Overview
Vietnam is a Southeast Asian country known for its beaches, rivers, Buddhist pagodas and bustling cities. Hanoi, the capital, pays homage to the nation’s iconic Communist-era leader, Ho Chi Minh, via a huge marble mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) has French colonial landmarks, plus Vietnamese War history museums and the C? Chi tunnels, used by Viet Cong soldiers.
Inclusions
- Accommodation based on twin sharing room
- Overnight cruise in Halong Bay
- Meals as mentioned in the program. B-Breakfast, Br-Brunch, L-Lunch, D-Dinner
- All entrance fees and sightseeing as mentioned in the program
- Transportation by vehicle with A/C as per program
- Local English speaking guides in Vietnam.
- 1 local coffee in Saigon while doing City tour
- 1 Souvenir per pax
- Cyclo tour in the Old Quarter
- Water Puppet Show at Thang Long Theatre
- Bottles of mineral water on tour day (2 bottles of 500ml/day)
- Accommodations at the hotels specified above or similar.
- All local taxes including services taxes as of 1st November, 2022.
- Sightseeing, accommodation & services as per the above-mentioned itinerary.
- All transfers and excursions inclusive of entrance fees (as specified in the itinerary) by a deluxe air-conditioned coach.
- Professional services of a friendly and multilingual THOMAS COOK Tour Manager (Subject to minimum 20 customers) or a local Representative.
Exclusions
- Compulsory tips for tour guide and driver: USD 5/guest/day
- Meals not mentioned in the program
- Any international flights and airport tax
- Single Supplement. Early check-in and late check-out. Hotel/Room upgrade
- Drinks, personal expenses and any services not clearly mentioned in the program
- Optional tour in Hanoi (quoted separately)
- Surcharge for the festive seasons
- The tour cost does not include POE charges and passport charges.
- Porterage Facility
- Any other expenses of personal nature such as porterage, laundry expenses, mini-bar, mineral water,telephone charges, foods and beverages that are not included as a part of the package.
- Additional Meals which is not specifically included in the above itinerary.
- Cost of excursions, city sightseeing, entrance fees and local guides availed of by the passengers, other than that mentioned in the above itinerary.
- Cost of Optional Excursions.
- Visa Requirements: You must be in possession of a Single Entry Visa for Vietnam. The cost of this visa is not included in your package tour price. It would be best to check with your travel agent and the consulates nearest to you for advice and information. Please ensure that your travel documents are ready in time for departure.
- Ticketing Requirements: To participate on this tour, you need to be in possession of valid air tickets to arrive into Saigon and depart from Hanoi. Internal tickets Saigon - Hanoi is included in your tour price. It would be advisable to check with your sales officer or local travel agent for ticketing
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1
ARRIVE SAIGON (L,D)
Located in the South of Vietnam, the “Indochina Pearl” – Ho Chi Minh City, or formerly known as Saigon, is your first stop of the tour. On arrival, our friendly tour guide with private driver will welcome you at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Transfer to have lunch at Indian restaurant. Check in hotel. Time at leisure. 6:30, picked up at hotel lobby to transfer for dinner at Indian restaurant. Overnight in Sai Gon Note: Joining direct passenger / NRI can check-in on your own at the hotel. The standard checkin time is 1500 hrs. Packed dinner will be provided in case of late arrivals of flight or long queue at the immigration.
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2
SAIGON – CU CHI TUNNELS – CITY TOUR (B,L,D)
Enjoy the breakfast at the hotel before your friendly tour guide and driver come over and lead you to exciting destinations all day long. Built over a period of 25 years since the 1940s, Cu Chi tunnels is an immense network of connecting underground construction that spans over 250 kilo metre of the district, honeycombed into layers and layers of underground living accommodation. Exploring the network of tunnels to understand the tenacious will of the Vietnamese in their fight against foreign invasion. In the afternoon, visit all the cultural and outstanding landmarks of the city. Built during the French colonial era, most of them inherit from the romances of French architectural design. The round city tour includes Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Old Post office, Ho Chi Minh Hall, and War Remnant Museum. Enjoy Vietnamese Coffee at local cafeteria. Overnight in Sai Gon (B,L,D)
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3
SAIGON – MEKONG DELTA – SAIGON (B, L (local food), D)
Today explore the Mekong Delta. Upon arrival, embark on the boat cruising on the mighty Mekong River. We stop at one of 4 islands in the area for sightseeing. After that you will embark on the small boats rowed the local people through the small cannels. There you will taste the honey tea and see the local people produce the coconut candy milk and of course you also can try it or stroll in the garden where the locals feed honeybee. After that enjoy the horse-cart trip through the tranquil road of the village. Evening, drive back to Saigon with stop to visit Vinh Trang pagoda, a famous pagoda in the area that its architecture is a mix of Chinese, Cambodian, and French culture. Overnight at the hotel in Saigon. (B, L (local food), D)
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4
SAIGON – HANOI – CITY TOUR (B/L/D)
Have breakfast at hotel then check out. Picked up by the tour guide and driver then transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport to take a flight to Hanoi. Hanoi a bustling metropolis in a combination with the tranquillity, Hanoi offers the elegance French charms of its colonial architectures, the rush rhythm of life along 36 old streets to the anarchy traffic by plenty of motorbikes. It seemed like a typical picture you will ever imagine for the South East Asia life and spirit. Welcome you to Hanoi, our friendly tour guide and driver will meet and greet you at Noi Bai International airport. After a short ride to city centre, you will have lunch at Indian restaurant before starting to visit the city tour. We will start at a must-visit site, you will hear stories about Great Leader – Ho Chi Minh while going on an orientation walk at Ho Chi Minh Complex (Mausoleum (from the outside) & Museum). Pass through the One Pillar Pagoda – a unique architecture that only available in Vietnam. Take a break and enter in the ancient landscaped courtyards, gardens and pavilions of Temple of Literature, this is the first university of Vietnam, where many monuments still remain to dedicate to the scholars who graduated here. This afternoon continues explore the Hanoi Old Quarter by a “cyclo” visit, which will start around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, wandering through narrow and evocative streets; you will have the closest view to the French-colonial architectures of ancient buildings and family-run vendor stores. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Sword” Lake). Take a photo of The Huc Red bridge. Proceed to check in hotel. Then transfer for dinner at Indian restaurant. Transfer back to your hotel for overnight. Overnight in Hanoi (B/L/D)
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5
HANOI – HA LONG BAY – OVERNIGHT ON CRUISE (B,L,D)
From Hanoi, you will travel to Halong Bay in an air-conditioned bus. After that, board your traditional junk, where the crew welcomes you with a scrumptious lunch. You can take memorable family photos on the sundeck with the backdrop of thousands of limestone karsts, dotted with isles covered in lush green nature. If you’d prefer exciting family activities, kayaking is a must-try activity, especially when it is sunset. Paddle your boat through the emerald water and unveil the amazing wonders of this proud UNESCO Heritage Site. You will have exclusive breath taking photo ops from the boat. Before dinner time, you can join a cooking course to make Vietnamese Nem, another delicious recipe for your family meal. At night, if the weather conditions are ideal, you can have a fun fishing competition with your kids on deck. The thrill of catching fresh cuttlefish in the magical scenery is an experience you will never forget. Overnight in Ha Long on board the cruise . (B,L,D)
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6
HA LONG BAY - HANOI – CITY TOUR (B,Brunch,D)
You can join the Tai Chi course on the sundeck to breathe in the refreshing morning air while admiring the picturesque dawn as it unfolds and shines on the mirror-like water. A hearty breakfast will be served in the midst of the breath-taking landscape. The crew organizes a daily excursion to discover the hidden treasures of Halong Bay. You will have the chance to explore the stalactites that reside deep in the Surprise Cave, or hike the mountain path of Ti Top Island and see the bay from the observation deck located on the summit. Check out and drive back to Hanoi. Continue the city tour to West Lake the biggest lake in Hanoi and you take a visit to nearby Tran Quoc Pagoda. This is the oldest pagoda and be considered as a typical example of Vietnamese Buddhism with its history of more than 1500 years. The next stop is Hoa Lo Prison Museum, ironically nicknamed the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ by US prisoners of war (POWs) during the American War. Most exhibits relate to the prison’s use up to the mid-1950s, focusing on the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France. Today in the evening proceed for the water puppet show, where you will enjoy a special folk art performance. Have dinner at Indian restaurant. Transfer to check in hotel and spend overnight. Overnight in Hanoi (B,Brunch,D)
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7
SAIGON DEP (B)
Today, we check out and proceed to the airport for your flight back home. It’s time to say goodbye to all the new friends you have made. We hope you take back many happy memories of your holiday. We would like you to spare a few minutes of your time to write and tell us how you enjoyed your holiday and any suggestions you may have for the future. (B) Please note that: The normal check out time is 12:00pm.
- IMPORTANT NOTES: HOTELS This Package doesn’t offer city center hotels.Hotels will be located in the airport area or on the outskirts. As a 3rd person in a triple room, most hotels offer roll-away beds and room size will be the same as doubleroom. For Child with bed: At times hotel don’t have enough roll-away beds, in that case they might give a double and a separate single room. A person 12 years and below is considered child and above 12 years, an adult. Due to international events and trade fairs you may have to stay in hotels further away from the city. ? Any damages caused to the hotel rooms / Coach during the stay shall be payable by the passengers. ? We also reserve the right to substitute a hotel of similar class if it is deemed advisable or necessary. Hotels in certain cities are not offering buffet breakfasts due to health regulations. If the same does not change by the time the tours operate, we will organize breakfasts at Indian / local restaurant. COACHES Coaches are an important part of your journeys and we request our guests to keep the coach clean. Due to hygiene factors it is not permitted to use toilets in the coach. However the tour manager will make comfort stops during long drives. Eating & drinking is not permitted in the coach. Due to limited boot space in the coach we suggest you to carry one check-in bag & one hand bag per person only Due to parking regulations and designated drop off & pick up points it is not possible to stop at all the places during the city tour. Tour Manager will try his/her best to stop coach wherever possible for a photo stop. Coaches do not have a wheelchair access. There are steps to board / alight from the coach. Coaches are forbidden inside most of the historic city centers; to preserve them from damage caused by pollution and getting overcrowded. Most of your sightseeing will be done by local buses and by foot in the historic and heritage centers.
- MEALS All Meals are pre–set. Packed lunches will be provided on certain days.
- SIGHTSEEING Due to logistical reasons certain departures may have amendments or reverse the itinerary. However, all the services / inclusions will remain the same. Generally, you will have to walk at sightseeing places, amusement parks and at the airports sometimes for a long distance; however the same will be timely instructed by the Tour Manager. It is advisable to carry good pair of comfortable sports shoes. The tour manager and the driver will do their best to get you as close to the monuments as possible. Every Site / Monuments has its own set of rules and regulations.We need to respect this and ensure that we follow the same. All our visits are booked in advance to avoid delays,at the same time there may be delays caused due to over crowding ,local regulations ,security check etc
- GENERAL On some occasions you may have to join another group in case the group does not have adequate number of members. A local representative or a driver may only be there to assist you during the your initial part of you tour. Security alerts and unforeseen closures may affect the itinerary. Please take extra care of your personal belongings while on the tour, every country you travel to is prone to thefts and bag snatching.THOMAS COOK will not be liable for any loss of belongings / baggage. Disabled clients shall carry their own wheelchair & be accompanied by a qualified companion who is able to provide assistance to the disabled client per their regular/routine requirements. The management reserves the right to claim any additional expenses incurred due to delay or changes in schedules of train, airplane, bus, ship or other services. The Tour Manager and the company reserves the right to amend the itinerary, alter, vary or withdraw any particular departure, excursion advertised. For the convenience of our passengers, we may at times amend the itinerary to suit prevalent conditions & at the same time attain optimum utilization of the tour.All the services as per itinerary shall remain the same as it is during such amends . There are no refunds for any services i.e. meals, sightseeing etc. not utilized on your tour In case you decide to change the date of your return reservation once confirmed the exact amount payable to the airline will be advised once the same is confirmed. The images used in this brochure are for representation purpose only.
