Charm of Vietnam: 15 days tour from North to South

Description du séjour

Hébergement

Programme du séjour

• jour 1 :

  Arrival in Hanoi and visit

  You land at Hanoi airport, and depending on the time of day, we offer you a first discovery of this capital city of 6 million inhabitants. As you approach Old Hanoi, our car drives slowly so that you can enjoy the spectacle: the lively daily life of the narrow streets, the temples, the lakes, the colonial buildings and the small houses all along the way. Here you are at your hotel, enjoy the refreshment offered to you and settle down quietly. Once fresh and at your disposal, your guide will propose you a walk in the surroundings: Hoan Kiem lake, Ngoc Son temple. A short rickshaw ride through the colonial district and its historical monuments, a visit to the central market, then back to the hotel on foot.

• jour 2 :

  Visit of Hanoi

  

  After a good night's sleep and a full breakfast, we devote this day to emblematic places of Hanoi. An opportunity to discover pillars of Vietnamese culture and history! We visit the Tran Quoc pagoda, the Taoist temple Quan Thanh, the Ho Chi Minh stilted house and the amazing single-pillar pagoda. Then the famous temple of literature, the first Vietnamese university dating back to the 11th century! A place full of poetry. At the end of the day, a discovery of the cultural universe of the 54 ethnic minorities of Vietnam thanks to the ethnographic museum. In the park of the museum: a sample of the country's remarkable traditional habitats. To end this day in beauty, attend the show My Village! Dancers, actors and acrobats equipped with long bamboo poles stage the life of the villagers, accompanied by an orchestra of traditional instruments. It's superb!

• jour 3 :

  Hanoi-Mai Hich- Kho Muong

  On the way to the Mai Hich rice fields. Along the way, we take breaks to admire the varied landscapes: sugar cane and cassava plantations, karstic peaks, green hills. We see small villages below, it's quite beautiful. Arrival at the end of the morning, perfect for a traditional lunch at the inhabitant's house. The terrace overlooks the rice fields. This will make you want to ride your bike in this beautiful valley to discover the Thai way of life. Then, transfer to Kho Muong, a village in the Pu Luong nature reserve. Free discovery of this green setting then night at the inhabitant's house, a comfortable traditional house on stilts, where we will take care of you.

• jour 4 :

  Kho Muong- Pu Luong

  

  A superb natural site that invites you to take a stroll! Our courses are adapted to your abilities, generally small courses of one or two hours allowing you to go from one Thai village to another. This favours contacts and exchanges and the landscapes are breathtaking. The locals wear beautiful outfits, they are delighted to be able to talk to you about their traditions! You can discover more about Pu Luong thanks to a ride on a bamboo raft, then we will show you the ingenious irrigation system thanks to the bamboo wheels. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

• jour 5 :

  Pu Luong- Bai Dinh- Ninh Binh

  First of all, we enjoy the morning in Pu Luong, then we leave for the visit of the giant pagoda of Bai Dinh, the largest in Southeast Asia since it covers 500 ha! In the afternoon, we enjoy Tam Coc and a nice bike ride in a unique setting, at the foot of the karst peaks, on a village path. Accommodation in very comfortable bungalows in Tam Coc.

• jour 6 :

  Ninh Binh and Halong Bay Land

  

  The area of Halong Bay on land is a sublime site that we discover in the morning on board a boat: the caves, the karst peaks, the river banks: everything is conducive to daydreaming. We then go to a small mountain that served as a set for the film Indochina. At its summit: the Bich Dong pagoda. After a good Vietnamese meal at the restaurant, we go to Kim Son to discover the cathedral of Phat Diem, the largest Catholic architectural complex in the country. We will make a stop at the imperial temples of Hoa Lu, the medieval capital. Finally, return to Tam Coc.

• jour 7 :

  Ninh Binh - Cat Ba- Bay of Lan Ha

  We leave early to Hai Phong to reach the island of Cat Ba. The area of Lan Ha Bay, south of Ha Long Bay, is just as beautiful and less frequented by tourists. Embarkation around noon on a junk, discovery of a floating village of fishermen of the bay... Let's take advantage of the beauty of the site, of this sea strewn with hundreds of islets which is part of the world heritage of humanity. We drop anchor near a beach to take the time to have lunch aboard the junk. In the afternoon we sail to Cam Island. Those who wish can go kayaking or take a boat tour. Return to the junk and head for a nice quiet beach to swim and relax. The sunset on the bay is a magical moment, we admire it from the junk. And if you feel like it, squid fishing with the local fishermen! Dinner and night on board the boat.

• jour 8 :

  Cat Ba- Hanoi- flight to Hue

  

  We leave the junk after breakfast and set foot on land on Cat Ba Island, near the Viet Hai village. These are the last hours in Lan Ha bay, we must take advantage of it! A tour by bike or electric cart, it's really pleasant on this path lined with tropical vegetation. Back on the junk, the walk continues from island to island. We have a good meal on board and disembark at Ben Beo's pig around noon. On the way to Hanoi airport: a domestic flight will drop us off in Hue, in the center of Vietnam. We will spend our first night in a hotel there.

• jour 9 :

  Visit Hue - Imperial City

  A major historical city of Vietnam since the last 13 emperors of the Nguyen dynasty chose it as their capital. That's why there are many monuments, including the famous imperial citadel. Although it was bombed during the war against the Americans, it remains very well preserved and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Dong Ba market allows us to enter the atmosphere of the city: multiple local products, specialties to taste, a good time in perspective! We are then ready to visit the Imperial City, then the pagoda of the Celestial Lady and the tombs of two kings of the Nguyen dynasty, Minh Mang and Khai Dinh. If the weather permits, before returning to the hotel, visit a workshop where incense and conical hats are made!

• jour 10 :

  Hue- Hoi An

  

  Our next stop is the charming town of Hoi An. On the way, we stop in the morning at the beach and the fishing village of Lang Co. Our road continues to Tra Que which is a few kilometers away from Hoi An, this village is very famous for its organic vegetables, we have lunch there. Then we drive to Hoi An, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This city was the main port of the Kingdom of Cham, it has lived a rather incredible history over the centuries: a port open to world trade! Hence its very particular and preserved architecture. We will visit its remarkable monuments: the Japanese bridge, a Chinese temple and an old house classified as a national heritage site. We will stroll through the city to the market along the river. Finally, night at the hotel.

• jour 11 :

  Hoi An Cam Thanh My Son

  After visiting Hoi An city, let's escape by bike for a morning. The countryside around is very pleasant, the opportunity to discover the rural activities of the Vietnamese, especially in the rice fields, with the buffaloes. On the way, discovery of some temples, then initiation to net fishing! The fishermen welcome us with pleasure to explain us their job on the Thu Bon river. You will then discover a very original type of boat, round as baskets. With the scull, we will advance in the mangrove to fish for crabs. Proud of our fishing of the day, we will go to a fisherman's house to prepare and taste our products around a friendly table. There, we will explain to you the construction process of the houses and the making of furniture and other everyday objects. In the afternoon, before returning to Hoi An, we will visit the sanctuary of My Son, built by the civilization of the Champa kingdom, active until the 14th century. An architectural ensemble classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, marked by the influence of the Hindu cult.

• jour 12 :

  Ninh Binh and Halong Bay Land

  

  A free morning to allow you to explore Hoi An at your own pace. And why not enjoy the beach? Your driver will meet you at the hotel, then take you to Danang city for a domestic flight to Saigon. Upon arrival, a driver will wait for you and drive you to your hotel. Enjoy the evening, the last days will still be rich in discoveries in this southern part of Vietnam, another exotic facet of this country!

• jour 13 :

  Saigon Ben Tre Can Tho: Discovery of the Mekong delta

  The day is dedicated to the discovery of the Ben Tre area, in particular the way of life of the inhabitants of the Mekong Delta region. The canals of Ben Tre are perfectly adapted to a nautical course on a sampan. What is produced here? Honey, coconut sweets. We make carpets, we grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables... So many opportunities for us to visit, taste, and multiply exchanges with the inhabitants. Then, we leave: direction the provincial capital of Can Tho and its port. You will have enough free time to explore the surroundings.

• jour 14 :

  Can Tho Cai Rang Sa Dec - Saigon

  

  After this night in Can Tho, our day program takes us to the famous floating market of Cai Rang. A real discovery of all that is produced and sold in this area, again you will have the opportunity to buy and taste these products before going to visit a workshop where the famous rice vermicelli are made. We will sail to a beautiful fruit garden and enjoy the local An Binh market. If possible, we will extend our trip by visiting the house of Huynh Thuy Le. It is famous for its beauty and was used as a set in the movie L'Amant! Finally, we take the road again and arrive in Saigon in the late afternoon.

• jour 15 :

  Saigon- Visit Saigon - Departure

  Let's discover Ho-chi-minh-town! Also called Saigon, it was the capital of French Indochina, and is now the economic capital of Vietnam. A modern, hectic city, whose soul we will seek by visiting remarkable historical monuments: the central post office and its Eiffel steel frame, the reunification palace, the Notre-Dame cathedral, the city hall and the pagoda of the Celestial Lady Tien Hau. Our walk will take us to the Chinese district and its market. Once you have settled in, you will be able to freely enjoy the end of this last beautiful day in Vietnam! We will organize your transfer to the airport to catch your return flight with your head full of wonderful memories...