Trip overview
Explore the remarkable landscapes which form the backdrop for the 2017 rendition of King Kong: “Kong: Skull Island”. Find out what makes the unique settings of Vietnam so captivating while living out your own wild adventures.
Known in Vietnamese as “The Bay of Descending Dragons”, the magnificent Karst islands of Halong Bay create the perfect atmosphere for adventure and mystery, while the majestic forests of Phong Nha National Park are home to the largest caves in the world, which is also the home of Kong in the movie. Discover the secrets of lesser known but equally stunning Ninh Binh and bookend your trip with stays in the country’s largest and most exciting destination - Ho Chi Minh city.
Trip Inclusion
- Carefully selected accommodation with breakfast
- Meals as mentioned (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
- Expert English or French speaking guide (for other languages supplements apply)
- Tours as mentioned and air-conditioned transfers
- Single entry sightseeing and permit fees during guided times
- Boat cruises, train ticket and rides while on tour if any
- Service charges and government VAT tax
Trip Exclusions
- Other meals that not mentioned
- Other services not mentioned
- International and domestic Flights
- Laundry, telephone calls and expenditure of a personal nature
- Tips, Travel insurance
- Visa arrangement & Visa stamp at international gate
- Drink & Beverage in meals
Advisory
We pride our TOUR MAP selves in creating personalized travel experiences that suit all your preferences and needs.With this tour you can
- Choose your own departure date
- Select the comfort level of accommodation
- Adjust activities to cater to special interests
- Modify any aspect of the tour as needed
Tour itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi D Car
Welcome to Vietnam, where the movie Kong: Skull Island was filmed! Upon arrival, a driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel.
Overnight in Hanoi
Day 2: Story of Hanoi B/L/D Car
Begin your Story of Hanoi with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Here, you will hear about the man who led Vietnam’s campaign for independence from French colonial rule. Next, visit the imperial citadel, the apex of regional political power for more than a millennium where research and excavation is still underway. After a Vietnamese lunch, head to another 11th century relic, the Temple of Literature, which was built as an homage to the Chinese scholar Confucius. You will then see the iconic Long Bien Bridge. Constructed across Red River between 1899 and 1902, when Vietnam was still ruled by the French, it is now jammed with whizzing motorbikes and an occasional passenger train chugging into nearby Long Bien Station.
The tour continues with a 45-minute cyclo tour through Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter, a place where Hanoians buy everything from noodles to light fixtures to Buddha statues. The quarter’s 36 streets were named for the products that were sold from their shops. Today, vendors on Tin and Bamboo Streets still sell the same wares. After exploring the old quarter’s shady alleyways, sip a strong Vietnamese coffee in a café overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake - an important symbol in Vietnamese folklore. Snap a photograph of the downtown skyline before returning to your hotel.
Overnight in Hanoi
Day 3: Essence of Ninh Binh – Waterways and Karsts B/L/D Car
Meet your guide and driver in the morning and depart Hanoi bound to Ninh Binh Province. Known lovingly as "Halong Bay on land", this stunning province boasts similar limestone karst topography that rises from emerald rice paddy fields and winding rivers. After a two and a half hour drive, arrive in Gia Vien District and swap your car for a bicycle - embark on a short cycling journey through paddy fields en route to the nearby Van Long reservoir area. Along the way, stop at Mai Trung hamlet for an in-depth experience learning how locals here farm and tend to their rice. Follow the lead of your local host for seeding, putting down fertilizer, scooping water or harvesting, depending on the time of year.
Afterwards, cycle onward to a local family home, and get an up-close demonstration of traditional cooking using rice crackers or fried crab dishes. Then sit down with your local family hosts and enjoy these local specialties along with another Vietnamese favourite - rice wine! After lunch, challenge your hosts to a game of chess or kick back for a chat to learn about their lives here.
In the afternoon, reach Van Long wharf and set off on a short boat trip into the reservoir at Van Long Nature Reserve - the largest wetland in northern Vietnam. This is also where many of the scenes from Kong: Skull Island took place.
Float past poetic landscapes and rolling jungle hills that are perfect for photos, before heading back to Hanoi for arrival in the early evening.
Overnight in Hanoi
Day 4: Halong Bay Overnight Cruise B/L/D Car
Morning depart for Halong Bay, we go through the scenic countryside. The wondrous Halong Bay is truly one of Vietnam's most impressive scenic sights. Heading out of the town we embark on a boat for an exploration of the legendary Halong Bay. This exciting cruise will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. The limestone karsts formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs.
Overnight on the Junk Cruise
Day 5: Hanoi – Overnight Train to Dong Hoi, Quang Binh B/L/D Car
Enjoy breakfast on the sundeck before cruising onward to Ti Tov Island. Your final stop at Titov leaves plenty of time to explore, hiking up to the scenic viewpoint or swimming off of the beach. On the final leg of your cruise pass by well-known karsts of Thumb Island, Fighting Cocks, the Incense Karst which is featured on the 200,000 dong note. If you have watched the movie, you will recognize many of these iconic karsts which appeared several times throughout Kong: Skull Island.
Say goodbye to the crew at the main harbour and take the private transfer about 4 hours back to Hanoi arriving late in the afternoon.
Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the train station to catch the train at 19:30. Your train arrives in Dong Hoi, Quang Binh at 05.25 the next day.
Overnight in train
Day 6: Phong Nha – Tu Lan – Explore The Home Of Kong B/L/D Car
Upon arrival, a driver will be waiting to transfer you for breakfast.
On a whirlwind, one-day trek into the heart of tropical Tu Lan, experience the epic natural majesty of Phong Nha National Park - home to the largest cave in the world, also known to be the home of Kong in the movie.
Set off on a challenging excursion visiting Hang Chuot, Hung Ton Caves and To Mo Valley. Explore karsts, jungles, waterfalls and river caves in a journey into the heart of central Vietnam’s natural phenomena. With your English-speaking guide and local jungle men from the nearby ethnic village of Tan Hoa, you will trek up to 8km through buffalo fields, dense jungle and have an opportunity to swim through an unbelievable river cave. See the immense formations of Hang Chuot (Rat Cave) before trekking to impressive Hung Ton Cave and To Mo Valley. You’ll get wet, you’ll get dirty and you’ll enjoy an awesome BBQ beside a stunning waterfall! This is a full day of adventure so be prepared!
Overnight in Quang Binh
Day 7: Flight to Ho Chi Minh City B/L/D Car
Your driver will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight from Dong Hoi to Ho Chi Minh city. Upon arrival, your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel.
After relaxing at your hotel, your guide will meet you at the lobby and driven to the city’s Central Post Office, which was designed by the renowned French architect Gustav Eiffel, and Notre Dame Cathedral, the iconic landmark built between 1863 and 1880. Admired for its neo-Romanesque architecture, the cathedral is a popular backdrop for local wedding photographers. Next, stroll toward the Saigon River along Dong Khoi Street, which figured prominently in Graham Greene’s famous Vietnam novel, The Quiet American, to the Saigon Opera House, a commanding building completed in 1901. Shelled during World War II, it was used to shelter French citizens fleeing North Vietnam in 1954, the year Vietnam earned its independence from France.
The tour continues with a stop at the Reunification Palace, where a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates in 1975 to end a war that killed an estimated 58,000 Americans and three million Vietnamese. You will also visit the War Remnants Museum, where Vietnam’s government has assembled presentations - some of them graphic - of wartime hardships and atrocities.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City
Day 8: Mekong Delta - Cai Be Princess Cruise B/L/D Car
Be picked up at hotel, transfer about 2 hours to the Cai Be jetty to board your traditional Samapan boat. Your crew welcomes you with cold towels and a refreshing drink as the Cai Be Princess sampan sets off for its leisurely cruise on the busy waterways of the Mekong Delta.
Observe a little of river life as it plays out on the banks - noting the people and the stunning landscapes - while your attentive crew serves you tea and seasonal fruit. Board a little rowing boat to explore the canal’s hidden mangroves. Return to your sampan to visit an ancient house built in the 19th century. Make stops along the way to provide glimpses of local cottage industries, including factories for the production of coconut candy and puffed rice (the local equivalent of popcorn), products that provide a living for the river people.
After lunch, take a short walk along a small canal, towards the Ba Bon Bridge where your personal vehicle awaits to drive you to Ho Chi Minh City. Arrive at your hotel in the afternoon.
Day 9: Depart Ho Chi Minh City B Car
Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight.