Sparkling lagoons, royal cities and floating sampans

This is a grand tour of Vietnam in two wonderful weeks. Over a fortnight, you'll travel comfortably and privately from north to south, taking in the treasures of the country along the way. You'll begin in Hanoi, wandering wistfully through the atmospheric streets of the Old Quarter and marvelling at the beautiful pagodas dotted around the city. Then, you'll travel to the enchanting archipelago of Halong Bay to drift amongst the ragged limestone rocks that rise from the sea. After this, you'll work your way south to elegant Hué and charming Hoi An, an artistic haven of friendly tailors and quirky cafes. Finally, you'll spend 2 days exploring the dazzling Mekong Delta and historic Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. You'll cover the longer distances by plane and the shorter journeys by private car with air-conditioning and a driver. Your english-speaking guide will accompany you during the cultural excursions, with in-depth local knowledge at this fingertips. You’ll sleep in lovely, small-scale hotels that are full of local character. Breakfast is included. Oh, go ahead and treat yourselves....

Duration	14 days / 13 nights Departs daily from Hanoi	Accommodation	Charming, comfortable hotels (comfort 3-4) throughout the trip. See accommodation.
Price	£1192 per person - based on 2 people sharing - based on 3* accommodation £1662 per person - based on 2 people sharing - based on 4* accommodation	Includes	Accommodation with breakfast, transport, excursions as described with English-speaking guide
Transport	Private car, boat, and plane	Excludes	All other meals and drinks

Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi

When you arrive in Hanoi you'll be greeted by our local agent and transferred directly to you hotel by private car. If you arrive in the morning, you'll have some time to settle in and freshen up before beginning a city tour of captivating Hanoi. During this tour, you'll explore the maze of narrow streets in the fascinating Old Quarter, weaving your way between bikes, rickshaws and mopeds. You'll visit the inspiring Quan Thanh Temple and the tranquil Temple of Literature, which was built in the 11th century as the first university of Vietnam. You'll also spend some time admiring the Fine Art Museum. In the evening, you'll attend a traditional water puppet show on the shores of peaceful Hoan Kiem Lake. A unique and unforgettable experience...

Day 2: Hanoi - Halong Bay

This morning, you’ll visit some more highlights of Hanoi, including the One Pillar Pagoda and the Army Museum. You'll also drop in on the preserved body of former President Ho Chi Minh at his formidable mausoleum, where his body is entombed in a glass sarcophagus and surrounded by guards. You can file in, one by one, to take a look at ‘Uncle Ho’. Vietnamese people consider it a great honour to visit his embalmed body, and you can see their emotional reactions as you file past.

In the afternoon, you'll leave your hotel and begin your journey to Halong Bay, a five hour drive. The first part of the journey takes you through the hectic city, buzzing with mopeds laden with bags of rice, pans, tyres, vegetables, live chickens and even pigs. Once you have travelled beyond the city limits, the landscape will change into rolling rice paddies and rustic villages. Finally, the picturesque landscape of Halong will appear in the distance, with craggy islands thrusting out of the gentle sea. You'll spend the night in a good hotel.

Day 3: Halong Bay - Hanoi

Today you’ll explore the bewitching archipelago of Halong Bay by boat, weaving between craggy limestone islands. Halong Bay is a World Heritage Site, with more than 3000 bizarre rocky formations rising majestically from the emerald green waters. Some of these islands are completely wooded, others are bare rock and many have perfectly secluded sandy beaches. Erosion over millions of years has given the rocky islands their rugged character. During the boat trip you'll visit two spectacular natural caves, Thien Cung and Dau Go, to feel the strange atmosphere of these beautiful grottoes. A seafood lunch will be served on board. After the trip, you'll return to Hanoi by car, and stay overnight in a comfortable hotel.

Day 4: Hanoi

This morning you’ll pay a quick visit to the Thay Pagoda, home of the art of water puppetry, which you have already seen in action. You'll then drive on to the Tay Phuong Pagoda, with its fascinating collection of Buddhist statues dating from the 17th century. After this, you'll head back to Hanoi, and after lunch in a local restaurant, the rest of the day will be free for you to do as you please.

You can spend your afternoon exploring the Old Quarter - the beating heart of Hanoi - crammed with aromatic food stalls and unusual restaurants. Narrow streets criss-cross each other, their pavements displaying all manner of local goods. In the 13th century, the 36 original streets were divided up among the craft guilds, each guild claiming its own street. The system remains to this day. Shoe Street has only shoe shops (every girl's dream). All street names begin with 'Hang', meaning trade. You'll find silver on Hang Bac, copper on Hang Dong , and silk on Hang Gai. The Old Quarter is also home to a fascinating market with a booming trade in live chickens and fish, and a heady aroma of spices. After some retail therapy, visit peaceful Hoan Kiem Lake and munch on a typical Vietnamese spring roll.

Days 5 and 6: Hué

You can spend today at your own leisure until it's time for your transfer to the airport. From Hanoi, you’ll take a quick flight south to the ancient royal city of Hué. After you have settled in, you'll have a chance to explore the historic legacy of Hué, visiting the royal tombs of Emperor Tu Duc and Emperor Khai. On your second day, you’ll travel by traditional dragon boat on the Perfume River to the striking Thien Mu Pagoda, observing houseboat villages as you drift, making a quick stop at the lively floating market of Dong Ba on the way. You’ll also visit the Minh Mang Tomb and the ruins of the Royal Citadel within the walls of the Forbidden Purple City. Here, you'll find large bronze urns commemorating Nguyen emperors. Most of the buildings within the Purple City were destroyed in the Vietnam War. Now a Cultural Heritage Site, many have these have been reconstructed as authentically as possible. You’ll spend both of these nights in a wonderful hotel in Hué.

Day 7: Hué - Hoi An

Today, you'll make an early start for the journey to Hoi An (approximately 5 hours). During the trip, you will cross the awe-inspiring Hai Van Pass (Pass of the Ocean Clouds) and travel through many picturesque villages with red-tiled roofs and vibrant tropical fruit orchards. The views here are quite simply are spectacular, so have your camera at the ready. When you arrive in Danang, you’ll take a short sightseeing tour to the Cham Museum, Marble Mountain, and China Beach, famed for its notorious role in the Vietnam War. After this, you’ll continue to Hoi An, where you'll check into a fantastic colonial-style hotel with a wonderful swimming pool, located very close to the old city. Once you have settled into your room, you'll take a look around the enchanting town, visiting Hoi An Market, the 18th century Tan Ky House, the Fulkien Assembly Hall and the Japanese covered Bridge.

Days 8 and 9: Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City

On Day 8, you’ll visit My Son, the holy ground of the Cham people. This area is rich in remnants of the Kingdom of Champa, which ruled this region from the 2nd to the 15th century. You'll notice many Indian influences as you walk among the ruins, wistfully soaking up the historic atmosphere. You'll have the afternoon free to explore Hoi An at your own pace. You can get measured up for a suit, or pedal about town on a rented pushbike. If you're looking for relaxation, you can wander through the narrow streets, enjoy some delicious food at the old port, or stretch out on the sparkling sands of the nearby beach. You'll spend another night in the excellent hotel.

The following day, (Day 9) you'll be free to explore until your transfer to Danang airport for your quick flight to Ho Chi Minh City. When you arrive in former Saigon, you'll be taken on a tour of the hectic city, visiting a number of museums and getting a real feel for the city. You'll stay in a comfortable hotel situated in the Dong Khoi district. As the sun goes down, try a cocktail on the roof of the legendary Rex hotel.

Day 10: Mekong Delta

The day begins with a tour to the village of My Tho, on the banks of the mighty Mekong River that runs through Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar. The drive to this village takes approximately 2 hours, and passes through a colourful landscape of ripe orchards and emerald paddy fields. Here, you’ll visit the Vinh Trang pagoda, a beautiful temple that was built in the early 19th century. You'll take a boat trip on the legendary Mekong River, and make an interesting stop at a river island. From the boat, you can marvel at the plentiful flora growing along the fertile riverbanks. In the afternoon, you'll head to an incredible snake farm and the charming village of Dong Tam. After this, you’ll travel on to Can Tho, the regional capital and your final destination for the day. The town is connected with all of the villages in the Mekong Delta by means of the waterways and there are several floating markets selling a huge variety of goods. Tonight, you'll stay in an excellent hotel on the banks of the Mekong.

Day 11: Mekong - Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, you'll take to the water again for a trip on the Rach Ngong River. This will give you a wonderful glimpse of life along the riverbank. You'll visit an orchard and the frenetic Cai Rang floating market. This is the largest, most important, and probably the noisiest floating market in the Mekong Delta. Vendors offer their wares from boats almost sinking under the weight of their produce, and they dangle their goods in the air from a long pole. You'll also see small flotillas drifting along as traders link up to swap goods amongst themselves. At the end of the afternoon, you'll return to Ho Chi Minh, where you'll sleep in a charming, central hotel with all of the creature comforts you might need.

Days 12 and 13: Cu Chi Tunnels and Ho Chi Minh

Today you’ll visit the fascinating Cu Chi Tunnels that lie 30km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. You'll travel into the area by boat, drifting past peaceful paddy fields and watching delta life. Along the way, you'll see an unusual floating temple. You'll then hop into a minibus for the last section of the journey to the tunnels.

The Viet Cong dug the haunting network of the Cu Chi tunnels during the Vietnam War to hide from American forces. The underground labyrinth covers an incredible 250km and include sleeping quarters, kitchens, ammunition stores, weapon factories, and command centres. You'll be given the opportunity to climb into the tunnels and experience their eerie atmosphere first hand.

You'll return from the tunnels at around 2.30pm on Day 12. From now until the end of your trip, your time will be entirely your own. We can recommend visits to the Reunification Palace, the heart-breaking American War Museum, and the majestic pagodas dotted around the city. You'll stay in your comfortable hotel located in the upmarket Dong Khoi neighbourhood.

Day 14: Ho Chi Minh - UK

This is the final day of your trip. You'll be transferred by private car to Ho Chi Minh City Airport for your international flight back to UK.

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