Vietnam in Style (16 days)

See many aspects of Vietnam on this luxurious tour travelling the length of the country from the wild mountainous north to the bustling Mekong Delta in the far south. Along the way visit the magical Lan Ha Bay, soak up the atmosphere of the ancient port of Hoi An, see the best of Hanoi and Saigon, spend some time relaxing by the beach at Nha Trang, and indulge on an overnight private cruise travelling deep into the Mekong Delta on the private Song Xanh Sampan.

Guide Price

From £3,960 per person.

Day by Day Itinerary

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Day 1: Fly from London Heathrow to Hanoi

Flight: VN54 London Heathrow - Hanoi 11.00 - 05.10 (overnight)

Day 2: Arrive in Hanoi and check into your hotel

Meet & greet: Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, you will be welcomed to Vietnam by your private English speaking guide, and then transferred to your hotel.

Afternoon cyclo tour of the Old Quarter: The best way to explore the picturesque area of the Old Quarter is by "cyclo" (a three-wheeled bicycle taxi). Also known as the "36 Streets District", it was once the thriving commercial centre of the city. Each of the 36 short lanes used to specialise in a particular trade represented by one of the guilds. This is still reflected in the names of certain streets: like Silk Street, Gold Street and Fish Street. Among the ancient homes and attractive temples there is a multitude of tantalising souvenir shops.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Hotel de l’Opera (Deluxe Room)

Hoam Kiem Lake, Hanoi

Day 3: Guided tour of Hanoi

Morning tour of Hanoi: After breakfast, start your tour of Hanoi with a visit to the 900 year old Temple of Literature, Vietnam's principal Confucian sanctuary and its historical centre of learning. Made up of five courtyards, this is one of the few remnants of the original city. Continue to the Soviet style Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh read out the declaration of the nation's independence in 1945. After a look around the square your guide will take you through the Museum there, which is dedicated to Ho Chi Minh. After your excursion you will be taken to ‘Pho Thin', one of the oldest and most atmospheric ‘Pho' Restaurants in Vietnam where you will enjoy a traditional lunch of beef noodle soup (Pho).

Afternoon at leisure: This afternoon you have some time at leisure to explore the Vietnamese capital independently. Stroll around the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake, take in a water puppet show, go shopping in the Old Quarter, or sample some of Hanoi’s many culinary delights.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Hotel de l’Opera (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi

Day 4: Travel to Lan Ha Bay for an overnight cruise

Road journey from Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay: This morning, you will be met at your hotel and driven for approximately two hours through the Red River delta to the coast and the Gulf of Tonkin, where the quieter waters of Lan Ha Bay are found.

Overnight Lan Ha Bay Cruise: On arrival at Dinh Vu Port in Haiphong you will be transferred to the Orchid Cruise boat on a smaller boat up the Cai Trap Canal. On arrival, board the main boat and enjoy a welcome drink while a safety briefing is conducted on-board before settling into your cabins and being served lunch on-board. This afternoon the cruise will set off through Lan Ha Bay stopping at a number of interesting islands including Da Chong where you can see an old French colonial lighthouse. In the mid-afternoon, the boat will moor up at Ba Trai Dao beach in Lan Ha Bay and you will have time to kayak, swim in the ocean or just relax on the beach. Back on board this evening there is a happy hour at the bar, followed by a delicious dinner.

Accommodation: Stay tonight on board the Orchid Cruise (Deluxe Cabin)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Halong Bay

Day 5: Return to Hanoi to fly to Da Nang and transfer to Hoi An

Lan Ha Bay Cruise: After further optional activities and brunch on-board, you will disembark back at Dinh Vu Port at around midday and meet up again with your driver and guide.

Road journey to Hanoi Airport: Upon arrival at the quay you will be met by your private guide and transferred back to Hanoi. En route you will stop off at the Phu Lang ‘ceramic village’ where the villagers have been practicing this traditional craft for generations. Continue to Hanoi airport in time to catch your onward flight.

Flight: VN181 Hanoi - Danang 16.30 - 17.50

Private transfer: On arrival at Danang airport, you will be met by your private guide and driver and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An to check in.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Anantara Hoi An Resort (Deluxe Garden View Room)

Meals: Brunch

Halong Bay

Day 6: Full day cycling tour of Hoi An

Full day cycling tour: After breakfast you will be picked up at your hotel for a full day's exploration of Hoi An's indigenous culture by bicycle. Visit the market which is noisy and bustling in the morning with lots of vendors arriving from the jetty with their goods. Continue the cycling tour through village roads and past paddy fields. Cycling gives you a good chance to see local houses on the way and witness local daily life. You will learn how the rural people earn their living looking after animals such as buffalo, cows, pigs, and poultry. Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant. After lunch board a boat with the bicycles and head back to Hoi An. This short boat ride takes you through small hamlets on the banks of the river which produce traditional local products such as woodwork, pottery, silk and fish sauce. End the day with an optional drink at a riverside café, after which you will return to your hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Anantara Hoi An Resort (Deluxe Garden View Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Thu Bon River, Hoi An

Day 7: Day at leisure in Hoi An

Day at leisure: You have time to relax. Alternatively there are opportunities to visit the beach, cycle in some beautiful countryside, visit the ruins at My Son, discover the artists of Hoi An or see a tailor to get some clothes made.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Anantara Hoi An Resort (Deluxe Garden View Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Japanese Bridge, Hoi An

Day 8: Fly to Nha Trang

Private transfer: After a leisurely start this morning, your guide and driver will transfer you to the airport.

Flight: VN1943 Danang - Nha Trang 13.15 - 14.25

Private transfer: On arrival in Nha Trang airport, you will be met at the airport and taken to the l’Alyana lounge in Nha Trang City (around an hour away). From here, you will take a shared speedboat ride of around 20 minutes to the secluded resort in Ninh Van Bay.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the l’Alyana Ninh Van Bay (Hill Rock Villa)

Meals: Breakfast

Fisherman's boat on the beach, Nha Trang

Days 9-10: Days at leisure in Nha Trang

Days at leisure: You have a couple of days free at leisure to relax by the beach at your hotel in the secluded Ninh Van Bay. Nha Trang City is just a short boat ride across the bay.

Accommodation: Stay these nights at the l’Alyana Ninh Van Bay (Hill Rock Villa)

Meals: Breakfast

Beach, Nha Trang

Day 11: Fly from Nha Trang to Saigon

Hotel transfer: At the appropriate time, you will be transferred by boat and road from your hotel to the airport for your flight to Saigon.

Flight: VN1351 Nha Trang - Ho Chi Minh City 12.15 - 13.10

Private transfer: On arrival you will be met by your guide and driver and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City: This afternoon, you have time at leisure in this bustling Asian metropolis. Relax at your hotel, or explore independently. Great shopping opportunities can be found in busy Ben Thanh market as well as numerous glitzy modern malls, while great food can be found on every corner either on the street or in a number of fantastic upmarket restaurants.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Caravelle Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Jade Emperor Temple, Ho Chi Minh City

Day 12: Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels & explore Saigon

Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels by speedboat: After breakfast you will be transferred to Bach Dang jetty, where you will board a speedboat to the Cu Chi Tunnels. This river journey provides a glimpse of the changing faces of Vietnam – the glittering skyscrapers and busy commercial centres give way to green paddy fields and pottery villages dotted along the Saigon River. The Cu Chi tunnel complex was initially started in 1948 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from the French air and ground sweeps. The tunnels also served as communication routes, storage facilities for food and weapon caches, as well as hospitals and living quarters for guerrilla fighters throughout the American War. A visit to the underground villages will provide a better understanding of how the tunnels were constructed, the hardship of life in the tunnels and the Vietnamese resilience during combat. Note that the Cu Chi tunnels have been widened in places for visitors, however they can still be dark, hot and claustrophobic inside so please bear this in mind if you do not like enclosed spaces. After touring the complex you will enjoy lunch at a riverside restaurant before returning to the speedboat and heading back to Saigon.

Afternoon tour of Saigon: This afternoon, you will visit some of Saigon's historic landmarks. Start with the former Presidential Palace which was once headquarters for the Saigon Government during the "American War". Then head to the historical heart of the city and visit the Notre Dame Cathedral. The red bricks of the cathedral walls were originally from Paris. From there, take a short walk to the old Central Post Office, then visit the best-preserved buildings from the colonial era, the Opera House and the Hotel de Ville, which is now home to Saigon’s municipal authorities. Continue to the Catinat building. Built in 1927 in an art deco style, it has once again become a hub for fashion conscious Saigonese and contains many designer boutiques, galleries, restaurants and cafés.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Caravelle Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City

Day 13: Travel to Cai Be for an overnight cruise

Private transfer to your cruise boat: This morning you will be transferred to the Song Xanh Sampan in Cai Be, about 2 hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City.

Mekong Delta Cruise: Upon arrival in Cai Be you will embark on the private Sampan boat and settle in to your cabin. Set off to Cai Be's colourful floating market where you will cruise alongside local barges full of fruit and vegetables. Later this morning a shore excursion will be made to an ancient mandarin house dating from 1890, and some local home factories where you will observe how rice paste and other local specialties are made. Proceed to the picturesque setting of Phu An village where a delicious lunch will await you at a riverside Indochinese villa surrounded by a lush tropical gardens. After lunch return to your sampan and cruise to Sa Dec along the Tien Giang River which is one of the two main arteries of the Mekong. Travel past evergreen Mekong islands and networks of meandering rivers, and continue through a small canal through water hyacinth plantations. Here there is the opportunity to take a small rowing boat along a narrow canal passing by small villages and fruit plantations. As you continue down the river dark smoke in the sky will lead you to one of the largest artisan brick and tile factories.

Accommodation: Stay tonight on board the Song Xanh Sampan (Private Cruise)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Mekong Delta

Day 14: Visit Cai Rang floating market and return to Ho Chi Minh City

Mekong Delta Cruise: Breakfast will be served on board as you approach Cai Rang, the largest floating market on the Mekong. The seemingly chaotic gathering is mostly large boats wholesaling vegetables and fruit, but there are also local traders selling groceries to the larger boats. Weave around the vessels and observe the frenzied trading. At around 10 am your cruise ends at Ninh Kieu pier where you will be met by your guide and driver.

Road journey to Ho Chi Minh City: This afternoon you will return to Ho Chi Minh City by road, a journey of around 2-3 hours.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Caravelle Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Floating Market, Mekong Delta

Day 15: Day at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City

Day at leisure: Today you have a full day at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City to catch up on some last minute sightseeing or souvenir shopping.

Private transfer: At the appropriate time today you will be collected from your hotel by your guide, and transferred to Ho Chi Minh City Airport in time for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast

Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City

Day 16: Fly from Saigon to London Heathrow

Flight: VN51 Ho Chi Minh City - London Heathrow 01.05 - 07.40

Vietnam in Style

Vietnam in Style (16 days)

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