Itinerary in brief:
- 3 nights Hanoi
- 1 night Halong Bay
- 2 nights Hue
- 2 nights Hoi An
- 4 nights Ninh Van Bay
- 1 night Ho Chi Minh City
- 1 night Ben Tre
- 1 night Ho Chi Minh City
Day 1: Depart UK
Depart the UK from your chosen airport.
Included: International flights
Day 2: Arrive Hanoi
On arrival in Hanoi, you will be met and driven to your hotel, where you’ll check in for two nights.
Included: Breakfast, transfers, 4* hotel
Day 3: Hanoi
After breakfast you’ll enjoy a half day tour of the city, beginning with a visit to the famous Temple of Literature. Wandering around this 1,000-year-old compound, you’ll get a glimpse into the past when it served as a university and temple. Next, you’ll wander through the Old Quarter, where the narrow streets are alive with traditional Vietnamese life. Continue through Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake, snapping photos and chatting with locals as you go.
In the afternoon, you’ll visit the fascinating Ethnology Museum as well as the highly acclaimed Vietnam Women’s Museum. Both are an amazing way to gain insight into the lives of Vietnamese women and their traditions. Finish your day with a water puppet show – a uniquely Vietnamese art form, depicting the scenes from rural life and national history.
Included: Breakfast, touring, 4* hotel
Day 4: Ninh Binh
Today you’ll head out of the city to the rural idyll of Ninh Binh Province. One of the most beautiful parts of Vietnam, the lush limestone karsts and dramatic scenery have earned the area the nickname ‘Dry Halong Bay’. Spend the day taking a leisurely cycling trip around Tho Ha village, passing by peaceful communities and enjoying the rustic local landscapes. Try your hand at some agriculture, such as watering vegetables and catching crabs before tucking into a local lunch.
Board a little boat for a cruise along a small canal near the paddy fields before taking a short stroll to the Galaxy Cave. Inside the cave you can admire spectacular stalactites handing from the cave ceiling – it’s a breath-taking sight. Head back to the city – why not tuck into a delicious bowl of pho for dinner?
Included: Breakfast, touring, 4* hotel
Day 5: Travel to Halong Bay
After breakfast, you’ll leave Hanoi and be driven to Halong Bay, one of Vietnam’s most famous areas. On boarding your boat you’ll enjoy lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing on board, taking in the magical landscape as you sail through the green waters past the towering karst peaks.
In the evening you’ll have dinner on board under the stars before spending the night on the boat.
Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, touring, 4* boat
Day 6: Fly to Hue
The sun rising over Halong Bay is a beautiful sight to behold and this morning you can enjoy it while eating your breakfast as the boat cruises through the magnificent formations back towards the port. Head back to Hanoi Airport and catch a short flight to Hue.
On arrival, you’ll be driven to your hotel and check in for two nights.
Included: Breakfast, flights, transfers, 4* hotel
Day 7: Hue
Today you’ll enjoy a tour of Hue. Start at the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. You’ll take a cyclo journey travelling through Dai Noi “Old City” to Tinh Tam Lake where the Emperors used to come to relax. Surrounded by local coffee shops and covered by lotus flowers in the summer, the lake is a popular area for both locals and tourists alike.
Next, you’ll stop at Thien Mu (Celestial Lady) Pagoda which overlooks the Perfume River. Within the grounds of the pagoda you will find the Austin car made famous in 1963, when a resident monk drove it to Saigon to protest against the southern regime. A photo of this was captured and is one of the most well-known images of the war.
Tuck into a local lunch of Hue style cuisine. This afternoon, head to the tomb of the former emperor Minh Mang which is located in a tranquil setting of gardens and ponds. You will then journey onto Khai Dinh’s tomb which is a traditional Vietnamese design with a European touch, making it unique from other tombs in Hue.
Included: Breakfast, lunch, touring, 4* hotel
Day 8: Drive to Hoi An
After you’ve settled in, you’ll head out for a guided walking tour of the city, which you’ll soon discover has changed very little in the past 200 years, despite decades of war and weather. You’ll walk past wooden fronted houses, cross the Japanese-covered bridge and explore the wonderful market that sells silk, handicrafts and antiques.
Meander down the alleyways to a small house where you’ll learn about the art of healing through martial arts. This method is a combination of Qigong and Tai Chi – you’ll have the chance to learn some basic steps under the guidance of the master. Finish your day by visiting a cosy home to taste a Vietnamese dessert and meet some locals.
Included: Breakfast, touring, 4* hotel
Day 9: Hoi An
Aromatic plants have been used for thousands of years as a traditional remedy to enhance health and wellbeing. The ability of fragrances to affect emotion and mood has long been recognised in Asian cultures. Today you’ll spend the morning with an aromatherapy expert, learning how each smell and oil has a different use. Immerse yourselves in a peaceful and romantic atmosphere whilst you mix a one-of-a-kind essential oil.
The afternoon is yours to enjoy the pretty town of Hoi An. Why not stroll past the colourful lantern stalls or rent a bike and cycle into the countryside, where you can see rural life in action? However, you spend the day you’ll want to finish with a dish of cao dao - fat noodles, soft pork, crispy crackling and a handful of fresh herbs like lemon basil and coriander – delicious!
Included: 4* hotel, breakfast, touring
Day 10: Fly to Nha Trang
After breakfast, you’ll be taken to the airport in Danang for the short flight to Nha Trang. On arrival, you’ll be taken to the hotel and check in for four nights.
Included: Flights, transfers, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
Days 11 - 13: Nha Trang
You’ll be staying at the Six Senses Ninh Van Bay. This beautiful and luxurious hotel is perfect for a honeymoon. Sat on a dramatic bay, surrounded by huge rock formations and a backdrop of towering mountains, the hotel is only accessible by sea. You’ll be staying in the Hilltop Villa, with views over the ocean, set in the lush mountains above the resort. Enjoy an early morning swim in your private pool, relax in the hand crafted bath tub and indulge in a glass of wine from your own mini wine cellar.
Included: Breakfast, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
Day 14: Fly to Hoi Chi Minh City
Take an early brunch box before being taken to the airport for your early morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, you’ll drop off your bags and head off on a half day tour of the city. Visit Reunification Hall, formerly known as the Presidential Palace. It was this building that North Vietnamese tanks seized on the morning of 30th April 1975, as Saigon fell. This fascinating building is filled with history still fresh in the minds of many.
From here it’s a short stroll to the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City: the Old Saigon Post Office, Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), the Opera House and City Hall. Finish your tour at the War Remnants Museum where exhibition halls display imagery of both the French and ‘American’ wars.
The afternoon is yours to relax or explore further. In the evening, you ‘ll head to the Opera House to enjoy the AO show, a modern cultural show with a Vietnamese twist. This is an unforgettable performance displaying the finest Vietnamese heritage and culture through contemporary choreography and traditional music. You’ll be amazed by the stunning blend of acrobatic acts, dance and circus skills.
Included: Breakfast, transfers, flights, touring, 4* hotel
Day 15: Travel to the Mekong
Leave the city early – you’ll be driven to Ben Tre city where you’ll hop on a boat to start exploring the delta. Follow the Chet Say River, while observing life on the water. This is the home of the coconut palm – you’ll visit a coconut workshop, where you can taste sweet coconut candy and see how locals weave mats from the coconut fibres. Next, head to a local restaurant for lunch before taking the water and cruising towards your homestay.
Rest for a while before meeting the family and take a small tour of the local fishing villages. In the evening you’ll help cook pancakes with coconut milk before indulging in a local speciality – a lemongrass and ginger foot bath. Fall asleep to the sounds of the delta – crickets humming and water lapping nearby.
Included: Breakfast, transfers, flights, touring, high-quality homestay
Day 16: Travel to Ho Chi Minh City
Wake up in this rural idyll, filling your lungs with fresh air. Take a short cycle around the village, along quiet roads and lanes, past fields and farms with lush coconut forests around you. In the afternoon, you’ll head back to Ho Chi Minh City and spend your final evening relaxing together. Why not head to a rooftop bar for modern Vietnamese food with cocktails – the perfect way to finish your honeymoon in style.
Included: Breakfast, touring, transfers, 4* hotel
Day 17: Depart Vietnam
After breakfast, you’ll be driven back to the airport for your flight home.
Included: Transfers, breakfast, international flights
Day 18: Arrive UK
