JOIN US FOR OUR EXCITING TOUR OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF VIETNAM

EXPERIENCE THE HISTORY, THE BEAUTY,
THE FOOD & THE CULTURE

OCTOBER 11-29, 2012
$3,750 per person with air (double occupancy)
(registration form & $1000 deposit due by March 15, 2012)

Includes Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An & Saigon

• Roundtrip airfare from San Francisco on Singapore Airlines
• Private, air-conditioned bus transportation with local guide
• Two domestic flights & airport transfers
• 16 nights lodging in 3-4 star hotels (includes overnight on traditional boat in Halong Bay and one night in Singapore)
• 25 meals (15 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners)
• Tours & excursions as mentioned
• Water puppet show & entrance fees into local points of interest
• Optional activities, such as cooking class, biking, etc.
• Optional stopover in Singapore allowed for $50 per person fee
• Optional extension offered to Cambodia, Thailand or Laos
• **Visa fees & departure taxes not include
TRIP ITINERARY:

Day 1: Leave Francisco airport on Singapore Airlines in the evening.          

Day 2: Day in travel.

Day 3: Arrive into Hanoi airport at 12:30pm. Check into hotel and have time for lunch and to rest.  Later, at 5pm see Hanoi with visit of Old Quarter by a one-hour ride on a Tuk-Tuk. Free evening.

Day 4: Do a half-day city tour that will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to see the “frozen” Uncle Ho and the grounds, as well as the Temple of Literature. Have lunch at a restaurant dedicated to helping street children to become trained in the hospitality industry. Then head to the water puppet show at 2:30pm. Free time to walk the charming Old Quarter streets. Dinner free. (B, L)

Day 5: After breakfast, head on your overnight tour to the legendary Halong Bay. This beautiful area was designated a World Heritage Site in 1994 by UNESCO. After a 3-hour drive, board our private traditional boat and cruise the Bay to view the more than 3,000 “islands” in the emerald green waters. Visit caves inside the marine park. After a traditional dinner, spend the night on board the boat. (B, L, D)

Day 6: After a short morning hike to a beautiful lookout point, free time on board to relax and enjoy the scenery. You can also kayak. Return to the dock and have lunch. Arrive back to Hanoi around 5pm to our hotel. Tonight, visit to one of the local bars in the Old Quarter to try bee wine or snake wine. (B, L)



Day 7: Day tour to Tam Coc tour leaves at 9am. This area, located a couple hours south of Hanoi, is known as the “Halong Bay of the rice paddies.” We will take a boat ride along the river that runs through the spectacular scenery and caves. Afterwards, stop for lunch along the way home. (B, L)
Day 8: After an early breakfast at the hotel, leave for Hue by plane on a 9am flight. Arrive Hue around 11am and transfer to hotel. Hue is the former Imperial Capital of Vietnam and the city was declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Site in 1993. Hue is famous for its imperial architecture and picturesque location on the shores of the Perfume River. Take a guided afternoon visit of the historical Imperial Citadel. Then free time to walk around and see the city. Overnight here. (B, L)
Day 9: Day touring Hue with a cruise the Perfume River and stop to visit the revered Thien Mu Pagoda, the most famous monument and oldest place of worship in Vietnam. Later, see the majestic Royal Tombs of Minh Mang and Khai Dinh. Overnight again here. (B, L)
Day 10: Leave for Hoi An after breakfast with our private bus. Travel through some of Vietnam's most spectacular scenery as you cross the Hai Van pass and enjoy coastline and mountain views. Stop for lunch at a seafood restaurant on the coast. Then visit the Marble Mountains and see famous China Beach. Arrive around 3pm and check into Ving Hung Resort on the banks of the river. Free time for dinner on your own in this delightful town. (B)



Day 11: Hoi is an old trading town and one of Vietnam's most delightful and enchanting towns. After a buffet breakfast, go on a guided walking tour of the Old Town to see the distinctive Chinese atmosphere with low, tiled-roof houses and narrow streets; the original structure of some of these streets is still virtually intact. Free time for lunch afterwards. At 5pm, happy hour as a group at the hotel where you can try many local delicacies for free. Overnight again here at Ving Hung Riverside Resort. (B)
Day 12: Optional Cooking class at 8:30am for 4 hours at the famous Morning Glory Cooking School with a fabulous lunch ($25 each). Or relax at the hotel pool or one of the many local spas. Happy hour and free Vietnamese snacks offered again from 5-7pm at the hotel. Dinner tonight as a group at the outdoor Red Bridge Restaurant. Overnight again.  (B, D)
Day 13: Optional morning guided excursion at 8am by private bus to the famous Champa Archeological Site at My Son ($35 each.) Visit the several Hindu temples constructed between the 4-14 centuries. Other optional activities-get clothes tailored at one of the many shops, go on a boat ride to Cham Island or one of the boat-makers and pottery villages, hire a bike and ride around this charming city of lanterns, visit a spa or head to the nearby beach for some seafood. (B)
Day 14: Another free day in Hoi An. Spend time visiting the many shops, markets, spas, etc. Dinner as a group at a riverside restaurant in town. Overnight again. (B, D)

Day 15: Leave for Ho Chi Minh City via a short flight at 9am. Arrive into the fast-paced city of Saigon and check into the historic Majestic Hotel on the banks of the Saigon River. Time for lunch on your own before our 2-hour bus city tour of the local points of interest to see the Notre Dame Cathedral, the colonial post office, reunification palace, and then time to shop at the Ben Thanh market. Recommend visiting the hotel rooftop bar for a happy-hour view of the Saigon River this evening before dinner on your own. (B)



Day 16: After breakfast, leave at 9am for our half-day tour of the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, located about an hour from Ho Chi Minh City. Later, free time for a spa visit or shopping followed by a farewell dinner as a group for some fabulous Southern Vietnamese food. (B, D)

Day 17: Free day to see Saigon’s museums (war remnants museum, reunification palace, etc.) or take an optional tour of the Mekong Delta by boat (cost is $30 per person). (B)

Day 18: Breakfast before heading to the airport at 10am for the flight to Singapore. Arrive into Singapore at around 6pm. Transfer to hotel.

Day 19: Leave in the afternoon for SFO. Arrival at 7pm. (B)

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Registration Form	Flight Schedule	VISA instructions