Off the beaten track

Itinerary

1. Day 01

   Arrival Hanoi (-/-/-)
   Welcome to Vietnam! Our local tourguide will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport; it takes us 35 minutes driving to the centre of Hanoi to check-in hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.  Please note! -    Hotel check-in time is around 14.00 -    Depend on your arrival time, the program will be adjusted accordingly. 
2. Day 02

   Hanoi city tour (B/L/-)
   It is your day to visit the Capital of Vietnam today. Let's start from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his simple house-on-stilts and the One-Pillar pagoda near Ba Dinh Square, where the most solumn ceremonies of Hanoi take place. Go on to the Temple of Literature, the very first high school of Vietnam Scholars.  In the afternoon, we will have an overall view of the capital by a “cyclo” visit, which will start around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, stop at Ngoc Son Temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Sword” Lake), and at Quan Thanh Taoist Temple.  Our day end by a Show of Water Puppetry, a stage art created by the Vietnamese peasants. The show last more than an hour and is a wonderful opportunity to learn about some of Vietnam’s mythology, traditions and current customs in Vietnam.  Overnight in Hanoi.  Note: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum close on Monday and Friday, all the afternoons and from Jun to Aug for annual maintainance. 
3. Day 03

   Hanoi - Mai Chau Valley (B/L/D)
   After breakfast, drive to Mai Chau, a beautiful valley inhabited by the “Thai” people in Hoa Binh province. As soon as we get out of Hanoi, the limestone mountain ranges rush up and give the scenery an imposing view. Arrive in Mai Chau late noon, have lunch in Mai Chau and hike with local tour guide to visit remote rural villages Na Meo and Na Mo to understand more about their culture and customs. This is the homeland of Thai people, one of the most civilized ethnic groups of Vietnam, which is homogenous with the Thai residing in Laos and Thailand. Though the Thai are living in several provinces, Mai Chau is the nearest place to Hanoi where you can meet their graceful, clean houses-on-stilts with small fishpools upfront, paddy fields next door and long rainforests in walking distance from villages. Dinner and overnight in Mai Chau.
4. Day 04

   Mai Chau - Pu Luong (B/L/D)
   Breakfast at your accommodation in Mai Chau. In the morning, check out and depart to Pu Luong. Along the way, you will visit Pu Luong Nature Reserve by road via a breathtaking mountain pass giving you a panoramic view of the whole valley. Lunch at your accommodation in Pu Luong, followed by free time to explore the beautiful retreat, with its captivating panoramic views and tranquil setting. In the afternoon, we have the chance to get close to village life and interact with locals living in the hills above the Retreat. Glimpse at daily life, walk around working farmland and rice fields, and get to know more about the local cultrue. Walking back the retreat for nice dinner. Overnight in Pu Luong.
5. Day 05

   Pu Luong - Hiking tour (Uoi Village and Lan Village)
   (B/L/D)Hiking/Trekking: 4 – 6 km, 2 – 2.5 hours | Cycling: 8 – 10 km, 1.5 – 2 hours | Terrain: Valley trails/village roads | Elevation gain / loss: Minimal / Descending After breakfast, we will start a common and easy walk around the most beautiful valley of rice terraces in front of the Retreat. We descend into the beautiful valley facing the Retreat where you walk around tumbling rice terraces. Then we will walk through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque Uoi village sitting at the base of a towering mountain. Your camera will not be able to sit still when you see the panorama view of the village from above. Continue walk down hill to a local home, where you can take rest then take a cycle to go cycling around Lan village. If time permits, we will visit a local family where we can learn about their traditional brocade weaving (not guaranteed). Cycling through the rice paddies and village to village, bridge to brigde to expolre more the scenic landscapes surround. You will end up at Hieu Village (the stunning village in the area), you will have a good chance to enjoy the Hieu waterfall, the sole one in the reserve. Ride back to the local home, where the car pick-up point. You will be transferred back to Puluong retreat for dinner. Overnight in Pu Luong.
6. Day 06

   Pu Luong - Ninh Binh (B/L/D)
   Early morning drive overland to Ninh Binh to visit wonderful scenery at one of the oldest capitals of Vietnam. On the way, we can stopover to enjoy the landscape on the rice fields with the harding-working farmers doing their daily work. 10,00: You will arrive to Ninh Hai village located near Tam Coc where you start your visiting and discover the beautiful of the area. From this point, we arrive will get mountain bike and start your cycling to discover the rural villages to see how of the local people live and see their culture. Out tour guide will lead you to cycling through the narrow alley and special unique countryside road where a litlle tourist know or see of the area  10.30: Our tour quide will take you to visit a local family and you will have change to see the daily life and learn about their culture after visit local family you will cycling through Tam Coc Valley where you see AMAZING landscape with beautiful Nature and all limestone mountain look amazing the area call Halong On Land  11.00: Visit Thai Vi temple where dedicated Tran dynasty, and temple was built by King Tran Thai Tong in 1258  11.30: We heading to our local restaurant for lunch 13.20 Get on the van and transfer to Tranq An harbors for the bamboo Boat trip to visit the AMAZING Landscape call Halong on land, Board the sampan boats (2 to 4 people share a boat) traditional sampan gently roweddown the exquisite river through numerous caves; Hang Toi (Dack) cave, 320 meter long, Sang (Light) cave, 90 meter long, and Hang Nau Ruou (Cooking wine) cave, 250 meter long.…. Every passages bring new surprise of mystery hidden inside isolated valleys of tranquility that likely transformed to the other world and time. The fauna and flora is rich and a scene of a goat jumping from one cliff to the other is a common sight.  15.45: Arrive at Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam in the 10th century, visit the temple of King Dinh - Le. Under the introduction of our local quide, you will get to know more about the Vietnamese history.  Overnight in Ninh Binh.
7. Day 07

   Ninh Binh - Halong Bay (B/L/D)
   After breakfast at the hotel, we will head to Halong Bay, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO since 1994 and 2006, and check-in our overnight boat. Enjoy a trip on Halong with stops to visit caves or to swim and enjoy the sunset on the sea. Dinner with fresh seafood! Overnight onboard. *The itinerary above is subject to change without prior notice and depends on weather conditions! Our guide will not escort you on board. There will be an English-speaking cruise manager who will take care of all passengers during the trip in Ha Long, accompanied by his staff.
8. Day 08

   Halong Bay - Hanoi - Flight to Hue (B/-/-)
   Situated in the “Eastern Sea”, so you may guess how miraculous it is seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. The boat will take us to go about marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent, including the Fisherman’s Head, Turtle, the Sail, the Incense Burner Rock, the cute Sea Dog Rock or Cock Fighting Rocks and so on.  Return to the Wharf at midday to be back Noi Bai airport for your onward flight to Hue.  Heading straight to your hotel in Hue later on.  Overnight in Hue.   
9. Day 09

   Hue city tour – Hoi An (B/-/-)
   Being recognized by UNESCO as the 1st Cultural World Heritage for Vietnam, Hue is highlighted by the old royal architectural works and the most traditional Vietnamese lifestyle. We will discover the charm of the city from the Royal Citadel, Forbidden City, Hue Royal Museum and Dong Ba bustling market. In the afternoon, we will depart from Hue to Hoian by the Hai Van Pass (the “Ocean Cloudy Mountain Pass”) and enjoy the beauty of Lang Co Beach before reaching Hoian.  Overnight in Hoi An.   
10. Day 10

    Hoi An – Tra Que vegetable village – Hoi An ancient town (B/L/-)
    After breakfast, we will go on to a farm of vegetables and herbs in Tra Que, a little charming village in Hoian’s suburb. In this small village, the new spirit of Hoian traditional foods like Cao Lau, Quang Noodles, Tam huu spring-rolls have been enlivened. Take a walk round the vegetable gardens and join the peasants in a sequence of planting Tra Que herbs, learn how to turn over the soil, fertilize it with weed from Tra Que local pool or harvest the vegetable and so on. After working time, the family owning the garden will teach you prepare and cook a delicious lunch with those foods typified for Central Vietnamese traditional recipes, using a lot of herbs in Tra Que.  This afternoon, it’s your time to explore Hoi An ancient town. Together with our guide in Hoian, we’ll walk over the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls, visit ancient houses and Trading Houses, pagodas and stroll into the market located by Thu Bon river, where we may find out the same feelings of the artists, who see the rooftops of Hoi An a magical old world of Oriental feel and source of inspiration. This is also a wonderful town to shop for lanterns, soft silk, raw silk, or get your clothes tailored within a day.  Overnight in Hoian.  
11. Day 11

    Hoi An - Danang departure (B/-/-)
    At your leisure until your guide comes to meet and transfer you to Da Nang airport to take the departure flight.  End of service.  Please note! -    Hotel check-out time is around 12.00.

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