Vietnam – Myanmar by Air (12D/11N Program)
Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi – Danang – Hoi An – Hue – Ha Long – Ha Noi – Yagon - Bagan-Mandalay
Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City (B, -, -)
Saigontourist representative will greet and pick you up at Tan Son Nhat airport in Hochiminh city. Transfer to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy an evening water puppet show, a theatrical genre reflecting the agricultural civilization of thousands of years ago. Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi - Ho Chi Minh City (B, -, -)
Have a morning sightseeing tour of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly called Saigon). Visit the History Museum (closed on Monday), the Reunification Palace (the former Presidential Palace), the Central Post Office, then have a short walk along the shopping Dong Khoi Street (former Rue Catinat) from Notre Dame Cathedral to the Municipal Theatre. Drive to bustling Cho Lon (Chinatown). Drop into the lively Binh tay wholesale market before visiting Thien Hau temple. In the afternoon drive 70 km to Cu Chi, famed for its elaborate network of over 200 km of three-story underground tunnels hand-dug by local people during the Vietnam War. Crawl down a tunnel to feel the underground life, and then test your marksmanship with an AK rifle at a local rifle range (optional with surcharge). Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 3: Ho Chi MInh City – Danang - Hoi An (B, -, -)
In the morning, transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for flight to Danang. Pick up on arrival at Danang Airport and transfer to Hoi An, known as Faifo to early Western traders and recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage in 1999. In the afternoon, have a walking tour of the Hoi An ancient town. Stroll around the Japanese and Chinese Quarters to visit a number of temples, pagodas, communal houses, traditional shops, local markets and other places of interest and watch local daily activities, handicraftsmen at work and a lively show of traditional dancing and music. Stay overnight in Hoi An.
Day 4: Hoi An – Danang – Hue (B, -, -)
In the morning, depart for Hue via the Pass of Ocean Clouds and the scenic fishing village of Lang Co. Along the way stop to visit the stone-carving village of Non Nuoc and the Museum of Cham Sculpture (close on Monday) with the World’s finest collection of some 300 Cham sculpture exhibits dating from the 7th to the 15th centuries. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Hue, a former imperial city of Vietnam ruled by 13 Nguyen dynasties. Explore the Royal Citadel, built in 1804 on a site chosen in accordance with geomancy. The tour of Imperial City features Flag Tower, Noon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace (Palace of Supreme Harmony), and Forbidden Purple City. Then, drop into Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious worship in Hue, and from here take a boat cruise along Perfume River returning to your hotel. Stay overnight in Hue.
Day 5: Hue – Hanoi – Ha Long (B, -, -)
In the morning, pay a visit to the elaborate mausoleum of King Tu Duc (ruled 1848 – 1883) and then stop at the lively Dong Ba market. In the afternoon, transfer to Phu Bai airport for flight to Hanoi. Pick up on arrival at Noi Bai Airport and transfer to Ha Long. Stay overnight in Ha Long.
Day 6: Halong – Hanoi (B, L, -)
Embark a traditional-style wooden boat at a nearby wharf for a 4-hour cruise around the wondrous Halong Bay, a World Heritage site listed by UNESCO in 1994. Visit some magical grottoes, marvel at odd-shaped islands and relax in the best scenic beauty of Vietnam. Lunch of fresh seafood is served on board. Return to Hanoi. Stay overnight in Hanoi.
Day 7: Hanoi (B, -, -)
Enjoy a full day tour of Hanoi with cultural and historical highlights, comprising Lake of Restored Sword, Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, the Ethnology Museum (closed on Monday) and a downtown pedicab ride (1 hour) round the old quarters of Hanoi, a collection of narrow streets, each named after the product sold. Afternoon visit to Vietnam Fine Arts museum (closed on Monday) and then drive to the famous Bat Trang pottery village with a history of 500 years. Observe the artisans forming, painting and glazing their products, which are then baked for several days in huge kilns. Stay overnight in Hanoi.
Day 8: Hanoi - Yangon (B, -, -)
Transfer to Noi Bai airport for international flight to Yangon. Meet on arrival at Yangon International Airport and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Stay overnight in Yangon.
Day 9: Yangon (B, -, -)
The morning Yangon city tour takes you to the old colonial-style city center. First drive through the colonial style buildings downtown, the Chinatown area and the Indian quarter. Next, pay visit to the gilded Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2,000 years and then drop by at the Karaweik Hall, the royal floating barge for photo stop. Your next stop is at the National Museum with the famous 8 meters high Golden Lion Throne and Royal Regalia. In the afternoon, the city tour starts with a visit to Botahtaung Pagoda, situated beside the Yangon river and named after the thousand military leaders, who brought the relics of Buddha from India to Myanmar. Continue with a visit to Chauk Htat Kyi Pagoda, famous for the magnificent Reclining Buddha, which housed in a large metal–roofed shed. The last visit is at Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world’s most spectacular religious monuments, which rises 98 meters above its base and is covered with 60 tons of pure gold. This pagoda dates back about 2,500 years and was built to enshrine eight sacred hairs of the Buddha. Stay overnight in Yangon.
Day 10: Yangon- Bagan (B, -, -)
Transfer to the airport for a morning flight to Bagan, a spectacular plain dotted with thousands of 800-year old temple ruins. Upon arrival in Bagan, transfer to hotel and start the sightseeing tour of Bangan with a busy local market. Continue with visits to a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples such as Shwezigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, Ku Byauk Gyi, a temple with exquisite murals, Khay Min Ga Temple, noted for its spectacular panoramic view of many area monuments and Ananda Temple with its four huge standing-Buddha images and numerous seated figures that are arranged around an interior gallery. In the afternoon, visit a lacquer craftsman's workshop in nearby Myinkaba Village. Sightseeing continues with visits to Manuha Temple, built in Mon style in 1059, Nanbaya Temple, a unique sandstone monument that is said to have been the palace of King Manuha, and Myingaba Gu Byauk Gyi (under the protection of UNESCO), noted for its ancient mural paintings. Observe a sunset in the vicinity of Bagan’s ancient monuments. Stay overnight in Bagan.
Day 11: Bagan - Mandalay (B, -, -)
Transfer to the airport for a morning flight to Mandalay. Meet on arrival at airport and proceed to your hotel for check in. Enjoy a day tour of Mandalay, the last royal capital of Myanmar Kings. First visit is Mahamuni Pagoda, famous with a 4 meter high bronze Buddha Image that the statue is supposed to be the most ancient image of Lord Buddha in Myanmar. Next visit is Kuthodaw Pagoda, situated at the base of the Mandalay hill and is often referred to as the world's largest book. Proceed to Kyauktawgyi Pagoda to see the huge seated image of the Buddha carved from a single block of marble. Then pay visit to Shwenandaw Monastery, a very significant part of the Myanmar's historic monuments that is most recognized for the beautiful wooden carvings and teak architecture. Continue visiting a workshop specializing in one of the crafts for which this city is famous: gold-leaf hammering, bronze-casting, wood-carving, or tapestry. Before returning to your hotel, visit Mandalay Hill for a panoramic view over the Mandalay Palace and the paya-studded countryside Stay overnight in Mandalay.
Day 12: Mandalay - Yangon & Departure (B, -, -)
Transfer to Mandalay Airport for the flight back to Yangon. On arrival, take a connecting flight for departure.
