary, one of the most stunning sights in the Hoi An area. It is about 40 km from Hoi An. My Son was the site of the most important Cham intellectual and religious centre during the centuries when Tra Kieu (then known as Simhapura) served as the political of Champa. Though some of the monuments were destroyed by the war or thieves, but what remains is still considerable. Many of the structures are overgrown with dense vegetation but you can get inside some of them. Back to Hoian, relax. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

Day 10: Hoi An – Danang – Siemreap (B )
Free and easy to explore Hoian by yourself. You might like to take a boat ride with one of the local women across the Thu Bon River. Perhaps you would like to hire a bicycle and head off on a scenic ride to Cua Dai beach, about 4 km away. There's even the chance to improve your culinary skills with a Vietnamese cooking lesson! One thing is for sure - there is no shortage of things to do in this town!  Afternoon, transfer to Danang international airport for flight by Silk Air to Siemreap. The guide in Siemreap will pick you up, transfer to hotel, check in, relax.

Note: Please note that direct flight from Danang to Siemreap by Silk air is just available on Wednesday and Friday. We will arrange the connect flights Danang - Ho chi minh, Ho chi minh - Siemreap if you fly on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. It takes you more time to fly with connecting flights.

Day 11: Siem reap – Angkor tour (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning, 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. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat's five towers symbolize Meru's five peaks - the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond.
Lunch at local restaurant.
Visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), until sunset.

Day 12: Siem reap Tour (B, L)
In the morning, visit Prasat Kravan with its unique brick sculptures and Ta Prohm.  One of the area's most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm has been 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 was abandoned and swallowed by the jungle, looking very much the ways most of the Angkor temples appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them. Visit as well Takeo, Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon.
Afternoon, visit Preah Khan temple. Built by the King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulders-hanging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation. Continue your visits to Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool and representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake and visit the temple of Ta Som as well as Srah Srang ("The Royal Baths"), undoubtedly used in the past for ritual bathing.

Day 13: Siemreap departure (B)
Breakfast at hotel. Visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Visit the village and take an excursion in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia. Transfer to airport for your departure flight. End of tour.

Accommodation Options

Tour includes:
• All accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels
• 2 days 1 night cruise on  Halong Bay
• 2 night on train
• All tours & transfers in private air-conditioned vehicle
• Private English  speaking guide
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary at local restaurant with local foods (B = breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
• Boat cruise as stated
• Round trip train ticket soft sleep 4 berth/ cabin  Hanoi – Lao cai – Hanoi
• Flight Ticket  Hanoi – Hue, Danang –  Siem reap
• Entrance fees and permits for all sights visited
• Mineral water & towel
• Government taxes & Service charges

Tour excludes:
• International flights that not mentioned above
• Vietnam visa arrangement (upon request visa on arrival at 15 USD, not including stamping fee at 25 USD)
• Cambodia Visa (available at the airport at 20 USD/person)
• Meals not indicated in the itinerary
• Kayak in Halong Bay
• Surcharge on 24,31 December and Lunar New Year
• Personal travel insurance (Compulsory)
• Personal expenses such as Telephone and Laundry bills
• Tips and gratuities