13-Day Vietnam Wonders with Sapa: Walking in Idyllic Surroundings
This trip is a perfect combination of Vietnam's highlights. You can hike along the mountainous rice terraces in Sapa, encounter ethnic tribes and hang around local markets to observe the colorful minority culture and daily activities, shuttle through the streets in Ho Chi Minh City on a traditional rickshaw, and have a foodie experience with your local guide.
Day
13
Price
from US$2,307 P/P
Best For
Adventurers
Best Time
Nov. to Apr.
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Vietnam & UAE FANTASTIC tour! Thank you Albee Ning!
Albee was INCREDIBLE. She arranged a 9-day private tour of both North and South Vietnam. No stone was left unturned: a private cruise up the Mekong; excellent hotel reservations; personal, caring tour guides; More
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We traveled with Asia Highlights…
My husband and I had an absolutely wonderful 5 1/2 week trip that was organized by the exceptional Ruby Zhao. We have traveled a lot and Ruby is the VERY BEST AGENT we have ever had! More
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We were.very satisfied with Asia…Four Great Weeks in China and Viet Nam
Asia Highlights was very efficient at advising us on what to see and the best routes to take, but they were also very flexible in integrating our own ideas in regard of travel destinations and accommodations. More
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Tour Highlights
Itinerary Details
This itinerary is just a suggestion for you to start to plan your vacation. We specialize in designing private customer-oriented tours so just let us know your interests and expectations, and we will be happy to create a tour that satisfies your preferences.
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by your private tour guide who will be holding a sign with your name on it. Then you will be transferred to your hotel. Your guide will assist you with the check-in procedure and leave you free to have a rest — adjust to the jet lag on your first day.
Ho Chi Minh City is also known as Saigon, a name that sounds very sentimental. After breakfast in the morning, take a relaxing walk from your hotel to the downtown area. Stretch out against the warm breeze, listening to Vietnamese along the way and the roar of motorcycles, and sniffing the rich coffee fragrance — everything is so real and romantic. Saigon Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, and Reunification Palace are not to be missed when sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh City.
The War Remnants Museum is highly recommended for history lovers and is an educational tour experience. This was the former site of the United States Intelligence Agency. The main entrance of the museum looks very simple and there are no magnificent buildings but it records a very heavy page in Vietnam's modern national history — the Vietnam War. The museum mainly displays pictures and, in the small yard, it also displays some heavy weapons and equipment used by the US military in the Vietnam War, such as vehicles and the wreckage of aircraft as well as artillery and bombs. Kindly note you will probably visit this museum without being accompanied by your tour guide because this sad history is a painful memory that many Vietnamese cannot erase.
After the museum, take a rickshaw tour to slowly appreciate the charm of the city.
A simple lunch is included. Afterward, you will be escorted to Can Tho. Have a good rest during this 4-hour car ride.
Be an early-bird and arrive at the bustling Cai Rang Floating Market by 7am. It is the most popular floating market in Vietnam where vendors and buyers trade fresh fruits, vegetables, and most of the agricultural goods from their farms.
Later, take a private boat ride through a narrow tree-lined canal to a small picturesque island with many fruit orchards. Cycle around the villages on the island and you will spontaneously give way to the local lifestyle in this beautiful countryside.
After lunch, head to the airport in Ho Chi Minh City via a private car for the flight to Da Nang. Your guide will meet you at the airport in Da Nang and escort you to Hoi An, which is 40 minutes away by car.
After breakfast, you will have a leisurely walking tour in Hoi An Ancient Town. The value of Hoi An's heritage lies in the many well-preserved ancient buildings and streets, which reflect the organic combination of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese cultures and architectural styles. They have not been damaged by war, nor have they been demolished for the construction of high-rise buildings. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Fujian Assembly Hall, and the Old House of Tan Ky. These are must-see heritage sites in Hoi An Ancient Town.
Lunch is included at a local restaurant.
Many travelers are impressed when this elegant old city is lit up by colorful lanterns at night. Like many other traditions, the skill of handmade lanterns has been continued. In the afternoon, you will have the chance to learn how to make a lantern in a workshop. The workshop is run by the Lifestart Foundation Workshop, a non-profit organization that inspires locals to create items and to improve their lives.
Enjoy your free time in the morning.
You will be escorted to Hue at about 2pm and, during this 2-hour journey, you will stop at the picturesque Hai Van Pass. This spot has been ranked as one of the 50 must-see places in life by National Geographic.
You will arrive in Hue at about 5pm and the rest of the day will be your own.
After breakfast, explore the best of Hue by visiting Dong Ba Market, the Imperial City, and the Royal Palace.
Take a scooter ride to Tam Giang Lagoon and enjoy the beautiful view of people fishing during sunset at this charming lake.
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport in Hue for a 50-minute flight to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.
Upon arrival, visit the highlights of Hanoi: the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and Hoa Lo Prison.
In the afternoon, head to the famous Old Quarter to have an interesting local food hunting experience. Your tour guide, who's passionate about food, will help you to discover the exotic flavors that are only known by fellow local food lovers. Try recommendations, such as egg coffee or fresh fruit served in a cup with crushed ice and condensed milk. Your guide will carefully choose clean stalls for this foodie experience.
After the food tour, you will be transferred to the train station to catch the overnight train that departs at about 22:00. This train ride takes about 10 hours. Enjoy a good rest on the train.
You will arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning.
After a simple breakfast, navigate the busy morning market with your tour guide. It is a lot of fun to see what the locals sell and how they do business.
You will be escorted from Hanoi to Sapa, which takes about 2 hours by car.
Have a simple lunch in Sapa, transfer to your hotel, and the rest of the day will be free to spend at your leisure.
Sapa is known as a secret fairyland in Northern Vietnam, and Vietnam's highest peak (3,143 meters above sea level) is located in Sapa.
Get up early to take a 13-kilometer trek across the beautiful Muong Hoa Valley. Go through beautiful rice terraces, Cat Cat Village, Y Linh Ho, and continue to Lao Cai. During this in-depth trekking journey, you will be amazed to see villages of different minority groups and that the scenery changes with every step. Go at your own pace on this long trek and you will be rewarded with unforgettably stunning views.
Stay overnight at a local villager's house.
Enjoy a homemade breakfast with your host family.
Start a new trek, going through different villages uphill and downhill from Lao Cai to Giang Ta Chai Village where the Red Dao ethnic group live. The traditional dress of the Red Dao women is characterized by colorful embroidery and coins, and they wear red scarves.
After a simple lunch at Giang Ta Chai Village, continue the trek for another 14 kilometers downhill to Hua Thao, then go back to Sapa via a private transfer.
Have some rest and freshen up at your hotel, then you will be transferred to catch the overnight sleeper train back to Hanoi.
After arriving in Hanoi in the morning, have a nice breakfast in the hotel and then take the shuttle car to the port for your cruise in Halong Bay.
Halong Bay is about 160 kilometers away from Hanoi and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are hundreds of thousands of islands with karst hills in various fantastic shapes along the seafront, which is a picturesque sight. You will have the chance to stop by some fishing villages and small islets during the journey.
Enjoy a beautiful night on the cruise ship in a quiet port.
Have a leisurely breakfast and disembark the cruise ship at about 11am.
You will go back to Hanoi via a private transfer. Your guide will assist you to check in at the hotel and will leave you free for the rest of the day.
In the morning after breakfast, you will be transferred to Hanoi for your departure flight home. We hope you have had a wonderful time with us!
Price Includes
Price from: $2,307 (Tour code: gh-ah-2)
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