Day 1: Yangon Arrival (D)
Our tour guide will welcome you at the airport and take you to your hotel to get settled in.
Your highlight for this evening is the dinner in Karaweik Palace overlooking to the Royal Lake and Shwedagon Tower. The dinner of fine Burmese food will be served followed by an amazing cultural show.

Meals: Welcome Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

Day 2: Yangon – Fly to Bagan (B,L)
This morning we will catch the early morning direct flight to Bagan, Myanmar’s archeological wonderland, where over 3,000 ancient temples blossom from the countryside. Start your tour with a trip to the bustling Nyang U Market in Old Bagan then explore the beautiful, gold leaf Shwezigon Pagoda and learn about the Burmese Buddhist tradition. We continue our tour with a visit to Ananda Temple, stopping along the way on the Bagan plain to admire some of the surrounding temples. In the afternoon, take a tour of a local lacquer wear workshop and learn about this traditional craft.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan

Day 3: Bagan Sightseeing (B,L)
After breakfast, begin the day with an exotic horse cart to one of the biggest temples in Bagan: Nan Paya Pagoda and many other interesting sites nearby, continue with sightseeing to Minkaba Gubyaukyi Temple, take note of the architectural difference in MyaZedi Pagoda before heading to Manuha Temple. The highlight of today is the panoramic sunset view from the second highest pagoda of Bagan, the ShweSandaw Pagoda.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan

Day 4: Bagan – Fly to Inle Lake (B,L)
Catch a flight to Heho and drive to the beautiful Inle Lake, the second largest lake in Myanmar, located 900 meters above sea level and is home to the Intha people, famous for their one leg rowing technique.

Upon arrival, board a motorboat for a sightseeing tour to Phaungdawoo Pagoda, famed for its richly gilded five small Buddha images. This pagoda is also believed to be the holiest in Inle Lake. Our next visit is Ngaphechaung Monastery, known as “jumping cat” pagoda. As you travel further toward Nam Pan village the cotton and lotus weaving factories and cigar making houses will impress you with true traditional Intha life.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Inle Lake.

Day 5 - Inle Lake – Indein – Inle Lake - Fly to Yangon (B,L)
This morning, you will visit the “5 Days Market” which is held in different villages surrounding the lake. This is definitely a fascinating place to enjoy the scene of local tribes in their colorful clothes and exotic market atmosphere.

After lunch, the boat will take you to beautiful temple of Indein, located on the hill overlooking the lake. It will be relaxing to walk along the corridor and enjoy the giant columns that have been left to nature for centuries. Catch an afternoon flight to Bagan.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Hotel in Yangon

Day 6: Yangon – City Tour - Fly to Hanoi (B,L)
Today we’ve arranged a guided city tour exploring Yangon and its highlights from Sule Pagoda, the heart of Yangon city; Chaukhtayi Pagoda and Kandawgyi Lake. Visit the most outstanding pagoda in Yangon: Shwedagon Pagoda. The golden pagoda is really a must see while you are in Myanmar. If time permits, you will have time to shop in Scott Market before the late afternoon flight to Hanoi. On arrival, the guide will pick you from the airport and take you to the hotel in the city center.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 7: Hanoi City Tour – Night train to Lao Cai (B,L)
After a refreshing night’s sleep, begin your journey to the highlights and hidden gems of Hanoi with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. This imposing structure houses the remains of the revered former president who led Vietnam’s campaign for independent from colonial rule. Next, head onward to the Temple of Literature, an ancient collection of courtyards, gardens and Chinese-styled architecture built in homage to the Chinese scholar Confucius. Considered the oldest university in Vietnam, the Temple of Literature dates back nearly one thousand years!

Have lunch with Pho bo Hanoi or Hanoi Noodle soup with beef and served with Hanoi flavorful spring roll.

Follow your guide’s lead while you weave through some of the Quarter’s 36 streets named for the products historically sold here. Along the way, pass by some of the only remaining streets that continue selling the goods of their namesake, including Tin and Bamboo street. Head through labyrinthine back alleys well off the tourist trail and see Hanoi at its authentic best. Peer into temples and traditional houses, hear the stories of the ancient city and meet the people who call this fascinating city home. Wrap up your guided walk with a strong Vietnamese coffee at a café overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake - an important symbol of Vietnamese folklore - before heading to your final stop at Ngoc Son Temple on the tiny island on the lake. Enjoy a water puppet show for a look at traditional performance art in Vietnam before heading back to your hotel.

Later this evening, meet up with our guide again, he will take you to the train station for your overnight train to Lao Cai. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Soft Sleeper Cabin with AC

Day 8: Lao Cai – Sapa (B,L)
Your train arrives at the Lao Cai station in the early morning. Lao Cai is a charming hilltop town near the Chinese border. Explore downtown Lao Cai and have breakfast at a local noodle house. After breakfast our driver and guide will take you to one of the local markets (Bac Ha Fair Market on Sun/ Coc Ly on Tue and Can Cau on Sat). Wander through the stalls packed with handcrafted goods peddled by the various hill tribe people who come here to buy and sell their wares. In the afternoon, continue on your way to Sapa: Northwest Vietnam’s premier travel destination, famous for its breathtaking views of cloud-woven mountaintops and gaping valleys.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa

Day 9: Sapa – Trekking to Hill tribe villages – Night train to Hanoi (B,L)
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, before setting out on a full day’s trek to explore Sapa’s cultural diversity and haunting natural beauty.  You will take a guided hike through yawning valleys decorated with terraced rice fields and pass through remote hill tribe villages. We have three trekking options to choose from: Easy Trek (~ 3 km), Medium Trek (~ 6km) and Long Trek (~12km). Trekking is an excellent way to explore the daily life and become familiar with the cultures of the H’mong, Dzao and Dzay people who populate the region. Lunch at a hill tribe village and then we drive back to Lao Cai to catch the night train to Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Soft Sleeper Cabin with AC

Day 10:  Hanoi – Halong Bay Cruise (B,L,D)
Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning. Our guide will meet you at the train station and take you for breakfast at a local restaurant before setting out on a 3 to 4 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site: Halong Bay. Here you will spend 24 hours on a traditional Junk Cruise in the amazing Halong Bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around noon and board your junk. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as we sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, we will cruise around some of Halong’s numerous islands. We will visit one of the most beautiful caves on Halong Bay. Stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach and take a dip in the warm waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Spend the night on the junk lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Halong Bay Overnight cruise

Day 11: Halong Bay Cruise – Hanoi (B,L)
Awake early and participate in Tai Chi exercises 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 boat for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay, as we will navigate back to Halong City. Your cruise ends at noon and our driver will meet you at Halong Pier to take you back to Hanoi.

Meals: Brunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 12: Hanoi – Departure (B)
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before we take you to the airport to catch your flight home.

Meals: Breakfast

Tour ends.

This tour is built upon our firsthand knowledge & experience, offering you the best choices available. The price of this trip varies depending on the number of people in your party, dates of departure, and availability of ground services.

The prices are quoted in US Dollars per person based on 2 pax/room

Categories	2 pax	4 pax	6 - 8 pax	Single Sup.
Superior	1164	990	865	292
First-class	1308	1134	998	420
Deluxe	1513	1340	1204	789
Child from 4 – 10 years old: 75%

Please click on CUSTOMIZE YOUR TRIPS and supply the required information, enabling us to send you your personalized quote within 24 hours!

Note: Amendments CAN be made to this tour to suite your requirements, but may incur price changes

WHAT'S INCLUDED?
• Accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels or similar
• Private vehicles and drivers
• Transport from Hanoi to Halong and return by shuttle bus
• Private English speaking guides (Other languages if available, upon request)
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
• Entrance fees for all mentioned sights visited
• Drinking water available on the vehicles.
• Vietnam visa approval letter
• Service Charge & Government Taxes

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED?
• International flights and domestic flights
• Personal expenses (such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc.)
• Any bank fees or charges at your end
• Meals other than those mentioned in the itinerary
• Personal Travel Insurance
• Tips for tour guide and driver in each region
• Peak season or public holidays surcharge if any
• Compulsory Gala dinner on X-Mas or New Year if any
• Vietnam visa stamp fee, Myanmar visa fee
• Other services not mentioned above

HOTEL SELECTION:

The hotels listed below are our suggestions for the best value on this tour.  However, Asia Essence Tours offers many more options of hand-picked hotels, with different "star ratings", allowing you to customize the vacation to meet your taste and budget.

LOCATIONS	SUPERIOR CATEGORY	FIRST CLASS CATEGORY	DELUXE CATEGORY
Hanoi	HM Boutique	The Chi	Melia
Halong Bay	V'Spirit	La Vela Classic	Aphrodite Luxury
Sapa	London Sapa	Freesia	Victoria Sapa
Yangon	Hotel Esta Yangon	Best Western Green Hill	Chatrium Royal Lake
Bagan	Bawga Theiddhi	Myanmar Treasure Resort	Aye Yar River View Resort
Inle	Royal Inlay Hotel (Nyaungshwe)	Inle Resort	Pristine Lotus Spa Resort

ABOUT HOTELS:

We, at Asia Essence Tours, are aware that a good tour must have good hotels. As the hotel cost will be the major expense of your vacation in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, it is essential that all of the hotels chosen by us are the highest quality for the price paid. All of our prices are based on twin, double or queen shared rooms.

BELOW IS AN EXPLANATION OF THE HOTEL "STAR" RATINGS:

 

Superior/ 3 Star (from US$ 40 - US$ 60 per room/night)

The Superior/ 3 Star Hotels are good value and normally centrally located. They all have comfortable en-suite rooms, good amenities and public areas to relax in. They are usually family run hotels, so offer great personalized service for your enjoyment and comfort. Most first class properties offer an in-house restaurant, and some may even have a swimming pool!

First-Class/ 4 star (from US$ 80 - US$ 110/ per room/night)

The 4* First-Class Hotels offer a wide range of services. Many superior hotels feature a choice of several in-house restaurants. In addition virtually all of them have a swimming pool. Some may even feature a spa or health club. This grade of hotel offers more for your enjoyment and comfort, while still remaining affordable.

Deluxe/ 5 Star (from US$120 - US$ 180++/ per room/night)

These 5* Deluxe hotels are usually owned by Worldwide, well known Hotel chains. The deluxe hotels feature excellent locations, offer the highest standards of service and facilities, and are known as the best hotels in each region. Facilities such as swimming pools and spas are the norm, and guest rooms are luxurious. These hotels offer first class service and amenities throughout.

ASIA ESSENCE TOURS™ BESPOKE STYLE SUITS EVERYONE

Flexibility: The sample itinerary can be modified to suit your interests, budget as well as your personal wishes including departure date, duration, accommodation used & how long you spend in each destination.

Tailor-Made Journey: This trip can be tailor made to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more individual trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments, with the flexibility to plan a trip at your own pace. Quality and value are the hallmark of the trips, with most services being provided on a private basis.

Commitment to Excellence: We enjoys excellent relationships with all of the highly regarded hotels and finest properties in our destinations as well as with service suppliers so that we are able to negotiate the most attractive prices for our clients, which enables us to provide exclusive holidays and affordable special offers. We create one-of-a-kind vacations for groups and individuals. We love our destinations and do our best to make sure that our customers feel the same way. Our job is to make sure that everyone gets the right balance of comfort and excitement to enjoy the experience of a lifetime.