Welcome to Vietnam!

Upon arrival, your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel.

Overnight  in Ho Chi Minh.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel and driven to the city’s Central Post Office, which was designed by the renowned French architect Gustav Eiffel.

Next, stroll toward the Saigon River along Dong Khoi Street, which figured prominently in Graham Greene’s famous Vietnam novel, The Quiet American, to the Saigon Opera House, a commanding building completed in 1901. Shelled during World War II, it was used to shelter French citizens fleeing North Vietnam in 1954, the year Vietnam earned its independence from France.

The tour continues with a stop at the Reunification Palace, where a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates in 1975 to end a war that killed an estimated 58,000 Americans and three million Vietnamese. You will also visit the War Remnants Museum, where Vietnam’s government has assembled presentations – some of them graphic – of wartime hardships and atrocities.

Continue with a visit to Tan Dinh church and nearby Tan Dinh market. Tan Dinh church is a complete contrast to traditional Notre Dame Cathedral, but equally impressive with it’s high steeple and distinctive pink design. It is one of the most beautiful and unique churches in Ho Chi Minh city with its dazzling architecture and sculpture patterns and inside is just as dramatic. Wrap up your day with a wander through the vibrant Tan Dinh market next door, where you can haggle for a bargain.

Overnight  in Ho Chi Minh.

Leave Ho Chi Minh City behind as you drive about 2 hours to the Mekong Delta town of Cai Be. Hop aboard a small boat to take a trip around the floating market. Though it is not nearly as busy and crowded as day’s past, you might still spot locals tossing watermelons or pineapple between their boats! Continue cruising along the maze of canals to Vinh Long, stopping at the home of a gardener to see the delicate craft of bonsai, as well as handicraft villages to see local artisans at work. Hop back on board the boat to explore more of the waterways before returning to Ho Chi Minh City later in the afternoon.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight.

Flight Ho Chi Minh – Hoi An

Upon arrival, your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel.

 Begin your tour of Hoi An, a former trading port that welcomed Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab merchants between the 16th to 18th centuries. Today Hoi An is famous for its restored architecture, homemade silk, expert tailors and delicious noodles and seafood. Its relaxed vibe and pedestrian streets make this town a pleasure to walk around and discover new things.

The tour includes stops at several famous landmarks. The first is Chua Ong Pagoda, dating back to 1653 and built in honor of the Chinese general Quan Cong, who is worshipped by many as a symbol of loyalty and justice.

Next, pop into Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, to see the Jinshang Temple which is dedicated to the goddess of the sea and the protector of sailors. From there it’s a short walk to Tan Ky House, a 200 year old ancestral house and finally, stroll across the often photographed 17th century covered bridge built by Japanese craftsmen. The beautifully built bridge doubles as a temple and is a major landmark of Hoi An. End your afternoon with a boat trip along Thu Bon river.

Overnight in Hoi An.

This morning visit the local produce market before cruising along the Thu Bon River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. Here you will tour the school’s herb gardens and enjoy an informal cooking lesson. Your chef will explain the secrets of popular Hoi An specialties. The town is famous for dishes like Cao Lau, a medley of a yellow noodles, pork slices and pickled hot peppers, and Mi Quang, a noodle dish featuring boiled quails eggs and chunks of baked rice cakes.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Drive about two and a half hours along the scenic Hai Van Pass to the former imperial city of Hue. This stretch of road is arguably the prettiest coastal drive in all of Vietnam! Nestled against the banks of the Perfume River, Hue has had an interesting history. Explore the elaborate tombs belonging to past emperors and see the mausoleum of the former emperor Minh Mang in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes, and walk around the Imperial Citadel the seat of power for the Nguyen dynasty.

Overnight in Hue.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight.

Flight Hue – Hanoi

Upon arrival, your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel.

Start your afternoon with a visit to an 11th century relic, the Temple of Literature, which was built in homage to the Chinese scholar Confucius. At almost 1,000 years old, it’s one of the few remaining examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture still standing in Hanoi. Next, is the Ngoc Son temple set on a tiny island on the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake. The temple is reached by crossing the Huc Bridge which literally means the ‘Place Touched by Morning Sunbeams. Hear the legend of an emperor, a magic sword and a giant turtle, and how the lake took its name.

Take a breezy cyclo ride through the Old Quarter’s 36 streets, a place where Hanoians buy everything from noodles to light fixtures to Buddha statues. The quarter’s 36 streets were named for the products that were sold from their shops. Today, vendors on Tin and Bamboo Streets still sell the same wares. End you day with a delightful water puppet show, a traditional art that is still being performed today.

Hanoi – Lao Cai

Take an overnight train journey from Hanoi to the border town of Lao Cai and the gateway to Sapa.

Train Hanoi – Lao Cai/ soft sleeper sharing cabin

This morning the train reaches Lao Cai station, the last stop on the line, very early in the morning. From here, it’s about a one hour drive through the winding mountain roads to reach Sapa. At1650m above sea level, this quaint town is full of scenic landscapes, rice terraces, and colourful ethnic minority groups. Later, take a short trek for stunning views and to meet many of the ethnic minorities that live in the area.

Overnight in Sapa.

Note: Please ensure you have sturdy and comfortable walking shoes as mountain trails can become slippery in wet weather

Today, walk up to the top of Ham Rong Mountain for great panoramic views over Sapa and hear the myth and legends behind the mountains name. On the way you will pass by flowers in bloom, orchid farms, interesting caves and rock formations. Later, travel out of town to the start point of your walk to Ta Phin, home to the distinctive Dao (pronounced Zao) community. Take a stroll through the village and surrounding area, stopping to chat to locals along the way. Then head to Lao Cai station for the overnight train back to Hanoi.

Train Lao Cai – Hanoi/ soft sleeper sharing cabin

Upon arrival, your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel for take a shower and breakfast at standard hotel.

Depart from Hanoi and travel by shuttle bus to the Tuan Chau Island pier in Halong Bay. Set off on Aphrodite Cruise, where you’ll be pampered in style and comfort whilst meandering through the towering limestone cliffs and emerald green waters of Halong Bay. Stop to explore the inner workings of a cave and discover the bizarrely shaped stalagmite and stalactite formations there. Take part in a professional cooking demonstration before indulging in a luxurious dinner in the dining hall. Spend the rest of the evening as you’d like: watch a movie in the dining area, relax on the deck with a cocktail, or go squid fishing under the cover of night. Overnight Cruise in Halong Bay.

Please note:Your transfer is with a driver only, who may have limited English skills. Should you need any assistance please ask the driver to call the office.

Rise with the sun and practice the ancient art of Tai Chi on the sundeck while taking in majestic views of the surrounding bay and the cool sea breeze. Wrap up your experience with a visit to Titop island for swimming and an incredible view over the Bay from the mountain. This incredible open grotto offers the chance to see stalactites up close with the light of the morning sun. Spend your last few hours drifting through the bay as you enjoy a scrumptious brunch buffet en route to the main port, and then onwards to Hanoi, arriving mid-afternoon.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Please note:Itinerary subject to change or cancellation due to weather conditions.

Begin the morning with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and hear about the man who led Vietnam’s campaign for independence from French colonial rule. See the One Pillar Pagoda built by an emperor to honour the goddess of mercy. Built over a pretty lotus pond this small pagoda is rumoured to have healing powers. The afternoon is free to do whatever you choose!

Overnight in Hanoi.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight.

Flight Hanoi – Luang Prabang

Arrive Luang Prabang and settle into the laid back pace of this charming town. The white-washed temples and stupas with their golden spires are a sight to behold. Start with a visit to Wat Xieng Thong, one of the largest and most decorative temples, and Wat Mai, with its beautiful gilded façade. Next, climb 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi and enjoy panoramic views of the city as the sun sets.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Rise early to the sound of the temple gong and witness Luang Prabang’s mystical daily ritual. In the cool of the early morning, a procession of about three hundred young monks walk silently by, collecting sticky rice and other foods in their bronze bowls. The ritual is linked to a Buddhist tradition in which monks beg for their daily food as a way to demonstrate humility. Giving alms an important religious act in Buddhism and it must be carried out respectfully by locals and tourists alike.

If you would like to be involved in the offering of food, your guide will be more than happy to show you the best way to interact with monks. Watch as the monks disappear down the road in a long, saffron-coloured ribbon. Feel free to take photos, however please use discretion and refrain from using your flash. Later, grab your swimsuit and take a short drive to the stunning Kuang Si Waterfall. The falls cascade over many calcified tiers and down several hundred feet into a series of cool, turquoise pools.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Hop aboard your boat and cruise the orange coloured waters of the Mekong River. The Pak Ou Caves or known locally as Tham Thin, sit at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers. As you pass along the river you will see daily life. Then make a short stop to a local village to see weaving on ancient wooden looms. 

The Pak Ou Caves consist of two limestone caves that have become shrines to devotees of Buddhism. For hundreds of years, followers have come to the caves to pray and make merit, by leaving behind a statue of Buddha. Nowadays, the caves are jammed packed with statues big and small with more being added each year. Take a short walk from the caves to a nearby village where you will have lunch, before cruising downstream back to Luang Prabang early afternoon.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight.