Overview

On this tour you’ll experience Vietnam’s best, from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City to the highlights of Hoi An’s ancient town. Enjoy a night on board a traditional junk boat cruising along Halong Bay and end your trip with four nights at Mui Ne Beach Resort, Phan Thiet, the perfect place to relax and unwind away from city life. 

Spend time driving along one of Vietnam’s most beautiful stretches of road, Hai Van Pass, take a boat trip along the beautiful Thu Bon River and visit Tu Hieu Pagoda, where seventy monks live and invite visitors to learn about meditation and find peace walking through the grounds. There is also many optional tours for you to take part in, including a culinary adventure in the heart of Saigon and a half day tour of Hanoi’s charming countryside on a Vespa scooter – this tour will truly showcase the highlights of Vietnam.

This tour includes: all flights, 13 nights’ hotel accommodation, 1 night on board a traditional Junk Boat, 14 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner, all transfers between airports and hotels, and sightseeing as specified below.

Sightseeing included: 
•    Full Day Hanoi City Tour
•    Overnight Halong Bay Cruise
•    Half day Hidden Hoi An Walking Tour
•    Half Day Hue City Tour
•    Full Day Ho Chi Minh City & Chu Chi Tunnels Tour
•    Mekong River Day Cruise Tour 
 

Full Itinerary

Day 1: UK to Hanoi
On arrival into N?i Bài International Airport, Hanoi, your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Hanoi is one of the oldest capitals in the world, known for its delectable cuisine, vibrant wildlife and cultural community made up of Chinese, French and Russian influences. You’ll have the rest of the day at your leisure to explore the city. 

Day 2: Hanoi
This morning after breakfast, head on your full day city tour of Hanoi. You’ll be picked up at your hotel and will begin the day with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, where you’ll learn all about the man who led Vietnam’s campaign for independence from French colonial rule. After lunch, you’ll visit Ngoc Son temple, set on a tiny island on the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake, and then enjoy a delightful and traditional water puppet show, before being transferred back to your hotel. 

Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay
After a hearty breakfast, bid farewell to Hanoi for a night and head to Tuan Chai International Marina for your overnight cruise to Halong Bay on board a traditional Junk Boat. Enjoy welcome drinks with the Cruise Manager and crew, and lunch is provided while you cruise pass Trong Mai Islet, Ngon Tay Islet, and Con Coc Islet.  Take a swim, sunbathe, or kayak on Trinh Nu area’s beautiful private beach. This evening, savour the delicious set-menu dinner in the restaurant.

Day 4: Halong Bay - Hanoi
Spend this morning on the boat - don’t miss out on a sunrise Tai Chi lesson while you cruise to the centre of Halong Bay. You’ll also enjoy breakfast and brunch on board, before exploring Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave inside Halong Bay. Disembark this afternoon at Tuan Chau International Marina, where you’ll meet your driver to be transferred back to Hanoi. 
This afternoon, perhaps head on one of these following optional tours (additional expense):
Hanoi Countryside Vespa Tour will allow you to discover a different side to the Vietnamese capital, on a half day tour of Hanoi’s charming countryside. From the passenger’s seat of a vintage Vespa, travel past the impressive Long Bien Bridge, leaving behind the busy traffic and commotion. Finish this outdoor adventure with a visit to a bustling market and enjoy delicious snacks with a local family before driving back to the city.
Hanoi Street Eats Evening Tour will take you on a culinary whirlwind, allowing you to sink your teeth into the flavours of the North. Stop at a famous pho stall to try world renowned beef noodle soup, before grabbing a stool at the neighbouring Bia Hoi Corner. See first-hand the city’s obsession with barbecues before finishing things off with some dessert- the perfect way to finish off this street food tour.

Day 5: Hanoi – Hoi An 
After breakfast, meet your driver in the hotel lobby to be transferred to the airport for your flight to Danang. On arrival in Danang, meet your driver to be transferred to your hotel. Hoi An is a well-preserved Southeast Asian trading port, home to buildings that reflect indigenous and foreign influences, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site. You have a free afternoon to spend at leisure exploring Hoi An. 

Day 6: Hoi An
Today, after breakfast, head on a half day walking tour of Hoi An. This tour includes stops at several famous landmarks, including Chua Ong Pagoda, which dates back to 1653 and was built in honour of the Chinese general Quan Cong, who is worshipped by many as a symbol of loyalty and justice. You’ll end your tour this afternoon with a beautiful boat trip along Thu Bon River.

Day 7: Hoi An - Hue
Enjoy breakfast before heading on your half day tour of Hue. You’ll drive along one of Vietnam’s most beautiful stretches of road, the Hai Van Pass and on to the former imperial capital of Hue. After arriving, you’ll start your tour with a visit to the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, one of the last reigning emperors of Vietnam. Spend some time wandering through this luxurious tomb, where the architecture works in harmony with the natural landscape. Continue to Tu Hieu Pagoda, known for being the “root temple” of the famous Buddhist Thích Nh?t H?nh. Seventy monks live here full time, and the doors to the pagoda remain open to anyone looking to learn meditation or just find peace walking through the grounds. 

Day 8: Hue to Ho Chi Minh City 
After breakfast, meet with your driver in the hotel lobby and you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll meet your driver and be transferred to your hotel.
This afternoon, you can take part in the following optional tours (additional expense).
Saigon Street Eats Evening Private Tour is a culinary adventure in the heart of Saigon, where the locals go to eat. Sink your teeth into the flavours of the South, from sampling freshly grilled beef wrapped in tender and peppery wild betel leaf to the classic Vietnamese sandwich and even a rice paper pizza! Snack on a scrumptious banh xeo, a savoury crepe, fresh spring rolls and some local shellfish - a rustic delicacy in Saigon. Once you’ve had your full of incredible dishes, continue onward to a local night spot for a drink and chat, as the city’s nocturnal side awakens.
Saigon After Dark Half Day Private Tour is a foodies perfect night out on the town. This Saigon night tour is part night excursion, part street food adventure, where you can experience Saigon nightlife the way locals do, from the back of a vintage Vespa scooter. Throughout the night, try a variety of food and drinks from local restaurants and samplings of Saigon’s best authentic local food. This tour includes free flowing drinks and all you can eat - so come with an empty stomach!

Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City
Get ready for an early start as your head on your tour of Ho Chi Minh City and Cu Chi Tunnels. After breakfast, begin the journey to the Cu Chi Tunnels, travelling through the countryside, which was once a stronghold of the Viet Cong. Upon arrival, watch a short video about what life was like for soldiers who lived there during the war. The cramped tunnels were central to a few of the war’s strategic operations, including the famous 1968 Tet Offensive, and they didn’t escape damage. Return to Ho Chi Minh City around 1pm for lunch. Continue your tour with a visit to Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, one of Saigon’s most notable pagodas. Built in traditional Vietnamese architecture style, the main building boasts intricate wood carvings. You’ll then stop at the Reunification Palace, where a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates in 1975 to end a war that killed an estimated 58,000 Americans and three million Vietnamese.

Day 10:  Ho Chi Minh City
This morning after breakfast, depart from your hotel and drive approximately two hours to Ben Tre, where you will board your cruise around the waterways of Mekong River. Known also as the rice bowl of Vietnam because of its large rice production, the area has also diversified into activities related to aquaculture, rearing of animals, cash crops and fruit trees. After the boat trip you will have a short walk to a local village to see mat weavers at work, before jumping on the deltas version of a tuk tuk and travelling down the country roads to the pier. Here you will board the beautiful teak boat Le Jarai to continue your cruise along the river. While onboard, join in the demonstration of Vietnamese cooking before sitting down to a sumptuous three-course lunch of Mekong specialities. Then, relax on the top deck and take in the scenery on your way back to Ben Tre, where on arrival you will transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving late in the afternoon.

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City – Phan Thiet 
Today, a private transfer will collect you from the hotel and drive you to Phan Thiet, where you will check into the boutique Blue Ocean Resort for a four-night stay, with breakfast included. The rest of the afternoon will be at leisure to enjoy the facilities at the hotel, perhaps relax poolside with a cocktail or treat yourself to a massage at the spa.

Days 12 - 14: Phan Thiet 
The rest of your time in Phan Thiet is at leisure to relax at the hotel or explore the surrounding area. Visit the frenetic morning fish market for a glimpse into the life of local fishermen, go sandboarding on the sand dunes, binge on delicious local food, wander along the Fairy Stream, get involved in some water sports, or simply soak up the sun from the hotel pool or the beautiful white-sand beach. 

Day 15: Fly back to the UK
After breakfast, your driver will meet you at the hotel to transfer you back to Ho Chi Minh City for your flight back to the UK.