Meals:Dinner
The tour commences today in Vietnam's capital; the fantastic jumble of styles and influences that is modern-day Hanoi. Many of our customers choose to come in a day or two early to get over jet-lag and get the most out of the tour. Whatever you choose we will have someone there to meet you on arrival at Noi Bai International Airport and escort you the short distance to our hotel. Our base here is the Medallion Hotel, located bang in the heart of the city's old town, surrounded by street food stalls, markets and cafes, and within a few minutes walk of Hoan Kiem Lake. Tonight, once all members of the group have arrived we will venture out into the city to indulge in an included welcome dinner of your Tour Leader's choice.
Meals:Breakfast
Ho Chi Minh died before the conclusion of the Vietnam War, but the reverence in which he was held was such that his body was preserved and a grand mausoleum created in Hanoi to allow the Vietnamese people to pay their respects. Our exploration of the city commences here, at the complex that houses the Stalinist mausoleum, the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh's more humble private residence. Our next stop is the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university constructed in 1070, with lovely gardens and well-preserved architecture. After lunch you are free to head off under your own steam, or see what your Tour Leader has planned. You may like to stop in at one of the city's excellent museums - the recently-opened Ethnology Museum, where Vietnam's diverse minority cultures are explained in a thoughtful and hands-on manner, and the Women's Museum are both highly recommended.
Meals:Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
We leave Hanoi early this morning for the four hour drive east to Halong Bay. We board our comfortable Chinese-style junk boat, the Bai Tho, in late morning and set sail into the wonderful scenery of the bay. During the afternoon we will disembark to explore one of the remarkable floating fishing villages that shelter in the lee of the towering karst pinnacles that stud the bay. There is also the chance to swim or hire a kayak for some personal water-borne exploration.
Meals:Breakfast
A leisurely morning of cruising through the bay brings us back to the harbour in late morning. A short drive brings us to Haiphong, where we arrive in time for our flight south to Danang, a popular coastal city home to China Beach, made famous as the GI R&R location during the Vietnam War. On arrival a coach will be waiting to transfer us down the coast to one of Vietnam's most magical destinations: the ancient trading port of Hoi An. Our hotel is located on the edge of the pedestrianised Old Town, making it an ideal spot for personal exploration.
Meals:Breakfast
A short walking tour of the Old Town this morning helps you get your bearings sufficiently to make the most of your afternoon at leisure. The pool at the resort hotel is inviting, or the many wonderful riverside cafes and restaurants might appeal for a spot of people-watching. For those of a more active persuasion bikes can be hired to get out into the countryside, or your Tour Leader could help you to arrange a cookery class or a visit to the Cham Dynasty ruins at My Son, an hour's drive from town.
Meals:Breakfast
After breakfast today we head onward to the imperial capital of Hue, one of the most scenic drives in the country, ascending the Pass of Ocean Clouds before dropping down to the wonderfully photogenic fishing village of Lang Co beyond. After checking in to our hotel overlooking the Perfume River the remainder of the day is at leisure to explore.
Meals:Breakfast/Lunch
Following a morning guided exploration of the huge Citadel, home of the Nguyen Emperors, and a cyclo tour through the Old Town, we take a picturesque boat ride up the Perfume River, named for the fragrance of tropical flowers carried down from orchards upriver, to the Thien Mu Pagoda. The afternoon is then yours to continue your exploration. The countryside surrounding the city is dotted with the tombs of the former emperors, and you may wish to add one or more of these into your itinerary. Two of the finest are the imposing Mausoleum of Tu Duc, and Khai Dinh's Tomb; the European-influenced resting place of the final Nguyen Emperor.
Meals:Breakfast
This morning we continue our journey south with a flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's most energetic and electric city. We are staying at a great value hotel in a fantastic location just behind the Opera House and surrounded by bustling streets full of cafes, restaurants and shops. District One, where our hotel is located, is an incredibly accessible area with many of the city's highlights, including the former Presidential Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Benh Thanh Market and Dong Khoi Street, all within walking distance. Take your pick and head out this afternoon to make your own discoveries.
Meals:Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
After a high-paced few days, we slow things down today as we head south from the city into the evocative Mekong Delta. There are few more relaxing experiences than a cruise through the laid-back tropical world of the delta - we board in Cai Be and sail downriver past mountains of coconuts and heavily-laden rice barges to the Mekong Lodge where we will stay the night. After lunch we explore the local villages and fruit orchards on foot or by bike, seeing local handicrafts and cottage industries, before returning to our lodge to watch the sun set over the Mekong River.
Meals:Breakfast
The morning is at leisure to explore further or relax at the lodge, before we head back by coach to Ho Chi Minh City for a final evening in town.
Meals:Breakfast
Sadly the tour is over and we all have to say our farewells and go our separate ways. Unless you have chosen to extend your trip with a few nights on one of Vietnam's excellent beaches, or by crossing the border to explore the incredible temples of Angkor in neighbouring Cambodia, you will be taken to Ho Chi Minh International Airport by your tour leader or a guide and waved off on your return flight home.
