Itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Hanoi
Overnight flight from London (regional
connections available) direct to Hanoi with
Vietnam Airlines on new state-of-the-art
Dreamliner aircraft. (N)
Day 2: Hanoi
Morning arrival. Transfer to the Mvenpick
Hotel for 2 nights.
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (D)
Day 3: Hanoi
Morning tour of Ho Chi Minhs mausoleum,
the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of
Literature, Hoan Kiem lake and Ngoc Son
temple. Lunch is at KOTO restaurant, an
organisation that provides vocational training
for underprivileged youths in Vietnam,
followed by a visit to the Museum of Ethnology (subject to local conditions). Optional evening
excursion to a water puppet show (payable
locally). (B, L)
Day 4: Cruise on Lan Ha Bay
Cruise today in an area similar to Halong
Bay but with far fewer visitors, known as Lan
Ha Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin. Stay overnight
onboard the Indochine. (B, L, D)
Day 5: Fly to Hoi An
Morning cruise in Halong Bay. Disembark and
drive to Hanoi airport and fly to Hoi An, one
of Asias most enchanting towns. Stay 3 nights
at the Boutique Hoi An Resort. (B, L)
Day 6: Hoi An
Morning tour of the ruined temple of My Son.
Lunch at Streets International restaurant, a
social enterprise initiative with the purpose of
developing sustainable programmes for street
children. In the afternoon, take a walking tour
of the former trading port of Hoi An, which
has historic Chinese, Japanese and European
influences. (B, L)
Day 7: Hoi An
Day at leisure. Optional classes at the Red
Bridge cooking school (payable locally). (B)
Day 8: Danang Hue
Morning drive over the spectacular Hai Van
Pass (weather permitting) to Hue, visiting the
Museum of Cham Sculpture in Danang en route.
Afternoon at leisure. Stay at the Pilgrimage
Village for 2 nights. (B, L)
Day 9: Hu
Morning visit to Hue citadel, which
encompasses the numerous pavilions, temples
and courtyards of the former Imperial City,
including the Purple Forbidden City. Continue to Thien Mu pagoda, then take a short cruise
on the Perfume River back to the city centre.
After lunch, visit the tombs of the Nguyen
emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Dinner this
evening will be at a restored royal home of the
Nguyen dynasty. (B, D)
Day 10: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to the
Grand Hotel for a 3-night
stay. (B)
Day 11: Mekong delta
Full-day exploration of the Mekong delta,
including a boat trip to Cai Be, a sampan ride
exploring the smaller channels and walking in
the countryside. (B, L)
Day 12: Cu Chi tunnels
Morning drive through the southern
Vietnamese countryside and visit the Cu Chi
tunnels. Afternoon city tour with visits to the
Reunification Palace, Notre Dame cathedral, the
War Remnants Museum and a former safe house
used by the Viet Cong. Farewell dinner. (B, D)
Days 13-14: Fly to London
Day at leisure. Transfer to the airport then fly
direct to London, arriving the following day.
(B) (N)
