Vietnam Elements ( 01 Oct - 31 Dec 2014 )

Xin chao! Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam.You are greeted by your guide and driver at Noi Bai International airport for your transfer to the hotel. Hanoi is one of Asia’s most enchanting cities, full of culture, history and the engaging contradictions of a rapidly developing and deeply traditional society. Overnight in Hanoi

After breakfast at hotel, head out to Ba Dinh Square and start our day with The Presidential Palace (formerly Palace of the Governor-General of French Indochina), Ho Chi Minh’s house-on-stilt and nearby One Pillar Pagoda. Following is a visit to the Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam built in 11th century. Next is a visit to the Museum of Ethnology, which gives an excellent overview of the country's ethnic groups, their customs and ways of life. The highlight here is the large, beautiful outdoor area featuring genuine houses and compounds as built and used by the many different ethnic groups. You then drive to Hanoi Center, explore the lively Old Quarter of Hanoi. This bustling heart of Hanoi has been a commercial centre since King Ly Thai To built his palace there in the 11th century. Skilled craftsmen started to migrate and artisan guilds were formed on the famous "36 Streets". Previously, each street carried the name of the item produced and sold there, and many still have the same names. This is a place you must see to experience Hanoi, where you will find shopping and cultural/historical sites all wrapped into one. Close your day by atteanding a wonderful performance of Water Puppet Show. Overnight in Hanoi

• Breakfast at hotel before heading out to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• In Ha Long you will board your luxury boat for an overnight cruise amongst the more
• than 3,000 limestone islands rising majestically out of the turquoise bay. You pass grand
• rock formations and quaint fishing towns, and sample a delicious lunch of freshly caught
• fish and seafood.
• In the afternoon you will visit the picturesque floating fishing village of Vung Vieng and
• can choose from several interesting activities: a cooking demonstration with chef on
• board, an optional traditional massage, or a refreshing swim.
• End the day with a spectacular set-menu gastronomic dinner
• Overnight on board.

Start the day with calming Tai Chi, often accompanied by an amazing sunrise and the quiet breath-taking beauty of the bay’s landscape. The cruise passes beautiful spots such as Trong, Trinh Nu and the Me Cung Caves, and you will have a chance to explore Surprise Cave before having buffet brunch on board. Back at the dock, where you will be met and transferred to Hai Phong airport for our short flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival, we are greeted at the airport and transferred to our hotel in Hoi An Town. Overnight in Hoi An

Morning visit to My Son Holy Land of the Cham, one of the most important examples of Hindu influence in Southeast Asia. Although largely in a state of ruin today, My Son is often compared with other historical temple complexes in Southeast Asia, such as Angkor Wat of Cambodia or Ayutthaya of Thailand. You'll be given a brief introduction to the history, culture and Hindu influence on the Cham Kingdom, and then will visit the remains of the carefully-crafted red brick temples with beautiful monuments and epitaphs. Spend the afternoon to walk the ancient streets of Hoi An, lined with Chinese traders’ homes and wooden houses reincarnated as restaurants, cafés, and outlets for local artists, craftsmen and tailors. Explore the beautiful 16th century Japanese Bridge. Hoi An's unique fusion of Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture is well displayed here, in what is arguably Vietnam's most tourist-friendly town. The rest of the day is free at leisure to enjoy the shopping in Hoi An – a paradise for silk & fashionable clothing and accessories. Overnight in Hoi An

Leaving Hoi An in the morning, you head out to Hue, the Vietnam’s last feudal capital. En-route, stop at The Museum of Cham Sculpture features extensive and diverse displays of Hindu-influenced Cham sculpture dating from the 7th to the 15th centuries. Designed in 1915 by two French architects, Delaval and Auclair, your visit here will introduce you to the most common features of Cham towers and temples from throughout the region. Keep driving to Tu Duc Tomb. Tu Duc's tomb is a sprawling compound centred around a lake and several waterways, and including numerous separate memorials connected by pleasant walkways. Planned long before Tu Duc's death in 1883, the major portions of the tomb complex were completed from 1864-67, along with future temple buildings that served as a palatial retreat for Tu Duc and his many wives during his lifetime. Overnight in Hue

Today is your insider day trip to Hue Imperial Citadel. The imperial city at Hue is the best-preserved remnant of a vast citadel and royal quarters that once existed on the site. Here you can see the ravages of time and war on what was the carefully designed capital of the Nguyen Dynasty. Built in the early 19th century by armies of conscripted labourers under Emperor Gia Long, the citadel was surrounded by a ten kilometer moat, and earthen walls formed the outer perimeter. Then head out to Thien Mu Pagoda. This 7-storey octagonal tower is a symbol of Hue. Behind the pagoda are peaceful gardens and, somewhat incongruously, the old Austin car which transported the bonze Thich Quang Duc to Saigon in 1963 for his self-immolation. Later, take your flight to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city of Vietnam. It is the bustling economic capital and cultural trendsetter of the country, yet holds the timeless traditions of an ancient culture. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city

Drive 70kms from Ho Chi Minh City, stopping en route to visit a rice paper making village, and you will reach Cu Chi Tunnels. After an introductory video, viewing various mantraps, the remains of an American tank and numerous bomb craters, you will spend the next hour exploring the maze of tunnels to see how the Viet Cong survived in this underground network. On the way back to Ho Chi Minh City you can (on request) visit a Wildlife at Risk (WAR) rescue station, a wildlife hospital aiming to help stop the endangered wildlife trade in Vietnam. In the afternoon, visit the Reunification Palace, the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It witnessed the end of the Vietnam War during the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates. The nearby Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883, most materials for Saigon's Notre Dame Cathedral were imported from France. Neo-Romanesque in form, it is a major centre of Catholicism in modern Vietnam, and one of the city’s major landmarks. Next to the cathedral stands the Saigon Post Office, a classic French colonial structure, is still a functioning post office today and features huge ceilings, a giant portrait of Uncle Ho, and many beautiful details. Final visit of the day is to Ben Thanh Market – an icon of the city, stands in the center of District 1. Packed to the rafters with everything from fruits to nuts, from tourist kitsch to true bargains, it is a definite must-see. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City