A Vietnam Voyage

You will be welcomed upon arrival at Hanoi airport and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon you will be taken on a private walking food tour of the city during which you will visit local markets and Hanoi’s Old Quarter, known for its 36 streets to enjoy the food tour experience. Your tour will start with a stop at a local market where you will see all the different kinds of food that are used for a Vietnamese breakfast, lunch and dinner and understand more about Vietnamese life. Next, experience Pho – the local noodles that form an integral part of most dishes. Continue your walk to explore the everyday life of Hanoi, and perhaps try some more local favourites. This unforgettable Hanoi food tour will take about 4 hours. Overnight at the Sofitel Legend Metropole .

Today you will be taken on a full-day tour of Hanoi’s most interesting sights, including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and his Stilt House, the Presidential Palace and the One-Pillar Pagoda, the Lake of the Restored Sword and Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda and either the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum. In the evening, you will enjoy a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show. Overnight again at the Sofitel Legend Metropole .

Today you will be transferred south to Tam Coc. Upon arrival, you will check into your hotel. Thereafter you will have lunch at a nice restaurant after boarding a small boat to visit Tam Coc which means “Three Caves”. With views of majestic limestone cliffs and caves, peaceful streams, rice paddies and deserted green fields, Tam Coc has a great deal to recommend it. You will take a bike from Tam Coc Port to Bich Dong pagoda and thereafter transfer to the Thung Nham resort. You will then visit the “Bird Valley”, home to with numerous bird species such as egrets, cranes and many more. Transfer to your hotel in Ninh Binh where you will overnight at Tam Coc Garden Resort Approximate driving time: 3 hours.

Today, you will spend an hour or so visiting the Dinh and Le temples of the Ancient Capital Hoa Lu. You will then drive to Van Long for lunch, followed by a 2-hour boat trip along the Van Long River. Along the way you will see caves, green rice fields, limestone mountains and witness the rural life of the locals before returning to hotel. Overnight again at Tam Coc Garden Resort .

After breakfast, you will drive to Ha Long Bay City. Upon arrival in Halong City, you will take a tender transfer to your junk and set sail across the bay while lunch is being served. As you cruise the magical bay, you will notice thousands of sculpted limestone islands rising from the waves like dragons’ teeth. Later in the afternoon, you will visit a fishing village where you will have the opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. Back on board, enjoy cocktails or a cooking class while watching the sunset, and later you can unwind in the restaurant over a lavish dinner. Overnight aboard an Orchid Cruise junk.Approximate driving time: 4 hours

Today, enjoy a sunrise Tai Chi class if you choose to get up that early, otherwise rise in time for breakfast. After breakfast, you will visit a beautiful limestone grotto, and then head back to the junk for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. After disembarking you will rejoin your vehicle and driver who will transfer you to the airport in time for the one-hour flight to Danang. Upon arrival at Danang airport, you will be transferred to nearby Hoi An where you will overnight at The Nam Hai Resort .

You will have two full days at leisure to explore the area and enjoy the activities being offered by the resort. We suggest that you spend time exploring nearby Hoi An Ancient Town and also spending time on the town’s lovely beaches. Overnight on both nights at The Nam Hai Resort .

You will have the day free until you need to transfer to Danang airport in time for your flight to Ho Chi Minh (also known as HCMC). Upon arrival in HCMC, you will be met and transferred to Villa Song where you will overnight.

In the morning, you will be driven to see the Cu Chi Tunnels. These Vietnam War-era tunnels consist of more than 200km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life during the U.S.-Vietnam War. In the afternoon, you will have a private tour of Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s commercial center and home to a growing number of upscale restaurants and shops. During the tour you will visit the Reunification Palace, “Notre Dame Cathedral”, the Opera House and the Hotel de Ville. If you desire, you can also visit the War Remnants Museum. Later, explore the colorful outdoor markets and Dong Khoi Street, the city’s main shopping boulevard, with fashionable boutiques and accessories designed by up-and-coming Vietnamese designers. Overnight stay at Villa Song .

You will be free to explore further on your own until you need to be transferred to the airport in time for your onward flight.