Vietnam Discovery
6 Days
from
$1380 per person*
Highlights:
Vietnam
(Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Trip Start/End:
Hanoi
/
Ho Chi Minh City
Voyage to a haunting land of sweet smelling incense, spiritual pagodas, otherworldly natural beauty, a dramatic past & heart-warming people with this adventurous expedition showcasing the highlights of Vietnam. Led by expert private guide tour Hanoi (where antiquity & modern day unite) & Ho Chi Minh City (formally known as Saigon). Cruise amidst the limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay, cycle along the capital's many lakes, attend the opera for a traditional water puppet show, go underground to the Chi Chi tunnels, dine on Vietnamese staples like pho, bia hoi & seafood, meander through lively markets & more. Featuring stylish modern hotels, private guide & driver, this exotic country promises to be a unique & unforgettable adventure.
Overview
| Day | Activities | Hotel |
- Day 1
- Hanoi
| - Welcome to Vietnam - Visa Reminder
- Transfer - Private - Airport - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
| Silk Path (4*)
Premium Deluxe Room (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 2
- Hanoi
| - Private - Full Day Hanoi City Tour with Lunch - Vehicle/Driver/Guide
- Lunch (included)
| Silk Path (4*)
Premium Deluxe Room (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 3
- Hanoi
| - Private - Full Day Halong Bay with Lunch - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
- Lunch (included)
| Silk Path (4*)
Premium Deluxe Room (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 4
- Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City
| - Transfer - Private - Airport - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
- Air - Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City [Direct (2 hrs)] - Economy
- Transfer - Private - Airport - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
- Private - 1/2 Day Ho Chi Minh City Tour (Indochina War) - Vehicle/Driver/Guide
| Majestic Hotel (4.5*)
Colonial Room (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 5
- Ho Chi Minh City
| - Private - Full Day Ho Chi Minh City Tour & Cu Chi Tunnels with Lunch - Vehicle/Driver/Guide
- Lunch (included)
| Majestic Hotel (4.5*)
Colonial Room (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 6
- Ho Chi Minh City
| - Transfer - Private - Airport - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
| Depart
|
| B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, 1/2d = Half Day, Al = All Inclusive |
Trip Itinerary
Hanoi
Silk Path Hotel Lobby
Day 1: Hanoi
Welcome to Vietnam! Please be sure that your visa has been pre-arranged, or that your visa-on-arrival letter is in your carry on luggage. These documents will be presented to customs at your first point of entry into the country.
You will be transferred between downtown Hanoi and the International Airport by private car and driver.
Accommodation: Silk Path (4*) The Silk Path is located in the heart of the charming old quarter of Hanoi, which has countless tourist attractions, government and diplomatic institutions, as well as proximity to the business district of the city. With the hotel's 106 well-appointed exclusively designed rooms and suites, it is no surprise that Silk Hotel is a preference choice of a traveler. The hotel has a 2 level restaurant with private dining rooms, a unique bar, and a fitness center and sauna. Silk Path Hotel guarantees a comfortable stay with all luxury amenities within reach.
Dragon & Incense sticks in Temple of Literature
Day 2: Hanoi
You will be picked up at your hotel by private car with an English speaking guide and taken to visit the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh and his former residence, One pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature. For lunch, enjoy a lovely meal at a local restaurant. After lunch, continue your city tour to your choice of one of Hanoi's many museums, including Fine Art, History, Revolutionary, War, Ethnology , then head to Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple and experience a 1 hour cyclo tour. Finish your day off at the Thang Long Opera Theatre for a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show.
Accommodation: Silk Path (4*) 
Halong Bay
Day 3: Hanoi
In the morning, meet your English speaking guide at your hotel and be transfer by private car to Halong Bay, literally called Descending Dragon Bay. It is the most wondrous of bays sculpted when an ancient dragon swished its immense tail. Vietnam’s most obvious attraction is Ha Long Bay, adjacent to the Gulf of Tonkin, and currently attracting nearly two million visitors each year. Despite its status as one of Vietnam’s busiest tourist centers, its enormous scale, unique geomorphology and indisputable splendor makes a visit almost essential. Enjoy a 4 hour cruise including a seafood lunch on board and private sightseeing of Halong Bay. You will visit islands and grottoes, leaving those that have been equipped with lights, walkways, refreshment stalls and souvenir shops to the tourists. The exceptions are Dau Go, a large cavern worth visiting for its grandeur, and Sung Sot, for its remarkable stalactites and stalagmites. Entrance fees and mineral water is included in this tour.
Accommodation: Silk Path (4*) 
Ho Chi Minh City
Hotel Majestic
Day 4: Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City
You will be transferred between downtown Hanoi and the International Airport by private car and driver.
Fly one way from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.
You will be picked up by a private car with an English-speaking guide and transferred between Ho Chi Minh City airport and your hotel.
You will be met by your English speaking guide at your hotel and transfer by private car to visit War Remnants Museum, which features a comprehensive collection of the machinery, weapons, photos, and documentation of Vietnam's wars with the both the French and Americans. The museum is a call for peace, and the hope that the horrors of war will never be repeated. The exhibit begins with a room listing war facts such as troop numbers, bomb tonnage, and statistics on international involvement in the conflict, including numbers of casualties on both sides. Your visit will also include exhibits dedicated to the journalists who were lost during the war as well as biological warfare, weaponry, and worldwide movements for peace. Continue the tour to the Reunification Palace, which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975. Afterwards, stop at Ben Thanh Market for a shopping experience. Entrance fees and mineral water is included in this tour.
Accommodation: Majestic Hotel (4.5*) Opened in 1925 as the city’s finest abode, the Majestic has gone through several reincarnations over the years, changes that reflect the tumultuous history of Vietnam. During World War II, the Japanese Imperial Army used this French colonial structure as a military barracks. During the Vietnam War, it was frequented by foreign correspondents and espionage agents. A Hotel of Tradition - Hospitality - Elegance.
Post Office Ho Chi Minh City
Day 5: Ho Chi Minh City
In the morning, you will visit the Cu Chi Tunnels which is 70 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. Here you will find an amazing complex of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam war. The residents of Cu Chi took their war underground, literally, developing a network of tunnels that, at its height, stretched as far as Cambodia and included meeting rooms, kitchens, and triage area. In the afternoon, return to the city for a tour of the Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office and the former Presidential Palace. Next, continue onto visit the War Museum. Afterwards, enjoy a lovely Vietnamese lunch at local restaurant before exploring the China Town area and visiting Thien Mu Pagoda. Towards the end of the day, you will be able to visit and experience Ben Thanh Market.
Accommodation: Majestic Hotel (4.5*) Day 6: Ho Chi Minh City
You will be picked up by a private car with an English-speaking guide and transferred between Ho Chi Minh City airport and your hotel.
Accommodation: Depart Depart from Ho Chi Minh City International airport - end of itinerary.
Accommodations
- Silk Path Hotel
Silk Path (4*) - Hanoi
The Silk Path is located in the heart of the charming old quarter of Hanoi, which has countless tourist attractions, government and diplomatic institutions, as well as proximity to the business district of the city. With the hotel's 106 well-appointed exclusively designed rooms and suites, it is no surprise that Silk Hotel is a preference choice of a traveler. The hotel has a 2 level restaurant with private dining rooms, a unique bar, and a fitness center and sauna. Silk Path Hotel guarantees a comfortable stay with all luxury amenities within reach.
- Hotel Majestic
Majestic Hotel (4.5*) - Ho Chi Minh City
Opened in 1925 as the city’s finest abode, the Majestic has gone through several reincarnations over the years, changes that reflect the tumultuous history of Vietnam. During World War II, the Japanese Imperial Army used this French colonial structure as a military barracks. During the Vietnam War, it was frequented by foreign correspondents and espionage agents. A Hotel of Tradition - Hospitality - Elegance.
Travel Info
Travel tips of Vietnam
VISA/PASSPORT
A valid passport and Vietnamese visa are required prior to arrival for both US and Canadian citizens. A visa must be obtained from a Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate prior to traveling to Vietnam; entry visas are NOT available upon arrival. Processing generelly takes 5 working days along with a visa processing fee of approximately $93. Vietnamese visas are usually valid for only one entry. Persons planning to leave Vietnam and re-enter from another country should be sure to obtain a visa allowing multiple entries prior to arrival.
Please note obtaining a visa is your responsibility. These requirements change often and therefore it is best that you check with the Embassy of Vietnam for the most up to date visa information.
HEALTH
Health insurance is required. Medical facilities are not widespread and poor quality. We recommend that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. The doctor or health-care provider will determine what vaccinations and medication you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities. For more information on travel requirements, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/vietnam.aspx
COUNTRY INFO
Capital: Hanoi.
Government: Socialist republic since 1980. Gained independence from France in 1954.
Language: Vietnamese is the official language. English, French, Chinese and occasionally Russian and German are spoken.
Religion: Buddhist majority. There are also Taoist, Confucian, Hoa Hao, Caodaist and Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) minorities.
Time: GMT + 7.
Electricity: 220/110 volts AC, 50Hz; two-pin flat plugs are in use.
Telephone: Country code +84.
Mobile Telephone: Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage is available throughout large parts of the country.
Internet: Internet cafes are widely available throughout the country.
What's Included:
- Guaranteed departure - Accommodation, Activities, Transfers, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services
What's not Included:
- Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance
Trip Terms & Conditions
- Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $350). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure.
- Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of 30% of program price. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to loss of 100% of program price.
- Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary
- Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.
- Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.
- Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.kensingtontours.com/terms-and-conditions
- Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.
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