Journey to Northern Thailand and Vietnam

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit to the Royal Grand Palace, the nation’s landmark and most praised royal monument in Thailand, with the enclosed and dazzling Wat Phra Kaew is a must. Wat Phra Kaew, also called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is well known for its Golden Chedi, its Pantheon of the Chakri Kings and its Eight Colored Tower. In Thailand, it is considered by many to be a living example of a classical Siamese Court, being the former residence of the kings of Thailand. Then short walk to visit Wat Pho is regarded as the first center of public education and is sometimes called ‘Thailand’s first university’. Mural paintings, inscriptions, and statues found in the temple educated people on various subjects such as literature, warfare, archaeology, astronomy, geology, meditation and is considered to be home of Thai traditional massages. Here, you will enjoy a 30-minute Thai massage as an excellent break after a morning sightseeing. Lunch is at a local restaurant.

Experience an afternoon trip along the bustling Chao Phraya River and the quiet Thonburi Canals (Klong) in a long tail boat, in which you can enjoy scenes of Bangkok life. We will bring you to a more traditional and serene way of living around Thonburi residential areas, away from all the skyscrapers and modern buildings of Bangkok City Centre. We will also stop by the “Temple of Dawn” (officially named Wat Arun). An ancient temple dating back to the Ayutthaya period with the imposing Khmer-style prang or tower is 104 meters tall with steep decorate with the multihued floral mosaics from broken Chinese porcelain that was used as ballast by boats coming from China. Today the temple is one of Bangkok's most iconic structures, with most remarkable visual identities on the bank of Chao Phraya River.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to explorer Ayutthaya city & it’s ruin. To truly appreciate the history in Thailand, no holiday would be complete without a visit to Ayutthaya. This historic city was the second capital of the Kingdom of Siam, There are 34 kings to govern the territory until the end of it by an invasion of the nearby territory in 2310 B.E. It results in Ayutthaya Empire has stayed long about 417 years and a prosperous international trading port, from 1350 until razed by the Burmese in 1767. The ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya Historical Park, an archaeological site that contains palaces, Buddhist temples, monasteries and statues. Visit Ayutthaya Historical Park declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. First stop at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, is not just an important historical site, but it was also considered as the spiritual center for Thais. It is strategically located within the grounds of the Royal Palace. Next to visit at Wat Mahathat an unseen tourist attraction where you could see buddha head enshrine in the three. These temples also enshrine buddha lyric from the past 600 yearsAfterward proceed to the local market to discover Candy Cotton or " Roti Saimai " it’s become the province signature desert snack. You will be amazed to see this product available throughout Ayutthaya. This candy floss rolled sweets feature threads of crunchy sugar enshrouded in a steaming is wrapped in soft paper-thin, Pandan-flavoured crepes or in other different color. You can see the how it made and enjoy to taste it. Probably this Thai-style cotton candy and sweet crepes can be your favorite snack for your next visit to Thailand. Last visit at an old ruin temple Wat Kudi Dao is a restored ruin of a temple sit uated off the city island in the eastern area of Ayutthaya where we can share with your storytelling from local people a nd also other stories about Ayutthaya that you could not find on google or any travel book. We would like to ta ke you to some hidden place whereas not touristic. Please note: Kindly be aware that proper attire is required to enter the Ayutthaya Historical Temples; Thailand Journeys staff will be pleased to advise you accordingly.This captivating tour ends with your safe by sleeping night train to Chiang Mai 

(Train No.9 / Ayutthaya-Chiang Mai / time: 19:45-07:15hrs* / 2nd class sleeper train fare is included).

** Please note that tour guide is not escorted along with the group to Chiang Mai.

Arrive at Chiang Mai Train Station. Meet our tour guide (presented your name at the meeting point) and having a light snack before starting a half day tour. Visit the most sacred temple in the North of Thailand: Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep is the most sacred temple in Chiang Mai and contains a holy relic of the Lord Buddha. Tucked away in the mountains at an elevation of 1,056 meters (3,520 feet), the temple can be reached by the carved mythical Naga Serpent Staircase. The temple offers an exhilarating view of Chiang Mai city and its surrounding countryside. Then return drive to Chiang Mai town and visit Wat Phrasing, which is home of the beautiful Lai Kham chapel with its exquisite woodcarving and northern style murals. We will then go to Wat Chedi Luang and its enormous Pagoda (which was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1545).

Note: Please dress respectfully by not wearing sleeveless T-shirts, shorts or strapless sandals, when visiting Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

Lunch is at a local restaurant before transfer to your hotel for check in and relax at your leisure

MORNING: 09h00 Depart from the hotel by truck. On route stop at Mae Malai local market to purchase some food and vegetables needed during the trek. stop at Mok Fah Waterfall for swimming and relaxation.

LUNCH: Transfer by truck to Baan Pang Lun for a local lunch.

AFTERNOON: Drive about half an hour along the wildly road to Huay Nam Dung National Park. Spend another 2 hours to trek from here to Baan Mae Jok, Karen village.

NIGHT: Arrive and explore around the village chitchatting with local people as well as joining local activities. Dinner and overnight at the village.

Breakfast at the village. 

MORNING: Trek about 3.5 - 4 hours to Karen village, Bann Pang Khao Laam. which?s quite Impressive because you will mostly trek under the shady of green trees.

LUNCH: Lunch at the village, guide will show his cooking skill by preparing lunch for the group.

AFTERNOON: Then, take time after lunch to walk around the village to see their local lifestyle.

NIGHT: Feeding the Elephant and bathing Elephant in the river. Dinner and overnight at the village. 

There? usually a camp fire with some entertainment (Jokes - Games - Funny Stories) lead by the guide after dinner

HIGHLIGHT OF THE 2nd DAY

** Elephant feeding and bathing in the bank of the river. ** An entertainment with Jokes – Games – Funny stories.

Overnight in a basic bamboo cottage at hill tribe village. 

(Dormitory room with basic mattress, mosquito net, no electricity, backpack can be provided on-request)

MORNING: Breakfast at the village. Take a very smooth bamboo rafting along the Mae Tang River for 1.5 - 2 hours (depend on water level) to Lahu hill tribe village at Baan Pong Ngan. Shortly break to view around visiting Lahu people and village. Continue exciting on the bamboo raft passing many rapids down to Shan village for 2 hours.

LUNCH: Lunch at Shan village.

AFTERNOON Transfer back to Chiang Mai by local truck and transfer to your hotel.

IMPRESSION ON THE 3rd DAY

** Enjoy a marvelous bamboo rafting passing many rapids along the Mae Tang River **

WHAT TO SEE? WHAT TO GET? 

* Able to learn distinctive customs, costumes & ornaments, life styles and dialects of different ethnic groups. 

* Able to see various kinds of trees and vegetation. 

REMARK: Timing is approximately and program can be change or switch without prior notice depends on 

local conditions. Overnight in CHIANG MAI

Breakfast at hotel, free day at your leisure.

RECOMMEND OPTIONAL TOUR : 

HALF DAY ELEPHANT EXPERIENCE AT KANTA ELEPHANT SANCTUARY 

Join-In Service / Time: 07.00 - 12:00 hrs. Or 13:00 – 18:00 hrs.

A half-day join-in package to Kanta Elephant Sanctuary offers visitors an enjoyable opportunity to spend quality time with elephants in their natural home, as well as gain an insight into their history and behaviour, and create cherished lifelong memories of their time spent with these amazing animals with friendly, happy elephants in a safe and sustainable environment.

07.00AM: Drive approximately 50 Mins North of Chiang Mai through a beautiful countryside, forest, and local farming areas.

08.00AM: Arrive at Kanta Elephant Sanctuary. Walk through and learn about the elephants, change into traditional clothing and prepare fruits for our elephants.

09.00AM: Meet the elephants. Feed, interact, and play with the elephants in a natural environment and learn about their behaviour and history. Take photos with the elephants.

10.00AM: Walk with the elephants to a clean water pond where they will cool off themselves and you will have chance to observe them as well.

11.00AM: Get some tea, coffee and season fruit then say goodbye to the elephants. Leave Baan Chang Elephant Park and drive approximately 50 Mins back to Chiang Mai. Drop off at your hotel or accommodation. Please Note: At the Park, we will allow you to spend as much time as possible with the elephants. Therefore, there is no formal schedule and aside from pick-up times, the times shown here are approximations.

Transfer to airport for your flight to Hanoi. 

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, either Domestic or International arrival, after clearing all customs procedures, please proceed to exit gate and look for your guide who will be waiting at the lobby, holding the Your Vietnam Travel's signboard with your name on it. 

Our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at around 16.00pm and then take you to Hoan Kiem Lake (The Lake of the Returned Sword) that shows the traditional architecture style of the Old Quarter.

Leaving Hoan Kiem Lake, tour guide will take you along the Hanoi streets and learn more about Hanoians by visiting an ancient house locate on 87 Ma May. Dating back to the 19th century, this very special house is a stunning example of the architecture style that once prevailed throughout Hanoi before the concrete egg-carton style took over. This is one of the few intact remains of an old-style home open to the public in Hanoi.

Our next stop is Bach Ma Temple, lying in the heart of the Old Quarter. It is said to be the oldest temple in the city. Nowadays, the temple still retains many of its original relics such as stone steles, altars, shrines and statues. Along with architectural and artistic merit, Bach Ma Temple is also a valuable resource for researching and studying about the history of Hanoi.

The trip will take you inside the alleys and explore the fascinating and confusing narrow streets of the Old Quarter where local markets are located. On the way, you will have a chance to enjoy some traditional tasty foods in the market. You can choose among three light dinner dishes, from the extremely popular “Phở” (Noodle soup), “Bún chả” (grilled pork with vermicelli) and lastly, our personal favorite “Bún Bò” (Beef soup).

To conclude our day, the guide will take you to Ta Hien street, one of the hot spots for beer. Sitting at a street corner in Hanoi old quarter with a beer glass, chatting with your freshly made friends while watching people pass by might be one the most memorable pages in your travel journal.

Overnight in Hanoi.

08:30: Pick up from Hanoi hotel and start your journey to discover Hanoi’s culture and history. Meet your tour guide at hotel around Hanoi Old Quarter.

Start the trip with Tran Quoc pagoda, a Buddhist relic and national heritage lying on the West Lake.

Visit Ho Chi Minh complex, the final resting place of Viet Nam’s greatest father; his house-on-stilt and One pillar pagoda – modeled after a lotus flower, a symbol of Hanoi.

Visit Temple of Literature constructed in 1070 dedicating to Confucius, sages, and scholars. It was also the first university of Viet Nam once.

12:30 Relax and have lunch at a local restaurant in Hanoi Old Quarter.

Next, transfer to Bat Trang to explore daily life of traditional ceramics village of Bat Trang. Visit showrooms and see the artisans forming, painting and glazing their products, which are then baked for several days in huge kilns.

Arrive legendary Hoan Kiem lake. Visit Ngoc Son Temple dedicated to Tran Hung Dao - General Commander for his struggle against Mongolians.

16:00 - 17.00 End the tour and return to your hotel.

Distance: ~110km | Duration: Full day
8:00 | Pick-up from a hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter. Depart to Ninh Binh (~110km, 2.5 hrs).
Short break en route.
10:45 | Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital – Explore Dinh & Le King Temples from the 10th century.
12:00 |Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with authentic Ninh Binh cuisine.
13:30 | Transfer to Trang An Grottoes (~7km). Board a traditional sampan for a peaceful boat ride through a network of stunning caves and temples: Lam Cave, Vang Cave, Thanh Truot Cave, Cao Son Temple, and more.
15:30 | Arrive at Mua Cave (~4km). Climb ~500 steps to Ngoa Long Peak for breathtaking panoramic views of rice fields and limestone mountains.
17:15 | Return to Hanoi (~110km, 2.5 hrs).
19:30 | Drop-off at your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.
Please note: This is a group tour with a fixed schedule. If you prefer more flexibility, a private tour option is available, allowing for a later pick-up and earlier return upon request.
 

Today, you are free at leisure and overnight in Ninh Binh

After breakfast, you will take a driving trip to Halong City. 11.45 – 12.15: Embark at Hon Gai International harbor.Our guide and shuttle bus will pick you up at lobby of hotel at 8.00 - 8.20AM and start journey east to Halong Bay, through picturesque rice-farming villages of the Red River Delta, where we see every day Vietnamese village life. On arrival, we board a beautiful traditional junk and spend a full day and night cruising the bay’s 3000 magnificent limestone islets. In the evening when the boat is anchored in the middle of the stunning lagoon, we enjoy a wonderful seafood meal and later there is opportunity for an evening swim from the side of the boat. Spend the night on our luxurious boat

Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Halong. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to Halong pier to get back Hanoi 

Catch a morning flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel for check in.

Afternoon, visit the following places:

• My Khe Beach
• Marble Moutain
• Han River Bridge
• Asia Park Da Nang, amusement and culture park also known as Sun World Danang Wonder 

Today, you are free at leisure 

8.00 Our car and Guide will meet you at your hotel in Da Nang and start the trip to Ba Na Hills. 

At 9:30 a.m : Upon arrival at Ba Na hills, you will get on a Cable Car which gains 4 world scores.

Visit Debay Wine Cellar built in 1923, Le Jardin D’Amour Flower Garden Highlight in this tour is Golden Bridge (Hands of God). You will have a chance to see and take photos of this beautiful bridge.

You continue to visit Linh Ung pagoda where the highest Buddhism statue in the country is located.

At 11: 30 a.m: Have Lunch at a restaurant and take a short rest.

At 12:30 p.m: Conquer the peak of Chua Mountain at the height of 1487 m, the highest peak in Ba na to visit Linh Chua Linh Tu Temple. You continue to discover the French Square, visit and play some games in Fantasy Park – one of the largest indoor amusement parks in Vietnam with a series of interesting games.

At 15:30: Back to the cabin down the mountain. 

End of the tour, transfer to Hoi An for check in. Overnight in Hoi An

Morning, Take a bamboo basket boat along the Cam Thanh water coconut forest. Learn how to paddle the unique of Vietnamese and join in basket boat race. Explore the now peaceful coconut water ways. Make funny tools from water coconut leaves. Enjoy fishing net, see dancing in the boat, go catch the crabs, coconut mussels.

Next, visiting a lovely old house, still occupied by the descendants of the merchants who built it over 200 years ago, before seeing the elaborate Japanese Bridge, a Chinese temple, the bustling market. 

Afternoon: check in a local family who is the owner of a lantern-making workshop. Before doing the Hoi An Lantern Making experience, we will enjoy some candies and green tea from the locals.

To make sure you can learn deeply and easily how to make lanterns, our Hoi An full lantern-making class will cover the complete 11 steps

• Step 1: Attach 12 bamboo stakes together with wire threads.
• Steps 2 & step 3: Shape the stakes into a sunrise (inverted triangle) or sunset (triangle) formation
• Step 4: Insert the bamboo stakes into a hanger and reinforce the stakes with thread.
• Step 5: Select your favorite silk and color
• Step 6: Apply glue and let it dry for a couple of minutes.
• Step 7: Set the silk and stretch the silk to cover the stakes.
• Step 8: Fully cover all sides with silk.
• Step 9: Cover the top and bottom of the lantern hanger with silk strips
• Step 10: Choose a tassel for the lantern base.
• Step 11: Completed! Now, your lanterns can be folded and stowed in your luggage to take them home.

After all, it is time for you to explore art and handicraft galleries, try on clothes tailor-made, relax at the riverside restaurants or take the short journey to the nearby beach. Overnight in Hoi An. 

Today, it is time for you to explore art and handicraft galleries, try on clothes tailor-made, relax at the riverside restaurants or take the short journey to the nearby beach. Overnight in Hoi An.

After check out hotel, take the scenic route to Hoi An from Hue via Hai Van pass, on the way, our driver will stop at Lang Co Beach, Marble Mountain. Upon arrival Hue, you will board the Dragon Boat for a cruise on the romantic Perfume River heading out for the countryside. Being the ancient capital, Hue is surrounded with ancient tombs of emperors past, and a visit to the most beautiful tombs will be on the itinerary for today. The charming Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda) will be the first stop of the day. You will enjoy a great view on the Perfume River and surrounding area. Thien Mu Pagoda is considered the symbol of Hue, and of Buddhism in Vietnam. From here you will rejoin your car and visit King Minh Mang’s Tomb OR King Tu Duc’s Tomb. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to visit Hue Citadel and Dong Ba Market. Overnight in Hue

Free at leisure until transferred to airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh. Upon arrival, check in hotel and free in your own way. 

Breakfast at hotel, meet our guide at 8.00 & start visiting to the most attractive places in Ho Chi Minh City including Reunification Palace - a special national relic for its historical and architectural values of Vietnam, and the War Remnants Museum. Next, we will explore a little bit about Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office – the French building in Ho Chi Minh City.

Have a lunch at local restaurant before leaving the city for a tour to Cu Chi Tunnels - a man-made maze with the length of almost 250 kilometers. Also, the tunnels were used to serve as communication routes, storage facilities, hospitals and living quarters for Vietnamese fighters in the long period of war. If you are interested in, you can go into the tunnels to discover the harsh living conditions of those whose were used to live there. 

After that, taste the typical boiled tapioca and hot tea before you come back to Saigon.

Pick you up at hotel at 08.00AM, A smooth one-and-half-hour bus ride through rice field scenery along National Highway 1 brings you to the beautiful rural district of Trung Luong. On arrival at My Tho, after visiting Vinh Trang pagoda, take a motor boat to enter My Tho city through Bao Dinh natural canal. Take a leisurely cruise on the Tien River to view the four beautiful islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Tortoise islands. Enjoy lunch at the local restaurant, then visit the coconut candy mill and take an amazing rowing boat trip along the small canal on a hand-rowed sampan under the shadow of the water coconut trees along natural canals. Then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of "Southern Vietnamese folk music", performed by locals. Meet at the bus and return to Ho Chi Minh City. This trip provides a fascinating insight into daily life in the Mekong Delta and you are guaranteed to take home your own private collection of beautiful memories

Free until transfer to airport for flight to Phu Quoc Island. Upon arrival, transferred to hotel for check in. 

 Visit 4 islands in the south

Gam Ghi Island: Snorkeling at coral reef - Enjoy the beach

Buom Island (or Mong Tay Island): Snorkeling at coral reef

May Rut Island: white sand lagoon – unique chillout 

Having Lunch on the Island

Sea walker (pay by yourself): a new type of service, walk under the ocean, there are the fish flocks swimming & colorful corals reef of Phu Quoc

Speed boat arrive Thom Island: Enjoy waterpark – more than 20 modern games from the world’s leading manufactures.

Back on cable car (around 25 mins): Enjoy sunset & rides with a panoramic overall view of islands 

Today, you are free at leisure  

Today, you are free at leisure  

Today, you are free at leisure  

Free at leisure until transfer to airport for your flight back home.