ITA Travel - Vietnam 10D/9N : MILD ADVENTURE NORTH - OVERNIGHT TRAIN & TREKKING AT SAPA

Day 1, Arrival - Ha Noi (D)

On arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are met and transferred to hotel. Ha Noi, Vietnam’s capital, is one thousand-year-old city with peaceful lakes, French styled buildings, old quarter streets, three lined boulevards, brightly painted temples and pagodas. Enjoy a short cyclo ride around the old quarter streets. O/N in Ha Noi.

Day 2: Hanoi – Halong Bay (B,L,D)

The following morning depart for Halong Bay, around a four-hour drive from Hanoi. You are sure to enjoy an overnight cruise on a traditional junk through the thousands of limestone islands. Visit caves and floating fishing villages, go kayaking in secluded lagoons and swim during the summer months. O/N on boat in Ha Long Bay.

Day 3: Halong Bay – Ha Noi (B,L,D)

Rise early for a swim and enjoy lunch as you cruise back to the harbour. Then drive to Ha Noi.And after that you have free time to explore the city by your way until go to the train station for a night train to Sapa.

Day 4: Lao Cai – Sa pa (B,L)

Picked up at Lao Cai Railway station early in the morning. Arrive at Sapa . Breakfast and relax.

Take a treek for the first part and go down hill to the valley. Cross MuongHoa River to get to the other mountain side for  Cat cat village of the Black H'mong and  Ta phin village of the  Red Zao. Back to Sapa city for dinner. Overnight in Sa Pa

Day 5: SaPa (B,L)

Sapa is one of the most interesting places in Vietnam, located on the north mountain area and occupied by many hill tribe groups. Enjoy a morning trekking tour to the Lao Chai village of the Black H'Mong & Ta Van village of the Zay.

Dinner and car transfer to Lao Cai station for a night train back to Ha Noi. Overnight on train.

Day 6, Ha Noi - Da Nang - Hoi An, (B,L)

Arrive Hanoi. Room for  early check-in. There is free time for your own exploration of the town before you board a flight to Da Nang.

The tour of central Viet Nam begins with sightseeing of Hoi An which was originally a Cham seaport but has been influenced down centuries by a myriad of traders from various cultures. The tranquillity and charm of this town with its low tiled houses of Chinese appearance, Japanese covered bridge, brightly painted temples and pagodas make it one of Vietnam’s most delightful places. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 7, Hoi An _Tra Que Village (B,L)

Ride a bicycle to a local farm in Tra Que village. Introduction to the history of the village, the cultivation of the vegetables as well as discovering about the use of vegetables in traditional Vietnamese medicine. You will take a trip around the vegetable garden and join the farmers in preparing the land and fertilizing it with seaweed from the local lake. Continue doing activities su ch as: raking, sowing, watering greens, picking greens and many more gardening activities. Then spend the rest of the morning working the land in the time honored way, before breaking to prepare lunch with a local family. take an even more traditional Vietnamese post-prandial nap before learning how to harvest and wrap the vegetables.

Around 15.00, bid farewell to your host family before riding back to Hoi An, on the way back stop at ancient Japanese tomb and Ba Le well. The tour finishes at 16h00. back to hotel. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 8: Hoi An_ Ho Chi Minh (B,L)

At leisure. We then take a short fligh south. Ho Chi Minh City, contradiction of its northern counterpart, is crowded with bikes and motorbikes, excited by numerous shopping area and sidewalk cafés.

An afternoon city tour of dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals, includes the Nôtre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office, a lacquerware factory, the bustling Chinatown. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 9:  Ho Chi Minh (B,L)

After your breakfast at your hotel, car pick you up and transfer to Cu Chi tunnel, an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence.

Back to Ho Chi Minh, overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh - Departure (B).

There is a free time to relax or further explore Ho Chi Minh. The tour ends after your transfer to Tan San Nhat Airport for departure. Home sweet home.