Add $650 for air fare from: Sydney, Melbourne

Day 01 Hanoi arrival

Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport, you are warmly welcome by our guide who then escorts you to your hotel. After short check in procedures.

Day 02 Ha Noi city tour – Night train to Sapa (B/L)

8:00 Start full day Hanoi city tour: Visit to HCM complex including Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (closed on Mondays and Fridays mornings), Presidential palace – a beautiful original colonial building, HCM’s house on stilts, One pillar pagoda; the Temple of Literature which has been known as the first university of the country; Ethnology Museum – an informative museum about Vietnam cultural diversity; “Hanoi Hilton” prison – where the US airmen were kept during 1964-1973; a Complex of The Hoan Kiem Lake. One hour cyclo ride around the Hanoi Old Quarter to observe daily life of and enjoy shopping. Water puppet show to end the day. Take night train to Sapa.

Day 03 Sunday/Saturday/ Tuesday market days – Sapa (B/L)

Arrival at the station around 6:00 – breakfast prior to transfer to a local colorful market.

Unlike markets in the busy cities, Hill tribes markets are of special functions. The colorful hill tribes converge here not for exchanging produces, goods only, but also for meeting with their relatives, the former lovers (by the married) or looking for life partners (by the young). Besides, eating and drinking are indispensable activities of the markets.

Transfer to Sapa for hotel check in. Free at leisure. O/n in Sapa.

Day 04 Sa Pa – Ha Noi (B/D)

Free morning for interacting with the locals gathering at the town market.

After check-out, you will be transferred to the vicinity of Sapa to Muong Hoa valley where black H’mong, Red DZao, Zay live. 4 km easy trek is good chance to have close-up view of daily lifestyle of the local tribes in two villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van. Back to Sapa with stop on route for visiting and interacting with smart Red Dzao who possess incredibly good command of spoken English before proceeding Lao Cai for night train back to HN.

Day 05 Ha Noi – Ha Long (B/L/d)

05:30 Upon arrival in Hanoi in the early morning, Breakfast in the local restaurant. We then travel overland to Ha Long bay for 2 days package overnight on board. 12:00 embark the cruise boat.

Ha Long bay is definitely an outstanding natural beauty which has been been well known not only in Vietnam but worldwide also. The rock formations are wonderful with variously shaped islets which many of them contain fabulous caves full of colorful stalagtites and stalagmites. The caves, floating villages, beaches are really indispensable to a complete trip. Your trip will commence with an extravagant welcome seafood lunch while the boat is navigating around the magnificent islets reflecting in emerald water to reach a floating village where the locals live on fishing offshore or raising fishes in cages.  Especially, the cruise boat would take you to the best cave in Ha Long bay, Sung Sot or Surprising cave before a short walk on a beach from which you can do a moderate exercise by taking four hundred steps to reach island’s top for panoramic view of the bay. Dinner and Overnight on board. ( Note: Different cruise ships offer different itineraries)

Day 06 Ha Long – Ha Noi – Hoi An (B)

Keep cruising around the bay for further discovering of the fantastic natural beauty. Brunch is served around 9 O’clock. 11:00 disembark the cruise ship with check out procedures including settling your bills.

Drive back to Hanoi for catching night flight to DADANG. Upon arrival, met and transferred to hotel in HOI AN for check in. O/n in Hoi An.

Day 07 Hoi An (B)

The ancient architecture of Hoian is a fascinating combination of Vietnamese with Chinese and Japanese influences. There is plenty to see in this delightful town, including the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, Pottery Museum, Chua Ong Pagoda and the vibrant market. Today we include these sights on a walking tour past many low tiled houses scattered along the small streets and assembly halls, which reflect the town’s multi-cultural past.

Day 08 Hoi An – SGN + city tour (B)

Free at leisure till transfer back to airport for flight to da NANG. O/n in SGN.

Day 09 Sai Gon – Me Kong (B/L)

Take a full day trip to the watery world of the Mekong Delta  – Vinh Long province. Boat trip to visit Cai Be floating market(the unique picture of Mekong Delta: activities of selling & buying on Mekong Rivers)

Stop at cottage industry village: See how to make Pop rice, Coconut candy, Rice paper and also see local activities. Travel on natural canals to An Binh island.

Visit the bonsai garden, taste tropical fruits, try Mekong rice wine, have photos taken with pet python.Bike on narrow paths of the villages. Have lunch at the orchard. Relax in the hammocks under the shade of longan trees. Take a rowing boat on the natural canals. Visit potteries & brick kilns. Finish the boat trip! Back to Ho Chi Minh city. O/n in SGN.

Day 10 Sai Gon – Cu Chi – Sgon (B/L/d)

After breakfast, Leave SGN for Cu Chi tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels are located approximately 30 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City in Cu Chi district. This district is known nationwide as the base where the Vietnamese mounted their operations of the Tet Offensive in 1968.
The Cu Chi Tunnels consist of more than 200 km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The tunnels are between 0.5 to 1 m wide, just enough space for a person to walk along by bending or dragging. However, parts of the tunnels have been modified to accommodate visitors. Back to SGN for lunch.

13:30 City tour including: War museum which primarily contains exhibits relating to the American phase of the Vietnam War, and is a major tourist attraction, Reunification Palace which was the workplace of the President of South Vietnam & was then known as Independence Palace. Visit Notre Dame Cathedral, the spiritual and cultural crucible of the French presence in the Orient & the General Post Office, the ancient & with French colonial architecture style. Dinner on cruise ship.

Day 11 Sai Gon – PHN (B,D)

AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Take tourist bus (7:00AM – 13:00PM)

PM: On arrival, you would be met and be transferred to visiting:  The private quarters of the Royal Palace are now home to the royal family and are therefore very close to the public. At the northern area of the palace grounds is Silver Pagoda, the most sacred shrine in the country; the legendary temple of Wat Phnom, which provides an interesting view over the environs. Visit Killing field. O/n in PHN.

Day 12 Phom Penh – Siem Reap (B,D)

Morning transfer to bus station for departure to Siem Reap (0800:13:00). Upon arrival at bus station you are met and transfer to your hotel. Visit famous temple: Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is a World Heritage Site since 1992, famous for its beauty and splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology. After that, visit Bakheng Temple, and enjoy a romantic sun set view form Bakheng hill. O/n in Siem Reap.

Day 13 Siem Reap (B,L)

AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Drive out of city to Angkor Thom to discover the impressive Angkor Thom: South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphoun, Terrace of Elephants, terrace of Leper King and Phimean Akas Temple. We go to local restaurant for lunch.

PM: You also visit Angkor Ruin: Thommanon, Chao Say Tevoda, Takeo, Banteay Kdey, Sras Srong and we continue to visit the fabulous Ta Prohm embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers. O/n in Siem Reap.

Day 14 Siem Reap departure (B)

Free at leisure till transfer back to airport for flight home.
This are fully conducted tours from Australia when there is minimum 10pax.
Tour dates; 11May2011, 12Jun2011, 12Jul2011, 14AUG2011, 15Sep2011, 10Oct2011, 10Nov2011

Booking Form and Conditions
info@orbisexpress.com.au