Beijing to Hanoi - 24 days |
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Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1: Beijing, China (Hotel Check-in)
Arrive in Beijing and be greeted and escorted to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Day 2:
Beijing (China)
Featured Excursions: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Peking Duck Welcome Dinner with wine
Begin your first full day in Beijing with an exciting visit to Tiananmen Square. Then continue the tour to the Forbidden City, a 250-acre complex of palaces, pavilions, courtyards, and gardens. It’s the largest and most complete ancient imperial palace in the world. Construction of the palace began in 1406, and 24 emperors have ruled China from within its walls.
Continue on to another Beijing gem, the Summer Palace, which is one of China’s largest and best-preserved imperial gardens. You’ll have time to take in its beautiful natural elements as well as the graceful designs of its pavilions, halls, palaces, temples, and bridges.
At the end of the day, indulge in a succulent Peking Duck Welcome feast - a must for any visitor to Beijing. (BB, L, Welcome Dinner)
Day 3:
Beijing (China)
Featured Excursions: The Great Wall, the Sacred Way, and Kung Fu show at the Red Theater
In the morning, travel 40 miles north of Beijing for a memorable walk on a wonder from the ancient world—the Great Wall. Original construction began in the third century BC as a way to keep out warring invaders, and additional sections extended the wall over the centuries to its present length of nearly 4,000 miles.
Travel the Sacred Way, home to remnants of the Ming Tombs, the once-lavish burial chambers of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Before ending your day experience a stunning performance featuring a blend of Kung Fu, dance, and acrobatics at the Red Theater. (BB, L, D)
Day 4: Beijing (China), fly to Xi'an
Featured Excursions: Panda visit, Hutongs tour with home-hosted lunch in Beijing and dumpling dinner in Xi’an
Visit pandas at Beijing Zoo. Ride in a rickshaw for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Hutongs, ancient lanes located in the old residential area of Beijing. While here, enjoy lunch with a local family. Fly to Xi’an in the afternoon and be transferred to your hotel. You will enjoy a sumptuous traditional dumpling dinner in the evening. Tonight, you will stay at the Sofitel Xi’an Hotel on Renmin Square. (BB, L, D)
Day 5: Xi'an (China)
Featured Excursions: Terra Cotta Warriors, City Wall, and Tang Dynasty dinner and performance
Xi’an’s amazing Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are life-sized sculptures created to stand guard outside the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. After exploring this incredible archeological find, visit the ancient City Wall. In the evening, indulge in a Tang Dynasty dinner and cultural performance featuring music, dance, and traditional costumes. (BB, L, D)
Day 6: Xi'an (China), fly to Hangzhou
Featured Excursion: Lingyin Temple
Fly to Hangzhou - city so lovely, none other than Marco Polo pronounced it the finest and noblest in the world—and transfer to the Hotel Sofitel Hangzhou Westlake on the banks of the incomparable West Lake. In the afternoon, you will visit Lingyin Temple, one of China’s oldest Buddhist temples, and home to treasures of Buddhist literature and art. Reflect on the more than 470 stone-carved Buddhist statues up to 1,000 years old. (BB, L, D)
Day 7: Hangzhou (China)
Featured Excursions: West Lake boat ride and tea farm visit, “Impressions West Lake” show
Relax during a scenic boat ride on breathtaking West Lake, where at every turn you’ll see images of such serene, natural beauty they seem like Chinese watercolors come to life. The lake is said to be the incarnation of one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. In the afternoon, enjoy a visit to a tea farm where you’ll learn of the importance of tea to Chinese culture for thousands of years and have a tasting from the locally grown leaves. In the evening thrill to the spectacular “Impressions West Lake,” a multi-sensory performance combining light, water, and hundreds of actors in a dazzling show based on a Hangzhou legend and created by Zhang Yimou, one of China’s foremost filmmakers and the creator of the Beijing Olympics stunning opening ceremony. (BB, L, D)
Day 8: Hangzhou, Wuzhen, Shanghai (China)
Featured Excursion: Wuzhen
On the motorcoach ride to Shanghai you’ll stop at Wuzhen, an ancient water town whose numerous canals make it “the Venice of the East.” The houses that line the canals have a charming look with their white walls contrasting with black tiles and oil painted timber framework. Then on to Shanghai for dinner at the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel. (BB, L, D)
Day 9: Shanghai (China)
Featured Excursions: Shanghai city tour with Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Shanghai Acrobat performance
Stroll through Old Town and along the Bund, Shanghai’s famed waterfront promenade, which features an eclectic mix of architectural styles. Visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower - the highest tower in Asia, and the Municipal History Museum inside the tower. Enjoy a dim sum lunch at a local restaurant. In the evening, be dazzled by the amazing Shanghai Acrobats. (BB, L, D)
Day 10:
Shanghai (China), fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and transfer to the InterContinental Asiana Saigon Hotel. (CB/BB)
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
Featured Excursions: Cu Chi Tunnels, rubber plantation, Ho Chi Minh city tour
The Cu Chi Tunnels are an astonishing system of underground passageways used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. You’ll learn about the tunnels’ astounding history and interact with a Viet Cong veteran about his experience in the area. Following, we’ll learn about the harvesting and processing of latex at a local rubber plantation before returning to Ho Chi Minh for a panoramic city tour. You’ll also get to visit with lacquer artisans about the history of their beloved craft. Tonight, enjoy a special Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant featuring live music and exquisitely presented food. (BB, L, Welcome Dinner)
Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), transfer to My Tho (embark), Cai Be
Featured Excursions: Cai Be sampan cruise, An Kiet House, a rice paper and candy making establishment
Board the River Saigon for a morning sail. Then embarkon a sampan cruise through Cai Be and enjoy a Welcome Reception onboard River Saigon. (BB, L, Welcome Reception, Vietnamese Theme Dinner)
Day 13: Sa Dec, Cu Lao Gien (Vietnam)
Featured Excursions: Sa Dec Canal Cruise, brick and rice factories, Huyn Thuy Le house, Cu Lao Gien Cathedral
A sampan cruise through Sa Dec’s narrow canals shows you locals going about their daily lives. Then you’ll tour Mr. Huyn Thuy Le’s house, famous through French novelist, Marguerite Duras. After lunch onboard, sail to Cu Lao Gien to visit an ancient cathedral. (BB, L, D)
Day 14: Chau Doc (Vietnam) / Border Crossing
Featured Excursions: Chau Doc Harbor cruise, fish farm, and Holy Temples at the base of Sam Mountain
Tour lively Chau Doc harbor’s floating markets and visit a floating fish farm. Then visit the base of Sam Mountain, one of the holiest sites in southern Vietnam. (BB, L, D)
Day 15: Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
Featured Excursions: Choeung Ek Memorial Stupa and grounds, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and Phnom Penh city tour
Visit the area known as the “Killing Fields” and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, where the brave defiance displayed will remind you of the indomitable power of the human spirit. On an afternoon cycle rick shaw tour of Phnom Penh, see the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and National Museum. (BB, L, D)
Day 16: Kampong Chhnang (Cambodia)
Featured Excursions: Tonlé Sap river cruise and Kampong Chhnang walking tour
Here, you’ll cruise the Tonlé Sap River to the city of Kampong Chhnang. You’ll stop for a walking tour of Kampong Chhnang, a bustling riverfront community supported by the local fish trade.You’ll then reboard the River Saigon for a sunset cruise as you cruise the Tonlé River returning to the Mekong River. (BB, L, D)
Day 17: Chong Koh, Angkor Ban (Cambodia)
Featured Excursions: Chong Koh walking tour and Angkor Ban walking tour
Visit Chong Koh, a small silk weaving village and stop atthe local school to interact with the children. Later, sail to the rural village of Angkor Ban and enjoy a walking tour of this charming horse-and-cart hamlet. (BB, L, D)
Day 18: Wat Hanchey, Kampong Cham (Cambodia)
Featured Excursions: Wat Hanchey Temple Complex, Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey Monastery, and Nokor Bachey Temple
Arrive at Wat Hanchey, a temple complex with incredible views of the Mekong River. Visit the twin holy hilltops of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey, then view the massive gilded statues of Buddha. Later travel to Nokor Bachey Temple, built during the same period as Angkor Wat. (BB, L, Royal Cambodian Theme Dinner)
Day 19: Kampong Cham (Cambodia), disembark, transfer to Siem Reap
Featured Excursion: Siem Reap city tour via tuk-tuk
You’ll disembark your ship in the morning and transfer to Siem Reap, gateway to ancient Angkor monument by executive coach. After settling into your deluxe room at the glorious Victoria Angkor Hotel, you’ll hop on a tuk-tuk (auto rick shaw) for a tour of the city. You’ll have free time to explore the city before taking in a traditional Apsara dance show with dinner in the hotel’s courtyard. (BB, D)
Day 20: Siem Reap (Cambodia)
Featured Excursions: Angkor Wat Temple Complex
This is the first of two days dedicated to exploring the incredible Angkor Wat Temple Complex, the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire. You’ll begin with the UNESCO World Heritage AngkorWat, the most recognizable landmark in Cambodia and thelargest religious monument in the world. After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll journey to the intricately decorated South Gate of Angkor Thom and the pyramid-temple of Bayon, which features the enormous carved heads that have become an iconic symbol of Angkor. You’ll also see the Baphuon Temple, the grand Terrace ofthe Elephants, and the lichen-covered Terrace of the Leper King. (BB, L)
Day 21: Siem Reap (Cambodia)
Featured Excursion: Angkor Wat Temple Complex
You’ll feel like Indiana Jones as you approach the ancient “jungle temple” of Ta Prohm and marvel at the tentacle-like tree rootsthat have enveloped the entire structure. You’ll also see the Ta Keo pyramid and Preah Khan, which is believed to have been a massive Buddhist university. You’ll visit Banteay Srei, considered by many experts to be the pinnacle of artistic achievement at Angkor, and Banteay Samré. After a long and exciting day of sightseeing, you’ll indulge in sumptuous food and live entertainment at a local French-Indonesian restaurant. (BB, D)
Day 22:
Siem Reap (Cambodia), fly to Hanoi (Vietnam)
You’ll fly from Siem Reap to Hanoi and check into your stunning InterContinental Hotel Westlake. The afternoon and evening are yours to spend at leisure in Vietnam’s charming capital city. (BB)
Day 23: Hanoi (Vietnam)
Featured Excursions: Hanoi city tour, Ho Chi Minh City Mausoleum, and Colonial Hanoi cyclo tour
You’ll spend the morning visiting Hanoi’s most famous historical and cultural sites. Step inside the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a holy place for many Vietnamese. See famed One Pillar Pagoda - which has been built and rebuilt since 1049—and the massive Temple of Literature, an important Confucian institution that also dates from the 11th century. Then hop aboard a cyclo for a tour of the colonial area of Hanoi. The city’s elegant, tree-lined boulevards and weathered colonial buildings are sure to delight you. (BB, Farewell Dinner)
Day 24: Hanoi (Vietnam), transfer to airport
Transfer to the airport for your return flight home, or continue your tour with one of our extraordinary optional extensions. (CB/BB)
Please Note:
- Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
- Order of sightseeing may change throughout the itinerary.
- Substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to water levels and uncontrollable factors.
2012 Departures |
Program Start Date |
Cabin Rates are per passenger in $USD |
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Lotus Deck - Cat 3 w/french-doors/promenade
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Lotus Deck - Cat 2 w/french-doors/promenade
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Jasmine Deck - Cat 1 w/french-doors/promenade
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7-Sep-12 |
$7,999 |
$8,199 |
8,599 |
21-Sep-12 |
$8,299 |
$8,499 |
$8,899 |
19-Oct-19 |
$8,299 |
$8,499 |
$8,899 |
Port Charges and Travel document shipping/handling fee are an additional $103 per passenger // Single Supplement: Please Inquire.
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Cambodian airport departure tax are additional at $25 per person |
Dates above do not include international air travel. When planning your trip, allow one extra day before tour date for travel between USA and Asia.
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