17 DAY FULLY ESCORTED TRIP
CODE ECO. £1,695per person

THIS PROGRAMME IS ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE UNSPOILT WILDLIFE AND BEAUTIFUL NATURE COMBINED WITH SOME PLEASANT WALKING ACTIVITIES. YOU WILL ENJOY SHORT FOREST TREKKING AMIDST EXOTIC FLORA AND FAUNA IN MANY OF VIETNAM’S MOST BEAUTIFUL AND WELL PRESERVED NATIONAL PARKS.

Departure Daily. Programme can be modified upon request.
Price is per person sharing twin or double room.
Price includes: International flights , visa, airport/hotel transfers, hotels as above or similar with daily breakfast, half board meals i.e lunch en route as stated, air conditioned chauffeur driven cars, internal flights, guided sightseeing, excursions, boat trips, admission fees.
Price excludes: Insurance, local airport tax, dinners, optional entertainment and any service not specified above. Single room supplement is £195 per person. Children: 67% of adult’s price (child sharing parents’ room). Please add £160 for high seasons (July, August and December).

 
Day 1 : Departure on scheduled flights from Heathrow or Manchester.

Day 2 : Hanoi ( D )
On arrival at Hanoi airport you will be met and transferred to Galaxy hotel. Afternoon orientation tour of the main boulevards of Hanoi, Hoan Kiem lake, Literature temple, One pillar pagoda and the Old Quarter. Evening welcome dinner at a typical Vietnamese restaurant. Overnight at Galaxy hotel.

Day 3 : Cuc Phuong ( B, L )
Morning transfer to CucPhuong (140km from Hanoi). CucPhuong is Vietnam’s first national park covering a huge limestone area of 22000 ha with a rich diversity of flora and fauna: a beautiful evergreen rain forest. Upon arrival, visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre and the Botanic Garden, where visitors can see some of the 1,880 species of flora that exist in the park. Overnight at the Park Guest House.

Day 4 : Cuc Phuong ( B, L )
Early morning drive to Bong Station for a bird-watching walk through the forest. The 6km trail passes through giant trees, some of which are over 1,000 years old. Picnic lunch. Afternoon return to Hanoi. In the evening enjoy the incredible water puppet performance. Overnight at Galaxy hotel.

Day 5 : Cat Ba ( B, L )
Early morning drive to Haiphong and board a speed boat to CatBa island. Only 80km from HaiPhong, CatBa national park (9800 ha) is a rich ecosystem full of evergreen forests on the hills, coastal mangrove swamps and off shore coral reefs. After lunch trekking with guide to explore CatBa national park, Hospital & Trung Trang caves. Overnight at Prince hotel.

Day 6 : Hanoi ( B, L )
Board a boat to Halong bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a leisurely 5 hour boat trip through the bay stopping to explore some of the many islands, caves and grottoes. Return to Hanoi following a lunch on board of freshly caught seafood. Overnight in Hanoi at Galaxy hotel.

Day 7 : Hue ( B, L )
Morning transfer to airport for flight to the Imperial city of Hue. On arrival you will be met and transferred to Huong Giang hotel. Hue city tour with guide to the Imperial Citadel, ThienMu Pagoda, DongBa market and TruongTien bridge. Lunch at local restaurant. Overnight at Huong Giang hotel.

Day 8 : Bach Ma ( B, L )
Early morning drive to BachMa national park about 55 km from Hue. This is a rolling mountainous area of 22000 ha full of aboriginal plants and rare species from both north and south of the country. Take a 4WD car ride to the Morin Bach Ma villas overlooking panoramic views of lagoons, sand dunes and mountains. Trek along forest trails and discover the diversity of the local fauna and flora, continue to the Five Lakes area and on to the romantic Do Quyen Waterfall. Picnic lunch. Overnight at Morin Bach Ma villas

Day 9 : HoiAn ( B, L )
Morning drive to HoiAn. Walking tour with guide in the old streets of Hoi An where the mix of Japanese and Chinese architecture reflects its past history as an important trading port. Lunch at local restaurant. Evening enjoy a leisure walk in the small streets of HoiAn illuminated by thousands of multicoloured traditional lanterns. Overnight at Vinh Hung 2 hotel.

Day 10 : NhaTrang ( B, L )
Car drive to Danang railway station for day train to NhaTrang. Reunification Express train S1 (10:30 - 20:15). Lunch box provided. On arrival you will be met and transferred to Saigon Nha Trang hotel for overnight.

Day 11 : Cat Tien ( B, L )
Early morning car drive to Cat Tien national park via Dalat highland and Belle Vue pass. CatTien covers a huge area of 37000 ha full of rare species such as the Asian Elephant and the one horn Rhinoceros. Take a hike in the Ben Cu area to see the legendary “Pham Van Dong” tree. Overnight stay at Cat Tien guest House. (Optional night jeep ride into the Nui Tuong forest to look for nocturnal animals.)

Day 12 : Saigon ( B, L ). Early morning jeep drive to Bau Chim and Bau Sau areas, staging points for a two and a half hours trek deep into the forest. In Bau Sau, canoe around a lake, then trek back to the jeep for drive back to the guesthouse. Afternoon transfer to Saigon with visit to tea and coffee plantations on the way. Lunch en route. Evening at leisure. Overnight in Saigon at Continental hotel.

Day 13 : Saigon ( B, L )
Morning visits to the famous CuChi tunnels to experience the amazing labyrinth of undergrounds tunnels used by the guerillas duting the war. Return to Saigon for lunch and an afternoon guided city tour including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the splendid Post Office and Ben Thanh market. Overnight at Continental hotel.

Day 14 : Cao Lanh ( B, L )
Early morning drive to Long Hiep bridge in Dong Thap province. Sampan ride to Xeo Quit melaleuca forest. Trekking in a romantic mangrove forest. Lunch at a restaurant built on stilt. Afternoon drive to Cao Lanh where you will board a boat to Gao Giong agricultural farm. Rowing boat to Gao Giong reserve, home to thousands of wild storks. Return to CaoLanh for overnight at Song Tra hotel.

Day 15 : Saigon ( B, L )
Morning short visit to Cao Lanh local market, farmer’s villages, fish and prawns breeding farms before returning to Saigon. Lunch en route. Overnight in Saigon at Continental hotel.

Day 16 : Departure ( B )
Transfer to Saigon airport for flight home.

Day 17 : Arrival home in early morning, ending your exotic holiday.