Fly to Saigon, Vietnam's largest and most evocative city. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.
Contemplate the realities of guerrilla warfare at the astonishing Cu Chi Tunnels, the incredible network of tunnels used by the VietCong resistance during the Vietnam War. Seamlessly blending past and present, Saigon is both a treasure trove of cultural sights and the city that is driving Vietnam towards a bright future. See Vietnam's colonial past at Notre Dame Cathedral and visit the Central Post Office. Also visit the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum.
Journey to Ben Tre to take a cruise on the Mekong. Paddle through the maze of
palm-lined canals and get a glimpse of daily life on the Mekong Delta. Lunch on typical Mekong fare. Return to Saigon.
Fly to Danang and transfer to Hoi An. This afternoon take a walking tour of charming Hoi An '“ a wonderfully laidback and wilfully traditional place, whose
streets are a delight to wander. Visit an old merchant's house, Visit an old merchant's house, Quan Cong Temple, the elaborate Japanese Bridge and the bustling market. Stop en route to visit Reaching Out, a social enterprise craft workshop, and watch the
artisans at work.
Purchase fresh ingredients at the market for a cookery class at a local restaurant, consuming your creations for lunch. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure to further
explore this delightful town.
Enjoy a day at leisure. Perhaps savour a relaxing coffee, pop into the town for a stroll or even head to the beach.
Leave Hoi An for Hue, taking a scenic route over the Hai Van Pass. Visit the imposing Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City. Later, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Royal Tomb of Minh Mang, a complex of 40 monuments set in surroundings of gardens and pools. Continue to the old Thien Mu Pagoda before taking a cruise on the Perfume River.
Fly to Hanoi this morning. After lunch, enjoy a tour of the city, taking in the Ho Chi Minh Quarter, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Confucian Temple of Literature. End the day's explorations with a thrilling cyclo tour through Phan Dinh Phung street and the Old Quarter. Wrap up your ride with a strong Vietnamese coffee at a café overlooking St. Joseph's Cathedral.
Travel to Sapa by coach through the Northern Highlands, arriving in the mid to late afternoon. Vast panoramas of stepped rice terraces ribbon their way across these hills; a testament to the extraordinary skills of the local farmers.
Spend the next two days discovering this verdant and beautiful area of rolling hills and rice terraces with some light walking through the surrounding valleys and villages, and visits to ethnic minority communities including those of the H'mong people.
Take a cable car ride up Mt Fansipan, the highest mountain in Indochina. Arrive at the summit to enjoy incredible views from a breathtaking 3,143 metres. After lunch, drive back to Hanoi.
Drive east to Halong Bay, where you'll spend the afternoon and night cruising amongst magnificent karst peaks on the tranquil green waters of Halong Bay, and even explore one of the bay's many caves.
Rise early to admire sunrise over the bay as you cruise back toward the port. Spend the morning cruising back to the pier for your return transfer to Hanoi. Enjoy a farewell dinner and attend a spectacular Vietnamese stage performance.
Fly to New Zealand, arriving home the same or following day.
