VIETNAM ADVENTURE TOUR 7 DAYS

Breakfast at hotel. Full day city tour starting with the Ho Chi Minh complex (Closed on Mondays and Fridays mornings and whole September and October for annual repairs). Visit One Pillar pagoda, founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049. This structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Our next stop will be theTemple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university. Constructed in 1070. The temple is dedicated to one of the world’s most famous scholars, Confucius. Inside the temple grounds huge stone stele rest on the backs of even larger stone turtles (in Vietnamese culture the turtle represents longevity).

After your lunch at Cha Ca street with “Cha Ca La Vong”, a favorite dish of Hanoian - Listed in 1000 places to visit before you die, we continue to enjoy a cyclo ride through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as “36 streets.” This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities all around you. We will travel around the famous Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword.) - The heart of Hanoi Capital.

Start your evening with a traditional water puppet performance (Roi Nuoc). The stage is actually a large container of water where the characters (carved wooden puppets} “act” out the story. Most of the stories are whimsical and fun, and the puppeteers stand in waist deep water behind a screen controlling the puppets with rods that mostly are under the water.

Have your dinner at Dinh Lang restaurant with Vietnamese traditional music. Overnight in Hanoi.

Leave Hanoi by road for the picturesque day’s journey to Sapa, in the far north- western corner of Vietnam. There are many photo opportunities along the way and after a lunch stop at Yen Bai visit Black Dao and Flower H’mong villages en route. Arrive at Lao Cai in the late afternoon where you can gaze across the Red River at China on the opposite bank. From Lao Cai the road winds up the terraced hillsides to Sapa, a former French hill resort and home to some of Vietnam’s most colourful ethnic groups.

Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Sapa

A morning walking tour of Sapa visits the busy market where Red Dao, Black H’mong and other hill tribes converge from the surrounding countryside to sell their embroidery, silverware and handicrafts and to buy provisions.

In the afternoon visit some of nearby hill tribe villages, such as Cat Cat or Ta Fin. Overnight in Sapa.

Leave Sapa after breakfast by road through the stunning mountain scenery to Lai Chau, visiting Black Thai and Red H’mong villages en route.

Arrive in Lai Chau in the late afternoon check in to your hotel

Continue on through the hills and valleys to Dien Bien Phu, stopping off at a White Thai minority village along the way. Arrive in Dien Bien Phu around noon.

We will visit the famous A1 Hill, the Army Museum and Thai villages in the vicinity. Overnight in Dien Bien Phu.

Early depart from Dien Bien Phu heading for Son La. The road crosses two mountain passes before the mountain scenery gives way to rice fields and banana plantations. Stop for a lunch break at Tuan Giao and walk over hanging bridges to visit Black Thai villages.

Arrive in Son La mid afternoon and visit the former French prison where anti - colonial revolutionaries were once held. Overnight in Son La.