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| Vietnam Tours | |||||
| Tours | Accommodation | Prices | Bookings | ||
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It’s up to you to let us know what you would like to do and how long you wish to spend in Vietnam.
We’ll then be able to email you an itinerary to suit you. Our, overnight trip to Bac Ma National Park which is between Hue & Hoi An is really very popular but, is weather permitting. And our trip to the Elephant Village at Ban Don Village in the Buon Me Thuot area offers a bit of adventure. You can depart from either Da Nang or Nha Trang to get there & from Buon Me Thuot you'll fly down to HCM City for the rest of your tour with us. Also, please have a look
at our three day tour
of Mai Chau. Griswald's tours leave when you want & not the other way around. It makes a nice change we think. |
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Our Other Tours Include |
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City maps of Ha Noi, Hue and HCM.![]() |
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Griswald's Grand Tour of Vietnam |
Day 1 |
Arrive in Ha Noi |
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We’ll meet your flight at Noi Bai airport in Ha Noi -
flight details to be advised. Before heading into town, you can change your dollars into dong at the airport currency exchange bureau. Afterwards, we’ll transfer you to your
hotel. |
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Day 2 |
Day tour of Ha Noi & the night Train to Lao Cai |
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You’ll need to have had brekkie & be ready to leave your hotel at approx 8.30 AM for your tour today. You’ll see all the spots beginning with the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (to see Uncle Ho), the One Pillar Pagoda, the Ho Chi Minh museum, the Army museum and then the Temple of Literature. After lunch, you’ll go to the Ha Noi Hilton (Hoa Lo prison museum), the Women’s museum, the Opera House and finish up with a quiet drink to finish off the day in style. You’ll probably be a bit tired at the end of the day, but you’ll be able to sleep well on the train to Lao Cai. You’ll board the train at approx 9.30 PM in Ha Noi. (O/night on the train) We’d like to remind all our Griswald's’ clients that for your trip to Sa Pa you need to be ready to depart by 8.30 PM. We’re happy to pick you up from your hotel or you can meet us at the Kangaroo Café. Please discuss your preference with your guide. |
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Day 3 |
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You’ll arrive at approx 6.00 AM in Lao Cai and board the
local bus up to Sa Pa. It’s a lovely trip so be sure to have
plenty of film in your camera. After arriving at the hotel (approx 8.00 AM),
you’ll have a great brekkie while the staff arranges a room with a view for you. |
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Day 4 |
Sa Pa |
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You’ll have an early start (departure time from the hotel is
approx 8.30 AM) with a good brekkie and then you’re off for a spectacular day in the countryside. You’ll be on your own (well, just
yourselves and your H’mong friend) and you’ll get to meet and visit the homes of some Black H’mong,
Giay, Xa Pho and possibly some Red Dao. You may have a picnic lunch or, depending on the season,
have lunch in the home of an H’mong family along the way. |
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Day 5 |
Sa Pa to Bac Ha (or the smaller market) |
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You’ll have another early start for the drive to the Sunday markets.
Please be aware that you won’t
be returning to the hotel up in Sa Pa so you’ll need to have packed your bags, settled your bill
(for any extra meals, drinks etc) had your brekkie and be ready to leave the hotel by
no later than 6.30 AM. In the afternoon, you’ll drive back to Lao Cai to board the night train to Ha Noi. You’ll usually have a bit of time in Lao Cai for dinner before boarding the train back to Ha Noi. (O/night on the train) Please Note: To visit the famous "Ethnic Minority", Sunday Market at Bac Ha you'll only be able to visit them if you leave for Sa Pa on a Thursday night. We can swap the days around to suit if necessary. There are other “Ethnic Minority” markets that you can see on Sat, Sun & Tues & they're a bit smaller in size but every bit as interesting. |
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Day 6 |
Arrive in Ha Noi from Lao Cai |
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You’ll arrive in Ha Noi at approx 5.30 AM and you’ll be a bit sleepy so one of our guides will be waiting at the station to meet you & take you back to your hotel. The Old Quarter of Ha Noi is very interesting & best known for its famous “36 Streets”. In previous times, each street sold the one kind of produce and/or product. Streets such as Hang Ma (paper products used in the offerings on every home altar), Thuoc Bac (herbal medicines) and Hang Bac (silver) street, are still alive and well. These days the Old Quarter of Ha Noi is one of the best places to shop for materials such as silks, lacquer ware and handicrafts. My most recent purchase of embroidered bed linen was just such a great buy ! (O/night in Ha Noi) |
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Day 7 |
Ha Long Bay & Cat Ba Island Tour (3 days) |
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In the morning you’ll be picked up at your hotel by your guide and will go on our air-con bus to Ha Long Bay. You’ll need to be ready to depart from your hotel by 8.45 AM. After lunch in a great restaurant you’ll board our sailing boat & head out into the bay. Our guide will take you through one of the caves in the bay & we’re sure you’ll be most impressed !Later on in the afternoon the Captain will drop anchor & then you can go swimming in one of the secluded little coves. If you’d like to try some kayaking, we can drop you off (& come back to get you too) at a spot in the bay that hires them for approx $5 per hour. Our rooms are very well appointed & all (either twin share or double) have private en-suite bathrooms with Euro style toilets (the starting blocks just wouldn’t do), cotton bedding & are air conditioned. There’s also a large & very lovely dining & living area for you to relax in as well. In the evening there’s more swimming (if you wish), & at night the water is usually sparkling with phosphorescence from the tiny coral particles. You’ll create an amazing light show for you & the others with each stroke ! (O/night on our boat in Ha Long Bay) |
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Day 8 |
Ha Long Bay to Cat Ba Island |
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Our guests are often up at sunrise to go for another swim before heading over to Cat Ba Island.
After checking into your hotel, you’ll head off on our mini-bus to a small village. |
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Day 9 |
Ha Long to Ha Noi |
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In the morning, you’ll have a great breakfast just around the corner from the hotel & you'll have time for a swim before heading back to Ha Long city for lunch & then back to Ha Noi. You’ll arrive at our café at approx 5.30 PM. (O/night in Ha Noi) |
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Day 10 |
Handicraft Village Tour and on to Hue |
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In the morning (at approx 9.00 AM) you’ll visit the Pottery & then the Silk villages. With lunch
along the way, you’ll go onto the Conical Hat & Hand Embroidery villages. It’s a great trip and
you’ll be able to see some of Vietnam’s oldest traditional skills at work. |
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Day 11 |
Hue |
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You’ll arrive in Hue at approx 7.30 or 10.30 AM depending on which train you take from Ha Noi. After settling into your hotel, your guide will take you to have lunch at a famous Hue style, vegetarian restaurant. The food is really something else & is prepared in the style that the Buddhist monks enjoy & have passed down to their followers over the years. In the early afternoon, you’ll go for a boat cruise along the Perfume River
dinner on the boat is a great way to finish off the day.
The Minh Mang tomb (resting place
of Emperor Minh Mang) is accessible by river and you can visit it whilst on the boat cruise. |
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Day 12 |
Hue |
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You’ll have an early brekkie before your off to visit the Old Capital, the Forbidden Purple City, the 9 Holy Cannons and the Royal Citadel in Hue. |
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Or… |
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Day 13 |
Hue to Hoi An |
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After a nice brekkie, you’ll need to leave Hue by about 8.30 AM and we’ll head down to
Lang Co beach for a swim & lunch before heading to Hoi An. You’ll go over the Hai Van pass, on to Da Nang & then to Hoi An. |
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Day 14 |
Hoi An |
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Today is a free day to enjoy the fabulous Hoi An town. You can do some shopping, relax at the beach or visit some of the famous old houses and other picturesque sites that have loads of history attached to them. Try the Tan Ky House, the Fu Kien Assembly Hall, the temples, the churches and the Japanese Covered Bridge. |
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Day 15 |
Hoi An |
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You can have either a relaxing day in Hoi An or a trip by boat to Cua Dai Beach. This will cost you about $7 USD per person. It takes approx. 3 hours by boat along the beautiful Thu Bon River to get to Cua Dai Beach. When you get there, you can go for an ocean swim then relax back into a comfy deck chair. We think you’ll love it. In the evening you may like to try the Chicken rice for dinner followed by a drink at the Tam Tam restaurant. (O/night in Hoi An) |
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Day 16 |
Hoi An to Nha Trang |
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You’ll leave Hoi An town & then drive along one of the prettiest stretches of road to Da Nang. From Da Nang you’ll fly to Nha Trang where you’ll check into your hotel. |
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Or ... |
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Day 17 |
Nha Trang |
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Your driver will pick you up in the morning and take you to the Thap Ba Hot Spring Centre. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the hot mud baths & hot mineral spring baths & swimming pool. The complex offers massage and a very good restaurant where they serve a great lunch ! The evening is free. (O/night in Nha Trang) |
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Day 18 |
Nha Trang to HCM City |
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In the morning/afternoon (it depends on the season as to what time your flight departs) you’ll fly to HCM City. Upon arrival, you’ll settle into your hotel which is located in District 1 of HCM City. The night market (Ben Thanh) has some great little “on the street” restaurants that are cheap & very good. (O/night in HCM City) |
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Day 19 |
HCM City |
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After breakfast, and usually starting at around 9.00 AM, your guide will take you for a look around town. You’ll be able to visit all the famous sites such as the War Remnants Museum, Re-Unification Palace and, after lunch, the original French colonial-style post office & the Notre Dame Cathedral. For dinner, you may like to try one of the local Indian community restaurants, they’re particularly good. HCM City is a very big bustling city and with approx. 8 million people and there’s always lots to do. (O/night in HCM City) |
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Day 20 |
Me Kong Delta Tour |
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You’ll need to have had brekkie & be ready to leave at approx 7.00 AM for your tour today. You’ll start by driving to Cai Be where you’ll meet your boat and then go to see the floating market where the vendors have all kinds of weird & wonderful things that they’re just dying to sell you.
You might like to get your guide to do your purchasing for you so that you get the best price. Before heading back to HCM City you’ll have one last stop at the Bonsai gardens which are just beautiful. You'll return to HCM city at approx. 7.00 PM. (O/night in HCM City) |
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Day 21 |
Cu Chi Tunnels Day Tour |
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You’ll need to have had brekkie & be ready to leave at approx
8.00 AM from your
hotel. We'll head out of HCM City by car and you'll see the
outer suburbs and then the country side of the South and onto the
famous Cu Chi Tunnels.
After lunch, you’ll go to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels - a tunnel network of over 200
Kms built by the Vietnamese during the war. The
head quarters of the resistance movement were even built under an American military base
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Day 22 |
HCM City to Home |
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Your guide will take you to Tan Son Nhat (HCM City) Airport to meet your flight home. |
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Our 2008 Prices (or now for some good news) |
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Accommodation Styles |
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People often ask us how many stars are the hotels that we use in Viet Nam. The whole 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 star rave is very open to interpretation & in fact since that mob in the middle east claimed that their hotel is a "7" star hotel, it's made the whole rating thing a bit of a joke. So exactly what is it that get's your property from 1 to 3 or 4 to 6 or 5 to 7 exactly ? If my hotel is a 2 star & I throw in a patio, DVD & a bigger bath & join an employer group ........... how many stars can I be then ? In Viet Nam, as well as everywhere else in the world, the Vietnamese have their own rating system. The Aussies have theirs and now in the middle east they have a new one altogether. We reckon the whole rating thing is a nightmare & now that it's basically been scrapped we've decided instead to, as accurately as possible, describe in detail the hotels we use. We've also included pictures of some of the hotels we use to assist our guests in choosing what's right for them. Standard: accommodation is usually in a smaller hotel. It includes clean, comfortable rooms with twin singles or one queen size bed, private bathroom with European toilet and remote control air conditioning & TV. Telephone access and laundry facilities are also available. Superior: accommodation is usually in a bigger hotel. Again it includes clean, comfortable larger rooms with twin singles or one queen size bed, en suite bathroom with European toilet & bath, satellite TV, remote air conditioning, IDD telephone & nearly always, a swimming pool. Usually the superior accom has a buffet style breakfast as well. There's usually an office area with fax & internet. In most places (but not all) the biggest difference between our standard & superior packages are swimming pools. Deluxe: accommodation is the best standard available in Viet Nam. Hotel groups like the Hilton are in Viet Nam & the deluxe is of that international standard. It includes big, clean, very comfortable rooms with twin singles or one queen size bed, en suite bathroom with European toilet & bath, satellite TV, remote air conditioning, IDD telephone & swimming pools. Full business centre facilities, spa, sauna & gymnasium are usually available. A buffet style breakfast is the norm & in the deluxe package the hotel have room service & dry cleaning as well as the normal laundry service. |
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Hotels (click to see some of the lovely hotels we use) |
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As they say in Vietnam: "my husband is the boss, but I’m his supervisor". Well this is certainly how we operate and I think most women worldwide would agree. I always hear that line about “you only sleep in your hotel so it’s not that important”. Well, Mado didn't agree & reckons that when she's on holidays it’s very important to have hotel accommodation that offers a decent nights sleep and (especially in hot, tropical climates) a pool can be an added bonus. As is the way with us, we regularly go from Ha Noi down to HCM City to personally checkout not just our current hotels but also various new places for our customers to put their feet up in after a long day’s trekking & sight seeing. Depending on which tour you take, the accommodation standards along the coast of Vietnam will be similar to the standard or superior accommodation as described above. The only exceptions can be on some of the tours which go to the more remote areas of Vietnam like, Sa Pa, Bac Ma National Park & Cat Ba Island, etc. These rural areas usually have more basic facilities. Any queries regarding this are most welcome. |
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Customer Bookings |
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To purchase your international flights, visas and travel insurance, please contact your local travel agent. For any enquiries or to purchase our tours please feel free to contact us directly by phone or email. All our contact details are listed below. |
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For more information, or to arrange your vacation,
e-mail us at |
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This page was last updated on 08/05/08 |