North to South-Vietnam 17 Day Trip

Product Description

Vietnam 17 Day Itinerary is a 17 days tour we design for family holiday in Vietnam. This is a multisport trip that includes major travel highlights and activities – Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, Cat Ba island, Hue, Da nang, Hoian, Ho Chi Minh city and the Mekong delta. Activities are provided includes trekking, cycling, visiting ethnic highland market, homestay, boat, junk cruise, sightseeing culture discovery and more.

Map of Vietnam 17 Day Itinerary

Vietnam 17 Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi.

Upon your arrival at Noibai airport in Hanoi, you will be greeted by Lotussia Travel team and transferred to your hotel in town. The rest of the day of this Vietnam 17 Day Itinerary is at leisure. Check-in hotel(*) and overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour – Lao Cai.

Enjoy a half day city tour of Vietnam’s capital. Hanoi is a unique city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and oriental temples. The city tour includes such sights as the Ho Chi Minh Complex(*), containing the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. This complex also comprises the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city. We follow this with a trip to the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam and the impressive Ethnology Museum, dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. Enjoy a short cyclo excursion through the bustling old quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sales at these places. In the evening, you will be transferred to Hanoi Train Station to catch the night train for Lao Cai. Train??? Departure at ??? (to be advised). Overnight on the train.

Day 3: Lao Cai – Sapa.

Arrive Laocai Train Station early this morning at ?h (to be advised). You will be greeted by Lotussia Travel local team and transferred to Sapa. Breakfast will be provided in a local restaurant in town. After breakfast, you will be transferred to Su Pan village from where you will start your walk downhill through the breathtaking scenery. On the way you will pass through the Ban Ho village where you will be able to witness the stunning views of the valley and rice paddy terraces. You will have the opportunity to explore the Ban Ho village of Tay minority before crossing the suspension bridge over the river. The walk then continues uphill to the Red Dao minority village of Nam Toong, where you guide will prepare a delicious lunch either in local school. After lunchtime, you descend to the valley where locates My Son village of Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest groups ethnic in Northern Vietnam. From there you take a short walk to Thanh Phu village of Tay minority. Here you spend the night in traditional house of the Tay. You can take a walk to explore local daily life while your dinner will be served with Vietnamese dishes.

Day 4: Sapa Trekking.

Today’s trek will be relatively short and soft. Once leaving Thanh Phu, you follow the trekking route built in the bottom of the valley, which offers the best view to the surrounding mountains. You stop at a nice spot for lunch. After lunchtime, you continue the walk toward Sin Chai village of Red Dao minority where the night will be spent in Red Dao Village.

Day 5: Sapa Trekking.

You wake up for an early breakfast and repack your luggage for the long trek heading toward Lao Cai. Once you leave Sin Chai village, the trip takes you into a fabulously mountainous area, the most remote part of Sapa. En route you meet children’ curious eyes as you are very first tourists passing by. Red Dao ethnic minority inhabits the entire area. You will enjoy the fresh of bamboo forest and jungle until you make a stop at Nam Ket for lunch. After lunch, your trek will be mostly downhill. After about half an hour, you will have an opportunity to enjoy one of the most beautiful views of days over a green valley lying along the Red River. You eventually arrive in Ta Thang village of Tay minority. Here you will be transferred back to Sapa town. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 6: Sapa – Coc Ly – Lao Cai – Hanoi.

On the 6th day of this Vietnam 17 Day Itinerary you depart at about 07.30 am. Transfer by road downhill for 37 km to Lao Cai City, then follow national road 70 traveling through the lush farm land of Lao Cai province for 42 km to Phong Nien Commune, turn left and follow provincial road 154 which sneaks through the country side along the Chay river for 17 km to Coc Ly which offers beautiful scenery of high mountains, narrow valleys and terraced rice paddies. Enjoy several photo stops along the way, especially of the beautiful tear farms near Phong Hai. Arrive in the market place at about 09.00am, at crowded time of the market. Join local ethnic peoples for about 2 hours of the morning to enjoy the exciting atmosphere as well as activities of this weekly market. Walk from section to sections, corner to corners, seeing and smelling of different local product, spices, vegetable, farming tools, handicraft, even medicinal herb…especially meeting smiling peoples every where. Coc Ly is also famous cattle market where local farmers from villages in the region sell and by cows, horses, water buffaloes, pigs…, and there is a large ground just beside the main market place for this activity. The market is always crowded for the whole morning and over after lunch time. Leaving the market at noon, boarding a motor boat and cruising down stream the Chay River for 1.5 hour to Trung Do village of the Tay which is beautifully set on the bank of the river. Spend about an hour walking to explore this charming village before continuing the boat trip briefly to Bao Nhai. Enjoy late lunch in a local restaurant and then take 46 km road transfer back to Lao Cai station. Overnight train back to Hanoi. Train ?? Departure at (to be advised). Overnight on the train.

Day 7: Hanoi – Halong Bay.

Arrive Hanoi Train Station early this morning at ??? (to be advised). You will be greeted again by Lotussia Travel team and transferred to a local restaurant for breakfast. At 8:00: Depart for Halong bay. Enjoy the journey through the scenery of rice fields and everyday Vietnamese village life. Arrive in Halong around noon and board the Bai Tho traditional sailing junk (or similar junk). Whilst cruising the exquisite waters sample the regions fresh seafood. Round over Thien Cung cave (palace of heaven), Dau Go ( grotto of wood ), Tuan Chau island, Dog island, Dinh Huong, Ga Choi (fighting cock mountain), Turtle island. Enjoy one-hour kayaking on the emerald waters of Halong bay. Watch the sun set over the bay whilst enjoying a delicious dinner. Overnight on board junk.

Day 8: Halong Bay – Cat Ba Island.

Breafast on board. Then we leave the boat-house, getting on a small wooden boat for another cruise towards Catba island. Arrive Catba island pier around noon. You will be picked up by local motor-taxi (“xe om”) and transferred to Cat Ba town. Check in hotel and stay free at leisure. Overnight at your hotel in Cat Ba island.

Day 9: Cat Ba Island – Hanoi.

After a short briefing about rock climbing, enjoy a half-hour drive into the small farming village of Lien Minh. Learn some basic instruction and introduction to Rock Climbing before enjoying about three hours guided Rock Climbing in Butterfly Valley. Have lunch either in Lien Minh park or in a local restaurant in Cat Ba town. 14:30: take a speed boat to travel to Haiphong where our vehicle will wait for us for the drive back to Hanoi.

Day 10: Hanoi Cycling.

The one-day cycling tour begins with a short walk through the Old Quarter of Hanoi. You will walk through the Dong Xuan market, the ancient gate of the citadel of Hanoi and the Long Bien Bridge before arriving at the departure point. After a brief introduction to the use of our bicycles and the biking road, we begin our adventure by cycling along the Red River. Visit the market of ceramics, located by the riverside. Then continue cycling until we reach the village of Bonsai where we will make another break. We make another stop in a church. Then we cross the street which is also the dam to reach the West Lake. We cycle a little more before we arrive in the restaurant where the lunch will be served. We will the the opportunity to taste the fried shrimp, a specialty of Hanoi. After lunch, we continue to ride along the shores of West Lake. We stop at the Tran Quoc Pagoda for the visit of the pagoda. Located on an islet connected to the eastern shore of West Lake (Ho Tay, Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest in Vietnam. Its construction dates back to 514 and its restoration in the fifteenth century (according to a stele placed on the pagoda in 1639). After visiting the pagoda, we have the opportunity to visit some other sites such as the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh (outside), the flag tower, the north gate of the ancient citadel in Hanoi. We reach the hotel around late afternoon. In the evening, attend to the water puppet whow, one of famous Vietnamese traditional art. Overnight in Ha Noi.

Day 11: Hanoi – Hue.

Today is at your leisure until transferring to Hanoi airport for your onward flight to Hue. Flight ??? Departure at ??? (to be advised). You will be greeted by Lotussia travel team in Hue and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, we begin the half day tour of Hue with a visit to the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City. This royal residence was all but destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, however it is still fascinating to walk among the ruins. Overnight in Hue.

Day 12: Hue – Da Nang – Hoian.

Enjoy the morning boat trip on the Perfume River to visit the beautiful Thien Mu Pagoda. Then we will continue visiting the mausoleum of former emperor Tu Duc or Khai Dinh’s. Drive to Hoian. Arrive Hoian ancient town around late afternoon. Check into your hotel.

Day 13: Hoian – Cham Island – Hoian.

You will be picked up by our local team and transferred to the pier. Leaving the coast, you will be explained by our diving instructor about the theories of diving and practical advises. Arrival at the islands and enjoy one discover scuba dive with a certified PADI Instructor. Transfer to Bai Chong beach for lunch. After lunch, return back shore and spend the afternoon walking in Hoian ancient town. Overnight in Hoian.

Day 14: Hoi An – Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Free morning for your personal discvery. Transfer to Danang airport. Fly to Ho Chi Minh city. Flight ??? Departure at ??? (to be advised). Welcome at Tan Son Nhat airport, in Ho Chi Minh city by our local team and transfer to your hotel in town. Check in hotel and stay free at leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 15: Saigon – Mekong Delta – Saigon.

Heading out of the town, we travel by road to the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s largest rice bowl. On arrival in My Tho we embark on a boat navigating around the intricate small canals in the delta region, which is a great way to observe the local lifestyle close-up. The thrilling excursion will pass the lush green vegetation before arriving on an island. Here we have opportunities to visit some fascinating local industries, stroll around an orchard and taste many seasonal fruits. After feasting on a huge lunch, we return to Ho Chi Minh. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 16: Saigon City Tour.

Enjoy a half day city tour with Ho Chi Minh City most wanted highlights such as the Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Reunification palace. Then continue towards Cholon for a quick visit of Thien Hau temple and the Binh Tay market. Free afternoon at leisure. Overnight at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 17: Departure.

Transfer to Ho Chi Minh city airport for onward flight home. Vietnam 17 Day Itinerary is completed.

Vietnam private tours

Lotussia Travel is a Hanoi tour operator offering a wide selection of multi-activity holidays in Vietnam. Options include countryside cycle, mountain biking, road cycling, jungle trek, trekking homestay, mountain hiking, peaks climbs, motorbike, scouter touring, camping, caving expeditions, kayaking, boat trips, cruise, sightseeing, culture tours. Most of our trips are private customized, and specially designed for small group tours, family vacations. The itinerary above – Vietnam 17 Day Itinerary is only a sample that can be further customized to better fit your requirements. Just follow it or contact us for designing your perfect adventure.

Additional Information

Primary activity	Multisport
Trip duration	17 days
Depart from	Hanoi
End at	Ho Chi Minh City
Adventure level	Moderate

Itinerary disclaimer

Occasionally our tour itineraries are updated during the year to incorporate improvements stemming from past travelers’ comments and our own research. The information given in this itinerary may be slightly different to that in the service proposal. It’s very important that you print and review a final copy of your itinerary a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans. If you have any queries, please contact us. We are here to help you!

Please note that while we operate successful trips in Vietnam throughout the year, some changes may occur in our itineraries due to inclement weather and common seasonal changes to timetables and transport routes. This can happen with little notice so please be prepared for modifications to the route. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary from time to time.

Inclusions

Depending on the proposed option (semi-guide tour or all-inclusive package tour), the price may include the following services. Please bear in mind Lotussia Travel is specialized in tailor-made trips. Trip cost vary depending on group size and other details.

Car transfers.
Local tour guide. The English-Speaking guide is provided by default. Other language may be available upon request (with extra charge).
Meals.
Entrance fees.

Exclusions

Unless required most of the following services are usually not included in our tour price.

Visa
Flight/Train tickets.
Accommodation.
Tour leader.
Local porter(s).
International travel insurance.
Drinks.
Tips.
Personal expenses.

Tour guide

Our tour guides speak English or French. They hold a university degree in tourism and national license as a guide. If you wish to send a tour leader along with any group, he or she can fully rely on the knowledge and experience of our local guides.

Remote treks are always accompanied by a local representative to deal with permits and authorities and manage the porter team. They speak the local dialects, know the cultural traditions and give tips on suggested behavior in fragile ecological areas and tribal communities. For some itineraries, the role of tour leader and representative is combined.

Driver

Our drivers don’t speak English. It’s possible that a few of them might know some basic words, such as telling time, stop, and lunch. If you’re looking for effective communication throughout the journey, we highly recommend booking a tour guide.

Trip routes

Principally, Lotussia Travel requires all the trip associates to know the destinations well by any means of traveling or enquiry to the local suppliers to figure out all the relative details of any trip. For adventure tours such as jungle trekking, mountain hiking, sea kayaking, river rafting or biking, cycling tours, Lotussia Travel will never add any new routes into available schedule until survey or pre-view it.

Accommodation

Lotussia Travel carefully choose all the hotels, guest-houses or home-stays based on service quality, location, and characteristics, doing best to make the accommodations in the remote small places as comfortable as possible. Please bear in mind that hotels in Vietnam might not be in the same standard in other country. Generally hotels in major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, Hoian, Hue…are much better than hotels and guest-houses in mountainous areas.

Meals

Lotussia Travel take dinning as an indispensable experience to clients since it is an important part in Vietnamese culture. Therefore, Lotussia Travel will not intend take clients to the most expensive restaurants but non-touristy local ones which offer delicious, local food, with nice or interesting atmosphere. The restaurants might be simple in the country but LOTUSSIA Travel guarantee is sanitary and cleanliness. Or even on our trek, we encourage our cook offer client food with new tastes from day to day. During adventure itineraries to mountainous or remote areas, there is sometimes no choice for hotel and restaurants. We will try our best to bring you the best taste of local food.

Drinks

As the tap water in Vietnam is undrinkable, Lotussia Travel recommend clients to drink bottled water throughout your trip, or boiled water on treks. Lotussia Travel offers bottle water all the day, and soft drinks like Cola, Sprite or Vietnamese Tea or if possible juice in restaurants (if mentionned in itinerary). This is not automatically included in the packages. In simple restaurant or on camping, Lotussia Travel offers boiled water, instant coffee or juice, wrapped milk (Details are confirmed in bottom of your itinerary).

Transportation

In most destinations of Vietnam, all the roads are well paved though the traffic is quite messed up like in Hanoi, Hai Phong… We use proper vehicles, car, minibus or coach in good condition based on the size of the groups. We use 4WD only on the rough road where the other vehicles could not pass through or based on clients requirement on overland journeys or treks. For cycling itineraries, we usually use our support minibus or minibus with support truck. For sea kayaking, river rafting trips, diving packages we use standard boat as support. Detailed information is provided on our service proposal.

We use drivers who are native or local of each travel destination and maintain good safety records for all trips. Most of our drivers can speak English but a little bit. This is just enough to understand basic words such as “time of departure”, “stop”, “restaurants”, “hotels”…If you want to learn more about Vietnamese culture and information about sightseeing sites, booking a tour guide is highly recommended.

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