Vietnam

Welcome to Vietnam!

Upon arrival, you’ll be picked up at the airport by our private driver and taken to our hotel in the city center. After getting settled and having a good rest, we’ll start off with an evening orientation and group dinner at one of the city’s excellent restaurants.

Today we’ll experience the sprawling metropolis of Ho Chi Minh via a guided cyclo tour where you will be taken around the city in a traditional three-wheel bicycle taxi. This tour will allow us to see and learn about some of the best local spots of the city including niche markets specifically for flowers and fruits in addition to exploring the various neighborhoods, temples and more.

Of course, we’ll enjoy a sampling of southern Vietnamese cuisine along the way as well!

In the evening, we’ll attend an incredible cultural show at the city’s famed opera house where you’ll witness impressive acrobatics and creative choreography to the accompaniment of 17 unique Vietnamese instruments.

We’ll bid farewell to the energy of the big city and board a short flight to Da Nang, from where we'll drive 45 minutes to the beautiful cultural town of Hoi An.

With a relaxed pace of life, Hoi An’s architecture, history, culture and food are sure to delight from the moment we arrive. We’ll check into our centrally-located accommodation and go for an orientation walk around town.

This afternoon we will get crafty as we attend a Lantern Making Workshop. We will learn how to craft and design the traditional local lantern with patterned silk and tassels.

We'll then enjoy a wonderful regional dinner before returning to the river to watch it fill up with floating candles that locals release as traditional offerings.

This morning we will go to the Ancient Silk Village, a small centre that focuses on the preservation of skills in Vietnamese textile artisans. We will also make a few stops as we begin to feel the pulse of Hoi An, including a colorful Cao Dai Temple, The Museum of Precious Heritage and a Chinese Temple.

We will then head out to beautiful nearby An Bang Beach for a seaside lunch overlooking the Cham Islands.

After lunch you can relax by the beach for the day, sit by the pool at our hotel or go into town and take advantage of Hoi An's cheap tailor made clothing and leather. Your tour leader will be on hand to assist with any plans or activity ideas.

Hoi An is known for having some of the most delicious cuisine in all of Vietnam. From the savory bun cha soup to the fresh mi quang noodles and delicate white rose dumplings, the local cuisine is beyond outstanding! We’ll therefore spend today learning how to cook some of these famous dishes at a local cooking school.

After explanations and demonstrations from the chef, you’ll get to try your hand at preparing the food yourself, using local ingredients found at the nearby market. We'll then enjoy all of our hard work as we sit down and eat the meal we prepared.

After our class finishes, you’ll then have free time to enjoy even more of this charming town. Options include visiting Hoi An's famous cafes, shopping for clothes (it's well known for its clothing), visiting local art and photography galleries or sitting near the peaceful river watching life go by.

Leaving Hoi An, we’ll travel north by restored vintage jeeps, taking a scenic route through Central Vietnam with several stops along the way.

Our first stop will be Marble Mountain, a cluster of five limestone and marble hills known for their caves, pagodas, and panoramic views. From there we’ll continue up the Hai Van Pass, a winding coastal road with views of the mountains and the sea. We’ll then make our way down toward Lang Co Beach, where we’ll enjoy a relaxed seafood lunch by the water.

Before reaching Hue we’ll make one final stop at An Bang Cemetery, sometimes called the “City of Ghosts,” known for its brightly colored, elaborate tombs built to honor the dead.

We then check into our Hue Hotel, with spectacular views over the Perfume River. In the late afternoon, as it is cooling down, we will have a guided tour of the Ancient Imperial City lying behind the Citadel walls. From the Citadel we will board our dragon boat and travel along the Perfume River while enjoying a multi course, family style dinner, prepared by a local family.

You get to choose your mode of transport today (as a passenger on a moped or in a comfortable van) as we explore the backroads of stunning Hue.

Known as the Vietnamese capital of religion, culture and traditional food. We will visit the most famous conical hat maker in the entire country, head to a local coffee shop to try Hue's famous Salted Caramel Coffee, see how incense is made, visit the Buddhist Temple of Princeton Philosopher Thich Nhat Hanh and have an incredible vegetarian lunch prepared for us by Buddhist nuns from food in their own garden.

After this spectacular day, we will return to the hotel for some free time. In the evening, we'll all meet again for a stroll through the lively 'walking street' district and a delicious meal of local favorites.

We’ll begin the day with a short 1.5 hour morning flight from Hue to Hanoi. Upon arrival, we’ll have a quick lunch before embarking on a 3.5-hour drive to the tribal region known as Mai Chau.

After checking into our accommodation, you’ll have some free time to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. This is the perfect opportunity to soak up the tranquil charm of this unspoiled corner of Vietnam before we sit down for a wonderful dinner.

Today we’ll embark on a half-day tour of Mai Chau. Known for tribal customs, craftwork and stunning landscapes, we’ll visit welcoming local communities, learn about their culture and have a chance to walk through the terraced countryside to experience the peaceful lifestyle of the valley.

The day will include genuine local interaction and time to sit down and really get to know the people who call this area home.

You will then have the afternoon to explore town on your own, do some shopping at the famous markets or continue enjoying the serenity of the surrounding nature.

We'll then meet again for a group dinner.

We’ll begin our day with a 3.5-hour drive back to the city of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. We’ll make several stops along the way at impressive ancient pagodas and viewpoints in order to stretch our legs and rest.

Once in Hanoi we’ll check into our conveniently located hotel before an orientation walk and dinner at one of our favorite restaurants!

Today we’ll take part in a guided tour through the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. We’ll wander through its maze-like streets to experience the colorful sights all around us. We’ll explore some of the city’s most important landmarks such as Hoan Kiem Lake and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

We’ll also visit the city's largest covered market where we'll see hundreds of street hawkers selling a variety of fresh produce. In the afternoon, we’ll sit down to treat ourselves to a real Hanoi speciality, egg coffee, at a famous cafe known for this strange but delicious delight.

In the evening, we’ll head out for a typical North Vietnamese dinner experience, set among the atmospheric streets of the Old Quarter.

Leaving Hanoi behind, we’ll have a 2 hour drive to the coast where we'll board our beautiful boat for an overnight cruise. Once onboard, we'll begin with a fresh lunch while our captain takes us through the deep blue waters of the bay.

Our destination will be Bai Tu Long Bay, neighboring the popular and over-crowded Ha Long Bay. This is one of the area's best kept secrets, allowing us to enjoy a less touristy, and even more magical experience.

After lunch, we’ll visit a fishing village where you can either kayak or be rowed through the floating houses tucked amongst the protection of the cliffs. Our boat then sails to our evening moor. The boat crew teaches us how to make our own spring rolls during happy hour as the sun sets over the karst studded landscape.

For those who would like to pamper themselves, there is a massage therapist on our boat! We'll then gather for another great meal prepared by the boat's chefs. The night is then yours to relax on deck, enjoy a drink and savor the peaceful atmosphere of our impressive surroundings!

We’ll wake up and begin the day floating in the middle of Lan Ha Bay. If you like to wake up early in the morning, grab a cup of coffee and head to the top deck of our boat for sunrise and a basic Tai Chi class that focuses on circulation, balance and joint movement.

After breakfast, you’ll then have a chance to visit one of the islands. It involves approximately 200 stairs to reach a cave that offers a new perspective over this Natural Wonder of the World.

We then have an early lunch on board the boat before returning to the main dock. From here, we'll drive back to Hanoi.

We'll check back into our hotel, enjoy some free time and then head out for our special farewell dinner.

You will be picked up at the hotel by a private driver who will take you to the airport for your departing flight.