Vietnamese heritage

DAY 1 : ARRIVAL / SAIGON

OPTION :
+ Early check-in at the hotel in Saigon:
Before 09h00 : 90 USD/per room
After 09h00 : 45 USD/per room

• (Welcome by your driver at pillar 11 outside Saigon airport)

– Meet at 3:30 p.m. at the reception of the MUONG THANH LUXURY SAI GON 5* hotel or similar.

– Saigon city tour:

Renamed HO CHI MINH-City in 1976 after the departure of the Americans, the former capital of South Vietnam has kept the name Saigon for the majority of its 8 million inhabitants. Saigon is the largest city in the country and asserted itself very early as the economic capital, it includes 12 urban districts and 6 rural districts spread over more than 2,000 km2. Not an hour of the day or night goes by without the streets resounding with the incessant honking of horns and the roar of thousands of mopeds criss-crossing the city. The French presence is still very marked by long shaded avenues dotted with colonial houses, monuments and gardens.

– Visit of the colonial district of the city: Dong Khoi street (formerly Catinat street at the time of the French colony of Indochina),

La Poste Centrale, the cream pie exterior hides an interesting metal framework designed by Gustave Eiffel. Don’t miss the magnificent maps that adorn the walls to the left and right of the entrance. Opposite the post office stands a “Landmark” of the city.

– Notre Dame Cathedral, the brick facade is of rare sobriety. Curiously, the faithful park their mopeds within the very walls of the church, the gates of which close after the start of the service.

– The Saigon National Opera, a perfect example of French colonial architecture in Vietnam built in 1897 by the French architect Eugène Ferret. The 800-seat building was used as the Lower House of South Vietnam; after 1956; it was not until 1975 that it regained its theatrical role and was restored in 1995.

– On the same square, the Continental hotel founded in 1880 which is the oldest establishment in Saigon. It was an institution, with many personalities who frequented it such as André Malraux, Graham Greene, Lucien Bodart and Jean Lartéguy… and where certain scenes from the film “Indochine” were shot!

– The town hall, built by the French from 1902 to 1908. It is a very fine example of French colonial architecture. Today it is illuminated by the lighting services of the city of Lyon, a specialist in this field.

• Transfer to your hotel, MUONG THANH LUXURY SAI GON 5* or similar.

– Free time.

• Dinner.

– Overnight at MUONG THANH LUXURY SAIGON 5* hotel.

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DAY 2 : SAIGON/ BEN TRE/ CAN THO (200 km – 4h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Departure for Can Tho, in the Mekong Delta: A vast network of thousands of canals characterizes life in the Mekong Delta which extends over 40,000 km2. The yellow color of the water is due to the soil that fertilizes the fields and rich fruit gardens of the Delta throughout the year. Huge rivers and rice paddies are dotted with lotus ponds.

• Arrival in My Tho: Visit of the Caodaist temple.

– Boat trip to visit Ben Tre Island: where you will visit an artisan village and taste the region’s coconut juice.

– Continuation of navigation and visit of a family candy factory. Departure by horse-drawn carriage and walk to the bee farm, where you will taste a tea with honey. Then, discover the activities of the village.

• Regional specialty lunch at the Diem Phuong restaurant.

– Balade en barque à rames dans les arroyaux.

– Après-midi route vers Can Tho. 

• Dinner.

– Overnight at MUONG THANH CAN-THO 5* hotel or similar.

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DAY 3 : CAN THO / SAIGON (180 km – 4h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

Can Tho is the capital of Can Tho province and its geographical location makes it the hub of the Mekong Delta.

–– Boarding the local boat. Navigation through the floating market of Cai Rang.

– Stop at a traditional rice cake factory.

– Disembarkation then return to Saigon.

• Lunch at local restaurant en route.

– Visit of a lacquerware factory.

• Free dinner to offer you…

OPTION : Buffet dinner on the BONSAI boat (minimum 2 pax): Dinner cruise on the Saigon River at the Bonsai boat (45 USD/person).

• 2 Hours Saigon River Cruise
• 1 welcome cocktail or mocktail
• International fusion buffet
• Contemporary dance performances

– Overnight at MUONG THANH LUXURY SAI GON 5* hotel or similar.

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DAY 4 : SAIGON / DALAT (320 km – 7h00 de route)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Departure to Dalat, in the Central Highlands at an altitude of 1500 m through rubber, tea and coffee plantations.

Da Lat is known as the little Paris, this city has always retained all its centuries-old charm. In particular, the climate of the city is mild and mild during the four seasons: the average temperature in winter never drops below 10°C, and in summer it does not exceed 25°C. It is also thanks to this climate that Da Lat remains a flower garden with a thousand colors and scents.

• Lunch. 

– Continuation of the road to Dalat.

– Installation at the COLLINE DALAT 4* hotel or similar.

• Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

– Possibility of stroll on the night market.

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DAY 5 : DALAT / BUON ME THUOT (200 km – 5h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Visit the romantic city of Da Lat:

The French villas, the cathedral, the station.

The Botanical Garden: Orchids, hydrangeas, roses, pansies, mimosas and peach blossoms are among the 300 different kinds of popular flowers displayed in the parks along with many more exotic blooms.

• Lunch en route.

– Depart for Buon Me Thuot. Canoe trip.

– Installation at the MUONG THANH 5* hotel or similar.

• Dinner.

– Night at the hotel

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DAY 6 : BUON ME THUOT/ PLEIKU (200 Kms- 05h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Excursion to Dray Sap Falls, Edé Minority Village, Elephant Master Cemetery and Bamboo Village. Then, discover the secrets of the famous weasel coffee.

• Lunch.

– Drive to Pleiku.

• Dinner.

– Night at the HOANG ANH GIA LAI PLEIKU 4* hotel or similar.

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DAY 7 : PLEIKU / KONTUM/ HOI AN (360 Kms – 07h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– In Kontum, visit the wooden colonial church and the villages of the Ba Na minority with their strange communal houses topped with oversized thatched roofs.

• Lunch en route.
• Dinner.

– Night at the RIVERSIDE HOTEL & SPA HOIAN 5* hotel or similar for 02 nights.

OPTION : A 45-minute body massage session: 25 USD/person.

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DAY 8 : HOI AN

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Excursion with Ecotourism: Departure by bike through the gentle Vietnamese countryside for the vegetable village of Tra Que (located 5 km away).

Renowned for its aromatic herbs, mint and basil, this village will allow you to discover the life of the farmers and learn about their technique. The inhabitants will guide you in the work of digging and picking vegetables.

– You will then enjoy a foot massage session (20 min) with the aromatic herbs of the village.

• Lunch.

— Afternoon, discovery on foot of Hoi An with the main points of interest:

The Fujian sanctuary: dedicated to the goddess Thien Hau, protective goddess of fishermen and sailors, this sanctuary houses statues of the goddess and her 2 assistants.

Phuc Thanh Pagoda: the oldest pagoda in Hoi An (1454) founded by a Chinese monk, it contains a statue of Buddha A Di Da and very beautiful ritual objects.

The Japanese bridge: located in the south of the city, this covered bridge built in 1593 connects 2 districts of the city. In the middle of this bridge stands a pagoda topped with yellow and green tiles.

An Old House: the best preserved, two centuries old, it offers a striking example of the integration of Sino-Japanese influences into the local style.

• Dinner.

– Overnight at the RIVERSIDE HOTEL & SPA HOIAN 5*.

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DAY 9 : HOI AN / HUE (135 km – 3h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Visit of My Son Sanctuary: From the 4th to the 13th century, the coast of contemporary Vietnam hosted a unique culture, associated by its spiritual roots with Indian Hinduism. This relationship is illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive sanctuary towers, at the heart of a remarkable site which was for most of its existence the religious and political capital of the Kingdom of Cham.

An outstanding example of cultural exchange, through the introduction of Hindu architecture from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia.

– You will attend a performance of Cham dances.

• Lunch at local restaurant.

– Transfer by road to Hue.

– Stop in Danang, visit a marble cutting workshop: this craft has been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years.

• Dinner. 

– Night at the CENTURY 4* hotel or similar for 02 nights.

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DAY 10 : HUE

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Departure for the sampan ride on the Perfume River to the Pagoda of the Celestial Lady (Thien Mu), located on the left bank of the Perfume River, it is a Buddhist sanctuary erected in 1601. Its stupa of octagonal shape has 7 floors with a total height of over 21 meters.

• Lunch at local restaurant.

– Demonstration of Tai Chi and Calligraphy in a martial arts center (minimum 10 people).

Tai Chi is a bodily discipline of Chinese origin comprising a set of continuous and circular movements executed slowly and precisely in a pre-established order. It also emphasizes the control of breathing. The practice aims, among other things, to improve flexibility, strengthen the muscular system and maintain good physical, mental and spiritual health.

Directly inspired by Chinese calligraphy, calligraphy was introduced to Vietnam during the long periods of occupation of the country by Chinese emperors.

– Visit of the charming Temple of the Eunuchs.

– Stop at the incense and conical hat workshops.

– Visit the tomb and gardens of Emperor Tu Duc.

– You will attend a water puppet show.

OPTION minimum 4 people: 10 USD/person: release candles on the Perfume River.

• Royal dinner (minimum 16 people).

Night at the hotel.

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DAY 11 : HUE / DONG HOI (160 km – 03h30 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Visit of the Imperial City built under the model of the Chinese imperial palaces the citadel was built between 1805 and 1832. There are many vestiges of this city.

– You will then take a pedicab ride to the Dong Ba market where you will find the most beautiful conical hats in Vietnam.

• Lunch at local restaurant.

– Departure to Dong Hoi

– Visit of the Vinh Moc tunnels, high place of Viêt-Cong resistance against the Americans and passage in front of the 17th parallel bridge, natural border between the 2 regions from 1954 to 1975.

– Arrival at the SUNSPA 5* hotel or similar.

• Dinner. 

– Night at the SUNSPA 5* hotel or similar.

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DAY 12 : DONG HOI / VINH (230 km – 5h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel

– Amazing visit of the gigantic caves of Phong Nha by boat and on foot.

The Phong Nha cave, which is an integral part of this set, has an area of ​​85,754 hectares, 7,729 m in length. The Phong Nha cave is recognized by UNESCO as World Natural Heritage in 2003. After the 700m excursion by boat, hike to discover more than 500m of its suite. You will have a chance to explore the remains of Cham altars and inscriptions in the cave.

• Lunch at local restaurant.

– Continue the road to Vinh.

• Dinner. 

– Installation at the MUONG THANH DIEN LAM 5* hotel or similar.

– Night at the hotel.

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DAY 13 : VINH / NINH BINH (170 km – 3h30 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Departure towards Phat Diem, a village known for its cathedral with Sino-Vietnamese architecture and which was built between 1875 and 1899.

– Visit of the very beautiful Sino-Vietnamese cathedral of Phat Diem.

80 m long and 24 wide by 18 m high, facing a lake, the cathedral is supported by 48 ironwood columns, each 2.4 m in perimeter. In the side naves stand statues of wood and strange strong stone. The altar is made from a single block of granite. 14 high reliefs in stone retrace the life of Christ. The bell tower rises at the back of the cathedral. At its base, two huge superimposed stone slabs served as platforms for mandarins who came to observe Catholic rites. At the top, a huge bell was hoisted by means of a gigantic earthen ramp. In 1889, a white stone palace dedicated to the Blessed Virgin was added there.

• Lunch at the inhabitant.

– Visit of Halong Bay on land.

This site of exceptional beauty is made up of high rock formations, comparable to those that can be discovered in Halong Bay, standing on a carpet of rice fields. Hoa Lu is distinguished by its historical interest as the capital of Vietnam under the Dinh dynasty (968-980), then the previous Le dynasty (980-1009). The old citadel, largely destroyed, was surrounded by ramparts which protected the temples, the sanctuaries and the ceremonial salons. The royal family lived in the inner citadel.

The magnificent site of Hoa Lu is also called the “terrestrial Ha Long”. Indeed, the relief recalls that of the famous “Dragon Bay” with many limestone hills covered with lush vegetation. Succession of natural cirques interconnected by tunnels dug by erosion.

– 1h30 boat trip among the rice fields that surround the sugar loaf hills where the film ”Indochina” was used.

– Then, visit the temples and caves of Bich Dong.

• Dinner.

– Night at the LEGEND 5* hotel or similar.

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DAY 14 : NINH BINH / HALONG (135 km – 3h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Early departure for Halong Bay.

– Arrival in Halong at the end of the morning and boarding the boat HALONG SAILS or similar.

• Seafood lunch.

Halong Bay: elevated by Unesco to the rank of world heritage of supreme beauty, offers an unforgettable spectacle. 3,000 karstic rocks with steep reliefs dot an emerald sea over 1,500 km². A few caves, nestled in the granite islets: The grotto of bits of wood, bristling with stalactites and stalagmites. The cave of surprise with its phallus-shaped rock.

• Dinner and overnight on board.

As the nature of the visits is related to the change of tides and weather conditions, the itinerary will be defined by the captain of the boat on the day.

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DAY 15 : HALONG / HANOI (170 km – 3h30 drive)

• Breakfast on board.

– Continuation of the cruise and discovery of the “eighth wonder of the world”. Cruise on the emerald waters of Halong Bay which extends over more than 1500 km2 with 3000 islands and islets, one of the most sumptuous landscapes in Asia. This site is grandiose and thousands of limestone islands or karstic rocks covered with vegetation emerge from it. The sampans and junks gliding silently over the transparent waters reinforce this impression of unreality. Stop at the Dau Go cave or “cave of the bits of wood” so named because a war general had once hidden there tapered stakes which rammed and sank the Mongol fleet. Unforgettable show!

– Disembarkation around 11:00 a.m.

• Lunch at local restaurant.

– Back to Hanoi. Along the way, stop at the handicraft workshops for the disabled in Daï Viet.

– Passage in front of the Mausoleum of President Hochiminh.

– The One Pillar Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot): standing in the middle of a pond, this square wooden pagoda rests on a single pillar representing the stem of a lotus, the flower attribute of the goddess of Fertility and Mercy.

– Installation at the MUONG THANH GRAND HANOI 4* hotel or similar.

• Dinner.

– Nuit à l’hôtel.

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DAY 16 : HANOI

• Breakfast at the hotel.

Capital of a unified Vietnam, Hanoi has retained the old-fashioned charm of the French colonial era. The modernization of the city undertaken by the French from 1882 continued until 1955 and the face of Hanoi has not changed much since. Some remarkably preserved or restored buildings stand out from a harmonious architectural ensemble. Hanoi is undoubtedly the most charming city in Vietnam with all its authenticity, large shaded avenues, numerous lakes, and well-kept gardens.

– Beginning of the discovery of the city Hanoi:

Temple of Literature (Van Mieu): one of the most beautiful places of worship in the country, emblem of Confucianism. The architectural ensemble evokes the long road to knowledge, which requires calm, patience and perseverance.

Tour of the small lake where the Temple of the Jade Mountain (Ngoc Son) is located, erected in the 18th century on an islet in the center of Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword). First called Ngoc Son pagoda, it was later referred to as the temple, where people came to pay homage to Saint Van uong, considered one of the greatest minds of his century. The temple also became a place of worship dedicated to the national hero Tran Hung Dao, after his fight against the Nguyen.

• Lunch at the hotel.

– Visit to the Ethnography Museum (closed every Monday).

– Free afternoon for a walk in the 36 guilds district.

• Free dinner.

– Night at the MUONG THANH GRAND HANOI 4* hotel or similar.

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DAY 17 : HANOI / MAI CHAU / MAI HICH (150 km – 4h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Road to Mai Chau along National 6 which overlooks mountain landscapes dotted with Karstic rocks.

• Lunch.

– Visit the village of Pong Koong.

– Transfer to the village of Mai Hich.

• Dinner and Night at the inhabitant.

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DAY 18 : MAI HICH / PU LUONG ( 50 km – 2h00 drive) 

• Breakfast.

– Bike ride and, weather permitting, descent of the XIAI river by raft.

• Lunch.

– Afternoon transfer to the village of Pu Luong.

– Installation and tour of the village.

• Dinner at the hotel.

– Overnight at PU LUONG ECOGARDEN hotel or similar.

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DAY 19 : PU LUONG/ HANOI (350 km – 4h00 drive)

• Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure for the Hieu waterfall, one of the most beautiful in Central Vietnam, 25 km from the hotel. (Possibility of bathing).

– Start your walk in search of beautiful water wheels. Get up close to each wheel and experience how water moves from the river to handcrafted bamboo aqueducts through simple constructions of all sizes.

• Lunch at the local restaurant on site.

– Depart for Hanoi.

– Arrival at the end of the afternoon.

• Free dinner.

– Night at the MUONG THANH GRAND HANOI 4* hotel or similar.

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DAY 20 : HANOI / DEPARTURE

• Breakfast at the hotel.

– Free day.

• Free lunch

– Transfer to the airport. Flight to your destination.

NOTE: If you go in winter, please remember to bring warm clothes, temperatures can be very low.

THE PRICE INCLUDES :   Transport by air-conditioned vehicle.   The service of the same French-speaking guide throughout the circuit.   17 nights in the indicated hotels or similar for the long circuit.   1 night homestay. 1 night on board a shared junk in Halong.   Meals as in the program.   Excursions, visits, special services and shows mentioned.   2 airport transfers on arrival and departure.

THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE :   International and national flights.   Lunches on the day of arrival and departure. Services not mentioned in the program.   Drinks, excursions, visits and optional activities at an additional cost.   Tips. Expenses of a personal nature.   Travel insurance: assistance/repatriation/cancellation.   The Covid PCR test.

Note: For honeymoons, the Bonsai dinner will be offered (if the trip takes place within 6 months of the wedding date).

Christmas Eve dinner supplement: 50 USD/person.

New Year’s Eve dinner supplement: 50 USD/person.

Destination Information: Vietnam

Health

➡  No compulsory vaccination to date.

Language

➡  The official language is Vietnamese, however Chinese, Thai and Khmer are also spoken. For historical reasons French is sometimes spoken, although English dominates in tourist areas.

Currency

➡  The national currency is the dong (VND)

Jet lag

➡  6 a.m. in winter and 5 a.m. in summer (example: 12 p.m. in France = 5 p.m. in Vietnam in summer and 6 p.m. in winter.

Means of payment

➡  Prefer the credit card which will allow you to withdraw money wherever you are and to pay in certain shops and restaurants.
➡  Prices include the government tax applicable to all services paid for in foreign currency (hotels, transport, tickets, guides, etc.).

Voltage

➡  Voltage : 220 volts/50 Hz

Clothing to bring

➡  Light clothing whatever the season in the south but for the visit of temples and pagodas, provide short sleeves (the shoulders must be covered) and skirts or shorts covering the knees, this for women and men. From November to March it is cooler in the North, bring warm clothes in the evening and in the morning.

Climate

  The dry season extends from November to April and the wet season from May to October. In August and September, the rains are almost daily and in the other months, there is an alternation of rain and sun.
For more info, see the menu Vietnam.