Vietnam Pickleball Tour

Day One

Thu 11 Mar 27 - Arrive Hanoi (No Meals)

Fly from …….. to Hanoi. (Air tickets arranged by passengers)

0000: Depart ………… on ………… Airlines flight ……….
0000: Arrive Hanoi

Reclaim your luggage then proceed to the Arrivals Hall of Hanoi Airport Terminal to meet your local guide. Look for your guide who will be holding a small sign saying “VIETNAM & PICKLEBALL TOUR – BEYOND THE PICKLEDOME TOURS”.

Take a private guided transfer from the airport to your hotel.

The hotel’s standard check-in time is from 14:00 pm. Balance of the day free

Stay three nights at a boutique hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter.

Day Two

Fri 12 Mar 27 - Hanoi (B, D)

(09:00 am) Your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby for a morning guided city tour by private vehicle.

See the historic Ba Dinh Square and nearby One Pillar Pagoda and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum compound (photo stops only) before having a short stop at the Train Street. Nestled in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, this narrow alley attracts travelers hoping to snap a picture on the active train track, and even catch a train whizz by.

Continue to visit the thought-provoking Hanoi Hilton Prison to learn about its use by the French between 1896-1954 to imprison Vietnamese political prisoners before it housed American POWs including Sen. John McCain and Pete Peterson, a pilot who later became the first United States Ambassador to Vietnam.

The tour ends with a one-hour human-powered cyclo ride through the bustling Old Quarter of 36 streets and 36 wares and other major landmarks of the capital city. You will be back at the hotel around 12:30 pm. Balance of the day free.

This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at KOTO, an Australian-funded establishment aimed at helping Hanoi street kids. Private guided transfers to/from dinner are included.

Day Three

Sat 13 Mar 27 - Afternoon Hanoi Street Food Tour (B)

Morning of leisure.

(15:30 pm) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby this afternoon for a private guided Hanoi street food tour.

Eating on the street is a very typical activity for Hanoians and makes up an important part of the city’s unique culture. Take a leisurely walk with our tour guide to the Old Quarter. Make your way through streets lined with food vendors tending steaming vats of Pho Ga (Vietnamese noodle soup with chicken) and line up with the other hungry customers to try this tasty cuisine. Pho Ga is practically Vietnam’s national dish, consumed almost religiously throughout the day. After experiencing Hanoi’s insatiable demand for Pho, head to a nearby street market, alive with the sights and sounds of Hanoi - it is the essence of Vietnamese street culture. Sit down at a tiny shop to try a bit of Banh Duc - cooked rice powder with Vietnamese spices, served cool or hot depending on weather. Your next stop is another little shop selling many different types of traditional Northern cakes, such as Com cake (young rice), considered to be a part of every Hanoians’ childhood. Follow your guide into a small alley to get an idea of a typical “tube house” in Hanoi and then stop for a tasty banh mi at Banh My Lan Ongand try their famous bread with Pâté.  Your savory appetite sated, enjoy some che - a Vietnamese sweet soup. Cap off your trip by tasting a cup of Vietnamese egg coffee. Food tastings are included. You will be back to the hotel around 19:30 pm.

Day Four

Sun 14 Mar 27 - Hanoi - Halong - Lan Ha Bay (B, L, D)

As you will not return to Hanoi after Halong, make sure all your belongings are taken with you before leaving the hotel today.

(08:15 am) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby and take a private guided road transfer from Hanoi to Halong, a journey of approximately 2.5 hours, via the new highway.

On arrival board your boat for a cruise among the rocky limestone islands in the emerald waters of Halong Bay. Lunch and dinner are served on board the cruise.

Refer to the cruise’s website for current detailed day-to-day cruise itinerary. All cruises in Halong reserve the rights to amend their cruise itineraries at the very last minute without any prior notice.

Stay one night on the Verdure Lotus Grandeur Cruise (Deluxe Balcony cabins) in Halong.

Important information regarding your Halong Bay cruise

Your itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions.  In light of recent safety reviews, local authorities have the power to close Halong Bay to all cruising due to threats of inclement weather.  Closures are advised the day before or, more often, on the actual day.  Such closures and the timing of notice are outside the control of any travel company including InterAsia Tours.  InterAsia Tours or our local operators will do all possible to inform our affected travellers as promptly as possible, but please note that sometimes travel to Halong Bay has already commenced when we are notified.  InterAsia Tour’s local operators will also offer alternative tour arrangements for any affected travellers, but claims for compensation should be taken up with your travel insurance company.

Day Five

Mon 15 Mar 27 - Lan Ha - Halong - Hanoi - Danang (B, L)

Further cruising around Halong Bay this morning. Check out by 09:30 am, with an early lunch (or brunch) served on board the cruise. Disembark before 12noon.

Meet your tour guide at the cruise port, followed by a private guided road transfer from Halong back directly to Hanoi airport via the new highway. You should arrive at Hanoi airport around  15:00 pm.

Fly from Hanoi to Danang. (Economy Class flight booked by Vietnam Operator & included. Air tickets supplied by InterAsia)

1705: Depart Hanoi on Vietnam Airlines flight VN 187
1825: Arrive Danang

Reclaim your luggage then proceed to the Arrivals Hall of Danang Domestic Airport Terminal to meet your local guide who will be holding a small sign saying “VIETNAM & PICKLEBALL TOUR – BEYOND THE PICKLEDOME TOURS”.

Take a private guided transfer from the airport to your hotel in Danang. Balance of the day free.

Stay three nights at a hotel (Deluxe room - hotel with pool) in Danang. The hotel is just across the road from My Khe beach and is about a 20-minute walk from the Furama Danang Resort

Day Six & Seven

Tues 16 Mar 27 - Danang (B)

Day of leisure.

Wed 17 Mar 27 - Ba Na Hill & Famed Golden Bridge (B, L)

(08:00 am) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby this morning for a private guided drive (about 1 hour) from Danang to Ba Na Hill**. In the old-growth forest, there are 543 species of flora and 256 species of fauna including many rare animals such as: Crested Argus, Asian Black Bear, northern buffed-cheeked gibbon. Located at an elevation of 1,487 meters, the temperature of this place is mostly cool year-round. Arrive at Ba Na Hills Station where you have a chance to ride on a modern system of cable cars. Get a bird's-eye view of nature which is strikingly beautiful, while enjoying a feeling of flying in the blue sky among the clouds and wind. Next, visit some old French villas as well as a suspension bridge, Nui Chua and the Mountain Peak. Experience the feeling of walking in the clouds when you walk on the famous Golden Bridge which is supported by giant hands at a height of over 1,400m above sea level. After a lunch break at a local restaurant (lunch is included), continue to explore Vong Nguyet villa (and its wine cellar), and Linh Ung Pagoda, Sakyamuni Buddha's monument. Later, transfer back to Danang. You will arrive at the hotel around 17:00 pm.

** Bà Nà Hill Station is a hill station and resort located in the Trường Sơn Mountains west of the city of Da Nang, in central Vietnam. All the visits as listed in the itinerary are located inside Sun World Amusement Theme Park. Most rides within the park are included in the entrance ticket, except the train ride.

Day Eight

Thur 18 Mar 27 - Danang - Hanoi (B)

Morning at leisure. Check out by 12noon

(12:10 pm) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby for a short private guided transfer to Hoi An.

The hotel’s standard check-in time is from 14:00 pm.

(14:00 pm) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby for a leisurely 2-hour private guided walking tour of the ancient town.

Between the 15th and 19th centuries, Hoi An known then as ‘Faifo’, was a prosperous trading port, attracting Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish ships amongst others. Today, this World Heritage ancient town is recognised for its well-preserved architecture, pedestrian-only streets and distinctive local cuisine, allowing visitors a glimpse of its illustrious past. Hoi An’s narrow lanes are ideal for a guided walking tour of its many atmospheric sights including: the old merchant houses with influences from Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture; the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, first built in the 1590s by the Japanese community to link them with the Chinese quarters across the stream; the Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation with its intricate woodcarvings; and the colourful market with stalls brimming with local specialties including silk, which can be turned into fashionable garments within a day or two. Balance of the day free.

**Ask your tour guide for your Hoi An entrance tickets that are included with the tour and are valid for entry to 5 sightseeing spots in Hoi An including merchant houses, the Japanese Covered Bridge, museums, pagodas and assembly halls for 24 hours. It also provides entry into Hoi An Ancient Town for as long as you are in Hoi An. Please keep the entrance ticket with you at all times should you independently visit Hoi An later in the evening or on another day.

Stay two nights at a hotel in Hoi An (Superior room - hotel with pool) in downtown Hoi An, less than 600 m from the ancient town.

Day Nine

Fri 19 Mar 27 - Papa's Cooking & Fishing LIfe Group Tour (B, L)

Be ready in the hotel lobby no later than 08:15 am this morning to commence your “Papa’s Cooking & Fishing Life” private guided tour

(Between 08:15 am): Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby for a private guided transfer to the tour venue

• You will be transferred to the local market in Hoi An. Our tour guide will introduce you to different ingredients required for your cooking class. This tour will allow you to experience local daily life along the river
   
• You will learn to become real fishermen by catching net and sharing the local techniques in catching fish. Learn traditional fishing customs by padding a unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat while exploring the water coconut-palm which was a witness of the past war history
   
• You will become real fishermen by fishing crab...

After that, you will be warmly welcomed in Tran Long Restaurant with a nice local greeting drink

• You'll have 2 hours to become "our family members" in the cooking class. Our chef will teach you how to cook some local foods
   
• Enjoy your lunch from what you have cooked!

You will be transferred back to the hotel early in the afternoon. Balance of the day free.

Menu

1. Hội An spring rolls
2. Hội An rice pancake
3. Banana flower salad (mango or green papaya) pork and shrimp 
4. Fried noodles with seafood  
5. Morning glory with garlic
6. Fresh fruit
7. Free water

Day Ten

Sat 20 Mar 27 - Hoi An - Danang - NHa Trang (B)

A day of leisure. Check out by 12noon and leave your suitcases with the hotel concierge until time for the departure transfer.

(14:20 pm) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby for a private guided transfer to Danang airport for your flight to Nha Trang. (Economy Class flight booked by Vietnam Operator & included. Air tickets supplied by InterAsia)

1730: Depart Danang on Vietnam Airlines flight VN 1941
1845: Arrive Nha Trang (Cam Ranh airport)

Reclaim your luggage then proceed to the Arrivals Hall of Cam Ranh Domestic Airport Terminal to meet your local guide who will be holding a small sign saying “VIETNAM & PICKLEBALL TOUR – BEYOND THE PICKLEDOME TOURS”.

Take a private guided transfer from the airport to your hotel in Nha Trang. Balance of the day free.

Stay two nights at a Beachfront Nha Trang Hotel (Deluxe room - hotel with pool) in downtown Nha Trang. The hotel is just across the road from the beach.

Day Eleven

Sun 21 Mar 27 - Nha Trang Island & Snorkeling (B, L)

(09:00 am) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby this morning for a morning guided day tour by private vehicle.

Nha Trang is known for its fabulous year-round sunny weather, turquoise water, and a white sandy beach stretching the entire length of the city. Transfer to the pier and take a 45min cruise to Mun (“Ebony”) Island, named after the black rock formations southeast of the island. Enjoy snorkelling (mask and a snorkel are provided on the boat) in the crystal clear waters of this protected maritime reserve known for its vivid coral and diverse marine life, including a large diversity of nudibranchs, shrimps, crabs and cowries. Cruise to another island and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before making your way back to the pier and your hotel. You will be back to your hotel by 12:30 pm. Balance of the day free.

Day Twelve

Mon 22 Mar 27 - Nha Trang - Danang - Saigon (B)

A day of leisure. Check out by 12noon and leave your suitcases with the hotel concierge until time for the departure transfer.

(12:10 pm) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby for a private guided transfer to Nha Trang Cam Ranh airport for your flight to Saigon. (Economy Class flight booked by Vietnam Operator & included. Air tickets supplied by InterAsia)

1450: Depart Nha Trang on Vietnam Airlines flight VN 1345
1555: Arrive Saigon

Reclaim your luggage then proceed to the Arrivals Hall of Saigon Domestic Airport Terminal to meet your local guide who will be holding a small sign saying “VIETNAM & PICKLEBALL TOUR – BEYOND THE PICKLEDOME TOURS”.

Take a private guided transfer from the airport to your hotel in Saigon. Balance of the day free.

***Important note: the Arrivals Hall/Greetings Area of Saigon International Airport Arrivals Terminal currently has 02 exits. As soon as you complete the Customs clearance and get out into the Arrivals Hall/Greetings Area, please turn right and proceed towards the exit located on your right-hand side. Your driver will be waiting for you just outside this very exit.

The airport is expected to be very crowded when you arrive. It is important that you do not proceed beyond the assigned exit until you can locate your driver. In case of emergency, please call Trails of Indochina Saigon on +84 918 713 456 for assistance. Please quote the booking code SGAU264043/SG0380 when speaking with them.

Take a private guided transfer from the airport to your hotel in Saigon.

Balance of the day free

Stay four nights at a Hotel (Deluxe room - hotel with pool) in downtown Saigon.

Day Thirteen

Tues 23 Mar 27 - Saigon City Tour (B)

(08:00 am) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby this morning for a half-day guided day city tour of Saigon by private vehicle.

With over eight million inhabitants and four million motorbikes, Saigon is truly a city that never sleeps. Despite its modernity, Saigon maintains a strong link to the past and our city tour takes in some of Saigon’s most historic landmarks including the Notre Dame Cathedral, a red brick edifice with twin spires constructed from materials imported from France (viewed from the outside only). Then head across the square to the Central Post Office, completed in 1891. A short drive away is the former Presidential Palace, the headquarters of the Saigon Government during the American War. Continue to the War Remnants Museum for a vivid perspective of the American War through the eyes of the Vietnamese. (Please note that some of the displays are very graphic.) Experience Saigon’s famed street coffee culture while your guide provides a brief language lesson as well as insights into daily life of a Saigonese. You will be back to the hotel around 11:30 am. Balance of the day free.

Day Fourteen

Wed 24 Mar 27 - Cuchi Tunnels (B)

Morning of leisure.

(13:00 pm) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby for a 2-hour private guided drive northwest to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an immense network of connecting underground tunnels started in 1948 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from the French air and ground sweeps. The tunnels also served as living quarters, communication and supply routes and housed hospitals, food and weapons caches. Touring the underground compounds will provide a better understanding of the history of the tunnels, the hardship of life in the tunnels and the Vietnamese resilience during combat. Return to Saigon and arrive at your hotel around 18:30 pm.

Day Fifteen

Thu 25 Mar 27 - Ben Tre Classic (B, L, D)

(08:30 am) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby this morning for the 1.5-hour private guided drive to My Tho, situated in the Mekong River Delta, exchanging city scenes for lush rice paddies and fruit farms. At the pier, embark on a fascinating motorboat excursion past stilt houses, fish farms and scenes of countryside living. Arrive at Thoi Son Island, and visit flower garden, bonsai and fruit orchards, as well as bee farm. Enjoy country hospitality as you sip a cup of honey tea while taking in a traditional folk song performance. Then, the boat will transfer you to Ben Tre. Enjoy a short ride through the countryside via traditional vehicle, Lambro. Explore more of the Delta from a rowing sampan through a network of small canals covered by lines of nipa palms. A local lunch of local specialties will be served at the town of My Tho before returning to Saigon. You will be back at your hotel around 16:30pm.

This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at the Home Saigon restaurant. Private guided transfers to/from dinner are included.

Day Sixteen

Fri 26 Mar 27 - Depart Saigon (B)

A day of leisure. Check out by 12noon and leave your suitcases with the hotel concierge until time for the departure transfer.

(00:00 pm) Meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby this afternoon for a private guided transfer to Saigon International Airport to check in for your exit flight. (Air tickets arranged by passengers) - InterAsia’s arrangements end

0000: Depart Saigon on ………. Airlines flight …………
0000: Arrive ………..

Day Seventeen

Fri 26 Mar 27 - Saigon - Siem Reap (No Meals)

Fly from Saigon to Siem Reap. (Air tickets arranged by passengers)

0000: Depart Saigon on ………. Airlines flight …………
0000: Arrive Siem Reap

Clear Cambodian Immigration and Customs then proceed to the Arrivals Hall of Siem Reap International Airport to meet your local driver. Look for your driver who can be identified by a small sign with your names. Take a private transfer (vehicle with driver) from the airport to your hotel. Balance of the day free.

Stay three nights at a hotel (Deluxe room – hotel with pool) in downtown Siem Reap.

Day Eighteen

Sat 27 Mar 27 - Angkor Temples & Apopo Visitor Centre (B)

Please note, all the pagodas, royal palaces and Angkor temples in Cambodia are considered sacred sites and a restricted dress code is mandatory when visiting these places. Skirts, shorts, dresses above the knee and bare shoulders are prohibited. If visiting the upper level of Angkor Wat, elbows must also be covered.

Our local operator will contact you the previous afternoon/evening to confirm the hotel collection time for the sunrise tour this very early morning.

(About 04:50 am) Wake up early morning and take a private guided transfer by tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat. Enter the little-used eastern gate of Angkor Wat to watch the sun’s first light shining down on the magnificent temple - an experience you will never forget. Explore magnificent Angkor Wat before larger tourist crows gather. Continue by tuk-tuk to visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Terrace of the Elephant and the Leper King, before returning to the freshen up and have breakfast. Balance of the morning free.

(13:30 pm) In the afternoon, visit APOPO Visitor Centre, a non-profit organization with Belgian roots. For 25 years they have tackled landmines or tuberculosis around the world. APOPO provides a low-tech, cost-efficient solution to pressing humanitarian challenges.

Continue to explore the temple of Preah Khan, one of the largest complexes at Angkor, a maze of vaulted corridors, fine carvings and lichen-clad stonework.

Before returning to your hotel, also tour the enchanting Ta Phrom Temple which is enveloped by the roots of enormous fig tree. This was once used as backdrop for the Hollywood blockbuster “Tomb Raider”.

Day Nineteen

Sun 28 Mar 27 - Ton Le Sap, Lotus Silk Farm & Phare Circus (B)

(09:00 am) This morning visit the Old Market then take a 30-minute private guided drive to the local boat pier. On arrival, embark on a private local boat and set out on a Tonle Sap Lake adventure to discover the floating villages and some unique wildlife along the way. Learn how communities live and work on the lake; see the floating schools, markets, police stations and observe daily life.

On return to Siem Reap, stop at Lotus Silk Farm. The farm was initiated by Samatoa Lotus Textiles, a social enterprise that pioneers in sustainable textile to manufacture the most eco-friendly textiles and to provide decent jobs to vulnerable women in Cambodia since 2003. Lotus Silk Farm opens daily its eco mill to visitors. Thus, it aims to present through an entertaining manner, the exceptional manufacturing process of the most sustainable textile made from lotus fiber and much more. Visitors can discover unique handicrafts made from the by-products of lotus flower and enjoy a free lotus tea tasting on a scenic spot on the paddy and lotus fields.

You will arrive at your hotel early in the afternoon. Balance of the afternoon free.

(19:00 pm) Meet your driver in the hotel lobby this evening for a short private transfer (vehicle with driver) to the local big top to attend the uniquely Cambodian performances by Phare, The Cambodian Circus.

The 1-hour show (current show time from 20:00 pm – 21:00 pm) is an incredible hour of traditional and modern theatre, music, dance, acrobatic, athleticism, juggling and contortion all beautifully choreographed and performed in stories about Cambodian lives and society. Not to mention the famous smiles and slapstick humour that the Cambodian people are known for.

Show tickets (VIP Seating – Seat A) are included (show tickets provided by the local guide during the day tour). The private return transfer (vehicle with driver) back to the hotel is included.

Day Twenty

Mon 29 Mar 27 - Depart Siem Reap (B)

A day of leisure. Check out by 12noon and leave your suitcases with the hotel concierge until time for the departure transfer.

(00:00 pm) Meet your driver in the hotel lobby this afternoon for a private transfer (vehicle with driver) to Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport to check in for your exit flight. (Air tickets arranged by passengers) - InterAsia’s arrangements end

0000: Depart Siem Reap on ………. Airlines flight …………
0000: Arrive ………..

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