Kong Skull Island Tour
In March 2017, KONG: SKULL ISLAND officially hits cinemas worldwide. The film is a reboot of the King Kong franchise. It stars an ensemble cast consisting of Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Brie Larson…The film follows a team of scientists and Vietnam War soldiers who travel to an uncharted island in the Pacific and encounter terrifying creatures and the almighty Kong.
Viet Nam is one of the three filming destinations, in addition to Hawaii and Australia. “I truly fell in love with the people, the culture, the food, and the landscapes. It became my mission to put this country on screen and to let the world know how spectacular it is” – Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts on Filming ‘Kong: Skull Island.
Like a behind – the- scene tour of King Kong 2017, this expedition will take you to picked attractions in Ninh Binh, Quang Binh and Halong where the film crew spent months doing their work. There will be very few chances we catch some pieces of work left on the ground but be sure to enjoy the nature at its best taste the amazing Vietnamese cuisine and smile back at ones you meet on the way.
Itinerary in brief:
Day 1: Hanoi arrival (-/-/D)
Day 2: Hanoi – Full day city tour (B/L/-)
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong (B/L/D)
Day 4: Halong – Ninh Binh (B/L/-)
Day 5: Ninh Binh – Hanoi (B/L/-)
Day 6: Hanoi – Quang Binh (B/L/-)
Day 7: Quang Binh – Hue (B/L/-)
Day 8: Hue – Hoi An (B/L/-)
Day 9: Hoi An – My Son – Hoi An (B/L/-)
Day 10: Hoi An – Da Nang – HCMC (B/L/-)
Day 11: Saigon – City tour (B/-/-)
Day 12: Saigon departure (B/-/-)
DAY 1: HANOI CITY ARRIVAL (-/-/D)
Arrive Hanoi . Greet at airport & transfer to hotel.
Welcome dinner at a nice local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
DAY 2: HANOI FULL DAY CITY TOUR (B/L/-)
Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city, is considered as one of Asia’s most fascinating cities with a unique blend of oriental and western charm. The French colonial legacy is still evident in many parts of Vietnam, illustrated by the distinctive yellow pastel colored villas and government buildings. Hanoi by far is a green and beautiful city with elegant tree-lined boulevards and buildings, fascinating Old quarter…
Highlights of today are: Ho Chi Minh Complex, inclusive of BaDinh Square, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the simple but elegant House-on-stilts of Ho Chi Minh, and the One-pillar pagoda since 1049 AD; Temple of literature, a remarkable temple dedicated to Confucianism; Museum of Ethnology that has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic minority peoples.
Photo stop at Saint Joseph Cathedral, a typical French architectures remain. Continue with the Cyclo tour or Electricity car through the Old Quarter, passing by Hoan Kiem Lake – the symbol of the historical capital city. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
DAY 3: KONG – SKULL ISLAND: HALONG BAY (B/L/D)
AM: Pick up at hotel and depart to Ha Long – approx 170km, 3.5hour driving from Hanoi. The road will pass by the Red River delta with green paddy fields and rural villages, where hard-work farmers are busy with their farming jobs, ploughing buffaloes or planting seedling…
Arrive Ha Long around noon. Embarkation and cabin installation then enjy Vietnamese seafood and vegetarian lunch, while cruising in the magnificent Halong Bay, admiring the fascinating rock formations in the bay. You will stop to visit some villages on the Bay (fishing village, take Pearl Farm Village), rowing boat or kayaking to visit around
Swimming in the bay (if weather permits)
Dinner at the restaurant on the cruise.
Evening entertainments: play game on the cruise: cards game, chess, karaoke, squid fishing. Overnight on cruise
DAY 4: HALONG – NINH BINH (B/L/-)
06.30: Early morning sun risers can enjoy Tai Chi lesson on sundeck then enjoy breakfast.
Stop at Sung Sot Cave (Amazing Cave), join with guide to visiting and explore the cave.
Back to the cruise for joining the cooking class guided directly by Chef. You have chance to practice cooking Vietnamese traditional dishes such as spring roll or famous cuisine of Vietnam.
Enjoy the lunch on cruise then debarkation of the boat and return by car to Ninh Binh. Overnight at hotel in Ninh Binh.
DAY 5: KONG – SKULL ISLAND: TRANG AN – VAN LONG (B/L/-)
Take bamboo rowboat to discover Van Long Nature Reserve enjoying spectacular scenery surrounded by rice paddies and towering limestone mountain peaks which is exactly film studio of Kong: Skull Island. Van Long – much more primitive than the other tourist sites in the region and completely untouched – offers wonderful views of landscapes and rural life.
After lunch, we continue to visit Trang An Scenic Landscape complex nearby which recently recognized as an UNESCO World natural heritage. Get on a rowing boat (small sampan) and travel along the small river with scenic mountain and green fields landscape.
Transfer to Ninh Binh Railway station for night train to Dong Hoi. Overnight on train (soft sleeper)
DAY 6: KONG – SKULL ISLAND: PHONG NHA CAVE (B/L/-)
Dong Hoi early in the morning, transfer to visit Phong Nha cave. Phong Nha has been voted as one of the most wonderful caves in the world for a number of reasons: for its longest underground river, for its most beautiful underground lake. for its highest and widest entrance, for its most beautiful and widest dry cave, for its most beautiful sandbank and reef, as well as for its most spectacular stalactites, stalagmites and longest water grottos….
To access the cave, you will take a boat along the Son River in approx. 30 minutes, enjoy charming natural scenery, experience the daily life of the neighborhood riverside villages along the way before conquering the Phong Nha Cave where you can see the scenery spectacular limestone, underground river system and unique stalactite created by nature over thousands of millennia.
Transfer back to Dong Hoi city. Overnight at hotel in Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh.
DAY 7: KONG – SKULL ISLAND: PARADISE CAVE, HUE (B/L/-)
Transfer to visit Paradise Cave – It’s a largest and most beautiful cave in the area by British spelunkers. It is said that the cave’s beauty is reminiscent of an imperial palace and very well resented with easy access, great walkways, and excellent feature lighting which made it extra special.
After lunch, transfer to Hue (230km)
Overnight at hotel in Hue.
DAY 8: HUE CITY TOUR – HOI AN (B/L/-)
Visit the Imperial Citadel with Ngo Mon, Thai Hoa palace, imperial city and forbidden city followed by King Tu Duc mausoleum, is a picturesque complex including his tomb and palace that emperor Tu Duc ordered the construction by himself when he was still alive.
On the way back, stop to visit an incense stick making village (if time permits).
Lunch at restaurant.
After lunch, transfer to Hoi An along the scenic coast, over Hai Van pass for an over view of the Pacific Ocean and the famous Lang Co fishing village.
Check in hotel in Hoi An.
DAY 9: HOI AN – MY SON (B/L/-)
08:00 Transfer to visit My Son, 75km far from Hoi An. Being one of the best-preserved Cham structures in Vietnam, the complex is comprised of seventy Hindu-like towers and temples dating from the second century.
Return to Hoi An at noon time. Lunch at restaurant in Hoi An.
Afternoon: Enjoy a walking tour through the Hoi An Old Quarter to visit the town’s landmarks of Japanese Covered Bridge, ancient Assembly Hall, Phuc Kien Temple and a typical old house.
DAY 10: HOI AN – HO CHI MINH CITY (B/L/-)
AM: free at leisure, enjoy free shopping or photo shooting.
10:00 visit Tra Que herb village. Welcome drink for rest and walk through the vegetable gardens where local farmers work on their fields using the traditional methods. Work together with the chef. Learn the traditional ways of preparing and cooking Vietnamese food. Enjoy Lunch with what you have cooked.
In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for Flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
DAY 11: SAIGON – FULL DAY CITY TOUR (B/L/-)
After breakfast at hotel, enjoy a full day tour with all major city highlights: The Reunification Palace. Here on April 30th 1975 the ‘Vietnam War’ officially ended when tanks of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of what was, at the time the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam; War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office: Built between 1877 and 1883 this is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture.
After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to visit the China Town including Thien Hau pagoda. Visit and shopping at Ben Thanh Market a bustling market which is very popular with tourists.
The tour finishes at approximately 6pm when you will be transferred back to your hotel.
DAY 12: SAIGON DEPARTURE (B/-/-)
Free till transfer to the airport for departure flight.
PRICES
• Tours and accommodation as above itinerary only from A$1170
• Package tours (Tours, Vietnam visa, air tickets) only from A $2090
(Tour prices may be subject to change due to exchange rate and seasonality)
HOTELS
| Hotel class | Hanoi | Ha Long | Ninh Binh | Dong Hoi | Hue | Hoi An | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy (3*) | Angel Palace (Dlx Window) Centre Point (Dlx C.V) Medalion (Classic – Internal View) | Oriental Sails (Dlx) Sails (Dlx) Rosa (Dlx) | The Reed (Dlx) | Bao Ninh (Sup Garden) | Sun River (Dlx C.V) Thanh Lich (Dlx C.V) | Hoi An Lantern (Std) Pavillon Boutique (ROH) Pavillon Central (Sup) | Le Duy (Dlx) Hoang Phu Gia (Sup) Ambassador (Dkx W) |
| Deluxe B (4*) | Chalcedony (Dlx) Thang Long Opera (Sup) Flower Garden (ROH) | Stella (Dlx) Rosa Boutique (S.V) Syrena (Dlx) Grayline (Sup) | Legend Ninh Binh (Dlx) | Sunspa (Dlx Pool) | Eldora (Dlx C.V) Thanh Lich Boutique (Premium C.V) | Belle Maison Hadana (Dlx Bal) Pavillon Luxury (ROH) Phu Thinh (Sup) Emm HA / Thanh Binh Riverside | Palace Saigon (Dlx C.V) Harmony (Juniror Pre) |
| Luxury (5*) | Nikko (Dlx) Deawoo (Sup) | La Regina Royal (Noble Suite) La Pinta (Dlx O.V) | Emeralda (Sup) | Sunspa (Dlx Ocean) | Imperial (Dlx C.V) Indochina Palace (Dlx) | Palm (Sup) Allegro Hoi An (Little Suite) | Majestic (Colonial Dlx) Eastin (Dlx) |
If the listed hotel is fully booked, alternative accommodation will be offered.
TOUR PRICES INCLUDE:
• 10 nights accommodation based on twin sharing with daily breakfast at specified hotels
• Private transportation with English speaking guide
• Cruise on Ha Long bay as stated
• Meals as mentioned in the program
• Entrance fee for all sightseeing as indicated
• Mineral water available during transfer
• Train ticket Ninh Binh – Dong Hoi, soft sleeper.
TOUR PRICES EXCLUDE:
• Int’l air tickets & airport tax / Meals and drinks not mentioned in the program
• Visa stamping fee (if required), travel insurance
• Tips & personal expenses
• Domestic Air ticket Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh City
REMARK:
• Hotels’ check-in and check-out time is around 12.00 noon. Depending on your arrival / departure time, the program can be adjusted accordingly.
• If you have any specific food requirements (vegetarian, vegan, food allergies) please inform us in advance so that we can provide notice to our restaurant, tour guide or our partners so that they can server you better.
• Meals are included as specified in the itinerary. Meal codes are: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
• Each breakfast will be served in your hotel. Breakfast selections include both Vietnamese and Western dishes to meet every diner’s taste.
• Lunches and Dinners served in tours are normally arranged at the restaurants near the scenic spots. Most are Vietnamese dishes with some are modified to fit westerners’ tastes.
