Hanoi Holidays

Visit China’s most diverse and fascinating region, both culturally and scenically. The original Yunnan tour takes you to China by train through the mountains of Northern Vietnam and returns to Thailand by way of a cruise down the Mekong River between Burma and Laos. For 2 weeks in between enjoy the regular mixture of essential sites and hidden gems along with the cultural highlights and historic towns, the awesome scenery of Yuanyang.

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Your holiday price includes: Direct flights and accommodation for 21 nights on full board basis except lunch on days 11 and 13 & dinner on days 5, 8, 11, 13 and 15.

Itenary

• Day 1: Departure from London for Hanoi via Bangkok.
  
  
• Day 2: Arrival in Hanoi and check-in to a downtown hotel. Afternoon free to relax or explore the city before an evening performance of the highly original water-puppets.
  
  
• Day 3: Day tour of some of the city’s sites, including Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, the 11th century University, Hoan Kiem Lake and a walking tour of the narrow streets of Hanoi’s bustling old commercial quarter. Evening departure by sleeper train for Lao Cai in the far north.
  
  
• Day 4: Morning arrival and transfer to nearby Sapa. This picturesque old French hill-station overlooking a spectacular valley, lies in the shadow of the mist shrouded Fansipan Mountain – at over 9,500 feet the highest summit in mainland SE Asia. Afternoon at leisure to explore the town or roam the bustling hill-tribe market.
  
  
• Day 5: Day hike through the area’s incredible scenery – known to the French as the Tonkinese Alps – Hmong and Dzao minority villages, lush forest, towering peaks and crystal clear waterfalls.
  
  
• Day 6: Crossing the Chinese border into Yunnan Province, we’ll follow the scenic Red River Valley North West into the Ailao Ranges and the small mountain top town of Yuanyang. Afternoon visit to the region’s famous rice terraces - carved out of the mountain sides over thousands of years by the local Hani and Yi minorities - a truly spectacular site.
  
  
• Day 7: Optional dawn visit to the terraces, with the morning to explore Yuanyuang’s lively market, a trading centre for the myriad local minority peoples. Afternoon drive to historic Jianshui and a visit to some of the Town’s famous sites including the 14th Century Chaoyang Tower and Confucian Temple, the second largest in China, and the amazing ‘Zhu Family Garden’ mansion, a complex of 42 courtyards and 250 rooms.
  
  
• Day 8: Morning trip to the fascinating village of Tuanshan, one of the very few remaining medieval, fortified villages in SW China. This Ming dynasty village receives very few visitors and is now on the World Monument Fund’s most endangered list. Leaving Jianshui district we’ll continue north, via the picturesque Fuxian Lake, to the Province’s capital, Kunming.
  
  
• Day 9: Free morning in Kunming, relax in one of the local coffee shops, or check-out the city’s famous ‘Bamboo Temple’, before an afternoon trip to the spectacular karst formations known as the Stone Forest.
  
  
• Day 10: Morning drive along the route of the old Burma Road, to Weishan Town – one of the oldest and best preserved towns in Yunnan yet one of the least visited – before arriving at our day’s destination, Dali.
  
  
• Day 11: Day at leisure to explore this scenic old walled town, former capital of the ethnic Bai people and beautifully situated between the slopes of the Azure Mountains and the shores of Lake Erhai.
  
  
• Day 12: Early departure to catch the bustling morning market in the lakeside, Bai village of Xizhou, before continuing north to Lijiang by way of the superb cave temples of sacred Shibao Mountain.
  
  
• Day 13: Discover the ancient centre of the ethnic Naxi Culture and now World Heritage Site of Lijiang - wander the beautifully preserved cobbled streets that line the streams running through the picturesque old town – dramatically situated beneath the towering peaks of the 5,500m Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
  
  
• Day 14: Day hike along the famous and picturesque Tiger Leaping Gorge to the village of Walnut Grove for our overnight stay in a local family run guesthouse.
  
  
• Day 15: Head up to the Tibetan Plateau itself and the town of Zhongdian – now officially renamed Shangri La by the Chinese Government. Afternoon visit to the monastery and an evening stroll around the old streets of Shangri La with a chance to catch some traditional Tibetan dancing in the town square. Accommodation in a renovated Tibetan house at the foot of the 400 year old Songzanlin monastery.
  
  
• Day 16: A journey up the Tibet Road: spectacular drive through dramatic mountain scenery, including views of the first bend of the Yangtze and a stop at the remote Dongzhulin Monastery containing, amongst other wonders, the preserved body of the 5th living Buddha himself, before reaching our destination - the awesome views of Bai Ma Snow Mountain Pass and National Reserve situated at 4,250 metres.
  
  
• Day 17: Free morning and afternoon transfer to Lijiang for a flight to Jinghong Town in the Xishuangpanna Autonomous Dai region of Southern Yunnan. Situated on the Mekong and lying close to Burma and Lao this region has a subtropical climate and vegetation.
  
  
• Day 18: Day tour following the Mekong Valley south to the small town of Ganlanba and it’s bustling morning market for the surrounding ethnic Dai villages. The Dai are linguistically and culturally related to the Thai and Lao people, and indeed the region of Xishuangpanna (a Thai word meaning land of twelve thousand rice fields), is considered by the Thais to be their original homeland, before they migrated south over a thousand years ago. Continuing down the valley we’ll visit the magnificent Botanical Gardens of Menglun – the largest in China.
  
  
• Day 19: A day’s leisurely hiking in the hills around Jinghong to visit both Aini and Jinuo minority villages and admire the lush tropical mountain scenery.
  
  
• Day 20: Time for us to migrate south with a memorable boat cruise, down what is one of the least spoilt, most picturesque, yet least visited stretches of the Mekong River. Heading south from Jinhong we’ll pass, between Burma and Laos, where for some 300kms the river forms the border between the two countries, to our destination, the Golden Triangle River port of Chiang Saen at the junction of Thailand, Laos and Burma.
  
  
• Day 21: The last leg of our tour takes us on a scenic mountain drive to the Northern Thai capital, Chiang Mai. Afternoon free to relax by the hotel pool or explore the quiet lanes and temples of the city’s old town.
  
  
• Day 22: Morning departure for London, via Bangkok and evening arrival.

Room facilities

• Balcony/jacuzzi in suite
• Air conditioning
• Ensuite/bathroom
• TV with satellite channels
• Minibar
• Safe
• Telephone

Food and beverages

• Cafes
• Restaurant
• Snack bar

Single supplement: On request

Infants: On request

Please note

• The following extra charges will apply when booked by credit card: Visa/MasterCard - 1.5%, Amex - 3%, Diners - 4%.
• For any bookings made within 30 days of departure, there will be a Ticket on Departure charge of £30 per person levied by the tour operator.
• Child prices are only applicable when sharing with 2 full fare paying adults.

Ticketing information: You will be contacted by the tour operator after making your booking.