From North Vietnam to the Land of a Million Elephants

TOUR CODE: IHH10.01 FROM: Hanoi DURATION: 10 days

Overview

This trip offers you an excellent occasion to experience the two treasures of Indochina – Vietnam and Laos in 11 days. You will travel from North Vietnam to the charming Luang Prabang City.

Summary

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi
Day 2: Hanoi - Mai Chau
Day 3: Mai Chau - Ninh Binh
Day 4: Ninh Binh - Halong
Day 5: Halong - Hanoi
Day 6: Hanoi city tour
Day 7: Hanoi - Luang Prabang
Day 8: Luang Prabang - Pak Ou - Luang Prabang
Day 9: Luang Prabang - Kuangsi - Luang Prabang
Day 10: Luang Prabang - Hanoi - Departure

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi

Arrive in Hanoi and transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Hanoi is situated on the right bank of the Red River which is spanned by two bridges, the old Long Bien Bridge and the new Chuong Duong bridge. It is an attractive city with lakes, tree-lined boulevards, and flourishing parks, as well as a public centre that is an architectural museum piece.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi - Mai Chau

Head for Mai Chau on a scenic road. Arrive and stroll in villages of the Thai ethnic minority. Taste Ruou Can with traditional music show. Ruou Can is a special wine/whiskey sort of drink. It is often made of rice (rice wine), but there is some made of vegetables. Ruou means wine/spirits, and Can is the long straw. Ruou Can is traditionally from the rural, mountain areas of Vietnam.

Day 3: Mai Chau - Ninh Binh

Transfer to Ninh Binh.

After nearly 3.5 hour drive you are in Kenh Ga (chicken canal), and a two hour sampan ride will give you an opportunity to enjoy beautiful scenery, people daily life on water. Then we drive you to Tam Coc that means "three caves" and is called "Halong Bay on land", really amazing with the rocky mountains, and you will be completely dazzled when paddling through the green paddy fields on two sides of the river and more interesting as going through three caves. It takes about 2 and a half hour to discover the beauty of the nature here before getting off boat.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 4: Ninh Binh - Halong

Depart for Halong Bay. The route today, via Nam Dinh and Thai Binh, will be your opportunity to spot rural life. Arrive at Halong Bay in the early afternoon. Halong Bay (where the dragon descends into the sea), located in the Gulf of Tonkin, covers an area of 1500 square km. With more than three thousand limestone peaks soaring from its crystalline emerald water this area is one of the natural wonders of Vietnam and now a World Heritage Site. The islands are dotted with innumerable white sandy beaches and grottoes created by wind and waves.

On arrival at Halong Bay, board a sailing Junk and enjoy a welcome drink. After lunch with sea food dishes, cruise Dinh Huong Island, Ga Choi Island, Dog Island, Sail Island, and visit Sung Sot Cave, with a chance to swim at Titop Beach.

Enjoy sunset and then dinner on board.

Night fishing and overnight on junk, private air-conditioned cabin.

Day 5: Halong - Hanoi

Wake up to fresh coffee and a wholesome buffet breakfast. Visit the Luon Cave on a small boat. Cruise back to Halong City. After another fresh seafood lunch on board disembark at the dock at Halong City.

Transfer to Hanoi and overnight at hotel.

Day 6: Hanoi city tour

A full day city tour of Vietnam’s capital including the Quanh Thanh Temple, the Tran Quoc Pagoda on the edge of West Lake, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and his house on stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature. After lunch in town continue to the Museum of Ethnology and end the afternoon with a visit to the Lake of the Restored Sword and a cyclo tour of the Old Quarter.

Enjoy a water puppet show in the afternoon and overnight at hotel.

Day 7: Hanoi - Luang Prabang

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Luang Prabang (9h – 9h55). Luang Prabang is the ancient first capital of Lane Xang kingdom, the center of religious life in Laos and today the World Heritage City. In the afternoon, tour of the sacred city of temples, of which nearly fifty temples still remain in the town and surrounding areas. Visit Wat Visoun, the 16th century temple served as a small museum for religious artifacts; Wat Aham, the early 19th century temple, Wat Xiengthong, the 16th century temple which, more than any temples in Luang Prabang, epitomizes all the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang architecture. The day ends at the summit of Phousi hill that dominates the sky-line of Luang Prabang.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 8: Luang Prabang - Pak Ou - Luang Prabang

After breakfast, depart to the pier and take a boat ride, upstreaming on the Mekong to visit Pak Ou cave in the side of a lime stone cliff and opposite of the mouth of the Mekong and Ou rivers. The sanctuaries at Pak Ou consist of two large caves, both repositories for thousands of Buddha images, which range from mere centimeter to two meters in height.

After lunch at a Kha village there is time to explore the village and its Kha culture before returning by road to Luang Prabang. In the late afternoon, climb the 328 steps to reach the top of Mount Phousi for sunset. Overnight at hotel.

Day 9: Luang Prabang - Kuangsi - Luang Prabang

Drive to visit Kuangsi Waterfall (30 km) that is spectacular and really beautiful with its green surroundings as the preserved National park. Stop en-route to visit the Talad Phosy market, and Ban Na Oune, a small village of Hmong minority, probably the best-known minority group in Laos. Just before arriving at Kuangsi waterfall, stop in a village of Khmu minority group, namely Ban Tha Pane.

Our picnic lunch is served at the shady park nearby Kuangsi waterfall. There is plenty of time for relaxing and enjoy a swim in cool water, before heading back to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 10: Luang Prabang - Hanoi - Departure

After breakfast, depart to the National Museum, the former Royal Palace which houses the collection of valuables including the famous Prabang Buddha statue, gifts received from foreign dignitarie. If time permits, the rest of the day is spent free for own experience in this charming town, until the transfer to Luang Prabang airport for your onward flight.

Notes

Inclusions

- accommodations (double/twin sharing)

- private pick up and transfer (A/C van)

- English/French speaking tour guide

- Meals indicated in tour program

- All Internal/domestic air tickets per program

- Boat trips specified the tour program

- All entrance, permission and visiting fees

Exclusions

- Visa to Vietnam

- Departure airport tax

- Meals not indicated in the program

- Personal travel insurance

- All other international fights

- All personal expenses

- All gratuities and tips to local guide and driver

Remark:

Please do not forget that all our holiday are private so we can customize them for you. These are just ideas to get you started! Enquire now for your own itinerary and quote based on what you want to do!

Tour prices

Please contact Amica Travel for more informations about tour prices, service details...

Reviews and testimonials

You have a beautiful country

Hi Manh,

Sorry it has taken so long for us to respond to your email. Since our return home we have had a constant stream of interstate and overseas visitors. The last of them leave tomorrow but I thought that I would drop you a quick line before I retire for the evening.
Thank you for everything you did for us in Vietnam. We all had the time of our lives and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. You have a beautiful country. We could not fault your tour guides who were all very informative and friendly and had a great knowledge of the area. We were particularly impressed with how good their English skills were. Thank you again for our beautiful presents, we are very much enjoying the Vietnamese coffee – we actually brought some back for some of our friends also.
We loved the balance between being very busy and having some relaxation time. We particularly enjoyed the walk out to the typical Vietnamese village in Ha long Bay, something that a lot of tourists to the area do not experience. We also loved the resort at the Golden Sand, a very beautiful place. In fact our experience was quite diverse, each location having something different to offer.
We will certainly recommend your company to any of our friends contemplating a trip to Vietnam .
Thank you once again for a wonderful experience, we will remember our trip to Vietnam for a long time and hope to come back to your beautiful country again one day.
We cannot fault the service offered by Amica Travel – it was top class.

Thanks again on behalf of all our traveling group,

Kind regards

Debra & Graham Cassidy and party from Melbourne, Australia, Travel in Vietnam from 25 June to 12 July.

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I do miss Vietnam

Thank you Amica Travel for a wonderful holiday in your beautiful country! I had a wonderful visit over there. My trip was very special to me. The scenery was beautiful, the food delicious, but the best part of my trip was meeting all the gracious people in Vietnam. Many of my family and friends are pleasantly surprised at how beautiful your country is and the excellent time I had over there.
I made it back to America without incident and am getting back into the routine of life here. I do miss Vietnam. It will always have a special place in my heart.
I truly appreciate all the hard work performed by you and Amica Travel to make my trip so memorable. The hotels were very nice, the tour guides very familiar with the country & spoke good English, the cars were in good condition, and all went as planned per the itinerary. I would be proud to recommend Amica Travel to other travelers; you are a professional and quality organization with very reasonable prices for services provided. You are also a very fun group of people to meet and talk to!

Tim Ravine, Cox.net, Arizona, USA, travel in Vietnam from 6 to 24 April 2008

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An excellent memory

Dear Sir,

Just a word to say to you that we returned well.

We keep of our journey that you and your team had organized, an excellent souvenir. To yourself and to your team all our thanks, profoundly sincere.

We shall keep of your magnificent country an excellent memory. And which damage not to have had more time to know better the various regions and the various constituents of the Vietnamese.

My wife and myself send you our sincere and respectful greetings.

The couple Frederic Dubly, DG Industries, France, travel in Vietnam from 9 to 24 April 2008

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Such a wonderful time in Vietnam

Dear Amica's Team,

We have had such a wonderful time in Vietnam. I have recommended your tour to 4 of my friends and they are going to come down in 2008. We had the best time and both me and my husband find this to be the most memorable holiday of our lifetime. Our guide Ha was WONDERFUL. He brought the whole group alive and kept us laughing and amused. His knowledge is very vast and could answer all our questions. We also saw that he is proud of his country and was very happy whenever we asked him anything about Vietnam. Our best stay was of course at the Halong bay....where we never for once felt uncomfortable. When we went down for breakfast at the restaurant, the staff were very very efficient, prompt and friendly. We loved every single day and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the hotel.
Or stay in Hoi An was also very very enjoyable and the place was also very interesting. Our guide was young and had good knowledge. She did not have the same jovial nature like Ha but she was always smiling and friendly. She also had good knowledge of the places she took us to and the best part about her was the way she selected the food for us at all the restaurants in Hoi An. The hotel in was good but not the service. When we went down for breakfast the staff were not attentive and gave us the impression that they could not be bothered if we ate or not. While at holtel in Hanoi the staff came to ask if we wanted tea or coffee or anything more than twice. We felt like strangers at the hotel in Hoi An.
My husband, me and 4 of our good friends are going to do this tour ONCE AGAIN but will also include the other places like Dien Bien Phu, Cao Ban, Lai chau. If you have a trip that includes all these places plus Cuc phuong. Please forward the information to me.

Thank you very much.
Regards

Mrs Silva Pellarina, Sydney, Australia, Travel in Vietnam from 20 march to 09 april 2008

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The supplied services were at the top

Hello to all the team of AMICA TRAVEL Hanoi,

In the name of all the group, we are anxious to thank you for our unforgettable stay, the group was enchanted with your reception and the reception of Vietnamese, the human heat and they so well ate that it was necessary to redo the clothing dresses, the services supplied by your agency AMICA TRAVEL were at the top, whether it is the choice of hotels, guides, everything was completed.

We made an excellent journey in Vietnam and can assure you that it is towards you that we shall return during a next project of journey. We shall not miss to recommend you to all our friends and knowledge.

THANKS to you all !!!

Click here to view journey's album photo

Robert Rosalie's group, AXA France, Travel in Vietnam from 6 to 17 April 2008

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The organization was perfect

Thank you very much for the wonderful time in Vietnam. We enjoyed the trip and and like your country and your people. The organization was perfect, so everything worked excellent. All accommodation in Vietnam were superb, especially the Nam Hai Resort in Hoi An. Thank you again for the great experience on the Jasmine Junk in Halong Bay and your great support for having an upgrade. The guides and drivers in the different places we visited were extremely kind and very helpful. Thank you also for arranging german speaking guides. We will definitely recommend you and your company to our friends and everyone else. I hope that we’ll come back in the next years.

Best regards and all the best to you,

Helmut and Beate Zahn, Schießstättstr. 22, 82319 Starnberg, Travel in Vietnam from 5 to 15 April 2008

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16 days of the VIP in journey

We thank all the team of AMICA TRAVEL of Hanoi for the organization of our circuit in your so beautiful country. We are particularly satisfied by the customization of the served services and of the efforts displayed to satisfy our mini-group, consisted of my wife and myself, who made of us the space of 16 days of the VIP in journey.

The selected hotels were comfortable or very comfortable; the tandems of French-speaking guides and drivers who made us discover the country competent and devoted.

This type of personalized stay, indeed far from the mass tourism, the kind summer camps proposed by certain tour operators, enchanted us.

Finally the value for money is excellent.

The couple Bouchet Alain, France, Travel in Vietnam from 3 to 18 April 2008

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A journey of sharing

It is with regret that we left your beautiful country. The images crowd, quite more beautiful and more moving the some than the others. Our journey did not come to an end, we are always among all these persons met in the course of our trip.

The smile and the kindness of people touched us a lot, especially in the rustic regions. A brave, laborious population, always in movement, opened to the contact, always smiling and which inspires the respect.

We are filled with this journey and for a long time!

You have a young and dynamic team mastering very well its subject. We send you our thanks for the organization and the coordination of this very beautiful journey.

Luc SAROLEA's family, Belgium, travel in Vietnam from 22 march to 5 April 2008

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A true wealth of flavours

We are anxious to thank all the team of the agency Amicatravel for the personalized program which you reserved us. With the children we estimated your flexibility in the choice of our itinerary. We keep an excellent souvenir of your welcome at the agency as well as that of the differents guides for their professionalism.

The stay in the Halong Bay was really paradisiac with a junk and a crew beyond our esperances. The centre of Vietnam was very rich in culture with the imperiale city and Hoi-an city very warm.

Four days in Nha-Trang (city where was born our son) were full of emotion, town very welcoming with its unforgettables beaches. Ho-Chi-Minh, Can-Tho, My-Tho ... a true wealth of flavours with its fruits, vegetables, fishes and radiant faces as the sun of the South.

We have already advised your agency to friends who have the project to visit Vietnam and we shall still speak about it...

COULLERAY Family, France, Travel in Vietnam from 19 February to 5 March 2008

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We had an amazing holiday

The biggest of thank you to you. We had an amazing holiday, Vietnam was a wonderful surprise, much more than we expected, a beautiful country with beautiful people. We had a terrific time. I have to say we were a bit unsure as we had only dealt with you over the Internet, so we were very pleased to see Hai when arriving at Hanoi. Everything was so organized, we did not have to think about a thing it had all been done for us. All three of our guides were exceptional, all very knowledgeable and extremely friendly and helpful, they all went out of their way, and I am sure further than their job required, to ensure our Vietnam experience was safe, informative and fun. Special mention must be made of Tam in Ho Chi Minh City, she was such a happy, beautiful young lady I am sure we have made a friend for life. Hie and Tam's English language is excellent. All three had a great pride in their country and a wealth of knowledge of Vietnams' history, a history that we did not know about. Our accommodation and itinerary were perfect.
After a long day travelling home to Sydney onto Newcastle it is all sadly over. We will all be recommending you and your company to others, as we could not fault your service. Once again Thank You, I wish you, your guides and company the best for the future.

Pauline & Keith Deas & Mr and Mrs. Sharon Henley from Sydney, Australia, Travel in Vietnam from 05 February to 21 February 2008

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A discovery with our rhythm

The formula of journey with private guide was so perfectly convenient for us.

The services of Amical Travel and his agents were good quality; our only change to the program was thus the Moon River hotel which did not correspond to our standards. This problem was quickly corrected and with kindness.

We appreciated a lot the contact with three of our guides: Dung to Saigon, Giao then from Dalat to Nha Trang and finally Tung in Hanoi. We taught a lot their contact and we recommend them without reserve...

We shall recommend your services in our knowledge without any reserve. Thank you for having accompanied us with so much kindness and professionalism throughout this stay.

Monique & Alain Philippe, Canada, travel in Vietnam from 16 February to 9 March 2008

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We returned enchanted

We do not forget you... It is not a day that we speak about your country and we give envy to friends to go there because we returned enchanted.

We re-bend only over our notes and we shall say to you our opinion on some points. These last weeks were very busy.

I send you two photos promised by our first stay at the inhabitant. Thank you again and our house is opened.

All our best regards to the team.

Jacques & Martine Dardeau, France, Travel in Vietnam from 2 February to 1 March 2008

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Your travel service surpassed our expectations

Hello Amica Travel.

I can't possibly say enough good things about the tour service you provided for our group in last month from Hanoi to Phu Quoc. Without a doubt, your tour guides were truly professionals in making our 17 day trip to Vietnam one to be long remembered. Absolutely nothing went wrong! As an American war veteran, I returned to Ha noi after 6 years and found the capital more developed, but a little noisy and polluted. My travel companions agree, your travel service is very good notch and surpassed our expectations. I agree the local tour operators become professional and I will suggest our friends change their way of traveling. Like your slogan, contact direct and find an optimized and economic trips.

Marylin Fort, NY 26 July 2007

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Such a good holiday

Hi Amica Team,

Many thanks to your company providing us with such a good holiday.

Our guides (Tuan - North, Hoang - Central and Nam - South) and drivers were excellent. We were always met on time, arrived at locations often ahead of the busy times, with such hot weather the cars were well cooled and carefully driven. Each guide had extensive historical and cultural knowledge and they were always looking for ways to help.

The 3 start hotels we used were of a very good standard. In our opinion the Heritage in Hue could be at least 4 star! We were also very satisfied with all the meals which were always beautifully and so quickly presented by attentive restaurant staff

One thing may be worth mentioning. We needed passport style photos for the Visas we picked up on arrival at Ho Chi Minh Airport - It may be worth reminding visitors of this.