The most jam packed 10 days of my life. But also the most enjoyable. Every day brought something... Anonymous, 2018 See more reviews
Itinerary Include flights Expand all Day 1 Depart London Depart London. Day 2 Arrive Hanoi Today is free to recover from the flight or stroll amongst broad tree-lined avenues dating from the French period. There is a faded colonial charm where baguettes and good coffee are sold from doorways of grand buildings of a past era. There will be a welcome briefing this evening with an optional group dinner at a local restaurant. May De Ville City Centre Hotel or similar, Comfortable Hotel Day 3 To Halong Bay; cruise among limestone formations; overnight on boat. We make an early start for the approximately 4-hour journey to Halong Bay. This is one of the most stunningly beautiful sights in South East Asia with roughly 3,000 limestone peaks rising directly from the clear emerald sea. We cruise amongst this amazing karst scenery and enjoy a seafood lunch on board. We overnight on board in twin share cabins with en-suite facilities. Bien Ngoc Boat or similar, Overnight Boat Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Transfer back to Hanoi; overnight train to Dong Hoi. We continue to cruise around Halong Bay this morning before returning to port. We then drive back to Hanoi where we have a bit of free time to explore this fascinating city. You might like to join the locals by pulling up a plastic stool and sampling one of the many street food offerings; the bun cha (barbecued pork with rice noodles and fresh herbs) is not to be missed! Late afternoon we transfer to the train station to board our overnight train to Dong Hoi, 500km south of Hanoi. Overnight Train Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 Journey to underground rivers, karst mountains and verdant jungle of UNESCO site Phong Nha N.P. Arriving into Dong Hoi at sunrise we journey to the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park and have breakfast at the farm-stay that will be our overnight spot later on. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003, the National Park contains the oldest karst mountains in Asia. Riddled with hundreds of cave systems and spectacular underground rivers, this is an area very new to tourism but sure to impress with its scale. We will first explore Thien Duong cave, known locally as Paradise Cave. This was only discovered in 2005 by scientists from the British Cave Research Association with the help of a local man who had heard the mountains ‘whistling’ while farming. After lunch we will visit Phong Nha cave by boat before returning to the farm-stay. There will be time to relax and enjoy the peace of the countryside or for those who wish there is the option to cycle around the local villages. Chay Lap Farm or similar, Overnight Farm-stay Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 To Hue via Vinh Moc tunnels; a key resource during the Vietnam War. We start our journey to Hue today stopping en-route at the Vinh Moc war tunnels. Less well-known than the Cu Chi tunnels in the south, these tunnels were predominantly used as bomb shelters during the Vietnam War. During bombing village life carried on underground; children went to school, hospitals were established and films were even played with a generator. We next stop at the Hien Luong bridge which crosses the Ben Hai River. This formed part of the border between North and South Vietnam from 1954 until reunification in 1975. We will arrive in Hue mid-afternoon and will have some free time before an optional group dinner. Gold 1 Hotel or similar, Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Hue city tour; transfer to Hoi An. It is claimed that Hue is the cultural and historical centre of Vietnam, and there is plenty to see. The most outstanding sight is the Imperial Citadel with walls six miles in length; inside are the palaces and halls of the Mandarins, and the remains of the Forbidden Purple City, where only the emperor, his eunuchs and concubines were allowed. The Forbidden Purple City was almost totally destroyed during the Vietnam War's Tet Offensive, but the foliage-covered ruins are still atmospheric and the gaping holes left by bombs give an idea of the destruction wreaked upon the country during the war. This morning we visit the Imperial Citadel and the famous Thien Mu Pagoda. The pagoda was a centre for anti-government protest in the early 1960's and it houses the Austin car that transported a monk, Thich Quang Duc, to Saigon in 1963 where he burned himself as a protest against the President. The photograph of his self-immolation was printed in newspapers all around the world. After lunch we leave for Hoi An via the spectacular Hai Van Pass; 19kms of road winds up and over the fortress of mountains providing breath-taking views of the coast. Hoi An River Green Boutique or similar, Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 8 Walking tour of Hoi An; free time for market exploration. This morning will include a walking tour of Hoi An, the original European trading port in Vietnam dating back to the mid-sixteenth century. It is now a living museum, with attractive wooden merchant's houses and pagoda-style temples with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European architectural influences. It is also a marvellous place to wander around and enjoy the thriving riverside market and great silk, clothes shopping. If you have anything you want made up in mind, you should consider taking a picture of it along with you. This afternoon is free, one popular option is to jump on a bike for a ride through the countryside past local markets, schools and villages before continuing on to Cua Dai beach (5 km). Hoi An River Green Boutique or similar, Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 9 Fly to Saigon; visit main sites. We drive to Danang and then fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), an exciting and absorbing city where scooters pack the streets and temples stand defiantly alongside modern developments. Devastated by the Vietnam War, it is now a bustling free market city where anything goes. Our hotel is in the heart of this incredible city. We include a visit to the Ben Thanh Market, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and War Remnants Museum. The Museum has an interesting photographic record of the Vietnam/American War. Please be aware that some images at the museum are very graphic. Asian Ruby Luxury (Asian Ruby 1) or similar, Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 10 Day trip to Mekong Delta; farewell dinner in Saigon. Journeying out of the city we head to the lush countryside that is the Mekong Delta for a day tour. Known as the ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam, this region produces most of Vietnam’s fruit, sugar cane and coconuts. We take a boat trip along the many tributaries and stop to see some small cottage industries along the way. We will journey by sampan, a traditional wooden low-riding boat still used by the locals as the main form of transport. After sampling some of the local produce we head back to Saigon. Dinner tonight is at KOTO, a social enterprise that trains and employs underprivileged youth to provide a step up in life. The delicious food provides a fitting end to our jam-packed Vietnam tour. Asian Ruby Luxury (Asian Ruby 1) or similar, Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 11 Free day, depart evening Depart Saigon. The group flight departs early evening so you will have some free time to further explore this fascinating capital. Meals included: Breakfast Day 12 Arrive London Arrive London.
Angkor Wat Extension (from Saigon) Code: XOF Price per person: £799.00 Mandatory Single Supplement: £315.00 'Discovered' enmeshed in the Cambodian jungle in 1860, Angkor, the ancient capital of the powerful Khmer empire, is one of the finest archaeological sites in the world, and not one to be missed. Built between the 9th and 13th centuries, the wonderfully preserved sprawling complex of temples and palaces is on a par with any great monument of the world with magnificent towers, sculptures and bas‐reliefs. During this four-night extension you will also see all the key sites of Phnom Penh, a fascinating city undergoing a huge amount of change. You will travel between the sites in a private car or minibus, depending on how many people take part in the extension, accompanied by an English‐speaking local guide. In the evenings, you will be free to enjoy the town. This trip extension is offered at the end of your AOF or AOV trip so you will fly direct from Saigon to Siem Reap to start the extension. The detailed itinerary can be found here. Please ask your sales consultant for more details.
Vietnam A visa is no longer needed for British, German, French, Spanish and Italian citizens travelling to Vietnam (for all purposes) for a period of up to 15 days, and on the basis of meeting all conditions prescribed by Vietnamese laws. The visa exemption period will end on 30 June 2018. All other nationalities require a visa to enter Vietnam and this must be obtained prior to departure. For further information see http://www.exodus.co.uk/assets/travelink/Vietnam.pdf or the FCO site and check under Vietnam / 'Entry Requirements'.
Vietnam There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Tetanus, Polio, Typhoid, Hepatitis A and Diphtheria. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Hotels, Guesthouses, Homestay and Boat You will spend 6 nights in a comfortable hotel, 1 night aboard a night boat with shared cabin and 1 night will be spent in a standard guesthouse at the farmstay. All of these have en suite facilities. There is also a night aboard a sleeper train with soft berth cabins. All of the hotels have either fans or air conditioning. Single rooms are available for a supplement, please enquire for prices. Please advise the sales team at the time of booking if you require a single room. The single supplement (6 nights) includes nights spent in hotels only.
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Reviewed March 2018 Emily Draper Trip: Highlights of Vietnam Fun, Fast, Exhilarating, Exhausting and wouldn't change a thing The most jam packed 10 days of my life. But also the most enjoyable. Every day brought something new. It's fast and furious so be prepared for moving to somewhere new virtually everyday day. Having said that it's a truly enthralling trip. Every destination is different providing you with a ton of different unforgettable experiences. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were many but mostly the people! All the different guides we met on tours had a different amazing story. Each bringing a different perspective on life through war and post war. Really made you think and reflect. The guide on the My Son Sanctuary visit was brilliant, his knowledge and story were superb. Also the bike ride around Hoi An and Camp Ping Island gave you a unique reflection of life in the country. Standing on top of an old water mill at the top of the High Van Pass taking in the views was incredible. Walking around the War Museum in Ho Chi Minh City was probably one of the hardest things to do, but amazing. What did you think of your group leader? Huy was an incredible leader. His knowledge was second to none, he gave us plenty of options of optional activities, restaurant options whilst pointing out the best places to go. He always had logistics sewn up, on the road breakfasts, lunches, transportation - the timings were always perfect. An all round lovely guy with a great sense of humour. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? We travelled mid-end of February - a rain jacket is useful as it was cloudy most days, some of the group found that the hat + gloves came in handy on the overnight train. Eat everything! The food is amazing everywhere you go. Pack light. There is opportunity to have laundry done along the way and as you'll be moving around virtually everyday it'll be easier if you've packed light. I found using packing cubes in my rucksack a god send! Is there anything else you would like to add? Don't be afraid, jump right in, take in as much as you can, embrace the food, culture and each other. We had an amazing group, we all jelled very well making the trip even more enjoyable.
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