Landscapes and ethnicities of Vietnam

Departure on a scheduled flight to Hanoi. Night on board.

Arrival in Hanoi and transfer to a small hotel in the city, where you will have a room available from 12:00 to 18:00 so you can freshen up. Dinner at a local restaurant and transfer to the station to take the night train to Lao Cai. Night on board in a shared cabin with 4 soft berths.

Arrival at the station and transfer to your hotel in Sapa to check-in and have breakfast. Next, departure on an excursion for a first visit to the area. We will begin with a visit to the Cat Cat village. Then, transfer to Suoi Ho to begin the trekking to MaTra. The beautiful landscape of the MaTra valley will open before our eyes, characterized by impressive terraces and rice fields, scattered across its hills. We will also see the H'Mong villages and those who work in the fields, while we see how the children play. Finally, we will visit the town of Ta Phin. Return to Sapa. Lunch at a local restaurant. Free time and accommodation.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to complete the excursion through the area with a visit to the ethnic villages of Sapa: Lao Chai villages of the Black H'mong and Ta Van village of the Dzay ethnic group, located on the edge of a deep and beautiful valley. Lunch in Sapa and free time until the time of your transfer to the bus station to depart by Express bus to Hanoi (approx. 6 hours).

Arrival in Hanoi where your Spanish-speaking guide will be waiting for you. Transfer to the hotel. During this journey you will get a first impression of Hanoi and the amazing fusion between bustle and serenity. Arrival at the hotel and free time until check-in time (rooms are generally not available before 3:00 p.m.). Accommodation.

Breakfast and departure to begin the visit to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. It is also considered one of the few Asian cities with tree-lined avenues, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes, and oriental temples. The tour includes a visit to the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam, founded in 1070 in honor of Confucius and considered the symbol of Hanoi. We continue with the route to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, visiting the outside of it from Ba Dinh Square. We will continue to the One Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049 on a single stone pillar by Emperor Ly Thai Tong, who reigned from 1028 to 1054. The pagoda is designed to resemble a lotus leaf in honor of Buddha. Lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we will have an experience with flowers and their traditional way of decorating them. Visit an artisan florist to see how the bouquets are made, how this beautiful and traditional Vietnamese spiritual art is transmitted and preserved, which has come down to our days generation after generation. There they will learn to recognize exotic flowers while enjoying preparing a spiritual floral offering. Later we arrive at Hoan Kiem Lake, the heart of Hanoi, where we will take a walk around the lake with a panoramic view of the Ngoc Son temple, located in the middle of the lake, along with The Huc red bridge. Finally, we will take a panoramic ride in a "cyclo pousse" through the Old Quarter of Hanoi, also known as the neighborhood of 36 streets since, in its time, it was known for the trade of the artisans who inhabited it and for the workshops that there was. Return to the hotel and accommodation.

Breakfast and departure by road to Halong Bay, which in Vietnamese means “the dragon that descends from the sea” and according to legend, it was a dragon who formed the islands of the bay. Board a wonderful cruise with which you will visit the bay. Lunch on board. The navigation continues to discover thousands of islands and islets with abundant vegetation that emerge in the bay with their unusual shapes and different sizes. The emerald waters of this legendary natural treasure lead us to explore sublime islands such as Turtle, Dog, Man's Head, etc. Due to its unique beauty, geological peculiarity, biological richness, cultural and historical importance, Halong Bay was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994 and included in the list of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World since 2011. Beyond contemplating the magnificent landscape, we enjoy free time or some of the optional activities such as swimming, kayaking or participating in a Vietnamese cooking demonstration on the boat terrace. Dinner and accommodation on board.

(The cruise itinerary will be adjusted according to weather conditions).

At sunrise and for those who are interested, there will be a Tai Chi class on the sun terrace. The navigation continues through the bay of almost 2,000 calcareous rock islands, to continue enjoying its unique landscapes. Take advantage of this moment to take the best photos of this natural wonder. Late breakfast (brunch) on board to recharge your batteries and head back to land. Disembark at Halong pier and transfer to Hanoi airport to depart on a local flight to Da Nang. Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Hoi An. When night falls, the streets are illuminated with lanterns and colored lights, and lanterns are even thrown into the Hoai River to ask for good omens. The city looks bright and mysterious at night. Accommodation.

Breakfast and departure for a panoramic tour of the city of Hoi An, an important trading port in Asia in the 17th and 18th centuries, whose architecture and relaxed lifestyle have changed little in recent years. Arrival at the Old Quarter, from where we will begin the walk through the center of the old city to visit Phung Hung (Old Merchants' House), the Japanese covered bridge that is more than 400 years old, the Phuc Kien hall, the ancient Tan Ky House with its traditional architecture and the Sa Huynh history museum. Lunch at a local restaurant. Free afternoon to enjoy the beach, stroll through the colorful downtown market or shop. Accommodation.

Breakfast and departure to Da Nang, where you can see its paradisiacal beaches. We will also visit the Linh Ung Pagoda with its beautiful panoramic view of the city and the charming coast of the Son Tra Peninsula. Continuation by road to Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam, through the Hai Van Pass (“Ocean of Clouds” in Vietnamese) and the picturesque Lang Co Beach. Upon arrival, lunch at a local restaurant and transfer to the hotel. for registration procedures. In the afternoon, we will visit the Thien Mu (Celestial Lady) Pagoda, the symbol of Hue, built in 1601 between a river and a pine forest, on the banks of the famous Perfume River. Before returning to the hotel, we will explore the lively Dong Ba Market, an important site for Hue locals and a place to experience Vietnamese life. Accommodation.

Breakfast and visit the imperial city of Hue, the ancient capital of the country for more than 140 years, we will discover its rich historical past of glorious monumental jewels scattered within its walls. Visit of the Imperial Citadel, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993 and which houses the mythical “Forbidden Purple City” inside. The city was protected by a huge wall along with a moat whose length reaches 10 km with walls 2 meters thick and was where the Nguyen dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Afterwards, we visited the tomb of Emperor Minh Mang, also known as “temple of supreme grace.” Lunch at a local restaurant and then visit the most spectacular tomb in the city of Hue, the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh. We tour the Pavilion of the Stele, the tomb room and the bronze statue of the emperor with its overwhelming and dazzling decoration. Next, transfer to the airport and departure on a local flight to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). Arrive and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.

Breakfast and departure on an excursion to visit the Cu Chi tunnels, an impressive complex of underground tunnels of more than 200 kilometers and which were the base of operations for the Viet Cong guerrillas during the Vietnam War. We then return to Ho Chi Minh City to have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, panoramic tour of Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals, in which we will first see the exterior of the historic Reunification Palace and the former Central Post Office with its impressive architecture. We will take a walk along the Nguyen Hue pedestrian street where the municipal buildings, the Ho Chi Minh statue and the city's City Hall meet. Once the visit is over, you will have free time to try an authentic Vietnamese "cafetito", enjoy the sunset, immerse yourself in the bustle of the city and its friendly people, visit the Takashima Shopping Center, walk through Saigon Square and the Market Ben Thanh, attend A O Show at the Opera House or enjoy a wonderful dinner sailing on the Saigon River. Accommodation.

Breakfast and departure to the Mekong Delta, one of the best-known places in Vietnam where local life has flowed since ancient times. This spectacular delta is located about two hours by road from the bustling and lively streets of Ho Chi Minh. Once in My Tho/Ben Tre, we board a boat that for approximately an hour and a half will take us through the narrow canals, surrounded by dense vegetation to the heart of the Delta with its market and houseboats, its excellent gastronomy and its exuberant nature of tropical landscapes. They will discover a completely different world, where life develops around the Mekong River. Throughout the day, you will be able to taste many local products, such as exotic native fruits grown in the Delta orchards and coconut candies made in family factories. Upon reaching the shore, we will take a ride through the town by car (Xe Loi, a typical vehicle used by local people) to see the characteristics of the place up close. Then, we will take a rowboat through the narrow canals framed between coconut trees and tropical vegetation. Lunch at a local restaurant and return to Ho Chi Minh City by road. Transfer to the airport and end of our services.