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

Overnight in Hanoi.

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. After dedicating his life to the liberation of his country from foreign rule, Ho Chi Minh died in 1969 and his body was preserved for posterity. Every October the mausoleum is closed for a month and Uncle Ho is given a bit of a spruce up! Then wander the grounds to see the one pillar pagoda and the presidential palace. Next, visit the 11th century relic, the Temple of Literature, which was built in homage to the Chinese scholar Confucius.

In the afternoon start with the Museum of Ethnology that is widely acknowledged as the best in the country, with an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority people. Take a breezy cyclo ride through the Old Quarter’s 36 streets, named for the products that were sold from their shops. Today, vendors on Tin and Bamboo Streets still sell the same wares. Next, is the Ngoc Son temple set on a tiny island on the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake and how it got its name from a legend of an emperor, a magic sword and a giant turtle! End your day with a delightful water puppet show, a traditional art that is still being performed today.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Leave the noise of the city behind as you board your traditional junk boat and set sail through UNESCO World Heritage Halong Bay. Admire the endless islands and jungle-clad limestone pillars as you sit down to a delicious lunch and a cruise briefing. Pass by the distinctive formations of Chicken Rock, Finger Islet and Frog Islet on your way to  South East Halong Bay.

In the afternoon, visit the aptly named ‘Surprise Cave’ and admire the stunning stalagmites and stalactites. There is plenty of time to relax on the junk’s sun deck, take advantage of the Spa services and sip a cocktail or two, before a cooking demonstration in the evening. Learn to create traditional Vietnamese dishes with the boat’s own chef and try more delicacies at dinner. Later, take the opportunity to try your hand at squid fishing before the day is done!

Overnight Cruise in Halong Bay.

Wake early to start your day with Tai Chi on the sundeck, as the sun rises over the bay.  After a light breakfast, visit Bright and Dark Cave by rowing boat or in a kayak. Enjoy a final extravagant brunch before sailing back to the harbour, where you will continue to on Hanoi.

Free at your time till transfer you to the train station for night train to Lao Cai.

Train Hanoi – Lao Cai – sharing cabin.

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

Explore the valleys of Sapa with a trek that takes you to visit the Tay minority and the Red Dao. Drive to Su Pan, the starting point of your trek and commence your walk downhill through picturesque mountain scenery. Stop for a chat with the Tay people of Ban Ho village and see their houses built on stilts. Then cross the suspension bridge over the river and enjoy lunch in a local home where you will get a peek into the daily lives of the people. After lunch, walk through the rice terraces to a Red Dao village for a cup of tea and chat before looping back around to Ban Ho village and walking uphill to Su Pan where the car will be waiting for you and drive back Sapa.

Overnight in Sapa.

Start this half-day walking tour by visiting the rustic village of Suoi Ho. Take a stroll through its sleepy streets and get a glimpse of village life.

Later, enjoy views of the stunning countryside as you walk along the Suoi Ho River, en-route to the second village of Ma Tra. Soak in its vibrant culture and visit its quaint Christian church before being picked up by car and returning to Sapa Town.

Lunch at local restaurant.

Free at your time till transfer to railway station for night train back Hanoi.

Train Lao Cai – Hanoi/ sharing cabin.

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

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

Afternoon, 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.

Day at leisure and overnight in Hoi An.

Day at leisure and overnight in Hoi An.

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

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.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Leave the city behind this morning as you travel about two hours to reach Cai Be, a gateway to the Mekong Delta. Then hop aboard a small boat and travel along the winding waterways to take a peek into life on the water. Stop off at Dong Phu and An Binh where you will see small home-based factories that produce oil, matting, candy and even wine from coconuts! Then visit an old French colonial house that is more than 150 years old. After a quick stop for lunch, hop aboard another boat that will take you to the ferry hub of Vinh Long and then drive to Can Tho arriving in the late afternoon.

It’s an early start to the day as you go by boat the daily floating market of Can Tho. Experience the flurry of vendors trading their wares as boats teeming with fruit, vegetables and household goods ply the waters. Then it’s off to Chau Doc, a sleepy riverside border town, about three hours by road.

Enjoy lunch before taking a visit Chau Doc in the afternoon.

This afternoon drive approximately 20kms from Chau Doc to Tra Su Forest and travel by sampan through endless waterways flanked by mangroves and lush greenery. This eco reserve spans 850 hectares and is an ecological haven for fauna and flora, with more than 100 species of water birds and colonies of bats. The best time to visit Tra Su is from September to November when the water is high, although it is accessible all year round. On the way to the forest you will visit a small village of ethnic Khmer, where you will learn about the importance of Buddhism in the community and have the opportunity to chat with monks at the local monastery.

The Mekong Delta is a land of winding waterways, lush paddy fields and floating markets where life is governed by the ebb and flow of Vietnam’s most iconic river. Today wake early and cruise aboard a small boat to Chau Doc’s famous floating market. Drawing traders and farmers from the surrounding countryside watch as fruits, vegetables and fish are bought and sold en mass. Continue past the floating fish farms on your way to a local Cham Village, where you will hear the story of one of Vietnam’s most fascinating peoples. After return to your boat and continue cruising towards the iconic Sam Mountain, passing along the fascinating Vinh Te Canal built from 1819 to 1823 by Emperors Gia Long and Minh Mang from the Nguyen Dynasty. Arrive at the banks of Sam Mountain and visit two of the iconic temples that draw pilgrims from miles around. Finish with lunch at the beautiful Nui Sam Lodge, with spectacular panoramic views of the countryside below.

Drive around six hours to be back Ho Chi Minh.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

This morning free at your leisure time then departure back Ho Chi Minh city for your flight leaving Vietnam.