Best of Vietnam

Duration: 12 days

Highlights: The UNESCO World Heritage site Halong Bay & Hoi An ancient town, the colonial city of Hanoi, Southeast Asia's prettiest beach - Danang, the bustling
commercial city Ho Chi Minh

This itinerary presents all of Vietnam's highlights and so is ideal for the first time visitor to the country.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Ho Chi Minh City Arrival

Today youll arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, an enigmatic city still lovingly referred to as Saigon by locals. After clearing customs and immigration formalities, youll be met by a
representative and transferred to your hotel.

The remainder of your day will be yours to spend at your leisure.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City

Day 2 - Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast at your hotel your guide will collect you from your hotel and take you on a drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

The Cu Chi Tunnels are an incredible network of narrow tunnels that were built during resistance to the French colonisation and were utilised extensively during the Vietnam
War. The (sometimes claustrophobic) tunnels give an amazing insight into life during the war. Youll have the opportunity to enjoy a 2 hour guided exploration of either the
Ben Duoc or Ben Dinh sections of the complex network.

Return to the city and relax over lunch at restaurant before setting off to look around the many fascinating parts of the city, including the Reunification Hall or Presidential
Palace, the Historical Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral.

Reunification Hall is one of the most historic landmarks in Ho Chi Minh City and was built on the site of the former Norodom Palace. Designed as the Presidential Palace
during the Vietnam War, it was where the official handover of power took place during the Fall of Saigon in 1975. The building is preserved almost as it was under the old
Saigon regime with elegant interiors decorated with fine Vietnamese arts and crafts. One of the many attractions within the building is the underground Command Post of the
now-exiled president.
Continue on to the History Museum, set in the Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Built in 1929 by the Societe des Etudes Indochinoises, it was known as Muse Blanchard de la
Bosse until 1956, when it was renamed the Saigon National Museum. In 1975, it was expanded, renovated and renamed the Historical Museum. The Museum now houses
an excellent collection of artefacts illustrating the evolution of Vietnamese culture from ancient times (approximately 300,000 years ago) up to the 1930s, when Vietnams
Communist Party was founded.

Make a brief photo stop at the Notre Dame Cathedral in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. It has a neo-Romanesque faade and two bell towers tipped with iron spires that reach
a height of 190 feet, dominating the skyline. Here you will also have the opportunity to briefly visit the classic 19th century French colonial Post Office. The largest post office
in Vietnam, it is an important communications hub for most of the citys inhabitants. Inside, the building has huge vaulted ceilings with vast maps of Vietnam on both sides of
the main hall.

Return to your hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City

Meal Plan: B,L

Day 3 - Ho Chi Minh City Ben Tre

This morning youll take breakfast at your hotel before you depart from Ho Chi Minh City (around 8am) to visit Ben Tre, a province famous for its coconut production and quiet,
peaceful network of crisscrossing rivers and canals.

On arrival, take a xe loi (type of rickshaw) ride through a local village to enjoy the green fields and gardens. Continue with a short walk to the canals before you begin a
scenic boat trip through waterways lined with beautiful tropical scenery. Enjoy the peacefulness of the region then stop to visit a local house where youll enjoy fresh fruits
and tea before heading out again to visit a factory which produces Hu Tieu noodles, one of most popular breakfast dishes in the region.

Then youll switch to a bicycle and ride on village roads past green gardens and local houses and stop at another local house where they build traditional sampan boats.
Youll then carry on your bike ride to a local restaurant by the riverside where youll relax and enjoy a 5-course lunch.

After eating youll be able to relax and wander the elegant garden before visiting a family home in the village where they make sticky rice. After your visit, the boat will be
waiting for you at the pier nearby to bring you back to Ben Tre city where a car will be waiting to return you to Ho Chi Minh City.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City

Meal Plan: B,L

Day 4 - Ho Chi Minh City Hoi An

After breakfast at your hotel youll be transferred to the airport for your morning flight to Danang.

Youll be greeted by our representative then enjoy a private transfer to Hoi An. Once you arrive and check in to your hotel, the remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at
leisure.

Overnight: Hoi An

Meal Plan: B

Day 5 - Hoi An

Enjoy a leisurely start to the day and enjoy breakfast at leisure with the morning yours to spend enjoying the hotels amenities. In the late morning your guide will collect you
and take you to a local restaurant for lunch.

This afternoon youll take a walking tour of Hoi An and discover the historic town which used to be a prosperous seaport city during the 16th to 18th centuries. Visit the Hoi
An Market, a hive of activity with stalls overflowing out into the streets with all kinds of exotic goods for sale. The locals stock up on food and buy plants here, with kumquat,
peach and apricot trees being especially popular.

Next youll visit the Old House of Tan Ky, Fukien Assembly Hall and the 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge. Travellers can also visit a local farm where residents raise
silkworms and produce silk for Hoi An s burgeoning textile industry.
Later on, take a boat trip on Thu Bon River which connects Hoi An with Cua Dai Beach to catch a glimpse of everyday local life in this area before returning to the hotel in the
late afternoon to spend the remainder of the day at your leisure.

Overnight: Hoi An

Meal Plan: B,L

Day 6 - Hoi An

Today is free to enjoy entirely at your own leisure. Breakfast is provided at your hotel, and should you require any suggestions of how best to spend the day, please do
consult your guide (while in country) or Destination Specialist (during consultation), either of whom will be delighted to assist you.

Overnight: Hoi An

Meal Plan: B

Day 7 - Hoi An - Hue

After breakfast this morning, youll be collected by your private vehicle to leave Hoi An for Hue via the Hai Van Pass, a 21km stretch of spectacular coastal road. Upon arrival
in Hue youll take lunch at local restaurant upon arrival then check in to your hotel.

In the afternoon, youll visit the Imperial City from where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Next youll visit the elaborate mausoleums of Tomb of Tu Duc
and Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the most ancient architectural structures for religious worship in Hue. Later on, youll take a private boat cruise along the romantic Perfume
River before returning to your hotel.

Overnight: Hue

Meal Plan: B,L

Day 8 - Hue - Hanoi

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and then have the morning at leisure until you transfer to the airport for your afternoon flight to Hanoi.

Youll be greeted on arrival by a representative who will assist you with transfer and check in at your next hotel.

This afternoon, enjoy a panoramic cyclo (three-wheeled bicycle rickshaw) tour in Hanois Old Quarter followed by the visit of Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake. Next
youll stop to enjoy a night of theatre at the famous Water Puppet Show, where the artists stand waist-deep in water to manipulate the puppets, making them move, talk,
laugh and even dance on water surface.

Meal Plan: B

Day 9 - Hanoi - Halong Bay

After breakfast at your hotel youll leave Hanoi for Halong Bay on a 4 hour transfer by private vehicle (approx. 170 km) with one stop along the way.

Youll discover the splendours of Halong Bay on a wooden junk that combines classic beauty with modern comfort. As you cruise through the bay youll feast your eyes and
stomachs with a vista of majestic limestone karts jutting out from azure waters like dragons teeth as you tuck in to an exceptional seafood lunch.

In the mid-afternoon youll arrive at a village of floating houses anchored to the karsts of a sheltered cove. Several similar floating villages can be found throughout the bay
but the settlement youll visit is unique in that it is the only buoyant settlement with a school and museum.

Youll then enjoy leisure time aboard the traditional junk. You can perhaps enjoy a swim or kayaking (optional) and simply relax and enjoy sunset views from the junks
sundeck before enjoying a wonderful dinner service under the stars.

Overnight: Halong Boat

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 10 - Halong Bay

As an extra incentive to rise early, youll be offered the opportunity to enjoy a sublime sunrise while partaking in a Tai Chi class on the deck followed by a plentiful breakfast
service.

Youll then continue to either Cat Ba Island or Lan Ha Bay for a full-day excursion where (depending on the weather) you can enjoy biking,swimming or kayaking.

Return to the junk before sunset to enjoy delicious cocktails and dinner as a reward for your exertions.

Overnight: Halong Boat

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 11 - Halong Bay - Hanoi

After breakfast on board the junk youll make a visit to explore a beautiful nearby cave before cruising back to the port, arriving at approximately 10.30am to transfer back to
Hanoi.

Once youve checked in to your hotel, youll continue to visit the Temple of Literature dedicated to Confucius, founded in 1070 AD. The temple is a rare example of
well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture. The Garden of Stelae honours scholars and men of literary accomplishment, recording the names, place of birth and
achievements of Vietnamese nationals who have received doctorates.

Youll then proceed to the Quan Thanh Temple (Temple of the Northern Spirits), also known as Tran Vo or Tran Vu and often incorrectly called the Pagoda of the Grand
Buddha. Located between the two lakes, the temple was established during the Ly Dynasty (1010 to 1225 AD) and was dedicated to Tran Vo (God of the North), whose
symbols of power are the tortoise and the snake.

Youll have the evening of your tour to enjoy at your leisure but be sure to ask our Destination Specialists for their expert advice should you wish to make plans.

Please note: itinerary is subject to change, depending on weather conditions.

Overnight: Hanoi

Meal Plan: B,L

Day 12 - Depart Hanoi

Depending on your flight schedule, youll have breakfast at the hotel and enjoy the remainder of your time at leisure until you transfer to the airport for onward flight.

Meal Plan: B