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Itinerary:
Day 1 Canada- Hong Kong
You begin your adventure. Depart Vancouver or from your hometown to Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific Airways. En-route you will cross the International Dateline.
Day 2 Hong Kong - Saigon
Arrive in Hong Kong International Airport, you will take an immediate connection to Saigon Upon arrival, transfer to hotel.
Hotel: Chancery Hotel or similar
Day 3 Saigon
Today, you will take a sightseeing in Saigon. Begin your tour of this exciting city with a tour of the historic center, strolling along Dong Khoi Street, formerly known as the Rue Catinat, the main shopping thoroughfare and heart of old colonial Saigon. Pass by classic European-style landmarks such as the ornate City Hall, the old Opera House, and pay a quick visit to the neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office. Afterwards dive into modern history with a tour of the Reunification Palace. Continue to the harrowing War Remnants Museum, which comprehensively documents the travails of the long Vietnam-American War. In the afternoon, head out to Cholon, stopping to visit two of Saigon’s most interesting pagodas, the Jade Emperor Pagoda and Giac Lam Pagoda, the oldest in the city. Next, take a brief visit to Binh Tay Market, the vast wholesale market selling every kind of good from dried foods to T-shirts to electronics. Continue to Thien Hau Pagoda, built by the Cantonese congregation and dedicated to the heavenly goddess. End your tour at the central Ben Thanh Market, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts, appealing to every taste. (B)
Day 4 Saigon
Today, you will be transferred to My Tho, a bustling town in the rich agricultural region of the Mekong Delta and visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, a beautiful temple and a sanctuary for orphans and other needy children. Afterwards board a local boat to explore the Mekong River Islands, stopping at a fruit orchard to enjoy fruit and tea while listening to local music. The trip also excludes a brief sampan ride through the tiny waterways that thread the island. (B)
Day 5 Saigon - Danang
Fly from Saigon to Danang and visit the Cham Museum, an elegant colonial building which now houses the finest collection of Cham sculpture in the world and briefly pass China Beach, a famous spot for American soldiers during the Vietnam-American War. Continue south to Hoi An, stopping en routing to visit the Marble Mountains, five stone hillocks, once islands, that now rise sharply from the surrounding rice fields. (B)
Hotel: Royal Danang Hotel or similar
Day 6 Danang - Hoi An
After breakfast, transfer to Hoi An. Upon arrival, sightseeing in Hoi An. Wander through the cobbled streets, past two tile-roofed buildings, the bustling central Market and the small Harbour where colorfully painted boats are moored. The walking tour will include visits to a Private House, where members of the same family have lived continuously for centuries in a traditional setting; to one of the Family Chapels built by prominent merchant or official families as centers for ancestor worship; and to a typical Chinese-style Pagoda or Assembly Hall. Finally, continue to the famous Japanese Covered Bridge, fist constructed in 1593 by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link the town with the Chinese quarters across the stream. In the afternoon, board a local boat and cruise down the Thu Bon River, enjoying the unspoiled countryside and stopping to visit a Pottery Village and a Woodcarving Village before returning to Hoi An harbour. (B)
Day 7 Hoi An - My Son - Hoi An
You will take a full-day excursion to My Son, the former religious center of the Champa Kingdom, a sophisticated civilization which held sway over the region from the 4th to the 13th centuries. Today, all that are left are five archaeological sites from different periods, in a beautifully green setting of hills and winding streams. After a brief visit to the Visitor’s center for an overview of Cham history and culture, visit each ruin in turn, walking along forested paths. (B)
Day 8 Hoi An - Hue
After breakfast, continue your journey to Hue. En route you will pass the Hai Van Pass and Lang Co. Upon arrival in Hue, visit the Imperial City, Ngo Mon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Halls of the Mandarins, Nine Dynastic Urns and Forbidden Purple City. Your tour ends with a visit to the Dong Ba Market, a local market near the Imperial City. (B)
Hotel: Hue Heritage or similar
Day 9 Hue
Today, you will visit the Thien Mu Pagoda and Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang with boat trip. Next, visit the Imperial Tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. (B)
Day 10 Hue - Hanoi
This morning, you will be transferred to airport and fly to Hanoi. Upon arrival, visit the Hoan Kiem Lake, located in heart of Hanoi, which contains an islet with the tiny Tortoise Pagoda. From there, begin exploring the Old Quarter. Afterwards, visit the Museum of Ethnology, which brings to life the astonishing ethnic diversity in Vietnam, with artifacts from the 54 different ethnic groups that inhabit the country. This evening, enjoy a Water Puppet Show, a fantastic art from originating in northern Vietnam, best seen in Hanoi. (B)
Hotel: Green Park Hotel or similar
Day 11 Hanoi - Halong
This morning, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh is glass sarcophagus set deep in the bowels of a monumental edifice that has become a site of pilgrimage. Continue your journey to Halong Bay and take an excursion by boat through Halong Bay. (B)
Hotel: Halong Pearl Hotel or similar
Day 12 Halong - Hanoi
From Halong, travel to Hai Phong, Vietnam’s third most populous city, the main industrial center of the north and one of the country’s most important seaports. Take a couple of hours to stop at some of the town’s highlights, including the Du Hang Pagoda and Dinh Hang Kenh. Continue onwards to Hanoi. (B)
Hotel: Green Park Hotel or similar
Day 13 Hanoi - Hong Kong - Canada
Bid farewell to Hanoi and depart for your home. It is the same afternoon when you arrive home as you will re-cross the International Dateline. (B)
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