YUNNAN, CHINA
ONE DESTINATION - TWO COUNTRIES
 

(CODE: VNCNO001CLSA1 - Yunnan (China), Vietnam)
11D10N Kunming, Lijiang, Hekou, Sapa Hanoi, Halong Bay
 

DAY 01

 ARRIVE KUNMING (-/-/D)

• Arrive Kunming Int'l airport
• Pick up and transfer to downtown for hotel check-in
• Dinner @ local restaurant and overnight at hotel in Kunming

DAY 02

 KUNMING - LIJIANG (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at hotel
• Early morning transfer to airport and morning flight to Lijiang.
• On arrival, visit to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with a chairlift ride to discover the much famed thirteen peaks.
• The Baisha village, the ancient capital of the Naxi Kingdom.
• Lunch en route in a local restaurant.
• In the afternoon, after a walk to the Black Dragon Pond to have a look at the renowned Moon Embracing Pavilion
• Free time on your own for sightseeing of the Old Town of Lijiang. Lijiang is the center of the Naxi people, a relatively small minority group with a rich culture. Old Lijiang is an intimate mountain town of stone and tile, laced with swift canals and who has been put recently on the list of the world monument protected by UNESCO.
• Dinner at local restaurant followed by a Naxi concert evening.
• Overnight at the hotel in Lijiang

DAY 03

 FULL DAY LIJIANG (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at hotel
• Morning drive to the Tiger Leaping Gorge which is one of the deepest canyons of the world. Wedged tightly between titanic cliffs, the Yangzi river is so narrow here, so legend tells us, that a hunted tiger made his escape to the other side of the river in a single bound.
• Lunch at local restaurant.
• In the afternoon, stop at the village of the Stone Drum where you will have a look at the first great bend of the Yangzi River. The approach of Stone Drum offers a dramatic view of the Yangzi’s near 180 degree turn where the water performs a grandiose about face. For nearly 20 km the river, first flowing south, then north, runs parallel to itself. Locals say if it were not for their village standing guard at the bend, China would lose the water of the Yangzi to southeast China, like that of the not too far away Mekong and Salween Rivers.
• Dinner at local restaurant.
• Overnight at the hotel in Lijiang

DAY 04

 LIJIANG - KUNMING (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at hotel
• Early morning transfer to airport for flight to Kunming.
• On arrival, drive to the Western Hills followed by a 10-minute chairlift ride up the hill. From the top, you will enjoy a beautiful view of Kunming and its surrounding before taking a path down to the famous "Dragon Gate".
• On the way you will also have the opportunity to visit the Huating temple, the largest Buddhist complex in Kunming.
• Lunch at local restaurant.
• In the afternoon, discover the Bamboo Temple with its famous finely crafted 500 Luohan statues.
• Take a stroll in the flower and bird market.
• Dinner of Yunnanese specialties followed by a minority folk dance show.
• Overnight at the hotel in Kunming

DAY 05

 KUNMING - STONE FOREST (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to the Stone Forest.
• On the way, you will visit the Golden Temple, a unique Taoist temple.
• In the afternoon, discover one of China’s most remarkable phenomena. The Stone Forest consists of innumerable bizarre-shaped ancient limestone cliffs and peaks created by wind and water erosion some 200 million years ago.
• Dinner at local restaurant followed by a Sani dance show.
• Overnight at the hotel in Stone Forest

DAY 06

 STONE FOREST - HEKOU (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Hekou through beautiful subtropical landscape with great views of deep ravines, banana and pineapple groves, terraced rice paddies.
• Stop enroute for lunch.
• Arrival Hekou, check in hotel
• The balance of the day is free for shopping at Chin - Vietnam border
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Hekou

DAY 07

 HEKOU - LAOCAI - SAPA (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at hotel
• In the morning, cross the border at Hekou.
• The Chinese guide will leave you at the border on the Chinese side (Hekou) and you will cross the border by foot to the Vietnamese side (Lao Cai).
• After the formalities, you will enter Vietnam where our Vietnamese guide will wait for you and transfer to Sapa (45 minutes/38 km).
• Stunning trip up a winding road surrounded by steep mountains and terraced rice fields.
• Lunch at local restaurant.
• Leisure day to explore the rural hill tribe villages of the Hmong, Dzao and Dzay minorities in the spectacular landscape around Sapa.
• Dinner at local restaurant.
• Overnight at the hotel in Sapa

DAY 08

 SAPA - TAVAN MINORITY VILLAGE - HANOI (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at hotel
• A 4-km drive by Russian jeep to the rim of a deep valley Ta Van. Along the road you will see Hmong, Dzay and Dzao minority people dressed in their traditional costumes.
• A 30-minute walk takes you over a rattan bridge to picturesque Ta Van village, home to all three minorities.
• Share their daily lives for a rare glimpse into their culture and customs
• Road back to Sapa town for lunch at local restaurant
• Shopping at minority Sapa central market
• Late afternoon, down hill to Lao Cai for dinner
• Catch the night express train to Hanoi (LC5)
• The train will be arrived Hanoi at 06h00 next coming day
• Overnight on comfortable sleeping compartments (soft sleeper/ 4 berths per cabin)

DAY 09

 HANOI - HALONG BAY, THE WORLD HERITAGE SITE (B/L/D)

• Early arrive Hanoi. pick up
• Time for breakfast at one of the famous Chicken Noddle Soup "Mai Anh" at Le Van Huu Street
• After refreshment, short visit to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (closed on Monday, Friday and the whole months of October & November) and Residence, One-Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature and Army Museum.
• Lunch at local restaurant in Hanoi before drive to Halong Bay - one of Vietnam’s greatest natural wonders and was recognized as World’s Natural Heritage by UNESCO.
• Upon arrival Halong Bay, check in hotel and rest of the day is at your leisure.
• Dinner at local restaurant and overnight at hotel in Halong Bay city

DAY 10

• Breakfast at hotel
• 4hrs boat cruise on the emerald green waters of Ha Long Bay among the 3000 spectaculars limestone islands, visit grottoes and floating village.
• The cruise ends with a fresh seafood lunch on board.
• Back to Hanoi, stop en-route for photos and interactions with local people.
• Special taste at Cha Ca La Vong, a traditional Vietnam dishes
• This evening, enjoy the Water Puppet Show, a unique and famous traditional show.
• Overnight at hotel in Hanoi

DAY 11

 HANOI - DEPARTURE (B/-/-)

• Breakfast at hotel
• Free at your own leisure or go for last minutes shopping at city centre
• See off at Noi Bai Int'l airport