Tour
Vietnam Introduction Tour
Itinerary in brief
Day 1: Hanoi - Arrival
Day 2 : Hanoi - Halong - Hanoi
Day 3 : Hanoi
Day 4: Hanoi - Hue
Day 5 : Hue - Danang - Hoi An
Day 6 : Hoi An - Danang - Saigon
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh - Departure
Detail Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi -
Arrival
Upon arrival at Hanoi Airport our guide who will
accompany you to your hotel will welcome you.
There are no activities planned for today but
your guide will be able to offer advice and
assistance as required. This evening your guide
will return to your hotel to escort you to
sample some of Hanoi's superb cuisine. Overnight
in Hanoi
Day 2 : Halong - Hanoi [B]
By vehicle from Hanoi to Halong Bay
Journey east along Highway 5 across Hai Hung
Province and around Halong Bay.
Boat trip Halong Bay (4 hours)
This four-hour boat ride explores Halong Bay,
passing the islands of Trong, Mai, Am, Chen and
Cong Troi (Heaven Gates). Stop at one of the
islands and visit of one of the following caves.
HANG DAU GO: a huge, three-chambered cave, which
is reached via 90 steps. The cave derives its
Vietnamese name from the third of the chambers,
which is said to have been used by Trang Hung
Dao during the 13th century to store bamboo
stakes used against the Mongol invaders.
BO NAU: the "Pelican" caves.
THIEN CUNG: "Heaven Palace."
By vehicle from Halong to Hanoi
Journey around Halong Bay to Hai Phong and west
along Highway 5, across Hai Hung Province.Overnight
in Hanoi.
Day 3 : Hanoi [B]
Sightseeing in 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.Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 4: Hanoi - Hue [B]
Flight from Hanoi to Hue
Sightseeing Old Imperial City
IMPERIAL CITY: located in the Citadel, it was
built in the early 19th century and modeled
after the Forbidden City in Peking. There are
numerous palaces and temples within these walls,
as well as towers, a library and a museum.
NGO MON GATE: the principal entrance to the
Imperial Enclosure, facing the Flag Tower. The
central passageway with its yellow doors was
reserved for use by the emperor, as was the
bridge across the lotus pond.
THAI HOA PALACE: built in 1803 and moved to its
present site in 1833, Thai Hoa Palace is a
spacious hall with an ornate roof of huge
timbers supported by 80 carved and lacquered
columns.
HALLS OF THE MANDARINS: these buildings, in
which the mandarins prepared for court
ceremonies held in the Can Chanh Reception Hall,
were restored in 1977.
NINE DYNASTIC URNS: these were cast in 1835-36.
Traditional ornamentation was then chiseled into
the sides of the urns, each dedicated to a
different Nguyen sovereign.
FORBIDDEN PURPLE CITY: this was reserved for the
personal use of the emperor. The only servants
allowed into the compound were eunuchs, who
would pose no threat to the royal concubines.
(Today the site is in ruins).
Visit Imperial Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
TU DUC TOMB: once the Royal Palace of Tu Duc,
who ruled Hue more than 100 years ago, this tomb
consists of pavilions in a tranquil setting of
forested hills and lakes. The tomb was
constructed between 1864 and 1867. Tu Duc, who
was the longest reigning Emperor, lived a
luxurious life.
Visit Dong Ba Market
DONG BA MARKET: a local market near the Imperial
City.Overnight in Hue.
Day 5 : Hue - Danang - Hoi An [B]
Excursion on Huong Giang River to the Thien
Mu Pagoda with boat trip
THIEN MU PAGODA: just outside of Hue, on the
bank of the Perfume River, this was a hotbed of
anti-government protest during the early 1960s.
Behind the main sanctuary of the pagoda is the
Austin motorcar which transported the monk Thich
Quang Duc to the site of his 1963
self-immolation.
By vehicle from Hue to Danang
Journey south along Highway 1 past the Hai Van
Pass and Lang Co.
HAI VAN PASS: the pass crosses over a spur of
the Truong Son Mountain Range that just into the
South China Sea. It is an incredible mountainous
stretch of highway with spectacular views.
LANG CO: a pretty, island-like stretch of
palm-shaded sand with a crystal-clear lagoon on
one side and many km of beachfront facing the
South China Sea.
Visit Cham Museum
CHAM MUSEUM: 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.
Visit Marble Mountains
MARBLE MOUNTAINS: consist of 5 stone hillocks,
once islands, made of marble. Each is said to
represent one of the five elements of the
universe. The largest and most famous, Thuy Son,
has a number of natural caves in which Buddhist
sanctuaries have been built over the centuries.
When the Champas ruled this area, these same
caves were used as Hindu shrines.
By vehicle from Danang to Hoi An
Journey south past the Marble Mountains and
small villages.Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 6 : Hoi An - Danang - Saigon [B]
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.
Transfer from Hoi An to Danang Airport
Flight from Danang to Saigon
Overnight in Saigon.
Day 7: Saigon - Departure [B]
Sightseeing in Saigon and Cholon
(Chinatown)4 hrs
Saigon is the largest of Vietnamese cities, with
the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life visible
everywhere. There are street markets, sidewalk
cafes and sleek new bars. The city churns and
bubbles. Yet within this teeming metropolis are
300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty
of an ancient culture. To the west of the city
is District 5, the huge Chinese neighborhood
called Cholon, which means 'Big Market'.
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL: built between 1877 and
1883, it is set in the heart of Saigon's
government quarter. It has a neo-Romanesque form
and two high square towers, tipped with iron
spires. In front of the cathedral is a statue of
the Virgin Mary.
CENTRAL POST OFFICE: a French-style building
with a glass canopy and iron frame, situated
next to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The structure
was built between 1886 and 1891 and is by far
the largest post office in Vietnam.
CITY HALL: completed in 1908, also known as
“Hotel de Ville”, and located at the northern
end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard. With its ornate
gingerbread facade it looks like the town hall
of a French town. (May be viewed from the
outside only).
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.
BEN THANH MARKET: the central market of Saigon,
its surrounding streets make up one of the
city's liveliest areas. Everything commonly
eaten, worn or used by the average resident of
Saigon is available here.
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.
Transfer to airport for your flight
to your home .
Post to FacebookPost to Twitter
Information
Days: | >= 5 days |
Price: | N/A |
Start from: | Hanoi |
Sender
Tour Map
Embed this map into your site
Related Places