Vietnam: Day 16 – Day 18 – Mekong Delta Cycle

The Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam is a vast maze of rivers, swamps and islands, home to floating markets, Khmer pagodas and villages surrounded by rice paddies. Boats are the main means of transportation, and tours of the region often start in nearby Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon) or Can Tho, a bustling town in the heart of the delta.

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Vietnam: Day 12 – 14 – Hoi An & Tra Que Cooking Class, Beach, City Tour & Clothes

Hội An is a city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its well-preserved Ancient Town, cut through with canals. The former port city’s melting-pot history is reflected in its architecture, a mix of eras and styles from wooden Chinese shophouses and temples to colorful French colonial buildings, ornate Vietnamese tube houses and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda. It is THE place to purchase your tailor-made clothing! The authentic cooking class is a fabulous experience! Do not miss Mỹ Sơn which is a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples in central Vietnam, constructed between the 4th and the 14th century by the Kings of Champa. An Bang beach is tranquil, tree-lined beach featuring white sand, palapas, lounge chairs & eateries.

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Vietnam: Day 11: Hue to Danang via Hai Van Pass to Hoi An

Da Nang is a coastal city in central Vietnam known for its sandy beaches and history as a French colonial port. It's a popular base for visiting the inland Bà Nà hills to the west of the city. The Hai Van Pass is a 20-kilometre strip of road that joins the city of Da Nang and Lang Co in Hue Province. At 500 metres above sea level, it’s the highest pass in the whole of Vietnam. From Hải Vân Pass there are great views of Da Nang Bay and the Marble Mountains. These 5 limestone outcrops are topped with pagodas and hide caves containing Buddhist shrines.

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Vietnam: Day 10 – Day 12 – Hue

Huế is a city in central Vietnam that was the seat of Nguyen Dynasty emperors and the national capital from 1802 to 1945. A major attraction is its vast, 19th-century Đại Nội Citadel, surrounded by a moat and thick stone walls. It encompasses the Imperial City, with palaces and shrines; the Forbidden Purple City (Tử cấm thành), once the emperor’s home; and a replica of the Royal Theatre.

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Vietnam: Day 6 – Day 9 – Ha Giang Loop

Hà Giang is a province in northern Vietnam, bordering China. It's known for its forested limestone and granite mountains. The laid-back provincial capital, also called Hà Giang, sits on the Lô river. North of the capital, the Quản Bạ Valley has green hills and caves, and is the location of the Quản Bạ pass, also known as Heaven's Gate for its panoramic views over terraced rice fields below. This route route is a loop popular with motor cyclists and follows the QL4C northeast from Hà Giang to Bảo Lâm, and the QL34 southwest from Bảo Lâm. The landscape is spectacular with Nguom Ngao caves, Ban Gioc waterfalls and incredible passes and traditional villages. Until recently, it has been cut off from visitors by the Vietnamese government, and has therefore escaped the relentless march of civilisation ...Note that you do require a permit when heading north of Ha Giang or Meo Vac which was easily organised by our helpful Vietnamese contact. AMAZING.

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Vietnam: Day 5: Coc Ly Tuesday Market near Sapa

Coc Ly market is situated between stunning mountains next to the Chay River. Every Tuesday morning the people from surrounding ethnic villages such as Flower H'mong, Phu La and Dao Tuyen gather to sell and buy their products. After exploring the market we took a a boat trip to Flower H'mong village of Na Nen and then we transferred to Sapa Sisters to commence our trek. 100% Authentic - not a another tourist in sight.

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Vietnam: Day 5 & 6 – Sapa

Sapa is located in the Lào Cai Province of Vietnam and is a region that draws visitors from across the world. The town is situated on the side of one of the many mountains in the massive Hoàng Liên Son mountain range. It overlooks the valley below. The valley floor is filled with rice terraces that change from bright green to yellow depending on the time of year that you visit. Most people visit Sapa to immerse themselves in the gorgeous landscape through trekking expeditions as the roads aren’t great and there are well-maintained footpaths. Trekking is definitely the best way to explore the region of Sapa, Vietnam. Sapa Sisters is an ethnic minority Hmong trekking group based in the beautiful northern mountainous highlands of Sapa, and the first organisation dedicated to paying guides fair wages for their trekking expertise - highly recommended!

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Vietnam: Day 2 & 3 & 4 – Bai Tu Long Bay

Bai Tu Long Bay is the name of an area located in the east of Halong Bay Vietnam. Although it shares many similar geological characters with Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay is considered as off the beaten tourist track with many deserted and pristine beaches, no less impressive karst mountains. The Bay has a rich biodiversity with two ecosystems: a tropical, moist, evergreen rainforest ecosystem; and a marine and coastal ecosystem. The area has scarcely seen any tourist development. A large number of guests, through online research, wish to visit the Bai Tu Long Bay because it is much less crowded than Halong Bay. The only disadvantage is that it does not have many grottos. The nearest place for a visit (Vung Vieng Fishing village) is at around 20 km from tourist port.

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Vietnam

Exotic, compelling, chaotic ... Vietnam has so much to offer the Traveller.... Unique flavours of food, sacred temples, rice terraces and beaches just to scratch the surface ...so much waiting to be explored!

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