Group of Emilio Cardazzi

Group of : Mr Emilio Cardazzi and Mrs Rosanna Ramaioli

Travel Date: 25/1/2013 – 9/2/2013

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (-/-/-)

Upon arrival at the airport, meet with your driver and transfer to the hotel for check-in hotel.

Day 2: Hanoi city tour (B/L/-)

Breakfast at your hotel.

You would be taken to highlight sites of Hanoi: the Presidential Palace (formerly Palace of the Governor-General of French Indochina), Ho Chi Minh house-on-stilt, One-Pillar Pagoda. You may also have chance to visit Vietnam’s very first university dated back in the 11th century. It is well-known in Vietnam for a combination of Confucian sanctuary and academy clearly proved by stone tablets which you may see.

You continue visiting West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Temple of Literature

Lunch at local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will visit Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

Overnight at your hotel.

Day 3: Hidden Hanoi Biking  (B/L/D)

Next is Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake Walking tour. Followed by, we travel by rickshaw cyclo (traditional bike-propelled cart) and foot along tree-lined boulevards and through the 1000-year-old Old

Quarter, exploring the markets and taking in some of the city’s great colonial architecture.

We continue to visit Ngoc Son Temple and antique house at Ma May.

Lunch at typical restaurant: Cha Ca La Vong.

Do you think that you could discover Hanoi like the local? An our biking product is called “Hidden Hanoi” was created by three young Hanoians in order to show you many other surprising secrets hidden in the zigzag alley ways in Ngoc Ha Flower village and discovering many former traditional handicraft villages around West Lake which are now replaced beautiful villas and to a floating driving range in the Red River with its kumquat and peach blossoms.

Join us with HIDDEN HANOI biking tours.

GET ON A BIKE, SEE THE CITY

OUR CHARITY PROJECT – BIKING FOR BIKES

Experience the city like the locals do

From the mystifying shores of the red river to the dazzling old quarter, our cycling tours will take you through picturesque backstreets, narrow alleys and wide boulevards. Discover the soul of the city and meet real people.

“Hidden Hanoi” surprising secrets hidden in the alleyways round the West Lake & Serene Ngoc Ha Flower Village & Red Riverside.

Dinner with the Vietnamese house: special product of Amo Travel.

Overnight at your hotel.

Day 3: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hanoi – Train to Lao Cai (B/L/-)

Often referred to as “Inland Ha Long Bay ”, the area of Tam Coc and Hoa Lu is characterised by the limestone geology that gives rise to the towering karsts that make this picturesque area so unique. On this enjoyable day trip, the atmosphere is relaxed as you casually pedal and paddle your way past green rice fields, along waterways and through underground passages.

8.00 AM leave Hanoi by coach to Hoa Lu (2.5 hrs). Visit the historic capital of Viet Nam and the famous ancient temples of Le and The Dinh Dynasties. Bus transfer or cycle for an hour on picturesque quiet roads through villages, rice fields, rivers and rocky outcrops to Tam Coc (12km) for lunch. 
Boat trip to visit TamCoc to see the beauty of the karst formations as you pass along their base and row into one of the many caves carved through the limestone. Dive back to Ha Noi. Tour ends around 6pm. In the evening transfer with guide to the station to catch train to Lao Cai (4 people/cabin).

Day 4: Lao Cai – Coc Ly Market – Sapa  (B/L/-)

Train arrive early in the morning. Upon arrival you are pick-up by local tour-guide and transfer to local restaurant for early breakfast. Drive to Coc Ly Market (110 km / 2h 45m from Sapa). Coc Ly Market is a small/medium sized market held every Wednesday. Set among beautiful rolling mountains this is a colourful market full of local products and handicrafts. Here you will find Flower Hmong (Red Hmong), Phu La, Black Dao and Chinese traders engaged in business.

Enjoy spending time walking around the market taking in the sights and sounds (not to mention tastes) and perhaps engage in some business with the local people.

Boarding cruise downstream of Chay River (subject to the water level due to the hydraulic dam) with stop at Trung Do village. You could walk around to enjoy the local life before heading to Bao Nhai by boat. Simple lunch at local restaurant.

Transfer to Sapa in the after noon. Upon arrival, check-in and free time at easy.

* Option 1: Saturday: Can Cau Market

* Option 2: Sunday:Bac Ha Market

* Option 3: Wednesday: Cao Son Market

* Option 4: Thursday: Lung Khau Nhin Market

Day 5: Sapa Trekking – Lao Chai, Ta Van – Train to Hanoi (B/L/-)

Breakfast at your hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will start the great trekking day downhill to the Muong Hoa valley. To begin the most beautiful trekking route in Vietnam. You will trek on dirt path away from tourist tracks, through pine forest, terraces and Hmong villages. You will visit a school in the village and have a picnic lunch by the river. In the afternoon, you will hike through the village of Zay and end of the hike today, Driver will pick-up at Ta Van Bridge for the drive back to Lao Cai for night train to Hanoi.

Day 6: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay (B/L/D)

Morning

Your train will arrive in Hanoi at the early morning. Your driver and guide would see you at the station then take you to an restaurant for breakfast, before setting out on a 3.5 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Halong Bay. Then you would have 24 hours on a traditional style Vietnamese Junk Cruise which would set sail at noon and board your junk. Lunch with diversified fresh seafood would be served on board.

Afternoon

Aboard the cruise, you would take time to visit several highlight locations:

• 3 largest caves: Thien Cung, Dau Go, Sung Sot
• Titop beach for swimming (weather permit) or being on the deck for sunbathing
• Nearby summits where you can take short trekking to watch over the bay from the high.

Back on the junk, the stunning sunset time is on your view and a dinner awaits with cocktails available for purchase from the bar. Passing the night on your junk, the gentle rocking of calm waters will lull you to sleep.

Day 7: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi – Train to Hue (B/L/-)

Waking up early in the calming sounds of waves crashing the nearby islands, you can enjoy a morning coffee and watch the sun rise on the top deck, or you may join Tai Chi Class if you wish to. You will continue sailing around the magnificent bay and even to Bai Tu Long, where the movie “Indochine” was filmed. Sitting on the upper deck and enjoy the breath-taking beauty of the rocky islands rising from the crystal-clear water of the bay. The brunch would be served while the junk starts cruising back. Your cruise will end at noon (around 12:00 pm). Return to Hanoi and transfer to Hanoi ralways station to take overnight train to Hue (4 people/cabin).

Day 8: Hue City Tour (B/L/-)

Morning

You will arrive at 7:45 then you may spend the entire day to explore Vietnam’s former ancient capital.

Your guide and driver pick you up and transfer you to the wharf for your boat ride on the Perfume River. During the boat trip, you will stop to visit the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, a symbol of Hue – the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious worship. Then you go to visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue with the Purple Forbidden City – once the Emperor’s private residence. You will be having lunch at a local restaurant.

The Hue Citadel is situated on the Northern bank of the Perfume River. It covers an area 500 ha and has a system of three circles of ramparts: Kinh Thanh Hue (Hue Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel) and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel). The Hue royal complex has been officially recognized by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Afternoon

You may continue to visit a tomb monument of King Tu Duc which is located in a very special area. More than just a tomb visiting, it’s the great chance to learn more about Nguyen King and the landscape Overnight at your hotel.

Day 9:  Hue – Danang – Hoi An (B/L/-)

Checking out in the morning, you would depart to Hoi An. You may stop by Lang Co beach to have short break before crossing Hai Van Pass. At the height of 450 meters above sea level Hai Van pass is the high dividing line between the climate zones of north and south Vietnam.. Here you can enjoy the magnificent view of the central coast. The soft adventure drive over the 23 km long pass will add more highlights for this trip. Moving southwards passing Lang Co, there will be a lovely stretch of beach curving outwards between a clear blue lagoon and the South China Sea, and the large coastal city of Danang before arriving in Hoi An.

Visit Cham Museum at Danang: this houses probably the best collection of Cham art to be found anywhere in the world. There are more than 300 artifacts in the museum, many dating to the 4th century. There are beautiful sculptures reflecting the 1000 year Cham period.

Overnight at your hotel.

Day 10: Hoi An – My Son – Hoian city tour (B/L/-)

Breakfast at hotel. Early morning we will drive to My Son, the Holly land of Champa kingdom date back from 4th to 13th century. Arrive to My Son before it getting crowded by the other tourists, you will have great chance to discover and feel the great ancient atmosphere of the complex of nearly 70 difference towers there, where  you can find the best brick sculpture in the world. My Son also had been recognized to be culture world Heritage in 2000..

Lunch at local restaurant.

Hoi An comes to your mind as the charming historic city known to early  Western merchants, one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th century. Hoi An has a distinctive Chinese atmosphere with low, tiled-roof houses and narrow streets; the original structure of some of these streets is still virtually intact. Many of the houses were constructed of rare timbers and decorated with lacquer panels engraved with Chinese characters and pillars carved with ornamental designs.

Sightseeing in Hoi An

Hoi An is picturesque riverside town south of Danang. Known as Faifo to early western traders, it was one of Southeast Asia’s major international ports during the 17th, 18th, 19th centuries. Now this beautifully preserved historic city is best seen on foot. The walking tour includes: Japanese covered bridge, Ceramic museum, Phung Hung ancient house, Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall and Lantern Making Working Shop.

Hoi An is very well-known for Tailors so Amo Vietnam Travel would recommend the Le Loi or Yaly Tailor for your suite made (please note that we do not make any commission for the suggestion, the choice is yours).

Overnight at your hotel.

Day 11: Hoi An free time – Danang – Nha Trang (B/-/-)

Breakfast at your hotel. Free time to shopping.

At 19h45 Transfer to station in Danang to catch your train to Nha Trang (4 people/cabin)

Day 12: Nha Trang free time   (B/-/-)

You will arrive in Nha Trang at 07h37 and transfer to your hotel by taxi.

Breakfast at  your hotel.  Free time in Nha Trang. Overnight at your hotel.

Day 13: Nha Trang free time (B/-/-)

Breakfast at  your hotel.  Free time in Nha Trang. Overnight at your hotel.

Day 14: Nha Trang free time (B/-/-)

Breakfast at  your hotel.  Free time in Nha Trang. Overnight at your hotel.

Day 15: Nha Trang free time (B/-/-)

Breakfast at  your hotel.  Free time in Nha Trang. Overnight at your hotel.