Hanoi

Itinerary in brief
Day 1:  Hanoi - Arr
Day 2 : Hanoi  
Day 3 : Hanoi - Danang - Hoi An
Day 4:  Hoi An - Danang - Saigon 
Day 5 : Saigon - Cu Chi Tunnel
Day 6 : Saigon  
Day 7:Saigon - Mekong Detail 
Day 8: Saigon - Departure

Detail Itinerary

Day 1:  Hanoi - Arrival
Upon arrival at Noi Bai Airport our guide will accompany you to your hotel and assist you with your checking-in. Whilst there are no activities planned for today, your guide will be on hand to offer any advice and assistance regarding your free time. This evening, your guide will take you out to dinner at one of Hanoi's superb restaurants.Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2 : Hanoi [B]
Sightseeing Hanoi (full day)
Hanoi, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and public parks, is the capital of Vietnam. It is a very attractive city with French style buildings and less traffic than other cities in Asia.
ONE PILLAR PAGODA: built by the Emperor Ly Thai Tong, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. Constructed of wood on a single stone pillar, it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom.
TEMPLE OF LITERATURE: founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, who dedicated it to Confucius in order to honor scholars and men of literary accomplishment.
HOAN KIEM LAKE: right in the heart of Hanoi, this lake contains an islet with the tiny Tortoise Pagoda, topped with a red star.
HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM: in the tradition of Lenin and Stalin before him and Mao after him, the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh is a glass sarcophagus set deep in the bowels of a monumental edifice that has become a site of pilgrimage. (Closed Mondays and Fridays).
OPERA HOUSE: a magnificent 900-seat opera house built in 1911. (May be viewed from the outside only).
ST JOSEPH CATHEDRAL: a neo-Gothic cathedral finished in 1886, it is noteworthy for its square towers, elaborate altar and stained-glass windows.
BAO TANG LICH: once the museum of the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, is a building constructed of reinforced concrete completed in 1930. Exhibits include artefacts from Vietnam's turbulent history including some from prehistory, proto-Vietnamese civilisations, the Dong Son culture, the Oc-Eo culture and the Khmer Kingdoms. (Closed on Monday's)
Visit Old Quarters by cyclo
OLD QUARTERS: they have well over a thousand years of history and remain one of Vietnam's most lively and unusual places, where one can buy anything from a gravestone to silk pyjamas. Exploring the maze of back streets is fascinating and there are endless things to buy - wool clothes, cosmetics, gold and silver jewellery, silk clothes and herbal medicines.Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3 : Hanoi - Danang - Hoi An [B]
Flight from Hanoi to Danang
By vehicle from Danang to Hoi An
Journey south past the Marble Mountains and small villages.
Sightseeing Hoi An
Hoi An is a picturesque riverside town south of Danang. Known as Faifo to early western traders, it was one of South East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. It is best to see some of the following sites of Hoi An by walking around.
QUAN CONG TEMPLE: founded in 1653, this Chinese temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, whose partially gilded statue is in the central altar at the back of the sanctuary. Stone plaques on the walls list contributors to the construction and repair of the temple.
PHUOC KIEN PAGODA: Chinese pagoda built around 1690 and then restored and enlarged in 1900. It is typical of the Chinese 'clans' that were established in the Hoi An area. The temple is dedicated to Thien Hau Thanh Mau (Goddess of the Sea and Protector of Sailors and Fishermen).
JAPANESE COVERED BRIDGE: the first bridge on this site was constructed in 1593 by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link the town with the Chinese quarters across the stream. The bridge was provided with a roof so it could be used as a shelter from rain and sun.
TRAN FAMILY CHAPEL: this house for worshipping ancestors was built about 200 years ago with donations from family members. The Tran family traces its origins to China and moved to Vietnam around 1700. The architecture of the building reflects the influence of Chinese and Japanese styles.
SA HUYNH MUSEUM: located near the Japanese Covered Bridge, it contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history.
PHUNG HUNG HOUSE: the same family has been living here for eight generations. The house is a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese styles.
QUANG DONG PAGODA: this pagoda was open to all Chinese traders or seamen and is dedicated to Thien Hau – it’s a small Chinese style temple with a lintel gate, a rockery courtyard and lucky animals depicted in statuary.Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 4:  Hoi An - Danang - Saigon [B]
Excursion to My Son
Journey southwest of Hoi An to Vietnam's most important Cham site and one of the most stunning sights in the Hoi An area.
MY SON: considered to be Champa's counterpart to Angkor and Bagan, the great cities of South East Asia's other Indian-influenced civilizations. The monuments are set in a verdant valley surrounded by hills and overlooked by massive Cat's Tooth Mountain.
TRA KIEU: formerly known as Simhapura, it was the first capital city of Champa, serving in that capacity from the 4th through to the 8th century. A large number of artifacts, including some of the finest carvings in the Cham Museum in Danang, were found here.
Transfer from Hoi An to Danang Airport
Flight from Danang to Saigon.Overnight in Saigon.

Day 5 : Saigon [B]
Excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels
CU CHI TUNNELS: Cu Chi was an important base during the American War, because of its strategic location. The Vietcong built a 200km long network of tunnels connecting command posts, hospitals, shelter and weapon factories. Dug out of hard laterite by hand tools without the use of cement, this amazing network was never discovered.Overnight in Saigon.

Day 6 : Saigon [B]
Sightseeing Cholon (Chinatown) by cyclo
CHOLON: this is the huge Chinese neighborhood to the west of the city in District 5. Cholon means 'Big Market', a good indication of the importance the Chinese have traditionally played in Vietnam's economy.
BINH TAY MARKET: Cholon's main marketplace, much of the business conducted here is wholesale.
THIEN HAU PAGODA: built by the Cantonese congregation in the early 19th century. The pagoda is one of the most active in Cholon and is dedicated to Thien Hau. It is said that she can travel over the oceans on a mat and ride the clouds to wherever she pleases.
Visit Reunification Palace
REUNIFICATION PALACE: the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president, it was stormed by tanks on 30 April 1975, signifying the fall of South Vietnam. It has been preserved in its original state.
Visit Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
VINH NGHIEM PAGODA: inaugurated in 1971, it is noteworthy for its vast sanctuary and eight story tower, each level of which contains a statue of the Buddha. It was built with help from the Japan-Vietnamese Friendship Association, which explains the presence of Japanese elements in its architecture.
Visit War Remnants Museum
WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM: collections of weapons and photographs from two Indochina wars are exhibited along with the original French 'Guillotine' brought here in the early 20th century.
Cooking class at the Cooking Class Center
* 5 hours course with 5 recipes taught by the professional chef. 1.Vietnamese sping rolls cha gio 2.Pork in the cacamel thit kho tieu 3.steamed rice in coconut juice Com hap nuoc dua 4.Sour clam soup with dill Canh ngheu thi la 5.Green papaya salad Goi du du
* A professional MC will entertain the guest by explaining the teachings of our chef and talk about the history and culture Vietnamese Cuisine. (For German guests an interpreter will be needed)
* One welcome drink
* Manual
* Souvenir gift from our Cookery Center
* Certificate of participation.
* Location: 96 Cao Thang - District 3 HCMC * Schedule:
- 9:00 -10:00 welcome drink and Vietnamese Cookery Art Presentation
- 10:00 -11:00 vietanmese spring rolls & green papaya salad pause to taste the creation
- 11:30 -13:00 steamed rice, pork in clay pot & sour clam soup taste the creation and finish by Bananas in coconut milk (not be teached)
Saigon Cruise Boat - Dinner.Overnight in Saigon.

Day 7:Saigon [B]
Excursion to My Tho with boat trip on the Mekong
MY THO: capital of Tien Giang Province. The economy is based on fishing and the cultivation of rice, coconuts, bananas, mangoes, longans and citrus fruit.
MEKONG DELTA: this is the southernmost region of Vietnam, formed by sediment deposited by the Mekong River. Silt deposits extend the delta shoreline at the mouth of the river by as much as 79m per year. The area is known as Vietnam's 'bread basket' and produces the rice which feeds the entire country. Visit one or two of the islands with traditional handcrafts, bee farms and coconut candy production.
DRAGON ISLAND: the island has many longan orchards which can be visited and the lush, palm fringed shores of the island are lined with wooden fishing boats.
PHOENIX ISLAND: until his imprisonment and the consequent dispersion of his flock, the coconut Monk (Ong Dao Dua) led a small community on this island.
VINH TRANG PAGODA: a beautiful and well maintained sanctuary, this is the oldest pagoda in the delta. The charitable monks here provide a home to orphans, disabled and other needy children.Overnight in Saigon.

 Day 8: Saigon - Departure [B]
today we have free time until transfer to airport for your flight to your home