Day
1: Highlights of Hanoi
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 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. We stay the night onboard a luxury
junk in Halong Bay.
Day
3: Halong Bay to Hanoi and Hue
We spend the morning cruising the beautiful bay.
In the afternoon, we drive back to Hanoi to catch a
flight south to Hue, cultural
capital of Vietnam. We stay overnight in a central hotel.
Day
4: Classical 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
5: 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
6: Relaxing in Hoi An
As Hoi An is 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 or take a trip to the impressive
Cham site of My Son.
Day
7: Hoi An to Saigon
In the morning, we transfer to Danang for the
flight to Saigon. After checking in to the hotel,
we enjoy a city tour, including Reunification
Palace, the War Remnants Museum, and some of the
best examples of French architecture around the
city.
Day
8: Cao Dai Temple and Cu Chi Temples
We take a trip to the Cao Dai temple at
Tay Ninh and take part in a morning service
for this unique religion. 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
and overnight.
Day
9: Exploring the Mekong Delta We head into
the Mekong Delta region, a landscape of
lush greens. We take a boat trip on the
Mekong to visit some traditional islands
and see the calm pace of delta life. Later
we return to Saigon.
Day
10: At Leisure in Saigon
Free until departure.
