Saturday. Welcome to Hanoi! Upon arrival at Hanoi airport you'll be met and transferred to our hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure before our welcome meeting at 5pm.
For those able to arrive very early today or the day prior, why not get off the beaten track and explore Hanoi with us on our optional Back Streets of Hanoi add-on which explores the quaint districts of Cho Buoi, Hoang Hoa Tham and Vinh Phuc, and also includes an exhilarating local experience - riding pillion, on taxi-motorbikes through a maze of tiny streets and along the shore of beautiful Ho Tay Lake.
Friday. Hello Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon). Upon arrival you'll be met and transferred to our hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to get acquainted with the city. Opt to explore on foot, shop at Ben Thanh Market or visit the grand Independence Palace, with its secret bunker and military command centre beneath!
Please note: This tour runs for 15 days if travelling in 2025. From 2026 onwards, the itinerary will be 14 days. For travelers in 2025, please refer to the ‘2025 Itinerary’ tab or contact us for details.
Hanoi – Halong Bay. After breakfast we enjoy an exhilarating cyclo (rickshaw) ride around the maze of streets in Hanoi's French Quarter, taking in highlights such as the Opera house and Ly Thai To Park. After the cyclo ride we transfer to heavenly Halong Bay, the jewel in Vietnam's scenic crown. We explore the pristine jade waters, studded with karst islands, aboard a traditional junk boat. Our cruise starts with a tasty lunch onboard, soaking up the views.
This afternoon we visit Trinh Nu Cave, one of the finest caves in Halong Bay, covering an area of 2,000m² with a stunning array of stalactites and stalagmites. There's also the opportunity to go kayaking and enjoy a refreshing swim. Later this evening back on board, watch a Vietnamese cooking demonstration held on the sundeck before settling down for a sumptuous seafood dinner.
Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue. Early birds can start the day with a relaxing Tai Chi class on the sundeck or a traditional massage. Before heading back to port this morning, we explore the beautiful Sung Sot cave (Surprise Grotto), which is 10,000m² and consists of two major chambers which are spectacular and spacious enough to hold thousands of people.
Arriving back into Hanoi mid-afternoon we enjoy a leisurely walk around the ‘36 streets of the old quarter’, named after the numerous guilds that once set up shop on a particular street, from silk tailors to traditional medicine shops.
Later this evening there's a chance to freshen up before boarding the train (4 berth sleeper cabin, basic standard) on the ‘Reunification Express’ railway line to Hue. An option to fly from Hanoi to Hue is also available.
Upon arrival to Hue we embark on a guided sightseeing tour of the 19th-century Nguyen empire capital. We visit the Thien Mu Pagoda, home to the oldest monastery in the city and the citadel. Within the citadel is the Imperial Purple Palace, an exact copy of the Forbidden City in Beijing, with its impressive ramparts, formal moats and imperial palaces, some of which lay in ruin.
After we drive into the countryside to see the elaborate mausoleums of the Nguyen kings. As the sun sets opt for a cruise in a long boat along the gentle Perfume River or enjoy some retail therapy at the ever lively Dong Ba Market, a minute's walk from our hotel.
Today we take the scenic Hai Van Pass (Road of the Ocean Clouds), which offers magnificent views of beaches to one side and lush hills to the other, to Hoi An. En route we stop for a walk along My Khe beach, a beautiful stretch of coastline which was nicknamed 'China Beach' by the Americans during the war and famously featured in Francis Ford Coppola’s movie ‘Apocalypse Now’.Perhaps enjoy a refreshing swim in the sea before continuing our journey south along the coast to Hoi An.
Compact Hoi An with its cobbled streets, tiny shop houses and laid back restaurants and bars is a perfect place to relax a while. On a short walking tour of the enchanting historical town, we’ll visit the Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Hall, 200-year-old Tam Ky house, former merchants’ homes and the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge.
During your stay in Hoi An, we offer a unique optional Hoi An Street Eats add-on, which explores the city’s most popular local haunts. Cruise the city the way the locals do, by vintage Vespa and enjoy lots of tasty Vietnamese Cuisine. Book early with your reservation consultant, as numbers are limited.
On a bicycle ride to the local village of Tra Que we discover age old farming practises and learn about traditional medicine (we can arrange alternative transportation at no extra cost for those who don't wish to cycle). It’s a hands on experience today where we’ll assist with tending the fields and gardens and cooking lunch.
Day 7 is free for you to independently explore Hoi An. Relax by the beach or pool. Alternatively you can opt to take an excursion to the UNESCO-listed My Son sanctuary or enjoy a day trip to the Ba Na Hills, where you can ride the second longest cable car in the world, explore the resort and walk along the striking Golden Bridge (book and pay locally).
Hoi An - Can Tho. It's a very early start this morning as we transfer to Da Nang airport for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival we drive to the Mekong Delta. The fertile Mekong Delta is famous for its abundant harvests of tropical fruits, flowers and rice, as well as its fantastic views while boating along the canals. Taking our sampan from Cai Be we’ll cruise downstream to Can Tho, through the maze of waterways watching the hubbub of daily life on the river. Passing colourful trading boats, house boats and children swimming we stop to visit some of the local cottage industries that produce popcorn, coco candies and paper along the way. Lunch is served today in a traditional wooden home on Dong Hoa Hiep Island.
Can Tho - Ho Chi Minh City. Early this morning we visit the lively Cai Rang floating market before driving to bustling Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon). On a walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City we take in city landmarks such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office before visiting the sobering War Remnants Museum.
Ho Chi Minh City - Phnom Penh. This morning we visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, a sprawling underground network of tunnels and living quarters used by the Viet Cong during the war. Then we drive to the Cambodian border (crossing at Moc Bai/Bavet) and continue on to the capital of Phnom Penh. Today the nation’s capital offers a bustling mix of Asia’s past and present, a city quickly taking its place amongst the trendy capitals of the region with superb restaurants and a number of attractions.
It's a full day of sightseeing today as we explore Phnom Penh, starting at the National Museum of Fine Arts, a graceful terracotta building of traditional design housing the world’s finest collection of Khmer sculpture. We continue to the beautiful Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, famed for its lavish decorations – the floors are paved with silver tiles and statues of Buddha are encrusted with thousands of diamonds.
This afternoon we come face to face with the horrors of the Pol Pot regime as we visit Tuol Sleng (Security Prison - S21), a school that was gruesomely transformed into a torture chamber under the Khmer Rouge, and visit the Killing Fields where over 10,000 people were executed.
Phnom Penh – Siem Reap. This morning, check out and transfer to the airport for your included flight to Siem Reap.
After freshening up, our touring will start with a visit to the ancient city of Angkor Thom. This monumental fortified city is encircled by a 100m wide moat and is famed for the huge statue heads that glare down from every angle. In Angkor Thom we will see the fabulous Bayon Temple, Baphuon, the royal enclosure, and the Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King. Last but not least is atmospheric Tra Prohm Temple where vast muscular tree roots envelop the crumbling towers and walls whilst the trees’ foliage dapples the temple in shade.
This evening we attend the wonderful Phare Cambodian Circus. The Phare NGO circus project trains street kids to become talented circus artists and the popular show blends circus skills with interpretations of modern life and issues in Cambodian society.
Early this morning, you may choose to witness Angkor Wat bathed in the spectacular golden light of sunrise, or join the group later in the morning to explore the mother of all temples – Angkor Wat. This awe-inspiring monument to man’s devotion to his gods is believed to be the largest religious building in the world, adorned with thousands of intricate wall carvings and extensive bas-reliefs. There are countless opportunities to capture stunning photographs at this iconic site.
Later, we travel to Banteay Srei Temple, considered by many to be the art gallery of Angkor for its exquisite stone carvings. Cut from pink-hued sandstone, this Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva features lavishly decorated libraries and magnificent reliefs of divine figures. En route to Banteay Srei, we’ll stop at the village of Preak Dak, where we support a community tree-planting initiative.
This afternoon, we drive to Kampong Phluk, a cluster of three stilted villages within the floodplain of Tonle Sap Lake. Here, you’ll see homes perched high above the water and, depending on the season, the hauntingly beautiful petrified trees of the flooded forest. Afterwards, we return to Siem Reap, where the rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax or explore at leisure. Perhaps browse for last-minute souvenirs at the Central Market or unwind with a drink on lively Pub Street.
Friday. Today marks the end of our memorable adventure. Spend the morning at leisure before hotel check out and your departure transfer to the airport.
