Vietnam Northbound, 10 days

On arrival at  Ho Chi Minh Airport, you are met by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer. You may have some time free to relax or discover at your own leisure. The bustling city of Ho Chi Minh, still called Saigon by many locals, was originally a fishing village built up on a vast swampland, but it has developed into Saigon under the French domination. The effervescent development has bought Ho Chi Minh some cosmic changes from a war-torn city to a thriving metropolis. However, the architecture, local culture and lifestyle in Ho Chi Minh are still a reconciliation among French, American and Chinese influences. This fast growing city is now punctuated with elegant international hotels and exclusive restaurants, crowded with motorbikes, cars and vociferous cyclo drivers, and excited by numerous shopping areas, sidewalk cafés and noodle stalls. They have formed a dynamic urban area in very special sense and make for an endless exploration in this  south Vietnamese gem.

The incredible  underground network of Cu Chi  was constructed by Vietnamese fighters during their long struggle for the independence. These extensive tunnels of over 200 km have specially contained living areas, storage facilities, weapon factories, filed hospitals, accommodation, and command centers. We travel by road this morning to Cu Chi Area where we will see an exposition hall and a widened section of Cu Chi Tunnels to get a feel of the underground life and learn a little more about the guerrilla tactics of the Viet Cong. There are also possibilities to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range. Upon leaving Cu Chi, we make our way  back to Ho Chi Minh and  enjoy a half day city tour. The beautiful walking square of Nguyen Hue  is  always a live attraction, giving an interesting view from the bygone time to the new fashion of Ho Chi Minh. This pedestrian boulevard is fringed with exquisite colonial structures, nice restaurants and luxury shopping malls.  We have a quick visit to Nguyen Hue Street  before going to see the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. They boats some of the most striking colonial building in Ho Chi Minh Center. We drive past the Independence Palace and catch  an outside view of this historical landmark on our way to  the War Remnant Exhibit. This house contains a wealth of images and real objects reflecting the notorious Vietnam- American War and the first Indochina War involving the French colonialists.  We follow it with a walk around  the retail  Ben Thanh Market, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts appealing to every taste!.

Heading out of the town, we travel by road to My Tho, a gateway to the Mekong Delta. This incredibly fertile region was formed by the mighty Mekong River, which winds its way from Tibet - China through  Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and finally into Vietnam. On arrival in My Tho, we board a private boat to explore the Mekong Delta. This river trip gives some fantastic views from the red water surface to floating fish farms and lush plantation backdrop. Along the way, we anchor on the Unicorn Island and stroll around with our guide to visit this large island, where village lanes are fringed with fishponds, fruit gardens and rice fields. We make some stops at local houses to taste seasonal fruits, listen to traditional music performed by a villager ensemble, and sample honey tea. The interlaced canals are truly a lifeblood of the Mekong Delta; however, many channels can be accessed only by small boats. We enjoy a short sampan trip rowing under the palm grove to venture into this maze of canals before we continue our motor boat to the coconut kingdom of Ben Tre. This luxuriant region offers various activities from bicycle ride to horse cart carriage and motorbike pulling cart. We take one of them to discover the traditional lifestyles, culture, and history of local people and  visit some industry cottages. They may be brick-kiln ceramics, coconut candy and coconut handicrafts. Upon disembarking, we make our way back to Ho Chi Minh Airport for our flight to Da Nang in central Vietnam. On arrival at Da Nang Airport, you are met by our guide and follow the coastline  to Hoi An Ancient Town.

The multiple style architecture, colorful shopping areas, diverse food tastes, beautiful countryside and pristine beaches make Hoi An one of the most delightful places in Vietnam. This ancient town was originally a Cham seaport but has been influenced by a myriad of traders from various cultures between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. We enjoy a morning walking tour to explore Hoi An Ancient Town where Japanese legacy, Vietnamese tube houses, ornate temples and Chinese shop houses are still standing to present the unique traditional townscape . We follow the narrow walking streets dotted with many shop houses to the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge . This structure was first constructed in 1590s by the Japanese traders to link them with the Chinese quarters. The ornamentation has remained relatively faithful to the original Japanese design over centuries. We continue onto the Museum of Trade Ceramics, a beautifully restored timber house where displays many relics of the bygone civilization and the origins of this port town. Upon leaving this museum, we head towards the typical Phung Hung House, a gem with a mixture of Japanese and Chinese architectural elements. This ancient house was built by a Vietnamese family two centuries ago and has been lovingly preserved through seven generations. We follow it with the Chua Ong Pagoda and the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall. This colorful building is one of the five well-known halls in Hoi An. You spend the rest of this day at leisure, to relax on An Bang Beach, stroll around the vibrant waterfront, make some fine garments at famous tailor shops or go on one of many optional trips

Heading out of the town, we set off on a drive through many flooded rice fields and idyllic villages  to My Son Holy Land, an ancient capital and a religious centre of the former Champa Kingdom. This empire flourished from the fourth through the thirteenth centuries when religious fervours built a series  of impressive tower temples reflecting the spiritual origins to Indian Hinduism developed along the coast of contemporary Vietnam. On arrival in My Son, we stroll around a green valley surrounded by rugged mountains, where have been help various religious ceremonies of the Champa Dynasty. This sanctuary had all in previous time; however, many structures have not survived through wars and time. We see the remains of some impressive red brick towers, each one nearly a thousand years old. The journey continues as we depart for Hue, hugging the coastline before climbing up the  challenging Hai Van Pass, an obvious boundary between northern  and southern Vietnam. The panoramic view from this pass top is nothing short of spectacular, with a mixture of zigzag roads, turquoise sea, winding rail way behind the verdant forest. We arrive in Hue Town by mid or late afternoon and check in our hotel. This peaceful riverside town was once the feudal capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945 under the Nguyen Dynasty, which still resonate with the glories left in forms of royal citadel, hoary pagodas, and  mausoleums littered in surrounding hills. We have time to see the vibrant Dong Ba Market, a paradise of local goods , handicrafts. and fantastic eating spots, all ideal places for visitors to sample some local delicacies.

The sightseeing tour acquaints us with major sights of Hue. We visit the massive Hue Citadel, containing the Imperial City and the Purple Forbidden City. This royal residence was all but partly destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive; however, it is still fascinating to walk around and see many pavilions, bridges, libraries, and great halls. They have been restored to explain the legends of the Nguyen Dynasty emperors who have built the fortress and lived within its moated walls for nearly 150 years.
The beautiful riverside pagoda of Thien Mu  is one of the oldest  structures for religious work ship in Hue. We include it in a half day cruise on the Perfume River which also gives us a taste of the scenic countryside and an enjoyable visit to the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang. This majestic complex of courtyards, pavilions, and temples, was built in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes. The river excursion  will be left behind as we travel by road through the rolling hills to the Khai Dinh Mausoleum, a synthesis of Vietnamese and European elements. We walk across the mandarin courtyard where are standing various statues of mandarins, horses, and soldiers. They make for a real scene of the ancient royal court. The most notable place is Thien Dinh Palace housing the bronze statues and the King steles.  We keep going to an open-air Arena  which was once a  place for sacrificial ceremonies and entertainment events. This circular arena has been abandoned; however, the gruesome battles between elephants and tigers in bygone times are still narrated by local villagers.  We then take an evening flight to Hanoi, the capital  of Vietnam. On arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are met by our guide and driven to your hotel.

Today, we spend our time to explore Hanoi, taking a short drive  through diverse streets encompassing a millennium of the city culture and evolution to the Ba Dinh Square. This park setting contains the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (close on Mon. and Fri. and Oct. to Nov) and the Ho Chi Minh Residence. We queue up for a walk past silent sentries, paying a homage to Ho Chi Minh before  continuing  to his residence, a simple stilt house set in a well-tended garden. He has lived and worked in this place until his final days. Nearby this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, of which the origins date back to the foundation of Hanoi City. We visit all of them and head to the Temple of Literature. This well-preserved temple is now dedicated to the scholars of Confucius but was once the first university of Vietnam. The successful candidate records are still found in various stone steles set over giant stone turtles in the temple ground. We keep going to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (close on Mon.) where display in both outdoor and indoor sections, various documents, images and objects focusing on 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. The sightseeing tour takes us past various attractions, including Tran Quoc Pagoda, Quan Thanh Temple, West Lake, Long Bien Bridge, and Opera House. There are no stops planned as it is simply a glimpse of the cityscape. We finish a round of city tour  with a fantastic water puppet show followed by a pleasant walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, one of the major scenic spots in Hanoi.

The incredible limestone outcroppings form a spectacular seascape of Halong Bay, making it an incomparable natural wonder in Vietnam. Today we travel by road to Halong City, a base for our exploration of this famous sight. This journey takes anything between three and four hours, passing through the beautiful countryside  to the stone formations of Halong Bay. The cruise team will welcome us on board with refreshing drinks and provides some information about the watercraft and the activity program. We check in our private cabin and unpack for a two-day cruise. The exciting excursion begins as our boat  zigzags itself in Halong Bay. Along the way,  we feast on a huge lunch (veg. meals also available on request), catching some beautiful views of the bay with a blend of the sky and limestone islets jutting out from the clear and emerald water. These rocky outcrops are usually named by their distinctive shapes and littered with tiny beaches and beautiful caves. You spend this afternoon to simply admire the splendid scenery unfolding beyond your eyes or go for some activities; rowing boat excursion, swimming and kayaking (optional). We can improve our culinary skill while participating in a cooking class in the flavor of the sea. The master chef will show the guests how to make some traditional Vietnamese delicacies. We follow it  with a sumptuous dinner and enjoy some evening entertainment at the dining room. There are also possibilities to try your hand at squid fishing from our boat.

The early light begins washing the night away, unveiling the marvelous beauty of Halong Bay. You can participate in a Taichi exercise on the sundeck and may get a chance to catch some wonderful photos of the sunrise over Halong Bay. The boat trip continues past many imposing  islands, giving us a new exploration of this beautiful bay.  We can spend our time at leisure or step onto a tender to visit Sung Sot, one of the many beautiful caves hidden beneath towering cliffs. The uphill walkway with nearly 100 steps is somewhat arduous; however, the panoramic view from nearby boat pier to rocky islands in the far distance, makes the hardship all worthwhile. We enjoy this splendid landscape before we start the exploration of Sung Sot Cave. This remarkable cave is naturally adorned with countless stalactite and stalagmite formations. They stretch amazingly from floor to ceiling, forming various pillars to support the cave dome. The illuminating spotlights of various colors within the stone formations add more enchantment to this beautiful cave. We come back to our cruise and weave our way through a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars towards Tuan Chau Marina. The wonderful time in Haling Bay is followed by a drive back to Hanoi. Along the way, we make stop at our pleasure, to stretch our legs and see many local villagers making excellent craft objects in traditional ways. 

There are no activities planned for this final day. You may have free time to continue your exploration of Hanoi City, do your last shopping or simply look back upon your trip images. The holiday comes to an end with a transfer to Hanoi Airport for  your departure.