Essence of Vietnam & Myanmar (16 Days)

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (Vietnam)

Upon arrival, our representative will greet you at the airport and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Free at leisure.

Day 2: Hanoi (B, L) 

Transfer to visit Ho Chi Minh Complex to learn about his life during revolutionary activities then visit to One Pillar Pagoda. Continue with a visit to the Ethnology Museum where you learn the various life aspects of 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam. After lunch, visit to the Literature Temple, the first university of Vietnam and enjoy a cyclo tour to visit Old Quarter & Hoan Kiem Lake. Late afternoon, enjoy the traditional water puppet show which you will experience an overview of daily life in Vietnam’s rural areas. 

Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay (B, L, D)

Leave Hanoi for Halong Bay. Enjoying the journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the scenery of rice fields. Upon arrival, board a overnight cruise to discover the legendary Halong Bay. Enjoy full board meals and many indoor & outdoor activities. Overnight on the cruise. 

Day 4: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Flight to Hue (B, L)

Join a Tai Chi session then enjoy an international breakfast while the cruise cruises among hundreds of islets before coming back to the pier. Drive back to the airport for a flight to Hue. Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to hotel. 

Day 5: Hue (B, L)

Enjoy a boat trip on the Perfume river to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hue then discover the Imperial Citadel & Forbidden Purple City where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 – 1945. After lunch, continue to visit the elaborate tombs of emperors Tu Duc & Khai Dinh where you will learn about Royal’s life and their architecture.

Day 6: Hue – Hoian (B)

Transfer by car over the most spectacular Hai Van Pass to Hoian. En route, visit the Marble Mountain, Cham Museum and the Stone Village. In the afternoon, enjoy a walking tour to visit the ancient town. You then continue with a visit to the home of a craftsman where you will discover the daily life of local people and observe how they make a lantern.

Day 7: Hoian – Da Nang – Flight to Ho Chi Minh City (B)

Free at leisure until transfer to the airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, pick up to hotel for check in.

Day 8: Ho Chi Minh City & Cu Chi Tunnels (B, L) 

Driver to Cu Chi district to visit the amazing complex of underground tunnels at Cu Chi. After lunch, transfer back to the city to visit the main sights including the Opera House, Town Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral, Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum and Ben Thanh Market. 

Day 9: Mekong Delta (B, L)

Transfer to Mekong Delta then take a boat trip to discover Caibe floating market. Visit to a village for watching process of making local products, observing daily activities, enjoy Vietnamese traditional music then take a small sampan rowing by hand of local to feel the real Mekong river. After lunch, visit to a local brick kiln before taking another boat to Vinh Long, the center of tropical fruits and stopping for a short visit at a local market.

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City – Flight to Yangon (B) (Myanmar)

Free at leisure until transfer to the airport for a flight to Yangon. Upon arrival, pick up to hotel for check in. Overnight in Yangon.

Day 11: Yangon (B, L) 

Discover Myanmar’s glorious history at the National Museum. Next, visit to the golden Sule Pagoda then pay homage to the famed 2500 year old Shwedagone Pagoda. In the afternoon, enjoy a walk around Mahabandola park to take in the colonial court-house and the city hall. Afterward, visit the Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda which houses a 72-meter reclining Buddha statue and the Chinatown night market where you will see street markets, snack vendors and many places of worship as you walk along the street.

Day 12: Yangon – Bago – Golden Rock – Kyaikhtiyo (B, L)

Transfer by car to Kyaikhtiyo. En-route you will have a stop in Bago where you will visit the huge 55-meter long Shwethalaung reclining Buddha image, the Mon style 376ft-high Shwemawdaw Pagoda which consists of four 30m-high sitting Buddha placed back-to-back around a huge, square pillar and town market. Upon arrival, get a local open truck to base camp Kinpun then you will hike to reach the spectacular Golden Rock, one of the holiest sites in Asia. Overnight in Kyaikhtiyo.

Day 13: Kyaikhtiyo – Yangon – Flight to Bagan (B)

After breakfast, head back toward to the airport in Yangon for a flight to Bagan. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel for check in. Overnight in Bagan.

Day 14: Bagan (B, L)

Transfer to visit the colourful Nyaung OO market and the Shwezigon Pagoda. Then get to learn more about the local culture with a visit to workshop producing Bagan’s most famous products: lacquer ware and wood crafts. After lunch, visit the main monuments of old Bagan: Royal Palace ruins, Tharabar Gate and Ananda Temple. Afterward, embark on a short horse cart ride amongst the ancient stupa ruins then finish the day’s sightseeing tour by a sunset shoot from Bagan’s most famous ‘Shwesandaw Pagoda’. 

Day 15: Bagan – Flight to Yangon (B, L) 

In the early morning, take a bicycle to visit the Dahayarzaka Pagoda at sunrise – an unforgettable highlight of this trip then take a flight back to Yangon, the remainder of the day is at your leisure. 

Day 16: Yangon Departure (B)

After breakfast, enjoy your day at leisure until transfer to the airport for your own departure flight home.