VIETNAM - MYANMAR IMPRESSION                              

13 days

 Destinations of highlight-vietnam-myanmar: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Da Nang, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, Inle Lake, Bagan, Yangon

DAY 1    Hanoi Arrival    Meals:

Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport, meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and English speaking guide. The driving distance is approximately 45 minutes. Your visa should be pre-arranged, or be sure that your visa-on-arrival letter is in your carry-on luggage. Please go to custom desk as your first point of entry into the country and present these documents for visa upon arrival.
Hanoi or “River-bound City” as its name literally means is Vietnam’s capital with a thousand-year-old history dating back to 1010. The city’s fascinating beauty which is characterized by unique cultural relics, ancient streets of antique houses, elegant French colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and romantic lakes has made it one of the most charming cities of Asia.
Accommodation: Larosa Hotel (3*), The Ann Hotel (4*), Intercontinental West Lake Hotel (5*)
Destinations: Hanoi

DAY 2    Hanoi Full Day City Tour    Meals: B

The city tour begins with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex which features the life of Ho Chi Minh, the nation’s founder. At the complex, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the nation’s founder’s body is preserved (closed on Monday, Friday and through October - November), the colonial Presidential Palace, originally the French Governor Office and a fine example of French architecture in Hanoi, and the rural style Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. Stop by one of Hanoi’s icons, the One Pillar Pagoda, built in the 11th Century in dedication to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara or Buddha of Compassion and reminiscent of a lotus blossom rising from a pond. Continue to the Temple of Literature, known as the first university of Vietnam built in 1070 by the Ly Dynasty to honor Confucius, sages and outstanding Vietnamese scholars.
Afternoon, continue the tour to one of the following museums of choice namely the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum of Vietnamese History, the Museum of Revolution, the Museum of Military History or the Museum of Ethnology. Next, head for Hoan Kiem Lake, the center point of Hanoi whose name “The Return Sword Lake” originated from a legend of a sacred sword and home to a rare endangered giant turtle species and visit Ngoc Son Temple on the lake. Take a one-hour cycle tour of the Old Quarter of Hanoi with its ancient streets representing traditional trades from the past. Finish the tour at the Thang Long Opera Theatre with a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show.
Accommodation: Larosa Hotel (3*), The Ann Hotel (4*), Intercontinental West Lake Hotel (5*)
Destinations: Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex, Hoan Kiem Lake, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature

DAY 3    Hanoi - Halong Bay Over Night On Boat    Meals: B,L,D

Morning pickup at 8:00 AM from your hotel for transfer to Halong Bay, which is about 160 km or 3.5-hour drive away. The transfer is approximately 3 hours. You will see some rural areas of the Red River Delta with plenty of chances to take photos of Vietnamese farmers working in paddy fields and you may stop on the way to admire the local scenery. Arrive in Ha Long City at 11:30 AM and check in aboard the booked junk right after the welcome drink is served. Start cruising while having lunch on board and enjoy the mighty bay view.
Arrive in Ha Long City at 11:30 AM and check in aboard the booked junk when your journey across Halong Bay starts. Halong Bay meaning Descending Dragon Bay in Vietnamese as legend has it that it was where a holly dragon landed down from sky. The bay, famous as one of the world’s wonders and heritage sites whose formation dates back 500 million years, consists of around 2,000 karst islands and islets scattered over an area of 1,553 km2.
After lunch, take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay dotted with golden sails, go swimming on a quiet beach or sunbath on the sundeck. Later in the afternoon, you will visit an interesting fishing village with an opportunity to interact with local people who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. An optional kayaking trip is available weather permitting. Back onboard enjoy a lavish dinner and enjoy the bay view at sunset. Spend a night on board.
Accommodation: Oriental Sails (3*), Pelican Cruise (4*), Paradise Luxury Cruise (5*)
Destinations: Halong Bay

DAY 4    Halong Bay - Hanoi - Da Nang - Hoi An    Meals: Brunch

In the morning, refresh your body and mind with a Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck at the break of dawn. Have tea and coffee onboard and continue exploring Ha Long Bay sailing across its 2000 islets and visiting some of its major highlights. Normally, check out at 09:30, have a buffet brunch while cruising back to shore. Disembark at 11:00 AM to transfer to Hanoi capital.
Free at leisure until meet our guide then transfer to airport for flight to Da Nang. Flight time is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes
Arrival Da Nang airport, you are transferred to Hoi An ancient town by private car & guide. The transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An is approximately 40 minutes.
Accommodation: Lotus Hotel (3*), Hoian Trails Hotel (4*)
Destinations: Da Nang, Hoi An

DAY 5    Hoi An Half Day City Tour    Meals: B

In the morning, you will meet your private guide at your hotel who will take you to visit the town. Once a bustling maritime commercial port of Asia between 15th and 19th centuries, Hoi An, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is now a peaceful town of exceptionally well-preserved architecture, lifestyles and traditions. The town exemplifies a fascinating fusion of cultures between Vietnam and the outside world including China, Japan, Thailand and the Philippines. Your sightseeing will include the iconic 400-year-old Covered Bridge with a small temple attached to one side as a prominent example of Japanese architecture, the Museum of Trade Ceramics which is an elegant Vietnamese style wooden house built in 1858 showcasing antique ceramic artifacts, the 200-year-old Tan Ky House typifying an ancient Chinese merchant residence, the Ong Temple built in 1653 by Chinese settlers to worship Guan Yu, an ancient Chinese general whose character stands for loyalty, bravery and justice and the local market vibrant with colors and activities.
Return to your hotel at noon time for leisure time

Note: Hoi An is famous for speed tailor-made clothes with 4 to 24hours for tourist.
Accommodation: Lotus Hotel (3*), Hoian Trails Hotel (4*)
Destinations: Museum of Trade Ceramics, Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky Old House

DAY 6    Hoi An - Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) By Flight    Meals:B

Morning, transfer to Da Nang airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City
Flight time is approximately 1.5 hours.

Meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and guide. The transfer distance is approximately 30 minutes
Start the tour with a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral, a neo-Romanesque cathedral constructed between 1877 and 1883 using bricks from Marseilles and stained-glass windows from Chartres. Continue on to the Old Saigon Post Office, former US Embassy and Cholon, the Chinatown with its Quan Am Pagoda and the Emperor Jade Pagoda (Phuoc Hai), one of the most interesting pagodas in Vietnam. It was built in 1909 by the Cantonese community. It’s filled with smoky incense and fantastic carved figurines and still buzzing with worshipers, many lounging in the front gardens.
Accommodation: Sonnet Hotel (3*), Eden Hotel (4*), Majestic Hotel (5*)
Destinations: Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City

DAY7    Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi Tunnels    Meals: B

Today, meet your guide and transfer about 75 km North-west of downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Discover the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, which were once a major underground hideout and resistance base of Viet Cong forces during the two wars against the French and the Americans. The tunnels, entirely hand-dug, formed a highly intricate network of interlinked multilevel passageways at times stretched as far as the Cambodian border and totaling over 120 km in length. Its complexity was beyond imagination containing meeting rooms, kitchens, wells, clinics, schools, depots, trenches and emergency exits all aimed for guerrilla warfare. The tunnels were deep and strong enough to withstand destructive bombings and self-contained enough to outlast prolonged sieges.
Return to your hotel at noon time and rest of the day is free at leisure
Accommodation: Sonnet Hotel (3*), Eden Hotel (4*), Majestic Hotel (5*)
Destinations: Cu Chi Tunnels

DAY 8    Ho Chi Minh - Yangon - Spiritual Shwedagon Pagoda    Meals: B

Meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and guide.
Fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Yangon, Myanmar (Schedule flight isn’t daily operated but on Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday only). Flight time is approximately 2 hours.
On arrival at the Yangon international airport, welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel for check in and has a rest (Check in time is 14:00 and early check in is subject to availability).
Start tour with half day in Yangon. The former capital Yangon is the largest city and the most important commercial center in Myanmar. Visit the 2,600 years old Shwedagon Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist pagoda for the Burmese can be seen from almost anywhere in Yangon.
Witness the colors transform on the 100-meter pagoda which is literally covered with over 60 tons of gold leaf. So what’s behind the golden façade of the Shwedagon Pagoda? You will learn about the full history of the pagoda, the daily life of all people living in its immediate surroundings and a deeper insight in the Buddhist religion and how the spiritual belief is mixed with the belief in nats – the Myanmar spirits. An intriguing day starting from the bottom of the hill and passing the workshops, markets and monasteries which will be useful or even essential to understand more of the country during the rest of your journey.
Then return to the hotel.
Accommodation: Best Western Green Hill Hotel (3*), Taw Win Garden Hotel (4*)
Destinations: Shwedagon Pagoda (Paya), Yangon

DAY 9    Yangon - Bagan - City Tour    Meals: B

Free at leisure until transfer to airport for domestic flight to Bagan city. Flight time is approximately 1.5 hours.
Arrival airport, you are transferred to Bagan ancient town by private car & guide.
Bagan is really quiet, it’s a beautiful area, and the temples here are often completely deserted. Your experienced guide through Bagan will show you the best-known temples of the area. Start the day climbing a pagoda to get a first impressive view over the whole area. From here you continue to move to the other amazing temples that have been here for hundreds of years. Places like the Ananda, Dhammayangyi, Sulamani, and Thatbyinnyu will certainly impress you.
Return to hotel afterwards your guide pick you up again at around 16.00 pm to continue the tour by horse cart to Pyathagyi pagoda for sunset.
Accommodation: Bawga Theiddhi Hotel (3*), Aye Yar River View Resort (4*), Aureum Palace Resort (5*)
Destinations: Bagan

DAY 10     Bagan - Lesser-Known Temples And Nyaung U Market    Meals:B

Begin your day at Nyaung U market - a busy market in New Bagan when people from all around town come and buy their vegetables, herbs, meat and other ingredients for dinner. The guide will give an assignment to go and buy and taste 3 different kind snacks typical for the region.
Visit Taungbi village where you visit the old wooden monastery built for royalty and two temples that are not well known but certainly worth a visit. The guide will explain to you the reason why so many pagodas were built here. The rest of the day the car and guide are available for additional visits of the temples till 18.00 pm if wanted.
Accommodation: Bawga Theiddhi Hotel (3*), Aye Yar River View Resort (4*), Aureum Palace Resort (5*)
Destinations: Bagan

DAY 11    Ban Gan - Heho - Inle Lake    Meals: B

Morning, transfer to airport for domestic flight to Heho. Flight time is approximately 1hour. Meet your driver for an airport transfer to Inle Lake.
Inle Lake in southern Shan State is a vast natural lake surrounded by traditional Shan villages. Surrounding and on the lake itself the Intha people have been living for many centuries in villages built entirely on stilts. Embark on a private motorboat around the lake to discover its natural beauty, visit the floating gardens, see some of the famous leg rowers, and have a cup of tea at a local family’s house. On and around the lake, traditional markets are held in different villages according to a 5-day rotating schedule. You will be taken to visit one of these colorful markets frequented by Shan and PaO people. You certainly also visit a local cheroot factory (where the Burmese cigars are made), Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, Intha Heritage house - where the Burmese cats are bred, a weaving factory and floating tomato gardens if wanted.

Accommodation: Golden Island Cottages (3*), Myanmar Treasure Resort (4*), Aureum Resort Inle (5*)
Destinations: Inle Lake, Heho

DAY 12    Inle Lake - He Ho - Yangon    Meals: B

After breakfast, you have time enough for relaxing before take flight back to Yangon. Just free all the day today with a last night in Yangon city before back your home tomorrow. Try to discover the city & experience your time as much as possible at Myamar
Accommodation: Best Western Green Hill Hotel (3*), Taw Win Garden Hotel (4*)
Destinations: Heho, Yangon

DAY 13    Yangon Departure    Meals:

Today you are free at leisure untill meet our guide & driver transfer to airport for flight departure