VN - T 06: THE MYSTERIOUS NORTH, 4 days (L)
Hanoi - Halong
Day 1 Hanoi
Arrival in
Hanoi, meet on arrival at Hanoi airport and transfer to the hotel. 
Sightseeing
in Hanoi: visit One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake,
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Monday, Friday and the whole October-November)
and Opera House.
Overnight in Hanoi
HANOI, a city of lakes,
shaded boulevards and public parks, is the capital of Vietnam. It is a very
attractive city with French style buildings and less traffic than other cities
in Asia.
ONE PILLAR PAGODA: built by the
Emperor Ly Thai Tong, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. Constructed of wood on a
single stone pillar, it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom.
TEMPLE OF LITURATURE: founded in 1070
by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, who dedicated it to Confucius in order to honor
scholars and men of literary accomplishment.
HOAN KIEM LAKE: right in the
heart of Hanoi, this lake contains an islet with the tiny Tortoise Pagoda,
topped with a red star.
HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM: in the tradition
of Lenin and Stalin before him and Mao after him, the final resting place of Ho
Chi Minh is a glass sarcophagus set deep in the bowels of a monumental edifice
that has become a site of pilgrimage. (Closed Mondays and Fridays).
OPERA
HOUSE:
a magnificent 900-seat opera house built in 1911. (May be viewed from the
outside only).
Day
2 Hanoi – Halong
After breakfast at the hotel, drive from
Hanoi to Halong Bay - Journey east along Highway 5 across Hai Hung Province and
around Halong Bay. Discover Halong Bay by boat, to explores Halong Bay, passing
the islands of Trong, Mai, Am, Chen and Cong Troi (Heaven Gates). Stop at one
of the islands and visit Han Dau Go Cave or Bo Nau Cave or Thien Cung Cave.
Overnight in Halong
HALONG BAY: list as a world
Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty “Dragon descending to the sea” as it is known
in Vietnamese, picturesque Halong Bay has more than 3,000 limestone islets
rising from the clear emerald water, many of them containing beautiful
grottoes.
HANG DAU GO: a huge, three-chambered cave, which is reached via 90 steps. The cave derives its Vietnamese name from the third of the chambers, which is said to have been used by Trang Hung Dao during the 13th century to store bamboo stakes used against the Mongol invaders.
BO NAU: the
"Pelican" caves.
THIEN CUNG: "Heaven
Palace."
Day
3 Halong – Hanoi
After breast at the hotel, by vehicle from
Halong to Hanoi - Journey around Halong Bay via Hai Phong with bridge and ferry
crossing. Sightseeing in Hanoi, visit History Museum of Art (Bao Tang My
Thuat), Dong Xuan Market and a Water Puppet Show
Overnight in Hanoi
BAO TANG MY THUAT: here one can see
some of the intricate sculptures, paintings, lacquer ware, ceramics, and other
traditional Vietnamese fine arts. (Closed on Monday's)
WATER PUPPET SHOW: a fantastic art
form originating in northern Vietnam, best seen in Hanoi. The Municipal Water
Puppet Theater is located on the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Day
4 Hanoi
After breakfast at
the hotel, leisure time until transfer to the airport for departure.
End
of Services **Note: Itinerary subject to change due to
flight schedules.