Ultimate Vietnam

Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam. A group transfer will be made available to you on day one of the trip.

Tonight you will be exploring Hanoi and learn about the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture, including details on ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes.

You will eat as you go, trying seasonal fruits and sampling a tasty French inspired snack from a street cart. Walking through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we tempt our taste buds with the famed Hanoi dish Banh Cuon at a local eatery. Watch in awe as the skilled chefs demonstrate for you how this tasty dish is put together.

Continuing into the atmospheric heart of the Old Quarter, you will wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes where you can observe local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded over 1000 years ago. Your next two snack stops are at outdoor BBQ stalls. You can sit down with the Hanoi locals and sample various meat, vegetable and bread specialties that are flame grilled over hot coals for extra flavour.

It’s then time for dessert as you adventure down a small alley to join in the local tradition of feasting on fresh fruit served in a cup and smothered with crushed iced and condensed milk – this specialty is one not to be missed!

Accommodation: Hoa Binh Hotel or similar

Your tour leader will collect you from your hotel and we will depart for Ninh Binh Province.

Once in Ninh Binh, soak up the beautiful lanscapes and hike to Mua cave. Walk up 486 stone steps to the top of the mountain, visit lovely stalactites and stalagmites inside, enjoy panoramic views of the countryside and Ngo Dong river.

After working up an appetite you’ll be welcomed into a local home for a traditional Vietnamese lunch. Meet the family who live here and enjoy their home made delicacies.

In the afternoon, take a short cycling trip to visit Trang An – an ecological tourist site where a rowing boat will bring you through many stunning caves and rice fields.

Accommodation: Thuy Anh Hotel or similar

Today we’re off to a UNESCO World Heritage site, Ha Long Bay.

Upon arrival, get on board to cruise around and soak up the spectacular scenery, with fascinating natural formations. You’ll have some lunch on board and have some time to visit villages and see how local people spend their days.

You can also join the cooking class on board to learn how to make Spring Rolls – a Vietnamese traditional dish.

After having dinner aboard, you can enjoy some night activities such as squid fishing, drinking, listening to music or just simply enjoying the night sky of Ha Long Bay.

Accommodation: Overnight cruise with Oriental Sails or similar

Wake up to the spectacular scenery of Ha Long Bay. Enjoy a free morning to soak up some final moments within this World Wonder before transferring back to Hanoi.

Take some time to rest or explore the streets of Hanoi with your free time before boarding your overnight train.

Accommodation: overnight sleeper train

Wake up and enjoy the scenic train ride on the way to you next destination.

At around 11am you’ll arrive at the imperial capital of Vietnam, Hue, which holds the treasures of the country’s royal past. Enjoy free time in the morning to rest or explore. Be sure to visit the bustling Dong Ba Market, which is a great place to sample some of the specialties that once graced the Nguyen emperors’ tables like banh khoai (royal rice cake). Reunite with the group to visit the war-damaged ruins of the Imperial Citadel, a sprawling city-within-a-city which contains the remains of temples, state houses and the emperor’s palace.

Accommodation: Villa Hue or similar

After breakfast, we’ll be exploring Hue. Our first stop is at Thanh Toan to see the 18th-century covered bridge and villagers shopping at their local market. Visit the 17th-century active Buddhist monastery of Thien Mu Pagoda and see the car that belonged to Thich Quang Duc, the monk who self-immolated in 1963 in protest against the treatment of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese regime.

For lunch, savour a vegetarian feast in a nunnery. Finish at the lakeside royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc and enjoy the panoramic view of Hue from Vong Canh Hill before heading back to town.

Accommodation: Villa Hue or similar

This morning we will travel by bus through coastal rice paddies and the spectacular Hai Van Pass. After a photo stop en route, arrive into Hoi An. Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An was a major international trading port during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of the beautifully preserved town retain the feel of centuries past. It’s also a shopping mecca, famous for its plethora of tailors.

On arrival your leader/guide will take you on a sightseeing walk through the Old Town to visit a handful of the city’s major attractions. You’ll also be given a sightseeing pass so you can further explore select attractions at your leisure.

Accommodation: Hoian Rose Garden or similar

Today you will be escorted through the markets by a local chef to explore the vibes of life and fresh foods, and to shop for ingredients. You’ll then head back to the chef’s home where you will be taken through a culinary journey with hands-on demonstrations and stories behind the yin and yang elements unveiling the secret of home-cooked Vietnamese meals.

Accommodation: Hoian Rose Garden or similar

Today take a short, early morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City (approximately 1.5 hours). Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City has a fascinating history and is arguably Vietnam’s capital of commerce and culture.

After landing, take a sightseeing tour around the city by bus. Pass the Reunification Palace, Notre
Dame Cathedral and the Opera House, then stop in at the War Remnants Museum to discover some of the
sobering stories of the 20-year-long Vietnam/American War.

Then take some free time and enjoy the local cuisine for dinner.

Accommodation: Riverside Hotel Saigon or similar

This morning, leave Ho Chi Minh and enjoy the scenic journey along the way bordered by green rice fields.

On arrival at My Tho, we’ll visit Vinh Trang pagoda, take a leisurely boat ride along the river, view stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages along the riverbank.

We’ll proceed to Tortoise islet and have lunch in the orchard garden. We’ll then continue to An Khanh – a less touristy attraction in Ben Tre, and enjoy cruising on a hand-rowed sampan under the shade of water coconut trees along natural canals, then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of “Southern Vietnamese folk music”, performed by the locals.

Visit a family business which epitomizes the idyllic rural lifestyle, taste delicious coconut candy & observe the pastoral life as you roam through the fruit plantations and villages.

Once again, find yourself a beautiful local restaurant to dine at in your free time.

Accommodation: Can Tho Ecolodge or similar

It’s an early start today in preparation for the Mekong Rustic boat trip. We will visit Cai Rang – the biggest wholesale floating market where you can buy some fresh tropical fruits from the local seller’s boats.

Experience the daily life of people in the Mekong Delta and travel via small wooden boats along the tiny canals.

It’s then time to head back to Ho Chi Minh and find some more beautiful local cuisine.

Accommodation: Riverside Hotel Saigon or similar

A morning at your leisure and then time to say good bye to your new friends. A group transfer to the airport will be available.