Day 1: Arrive Saigon (D)

Welcome to Saigon! You will be met at the airport for transfer to your hotel in Saigon. After checking-in to the hotel, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy. Saigon is a bustling, dynamic and industrious urban center. It is the largest city in Vietnam, the economic capital and the cultural trendsetter. Yet within the teeming metropolis are the timeless traditions and beauty of an ancient culture.

In the evening, join your Tour Guide and fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner.

Overnight in hotel, Saigon.

Day 2: Saigon - Mekong Delta - Saigon (B, L)

After breakfast, travel out of Saigon and spend the full day boating along the waterways of the lush Mekong Delta region on an exploration excursion. On arrival in My Tho, take a boat ride along the narrow Mekong Delta waterways, overhung with dense vegetation, to visit a floating market where the local people buy, sell and barter produce from their boats. There is also an opportunity to stroll through the abundant fruit orchards and witness traditional rice paper making, cooking crispy rice cakes and other traditional products.

Enjoy lunch before continuing on to a bonsai garden or fruit garden, a traditional boat building yard, and home-business cottage industries such as coconut candy and griddle cake shops.

Overnight in hotel, Saigon.

Day 3: Saigon - Danang - Hoi An (B, L) (VN#326 @ 16.00 – 17.10)

In the morning, discover the Saigon’s most attractive sites, taking in the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office before ending the morning with a visit to Chinatown.

In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for the short flight to Danang. On arrival, you will be met at the airport for transfer to your hotel in Hoi An and then the evening is free.

Overnight in hotel, Hoi An.

Day 4: Hoi An (B)

In the morning, enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow, lively streets of the ancient town, visit the Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200-year old Tam Ky ancestral house, the Japanese Covered Bridge and the colorful local market.

After that, take a short boat ride across the Thu Bon river to a nearby island to visit a handicraft village specializing in ceramics and boat building yards where the craftsmen still hew the boats into life much as they have done for centuries. The rest of the day is free.

Overnight in hotel, Hoi An.

Day 5: Hoi An - Discover Hue, the Imperial City (B, L)

In the morning, drive along the coastal highway north to the imperial city of Hue. On the way to Hue, stop for a refreshment break at Lang Co, on a beautiful white sand beach set against a majestic backdrop of the Annamite Cordillera. After check-in at your hotel in Hue, visit the Imperial Citadel and Forbidden City, created in the 19th century for the Emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. Enjoy some “retail therapy” at Dong Ba Market before transferring back to the hotel.

Overnight in hotel, Hue.

Day 6: Hue - Hanoi (B, L, D)

In the morning, take a boat ride along the romantic Perfume River. Stop off at the Thien Mu Pagoda on the banks of the river to see the 7-storey Stupa. The pagoda is also home to the old Austin car driven to Saigon by the Venerable Thich Quang Duc in 1963 for his self-immolation. Continue on to visit the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang (1791-1841), built between 1841 and 1843. The Emperor’s mausoleum complex consists of 40 constructions (palaces, temples, pavilions etc.) designed on a symmetrical axis.  Lunch is a special vegetarian meal with the nuns of Dong Thuyen Pagoda.

In the afternoon, board the train for the overnight journey to Hanoi.

Overnight on the train.

Day 7: Hanoi City Tour (B, L)

Arrive in Hanoi in the earlier morning and be met at the railway station for transfer to your hotel in Hanoi. Then start exploring Hanoi by visiting the Ho Chi Minh complex, starting at the late-President’s Mausoleum. The excursion continues on to his humble “stilt house” before visiting the French colonial Governor’s Palace and the 11th century One-Pillar Pagoda. Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest in Hanoi. Finally, explore the bustling Old Quarter with its 36 “Guild streets” on a fantastic Cyclo tour. The evening is free.

Overnight in hotel, Hanoi.

Day 8: Hanoi - Ha Long Bay (B, L, D)

Depart Hanoi in the morning for the scenic three-hour drive through the countryside to Ha Long Bay, a natural wonder with thousands of islands rising out of the water, creating a unique and beautiful landscape. On arrival, embark on a traditional luxury cruise vessel for a voyage through the 3,000 limestone islands which dot the Bay.

There is time to explore Ha Long Bay at a leisurely pace: swim, relax with a drink or a good book, indulge in a revitalizing massage or simply take in the exotic views before experiencing the magic of falling asleep onboard in this beautiful part of the world.

Overnight onboard Bhaya Classic, Ha Long Bay.

Day 9: Ha Long Bay - Hanoi (B, Brunch)

Early risers can enjoy a morning swim in a quiet, secluded cove near an island in the Bay. After breakfast, continue cruising before disembarking and returning to Hanoi. Transfer to the airport for onward flights or take a holiday extension.

End of trip./.

(B): Breakfast
(L): Lunch
(D): Dinner

HOTELS UTILIZED
Saigon: Hoang Hai Long Hotel   
Hoi An: Indochine Hotel    
Hue: Duy Tan Hotel     
Hanoi: La Dolce Vita Hotel    
Halong: Bhaya Cruises