Vietnam

Flight

Flight

Arrival at Noibai airport.

Welcome and transfer to Hanoi, a true museum of colonial architecture on the banks of the Red River. Capital of unified Vietnam, Hanoi has retained the old-fashioned charm of the French colonial era. The modernization of the city undertaken by the French from 1882 onwards continued until 1955 and the face of Hanoi today has not changed much. Free time to recover from jet lag and for personal discovery of the city.

Lunch in the city.

Night at the hotel.

Dinner included.

Departure for a day of visit of Hanoi: The exterior of the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, his former residence and the One Pillar Pagoda; the Ethnology Museum which presents the 54 ethnic groups living in the country through 25 0000 objects of the daily life; the Temple of Literature dedicated to Confucius; the Ngo Son Temple on the Hoan Kiem Lake.

Lunch.

Traditional show of puppets on water. In this theater famous for its water stage, hand-carved wooden dolls and colorful dragons bring local legends to life.

Dinner in town.

Around 8:30 pm, transfer to the train station, board the night train to Lao Cai (train – with guide accompaniment), overnight in air-conditioned sleeper. Departure around 9:30 pm.

Breakfast, dinner and supper included.

Morning arrival in Lao Cai around 6:30 am. Breakfast in a local restaurant.

Departure for the visit of a market of the northern ethnic groups (60 km / 1 h 30) where the Hmong, Tay and Phu La minorities come to barter. The places of exchange vary according to the days of the week: Sunday in Bac Ha, Tuesday in Coc Ly, Thursday in Lung Khau Nhin and Saturday in Cancau. Meeting with villagers in traditional costume who sell buffaloes, horses and pigs. They produce a wide variety of handicrafts.

Lunch.

Continuation to Sapa (100 km / 3 h transfer).

Dinner in town.

Night at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Early in the morning, departure for a day of sightseeing in the MuongHoa valley with beautiful views of rice terraces. Walk to Ta Van village and Lao Chai village. Departure for a hike through bamboo forests towards Giang-Tachai village where H’mong and red Dao people live together (about 3 hours of hiking, adapted to your will and your health condition. Car available for those who do not hike). Walk in the villages to meet the inhabitants.

Lunch.

Transfer back by road to Hanoi.

Dinner in the city.

Night at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Departure early in the morning to the magnificent site of Hoa Lu, also called the “Land Halong” (110 km / 2 h 30). Visit of the Bichdong pagoda with its three caves. Boarding on small traditional sampans, for a walk in the heart of rice fields and canals through three caves: Hang Chua, Hang Ghe and Hang But. Discovery of the beauty of the surrounding nature in an intimate and very preserved setting. Arrival in a typical village in the heart of the BacBo delta. Cooking class, initiation to the preparation of a local dish.

Dinner at the inhabitant’s house.

Departure for a bike ride (1 hour) in the surrounding villages.

Lunch in the city.

Night at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Early morning departure for Halong Bay (210 Km / 4 h 30), with a stop at Dong Trieu village where ceramics are produced arrived around noon. Boarding on a junk for a cruise in this magical place, through the famous karst sugar loafs and the 3000 islands and islets emerging from the emerald green water of the Gulf of Tonkin (wonder of nature classified as a natural world heritage site by UNESCO since 1994).

Seafood dinner on the waters of the “8th wonder of the world”.

Lunch on board.

Night on board in comfortable cabins with private showers.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Possibility to do Taichai early in the morning on the upper deck. Continuation of the cruise in the bay. Visit of a natural cave. Lunch on board or in a local restaurant. Disembarkation around 11:30 am.

Return by road to Hanoi (180 Km/4h).

According to flight schedule, transfer to the airport (40 km/1h). Flight to Hue (1h flight – without guide), former imperial capital of Vietnam and cultural capital classified as a Unesco World Heritage since 1993. Welcome by local guide, transfer to the city (20 km/30′).

Dinner in town.

Night at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Boat ride on the Perfume River to the Celestial Lady Pagoda whose octagonal tower is recognizable from afar. Discovery of the Imperial Citadel built from 1805 on the model of the Forbidden City of Beijing.

Dinner and tasting of Bun Bo Hue, which translates as “Hue noodles with beef”, a dish originating from the former imperial city. Visit the mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc in the middle of frangipani trees. Stop in a village specialized in the manufacture of incense sticks. Visit of the Tu Hieu pagoda, built for the eunuchs and financed by them. It is in this pagoda that the eunuchs spent the last days of their lives after leaving the imperial city.

Royal dinner. Night at the hotel.

Royal dinner:
In emperors and mandarins dresses with the musical atmosphere.
Starts with the resumption of the customs and habits of the imperial era formerly reserved for the royal family.
The King and Queen (chosen from among the participants) will be greeted and honored by mandarins and high dignitaries (composed by the other participants of the group). Each dish is elaborately decorated with mythical animals such as the Phoenix or the Dragon through carved fruits.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Departure to Danang, a mountainous region where marble is extracted, via the famous Cloud Pass, famous for its exceptional viewpoint. Visit of the Cham museum. Continuation to Joi An. Walking tour in the ancient city of Hoi An, a small town classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than 800 historical buildings in a mixture of Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese architecture.

We will note during the visit of Noi An the perfect state of conversation of a great number of houses of which the famous Tan Ky hand at the no 101 of Nguyen street. Visit of the old districts of the city: The Fujian Sanctuary. Chuc Thanh Pagoda, Phuoc Kien Communal House, old wooden houses and the Japanese Bridge.

Dinner tasting of Banh Vac, “white rose”, white rice paste stuffed with shrimps, this dish is prepared only in Hoi An.

Night at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Departure for a one hour bike ride to the villages around Hoian through the rice fields of rice vegetables… Boat ride on the Thubon river to observe the work of fishermen. Transfer to TraQue village. Cooking class, initiation to the preparation of a local dish.

Lunch and tasting of the prepared dishes. Free afternoon for personal discovery of the city.

Dinner tasting of Cao Lau, a soup of vermicelli, pork and vegetables, culinary specialty of the city.

Night at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

According to flight schedule, transfer to Danang airport (45 km / 1 h) for your flight to Ho Chi Minh (1 h flight – without guide). Renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976 after the departure of the Americans, the former capital of South Vietnam, the city has kept the name Saigon for the majority of its 4.5 million inhabitants. Welcome by local guide, transfer to the city (10 km / 30′).

Lunch. Visit of the old colonial quarters, the Central Post Office, the exterior of the Reunification Palace and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Discovery of the Chinese district of Cholon, with the Binh Tay market, the Thien Hau Temple. Discovery of the local handicraft: the manufacture of lacquer.

Dinner in town.

Night at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Departure early in the morning to Caibe (110 km / 3 h) to meet the Mekong River which after 4500 kilometers comes to swell the 9 arms that form the Delta to throw itself into the South China Sea. Boarding on a traditional boat for a cruise on the Mekong River where the yellow color of the water is due to the earth which fertilizes, all year long, the fields and the rich fruit gardens of the Delta.

Specialty lunch: Elephant Ear fish. Visit to a rice cake factory, candy factory, puffed rice factory and alcohol factory. Tasting of fruits, honey and tea on an island. Arrival at Vinhlong. Continue driving (45 km / 1 hr) to Cantho.

Dinner in town.

Night at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Early in the morning, board a boat to visit the floating market of Cai Rang. This market alone illustrates the richness and intensity of Mekong life. Discover the myriad of boats: pirogues, rowing boats and other small fishing boats overflowing with fresh fruits, vegetables, rice, sweet potatoes. Explosion of colors and atmosphere guaranteed in this high place of trade. Visit of the old colonial house Binh Thuy.

Return by road to Ho Chi Minh (200 km / 4 h).

Lunch on the way. Free time for personal discovery of the city.

Dinner cruise on the Saigon River with musical ambiance.

Night at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Transfer to the airport for the departure flight to Doha.

Arrival in Montreal