DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN HANOI

Meals: Not available

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam!
Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport, you are welcomed and greeted by the Custom Asia Travel tour guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer. The remainder of the day is relaxing or be on your own discovery.
- Located on the banks of the Red River, Hanoi capital is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Here, visitors are able to find well-preserved colonial buildings, old Buddhist pagodas, and unique museums within the city. The best way to explore its Old Quarter is on foot. This French-colonial city is also known for its delicious cuisines, vibrant nightlife, and souvenir shopping…

DAY 2: HANOI CITY TOUR

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

This day tour to learn about the capital city of Vietnam occupies your whole day with featured sites, including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his house-on-stilts, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university for the morning.
Your lunch today is served at a restaurant in town with local tastes.
In the afternoon, the tour continues with a visit to one of the following museums (you can pick the one you like): the Ethnology Museum, Army Museum, National Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi Hilton prison or Vietnam Women Museum).
Followed by a short walk or a cyclo ride in the Old Quarter.
End the day tour with a traditional Water Puppet show.

DAY 3: HANOI - BAC HA

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

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Depart from Hanoi at 8:00 a.m. you will travel to Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province on the HW Noi Bai – Lao Cai. This is the longest highway in Vietnam. The scenic drive from the Red River Delta, through the midland to Lao Cai province, will be a good start for your trip.
Lunch at a local restaurant in Bao Nhai.
The afternoon drive takes you about 20 km uphill to Bac Ha town. On arrival, check-in a local house for the home-stay tonight. After refreshment, set off with your private tour guide to embark on a 1,5-hour trek to a Flower H' mong village nearby (Ban Pho Village).
Dinner tonight at the home-stay.

DAY 4: BAC HA MARKET - HOANG SU PHI (SUN)

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

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This morning, if it is on Tuesday, Saturday or Sunday. There are interesting hill tribe markets that you are able to attend. The hill tribe markets in Bac Ha region are very colorful. Spend about 1.5 hours or 2 hours to stroll around and hunt some good photographs. The markets are alive with the bright colors and extravagant costumes of the highlanders, especially the Flower H' mong. Together with other minorities, they come from different villages at the surroundings to the markets to buy and sell a wide variety of goods and livestock. It is more common to see buffalo, cows, horses and other livestock being traded. After the market, make your way to Coc Pai town for lunch. Thence keep driving to Hoang Su Phi for the late afternoon scenic terraced field trek to Ban Luoc stilt-house village of the Tay ethnic people - Another home-stay for tonight.

DAY 5: HOANG SU PHI TREK

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: Choices of homestay and eco-lodge

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This morning, after breakfast at the family, you will trek the scenic dirt trail up and down the terraced fields in Ban Luoc area. This area is one of the highlighted landscapes in Hoang Su Phi. The fields look best at the yellow season (in the early half of October). After 2.5 hours, you will get back to the bigger road where you will get the car transfer to the nearby town for lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, drive down to Thong Nguyen Commune for another up-hill trek to Nam Hong village. The trek takes almost 2 hours before settling down at the homestay for the night.

DAY 6: HOANG SU PHI TREK

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: Choices of homestay and bungalow

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The breakfast is served at the home-stay. Bid farewell to the family and get ready for the whole day trek to admire the amazing rice terraces in Nam Khoa commune. The trek is moderate but there are some small challenges at times. It is about 6 - 7 hours. Picnic lunch is prepared at a local house on the way. Late in the afternoon, arrive at your last home-stay of the trip to Nam Hong village. This village is of the Red Yao ethnic minority people. Check-in and rest.

DAY 7: HOANG SU PHI - HANOI

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

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Take your time to enjoy breakfast and chill out a bit this morning.
At 9:00 a.m. pack up and bid farewell to the host family for a long drive back to Hanoi
Lunch is on the way.
Arrive at your hotel in Hanoi after 7 hours on the road. The remainder of the day is on your own discovery in Hanoi or just relax at the hotel.

DAY 8: HANOI - HALONG BAY

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: Overnight on boat

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Halong Bay, in northeast Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands. Designated a World Heritage site in 1994, the bay is a "must-see" place for any visitor to Vietnam, especially an overnight trip on a traditional wooden junk.
Take the morning transfer to Halong Bay pier.
Around noon - Board your boat and start the cruising itinerary with lunch and dinner aboard.
Some interesting activities are available to include kayaking, swimming, sunbathing on the sun deck.
Overnight at an en-suite cabin on the boat.

DAY 9: HALONG BAY - FLY TO BANGKOK

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Bangkok

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This morning get up early this morning for some fresh air on the open deck and join the Tai-chi class for some gentle moves if you wish. Otherwise, you are able to remain in your cabin until breakfast time. After breakfast, the crew will pull up the anchor, start the engine again for more cruising to other parts of the bay. After visiting a big limestone cave, the boat is gently heading back to the pier. The early lunch (Brunch) will be served aboard. Around noon, you are ferried in and take the afternoon drive toward the airport in Hanoi to catch a flight to Bangkok, Thailand. Get picked up on arrival and transfer to the hotel for check-in.

DAY 10: BANGKOK HIGHLIGHTS

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Bangkok

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Enjoy a full-day excursion from Bangkok to the legendary DamnoenSaduak Floating Market, located approximately 110 kilometers away. This morning drive is very scenic through rice paddies and salt fields. En route, visit a farmhouse and watch locals producing sugar from the coconut. The tour then continues by boat, passing fruit plantations and Thai houses that reveal a more traditional way of life. Upon arrival at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, discover boats of all different shapes and sizes, still used by local merchants to ferry their goods along this Venice of the East. After immersing yourself in the eclectic environment, head back towards Bangkok, stopping at a wood–carving factory en route. After lunch, visit the home of the Kings of Siam of the Chakri Dynasty in the heart of Bangkok. Originally built by King Rama I, and serving as a royal residence until 1946, today the palace is used for visiting royalty or special guests of the Kingdom. Adjoining the Grand Palace, admire the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (WatPhraKeo), the best known of the royal temples, and regarded as the most important temple in all of Thailand.

DAY 11: BANGKOK - FLY TO KRABI

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Krabi

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After breakfast in the hotel, you will have free time. At the appointed time, get picked up for the airport to fly to Krabi, a city located in the south of Thailand. Once you land there, you will be transferred to your hotel. Located on the western side of Mae Nam Krabi, about 1000 km away from Bangkok and 180 km from Phuket, this town offers a lot of attractive worth its discovery. Actually, the river here is surrounded by lush mangroves and in the northern part of town, you can find the twin limestone mountains of Khao Khanap, majestically rising from the water. The town of Krabi is as well a popular touristic destination and an important stop for all the ferries that link to the surrounding islands. In the night, you cannot miss the bustling night market located on Khong Kha dock, where you will find many options for having dinner.

DAY 12, 13: FREE TIME IN KRABI

Meals: Breakfasts

Accommodation: Hotel in Krabi

You have 2 full days on your own in this beach destination for the end of your Vietnam and Thailand trip. These days, we would like to make it flexible so that you are able to decide how you would like to spend your time here. Besides the beach for swimming and sunbathing, there are many water activities that you can join, optional day excursions to booking directly in the place. Enjoy Karabi!

DAY 14: KRABI - FLY TO BANGKOK - DEPARTURE

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Not available

Enjoy the last morning at this beautiful beach destination if time permits. At the appointed time, get picked up and transfer to the airport for the return flight to Bangkok where you will catch your international one home.
End of service and goodbye Thailand!

INCLUSIONS

• Private air-conditioned vehicle transfers during the tour

• Accommodation based on twin-shared/ double basis with daily breakfast

• Meals as indicated in the itinerary each day

• Private English speaking tour guides

• Local way leader on trekking day (if needed)

• Boat rides as mentioned in the itinerary

• Air tickets: Hanoi - Bangkok on economy class and airport taxes

• Sightseeing tickets and entrance tickets at indicated sites

• Bottled water on the vehicle

EXCLUSIONS

• Visa arrangement to Thailand & Vietnam

• International air ticket and airport taxes toVietnam/ from Thailand

• Drinks & other meals

• Travel insurance

• Early check-in and late check-out

• Tipping for local tour guides and drivers

• Personal expenses and other services not mentioned in the itinerary

IMPORTANT NOTES

Rooms at hotels are available only from 14h00 on arrival day till 12h00 on departure date. A supplement will be added if early check-in or late check-out is desired.