Day
1: Sights and Sounds of Hanoi
After transferring to the hotel, we take a tour
of Hanoi’s highlights, including the Mausoleum
of Ho Chi Minh, the One Pillar Pagoda and the
Temple of Literature. In the evening we enjoy
the famous water puppet show, an art form unique
to Vietnam.
Day
2: Hanoi's Old Quarter and on to Sapa
This morning, we delve into Hanoi’s bustling
Old Quarter, enjoying a full working tour of the
sights, sounds and smells. After lunch, we leave
the afternoon free for shopping and sightseeing
before boarding the night train to the northern
town of Lao Cai, gateway to Sapa.
Day
3: Trekking in Sapa
Waking up in the town of Lao Cai, we take
the mountain road to the old hill station
of Sapa, a centre for local minorities in
northern Vietnam. We enjoy a walk through
nearby valleys to local Hmong villages.
We return to Sapa for dinner.
Day
4: Sapa to Hanoi
We drive south towards Hanoi once more, stopping
at scenic villages and natural beauty spots along
the way. Dinner and overnight in Hanoi.
Day
5: Hanoi to Halong Bay
Today, we drive east to majestic Halong
Bay, meaning dragon descending into the
sea, one of nature’s wonders of the
world. We take a boat cruise around the
bay, exploring caves and beaches and enjoying
a lunch of fresh seafood. Dinner and overnight
onboard a traditional boat in Halong Bay.
Day
6: Cruising through Halong Bay
We continue to explore Halong Bay, trekking across
the largest island of Cat Ba through the tropical
rainforest of the national park. After this adventure,
we check into a local hotel on Cat Ba Island for
the night.
Day
7: Halong Bay to Hanoi
We take a hydrofoil to the coastal city of Haiphong
before returning to Hanoi to connect with a soft
sleeper bed on the night train to the cultural
capital of Hue in central Vietnam.
Day
8: Classic Hue
We explore Hue in depth, enjoying a morning boat
cruise on the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda,
a symbol of the city. We also visit the tomb of
Emperor Ming Mang. After lunch, we enter the citadel,
enclosing the old Imperial Palace and Forbidden
Purple City.
Day
9: Hue to Hoi An
We leave Hue, pausing at Lang Co lagoon
before crossing the mighty Hai Van pass
on the way to Danang. After lunch in Danang,
we visit the impressive Cham Museum, home
to the best sculpture in the country. In
the afternoon, we arrive in the charming
town of Hoi An, where we take a tour of
the historic pagodas, houses and bridges.
Dinner and overnight in Hoi An.
Day
10: Relaxing in Hoi An
As Hoi An is undoubtedly one of the most charming
towns in all of Vietnam, we leave today free for
soaking up the atmosphere of the streets. Guests
can shop til they drop, pedal to Cua Dai beach
for a swim or take an optional excursion to the
impressive Cham site of My Son.
Day
11: Hoi An to Qui Nhon
In the morning, we continue south to the coastal
city of Qui Nhon, stopping to visit several important
Cham towers along the way, as well as the moving
site of the My Lai Massacre near the town of Quang
Ngai. Dinner and overnight in Qui Nhon.
Day
12: Qui Nhon to Nha Trang
We make for the beach city of Nha Trang, passing
through the attractive beach towns of Song Cau
and Dai Lanh along the way. After lunch, we visit
the Po Ngar Cham towers and the Long Son pagoda,
or guests can relax on what is often said to be
the best beach in southern Vietnam. Dinner and
overnight in Nha Trang.
Day
13: Boat Cruise Around Nha Trang
We enjoy a boat trip to the islands off the coast
of Nha Trang, offering the chance for swimming,
snorkelling and glimpses of traditional fishing
villages. We have a fresh seafood lunch aboard
the boat before returning for dinner and overnight
in Nha Trang.
Day
14: Nha Trang to Dalat
We leave Nha Trang for the lush hill station
of Dalat in the central highlands of Vietnam.
We follow the coast south to Phan Rang,
stopping to visit the well-preserved Cham
towers of Thap Cham, before climbing upwards
into the mountains over the Ngoan Muc Pass.
We explore Dalat city in the late afternoon
before enjoying dinner and overnight in
this elevated town.
Day
15: Exploring Dalat
We visit a romantic lake, a popular waterfall
and ethnic minority village in the Dalat area,
before returning to town for lunch. The afternoon
is free to explore at leisure. Dinner and overnight
in Dalat.
Day
16: Dalat to Saigon
Today we move south to the big city of Saigon,
descending from the central highlands to the plains
below, passing through impressive mountain scenery
and active rubber plantations. We arrive in Saigon
late afternoon and check into our hotel for the
next four nights.
Day
17: The Best of Saigon
After waking up in Saigon, we enjoy a city tour,
which includes the Reunification Palace, the War
Remnants Museum, and some of the best examples
of French architecture around the city such as
the post office and city hall. We also take a
look at some of the most popular markets in the
city, including chaotic Cholon, Saigon’s
Chinatown. Dinner and overnight in Saigon.
Day
18: Cao Dai Temple and Cu Chi Tunnels
We take a trip to the Cao Dai temple at
Tay Ninh and take part in a morning service
for this unique religion that blends most
other world beliefs in one. After lunch,
we head underground at the Cu Chi Tunnels,
an incredible complex of passages dug by
the Vietnamese to avoid American patrols
and bombs. We return to Saigon for dinner
on board a boat cruising on the Saigon River.
Day
19: Exploring the Mekong Delta
We head into the Mekong Delta region, a landscape
of lush greens. From the riverside town of Mytho,
we take a boat trip on the mighty river to visit
some traditional islands and absorb the calm pace
of delta life. Later we return to Saigon for dinner
and overnight.
Day
20: Shopping in Saigon
We leave guests free at leisure for last minute
shopping or sightseeing before transferring to
the airport.
