Itinerary Egeland/Lambie Group

Here is the updated itinerary for Vietnam Group B.
24-31 OCTOBER, 2009

Day 1 - Saturday - 24/10
Meet your LEI staff at Hanoi Airport at 13.10 (MH752). As well as your LEI Guide you will have a Vietnamese / English speaking Guide (MR Linh) throughout. We will start at the Hoan Kiem Lake, home to the legendary Hanoi turtles. Afterwards, we will cross to Ngoc Son Temple, dedicated to the turtles. After exploring the temple and learning about its history we will go for a cyclo-ride around the lake. Let’s see if you spot the elusive turtles! We will then proceed and walk to Hanoi’s Opera House, inspect it and learn about its history. Lunch will be taken nearby, in a local Vietnamese restaurant. We will finally drive to Hanoi station to board the train for the overnight journey to Lao Cai and Sapa.

Day 2 - Sunday - 25/10
You will arrive at Lao Cai at about 6.30 am. Have breakfast in a restaurant in Sapa, then trek to visit Catcat village, home of a Black H’mong hill tribe, which is just 7 km from Sapa town. After that, continue trekking to Lao Chai - Ta Van village, Home of Dzay and Black H’mong hill tribes. While trekking around the village, meet and talk with local hill tribes to learn more about their daily life, customs and traditional habits and spend a couple of hours to visit the local schools, plant trees, chat to students. Bus back to Sapa town for dinner and overnight in Cat Cat hotel Sapa

Day 3 - Monday - 26/10
8.00 am : drive to a point 20 km from Sapa where your bike will be awaiting for the cycle journey to the Red Dao village of Ta Phin. From the winding roads on the hillside there are some excellent views over the rice paddy field below. You will have time to explore daily life among the villages and communities of the Red Dao and Black H’mong minority groups. Bus pick up to transfer back to Sapa , collect luggage, freshen up then drive to Lao Cai, dinner and take night train returning to Hanoi. Overnight on train

Day 4 - Tuesday - 27/10
Arrive in Hanoi around 5.00 am. Have breakfast and go to the local market; from there you will go shopping in the old quarter , a section of the city which only sells specific items (i.E. silver street, gold street etc.). When you will go to the markets, (as you teachers decided it) you will be given a specific amount of money and need to show your bargaining prowess by getting as many items as you can! We will then drive to Vietnam Friendship Village where you will spend the day teaching the children English, painting some of the rooms, playing with the children. Lunch at school. Whilst the students rest, explore the local area and visit to the local church which is a wonderful fusion of Colonial architecture and Asian harmony (church with a lily pond). Head back to Hanoi around 5.00 pm. Dinner in a local restaurant and overnight in the Ngoc Mai Hotel

Day 5 - Wednesday - 28/10
Breakfast at the hotel then drive to Vietnam Friendship Village where you will spend the day teaching the children English, painting some of the rooms, playing with the children. Lunch at school. Whilst the students rest, explore the local area and visit to the local church which is a wonderful fusion of Colonial architecture and Asian harmony (church with a lily pond). Visit to Hoa Lu Prison (Hanoi Hilton and see the conditions) then go to Sofitel Metropole for an ice cream. You will see the contrast between those that had and those that did not. Dinner local restaurant. Overnight in Ngoc Mai hotel.

Day 6 - Thursday - 29/10
At 8:00, you will be collected from the hotel for the journey to Halong Bay. On the way we pass through traditional rice fields where rice cultivation has almost not changed in centuries! A brief stop will be made en-route. We arrive by lunchtime at the dock and board our private junk to begin a 2 days -1 night- cruise through the spectacular Halong Bay. Upon boarding once in the bay lunch will be served whilst on route to visit the following places : Sung Sot caves, But Moc islet, Cap De islet, Trong (Drum) cave. We will also visit the Titov Island where you will climb to the top of the island for spectacular views of the Halong Bay (please wear sturdy shoes and bring water with you). Upon descent we will head off to a private island to swim and do kayak. Dinner will be served onboard the junk and we will get the chance to admire the wonderful sunset provided to us. Overnight onboard the junk.

Day 7 - Friday - 30/10
Early start - 5.00 am - to see the spectacular sunrise over Halong Bay. With no doubt this is a memory that will stay forever. We will then have breakfast and continue our journey back to Halong Bay to disembark. Early lunch before departure. Disembark at 12.00 and drive back to Hanoi. On route stop off at Bat Trang Ceramic Village and learn how to make a small cup / vase. Arrive back in Hanoi around 4 pm. We will finally go to the Water Puppet Workshop and see how the water puppets are made. In the evening, we will go to Thanh Long Theatre and see a water puppet show. These iconic symbols are only performed in Vietnam. Dinner in a local Vietnamese restaurant and overnight in Ngoc Mai Hotel.

Day 8 - Saturday - 31/10
Breakfast then go and visit the Hoa Lu Prison followed by an ice-cream in the Sofitel Metropole Hotel, where you will see those who had and those who did not. lunch in a local restaurant and drive to Hanoi airport to board Malaysia Airlines flight MH753 departing at 14.10 back to Kuala Lumpur.