Take in the French colonial aura in Hanoi and marvel at thousands of jutting limestone outcrops along Halong Bay in a 5 day/ 4 night program.

Destination:	Hanoi, Vietnam
Activity:	Arts & Culture, Beach, Boat travel, Historic sites, Nature & Adventure
Price:	start from $507 per person
Duration:	5 Days / 4 Nights

Tour Rates* (Price/Person) in U.S. Dollars
Period	Single	Double	Triple	Group 6-9	Single Supplement
First Class 3* Hotel
1 Oct 2009 – 31 Dec 2009 1 Jan 2010 – 31 Oct 2010	954 916	527 507	442 422	376 342	144 125
Superior 4* – A Hotel
1 Oct 2009 – 31 Dec 2009 1 Jan 2010 – 31 Oct 2010	1,089 1089	596 587	511 502	446 422	209 218
Deluxe hotel
1 Oct 2009 – 31 Dec 2009 1 Jan 2010 – 31 Oct 2010	1,256 1,254	673 671	588 586	523 506	299 299
Superior 4* B Hotel
1 Oct 2009 – 31 Dec 2009 1 Jan 2010 – 31 Oct 2010	1,038 1,012	569 545	484 460	418 380	186 193

Rates include 7% VAT tax and 10% hotel service charge. Major credit cards accepted. No extra charge, no minimum

Note: Booking should be made at least 7 days in advance. The Triple rates are based on a twin sharing room with an extra bed for the third person.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Hanoi (Dinner)

Transfer from airport to your hotel for check in. Take a leisure city tour by cyclo in the Old streets of Hanoi. In the evening, enjoy a Water Puppet show – an unique and traditional art of Vietnam in the world.  Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2 Hanoi – Halong (Breakfast, Lunch)

Sightseeing in Hanoi including Hochiminh Mausoleum (closed on Monday and Friday), One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature.  Continue to Halong Bay.  Check in and overnight in Halong Bay.

Day 3 Halong – Hanoi (Breakfast, Lunch)

An excursion on a local junk for a leisurely cruise along the World Heritage site of Halong Bay.  Return to Hanoi in late afternoon.  Rest of the day free at leisure.  Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 4 Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hanoi (Breakfast, Lunch)

Transfer to Ninh Binh province is known to travelers as Vietnam’s “Inland Halong Bay” with a leisurely sampan cruise on a creek across three vast stretches of rice field.  Return to Hanoi and free at leisure. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 5 Hanoi – Departure (Breakfast)

Free till transfer to airport for departure flight

Price Includes:

• Local English or French speaking guides.
• Entrances fees + sightseeing as indicated
• Accommodation basing on twin sharing at hotels with daily breakfast
• All the meals at local restaurants as mentioned on the program
• Private boat for sightseeing as mentioned in the program
• Personal accident insurance

Price Excludes:

• International ticket to/from Hanoi
• Drinks, personal expenses and meals not mentioned on the program
• Visa approval letter and stamping fee at the airport for visa on arrival. 

Note:

• If you plan to arrive in Vietnam from Bangkok (Thailand), we can arrange the air ticket for you upon request.

Visa-on-arrival Application:

A visa is required before entering Vietnam. However, passport holders of some countries can visit Vietnam without an entry visa. These countries include Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Brunei. The maximum length of stay allowed for each nation varies depending on an agreement between them. Please contact Vietnamese embassies and consulates in your country for more details.

If there is no Vietnamese embassy or consulate in your country, you can apply for a visa on arrival at international airports in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh (you must have a visa beforehand if you plan to travel overland to Vietnam). To apply for visa on arrival, you need to have an approval letter from a tour company in Vietnam. If an approval letter is to be obtained via Circle Of Asia Limited, the following document must be supplied to us at least 2 weeks prior to your arrival in Vietnam:

• Full name as per passport
• Passport number/ date of issuance and expiry
• Date and place of birth
• Occupation and nationality

An approval letter can only be requested via Circle Of Asia in connection with the booking of travel arrangements to Vietnam. A handling fee of 25 USD per person (subject to change) will be charged to your reservation.

Alternatively, you can apply for an entry visa by yourself at the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok with the supply of 2 passport-sized photos, your passport and application fees. The application process takes about 5 working days.

Accommodation in the Package:

• The First class 3* package includes accommodation at Majestic hotel, Hoa Binh, Galaxy or Platinum I, II in Hanoi and Spring Hotel or Halong I in Halong.
• The Superior 4* - A package includes accommodation at Fortuna hotel, Hanoi Hotel in Hanoi and Halong Pearl, Dream Halong or AseanHotel in Halong.
• The Superior 4* – B package includes accommodation at Hanoi Hotel, Lake Side or Zephyr Hotel in Hanoi and Grand Halong, Dream Halong or Heritage Halong Hotel in Halong.
• The Deluxe 5* package includes accommodation at Melia Hanoi Hotel, Sheraton, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi or Nikko Hotel in Hanoi and Halong Plaza or Saigon Halog (Dlx) or Royal Hotel in Halong.

About the Package

There are some sightseeing activities you can do in Hanoi before heading out to the countryside. Most center around Hoan Kiem River; the river shares its name with the district. The area, north of Nguyen Du Street, comprises charming old streets, a cluster of French colonial-style buildings including hotels and embassies alongside bustling markets, museums and temples. The lake is a pleasant place for a leisurely stroll to take in the local way of life. For shoppers, there are plenty of shopping options around the lake, mostly on Trand Tien Street and Hang Gai Street – look out for Dong Xuan Market for local and foreign goods. Like anywhere in Asia, bargaining is a way of life. Make sure you agree on the price you feel comfortable with. Patience and smiling face are always the best policy when negotiating the price – bargain hard but keep it friendly.

One of the world’s natural wonders, (and a common backdrop for films set in Vietnam), Halong Bay features more than one thousand awesome limestone karsts and islands of various sizes and shapes along the 120-km coastline of Bai Chay Beach.

Its waters are host to a great diversity of ecosystems including offshore coral reefs, freshwater swamp forests, mangrove forests, small freshwater lakes, and sandy beaches. The bay is about 160 kilometers northeast of Hanoi and accessed by road. Several travel agents in Hanoi offer overnight packages that include a selection of boating excursions from Chinese junks to kayaks.