Day 1 - Hanoi
You will be met upon arrival at Hanoi airport by your private driver and transferred to your hotel. After check in, you will get to know the city with a private walking tour of the markets and the Old Quarter. In the evening experience a traditional Water Puppet show before a welcome dinner at a local restaurant and an overnight stay in Hanoi.
Overnight: 1 night in your chosen hotel (Dinner included)
Standard: Hanoi Peridot hotel | Superior: La Siesta Trendy Hotel | Deluxe: Apricot Hotel |Luxury: Sofitel Legend Metropole
Day 2 - Hanoi City and Lao Cai
This full day tour takes you around the capital city’s most interesting sights, including the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh Complex dedicated to the father of post-colonial Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and his Stilt House where he lived from 1958 to 1969.
Your adventure trip to Sapa will then begin with an overnight train from Hanoi to the border town of Lao Cai.
Overnight: Train to Sapa (Breakfast and lunch included)
Day 3 – Lao Cai and Sapa
The train arrives at Lao Cai train station at approximately 6:00 a.m. and there will be a vehicle waiting to transfer you to Sapa (around 90 mins drive). On arrival at your chosen hotel, you will have breakfast and then enjoy the morning at leisure to explore the town. In the afternoon a walking tour will take you into the valley below Sapa to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat.
Overnight: 1 night in your chosen hotel (Breakfast and lunch included)
Standard: Sapa Relax Hotel | Superior: Aira Boutique Sapa Hotel, Deluxe or Luxury: Victoria Sapa
Day 4 – Sapa to Hanoi
Following breakfast, you will explore the local market and then set out on a 3-4 hour trek that will take you along buffalo paths and trails and through several hill tribe villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van, home to H'mong and Dzay people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. You will stop for a picnic lunch on the way to Ta Van village. You will be transferred to Lao Cai for the overnight train back to Hanoi.
Overnight: Train to Hanoi (Breakfast and lunch included)
Day 5 - Halong Bay
Arriving in Hanoi around 5am, your driver will collect you and take you for breakfast before departing for Halong Bay, arriving at the jetty around noon. You will join your chosen ‘junk’ (traditional Chinese sailing boat) and after your welcome onboard, a lunch will be served while cruising towards the bay itself. In the afternoon, enjoy the spectacular scenery from various viewpoints, enjoy some swimming in a quiet cove or sunbathe on deck. Towards the end of the day the boat sets anchor for the night among the karst formations. Dinner is served on board.
Overnight: 1 night on your chosen vessel, (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Standard: Dragon Pearl Cruise | Superior: Pelican Cruise | Deluxe: Indochina Sails Cruise | Luxury: Emporer Cruise
Day 6 – Halong Bay – Hanoi - Hue
Enjoy waking to the sound of the lapping water and watch the sun rise over stunning Halong, breakfast is served on board (brunch on some boats) while the vessel cruises slowly through the magnificent rock formations and back towards port. Disembark around noon and transfer back to Hanoi airport for a short flight to Phu Bai Airport and a short road transfer to your hotel in Hue.
Overnight: 2 nights in your chosen hotel, (Breakfast)
Standard: Emm Hotel Hue | Superior: Eldora Hotel | Deluxe: Imperial Hotel | Luxury: La Residence Hotel & Spa
Day 7 - Hue
Rising up in this ancient land, you will have breakfast in the hotel before setting off on a romantic cruise on the Perfume River. Being the ancient capital, Hue is surrounded with ancient tombs of emperors past, and a visit to some of these tombs will be on the itinerary for today. The charming Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda) will be the first stop of the day. Thien Mu Pagoda is considered the unofficial symbol of Hue, and the center of Buddhism in Central Vietnam. You will rejoin your car and drive to King Minh Mang's Tomb and King Tu Duc's Tomb. In the afternoon you will embark on a tour of Hue, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City, the Imperial Museum and the colourful Dong Ba market. Overnight stay in Hue.
(Breakfast and lunch included)
Day 8 - Hue - Danang - Hoi An
Leave the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Hue for Hoi An. You will travel over the Hai Van pass, stop in Danang for a visit to the Cham Museum and Marble Mountain before arriving in Hoi An. Once in Hoi An, you will check into our hotel and have some free time to explore the town before an overnight stay.
Overnight: 2 nights in your chosen hotel, (Breakfast and lunch included)
Standard: Ancient House | Superior: Boutique Hoi An Resort | Deluxe: Palm Garden Resort | Luxury: Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai
Day 9 – Hoi An
Hoi An is an attractive riverside town, formerly a trading port, the architecture carries Japanese, Chinese, French and Portuguese influence and much of the town has remained unchanged for over a 100 years. You will enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls and the Japanese Bridge, then enjoy some shopping or time at leisure in your hotel.
(Breakfast and lunch included)
Day 10 – Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City
Depart for Danang Airport for a 1 hr flight to Ho Chi Minh City. In the afternoon you will embark on a city tour of the city formerly known as Saigon, including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office and bustling Ben Thanh Market.
Overnight: 2 nights in your chosen hotel, (Breakfast and lunch included)
Standard: Alagon City Point Hotel | Superior: Liberty Central Saigon Riverside | Deluxe: The Myst Dong Khoi | Luxury: Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel
Day 11 - Cao Dai Temple & Cu Chi underground
A fascinating day ahead; spend the morning learning about the Cao Daism religion whose followers worship Jesus Christ, Confucius, Taoism, and Buddha with the symbol of the Divine Eye at the Holy see Temple.
After lunch drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels, 200km of underground tunnels that were used as hideouts and shelters, field hospitals, factories and homes during the US-Vietnam War.
(Breakfast and lunch included)
Day 12 - Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho
Tonight you will be staying in the heart of the Mekong Delta at Can Tho, and en-route you can enjoy a very special private boat tour through the canals to a local farm restaurant for lunch.
Overnight: 1 night in your chosen hotel, (Breakfast and lunch included)
Standard: Ninh Kieu 2 hotel Can Tho | Superior or Deluxe: Victoria Hotel and Resort | Luxury: Azerai Can Tho Resort
Day 13 - Can Tho - Ho Chi Minh City
You wake up to welcome a new day, today you can take a boat trip to the bustling floating market in the Mekong Delta, with hundreds of small boats barging and jostling for space to sell their goods. You will have lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Ho Chi Minh City for an overnight stay.
Overnight: 1 nights in your chosen hotel, (Breakfast and lunch included)
Standard: Alagon City Point Hotel | Superior: Liberty Central Hotel | Deluxe: The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel | Luxury: Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel
Day 14 - Departure
Your private car will collect you and take you to the airport for your flight home (time at leisure until your selected departure time).
(Breakfast included)