Save amazing the moments on Vietnam trip

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Xin Chao! Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam. Hanoi, one of Asia’s most enchanting cities, full of culture, history and the engaging contradictions of a rapidly developing and deeply traditional society. You are greeted in Noi Bai airport by your guide and driver at Noi Bai International Airport for your transfer to the hotel.

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You are invited by a Hanoi family for a warm and hospitable meal. On arrival, the friendly host will give you a big welcome and introduce to their household. You'll sip some green tea and share your first insights into Vietnamese culture, customs and habits. Around the dining table, the family members will tell us more about their lives, their living quarters and even how Vietnam has changed for the last decades. Your meal includes some authentic local dishes which are popular among the locals. Here, you can eat, chat, and learn some basic Vietnamese phrases like: Xin Chao (Hello), Ngon qua (Delicious), and Cam on (Thank you)!

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After breakfast at the hotel, head out to Ba Dinh Square and start our day with The Presidential Palace (formerly Palace of the Governor-General of French Indochina), Ho Chi Minh’s house-on-stilt and nearby One Pillar Pagoda.

Following is a visit to the Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam built in the 11th century.

Next is a visit to the Museum of Ethnology, which gives an excellent overview of the country's ethnic groups, their customs and ways of life. The highlight here is the large, beautiful outdoor area featuring genuine houses and compounds as built and used by the many different ethnic groups.

You then drive to Hanoi Center, explore the lively Old Quarter of Hanoi. This bustling heart of Hanoi has been a commercial centre since King Ly Thai To built his palace there in the 11th century. Skilled craftsmen started to migrate and artisan guilds were formed on the famous "36 Streets". Previously, each street carried the name of the item produced and sold there, and many still have the same names. This is a place you must see to experience Hanoi, where you will find shopping and cultural/historical sites all wrapped into one.

Close your day by attending a wonderful performance of Water Puppet Show.

Overnight in Hanoi

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Picked up at the hotel and depart to Pu Luong to trek through field terraces, meeting friendly Black Thai Minorities, enjoy the magnificent landscapes, experience and join local activities such as bamboo raft, giant waterwheels or duck farms.  BBQ Dinner at the lodge, enjoy some local rice wine.

Overnight in Pu Luong

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After breakfast, you’ll trek through the terrace rice fields and cross the stream to visit remote rural villages of Black Thai Minorities. Explore Doi Cave (Bat cave) of Kho Muong village. Have lunch at local restaurant before getting on the bus to come back to Hanoi city.

Overnight in Hanoi

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Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Vietnam’s most spectacular natural attractions. The 3 and half hour drive passes by rice fields, buffaloes and rural villages Boarding on the boat, we cruise through thousand amazing islands and islets on beautiful emerald green waters. Many interesting activities such as kayaking, swimming, climbing Titop island are waiting... Do not forget to enjoy the sunset with a cocktail. 

Overnight on board

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Get up early to do a Tai Chi exercise on the bay and then enjoy breakfast on the boat. Continue cruising through many island and islet to explore the hidden charm of the bay. Have lunch on the boat before checking out and get on the bus to come back to Hanoi city.

After that, a quick transfer to the airport for a flight to central Vietnam. Picked up at Hue airport, transfer to hotel in Hue

Overnight in Hue

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Today is your insider day trip starting to Hue city. This ancient city is a living museum. Wander the antique beauty of a monarchic complex consisting of monuments, tombs of the Imperial City, learn about the political past of Thiên Mụ Pagoda, and experience the modern-day rebirth of a city that suffered one of the bloodiest battles in the Vietnam War.

After that, we transfer you to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An

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Let’s have a close-up and intimate exposure to both the local farming and fishing communities. Accompanied by your tour guide, you commence the day leisurely cycling along country roads witnessing local Vietnamese rural life first hand, discovering all manner of photo opportunities - coming and visiting a beautiful organic vegetable village, watering and planting vegetable, hoeing a soil with local farmer, riding a water buffalo in a rice paddy field; seeing ducks swimming along the rice farm or farmers tending their crops. The photo opportunities are endless. As well you will experience the friendliness of the local people greeting you along the way. Later you will board our Jack Tran's boat for a river cruise to meet and engage with local fishermen and enjoy a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. You will also experience paddling the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat while the waterways of coconut palm paradise. This tour provides you with a cultural window into the ways of life of both our farming and fishing communities.

Overnight in Hoi An

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Walk the ancient streets of Hoi An, lined with Chinese traders’ homes and wooden houses reincarnated as restaurants, cafés, and outlets for local artists, craftsmen and tailors. Hoi An's unique architecture is well displayed in what is arguably Vietnam's most tourist-friendly town. Explore the beautiful 16th century Japanese Bridge. A symbol of Hoi An and a testament to its fascinating history, the Japanese Bridge was probably constructed in the early 17th century, though the exact date is unknown. The bridge, also known as the Pagoda Bridge (Chua Cau), was built by Japanese craftsmen who were part of a larger community of foreign merchants active in Hoi An.

After check-out, transfer to Da Nang airport for the flight to Saigon. 

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

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Floating market, a kind of unique market is the highlight of this trip. Board on the private wooden motorized boat to go along delta banks and waterways. Upon arrival, jump onto your bike and cycle along village roads, through local hamlets and rice fields. Visit a farmer’s house to try your hand at making the local cake, which you can then enjoy with some tea. Continuing the journey, you are welcome to stop at any places which interest you and have a closer look at the local life and culture. Later, set out on a rowing boat to further explore the peaceful countryside through smaller canals. Our last stop for the day will bring you to visit two local workshops where you will learn how to make different products made from coconuts as well as the local rice wine. Return to the pier and drive back to Ho Chi Minh City in the late afternoon.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city

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Depart at 8.30AM from your hotel. Drive 70kms from Ho Chi Minh City, stopping en route to visit a rice paper making village, and you will reach Cu Chi Tunnels.

After an introductory video, viewing various mantraps, the remains of an American tank and numerous bomb craters, you will spend the next hour exploring the maze of tunnels to see how the Viet Cong survived in this underground network.

On the way back to Ho Chi Minh City you can (on request) visit Wildlife at Risk (WAR) rescue station, a wildlife hospital aiming to help stop the endangered wildlife trade in Vietnam.

In the afternoon visit the Reunification Palace, the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It witnessed the end of the Vietnam War during the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates. Today this building is a museum and sometimes a venue for official receptions. You can visit the “War Room” from where the South Vietnamese forces were controlled, and most poignantly, the room where the North Vietnamese army took official control in 1975.

The nearby Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883, most materials for Saigon's Notre Dame Cathedral were imported from France. Neo-Romanesque in form, it is a major centre of Catholicism in modern Vietnam, and one of the city’s major landmarks.

Next to the cathedral stands the Saigon Post Office, a classic French colonial structure, is still a functioning post office today and features huge ceilings, a giant portrait of Uncle Ho, and many beautiful details.

The final visit of the day is to Ben Thanh Market –a symbol of the city, stands in the centre of District 1. packed to the rafters with everything from fruits to nuts, from tourist kitsch to true bargains, it is a definite must-see.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city

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This morning is free at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City and does some last minute shopping before flying back home or on to your next destination.

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