DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN HANOI (D)

Upon arrival in Hanoi, meet our guide at the airport, then go to check in a hotel, enjoy a wonderful rickshaw ride in the Old Quarter of Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi

DAY 2: HANOI (B-L-D)

Full day city tour Hanoi: visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Ethnology Museum, the Temple of Literature, the Fine Art museum, walk in the charming and interesting Old Quarter, enjoy the unique water puppet show.

Overnight in Hanoi

DAY 3: HANOI – HALONG BAY (B-L-D)

Morning check-out the hotel, go to Halong Bay, explore some hills of Pinus Latteri on the way. Upon arrival in Halong, check-in a junk and start cruising around the beautiful bay. Enjoy delicious seafood meals, magnificent grottos, water activities of swimming, kayaking, fishing, etc.

Overnight aboard in Halong Bay

DAY 4: HALONG BAY – HANOI – NIGHT TRAIN TO LAO CAI (B-L-D)

Morning continue the beautiful boat trip on the Bay. Enjoy a great seafood lunch on the boat

Afternoon: Drive back to Hanoi, have dinner before get on the night train to go to Lao Cai

Overnight on train

DAY 5: LAO CAI – SAPA (B-L-D)

Early morning arrival at the railway station, transfer to Sapa, check in a hotel and rest till lunch.

Afternoon walk to visit the Cat Cat waterfall and village of the Black H’mong group. Have a look at the local Cunninghamia lasiolata on the way.

Overnight in Sapa

DAY 6: SAPA (B-L-D)

Full day  trekking to villages: Y Lin Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van. Have picnic lunch at the village.

Transfer back to Sapa by car

Overnight in Sapa

DAY 7: SAPA – LAO CAI – HANOI (B-L-D)

Morning visit a conifer nursery and botanical museum in Sapa.  Check-out and lunch before transfer back to Lao Cai, stop to visit Ta Phin village of the Red Dao group on the way – more exploration of conifer trees: Cunninghamia lasiolata, Fokienia hodginsii at the village

Have dinner in Lao Cai before boarding the night train back to Hanoi

Overnight on the train

DAY 8: HANOI –  DALAT (B-L-D)

Early morning arrival at the railway station. Transfer to Hoan Kiem Lake to observe the local people doing tai chi and exercises. Then go to a restaurant for breakfast. After that, transfer directly to the airport for flight to Dalat. Upon arrival at the Lien Khuong airport,

Check in a hotel and relax

Overnight in Hue

DAY 9: DALAT (B-L-D)

Full day exploring the conifer trees with a local Vietnamese expert: Pinus kesiya, Pinus latteri, Pinus dalatensis, Cunninghamia lasiolata, Keteleeria evelyniana, Pinus krempfii, Dacrycarpus imbricatus, Dacrydium elatum, Nageia wallichiana, Podocarpus neriifolius, Cephalotaxus mannii, Taxus wallichiana

Overnight in Dalat

DAY 10: DALAT (B-L-D)

Morning visit the peaceful Golden Valley and a conifer nursery in Dalat. Then visit Dalat market

Afternoon Tuyen Lam Meditation Hall, the Summer Palace of King Bao Dai, the Long Phuoc Pagoda and explore more conifer trees at these places

Overnight in Dalat

DAY 11: DALAT – HCMC (B-L-D)

Morning check-out the hotel, transfer to HCMC with a visit at the Pongour Waterfall

Arrival in HCMC, check in the hotel and rest till dinner at a local restaurant

Overnight in HCMC

DAY 12: HCMC (B-L-D)

Full day city tour HCMC: China town, Thien Hau temple, the Reunification Palace, the War Museum, Notre Dam Cathedral, Central Post office, the Ben Thanh Market, a lacquer ware factory etc.

Overnight in HCMC

DAY 13: HCMC – CU CHI TUNNELS – CAO DAI TEMPLE (B-L-D)

Full day excursion to the Cao Dai Holy See, an intricate construction and interesting religion that mixes 5 other religions together: Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Catholicism, and Islam.

In the afternoon, visit the Cu Chi tunnels, one of the most violent battlefields in the Vietnam War. You will learn about Vietnamese characteristics and history.

Overnight in HCMC

DAY 14: HCMC – MY THO – HCMC (B-L-D)

Morning transfer to My Tho city located on the Mekong riverside, visit the colourful Vinh Trang Pagoda, then take a wonderful boat ride on the Upper Branch of the Mekong River, visiting local houses and workshops of making coconut candies, fruit gardens, boating through small canals. Have a lovely lunch with the Vietnamese Southern style in a garden.

Drive back to HCMC for relaxation.

Dinner and Overnight in HCMC

DAY 15: DEPARTURE FOR HOME SWEET HOME (B)

Free time for shopping or relaxation till departure time

End of service

Inclusions:

-         Accommodation at the hotels as indicated, in superior twin sharing rooms, including breakfast, service charge, and taxes.

-         All meals as indicated (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)

-         Private modern A/C van, bus, boat trips, trishaw ride

-         Entrance fees for sightseeing and show

-         1 domestic flight, return train tickets

-         Hiring Vietnamese experts of conifers in Dalat (including their fees, lunches)

-         Water and wet tissues on route

Exclusions:

-         International flight tickets to and from Vietnam

-         Visa for Vietnam

-         Personal insurance

-         Personal expenses on other meals, drinks, tips, shopping, etc.

-         Any extra drives to other places not indicated in the program to see more conifers (still discussable)

-         Things not mentioned in the inclusions