Summary

Detailed Itinerary

Itinerary in brief
Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour by Cyclo
Day 3: To Halong Bay
Day 4: Halong Bay, return to Hanoi
Day 5: Traditional village visit
Day 6: Cuc Phuong National Park
Day 7: To Vu Quang National Park along the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Day 8: Phong Nha Cave
Day 9: Dong Hoi to Hue via Hein Luong & Thach Han Bridges (The DMZ)
Day 10: Hue Sightseeing
Day 11: Hai Van Pass, Danang Beach & Hoi An Sightseeing
Day 12: Hoi An boat trip, Vietnamese cooking demonstration
Day 13: My Son World Heritage Site
Day 14: Hoi An to Saigon, Cu Chi Tunnels
Day 15: Saigon city sights
Day 16: Scenic drive to Dalat
Day 17: Dalat city sights
Day 18: Dambri Waterfall, Saigon
Day 19: Cai Be, Tein riverboat trip
Day 20: Saigon, floating market
Day 21: Depart Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

Set Departures Ho Chi Minh Trail Overland Tour

Detail Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi
Arrival in Hanoi followed by a transfer to our centrally located hotel. The remainder of the day is free to explore Hanoi's tree-lined streets and wide boulevards. Tonight we have our orientation meeting and overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour by Cyclo
Today our visits include the Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and One Pillar Pagoda. After lunch we continue our sightseeing with the Fine Arts Museum, The Temple of Literature and The Hanoi Hilton (once a political prison and used by American pilots from 1964 to 1972). We also enjoy a tour of the old quarter by cyclo (three-wheeled bicycle rickshaw), the best way to explore this busy place. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3: To Halong Bay
An early departure today to Halong via Ha Bac Province, which is the cradle of Buddhism in Vietnam. We board our boat and have a seafood feast lunch. We spend the afternoon exploring the bay, which consists of thousands of islands and islets formed by wind and water. The many limestone rock formations make for beautiful scenery and wonderful photos.We stop and visit Surprising Cave and Luon Grotto before dinner. We spend the night on the boat.

Day 4: Halong Bay, return to Hanoi
This morning we will continue to explore Halong Bay by boat. For early risers, the sunrise from the upper deck is a lovely way to greet the day from the water. We may see the fishing boats returning after the night fish. After breakfast, for anyone who wants to explore by kayak, the option is available at an additional cost. After a seafood feast for lunch, we return to the pier and then back to Hanoi. This evening we attend a water puppet performance and dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 5: Traditional village visit
This morning we take a short drive along the Red River for a ferry crossing to the traditional village of Binh Minh. We visit the village market and then walk to the Buddhist Pagoda dedicated to the female Buddha with 1,000 eyes and hands. We also visit a Taoist Temple dedicated to Chu Dong Tu and hear the emotional love story of Chu Dong Tu and his wife. After lunch, we drive to Bat Trang pottery village and take a walk through the workshop to observe how these well-known ceramics are made. We return to Hanoi and there is free time before dinner. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 6: Cuc Phuong National Park
We depart Hanoi and drive to Cuc Phoung National Park, the first national park of Vietnam, established in 1962. It is home to over 1983 types of plants, 89 animal species and over 320 types of birds. We first visit the Endangered Primate RescueCenter, which was also the first wildlife center in Vietnam. We may see Delacour's langurs, Cat-ba langurs and gibbons. We continue our exploration of the park with a hike. We will split into 2 groups, an easy hike to Sau Tree or a longer hike to the One Thousand Year Old Tree. Overnight Cuc Phuong National Park.

Day 7: To Vu Quang National Park along the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Depart Cuc Phuong for our scenic drive to Vu Quang National Park. During our drive, we pass along the infamous Ho Chi Minh trail, with several stops to enjoy the scenic beauty and photograph the beautiful mountainous landscape. Arrive late afternoon in Vu Quang. Dinner and overnight in Vu Quang National Park.

Departure & Price

Creating Unique Touring Experiences

Travel facts

Green Trail Tours - Traveller Tips for Vietnam

GEOGRAPHY: Vietnam stretches over 1600 km.along the eastern coast of the IndochinaPeninsula. The S-shaped country is broad in the north and south and very narrow in the centre. Almost 80% of Vietnam consists of mountains and hills. The TruongSonMountains extend almost the length of Vietnam along the borders with Laos and Cambodia.

VISAS: All visitors are required to have a valid visa to enter Vietnam. A one-month tourist visa is usually sufficient for most visitors though it is possible to arrange 3-month and 6-month multiple entry visas for regular visitors. All visitors must obtain visa approval from the Vietnamese Immigration Department before a visa is issued.

MONEY: The currency issued by the Vietnam State Bank is the dong (abbreviated "d" or VND) which is used informally throughout the country. Bank notes in denominations of 200d to 100,000d are presently in circulation. The exchange rate is approximately 18,000d = US$1. Australia Dollars are accepted in many hotels, restaurants. Banks are open Monday to Friday and some are open Saturday morning. Traveller's cheques can be exchanged at banks, some international hotel and some exchange bureaux but can be difficult to change outside of the major cities. Visa Card and MasterCard are now accepted in many hotels, restaurants and shops.

ELECTRICITY: Electric current in Vietnam is 220 volts and will operate all Australian appliances. Always carry a torch with fresh batteries. Recharge photographic batteries regularly.

CLOTHING: Comfortable lightweight clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton is most suitable for travelling in Vietnam. The dress code is fairly casual as in most parts of the tropics but it is advisable to cover arms and legs in the evenings against biting insects. A lightweight raincoat is a good idea in the rainy season. During the winter months warm clothing is needed for visiting the north of Vietnam. Visitors to Buddhist countries should not wear shorts, short skirts or other skimpy clothing when visiting religious buildings and shoes should be removed before entering a private home

CLIMATE / WEATHER: Vietnam’s weather conditions are pleasant for visitors throughout the year. The WINTER monsoon comes from the northeast between October and March with wet chilly conditions in the north, but dry warm temperatures to the south. From April to October the southwest monsoons bring warm, humid weather to the whole country.

LANGUAGE: Because Vietnamese has six different tones, it is a difficult language for most foreigners to speak despite the fact that the Roman alphabet is used in modern Vietnamese. The same word can have six different meanings depending on the tone used to pronounce it. In the cities and larger towns English is becoming popular and is now spoken by many younger people while some of the older generation still speak fluent French. Russian and Chinese are also spoken by some people

ACCOMMODATION: All group tour hotels have been especially selected. All have private western bathroom facilities. Laundry service can launder clothing within 24 hours. It is not customary for all hotels to have refrigerator and tea/coffee facilities.

FOOD / DRINK: The cuisine of Vietnam comes as a pleasant surprise to many visitors and is definitely a part of the Vietnam experience not to be missed. One of the characteristics of Vietnamese food is that it is always fresh being bought the same morning straight from the market. Food is usually prepared with a minimum of oil and served with the ubiquitous fish sauce called nuoc mam. Typical Vietnamese dishes you can expect to try include pho, a type of rice noodle soup eaten for breakfast, cha gio, deep-fried spring rolls and goi ngo sen, a delicious salad made with lotus stems, shrimps and peanuts. Due to the strong Buddhist influence in Vietnam, vegetarian food is widely available.

SHOPPING: Souvenirs to look out for in Vietnam include lacquerware, silk, conical hats, woodcarvings, hill tribe fabrics and handicrafts, embroidery, marble, ceramics, silver jewellery, antique watches and paintings. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have the best choice when it comes to shopping but Hoi An in the centre of Vietnam is also a very good place to hunt for bargains.

TOILETS: Public toilets can sometimes be difficult to find. Take every opportunity you can to use clean toilets in hotels and restaurants. Make this a habit on your stay.

HEALTH: Consult your medico or visit the Traveller Medical and Vaccination Centre for professional medical advice well in advance of your departure, Wash hands before and after eating. Carry ‘wet-ones’,anti bacterial handwash, insect repellant, band aids and emergency medicines eg. Diarrhoea. Drink plenty of water and have adequate rest. Seek medical care, if needed. Don’t take risks with health and personal hygiene.

SAFETY / SECURITY: Always maintain a high level of personal security. Cash or wallets in pockets, obvious jewellery and open bags attract unwanted attention. Beware of pickpockets in crowded places. Lock your case, Carry a hotel card so that taxis know where to take you.

LUGGAGE: All passengers are limited to TWO items of luggage each. One case with maximum weight weight of 20 kg. and maximum size of 70 litres. It is essential to lock this case. One piece of hand luggage with maximum weight of 5 kg. It is advisable that hand luggage consist of a ‘daypack’ to carry camera, water, toilet paper, umbrella, hat etc.

TIPPING: Tipping for good service is not expected but is always appreciated in these developing nations. It is customary, though not compulsory, to tip tour guides and drivers at the end of a tour. Hotel and station porters should also be tipped.

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