TRAVEL SERVICE & RESERVATION – James Burke

Day 1 – 28 Dec: Hanoi (Arrival)

Arrival at the airport in Hanoi at 13:30PM (VJ94), our driver welcomes and transfers you to hotel.

Rest of the day is your leisure time for walking around the Old Town for shopping and relax in Hanoi.

Evening, go walking or take a taxi to Hoàng’s Restaurant (54 Hàng Buồm) to enjoy your welcome dinner around 18:30 ~ 19:00PM

• Overnight at Thang Long Opera in Hanoi.
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Day 2 – 29 Dec: Hanoi → Halong Bay (The Heritage Journey on Symphony Cruise)

Breakfast at your hotel

7:10 – 7:20: LIMOUSINE PICK UP FROM HANOI
If the guests book Limousine service from Hanoi, our driver picks up at hotel. Please be wait in the hotel lobby during the scheduled time. Thank you for your cooperation.

10:00 – 10:15: WELCOME GUESTS AT HALONG CRUISE PORT
Halong Symphony’s management team is pleased to welcome you at Ha Long International Cruise Port, with a warm and friendly welcome to begin your journey to visit and explore Ha Long Bay.

10:30: DEPARTURE TO THE HALONG BAY
Our cruise leaves the port, taking you to begin the cruise to experience the wonderful beauty that nature bestows on Ha Long Bay. At the time, you listen to our introduction to Halong Symphony cruise, safety regulations and itinerary cruise.

11:45 – 12:45: VISIT SURPRISE CAVE
The guide will take you to explore one of the largest and most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay that named “Surprise Cave”. Our guide presents the interesting information about the cave as an indispensable part of the Heritage cruise.

12:45 – 13:45: LUNCH TIME
On returning to the cruise, you will be served a Buffet lunch with hearty Asian and European dishes at the restaurant on the cruise. (Set Menu will be served if we have less than 30 guests).

13:45 – 14:30: LUON CAVE (Additional fee 120,000 VND/person)
After lunch, our journey continues with a very interesting experience sampan rowed by local people or do kayaking to explore Luon Cave – a place opens up to a peaceful valley on the bay. (Please inform our guide on board if you would like to do this experience).

14:45 – 15:45: VISIT TITOV ISLAND
We arrive at the Titov island, where you can immerse yourself in the emerald water of Halong Bay or climbing to the top of Titov mountain to capture the magnificent panorama of Ha Long.

15:45 – 17:00: SUNSET PARTY
It is the time for you to enjoy the Halong Bay sunset with tea party under the beautiful view of Ha Long Bay, or you can choose to experience Halong Symphony’s unique Jacuzzi areas.

17:30: END OF JOURNEY
Our crew takes you arrive back to the port and say goodbye passengers with smiles of thanks and hopefully see you again. For those who book Limousine service: Our driver readys to pick you up and return to Hanoi at about 8:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.

• Overnight at Thang Long Opera in Hanoi.
• B,L

Day 3 – 30 Dec: Hanoi (Food tour & Cyclo tour)

Breakfast at your hotel

Rest of the day is your leisure time for walking around the Old Town for shopping and relax in Hanoi.

At 16:30PM, Enjoy take a cyclo tour around the bustling old quarter to see the ordinary life of Vietnamese people in Hanoi.

Then, our guide will see you and start your walkie foodie night with Hanoi Street Food Tour.

We will take you inside Hanoi Old Quarter and discover some of the lesser-known dishes of locals. From Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle), Banh Cuon (Steamed rice rolls), “Banh Mi” (Vietnamese Baguette), etc. Finish the tour with unique Ca Phe Trung (Egg Coffee) or Draft beer at beer corner, which will perfectly round off our Hanoi street food discovery.

Afterwards, go to Hanoi Train Street, one of the most famous and adventurous tourist spots in Hanoi. It’s a tiny narrow street hidden in one of the back streets of Hanoi and surrounded by high narrow houses packed closely together. These families’ backyards are the railways where the train passes a few times per day.

• Overnight at Thang Long Opera in Hanoi.
• B,D

Day 4 – 31 Dec: Hanoi (City tour) → Hue

Breakfast at your hotel then check out your hotel, you can leave big luggage at hotel (please note to hotel staff to keep for you) and bring small bag for Hanoi city tour as you will be back to this hotel to go to the airport from your hotel.

Around 08:30AM, Get picked up by our friendly guide and start to explore Hanoi City.

08.45: Arrive at Tran Quoc Pagoda located on Golden Fish IsLand in West Lake

It is the oldest pagoda in Ha Noi built in the 6th century.

09.30: Visit Ho Chi Minh complex, you have a chance to see the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh then walk around the garden to see 2 houses where he lived & worked from 1954 to 1969. Then visit One Pillar Pagoda where worships the Godess of Mercy – It is the most unique padoga in the world

• Should dress modestly by covering from shoulders to knees when visiting Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, temples, pagodas…

• Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays.

• Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed at least 2 months (15thJune -15thAugust) for the annual maintaining but still can take picture Mausoleum and visit around that area

11.15: Visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum to learn about the culture of 54 ethnic groups living in the whole country of Vietnam.

Special Note: we will visit Women Museum instead of Ethnology Museum closed on Mondays

12.45: Have lunch at our restaurant. You have an opportunity to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine with 8 delicious dishes.

14.00 – 14.15 : Continue to visit Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam, established in the 11 century.

15.15: Leave for Hoa Lo Prison Museum which originally used by the French colonists in Indochina for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. During this later period, it was known to American POWs as the “Hanoi Hilton”

Finish the tour, drop off at hotel.

At 17:20PM, our driver transfer you to airport for flight to Hue. (depart at 19:50PM – VJ569)

Arrival at Phu Bai airport at 21:05PM, our driver picks up and transfers you to hotel. Enjoy your stay in Hue.

• Overnight at Emm Hotel Hue in Hue.
• B,L

Day 5 – 01 Jan: Hue (City tour) → Hoi An

Breakfast at your hotel.

At 08:30 AM, our driver and guide pick you up and start the tour. Get on the dragon boat , go along the Huong river to enjoy the fresh atmosphere and peaceful beauty of Hue on the way to Thien Mu pagoda, the oldest pagoda here.

After visiting Thien Mu, we get on the car and go to the Citadel to see the living, working, worshiping and relaxing areas of Nguyen Kings’family, the last royal family in Viet Nam.

The last stop in the morning is Dong Ba market, before we head to the restaurant for lunch. Lunch time at My Home restaurant is a great time to savour the best Hue traditional foods and some royal tea while having your feet relax in herbal water after the meal.

In the afternoon, we will visit two royal tombs Minh Mang and Khai Dinh with traditional architecture and French-influenced style, respectively.
We will take a 10-min trip on car to Thuy Xuan conical hat village to visit a local family who produce the traditional hat and incent.

You can have many photos taken with creative decoration from colorful incent sticks made by people here.

16:30pm. tour is finished and we get on car, come back to the hotel.

After that, we transfer you to Hoi An. Rest of the day is your leisure time to explore the old town or go shopping.

• Overnight at Qualia De Hôtel Hoi An in Hoi An.
• B,L

Day 6 – 02 Jan: Hoi An (Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary)

Breakfast at hotel.

At 8:30 AM, Our guide picks you up at hotel and leave Hoi An for visiting My Son Holly Land – the ruins of Cham people and was an imperial city during Cham dynasty. Here you can have more chance to explore and understand of technique of Old Cham people in making red bricks to build Tower which still now a secret to everyone, you can see a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 65 architectural works. It also surprises for those who are curious with architectural art. In 1999, UNESCO labeled the Cham architecture in My Son as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon, your free time in Hoi An.

• Overnight at Qualia De Hôtel Hoi An in Hoi An.
• B,L

Day 7 – 03 Jan: Hoi An (Leisure time)

Breakfast at hotel.

You’re free at leisure in Hoi An for walking around to explore the ancient town on your own and shopping.

• Overnight at Qualia De Hôtel Hoi An in Hoi An.
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Day 8 – 04 Jan: Hoi An → Phu Quoc

Breakfast at hotel. You’re free at leisure in Hoi An for walking around to explore the ancient town on your own and shopping.

At 15:00PM, our driver takes you to Da Nang airport for departure to Ho Chi Minh (depart at 17:25PM – VN7133) then take a connecting flight at Ho Chi Minh airport departing for flight to Phu Quoc (depart at 20:00PM – VN7837).

Arrival airport in Phu Quoc at 21:00PM, our driver picks up and transfer you to hotel. Your leisure time on beach on your own.

• Overnight at Sonaga Phu Quoc Resort in Phu Quoc
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Day 9 – 05 Jan: Phu Quoc (Leisure)

Breakfast at hotel.

Spend your leisure time for relaxation in Phu Quoc. You can also visit some famous places on your own and try local cuisine.

• Overnight at Sonaga Phu Quoc Resort in Phu Quoc
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Day 10 – 06 Jan: Phu Quoc (Leisure)

Breakfast at hotel.

Spend your leisure time for relaxation in Phu Quoc. You can also visit some famous places on your own and try local cuisine.

• Overnight at Sonaga Phu Quoc Resort in Phu Quoc
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Day 11 – 07 Jan: Phu Quoc → Ho Chi Minh

Morning, enjoy breakfast at hotel.

At 08:30AM, our driver transfers you to airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh. (depart at 11:00AM – VJ1324)

Arrival airport in Ho Chi Minh at 12:05PM, you will be taken to hotel in Ho Chi Minh for check-in. Rest of the day is your leisure time to explore the city on your own.

• Overnight at Muong Thanh Sai Gon Centre Hotel in Ho Chi Minh.
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Day 12 – 08 Jan: Ho Chi Minh (explore city tour & Cu Chi tunnels)

Breakfast at hotel.

08:30AM, Depart for Cu Chi tunnel, the trip will take approximately one and a half hours bus driving. Upon arrival, before exploring the tunnels, you will have some short introduction followed by introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of the war time. Then, spend your time to explore the remaining area and tunnel systems which included the special constructed living areas with kitchens, bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers helping whoever lives inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are also many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the maze-like tunnels for security purpose during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla’s food during the war) will be served.

Break time for relax or time for those who want to try the real shooting gun.

Have lunch at restaurant in HCM city.

In the afternoon, visit Independence Palace, also known at the Reunification palace, was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known Landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. Continue seeing the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral (Or Tan Dinh Church), the historic Central Post Office. Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of the both the Indochina wars.

Back to the hotel. End trip.

• Overnight at Muong Thanh Sai Gon Centre Hotel in Ho Chi Minh.
• B,L

Day 13 – 09 Jan: Ho Chi Minh (visit Mekong Delta)

Breakfast at hotel.

08:30am: Pick up guests at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City and depart for My Tho Port.
Boat cruise on the Tien River to view the four islets: Long, Lan, Quy, Phung.
The boat passes by floating fish farms along the Tien River, offering a view of Rach Mieu Bridge.
Arrive at Thoi Son islet: Stroll through village paths, visit fruit orchards, enjoy seasonal fruits, and listen to traditional Southern Vietnamese music.
Rowing boat through small canals: Enjoy the peaceful riverine scenery, visit a honey bee farm, and taste honey tea and banana wine.
Continue down the Tien River to Tan Thach Canal (Ben Tre): Visit a coconut candy workshop, and explore traditional handicrafts.
Motorboat excursion on Tan Thach canal: Discover the daily life of local people, have lunch at a local restaurant. The eco-restaurant features crocodile, porcupine farms, frog, and snake farming models, hammocks for relaxing, and bicycles for exploring fruit orchards, coconut groves, and rice fields.
Horse-drawn carriage tour through village paths: Learn about the everyday life of local residents.
Return to Ho Chi Minh city

• Overnight at Muong Thanh Sai Gon Centre Hotel in Ho Chi Minh.
• B,L

Day 14 – 10 Jan: Ho Chi Minh (Departure)

Morning, enjoy breakfast at hotel.

Spend your leisure time for relaxation or take a walk around the city and explore the city on your own.

At 19:00PM, our driver transfers you to airport for departure flight. (depart at 22:40PM – JQ64)

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End of service!