You will meet your guide on arrival Hanoi airport, be transferred and check-in to your chosen hotel. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Hanoi, answer any questions you have. Enjoy free time for the remainder of the day.

Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital city and home to more than eight million people. Traditional and refined, with French colonial architecture, tree-lined boulevards, scenic lakes and a bustling Old Quarter, Hanoi has a sophisticated charm. Observe elderly people practicing Tai Chi by the lake, with barbers and food vendors plying their sidewalk trade.

Hanoi has many great restaurants with Vietnamese and international cuisines available. Ask your guide for personal recommendations.​​

Day 2:  Hanoi | Hotel Stay & Tour (B/L/D)

Accompanied by your guide this morning enjoy a tour by cyclo, a chauffeur-pedalled tricycle, through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as “36 streets”. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It's a great place to explore, especially by cyclo, with plenty of photo opportunities all around you.

Continue to the Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest of all pagodas in Hanoi - located beside the dazzling West Lake.

Drive to visit the serene Museum of Ethnology where you observe Vietnam's diverse culture through the Museum’s unique presentation of artefacts and dress used in daily life. (Museum of Ethnology is closed on Mondays).

Then visit the Temple Of Literature, Vietnam’s first university.  Constructed in 1070, the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past.

Lunch at local restaurant in Hanoi with some specialties.

Then visit outside the historic Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, an imposing monument lavishly built using marble and granite, and where the preserved body of “Uncle Ho” resides. Hearing some history facts and interesting story about the leader.

Behind the Mausoleum, you can see Ho Chi Minh's House. The simple house where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from 1954 until 1969 is made of wood and enjoyed a tranquil setting, with a view of a lotus pond. Ho Chi Minh’s belongings are on display and you can walk up the steps of his house to see his bedroom. The lotus shaped One Pillar Pagoda – resting on a single stone pillar emerging from the water, founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049. This structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi.

Finish the day with a Water Puppet performance. The art of water puppetry began approximately a thousand years ago, possibly in the flooded rice fields of Vietnam. Puppeteers stand in waist-high water and manipulate their charges in such a way that you can’t help but be swept up in the legend being told. Each short skit in the performance relates to the daily life of the people.

Have included dinner at nice local restaurant.

Day 3: Hanoi | Embark Ship (B/L/D)

Your morning departure from your hotel in Hanoi to Halong Bay takes you on a journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta.

Arrive in Halong and board a traditional sailing junk. As the vessel sets sails, you will be greeted by the Crew Team who will aim throughout your stay at providing you with the highest standards of service for a pure pleasure and utmost comfort onboard. Discover some of the treasures disseminated across the Bay of the Descending Dragon during the afternoon: fascinating caves, pristine beaches, picturesque floating villages, fantastic rock formations rising up out of emerald water. While onboard, you can take advantage at leisure of the cruise services; surrounded by a stunning setting in motion, you could attend our chef's cooking demonstration and try your skills in the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking.

Defined to be one of the highlights of your stay, a highly refined, innovative and varied cuisine will be presented for Lunch and Dinner in the elegant dining-room, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages (with extra charge applied for drink).

In the evening enjoy the entertainment activities as movie night, squid fishing or just enjoying a cocktail surrounded by limestone rocks majestically springing out from silent waters in the night.

NOTE: This tour is subject to change depending on weather conditions.

Day 4: Halong Bay - Hoi An | Disembark Ship and fly to Danang  (B/D)

Early birds can attend a Tai Chi demonstration on the sundeck at the break of dawn. Start the day enjoying some delights with a light breakfast and follow by a colorful brunch.  Continue exploring Halong Bay sailing across its 2000 islets and visiting some of its major highlights. Your cruise will come to an end at the pier in Halong late morning.  

You have the option to visit a pottery workshop on the trip back to Hanoi before flying to Danang in the afternoon.

Vietnam Airlines: Hanoi – Danang (Flight schedule TBA)

You will meet your guide on arrival Danang airport, be transferred and check-in to your hotel in Hoi An. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Danang & Hoi An, answer any questions you have. Enjoy free time for the remainder of the first day.

Situated along the south central coast of Vietnam, Hoi An is an outstanding example of a well-preserved ancient town that has been designated a World Heritage Site. Known as Faifo in the past, it was a major port town that boasted multi-cultural influences from the 16th – 18th centuries. Today, it is a quaint and picturesque town that can be easily explored on foot.

Enjoy included dinner at hotel or local restaurant.

Note: Those who wish to have clothes made, guide is pleased to take you to local tailor workshop.

Day 5: Hoi An | Hotel Stay & Tour (B/L/D)

Start your morning, embark on electric car (or vehicle transfers) through the idyllic countryside of Hoi An. Pedal past lush water-coconut forests, tranquil ponds, and seasonal verdant rice fields, soaking up the bucolic scenery and serene atmosphere. Your journey will lead you to a community. Have chance to gain a glimpse into the rural lifestyle to learn about traditional organic farming techniques. You may have the opportunity to assist the farmers with their farm work. Then enjoy a ride in a traditional ‘basket boat’ along a small languid river. These vessels are a great opportunity to see the remarkable innovation and skills of the local people.

Getting back to central Hoi An and have the walking tour of Ancient Town. The narrow lanes are ideal for a guided leisurely walking tour. There is also plenty to visit including the old merchant’s houses with influences from Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture; the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge; the Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation with outstanding wood carvings; and the colourful market with stalls brimming with local specialties including silk, which can be turned into fashionable garments within a day or two.

Enjoy included light lunch with local street-food.

Then experience the private family cooking class at Hoi An River’s bank restaurant - Red Bridge (Cau Do). Participants at the Red Bridge Cooking School head off to the colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson. Then it’s a quick boat trip along the Hoi An River to the school, where students are treated to demonstrations of Hoi An specialties before being let loose in the kitchen. Enjoy the dishes you cooked and be back to hotel early evening.

Days 6: Hoi An - Saigon | Hotel Stay & Tour (B/D)

Breakfast at hotel and you will be picked up and transferred to Danang airport for short flight to Saigon.

Vietnam Airlines: Danang – Saigon (Flight schedule TBA)

On arrival Saigon, meet the guide and drive down to the city center.

Have an orientation drive passing major sites of the city, the landmark Reunification Hall, formerly known as the Presidential Palace - the headquarters of the Saigon Government during the American war. It was towards this modern building that North Vietnamese resistance fighters tanks (Viet Cong) rolled on the morning of April 30, 1975 as Saigon fell. This fascinating building is filled with history still fresh in the minds of many.

Dong Khoi street, or Rue Catinat as it was known in the time of the French occupation, to discover some of the beautiful French colonial buildings built in the late 19th and early 20th century. Appreciate the splendidly restored exteriors of the Opera House and the former Hotel de Ville which are still two of the finest buildings in Saigon. Wander up to the Notre Dame Cathedral, a red brick edifice with twin spires based on the original construction from Paris. (It is only possible to visit inside when no service is being performed) Then head across the square to the Central Post Office, designed by the French architect, Gustav Eiffel, before he had risen to fame for the Eiffel Tower.

Check in the hotel and have some free time

Have included dinner at local restaurant and rest of the evening is free at leisure.

Optional evening entertainment: AO Show (Bamboo circus). The show at 18:00pm.

Day 7: Saigon | Hotel Stay & Tour (B/L)

Breakfast at hotel.

08:00am The Mekong Delta, south west of Saigon, is known as the rice bowl of Vietnam. Cai Be is located in Tien Giang province, a 2.5 hour drive from Saigon, deep in the heart of the Mekong Delta and you will notice lush rice paddies and fruit farms emerging alongside the highway as you leave the city behind for the peaceful Mekong Delta.

On arrival Cai Be, embark on your private charming wooden boat, a wooden motorboat, which will help you get closer to daily life and agricultural activities along the Mekong River. Enjoying a short stroll through palm fringed trails to observe traditional Delta life and to visit a family-run business. Visiting some locale home factories that produce rice paste, rice popcorn and coconut candy. Proceed to evergreen islands among the Mekong River through a large network of meandering tributaries, crisscrossed with countless arroyos.

Lunch will be served at a local house where generations of family members live together. The owner of the house will serve you an appetizing Vietnamese lunch.

After feasting on Mekong Delta specialties, you may wish to take a stroll around the orchard to see how fruit is cultivated. Chose to either walk or be rowed in a sampan along the small canals back to the boat before returning to the pier. Return to Saigon late this afternoon.

Day 8: Saigon: Fly Home (B/D)

Breakfast at hotel. Free at leisure.

For those taking optional tour to Cu Chi Tunnels: 

08:00 Enjoy a two hour drive northwest of Saigon, through urbanized areas and typical lush southern Vietnamese countryside, to the famous Cu Chi tunnels. The incredible underground tunnel network was constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters (Viet Cong) during their long struggle for independence. The tunnel complex was initially started in 1948 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from the French air and ground sweeps. The tunnels also served as communication routes, storage facilities for food and weapon caches as well as hospitals and living quarters for guerrilla fighters throughout the American war. A visit to the underground villages will provide a better understanding of the tunnels’ history, the hardship of life in the tunnels and the Vietnamese resilience during combat. Get back to hotel to refresh.

Have the hotel room day use and late check out until 16:00pm

16:00pm You will be picked up from hotel and have a farewell dinner at local restaurant.

In time, transfer to Saigon airport for your 9 pm departure flight.