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10-Nights Vietnam: Hanoi, Halong Bay & Trekking Pu Luong - The Geluxe Collection from $2,309
G Adventures
OFFER ID 1523481
Vietnam: Hanoi, Halong Bay & Trekking Pu Luong
Falling in love with Vietnam is almost too easy. With its warm people, delicious food, and rich history, it really is the total package. Lucky for you, our 11-day adventure covers all the highlights – from a night on a junkboat in Halong Bay to cycling to the Cu Chi tunnels and cooking with a local chef in Hoi An. You'll dive even deeper into Vietnamese culture in Pu Luong, staying amongst a local community, trekking through rice terraces, and rafting downriver to explore the valley. You might not ever want to leave, and we don't blame you.
Highlights
Motorbike Tour of Hanoi, Overnight Junkboat in Halong Bay, Trekking the Rice Terraces of Pu Luong, Cooking class in Hoi An, Sunset Cruise in Ho Chi Minh City, Cycle to and tour of Cu Chi Tunnels.
Accommodation
Hotels (9nts), Junk Boat Ha Long Bay (1nt).
Group Leader
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Group Size Notes
Max 15
Meals Included
10 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners
What's Included
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your Foodie Moment: Hoi An Cooking Class, Hoi An
Your OMG Day: Guided Tour of My Son Ruins or Old Town Mangrove Kayaking, Hoi An. Complimentary Arrival Transfer. Welcome Dinner. Ha Long Bay Junk boat overnight cruise with seafood lunch and dinner. Lady Motorbike Tour of Hanoi. Hanoi Cyclo Tour. Hanoi Foodie Walking Tour. Luon Cave Kayaking. Bamboo Rafting & Lunch Barbecue Experience. Trek Near Pu Luong among the terraces. Hoi An Walking Tour. Ho Chi Minh City Cyclo Tour. Ho Chi Minh City Sunset Cruise. Cycling Tour With Visit to Cu Chi Tunnels. Farewell Dinner. Internal flights. All tips included for activities and meals, except for CEO and porterage. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
10 nights from $2,309 per person
G Adventures: Vietnam: Hanoi, Halong Bay & Trekking Pu Luong
Day 1: Hanoi: A Sweet Welcome
From the organized chaos of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to the soothing lush green terraces of Pu Luong, Vietnam pushes you to let go, step out of your comfort zone, and reconnect with your inner explorer. Vietnam can feel unfamiliar and familiar all at once. Try foods you have never even heard of before while being greeted with smiling hosts who feel like familiar friends. Welcome to Hanoi, and to Vietnam, and we invite you to dive in, push your limits, and refill your cup.
After an informative welcome briefing, join your CEO for a multi-course Vietnamese feast. Try sizzling ginger chicken and fresh mango salad. Sip the unexpected with a complimentary egg coffee made right at your table.
Day 2: Hanoi: Highlights of Hanoi
It wouldn't be a trip to Vietnam without hopping on the back of a motorbike. Your drivers and guides this morning are all women from a local organization dedicated to empowering women through employment as motorbike drivers in the tourism sector. These women will guide you through the city-stopping the motorbike to allow for exploration of all the must see stops. Walk around the perimeter of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and visit Ba Dinh Square and One Pillar Pagoda. Explore Huu Tiep Lake and Tran Quoc Pagoda. After working up an appetite, return to the Old Quarter for a huge bowl of Pho at a local restaurant. Slurping is highly encouraged.
Later this afternoon, dive straight into a foodie walking tour of Hanoi. Dig into some of the best Bun Cha you've ever had and end the afternoon at Bia Hoi corner just in time to do some people watching with a cold drink in hand.
Day 3: Ha Long Bay: Junk boats & Cave Kayaking
Standing as a symbol of centuries worth of discoveries by sea, the junk boat was first created in 3000 B.C. and throughout time the ship has been used by explorers and merchants alike. Now is your chance to spend a night aboard, embracing your inner explorer. (Albeit with way comfier pillows.) Glide through the steely waters in Halong Bay past limestone karst mountains and lush green islands and paddle a kayak through thousand year old caves.
Step on board our private boat and dig into a thoughtfully catered Vietnamese lunch. Sample local delights like pumpkin soup, fried chicken and Halong steamed tiger prawn. Get in the water with a guided kayaking adventure to explore the natural scenery of Luon Cave. Look out for fossilized shells of oysters and crabs-proof that life existed here millions of years ago. Join your hosts to help prepare springs rolls, or sit back with a well earned glass of local beer. Dinner is plentiful this evening-and served on board.
Day 4: Pu Luong: Rice Terraces of Vietnam
Tropical rainforest covers the low mountains that surround Pu Luong-with rice terraces as far as the eye can see. Villages dotted throughout the valley are like splashes of colour against a bright green painting. Trekking along the terraces, throughout villages, brings you face to face with day to day life in this picturesque corner of northern Vietnam.
Spend the morning in Halong Bay, enjoying a leisurely breakfast on board. Disembark and make your way to Pu Luong, situated west of Hanoi. Dinner will be familiar favourites - beans, bamboo shoots, and farm raised pork-and some local delicacies like mountain snails dipped in fish sauce.
Day 5: Pu Luong: Trekking and Riverway Exploration
The village of Pu Luong lies just west of Hanoi, but feels a million miles away. Step out of your wooden bungalow to a vast landscape of green. Start the day with a rich coffee and fuel up for a morning trekking among the rice paddies. Pass by local villages and wave hello to local people as they move about their daily routines. Walk to Ban Cong and dig into a BBQ picnic lunch prepared for you by local chefs just along the riverbank.
Trekking through the rice paddies, you will certainly work up an appetite. Your local chef prepares dishes like barbecue Pork Belly with local Mac Khen seeds and stir-fried morning glory with garlic. While they whip up this delicious feast, participate in a spring roll making activity with your hosts and CEO. It's harder than it looks, but in our view: all spring rolls are good spring rolls.
Day 6: Hoi An: A Peaceful Meeting Place
Hoi An roughly translates to "a peaceful meeting place" and we promise it lives up to its name. Admittedly, it's hard to get more peaceful than the rice terraces of Pu Luong, but Hoi An offers a contrast to its northern neighbour. Where Pu Luong boasts serenity and calm, Hoi An offers conviviality and vibrancy. Explore this meeting place with a cooking class led by a local chef preparing a three course meal.
One final sip of coffee and a deep breath of jungle air and it's time to bid farewell to Pu Luong. Return to Hanoi to catch a flight to Da Nang. Arriving in Hoi An in the late afternoon, there is no better way to get acquainted than to set out on foot to reach your cooking class and evening meal.
Day 7: Hoi An: Highlights of the Old Town
Discover the highlights of Hoi An with your CEO on an informative walking tour. Visit the Ong Pagoda, Chua Cau (Japanese Covered Bridge), and the local market. You're getting to know a lot about Hoi An-but what about the claim that its home to the best banh mi in Vietnam? You CEO will offer to show you to the best place in town (but no guarantees you won't acquire a serious banh mi craving from here on out).
The remainder of the afternoon will involve some time at leisure. Your CEO will lead an excursion to a local beach. For the adventure-seekers, we recommend a Jeep tour through the countryside. Learn about the agricultural practices of local farmers by visiting their crops and livestock. Witness how traditional occupations have changed through time from weaving to rice-wine making, to newer industries like bird’s nest farming and aquaculture. Interact with friendly locals, spark conversations, and leave feeling a genuine connection to this place and the people you are meeting along the way.
Day 8: Hoi An: Your OMG Day
Hoi An is a must visit on any Vietnam itinerary because you can do it all here. From ancient ruins and fascinating architecture, to delicious food and active adventures-there is a dizzying array of things to see and do. You get to choose today between two curated choices. Embark on a kayaking adventure that takes you from the Cua Dai bridge down to a fishing village and beyond. If you would rather explore the ruins of My Son, join a local guide for comprehensive exploration of various complexes of the site, before returning to Hoi An by boat.
Both of your OMG Day options return to Hoi An in time for some leisure time in the afternoon. Take a dip in the pool or book another activity to complete your customized day.
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City: Cyclo Rides and Sunset Cruising
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's most populated city with just around 9 million people calling it their home. For every 6 people, 1 motorbike enters the city on a daily basis. This organized chaos is a recognizable feature of many Vietnamese cities and learning to navigate the chaos is all part of the adventure. When you arrive in the afternoon, hop onto a pedaling cyclo to get a bit above the motorbike fray and tour the city with your knowledgeable guide. A sunset boat ride is peaceful way to end the day in the big city.
Board a flight from Da Nang, near Hoi An, bound for Ho Chi Minh City. After a delicious Pho lunch, begin the afternoon of adventure featuring a cyclo tour of the city. Wrap up the day with a relaxing sunset cruise.
Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City: Cycle to the Cu Chi Tunnels
The Cu Chi Tunnels remain a testament to the enduring spirit of the Vietnamese people and their ingenuity in the face of unthinkable wartime tradgedies. The tunnels may be your destination today, but the journey to gets you off the beaten track to discover more of Vietnam. Hop on a bicycle and pedal your way through the countryside en route to the the Cu Chi Tunnels.
Pass through local villages and stop at a local market to sample local produce. Visit the Phu Hoa Dong traditional rice paper village and witness the age-old craftsmanship and traditions that have withstood the test of time. Your cycling adventure comes to an end once you arrive at the tunnels-where your guided tour begins. Venture into the depths of history with a visit to Ben Dinh Tunnel, one of the remarkable sections of the Cu Chi Tunnels network. Learn how the tunnels were used for strategy and for survival. When you return to Ho Chi Minh City, its time to freshen up and prepare for a final farewell dinner with your CEO and fellow travellers.
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City
Your adventure comes to end, and you can depart at any time.
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Moderate facilities have modest enhancements to amenities and décor. These hotels or resorts are dependable, comfortable and some may offer standard features, such as select business services, Continental breakfast or coffee service and may have a swimming pool or small fitness center on-site. Guestrooms are comfortable, moderately spacious, in-room telephones, televisions and limited amenities. Moderate establishments provide suitable accommodations and service for budget-minded travelers.
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Itinerary Disclaimer
While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission. Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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