Hanoi is well known for its history, architecture, charm, tranquility and cuisine. Our first visit is to the most well respected site of the Ho Chi Minh Complex and Ba Dinh Square, an important point of pilgrimage for many Vietnamese. The area surrounding the complex is a traffic-free zone filled with botanical gardens, monuments, memorials and pagodas, and includes the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh Museum and the One Pillar Pagoda.

Then visit the 11th century Temple of Literature, Hanoi’s first University. From here, continue to Bun Cha Huong Lien, the famous local spot where President Barack Obama dined with Anthony Bourdain.

Afternoon, we drive approximately 25minutes to the Ethnology Museum. The museum provides an insightful glimpse into the country’s lengthy history, with more than 15,000 photos and 10,000 objects and artifacts depicting a historical perspective of the lives, activities, customs, and habits of the 54 recognized ethnic groups of Vietnam.

End your day at a by walking through the Hanoi Old Quarter. The streets of this district are bustling with scooters, bicycles, cyclos, and cars zipping around pedestrians. The best way to enjoy the charming colonial architecture is to wander with your guide at a leisurely pace and be sure to stop for a cup of Vietnamese coffee or a local snack from one of the many tantalizing street vendors.

With some time to relax or grab another bargain we prepare for our exciting overnight journey to SAPA.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Overnight on Train

We arrive in Lao Cai around 5am, where we are met by our guide and transport for a spectacular hour’s journey up the impressive mountains to Sapa.

Seeing is believing! The imagination could not visualize, nor appreciate the beauty of the stunning vistas and breathtaking mountainous rice terraces until you observe in true form.

Upon arrival at our hotel, we have some breakfast, freshen up and some free time of leisure before our exciting exploration.

We start our trek visiting Ta Van villages, continuing down the valley, along local trails and across rice paddies to visit Dzay ethnic minorities and Black H’mong communities, experiencing the contrasts of culture and daily life between the groups.

The interaction and closeness we experience with the local minority groups is an absolutely incredible experience.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa

After breakfast you will check out and leave your luggage in the hotel, get ready for the trip.

We trek downhill from Sapa town to Cat Cat Village. Our 2 hour trek takes us through rice paddies passing by different ethnic minority villages hard at work and flower and vegetable gardens until we reach a magnificent waterfall set within the lush mountains.

We take a rest and continue to Cat Cat villages of Black Hmong tribe. Enjoy the waterfall in Cat Cat and beautiful scenery along the way.

After a welcoming and a rest, we stroll around the village, learning about the traditional way of life of the Black Hmong. We observe the fascinating demonstration of traditional fiber processing including; Weaving, Dying hemp cloth, Peeling bark from the dried hemp stalks, Tying stripped bark ribbons to form bundles and with the locals strongly encouraging  us to try our hand in perfect their art….they certainly get a lot of laughs watching us!!

We say goodbye to the village and continue our trek returning to Sapa.

We return to Sapa for some free time to enjoy what the town has to offer or bargaining for some traditional local wares, before our transfer to Lao Cai for our overnight train to Hanoi.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Overnight on Train

Your Vietnam Beach vacation begins with trip to Halong Bay, a collection of almost 2000 islands and jungle-clad limestone pillars in the Tonkin Gulf. Called “Bay of Descending Dragons” in Vietnamese, the archipelago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a world-famous travel destination.

Leave hotel and go ahead Halong with pass through wonderful scenery en route for tranquil villages and buffalo on fields.

Upon arrival, enjoy a welcome drink and a delicious freshly caught seafood lunch whilst sailing out of the Bay passing amazing shaped mountains. Enjoy the seascape from the sundeck or even in your private cabin through glass window. Take swimming, kayaking and visit caves on the island to get more experience. In the late afternoon, we take part in a Vietnamese cooking demonstration from the on board chefs and enjoy the seafood feast for dinner as stars emerge from behind those jungle-clad limestone pillars.

Spending night on board in elegant cabin and handicraft wooden interiors with air-conditioning. Or there is an option of night fishing before an overnight stay aboard.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Overnight on Boat

Rise early to catch sunrise over Sung Sot Cave while taking part in a Tai Chi class with the boat’s Tai Chi guru.

Enjoy a light breakfast and sitting on the upper deck, you can relax while taking in the breathtaking beauty of the rocky islands rising from the emerald water of the bay. Then, you can explore Sung Sot Cave, swim and relax. Cruise back to the jetty while brunch is served as you are cruising through the bay and observing more fascinating rock formations.

Return to Hanoi, with time to relax or grab a last minute bargain before our late afternoon flight to Hue.

Meals included: Breakfast, Brunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Today we visit Hues oldest 19th Century Pagoda, ‘Thien Mu (Heavenly Lady) Pagoda, which is famous for it’s Buddhist Centre teachings.

Boarding our dragon boat from the base of the Pagoda, we cruise down the Perfume River, watching local fisherman, whilst passing through the banks of Hue’s town.

Continue we visit the Hue Citadel, Vietnam’s former imperial capital and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you will discover the history of Vietnam during this period of time, as well as the daily life of the Royal family and the typical architecture of this Imperial construction.

Being the former royal capital, Hue's surrounding countryside contains several of the tombs of the former Nguyen Emperors where you will get to see the Minh Mang Tomb.

Before returning to your hotel, stop at the Dong Ba Market for some shopping.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

After a relaxing morning we set out on our spectacular drive to Hoi An.

We pass through Lang Co fishing village, set within beautiful blue lagoons, before heading up and over the spectacular Hai Van Pass, where we stop at the highest point to immerse ourselves and gaze at the spectacular scenery at 980 meters above sea level.

Arrival in Hoi An town - the historic and quaint nature of UNESCO World Heritage Site Hoi An is perfect for exploring.

The rest of the afternoon is free at leisure for you to enjoy the peaceful ambience of this quaint ancient town or spend some time with the skillful tailors, treating yourself to tailor made clothes, which Hoi An is renowned for.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Following breakfast, we drive to My Son, a World Heritage, and 50 km southwest of Hoi An.

Located in a lush valley, My Son was a capital and religious center of Cham people, now remaining with red brick towers and sanctuaries. My Son, considered being in the same league as some of Southeast Asia's greatest archaeological sites, including Angkor in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. These towers and sanctuaries were built from the 7 to 13 centuries.

We return to the outskirts of Hoi An town to have the great privilege of a spectacular lunch prepared by a local family home within a small farming village. 

Upon arrival we are welcomed by the family and enjoy a traditional herbal drink, before setting out on our guided walk through the local farmland. We learn about the history of the village, observe the processes of harvesting, and discover the many traditional uses, in both cooking and Vietnamese medicines, with the herbs and vegetables grown.

The family love to show off their skills in whipping up your lunch, giving you a very creative cooking demonstration.

After lunch, we bid farewell to the family and head back to town where we meet our Xic Lo’s for a leisurely  ride through the local areas, tourists do not venture, passing through tiny lanes of the Hoi An town and countryside, discovering local homes, fields of corn, sweet potatoes and beautiful fruit-gardens, just to name a few.

We make a stop at a local fishing village, where we board a boat for a magical cruise down the Cua Dai estuary to Hoi An town.

We return in the mid afternoon for you to have some free time to enjoy the peaceful ambience of this quaint ancient town or spend some time with the skillful tailors, treating yourself to tailor made clothes, which Hoi An is renowned for.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Enjoy a leisurely morning before our flight to Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon.

Upon arrival in Saigon, we transfer to our hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

With over eight million inhabitants and four million motorbikes, Saigon is truly a city that never sleeps.

 This morning, we set a half city tour with your guide on hand to offer their own insight into everyday life in Vietnam. Famous landmarks include the colonial-era government quarter, with its vibrant yellow French-style post office. Continue get off of the tourist track to experience the local life of bustling Saigon. Learn about Vietnamese and Chinese communities as you travel to Cho Lon, one of the world’s largest and oldest Chinatowns.

Afternoon, traveling out of town to see the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, where thousands of Viet Cong soldiers lived during the Vietnam War. It's possible to enter a few of the tunnels if you are comfortable with narrow spaces, as well as see exhibitions and videos of the tunnels when they were in use.

In the evening is your leisure, head to a trendy restaurant or cocktail bar, or try street food near central Ben Thanh Market.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Today we head to Cai Be floating market, to explore the typical Vietnamese life of the Mekong Delta.

Upon arrival at Cai Be land market and go to rice factories in An Cu Village for visiting and go to Dong Hoa Hiep to visit the ancient house. After that you will go straight to Cai Be floating market and handicraft workshop by boat. After leaving these places you will be straight to Tan Phong Island to take the rowing boats along the small canals. Passing through Mekong Ecolodge in order to take a short break and then you will take the bicycles to start exploring and taking in some activities with the local people on the island.

You will be straight to the local family to learn how to make jack leaves cakes which is known as the specialty on this island. You will join hands to make cakes and enjoy them. You will be freely to lie down on the hammocks under the shades of 200-year old milk fruit tree to enjoy the atmosphere there. You will also have experience of going over the Monkey bridge which is popular in the Southwest of Vietnam. Surely, you will have unforgettable memories here.

Say goodbye to the local people you will keep going to them to learn how to knit water hyacinth. You can use water hyacinth to knit a beautiful hat by yourself with the guidance of them. Have lunch at the local restaurant.

Late afternoon participating in cooking class and diner with what you’ve cooked 

In the late afternoon, the family would love showing off their skills in whipping up your dinner, giving you a very creative cooking demonstration. Enjoy the dinner what you have just cooked

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Mekong Ecolodge

After breakfast, we take a cycling walking through the traditional villages with many ancient traditional houses, set amongst a peaceful atmosphere and fruit trees, bonsai garden and witness the unusual yet fascinating process of coconut candy, the bang conical hat and rice paper in the making.

 It is the typical and cultural lifestyle of South – Western region.

Cycle back to the Mekong Ecolodge for check-out and freshen up before our return journey back to Saigon.

We return to Saigon by the mid afternoon and enjoy your free time.

This evening we say ‘Cam On, Tam biet!’ and would like to invite you to join your guide in a farewell celebration dinner.

Meals included: Breakfast,., Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

All good things must come to an ends, you have free time until transfer to airport for a departure flight with a bid farewell (Late checkout is exclusive and subject to availability)

Meals included: Breakfast

Trip ends.