Northern Discovery
07 days / 06 nights - Coach, Boat
Package price based on twin share (US$) for year 2008 from US$
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Trip Includes:
- Hotels (06 nights) (Note: 01 night at 2 star hotel in Ninh Binh); Meals: All breakfast, 05 lunch; English speaking guide as itinerary; Private air-conditioning coach; Private boat: Cat Ba - Halong bay; All Entrance free; Puppet show; 01 bottle of water/ day
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Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi
We pick you up at the airport, transfer to Hanoi with distance of 40km. After a long time on plane, we should pay a visit to old quarters on a pedicab for one hour. Normal life, work of local people along the small streets may help you relaxed. Then we transfer to our hotel, check in, have lunch, take a short rest before continueing our city tour. The city tour will start with a visit to Ngoc Son temple, an island on Hoan Kien lake with famous The Huc bridge.
Our next attraction is Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam, a symbol of Vietnamese traditional education. Many activities are often held at the temple on new year days so as to praise talented people who make great contribution to the country during the year. From temple of literature, we will move to one-stilt pagoda where architecture, historical stories and culture are highlighted. We next visit Museum of ethnology where we can have overview of ethnic minorities of Vietnam, at least from symbols and tools used in their daily life and work as well as festivals. Overnight stay in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi - Ha Tay - Hoa Binh (Breakfast/ Lunch)
Today we will transfer to Hoa Binh, a province of six kinds of houses, six kinds of villages, six kinds of clothes, six languages, six kinds of traditional literature, six systems of festival added with 30 ethnic groups. Leave for Hoa Binh (75km) via Thanh Oai District. Walk (2km) along a dike embankment to Chuong conical hat fair where hundreds of village women buy and sell conical hats and their accessories. A boat trip on Da river where water is kept for water power plant (Hoa Binh) to enjoy nature, ecology of the lake, to visit some lakeside villages of ethnic minorities including Yao and Muong tribes, talking to them, discovering their daily life and features. We are back Hoa Binh city in the late afternoon, the evening entertainment is a tribal folk show. Overnight stay in Hoa Binh.
Day 3: Hoa Binh - Ninh Binh (Breakfast/ Lunch)
130 km transfer takes us to Ninh Binh with highlights of Dinh and Le dynasty temples in Hoa Lu, the first capital of an organized dynasty in Vietnam (968 - 1009), the capital was then moved to Dai La (present Hanoi) by Ly Thai To in 1010. Besides historical values, it also features traditional and excellent architectures. Our next visit is Phat Diem Cathedral, a combination of Vietnamese pagoda and Gothis church architectural stypes. Phat Diem Cathedral is also famous for stone style, most unique in Vietnam. Overnight stay in Ninh Binh.
Day 4: Ninh Binh - Hai Phong (Breakfast/ Lunch)
Our morning time is to visit Tam Coc (three caves - first, second and third cave), known as Vietnam's "inland Halong Bay". The only route to approach Tam Coc is by boat. Coolness, taste of local wind, comfort and relaxing are what you feel when boating in the caves. We next visit Bich Dong (green cave), is often known as "the second most beautiful cave in Vietnam". Bich Dong contributes to the harmony of nature here with mountains, river, rice fields and sky. In the afternoon, drive through the Red River Delta to Hai Phong (135km) and stop over at Tuc Mac Temple and Pho Minh Pagoda in Nam Dinh province, the native land of the Tran Dynasty (1225 –1400). O/N in Hai Phong.
Day 5: Hai Phong - Cat Ba - Halong (Breakfast/ Lunch)
Our trip starts at 8h00 in the moring for a visit to Cat Ba, famous for its original nature, some of its beaches can only be approached by boat or on road along cliffs. On arrival at Beo Jetty, board a private boat for a cruise in Lan Ha Bay, famous for its pristine islands, crescent beaches and crystal waters. We continue our trip by visiting Halong. Upon arriving Halong bay, we will have 04 - 05 hours on boat including time of visiting some caves on routes. The weather is very important to our trip and we think we will be lucky. With thousands of big and small "islands", you may think you are on land. Halong bay is also known to many tourists as a place of fish raising. You may visit one of house on water, finding out the ways of raising fish here. Our lunch on board with main menu of seafood should be a must. Overnight stay in Halong or on board.
Day 6: Halong - Bac Ninh - Hanoi (Breakfast/ Lunch)
Our morning tour with a transfer of 170km to Hanoi. En route we will visit Bac Ninh, a province with famous folk songs, cradle of Buddism, famous for its tradition of education. Our first stop is Dong Giao wood-carving village, Dong Ho traditional printing village, famous for its unique paintings (colors for paintings are used with totally natural materials so that it is hard to make the color faded). We will then drive along a dyke to visit But Thap pagoda, one of big and well-preserved pagodas in the North with influence of Chinese architectures. But Thap pagoda lies in a quite area surrounded with rice fields, villages and dyke. The rest of time is for transfering to Hanoi (about 30km). The evening for enjoy puppet show. Overnight stay in Hanoi.
Day 7: Hanoi - departure (Breakfast)
The moring is for shopping at down town, check out and say good bye to Hanoi for departure.
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