Hanoi, Halong Bay & Ho Chi Minh City
The mesmerising sights and sounds of South-East Asia’s most exciting country brought to life on an enthralling, tremendous-value journey.
One of the world’s "must-see-now" destinations waits to welcome you. Vietnam is a land of stunning scenery, sparkling beaches, and fascinating, colourful cities filled with history, charm and an overwhelming sense of a bright future. Discover enchanting Hanoi, Halong Bay’s eye-popping vistas, Imperial Hué and scintillating Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon. With the verdant Mekong Delta and a host of unforgettable experiences included, this is a perfect introduction to a wonderful place.
Highlights
- Discover Hanoi, Vietnam’s compact, charming, colonial capital
- Enjoy a Welcome Dinner
- A visit to a food market in Thuy Bien followed by a cookery class
- Meet a Vietnamese War Veteran
- Spend a night on a traditional junk cruising stunning Halong Bay
- Take an overnight train to Imperial city Hué
- Stay in UNESCO-listed, riverside Hoi An
- Enjoy a cookery class and demonstrations
- Learn the secrets of kung fu from a Grand Master
- Visit the ruined My Son Sanctuary
- Discover Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam's vibrant, energetic capital
- See the infamous Cu Chi tunnel complex
- Explore the Mekong Delta by boat and visit picturesque Ben Tré
Inclusions
- 11 nights’ accommodation, including 9 nights' bed and breakfast, one night on the sleeper train and one night on the cruise ship, plus two nights on the aircraft
- An overnight sleeper train from Hanoi to Hué
- 9 lunches, 1 brunch , 2 dinners
- Return flights to Hanoi (returning from Ho Chi Minh City)
- An internal flight from Danang to Ho Chi Minh City
- Comfortable, air-conditioned coach travel throughout
- Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour managers
Day 1
Fly overnight on Singapore Airlines from the UK to Hanoi, via Singapore.
Day 2
Meet your tour manager as you arrive in Vietnam, and transfer into elegant, romantic Hanoi, for a two-night stay. Spend the rest of the day relaxing after your journey, or take the opportunity to enjoy an optional walking tour through the city's Old Quarter – the labyrinthine 36 Streets – and their colourful and enticing food markets.
Enjoy a Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant this evening.
Day 3
This morning, join your guide for a wonderful introduction to the Vietnamese capital, its colonial architecture, tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake and island sanctuary the Ngoc Son Temple. Stop in a traditional Vietnamese coffee shop, and crown a fascinating tour with a visit to historic Hoa Lo prison, where you will meet Vietnam War Veteran, Nguyen Hong My. Hear about his days as a fighter pilot and his extraordinary reconciliation with a former American foe.
After a traditional lunch in the Old Quarter, visit the fascinating Temple of Literature, see the city’s famous railway tracks, which run perilously close to houses, and end your day in this delightful, friendly city by sampling some street-food specialities, washed down with a local beer, before returning to the hotel.
Day 4
Today you’ll journey through the timeless paddies to the Gulf of Tonkin, and board a traditional junk for an overnight cruise through stunning, UNESCO-listed Halong Bay. Here, countless limestone pillars and cone-shaped islands, home to floating villages and pearl-fishermen, and fringed by some exquisite beaches, rise out of the water in a spectacular seascape. On board your vessel you’ll enjoy a delicious lunch and dinner, the chance to swim or kayak, a sunset party and even the chance (weather permitting) to try night fishing for squid.
Day 5
Early risers can watch a spectacular sunrise over Halong Bay and join a Tai Chi class, this morning. After a relaxed breakfast on board, and a guided visit to the beautiful Thien Canh Son cave, you'll enjoy a cookery demonstration and a last lunch on board, before you return to Hanoi to board the Viollete Express overnight train to Hué, an exciting, 600-kilometre journey south with accommodation in a comfortable shared cabin.
Day 6
Awake to the timeless sight of the Vietnamese countryside passing by your window, and upon arrival in Hué transfer to a local restaurant for breakfast before checking into your overnight hotel. Later this morning, board a dragon boat for a cruise on the Perfume River, and visits to the historic Thien Mu Pagoda and a local eco-village. A highlight of your day will be the chance to shop in a colourful market for the ingredients to some traditional dishes, which you will later prepare and cook under the watchful eye of a local chef!
This afternoon, visit the restored tomb of emperors Tu Duc or Khai Dinh, before returning to the hotel for the evening.
Day 7
This morning, you'll explore the UNESCO-listed, restored Imperial Citatel of the Nyugen Dynasty, the cultural and religious centre of Vietnam until 1945, and site of fierce fighting between the US and Vietcond during 1968's infamous Tet Offensive.
Afterwards, bid farewell to Hué, and board the coach for the scenic journey along Highway 1, crossing over dramatic Hai Van Pass and dropping down to historic Danang, where the Cham Museum boasts the world’s largest collection of the Champa kingdom's artwork and sculptures. Continue on, past the Marble Mountains and some stunning coastal lagoons and beaches, to ancient port town Hoi An. Once here, enjoy your first evening in this tranquil, friendly town, famed for its iconic Japanese Covered Bridge.
Day 8
Pay an early visit to Hoi An's colourful Central Market, today, as traders prepare their stalls. A wonderful morning will also include a drink overlooking the river, and visits to a local family, who will teach you the craft of lantern making, and to Vietnamese Kung Fu Grand Master Tran Xuan Man, who will demonstrate the martial art and welcome you into his family home in the Old Quarter.
Lunch will be taken at a traditional noodle restaurant, and you'll then be free to spend the rest of the day exloring charming Hoi An at your own pace.
Day 9
Spend a relaxing day soaking up the atmosphere of ancient Hoi An, perhaps heading to its idyllic beach or wandering the shops and stalls of the town. Alternatively, head out of the town on an optional tour by bike, quickly entering the timeless landscape of rice paddies and vegetable farms that surround the city. During the ride you’ll stop to meet local families engaged in traditional crafts, including mat-weaving and rice-wine production, and will return to Hoi An with a vivid impression of rural Vietnamese life today.
Day 10
Bidding farewell to Hoi An, this morning, you’ll head west into the lush jungle. Here the extraordinary ruined Hindu temples of My Son, await discovery. These UNESCO-protected sanctuaries are among the most important religious sites in Southeast Asia, rivalling Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. Wander past the remaining temples, marvelling at the ingenuity of the Cham builders of a thousand years ago.
Later, transfer to Da Nang Airport for the short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Your guide will be waiting to meet you as you arrive in this city, once known as Saigon, and transfer to your hotel for the next three nights to enjoy your first evening here relaxing.
Day 11
Today begins with a visit to the remarkable Cu Chi tunnel complex, part of an underground labyrinth that was used by the Vietcong, and which now serves as a poignant memorial to the conflict. Heading back into "HCMC", you’ll enjoy a guided tour of the city to discover its fascinating mix of French colonial past and modern Vietnamese culture. Highlights will include the grand General Post Office, Reunification Hall, the Xa Loi Pagoda with its bronze Buddha and (time permitting) the War Remnants Museum. A light lunch is included today, and the evening is once again free.
Day 12
On today's hugely enjoyable final included tour you’ll travel into the iconic landscape of the Mekong Delta, crossing the futuristic Rach Mieu Bridge to visit the languid delta of town Ben Tré. Take a boat trip into the scenic surroundings and enjoy visits to local craftspeople and a coconut workshop, before enjoying lunch in a riverside restaurant. Afterwards, return to Ho Chi Minh City for a last opportunity to explore this captivating city.
Day 13
Enjoy a lazy breakfast and morning before transferring to a local restaurant for a farewell lunch and the chance to reminisce about the past two weeks’ wonders. From here you'll head to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, where you'll check in for your overnight flight home, via Singapore.
Day 14
You arrive back in the UK, today, at the end of a wonderful Vietnamese adventure.
