From Halong Bay To Bagan Temples - 9 Days

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival.
Welcome to Hanoi: Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital. Your guide and driver will meet you outside the baggage claim of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center. Rest of the day, you are free at leisure.
Meals: N/A.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour.
Today you have a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide treelined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will take you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Temple of Literature, the Opera House, Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple, the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and stilt house), the Presidential Palace, the nearby One Pillar Pagoda, West Lake and the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda. Concludes a day tour with a walk around the Old Quarter and a visit to the Hanoi’s Heritage House.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi – Ninh Binh (Hoa Lu & Trang An).
Have breakfast at the hotel then drive to Ninh Binh. Hoa Lu, situated 100 km south of Hanoi, was the capital city of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty between 968 and 1009 AD. Visit to temples and walk hundred steps up to top of a mountain for a panorama view of the old capital. After lunch, enjoy a leisure cruise to visit Trang An, a nature reserve similar to Tam Coc however less visited. Limestone hills surround a peaceful river which passes through a series of caves. It is an “eco – tourism” area, the only interruptions here are the sound of birds and the gentle paddle of the oar upon the crystal clear river. Overnight at Ninh Binh.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Ninh Binh.

Day 4: Ninh Binh – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
(The itinerary is a sample and it will be different between cruises. We will provide the exact schedule and program if you book other cruise such as Hera Cruise, Halong President Cruise, Emperor Cruise, Halong Violet, Halong Jasmine, Paradise Luxury Cruises, Orchid Cruise, Indochina Sails, Au Co Cruise, Starlight Cruise etc.)
After breakfast, your driver will take you on a 4 hour drive passing the countryside of the Red River Delta to Halong Bay. A cruise through the towering limestone castes of Halong Bay should be on every Far East explorer’s wish list. Spend nearly 24 hours on a traditional junk cruise in the amazing 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 you sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands. Along the way visit one of the bay’s 3 largest caves (Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot) and kayak along the hidden parts of the bay. Go swimming (weather permits), snap photos or just relax as the sun starts to set on the Tonkin Gulf. Pass the night on your junk, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Accommodation: on cruise on Halong Bay.

Day 5: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Fly to Yangon.
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 the bay as you navigate back to the pier. Savor a fresh seafood lunch, served on board before sailing back to Halong City, where your car will be waiting to take you to Hanoi's airport for your flight to Myanmar. On arrival in Yangon, your tour guide will welcome you at the airport and drive to your hotel. Free at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon.

Day 6: Yangon – Fly to Bagan.
Today you will take the morning flight to Bagan. Bagan is Myanmar’s archaeological wonderland, where over 2,000 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 Burmese Buddhist traditions. Continue your tour with a visit to Ananda Temple, stopping along the way on the Bagan plains to admire some of the surrounding temples. In the afternoon, take a tour of a local lacquer ware workshop and learn how this traditional piece of art is made.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan.

Day 7: Bagan Discovery.
After breakfast, enjoy an exotic horse cart ride 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 over temples from one of the hills/ temples in Bagan.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan.

Day 8: Bagan – Fly to Yangon.
Take the morning flight back to Yangon. Spend a full day exploring Yangon and its highlights from Sule Pagoda, in the heart of Yangon City; Chaukhtayi Pagoda and Kandawgyi Lake then shopping time at the bustling Scott Market (closes on Monday and some specific holidays). Save the best for last, discover the most outstanding pagoda in Yangon: Shwedagon Pagoda, known as the “Golden Pagoda”, a real must see while you are in Myanmar.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon.

Day 9: Yangon Departure.
Today is free at your leisure for last minute shopping or sightseeing before driving to the airport to catch your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: N/A.