Day
1: Highlights 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 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 Hue
We spend the morning cruising the beautiful bay.
In the afternoon, we drive back to Hanoi to catch
a flight south to Hue, Vietnam’s cultural
capital. We enjoy a cultural show with dinner.
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 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
7: Hoi An to Nha Trang
In the morning, we continue south to the beach
city of Nha Trang, passing through the attractive
beach towns of Song Cau and Dai Lanh along the
way where we might have time for a swim.
Day
8: Boat Cruise Around the Islands of 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. We return to Nha Trang for the night.
Day
9: Nha Trang to Mui Ne
We leave Nha Trang for the beautiful coastal
region of Mui Ne, near Phan Thiet, stopping
at the strange stone formations of Ca Na
Beach on the way. At Mui Ne, we explore
the huge sand dunes before leaving some
free time for relaxing on the beach. Dinner
and overnight at a resort in Mui Ne.
Day
10: Mui Ne to Saigon
In the morning, we enjoy some more free time at
what is undoubtedly Vietnam’s best beach.
After lunch, we head to the bright lights of Saigon,
our base for the next four nights.
Day
11: Classic Sights 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. Dinner and overnight in Saigon.
Day
12: 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 on board
a boat cruising on the Saigon River.
Day
13: 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 the calm pace of delta life.
Later we return to Saigon for dinner and
overnight.
Day
14: Shopping in Saigon
We leave guests free at leisure for last minute
shopping or sightseeing before transferring to
the airport.
