Classical Vietnam & Myanmar–15 Days

The classic Vietnam and Myanmar experience. An outstanding journey down the entire coast of Vietnam, start with Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, before heading north, taking in highlights like Hoi An, Halong Bay and Hanoi, enroute to Yangon of Myanmar, delve deeper into the country’s rich history, turn back the clock and get a sense of Southeast Asia’s old world charm.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Private boat trip on Mekong River to explore the surrounding floating markets and islands.
• A romantic escape in quaint Hoi An Town.
• Spend a day venturing through the city, taking in museums, markets and other colorful sights in Hanoi.
• Take in the sights of the charming former colonial capital Yangon and its famous Shwedagon Pagoda.
• Discover the ancient capitals of Mandalay, Bago, Amarapura and Bagan.
• Watch the famous leg-rowing fishermen of Inle Lake from your private boat.

ITINERARY

Day 1:  Ho Chi Minh City Arrival
Day 2:  Cu Chi Tunnels – Ho Chi Minh City Tour
Day 3:  Ho Chi Minh City – Ben Tre – Ho Chi Minh City – Danang – Hoi An
Day 4:  Hoi An City Tour
Day 5:  Hoi An – Hanoi
Day 6:  Hanoi – Halong Bay
Day 7: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Yangon
Day 8: Yangon Circle Train; City Tour
Day 9: Yangon – Bagan – Temple Tour
Day 10: Bagan – Mount Popa – Bagan
Day 11: Bagan – Mandalay – City Tour
Day 12: Mandalay – Sagaing – Amarapura – Mandalay
Day 13: Mandalay – Heho – Inle Lake
Day 14: Inle Lake – In Dein
Day 15: Heho – Yangon Departure

DAY 1             HO CHI MINH CITY ARRIVAL (D)

Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, you will be picked up from the airport and transferred to a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City for relaxing and your welcome dinner.
 
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

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DAY 2             CU CHI TUNNELS – HO CHI MINH CITY TOUR (B, L)

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.

Back to Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon, visit the Former Presidential Palace, the town’s center with the Notre Dame Cathedral, the City Hall, the Municipal Theater, Quan Am Pagoda, Cho Lon and China town. 

Finish the tour in fine style by heading up the Bitexco Tower, which is the city’s tallest building. Your guide will be happy to wait for a short while whilst you enjoy a stylish sundowner with breath-taking skyline views, those wanting more time may choose to take a taxi back to their hotel at a later stage.
 
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

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DAY 3             HO CHI MINH CITY – BEN TRE – HO CHI MINH CITY – DANANG – HOI AN (B, L)

This morning, leave bustling Ho Chi Minh City for the 2 hour drive to the delta town of Ben Tre. Board your local boat through small canals with beautiful tropical scenery. En-route visit the brick making factory, where the locals still use centuries-old traditional methods to make the bricks by hand then visit a small factory producing handicrafts made of coconut. Afterwards, take a ride on a horse driven cart along country roads, through the fruit plantation before enjoying lunch at riverside restaurant.

In the afternoon, enjoy a ride in a rowing boat along the palm creek before heading back Ho Chi Minh City. Take a flight to Danang. Upon arrival, transfer to Hoi An, check in to the hotel. 
 
Overnight in Hoi An.

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DAY 4             HOI AN CITY TOUR (B)

In the morning, enjoy a walking tour around Hoi An ancient town and explore its treasures: the Japanese Bridge, Phuc Kien Pagoda, Phung Hung Old Merchant House, and Quang Dong Assembly Hall.
 
This afternoon is free at leisure.
 
Overnight in Hoi An.

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DAY 5             HOI AN – HANOI (B, D)

Early morning transfer to Danang Airport for your flight to Hanoi. Upon Hanoi arrival, transfer to hotel, check in. Drop the luggage at the hotel, we depart to visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh Museum and One pillar pagoda) and the Tran Quoc Pagoda. Continue to the Temple of Literature, the first University in Vietnam dating back to the 16th century.

In the afternoon, enjoy a walking tour through the Old Quarter will provide another fascinating insight into the character and history of the city, before moving on to Dong Xuan Market with its bustling stalls and brisk trading of day-to-day local goods. Finish the day with a traditional water puppet show, then a dinner in a local restaurant.
 
Overnight in Hanoi.

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DAY 6             HANOI – HALONG BAY (B, L, D)

After breakfast, drive to Halong Bay. Arrive at Halong City at noon and proceed with check-in formalities. After your welcome onboard, a lunch will be served while cruising towards the bay itself. A truly memorable experience awaits you as you cruise the delightful Bay. In the afternoon, enjoy some visits and/or activities depending on each boat’s itinerary or just spend some time relaxing on board. 

Towards the end of the day the boat sets anchor for the night among the karst formations. Dinner is served on board. 

Overnight on board.

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DAY 7             HALONG BAY – HANOI – YANGON (BRUNCH, DINNER)

Start your day with calming Tai Chi, enjoy the sunrise over the Bay and continue cruising. Enjoy the brunch on the way back to port, transfer to Hanoi. En route visit Thanh Chuong Palace, the home and studio of Thanh Chuong, of the most celebrated painters in Vietnam. More a living space than a museum, the Palace is an architectural gem showcasing Vietnamese traditional cultural objects, exquisite antiques and remarkable structures.

Continue driving to the airport in time for your late afternoon flight to Yangon. Upon arrive Yangon, you will be met by local guide and driver at the airport. Transfer to local restaurant for dinner. Having check in to hotel after dinner, this evening is free at leisure.

Overnight in Yangon.

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DAY 8             YANGON CIRCLE TRAIN; CITY TOUR (B, L)

After breakfast, transfer to the bustling streets of India Town to explore the lively morning market before experience the true essence of local life in Yangon by boarding the “circular railway” to Yangon’s Central Train Station.

In the afternoon, visit Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda, which is home to a 70 metre long reclining Buddha. From here, continue to visit the Shwedagon Pagoda, a 2,000 year old temple is one of the most significant religious sites in Myanmar, and undoubtedly the one most readily associated with the ‘Land of the Golden Spires’. Then continuing the Sule Pagoda, known as the ‘gathering point’ by the city’s residents, the pagoda is one of the city’s great landmarks, and has also played an important part in contemporary Burmese politics.

The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Overnight in Yangon.

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DAY 9            YANGON – BAGAN – TEMPLE TOUR (B, L)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Bagan. On arrival, your journey begins with a visit an elevated temple from where you will have a panoramic view of the magnificent plains of Bagan. Continue with a visit to the golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda for an introduction in to Bagan’s rich history. Then, visit to nearby Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a cave temple with exquisite jataka mural paintings and the elegant Htilominlo Temple noted for its fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. 

This afternoon begin with a visit to a traditional lacquer ware workshop where you can observe the production of one of Myanmar’s best-known handicrafts. Continue to Ananda Temple, an architectural masterpiece and one of Bagan’s most beautiful temples. From here, travel by horse cart for a tour passing Thatbyinnyu, the highest temple in Bagan, massive Dhammayangyi Temple and Sulamani Temple.

Enjoy an unforgettable sunset over the plains from the upper terrace of one of the temples.

Overnight in Bagan.

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DAY 10            BAGAN – MOUNT POPA – BAGAN (B, L)

After breakfast at the hotel, a drive to Mt Popa, an extinct volcano with spectacular views and the birth place of the Myanmar ‘nats’ or spirits. Its shrine is dedicated to animist spirits known as ‘nats’ and you will have time to climb the 777 steps to the shrine at the top of the peak. 

Returning to the base of the shrine, drive back to Bagan. En route visit Shwe Hlaing Village. This village makes its living by producing various items from the toddy palm trees. Here we will observe traditional production of palm toddy—from the collecting of the liquid to the creating of the drinks and sugars. Then enjoy the traditional Burmese lunch together under shade of Toddy Palm trees.

Transfer back to Bagan. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Overnight in Bagan.

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DAY 11            BAGAN – MANDALAY – CITY TOUR (B, L)

Early this morning transfer to airport for your flight to Mandalay, the former capital of Myanmar’s last dynasty. Upon arrival, begin your sightseeing tour of Mandalay with a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda. This pagoda is home to one of the country’s most revered Buddha images which, over the years, have been covered with gold leaf giving it an almost ‘lumpy’ texture. Afterwards, visit traditional workshops of wood carvings, kalaga tapestries, and gold foil workshop.
 
Afternoon, we visit Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the World’s Biggest Book because of its stone slabs consisting of Buddhist scriptures. Continue to Shwenandaw Monastery, the only remaining building from the 19^th century Royal Palace.
 
End the day head to the top of Mandalay Hill as the sun begins to set to enjoy magnificent views of the city and Irrawaddy River. 

Overnight in Mandalay.

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DAY 12            MANDALAY – SAGAING – AMARAPURA – MANDALAY (B, L)

After breakfast at the hotel, depart for an excursion around Mandalay to explore the former capitals of Sagaing, Ava and Amarapura.

Cross a bridge over the Irrawaddy River to Sagaing, the town which stretches along much of the Myanmar-India border. Its surrounding hills are covered in monasteries and pagodas, several of which can be visited on today’s trip.

Return toward the city and continue south of the city to Ava, the capital from 14th to 18th centuries, where a short ferry ride will take us across the river to where our horse and carriage are waiting. Visit the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace and Fort.

Finally visit Amarapura, a former capital whose name means ‘City of Immortality’. We’ll start visit U Bein Bridge for a walk along this 200 year-old teak bridge. Enjoy a stroll across the bridge and the fabulous views of the surrounding farms and streams.

Overnight in Mandalay.

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DAY 13            MANDALAY – HEHO – INLE LAKE (B, L)

Morning flight to Heho. Upon arrival, drive to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway town for Inle Lake.  

Upon arrival, embark a private long-tail boat for a half-day of sightseeing. Pass villages built on stilts over the lake, inhabited by the local Intha people. Observe the leg-rowing fishermen and see their floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. Visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary, which contains five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf. 

Explore the local crafts of Inle Lake with a stop at the weaving village of Inpawkhone and a cheroot factory, where the typical Burmese cigars are made by hand. Upon arrival at your resort, the remainder of your day is at leisure.

Overnight on Inle Lake.

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Day 14             INLE LAKE – IN DEIN (B, L)

After breakfast, cruising to In Dein and Ywama. You will then continue up a narrow canal, as far as a small Pa O minority tribal village. Disembark at the central marketplace and follow the old covered path that leads to a 13th century monastery, and the very impressive ruins of over a hundred ancient pagodas. Upon reaching the main stupa atop a hill, stop to enjoy sensational views of the surrounding mountains, and down the valley to Inle Lake in the distance.
 
Return to the lake and your resort. The rest of the day is free at leisure.
 
Overnight on Inle Lake.

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Day 15             HEHO – YANGON DEPARTURE (B)

Free time until transfer to airport for your flight to Yangon and your onward flight to home.

SERVICE INCLUDED

• Shared accommodation in twin/double room with daily breakfast
• Tours as per itinerar with local speaking guide (NO guide on board Halong Bay)
• All transfers and transportation with air-con vehicles
• All entrance fees as program
• Meals (B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner) as indicated in the program
• A bottle of mineral water per day tour

SERVICE EXCLUDED 

• Drinks
• Mineral water beyond that supplied
• Tips
• Personal expenses and tips
• Visa to Vietnam, Myanmar
• Airfares (international and domestic)
• Meals (other than mentioned in the program)
• Airport taxes  
• Early check in or late check out
• Insurances
• Optional excursions and activities
• Additional transfer required due to any emergency situation
• Items of a personal nature (Phone calls, laundry, beverages…)
• Peak season surcharges if any
• All not mentioned above