The Family Trail In Vietnam

Xin chào and welcome to Vietnam! 
The climate, the time difference, the buildings, the people and the language; everything is suddenly different. And that is why we arrange a driver for you, who will take you to your hotel in the centre of Hanoi. The rooms are relatively small, but tastefully decorated. As a family, you get two rooms right next to each other. After such a long journey, it is nice to take a dip in the pool. And then set off to explore Hanoi. Food stalls, narrow shops, crackling mopeds and rickshaws form the street scene around the hotel. You explore the area on foot and settle down at a nice restaurant.
Please note! 
-    Hotel check-in time is around 14.00
-    Depend on your arrival time, the program will be adjusted accordingly.  
Meal: Nil
 

Freeday in Hanoi. 
Meal: breakfast at hotel

OPTIONAL TOUR: 
STREET FOOD SAFARI IN HANOI
Today you have time to sleep in, the children (and yourself) probably won't be able to get out of bed because of the time difference. You can visit the famous water puppet theatre. No Jan Klaasen and Katrijn or the dancing water lilies, but a dynamic show with dramatic music from an orchestra. Traditional stories are depicted.

At the end of the afternoon it is time to really get to know the local cuisine, with a guide. He takes you to the local hotspots that other travelers do not know about. The best delicacies in Vietnam can be found on the street. In addition to fried pastries, Bun Cha and steamed Dim Sums, you can also taste frog legs and escargots. You end the food tour with a glass of freshly brewed beer (and soft drinks for the kids) at Bai Hoi corner where you can watch the street life pass by. 
Included: English speaking guide local, private transportation, fee for local food, water
Excluded: Insurance and other personal fees, Service not mentioned, Tips for guide & driver
 

Breakfast at hotel. After checkout, the bus will pick you up at the hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi to travel to Pu Luong in about 4.5 hours. The landscape around you slowly changes and you drive through valleys with small villages scattered here and there. Men and women are busy with the rice, every now and then the driver overtakes a tractor and children play around their house. The first stop is your homestay: a private room in Pu Luong Valley Home. 
In the afternoon you walk to a waterfall nearby and really discover the nature around you. From your homestay you walk along a path that winds between the rice fields. The sound of flowing water leads you to a series of waterfalls that come down the hill. Here you can stop for a swim, walk around or just enjoy the peace and the water. 
Free evening in Pu Luong.
Meal: Breakfast at hotel

You start the day with a simple breakfast, overlooking the peaceful valley. Then you take a two-hour walk, downhill through the quiet surroundings. Around noon you arrive at a local house, where lunch is prepared for you by the residents. In the afternoon you can choose to go on a bamboo raft or take a dip in the clear water at the house. Afterwards you walk back to the village and help the locals on the land. At the end of the day you return to the homestay, where you eat together. The view of the mountains is something you will never forget.
Meal: Breakfast at homestay
 

After breakfast, you will be picked up by a driver and travel by shared bus to the next destination of the trip - Ninh Binh in about 4 hours. 
Today you arrive in Tam Coc, also called Halong Bay on dry land. You will stay in a cozy and simple eco-resort located in the middle of the Karst mountains with a view of a lake. Today there is nothing on the program. You can take a bike at your accommodation or the cycle for rent (at your own expenses) and cycle around this unique area in northern Vietnam or just relax and enjoy the surroundings of your resort.
Meal: Breakfast at homestay
 

In addition to Karst mountains, the area around Tam Coc in the north of Vietnam is rich in rice fields where you can see local farmers at work. Early in the morning you set off with your bike and a guide and cycle along the rice fields where farm life starts quietly. You then cycle on to a park where about 46 different bird species live. Your guide has an eye for the different species and will help you spot them. After the bike ride you may be hungry and return to your accommodation for breakfast. After breakfast you take a boat trip on a traditional sampan through the famous landscape of Ninh Binh, over the rivers between the karst mountains. It can be busy here in the afternoon, because Tam Coc is unique in North Vietnam.
Meal: Breakfast at hotel
 

From Ninh Binh, picked up by shared bus and head to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994. Upon arrival in Halong, we’ll take a big boat to cruise the Bay to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch of fresh seafood on board, we can visit the Surprising Grotto, stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating villages and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the boat for dinner late afternoon. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the boat.
Please note: The program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose. Only Vietnamese & International food available on the boat.
Meal: Breakfast at hotel, Lunch & Dinner on board
 

SE3 19h20 - 08h50 (+1) Ha Noi - Hue
Morning wake up with a taichi-quan exercises guided by the crew before having breakfast whilst your boat goes on between Halong islets. Return to the Wharf to take your shared deluxe car back to Hanoi. 
In the evening, our guide and driver will meet and pick you up to Hanoi train station for your overnight train to Hue (private 4 berths/cabin). Check-in at your cabin and free time on board. Overnight on the train. 
Please note! Due to limited facilities on the train, there is no bath or shower room. If you prefer to bath and get refreshment, please consider to book mini hotel in Hanoi (with additional charge) upon arriving from the shuttle bus.
Meal: Breakfast, Brunch on board
 

Upon arriving at Hue station, our driver and guide pick you up to take breakfast at local restaurant. 
Freeday in Hue. 
Meal: Breakfast at hotel
OPTIONAL TOUR: 
A GLANCE OF HUE
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 in 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 savor 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 Tu Duc 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. 
Included: English speaking guide local, private transportation, entrances, water
Excluded: Insurance and other personal fees, Service not mentioned, Tips for guide & driver

You travel by bus from Hue to Hoi An . Enjoy the view, because you drive along the impressive Hai Van Pass; here mountains and sea come together. Along the way you see green hills, small villages and rice fields full of water buffalos. You stay in a small-scale hotel with stylishly furnished rooms, close to the old center. The children are sure to be very happy that there is a swimming pool again and before the suitcases are properly unpacked they are already in the water. 
Free time in Hoi An. 
Meal: Breakfast at hotel
 

Freetime at your leisure (no services provided). Overnight in Hoi An.
Meal: Breakfast at hotel
OPTIONAL TOUR :
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FARMER AT TRA QUE VILLAGE – with group tour
8:45 - 9:00 am: A local guide will meet you at your hotel and provide a bicycle ride to the local market, where you'll learn about vegetables' uses in food and medicine. Passing through small roads, rice fields, and taking pictures of buffaloes, cows, or farmers working daily. Explore many beautiful views of the Hoi An countryside and meet many warm-hearted and lovely farmers. Then, visit Tra Que Vegetable Village, a traditional craft village. 
10:15 am: At the Tra Que village, you will have a chance to enjoy É Water, a health-promoting tea made from garden herbs. Wear a farmer's uniform and a conical hat, and experience growing organic vegetables from ancient times. 
10:50 am: Returning to the people's house, you will have your head, shoulders, and feet massaged with herbs from the garden. 
11:30 am: After a relaxing massage, you'll prepare for a cooking class, learning how to make flowers from vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, and spring onions. Then you will start learning five dishes and eating more rice and stir-fried morning glory with garlic. 
Enjoy your lunch after the cooking class (vegetarian is available if requested). 
1:30 pm: Take a rest and return to the hotel on your bike
Included: English speaking guide local, private transportation, entrances, farming with a farmer , traditional massage, water
Excluded: Insurance and other personal fees, Service not mentioned, Tips for guide, chef & driver
 

Take Breakfast at hotel, checkout and transfer with diver without guide to Airport to take flight to Ho Chi Minh City. And where Hanoi has many low-rise buildings and scooters, Ho Chi Minh has many high -rise buildings, roof top bars and wide avenues with cars. A different city with a different dynamic. 
On the journey from the airport to Vinh Long, you'll admire the lush green rice fields, fruit orchards laden with produce, and winding rivers typical of the Mekong Delta. Vinh Long is famous for An Binh Island, home to the Cai Cuong ancient house, which blends Western and Eastern architectural styles, along with many appealing eco-tourism attractions.
You stop at a cozy homestay with a swimming pool surrounded by lush greenery. This will be the perfect place for the whole family to relax and unwind.
Meal: Breakfast at hotel, Dinner at homestay
 

Freetime at your leisure (no services provided). Overnight in Vinh Long. 
Meal: Breakfast at hotel

OPTIONAL TOUR :
VINH LONG – AN BINH ISLAND – VINH LONG
Mekong Travel boat will take you at the new boat station, downstream on Mekong River seeing many floating cages for farming fish. Stop to visit Vinhlong market in the town. This is the best choice for you to take pictures of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, vegetables...
Then, stop to visit the brick kilns where you can see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay.
Next visit the local workshop to see how to make rice paper, coconut candy, pop-rice... Enjoy some sweets with a cup of hot tea. 
Then, we’ll walk to visit the orchard & traditional house of Ut Trinh family. The optional lunch can be served at this local house (at your own expenses)
Biking can be made for a leisure! It will be so amazing to do cycling on village paths to see the daily life of the rural people. 
The cruise will go back VinhLong city. 
Included: Boat of Mekong Travel, coconut drink + fruits  at orchard, sight-seeing fees, water
Excluded: Insurance and other personal fees, Service not mentioned, Tips for guide & driver
 

After checkout, return to Saigon. After returning to Saigon, you have the freedom to explore this bustling city in your own way. Your hotel (with swimming pool) is located in District 1, the lively center of the city, where you will also find most of the sights. Skyscrapers and colonial buildings alternate. Go for dinner tonight at the Ben Thanh Street Food Market: small food stalls where your food is freshly made, and long tables to sit at and enjoy all the goodies. Whether you want to eat Western, Asian, Japanese or Vietnamese: everything is possible.
Meal: breakfast at homestay
 

Freetime at your leisure (no services provided). Overnight in Saigon. 
Meal: Breakfast at hotel

OPTIONAL TOUR:
HO CHI MINH CITY & CU CHI TUNNEL FULL DAY – GROUP TOUR
Take the morning trip to 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, 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. 
Have lunch at local restaurant.
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. 
Return to Saigon. Overnight at hotel.
Please take notes: 
**The Notre Dame Cathedral have been being restored, so the guests just visit outside.
Inclusions:  A/c van pick up and drop off (centrally located hotel in Dist1 , HCMC), transfer & sightseeing as per program, English-speaking tour guide, entrance fee, pure bottled water, meal as lunch.
Exclusiosn:  Travel insurance, beverage, tips & personal expenses (shooting gun, telephone calls…), other services not mentioned in the inclusion; Tax.
 

After breaksfast, you will be picked up (no guide escort) to Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight.
End of service. 
Please note!
-    Hotel check-out time is around 12.00.