Itinerary in brief:
- 3 nights Hanoi
- 1 night Halong Bay
- 2 nights Hoi An
- 2 nights Hue
- 2 nights Ho Chi Minh
Day 1: Depart UK
Depart the UK from your chosen airport. Your journey to Asia will be overnight, with a transfer in a major Asian gateway.
Included: International flights
Day 2: Arrive Hanoi, Vietnam
Meet your guide on arrival and transfer to your hotel to check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to relax and re-charge – enjoy some delicious street food, wander the narrow streets or head to the lake for some tranquillity.
Included: Hotel, breakfast and transfer
Day 3: Full day in Hanoi
Experience the highlights of the city with a guide; the country’s first university Quoc Tu Giam with its fantastic architecture and well-manicured gardens, the mausoleum of Vietnam’s father figure Ho Chi Minh, the One Pillar Pagoda which is an iconic temple, the West Lake and nearby Taoist temple and the Old Quarter with its narrow bustling streets and local businesses touting for custom!
Finish the day with a water puppet show, a traditional performance depicting scenes from rural life.
Included: Hotel, breakfast, guide and driver
Day 4: Day tour – Hoa Lu and Tam Coc
Spend your day out of the city – first of all exploring rural Hoa Lu, the first capital of Vietnam. The site is home to an ancient Citadel, and there are temples to wander and a nearby limestone karst to hike which will reward you with spectacular views.
After lunch take a boat through an area known as ‘Halong on land’ – Tam Coc. Enormous karsts jut out of the land as you gently cruise past. A great retreat from the frantic pace of city life!
Included: Hotel, breakfast, guide and driver, boat trip
Day 5: Overnight trip – Halong Bay
Depart for Halong Bay today – a must visit for any trip to northern Vietnam. Thousands of limestone karsts rise up out of the sea and you can marvel at the beauty of the UNESCO World Heritage site as you cruise the area aboard a junk boat. Enjoy all meals onboard and the services of a local guide.
Included: Cabin, breakfast, lunch and dinner, all transport and a guide
Day 6: Halong Bay to Hoi An
Enjoy sunrise over the Bay and eat breakfast on deck – a glorious way to start your day!
After disembarking you will travel to a palace which was home and studio to one of Vietnam’s most celebrated painters. View some remarkable artefacts before continuing on to the airport to take the short flight to Danang. From the port city you’ll then drive south to Hoi An, a firm favourite on the Vietnam tourist trail – with a relaxed lifestyle, good food, colourful artwork and tailors aplenty it’s an enjoyable place to slow it down.
Included: Hotel, breakfast, transfers, domestic flight
Day 7: My Son and Hoi An
Visit nearby My Son, home to crumbling red brick towers in a lush green valley. The site is located a short distance outside of the city. A walking tour of Hoi An itself will follow in the afternoon – a great way to see the special port town.
Included: Hotel, breakfast, driver and guide
Day 8: Hoi An to Hue
Driving back through Danang today you’ll stop at a museum before climbing a spectacular pass that leads down into Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Explore museums and mausoleums of the last emperors and learn about their years of rule, scarred with turmoil and full of pomp and ceremony!
Included: Hotel, breakfast, driver and guide
Day 9: Full day in Hue
Enjoy a full day tour in Hue, including a ride in a cyclo! Following a day of history and culture you’ll finish the day in the colourful Dong Ba Market – see how everyday life operates and take in the sights, sounds and smells!
Included: Hotel, breakfast, driver and guide
Day 10: Hue to Ho Chi Minh City
This morning you will take the short flight to Ho Chi Minh – still known as Saigon by the locals. Take in a full day tour of this fast moving, cosmopolitan city, a real gem in South East Asia’s crown.
Included: Hotel, breakfast, transfers, guide and driver, domestic flight
Day 11: Day tour – Mekong Delta
Head out to Cai Be this morning, the colourful Delta market town surrounded waterways and vast emerald rice fields. Pass the floating market and experience the life led by local villagers. Lunch will be local - ‘mekong style’ before you head back to the city late afternoon.
Included: Hotel, breakfast and lunch, guide and driver
Day 12: Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Your flight home will depart today so make sure you’re up early to cram in some last minute exploring at the market – grab a Bahn Mi, a strong coffee and get ready to haggle!
International flights can arrive back in the UK same day, however some are overnight with a very early arrival the following morning.
Included: Hotel, breakfast, transfer and international flight
Why not add in a stopover in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok?
