Highlights of Vietnam

Xin Chao and welcome to the traditional and cultural heart of Vietnam, Hanoi.  Upon arrival to Noi Bai airport, our representative will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel for check-in and refreshment.

Meals: No meals

Accommodation: Peridot Grand Hotel & Spa

Start your morning by diving into the history of Hanoi by visiting Vietnam’s first university, Quoc Tu Giam, otherwise known as the Temple of Literature. Afterwards, visit the iconic one pillar pagoda and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a monument and tribute to Ho Chi Minh, the “uncle” of modern Vietnam, as well as his preserved stilt house and a small museum dedicated to his life. The mausoleum is closed every October and November, as well as every Monday and Friday throughout the year.

Join a cooking class at Koto Training Restaurant, a social enterprise dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty faced by many youths in the city, empowering them by training them in the culinary arts and hospitality training.

Then, explore around Hoan Kiem Lake by visiting Ngọc Sơn Temple and viewing the “Turtle Tower”.

Finish the tour in the labyrinth of streets dubbed the “Old Quarter”, famous to international guests and locals alike due to its propensity for its chaotic but photogenic and charming nature.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Peridot Grand Hotel & Spa

Leave the hustle and bustle of Hanoi and journey 2 hours south to the quaint countryside town of Ninh Binh. This area has recently risen to fame as it was used for the shooting of the Hollywood blockbuster hit “Kong: Skull Island” in 2017.

Ninh Binh is well-known to locals for its lush valleys, mysterious grottoes and craggy karst limestone formations, and is often referred to as “Halong Bay on Land”. Take a romantic boat ride through dreamy Van Long, enjoying the beautiful landscapes and unique rowing techniques.

Lunch at a local restaurant before joining taking the 500 stairs to the top of Hang Mua, a picturesque mountainside spot with a cave and beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding area, dotted with karst mountains and sparkling rice fields.

Continue east to the jewel of Vietnam’s crown, Halong Bay, and check into the Novotel Halong Bay Hotel. 

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Novotel Ha Long Bay

Check into your overnight cruise cabin this morning to experience the Gulf of Tonkin in all her glory. Activities include cooking demonstrations, a visit to a floating fishing village, kayaking and swimming, depending on the boat’s itinerary and weather.

At the end of the day, the boat will anchor while guests enjoy the cocktail happy hour and fresh seafood dinner. Try your hand at squid fishing in the evening or perhaps watch a film or stargaze before retiring to your cabin for a restful sleep.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Bhaya Classic Cruise

Good Morning Vietnam from the middle Halong Bay! Start the morning with some tai chi on the sundeck as the sun rises, and munch on a light breakfast before participating in a cave visit.

Brunch will be served after the cave tour, giving you more time to savor the views as the boat gently glides through the incredible rock formations towards the dock.

Transfer to Noi Bai Airport for a short 80-minute flight to the charming city of Hoi An.

Check into your hotel and enjoy a free evening as the city comes alive with glowing lanterns while children offer tourists paper lanterns to set into the river to make a wish for $1. The smell of street food wafting along the alleys will tempt you to try every central province dish that is on display, particularly Banh Bao Vac, a type of secret recipe dumpling, or the delicious Vietnamese wontons.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Lasenta Boutique Hotel Hoi An

After breakfast, explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hoi An Ancient Town. Hoi An is a very cute and well-preserved town, known for its importance in Vietnam’s history as a major port city from the 15th to 19th century.

Join a lantern-making workshop in the morning with your family to create the iconic symbol of Hoi An. Then, let a walking tour through the ancient town of wooden Chinese shops to grand French colonial houses, traditional Vietnamese “tube” houses and the iconic Japanese covered bridge enchant you.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Lasenta Boutique Hotel Hoi An

Explore another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Central Vietnam this morning, Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary.

Mỹ Sơn is a group of ruins from the ancient Cham Empire which existed in Vietnam between the 4^th and 13^th centuries. The complex is a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples dedicated to the god Shiva.

After our visit, return to Hoi An and enjoy the rest of your time free at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Lasenta Boutique Hotel Hoi An

Drive up the sun-drenched coastline of Vietnam along one of the country’s most famous roads, the Hải Vân – Ocean Cloud Pass to the ancient imperial capital of Hue, stopping along the way at Linh Ung Pagoda to admire the impressive panoramic views of cliffs, beaches, lagoons, and the sea.

Upon arrival to Hue, enjoy a delicious lunch and check into the hotel before visiting Thien Mu Pagoda and the tomb of Emperor Ming Mang, closely resembling that of Chinese architecture, sporting impressive buildings surrounded by picturesque landscape including lakes, gardens, flowers and trees.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Eldora Hotel

Dive further into the history of Vietnam by visiting the ancient citadel by bicycle plus two additional tombs of emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last family to rule Vietnam before the French colonial takeover. Although the ancient citadel was badly damaged by the Vietnamese-American War, it is still possible to catch a glimpse of what used to exist here hundreds of years ago in the Forbidden Purple City.

Compare and contrast the tombs of Emperor Tu Duc and Emperor Khai Dinh, one constructed from 1864-1867 with a landscape dominated by a large lake and rustic architecture while the other designed as a hybrid of European and Vietnamese beauty standards.

Transfer to Hue Airport for a short evening flight of 1 hour and 30 minutes to the modern, cosmopolitan city of Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Liberty Central Saigon Citypoint Hotel

After breakfast, journey 1.5 hours north of Ho Chi Minh City to experience one of the most powerful symbols of the city and its recent history, the Cu Chi Tunnels.

The tunnels were built during the Vietnam – American war by North Vietnamese troops to combat better-supplied American and South Vietnamese forces. The tunnels were used by soldiers to run supplies and missions and in addition housed living quarters, hospitals, booby traps, and storage facilities for the Viet Cong.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City and hop on the back of a Vespa to explore colonial Saigon on the back of a Vespa with stops at the photogenic Old Saigon Post Office, Ben Thanh Market, Dong Khoi Street (formerly known as Rue Catinat), the Continental House, City Hall, and of course, the Opera House.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Liberty Central Saigon Citypoint Hotel

Settle in for a 2-hour car ride this morning to the small town of Ben Tre where we will board our day- cruise to explore the Mekong River Delta, the rice bowl of Asia. Enjoy the landscapes of fertile fields showcasing Vietnam’s natural riches and resources of lush, bright green rice paddies on board the boat while snapping photos of the maze of rivers, mangroves, islands, and swamps.

End the Mekong discovery with a trip on a  sampan, a smaller traditional rowing boat, to better explore the narrow waterways of the Mekong tributaries.

Return to your Saigon hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Liberty Central Saigon Citypoint Hotel

Breakfast and discover the city at leisure until your transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your onward booked transportation.

Meals: Breakfast