Vietnam From North to South

With its thrumming streets, maze-like alleyways and captivating culture, Vietnam’s capital city is one of Southeast Asia’s most bewitching destinations. On this half-day city tour, you can discover the highlights of Hanoi, from its ochre-coloured colonial buildings and wide, Parisian-style boulevards to its scenic lakes and thriving culinary scene. Beginning in Hanoi’s chaotic OId Quarter, you will sit down at a local coffee shop with your guide, who will detail the daily lives of the Hanoians. You’ll then head to the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument of marble and granite which preserves the body of Ho Chi Minh, once Vietnam’s revolutionary leader. Then, you will continue on to the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built in 1049 in the shape of a lotus blossom, considered by many as one of Vietnam’s most iconic pagodas.

Afterwards, you’ll visit Ho Chi Minh’s house, a simple wooden abode set in tranquil surrounds where “Uncle Ho” lived and worked. Following this, you’ll head to Hanoi’s Temple of Literature, which was Vietnam’s first national university, built in the late 11th century. This beautiful temple is a fine and well-preserved example of traditional Vietnamese architecture and is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese dong banknote.


Accommodation:
Deluxe Category: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi (or alternative hotel of equal standard).
Superior Category: Silk Path Luxury Hanoi – Hang Bong (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

Your itinerary will depend on which ship you embark with, but might include kayaking through Lan Ha Bay’s mystical grottoes, enjoying a variety of shore visits, refining your culinary skills during a Vietnamese cooking demonstration or practising tai chi on the vessel’s deck.


Accommodation:
Deluxe Category: Heritage Line Cruises – Ylang
Superior Category: Stellar of the Seas

The ancient city of Hue was once the seat of Vietnam’s powerful Nguyen Dynasty between the 17th and 19th centuries, with remnants of this rich dynastic period still strewn across its picturesque streets. The formidable Imperial Citadel, whose moated perimeter and thick walls must have demoralised many an attacker, looms majestically with its ornate pagoda roofs and sprinkling of shrines and gardens. Visiting the Citadel via a short cyclo ride from your hotel, you can explore its charming grounds to investigate the splendid emperors’ tombs, ancient pagodas and extensive grounds. Despite being heavily bombarded during the Vietnam War, the UNESCO-listed Imperial Citadel remains in good condition; a testament to its impenetrable build.

After leaving the Citadel, you will enjoy a short visit to the Royal Antique Museum before driving to the Thien Mu Pagoda, regarded as Hue’s best-preserved religious monument. Built in 1601, this seven-storied tower pagoda sits atop a hill overlooking the Perfume River. In the afternoon, you’ll explore the elaborately decorated Khai Dinh Royal Tomb, whose architecture displays elements of Eastern art and Western design. Then, you’ll continue to the Tu Duc Royal Tomb, built by Emperor Tu Doc between 1864 and 1867 and arguably the most impressive of Hue’s royal mausoleums. After this, you will transfer back to your hotel, stopping en route for a refreshing drink at a café near Vong Canh Hill’s summit where you can take in breathtaking panoramic views of pine forests and the unfolding landscape of Central Vietnam.


Accommodation:
Deluxe Category: Azerai La Residence, Hue (or alternative hotel of equal standard).
Superior Category: Silk Path Grand Hue Hotel (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

The flat and tranquil roads around Hoi An’s countryside are perfect for exploring with a traditional buffalo cart, an authentic and oft-glimpsed mode of transport in Vietnam’s rural corners. Across Vietnam, farmers and buffalo working the verdant fields have become an iconic symbol of rural life, with buffalo being a farmer’s most prized possession. During your scenic ride, you’ll glimpse stunning vistas of the Vietnamese countryside, which consists of mist-shrouded rice paddies, shrimp farms and vegetable farms. Reaching a dock, you will board a local river boat and embark on a cruise down the scenic Hoi An River, stopping along the way to try your hand at casting a traditional fishing net, a common fishing method still practiced today. You can then learn the art of paddling Vietnam’s unique round basket boats before returning to your river boat to sit down for a sumptuous selection of light seafood dishes and a refreshing as you head back upriver and return to town.

Between the 15th and 19th centuries Hoi An (then known as “Faifo”) was a prosperous trading port which attracted Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish merchant ships. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose immaculately preserved Ancient Town is renowned for its quaint architecture, pedestrian streets and distinctive local cuisine, enabling visitors a glimpse into Hoi An’s illustrious past. The city’s narrow lanes are ideal for a guided walking tour of its numerous atmospheric sites, which include old merchant houses varying between Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture; the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the 1590s; the Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation with its intricate woodcarvings; and the colourful local market with stalls that brim with local specialties including silk.


Accommodation:
Deluxe Category: Anantara Hoi An Resort (or alternative hotel of equal standard).
Superior Category: Boutique Hoi An Resort (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

In the morning you will transfer from your Hoi An hotel to Da Nang’s airport, where you will catch a flight southwards to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, you will be transferred to your hotel in the city before heading out on a scintillating city tour in the afternoon.

With over eight million inhabitants and four million motorbikes, Ho Chi Minh City is truly a city that never sleeps. Despite its modernity, the city maintains a strong link to Vietnam’s past and a city tour will allow you to discover some of its most notable historic landmarks. These include the elaborate, Romanesque-style Notre Dame Cathedral, whose construction was completed by the French colonialists in 1880. You’ll also visit the Central Post Office, built in 1891, which is another stunning example of the city’s French colonial architecture. The head to the former Presidential Palace, the headquarters of the Saigon government during the Vietnam-America War. You’ll then go to the War Remnants Museum, which gives a vivid perspective of the war with America through the eyes of the Vietnamese. Afterwards, you’ll experience Ho Chi Minh City’s famed street coffee culture as your guide provides a brief language lesson as well as insights into the daily life of the city’s residents.


Accommodation:
Deluxe Category: Hotel des Arts Saigon – MGallery (or alternative hotel of equal standard).
Superior Category: Liberty Central Saigon CityPoint Hotel (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

At a pre-arranged time, you will meet your guide and be transferred to the airport, where you will board your onward flight.