Classic Vietnam with Luxury Train Journey

Abuzz with vibrant energy, its teeming streets lined with fragrant food markets, weathered colonial-era buildings and sumptuously decorated pagodas, Hanoi is one of Southeast Asia’s most bewitching cities. On this revealing city tour, you can discover its main highlights, from the ochre-coloured colonial buildings and tree-lined boulevards built by Vietnam’s French occupiers to the Taoist temples erected by Hanoi’s flourishing Chinese communities.

Visit the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing communist-style monument of marble and granite that was built to house the preserved remains of Vietnam’s beloved revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, known affectionately as “Uncle Ho”. Then, you’ll tour the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built of wood in 1049 whose elaborate shape mimics a lotus blossom. Afterwards, you will visit the house where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked, offering an intimate glimpse into the life of this most prominent figure in Vietnam’s history. The tour will then take you to the Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi which was built in the 6th century and floats on a small island in Hanoi’s West Lake. The tour will conclude at the Quan Thanh Temple, an 11th-century Taoist temple which features a mishmash of architectural styles from Vietnam’s imperial era. The temple sits within a large yard in the shade of a gigantic banyan tree and features a shrine that contains a famous bronze statue of Tran Vu, one of the principal deities of the Taoist religion.


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

To begin your journey to historic Hoi An, you will take a 2.5-hour e-bike ride to the panoramic Hai Van Pass, a route which places you amid the captivating sights and landscapes of the Vietnamese countryside. As you cycle, you can glimpse traditional villages set amongst lush green fields, observing the daily lives of Central Vietnam’s rural inhabitants including local fishermen on the Tam Giang Lagoon. Reaching the top of the pass, you can take a short break and admire the stunning panoramas across the coastline and Lang Co Bay. Continuing by car, you’ll head to Da Nang before following the coastal road to Hoi An, a charming and centuries-old port city brimming with an eclectic mix of cultural influences. En route, you will make a stop at the dramatic Marble Mountains in Da Nang.

After checking into your hotel in Hoi An, you’ll head out on an evening food tour of Hoi An’s vibrant street food scene. Taking you off the beaten path, this immersive tour will give you a unique insight into daily life in this colourful city, passing some of Hoi An’s most beloved cultural and historical sites. Strolling the zigzag of alleyways, your informative guide will lead you to some of the city’s best culinary spots, where local chefs have been producing the same delicacies for centuries using recipes passed down from their ancestors. You’ll sample authentic dishes such as sweet banana soup and coconut pancakes alongside other local favourites. Then, you’ll walk to the bustling Hoi An Market and roam around the scattering of fragrant food stalls, searching for alluring dishes such as Cao Lau noodles and more. Finally, you’ll head to a local home for a sensational home-hosted dinner with a Hoi An resident before wandering into the heart of Hoi An’s ancient town. Here you will board a local boat and float gently down the Hoai River, enjoying the charming views of Hoi An as it comes aglow at night when residents flock to the riverside to release floating lanterns.


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).

Embrace the art of slow travel on this next stage of your Vietnam adventure aboard The Vietage by Anantara, a beautifully designed luxury locomotive steeped in the glamour of a bygone era. At 07:00, you will transfer from your hotel in Hoi An to the Da Nang train station, where you will board the train for its departure at approximately 08:15. Receiving a refreshing welcome drink on board, take a comfortable seat and take in the lush landscapes and glittering coastlines of Central Vietnam as the train travels southwards to the pristine shores of Quy Nhon.

While on board, you can indulge in three-course gourmet dining, snacks and a selection of free-flow wines, cocktails, beers, soft drinks, teas and coffees. You will also receive a 15-minute back, neck and shoulder treatment that will be sure to help you disembark the train with renewed vigour. Take in Vietnam’s spectacular scenery as the romance and nostalgia of rail travel is revived. Upon arrival in Quy Nhon at approximately 14:51, you will check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.


Accommodation:
Deluxe Category: Anantara Quy Nhon Villas (or alternative hotel of equal standard).
Superior Category: Avani Quy Nhon Resort (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

Transfer to the airport (unaccompanied by your guide) for your scheduled flight to Ho Chi Minh City. One you land, you will be greeted by a local representative and transferred to your hotel in the city.

As night falls on Saigon, the city reaches a crescendo. Prepare yourselves for a rollicking ride through the teeming city streets on a vintage Vespa for an authentic Ho Chi Minh City adventure. Weaving between the scooter-scattered streets, you’ll whizz from one local restaurant to another, sampling some of Southern Vietnam’s most iconic dishes. Your first stop is at a small but hugely popular Vietnamese bread stall, where you can line up to purchase a fresh bread roll before heading to a local coffee shop for a briefing with your guide.

You’ll continue riding the Saigonese streets to a hidden boutique seafood restaurant where you can sample the freshest local seafood dishes. Then, you will head to an old apartment complex which comes alive at night with hundreds of food and drink stalls drawing in the crowds. Take a break at a 50-year-old dessert shop to try a variety of handmade sweet soups before ending the night at a cozy bar tucked away down a quiet alley where you can sip some local beer while mingling with the friendly locals.


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 prearranged time, you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the airport in time for your departing flight.