A program with a classic itinerary but with several niche cultural experiences, which will make this trip even more interesting by allowing you to discover and explore different aspects of Vietnamese culture and traditions through various activities including particularly immersing yourself in the traditional and culturally characteristic festivals of different localities. The highlights of this program lie especially in two traditional festivals, the sticky rice festival of Phu Gia village in Hanoi and the wrestling (wrestling) festival of Sinh village in Hue. Apart from that, many other cultural, historical as well as natural sights of Vietnam will be discovered during this fascinating tour.
Starting from € 2330
From the “Sticky Rice Festival” at Phu Gia village and the “Wrestling Festival” at Sinh village
Departure by scheduled flight from Milan Malpensa.
Arrival in Ha Noi, welcome by our guide and transfer to the city. Accommodation in hotel (usually rooms are available from 14h00). Free meals. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Ha Noi.
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart by private car for Ninh Binh. Upon arrival after about 2 hours, visit Trang An, considered the Bay of Ha Long on land. Boat trip of about 2.5 hours surrounded by picturesque scenery through natural caves carved by the river into karst rock in an environment still untouched by mass tourism. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continuation by car to visit Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam between the 10th and 11th centuries. Also in Hoa Lu, visit two very important temples dedicated to two ancient Vietnamese kings, King Dinh and King Le. Free dinner. Overnight stay in Ninh Binh.
After breakfast depart by private car for Ha Long. Arrive at the port at noon and settle aboard the junk. Handing over the keys, comfortable cabin equipped with hot water, air conditioning and view of the bay. Lunch served on board, cruise through the extraordinary Lan Ha Bay belongs to the famous Ha Long Bay.
Afternoon admire the magnificent sunset over the bay. Special dinner and overnight stay on board. Calm night in the idyllic bay.
Wake up early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Breakfast on board and then continue to visit the caves. Return to junket, leave room free and brunch on board.
Disembark and drive back to Ha Noi. Accommodation in hotel after about 2.5 hours. Free dinner. Overnight stay in Ha Noi.
Breakfast at Hotel. Morning devoted to exploring the thousand-year-old city of Ha Noi: President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (exterior part) in which stands the ancient wooden house on stilts and its bucolic garden (they are closed Monday afternoon), the Single Pillar Pagoda, dating from the 11th century, linked to the legend of the Ly Dynasty, founder of the capital Ha Noi. Continue with a visit to the Temple of Literature-the first university in Vietnam, and the Women’s Museum.
Afternoon devoted to attending the colorful Sticky Rice Festival in Phu Gia village, a village known for the traditional craft of sticky rice preparation.
Free meals. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Breakfast and transfer directly by car to Ha Noi airport.Departure by plane to Hue, the ancient capital of the Nguyen dynasty. Accommodation in hotel (usually rooms are available from 14h00).
In the afternoon, visit the Citadel consisting of the Royal Fortress and the Forbidden City. The Citadel was partially destroyed by the Americans in 1968 during the Vietnam War. Today numerous donations contribute to the restoration of this priceless heritage. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue by car to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda located on a hill near the River of the Perfumes and the tomb of Minh Mang-the best-known emperor among the 13 of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Free dinner. Overnight stay in Hue.
After breakfast, depart for a visit to Sinh village where you will witness the lively 200-year-old Wrestling Festival, a festival in which anyone, including spectators, can participate as a competitor.
Continue by bicycle for a tour through idyllic village landscapes, stop by artisans who maintain the tradition of drawings on a special material called giấy (paper) dó, opportunity to watch and participate in the making of a traditional drawing. Continuation with a small cooking class from a local family in which you learn how to prepare local dishes for lunch and have lunch with your hosts.
After typical lunch, depart for the lantern city of Hoi An. Upon arrival, check into the hotel.
Breakfast at Hotel. Morning devoted to sightseeing in the ancient city of Hoi An: Hoi An market, Tan Ky’s ancient house, Phuc Kien Chinese Temple, Japanese covered bridge. Afternoon free for independent discoveries.
Free meals. Overnight stay in Hoi An.
Breakfast at Hotel. Free time until transfer to airport for flight to Sai Gon. Arrival after an hour and a half flight, transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight stay in Sai Gon.
Breakfast at the Hotel. Depart for the Mekong Delta with destination Ben Tre. Arrive after about 2 hours, board a boat and cruise on the currents of the great arm of the Mekong surrounded by lush vegetation. Visit the coconut candy factory. Continuation to a family’s home where you can watch the handmade fiber mat production processes unfold. On the Mekong Delta, you may want to take a Xe Loi, a typical means of transportation for locals to tour the surrounding area.
Accommodation in homestay. Afternoon bicycle ride around the village to discover the inhabitants’ daily life. Return to homestay and opportunity to take a small cooking class in the preparation of Banh Xeo, a traditional Vietnamese dish. Dinner and overnight at the homestay in Ben Tre.
After breakfast, return by car to Sai Gon and explore the city: the Jade Emperor Pagoda, the Central Post Office, Ben Thanh Market. Then transfer directly to the airport for the flight back to Italy.
Arrival at the airport. End of our services
