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Auckland Airport, New Zealand
Our flight leaves at 10:05am, we need to be at the airport by 7:05am so we can navigate the very busy customs like last time!
The flight is 11 hours long.
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Tokyo, Japan
Friday 5 July
11 hr flight - we arrive in Tokyo Narita Airport at 6pm Japan time (9pm NZ). TAP TO SEE THE WHOLE TOKYO ITINERARY
We need to pick up our skyliner train tickets (from the Keisei counter - see pics in Klook) to take the express train into Tokyo, and also buy train travel cards (Suica cards) from the JR office for getting around Tokyo.
We take the Skyliner train to Nippori station, then we get off the train and change to a different train to take us two stops to Akihabara station. We get off there and walk to our hotel - The Tourist Hotel & Cafe Akihabara
Get dinner from the 7/11 (like a dairy but way better) or the supermarket or somewhere nearby, and collapse in our hotel room.
Sat 6 July
Breakfast is included in our hotel.
Explore eastern side of Tokyo - the following are just ideas.
12 noon we have a samurai experience booked!!!
Area around our hotel. eg.
-Akihabara Electric Town (street with electronics and anime shops)
-Cat cafe
Train to Okachimachi Station or walk to
-Ameyoko shopping district
-Look around Ueno park?
Train to Asakusa:
- samurai ninja museum?
-Senso-Ji temple
-nakamise-dori Street (good for souvenirs)
- dinner at Kura Sushi flagship restaurant
-go up tokyo skytree (open till 9)
Train back to Akihabara
- karaoke place near our hotel?
Sun 7 July
Breakfast at hotel.
Take train to Teamlab borderless digit art experience, we have tickets to enter between 10am and 10:30am. Leave our hotel around 9.15am.
After Teamlabs we can do what we like, here are my suggestions:
Take train to Shibuya
-lunch at Uobei (conveyor belt sushi)
-shopping at Loft, Tower Records, Parco mall for Nintendo shop etc
Train to Shimokitazawa (cool thrift clothing and music shops and cafes/bars)? Maybe skip this if don't have time?
Train to harijuku
-fender guitar flagship store
-wander along Takeshita st
- Meiji shine
Train back to hotel for mid arvo rest
Train to Shinjuku
- see 3D cat protection
- Dinner - either the ginza beer hall or Omoide Yokocho lane.
- Watch the light projection show on the Tokyo metropolition government building, half hourly from 7.30pm
Train back to hotel
Monday 8 July
Eat breakfast at 7am.
Take train to Tokyo Disneyland.
It opens at 9am and there are massive queues to get in on time, mostly because once you are inside we can use their app to book "Fastpasses" to skip long lines, but there are only limited ones and they are hard to get! So we need to expect to be waiting in long lines. It will still be awesome!
Go on as many rides as we can and burgers for lunch maybe.
Not sure about dinner on this night. Maybe Sushiro near our hotel, or try Japanese Mcdonalds if we aren't burgered out.
Tuesday 9 July
We have to be at the airport by 7am and we have to take the train there, so need to leave the hotel around 6am I think. Hopefully the hotel will give us early breakfast otherwise it's 7-11!
Our flight to Hanoi leaves at 10am on Vietnam Airlines. It's 5 hours long. Vietnam is 2 hours behind Japan (5 hours behind NZ).I
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Hanoi, Vietnam
Tuesday 9 July
We arrive in Hanoi at 1.35pm Vietnam time
The hotel is sending a car to pick us up from the airport.
Our hotel is called Hanoi Boutique Hotel & Spa
Check in and relax, then explore the old quarter by walking around to find dinner. Could go to one of the rooftop bars?
Wednesday 10 July
Breakfast included at hotel.
We need to do some laundry today, there is a place we can take it to near our hotel.
We have a walking food tour booked at 3pm. It's about 3.5 hours walking around, trying different food and then they take us to train street at the end, details are:
Start your tour at the meeting point on No.47 Hàng Bông street, and head to a traditional restaurant specializing in entrees such as pillow cake, shrimp cake, Pho rolls, and spring rolls. Have a taste of some popular and classic Vietnamese dishes.
Then head over to a local restaurant to try banh cuon (filled rice noodles) and watch as skilled chefs demonstrate how this tasty dish is created.
Next, enjoy pho (noodle soup), which is Vietnam’s most famous dish. But this is a new, different version, which is dry mixed Pho with a special sauce. Try the chicken versions and the refreshing taste will blow your mind!
And definitely don't miss out on a Vietnamese traditional dessert called chè. There are both hot and cold versions for each season.
After several dishes, you will be full and satisfied. Catch a taxi and go straight to the train street. Although train schedules show them to come daily, sometimes they do and sometimes not, so if you're lucky, you may catch one and experience the huge train passing right in front of your face.
While here, enjoy egg coffees at a nice shop trackside and experience the unique ambiance.
When you’re done with the drinks, hop in a taxi again to go back to the meeting point where the tour ends.
Kindly note the following:
- The dishes above can be changed according to the guide due to some reasons such as local restaurants, weather impact, timing, etc but in general the tour will include 5 stops!
- The train schedule can change due to many reasons, therefore we are not 100% certain that you can see the train pass by. You'll get to see the train street but in case the train doesn't pass by at that time, we are not responsible for the situation. Thank you!
Thursday 11 July
Breakfast included at hotel.
Nothing booked today, we can walk around the old quarter and the nearby lake and see the temple in the middle of it, have a coffee at a cafe, have a massage or spa downstairs at our hotel?
Michelin app guide for dinner
Friday 12 July
Breakfast at hotel.
We are checking out this morning - we are being picked up by the tour company at 7.20am to start our 2 night tour to Ninh Binh and Halong Bay.
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Ninh Bình, Vietnam
Friday 12 July (Tap for full details)
Going on a two night tour!
Day 1: Hanoi - Ninh Binh
7:20-7:40 am Tour guide and bus will pick-up all traveler from the Hanoi Old Quarter and head to Ninh Binh Province. Pay a visit to the Bai Dinh Temple Complex, the largest complex of Buddhist temples in Vietnam, and check out the impressive pagoda.
Have lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to the Trang An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Float through the tranquil rivers of Trang An on a wooden boat and climb to the top of Mua Caves for striking panoramic views of Tam Coc before heading to the homestay for an overnight stay.
16:30 check in Ninh Binh Bungalow and free cycling around Village
19:00 Dinner at Bungalow restaurant and free time relaxing and stay overnight at Ninh Binh Bungalow
Day 2: Ninh Binh - Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay
6:30 am Have breakfast at Ninh Binh Bungalow and bus will come to pick-up to Halong Bay
7:10-7:30am The Limousine bus pickup from Ninh Binh, transfer to Ha Long Bay.
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Hạ Long Bay, Vietnam
Saturday 13 July - still on the tour.
Check in for the cruise and have lunch. Cruise through Con Vit Islet, Thumb Islet, Gia Luan Harbor, and Lan Ha Bay. Drop anchor for some kayaking or swimming at Ba Trai Dao Beach or, depending on the weather, visit Dark Cave and Bright Cave.
As the sun sinks below the horizon, gather on the deck to enjoy the brilliant colors in the sky and relax with tea and coffee or learn how to make traditional Vietnamese spring rolls during a cooking demonstration. Make new friends at the sunset party or relax in the onboard.
After dinner, enjoy a large selection of cocktails at the panoramic bar or play board games, watch a movie, or go squid fishing
Day 3 Lan Ha Bay - Ha Long Bay - Hanoi
Start your day with an early morning Tai Chi session on the deck to focus the mind and condition the body. Enjoy a light breakfast while taking in stunning views of the bay and its dramatic limestone islets.
We will provided one of 2 options at below (depending one of our cruise will do one option activities at below)
Option 1: Sail through the calm emerald waters to Ao Ech for a kayaking trip and swimming.
Option 2: will visit the Trung Trang Cave on Cat Ba Island
After exploring the caves, enjoy some Vietnamese cuisine for lunch. Disembark from the cruise and take a speedboat back to Tuan Chau Marina before heading back to your accommodation in Hanoi.
11:30 Check out the cruise and bus come to pick-up and transfer back to Hanoi
14:30-15:00 The bus will drop off at Hanoi Old Quarter, the end trip at Hanoi Old Quarter
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Hanoi, Vietnam
Sunday 14 July
The tour drops us back to Hanoi Boutique and Spa at about 3pm.
Night market near hotel? As its only on Friday-Sunday evenings.
Monday 15 July
Breakfast at hotel
We are checking out this morn and flying to Da Nang.
Car takes us to airport from hotel.
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Hội An, Vietnam
Monday 15 July
The hotel is sending a car to pick us up from Da Nang airport and take us to our hotel at An Bang beach near Hoi An, called the Aira Boutique Hoi An Hotel & Villa (see link below).
Arrive at hotel, settle in and relax. Dinner at one of the beach bars?
Tuesday 16 July
Breakfast is included at hotel.
Need to do some laundry.
Taxi into Hoi An and go to the tailors and organise clothes to be made?
Walk around Hoi An old town.
Wednesday 17 July
Breakfast at hotel.
Relax day - at hotel pool and at beach.
Could go do coconut boat experience if we feel like it.
Thursday 18 July
Flying to Singapore today!
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Singapore, Singapore
Thursday 18 July (Tap to see full Singapore itinerary))
Arrive in Singapore at
Friday 19 July
Breakfast at hotel.
Take taxi to Gardens by the Bay
Explore Chinatown nearby and have lunch.
Sentosa sensory scape (outdoor free light experience) at night?
Saturday 20 July
Breakfast at hotel.
Day to relax and explore Sentosa Island (where our hotel is).
Could go to waterpark? Could do ziplining or luge.
could just lie around in hotel pool and use hotel gym...
Could go to universal studios ...
Sunday 21 July
heading home today!
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Auckland, New Zealand