CTV4: Vietnam Culture Tour 8 days 7 nights

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Itinerary in brief:
Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D)
Day 2: Hanoi city tour – Halong Bay (B, L)
Day 3: Halong bay – Hanoi –  Danang flight - Hoian (B, L)
Day 4: Hoian  (B, L)
Day 5: Hoian - Hue city  (B, L)
Day 6: Hue – Ho chi minh (B)
Day 7: Ho chi minh – Mekong delta – Ho chi minh (B, L)
Day 8: Ho chi minh departure (B)

Itinerary in Details:

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D)
Arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you will be warmly welcomed and transferred  to hotel by private Asia View Travel guide with signboard, check in, relax ( the room may not be available until  12:00 PM ).
We then do a short city tour to 11th century Temple of Literature - the first University of Vietnam, the Restored Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake) and Ngoc Son Temple.  Enjoy water puppet show- a remarkable Vietnamese art form that combines traditional music, fireworks, underwater puppeteers, and elaborate puppets floating gracefully over water Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi. (The first day’s program can be re- arranged according to your arrival time in Hanoi).

Day 2: Hanoi city tour – Halong Bay (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel, 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 & October for annual maintenance ), 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 impressive Ethnology Museum, dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups.  Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon, transfer to Halong. Arrive in Halong late afternoon, check in, relax. This evening free and easy to discover the beautiful Halong city. Overnight at hotel in Halong Bay.
 
Day 3: Halong bay – Hanoi – flight to Danang - Hoian (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel. We then transfer to the sailing junk for a cruise through the limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Ha Long Bay, giving us the chance to take in the stunning scenery of this World Heritage Site. Cruising around the Bay with famous sites such as: Fighting cock's islet, Stone dog or Joss stick bowl islet. Round walking to visit beautiful stalactites which have been formed millions of years ago, exploring some of the limestone caves in this area. Back to the Junk boat and keep cruising to view fabulous scenery of Halong bay. While on board we will be served a sumptuous fresh, local seafood lunch. After lunch, we drive back to Hanoi., transfer directly to the airport for flight to Danang. The guide in Danang will pick you up, transfer to hotel in Hoian, check in, relax

Day 4: Hoian  ancient town (B, L)
Today there are a lot of time to explore  Hoian ancient town, once a major Asian trading port in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Hoi An’s architecture and relaxed lifestyle have changed little over the years. Take a leisurely walking tour of the ancient town center and visit the sites of former merchants’ homes, a 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, and a Chinese Communal Hall. Believed to have been settled no less than 2,200 years ago, Hoi An was known as Faifo to early Western traders. Hoi An was one of the major ports of Southeast Asia from the 17th to 19th centuries. Chinese, Japanese, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and other traders had small communities here, and the old wooden houses, bridges and temples that remain are reminiscent of a Vietnam of centuries past. This unique old trading town slowly became isolated due to its river silting up and by destroyed rail lines, leaving it untouched by war and frozen in time. Nowadays, this absolutely charming and relaxed town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Free at leisure. Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 5: Hoian – Hue  (B, L)
After breakfast at hotel, say good bye Hoian and embark on northern bound journey to Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Stop en route at the beautiful Non Nuoc Beach and the Cham Museum, which contains the finest collection of Cham sculpture in the world.  In Danang you will visit the Marble Mountains, five sacred hills containing dozens of Buddhist shrines. The guide and driver will take you over the beautiful Hai Van Pass - Vietnam's geographical and psychological boundary between north and south. The peak of the pass lies perpetually shrouded in clouds.
Arrival Hue in Hue at noon time.
This afternoon we visit the Imperial Citadel and the Purple Forbidden City. This royal residence was built in the 19th century by the Nguyen dynasty, the City was home to the former Emperors of Vietnam from 1802 until 1945. 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. Overnight at hotel in Hue.
 
Day 6: Hue – Ho chi minh (B)
Breakfast at hotel, we embark on a boat for cruise upstream on the Perfume River, viewing the city and the tranquil villages on the riverbank. We will walk up to visit the Thien Mu pagoda, a nicely located pagoda, overlooks the Perfume River and the beautiful scenery beyond, where you get to learn more about the Buddhism in Vietnam.  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,  built decades before its occupant's death the tomb was used as a palace retreat before the emperors final resting place. Transfer to the airport for flight to Ho chi minh. The guide in Ho chi minh will pick you up, transfer to hotel in city center, check in, relax.
Overnight at hotel in Ho chi minh

Day 7: Ho chi minh – Mekong delta – Ho chi minh (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel, then drive to My Tho. After arrival in My Tho, you will ride on a local motor boat along Dragon Island, Unicorn Island, Phoenix Island, Turtle Island and stop at the famous Unicorn Island. While at the Unicorn Island, While at the Unicorn Island, you will visit natural pure honey at the bee keeping farm. Taste some honey tea, rice wine, banana wine… Walking on the village and taking rowing boat along the natural water coconut canal to see the local lifestyle in the Mekong Delta. From there, you will continue your motor boat trip to Ben Tre province to visit a handmade coconut candy workshop. Then transfer to a small motor boat and travel along the lush, green canals that are so beautiful for photography. Stop at local restaurant for lunch. After that we walk to another area on the Unicorn Island to visit the tropical fruit garden, enjoy the fruits & listening to the Southern traditional music. Then the local motorboat will take you back to My Tho, where the car/van will drive you back to Ho chi minh city.Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 8: Ho chi minh departure ( B )
Morning  we discover the dynamic city with the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975, and some French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Sai Gon Post Office,War Remnant museum,  free for shopping in Ben Thanh market until transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Say goodbye Vietnam.
 
Thank you for traveling with Asia View Travel. 

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