Depart today (or Friday) for Hanoi, Vietnam with an aim to arrive on Sunday, October 4.

Most airlines you will lose a day as you cross the International Date Line so a Friday evening departure may be needed depending on where you are flying from and route you are taking. 

After landing and customs/baggage claim you will be met in the arrival hall (small groups or individuals) near Column 8, Gate A1. Transfer to the hotel for check in and some time to relax. Lunch is by individual arrangement today depending on arrival time.

Note: Check-in at the hotel is at 2pm, but they will be happy to store a bag if you arrive early and your room is not ready yet. 

Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi Center is a five-star hotel located in central Hanoi’s French quarter and has a business center, onsite dining, a bar, gym, pool, and more. Guest rooms have free Wi-Fi, bathrobe & slippers, iron & board, minibar, safe, pillow menu, espresso machine, bathroom amenities with a rain shower. The hotel is within walking distance to the Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi Railway Station, Hoa Lo Prison Museum, Vietnamese Women’s Museum, various embassies, and other local eateries.

Dinner will be provided at a local restaurant.

Please Note: Breakfast is included daily in your program.

Overnight: Mövenpick Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Dinner

This morning you will join your leaders and national guide at the hotel for an orientation and cultural briefing about Vietnam. You will be briefed on the political and cultural diversity of Vietnam and receive further information on the journey.

Later enjoy some of Hanoi’s cultural treasures. Visit Ba Dinh Square where silent sentries guard the marble mausoleum in which Ho Chi Minh lies in state (outside visit as the facilities are closed on Mondays). Tour Ho Chi Minh Museum, dedicated to the ‘father of the country’, it chronicles the evolution of Vietnamese independence. Your explorations will also take to you see the One Pillar Pagoda, which dates to the 11th century and was built to resemble a lotus blossom. Continue to see a local museum like Hỏa Lò Prison, which was used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for U.S. Prisoners of War. 

After lunch at a local restaurant, stroll through Temple of Literature, a serene retreat from the busy streets outside. Built in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, it became Vietnam's first university. 

Cap off the day with a walk through the labyrinthine alleyways of the Old Quarters. This oldest continuously developed area of Hanoi was once an important centre of commerce where goods were sold on the street name of a particular guild.

Dinner is on your own this evening. 

Overnight: Mövenpick Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch 

Today the professional members of the group will meet with professional counterparts in Vietnam to explore Vietnam’s libraries and literacy programs. This may include a meeting with representatives from the Vietnam National Library in Hanoi to receive an overview of facilities and services. Delve into their relationship with the local Vietnamese libraries and involvement with other cultural and educational institutions

Lunch is on your own today. 

Continue your explorations with a visit to another institution like a university library, Hanoi Library or perhaps the National Library of Science and Technology. Best hosting organization will be determined after the group forms, and we have biographies and backgrounds of the professional members. 

Accompanying guests: 

Guests will depart Hanoi early for the drive to Halong City, a journey of approximately 2.5 hours. On arrival, you will transfer to a junk (a traditional sailing ship) for your cruise on Halong Bay. Translated as the Bay of Descending Dragons and located in the Gulf of Tonkin, the mystical landscapes of Halong Bay are one of Asia’s most iconic sights. Some 1,600 islands and islets form a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars (known as karsts), lush islands and emerald waters and the day is spent discovering this national treasure. There will be opportunities to stop at some of the numerous grottoes and caves on the islands and explore on foot. Ascending one of the surrounding hills will afford memorable panoramic views of the verdant islands and shimmering waters below. Breath-taking beyond words, Halong Bay is justifiably one of the world’s natural wonders and more than deserves its UNESCO World Heritage status. A mouth-watering lunch will be served on board during the cruise. 

Dinner will be provided this evening. 

Overnight: Mövenpick Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Enjoy some free time this morning before you check out and make your way to the airport. Fly to Ho Chi Minh City where you will be met by your local driver. With a population of over 9 million inhabitants and an almost equal number of scooters, mopeds and motorcycles all competing for space on the ultra-busy streets, bustling and noisy Ho Chi Minh City is quite literally a metropolis on the move. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.

Lunch is on your own today. 

Check in at hotel and get settled. Liberty Central Hotel is in the middle of central district one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods. They have a wide range of facilities including a gym, rooftop infinity pool, business center, various dining options and a spa. Guest rooms have free Wi-Fi, AC, safe, minibar, tea and coffee maker, bathroom amenities and 2 free bottles of water per day.

Dinner will be provided this evening a local restaurant.

Overnight: Liberty Central Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Continue your professional meetings with local library professionals. Today’s arrangements may include visiting a local school library or non-profit dedicated to providing access to books.

Lunch will be provided this afternoon.

Accompanying guests: 

Accompanying guests will visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, synonymous with the Vietnam War and a testament to the determined spirit of the Vietnamese, the underground network of passages. Work on the tunnels began during the war against the French in the 1940s and over the next 25 years as the conflict with America escalated, they were improved and expanded to create an underground city of meeting areas, storerooms, living quarters and much more. The tunnels allowed the Viet Cong to control a vital area of South Vietnam and at their height, extended for more than 200KM in length and stretched from what was then Saigon to the Cambodian border. Preserved as a memorial park, two sections of this remarkable network are open to the public. Visiting the area at Ben Dinh, there is the option to go below the surface and visit sections of the tunnels firsthand. 

Dinner is by individual arrangement.

Overnight: Liberty Central Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch 

Today, head out for a full day visit to Mekong Delta for a tour by premium wooden boats. The Mekong Delta is a fertile region comprising farmland interlaced with countless waterways and coconut gardens. To explore agricultural river life, embark on a 2-hour drive from Saigon to Cai Be Jetty. Upon arrival at 10:00 am, board the private Cai Be Princess, a traditional bamboo-covered wooden sampan. Once you arrive at Tan Phong islet, take a leisurely 5-km cycling trip through the villages and fruit gardens (non-cycler can enjoy rowing sampan ride and 200m walk). 

During the ride, make stops to visit local cottage industries where families have kept traditional works for generations, such as rice paper, roof panels from water coconut fronts, and homewares from water hyacinths. While these venues may be busy sometimes, they offer a glimpse into the local economy. Back to Cai Be Princess boat where you will cruise to Phu An Village. The cruise ends at Le Longanier Restaurant, an exquisite colonial-style villa set in a lush tropical garden by the river and surrounded by fruit trees. 

After lunch take a short walk along a small canal towards the Ba Bon Bridge, where your driver awaits to drive you back to town.

Enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Liberty Central Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Head to the airport for your flight home (arrival same day). Individual transfers can be arranged as needed, but one “group” transfer is planned for those with like flight times. 

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