Hi Tuan,

Thanks for the email, we are just getting over the jet lag this week!

It was nice to meet you and your wife in Hanoi. The whole trip was a great experience and everything was organised very well. All the hotels etc lived up to expectations. I think the only "glitch" we had was the pick-up from the train into Hue - somehow it arrived at 10.30am rather than the expected 8.30am. In general though we found all your guides friendly and knowledgeable.

I have just written a positive review for VivuTravel on TripAdvisor by the way :)

As a matter of interest, our next trip will probably be to South America - can you recommend any tour operators who cover that part of the world?

Regards,
Gordon

Date: Wed, 23 May 2012 20:21:32 +0100

 

ITINERARY

 

 

08 May 12: Hanoi Arrival

Meals: None

+Guide

Vietnam tops list of the most attractive destinations and tours of Vietnam are diversified. Moreover, your travel in Vietnam organised by Vivutravel, will definitely be the best holiday ever. Upon arrival, our private Vietnam Tours guide and driver will welcome your Vietnam Holiday, pick up and transfer to the hotel for check in. Hanoi, a city where the exotic chic of old Asia blends with the dynamic face of new Asia. Where the medieval and modern co-exist. A city with a blend of Parisian grace and Asian pace, an architectural museum piece evolving in harmony with its history, rather than bulldozing through like many of the region’s capitals. Hanoi is where imagination becomes reality.

Free at leisure. Overnight in a Hanoi hotel.

Accommodation: Silkpath / Deluxe

09 May 12: Hanoi City Tour

Meals: B, L

+Guide

Hanoi without a doubt a beautiful start for your Vietnam Tours. Today we enjoy a full day Hanoi city tour of this charming capital city including the mausoleum of the nation's founder Ho Chi Minh (close on Monday & Friday), the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, the impressive Ethnologic Museum, the beautiful West Lake, the Tran Vu Pagoda, the peaceful lake of the Restored Sword.

Late afternoon we take a cyclo tour for a short excursion through the bustling old quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. In the evening, we end Hanoi city tour with a fantastic traditional water puppet show.

Overnight in a Hanoi hotel.

Accommodation: Silkpath / Deluxe

10 May 12: Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc – Hanoi

Meals: B, L

+Guide

Depart your hotel this morning at 0800 for the 2-hour drive through rural northern Vietnam to the site of Vietnam's first capital, Hoa Lu. Visit to the temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh Dynasty (968-80), and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le Dynasty (980-1009). The ancient Hoa Lu Citadel (most of which has since been destroyed) once covered an area of three square kilometers.

Continue to Tam Coc through stunning limestone karst valleys surrounded by picturesque fields and villages, along the way stop where you wish to take photographs. On arrival in Tam Coc have a Vietnamese lunch. After lunch, board your private sampan for a leisurely 2.5-hour cruise. As the boat gently slices through the water, notice the enormous limestone karsts jutting out from the green rice fields. After the boat trip, climb up to Bich Dong Pagoda on nearby Ngu Nhac Mountain, dating to 1428 and comprising three structures: Ha, Trung, and Thuong Pagodas, in ascending order before returning to Hanoi by vehicle where you arrive in the late afternoon. Overnight in Hanoi.

Accommodation: Silkpath / Deluxe

11 May 12: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Hanoi

Meals: B, L, D

+Guide

08:00  Pick up at your hotel by your private car and guide and drive to Halong.

11:30  Arrive at Bai Chay/Halong pier.

12:15 Transfer by tender to the Indochina Sails boat – enjoy Welcome Drink. Receive cruise briefing and check in to cabins and begin cruise.

13:00  Lunch - deluxe Vietnamese and International Set Menu.

Massage service is available beginning after lunch and throughout the cruise.

14.30  Arrive at Titop Island. Enjoy swimming, relaxing on the beach and climbing the steps to the top of the mountain on the island for fantastic views and photo opportunities. Water and towels supplied. We will spend about 45 minutes on the island.

15.15 Transfer back to the boat and sail for approximately 45 minutes to our second destination - the Bat Cave area.

16.15 Arrive at the Bat Cave area. There are two programs to choose from at this time. One option is a 40 minute kayaking program to the nearby Bat Cave and lagoon and surrounding waters. Kayaking is $10. per person unless already booked as part of your package. Water is supplied.

The second option is to visit the largest floating fishing village in Halong Bay. We will travel to the village on the tender and tour the village for approximately 20 minutes.

18:30  Arrive at Luon Bo area - anchor for overnight.

19:00  Dinner - deluxe Vietnamese & Western Buffet or Set Menu Dinner.

20:30  Evening activities include: film entertainment in the dining room at approximately 9:15, board games and playing cards are available, join squid fishing from the boat with our crew, massage services are available. Also at this time we offer, when possible - depending on weather conditions, an excursion to a nearby squid fishing boat. We travel by tender and you will be able to board the squid boat and see how the local fishermen catch squid and other fish, the excursion lasts about 45 minutes.

21:00 – 23:00  Happy Hour! Buy one drink - get one free (wine excluded).

23.00  End of program for Day One

Junk: Indochinasails **** / Superior cabin

12 May 12: Hanoi – Train to Hue

Meals: B

+Guide

6:45  Coffee, tea and breakfast pastries served in the dining room.

7:00  Arrive at the Surprise Cave area, there is a small fishing village here. Relax onboard. You may join Tai Chi instruction on the sundeck at 7:00, duraion about 30 minutes.

8:00  Transfer by tender to the Surprise Cave. Walk up the 100 steps to the entrance of the cave and tour on foot for approximately 45 minutes.

9:00  Upon return to the boat take time to freshen up and please check-out of cabins. Please leave heavy luggage outside of the cabins (staff will transfer to the pier). Depart for Bai Chay/Halong pier.

9:30  Enjoy Breakfast Set Menu or Buffet served in the dining room. Settle bills in the dining room after breakfast.

10:00  Relax on the sundeck or in the dining room and enjoy the bay scenery as we approach the pier.

10:45  Arrive at Bai Chay/Halong pier.

11:00  Transfer by tender to the pier. Pick up and drive back to Hanoi, visit Con Son pagoda on the way. Free at leisure and at 18:00, we transfer you to the train station for the overnight train to hue.

Train: TSC Train / Private cabin

13 May 12: Hue City Tour

Meals: B, L

+Guide

Pick up from the train station and have breakfast in a local restaurant before we do the city tour of Hue. Hue is one of places, which has many cultural heritages. Up to now, there is no place like Hue remaining a lot of originally historical vestiges as in this ancient Capital City and favorite destination for all Vietnam Tours. After breakfast, our tour starts with the visit to Imperial Citadel before taking the beautiful boat trip on the romantic Perfume River and visit Hue's best-known religious site-Thien Mu Pagoda and the Mausoleum of former emperor Minh Mang in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes. Return to the hotel. Free at leisure. Overnight in a Hue hotel.

Accommodation: Saigon Morin **** / Superior

14 May 12: Hanoi – Danang – Hoi An

Meals: B, L

+Guide

After breakfast, we drive to Hoi An,  a major Asian trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries whose architecture and relaxed lifestyle has changed little over the years and for sure, Hoi An is a wonderful destination for all kinds of Vietnam Tours. This scenic drive passes through the fishing village of Lang Co before climbing over the Pass of Ocean Clouds. Along the way, stop in Danang to visit the Cham Museum which contains the finest collection of Cham sculptures in the world. Upon arrival in Hoi An, free to take walking tour of the Hoi An ancient town centre. Overnight in a Hoi An hotel.

Accommodation: Palm Garden Resort ***** / Superior Garden -view

15 May 12: Hoi An Cooking Class

Meals: B, L

+Guide

We start the day (8.15am) with a welcome drink at Hai Café

(98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An Ancient Town, Tel: 863210) – our meeting point.

Visit Hoi An’s colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and learn about all the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later.

We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy.

On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – the Red Bridge chefs first demonstrate each dish before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, we sit down and eat what we have cooked.

Bring your swimsuit and after the cooking tour has finished relax and enjoy free use of our new 20 metre swimming pool.

Overnight in a Hoi An hotel.

Accommodation: Palm Garden Resort ***** / Superior Garden -view

16 May 12: Hoi An – My Son – Hoi An

Meals: B

+Guide

After breakfast, we invite you an interesting visit to My Son Holy land, once the spiritual capital of Champa Kingdom that dominated South East Asia for nearly a thousand years and occupied most of the central parts of Vietnam from 2nd century to 16th century with very rich in history and culture. Contemplate its remarkable red brick towers and sanctuaries dating from between the 7th and 13th centuries.

Drive back to Hoi An, free to visit the former merchants' homes, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, Phuc Kien Pagoda and the colourful riverside market. Overnight in a Hoi An hotel.

Accommodation: Palm Garden Resort ***** / Superior Garden -view

17 May 12: Hoi An Free Day

Meals: B

Hoi An Ancient Town - highlight of any tour to Vietnam - is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site.

Day free to cycle through rice paddies in the countryside of Hoi An ancient town, shop for souvenirs among the antique shops and art galleries, or just sit at sidewalk cafes and soak up the atmosphere of this quaint town. Or relax on the white sandy beach of the famous Danang Beach. Overnight in Hoi An

Accommodation: Palm Garden Resort ***** / Superior Garden -view

18 May 12: Hoi An – Danang – Ho Chi Minh City

Meals: B

+Guide

After breakfast, our Vietnam tour guide and driver in Hoi An will transfer you to the airport for the morning flight with Vietnam airlines to Ho Chi Minh (VN1311M 18MAY F DADSGN HK2 1030 1140). Arrive at Tan Son Nhat airport, transfer to the hotel in Saigon, the most exciting city of Vietnam, a mecca of commerce, also a city with a chequered history and a rich culture, its pagodas, museums, public buildings, parks and boulevards make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh – Cu Chi Tunnels – Ho Chi Minh

Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh city, drive to visit Cu Chi tunneles, the incredible underground tunnel network of approximately 200 kilometres hand-constructed by Vietnamese guerillas and was the military base of the North Vietnamese Army during the US-Vietnam war. Back to Cu Chi to Ho Chi Minh.

Accommodation: Liberty Central **** / Deluxe

19 May 12: Ho Chi Minh – Can Tho (Mekong Cruise)

Meals: B, L, D

+Guide

Boarding at Can Tho at Ninh Kieu pier. Welcome drink, introduction to the ship and crew, check into the cabins. Departure downstream of the Hau river. Lunch on board while en route.

Tour near Tra On floating market.

Turning into Nicolai canal, towards the Mang Thit and Co Chien rivers. Rest on the upper deck in a scenery of rice fields, sugar cane, woods on the near banks.

By mid-afternoon, the Bassac casts anchor for a visit on shore: past the first tree line, quiet discovery of the peaceful life in the delta's countryside, of rice fields, fruit trees and the welcoming inhabitants.

Boarding back, complimentary drink as a welcome back on board. Rest on the deck or around the bar enjoying the sunset.

The crew will serve dinner while the Bassac is cruising Mang Thit river towards her anchorage point for the night.

The Bassac sets anchor for the night on river Mang Thit.

Accommodation: Bassac Cruise / Deluxe

20 May 12: Cai Be Floating Market – Ho Chi Minh and Departure

Meals: B
+Guide

06:30 Departure towards Cai Be. The passengers take their breakfast while enjoying the scenery on the banks. The Bassac crosses Co Chien river then branches into Cho Lach canal for 30 minutes through the traffic of sand and rice barges, in a scenery of fruit drying facilities and wooden ship building yards.

Arrival in Cai Be, check-out and boarding of a local boat for a tour of Cai Be floating market and handicraft.

End of services by mid-morning on shore at Cái Bè. Drive back to Ho Chi Minh airport for your departure flight.