Heritage sites of Vietnam 12 days 11 nights

Upon arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you will be welcomed by your guide and driver and taken to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is yours to discover the magic of the capital of Vietnam. You will stay overnight in Hanoi.

The city tour will take in the highlights of the capital city. Start with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex including Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, his stilt house and the One Pillar Pagoda. After that, you will visit the Temple of Literature – the first University of Vietnam which was constructed in the 17th century. The morning will finish at the Vietnam Ethnology Museum where you can discover the many ethnic groups that make up the Vietnamese population. After lunch in a restaurant, you will visit the famous Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple, followed by a 1-hour cycling tour to explore the fascinating Old Quarter and its hundreds of speciality shops selling silk clothing, lacquer ware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. The evening will end with some traditional entertainment in the form of a water puppet show. You will stay overnight in Hanoi.

A 90km drive south of Hanoi will lead you to Ninh Binh. As well as the impressive karst-studded scenery, the area is rich in history. Ninh Binh was once the site of the first capital city of ancient Vietnam before Hanoi took its leading role in the 11th century. The visit in Ninh Binh starts with a boat trip through the stunning Van Long Reserve where the river winds past spectacular limestone karsts and fertile green paddy fields. After the relaxing boat ride, you will discover the site which once housed the palace of King Dinh and King Le in the 10th century. Now you can walk amongst the wooden temples which have been dedicated to the kings, before driving to Ninh Binh town in the late afternoon, where you will stay overnight.

After breakfast, you will go to Halong Bay, an iconic and beautiful spot recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Lunch consisting of fresh seafood will be served on board as you float around the stunning bay. The cruise will take in picturesque rocks and islets, beaches and hollow islands which rear out of the crystal blue waters. Whether you want to visit the karst grottoes, go swimming or relax on the soft white sand, Halong Bay won't fail to impress. Dinner will be served on the boat where you will also spend the night.

The early risers can enjoy watching the miraculous sunrise over the bay, the sun lighting up the karst peak islands and reflecting off the water. Today you will visit some of the many islands and islets, many named for likeness to other objects such as Sail Island, Fisherman’s Head Rock, Butterfly Rock and Turtle Islet. After another delicious seafood lunch, you will be taken back to dry land where you will drive to Hanoi Airport for your flight Hue. In Hue, you will be met by your driver and guide who will take you to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Today you will visit Hue which was once the political, cultural and religious capital of Vietnam. It’s famed for its unique ancient architecture which tells the story of the City's turbulent past. Hue was also the first site in Vietnam to be recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The tour will take you to the Royal Citadel, Forbidden City, Hue Royal Museum and Dong Ba Market. After a traditional Hue style lunch, you will visit Thien Mu pagoda and the Tombs of King Minh Mang and Tu Duc, two extremely well-preserved tombs which paint a picture of the Vietnamese royalty of the past. After the tour, you will be free to have dinner at your own arrangement and enjoy the evening as you please. You will stay overnight in Hue.

After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, you will depart from Hue, passing Da Nang with stops along the road to visit the Cham Museum and Marble Mountains, and enjoying the landscapes of Hai Van Pass (the “Ocean Cloudy Mountain Pass”) and Lang Co Beach before reaching Hoi An shortly after midday.

During the afternoon you will discover the charm of Hoi An's ancient town. You will cross the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls and Trading Houses, Pagodas, and stroll around the market located by Thu Bon river. Hoi An has a unique charm with many artists seeing Hoi An as a magical old world of Oriental scenes and a source of inspiration. After the tour you will be free for the evening and you can have dinner by your own arrangement. You will stay overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh city. Ho Chi Minh city is one of the best-known cities in Vietnam, known for its dizzying pace and fusion of traditional and modern Vietnamese style. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed and picked up by our tour guide and driver. You will be taken on a tour of the iconic sights in Ho Chi Minh city starting with Reunification Palace, the witness of the fierce ending of the Vietnam War 1975.

Next, you will experience the lasting influence of the French colonial era at the Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral which were built between 1877 and 1883. Our visit will end in China Town, a unique aspect of Saigon, where you will visit Thien Hau Pagoda whose dramatic architecture sits in a cloud of incense smoke and the lively Binh Tay Market. After the tour, you are free for the evening, and with plenty of delicious Ho Chi Minh city specialities to choose from you will have no problems finding something for dinner. You will stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the morning you will enjoy a half-day private excursion to the infamous Cu Chi tunnels which were used by the Viet Cong and played a pivotal role in winning the war. The tunnels consist of more than 200 kilometres 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 centres and kitchens. This is your chance to experience the tunnels for yourself and get a feel of what underground life was like during the U.S. Vietnam War. You will have free time in the afternoon and stay overnight in Saigon.

Today you will head south to the green waterways of the Mekong Delta. You will visit My Tho and Ben Tre, the homeland of all things coconut and other family-run factories specialising in local products. You will also stop en route to visit Dong Tam Snake Farm and Vinh Trang pagoda. 

Upon arrival in My Tho, you will board a small boat and travel down the canals into gardens and rural houses, where a lot of families produce coconut candy, keep bees for honey, or plant fruit. You will be able to discover this unique culture as you visit some families and their small factories. You will stop for lunch en route and will have dinner and stay overnight in Can Tho.

A highlight of any trip to the Mekong delta is visiting one of the floating markets. You will wake up early to catch the colourful and lively market in full swing either in Cai Rang or Phong Dien. Here you will see the local people of the Mekong who come to the markets each day, their boats laden with fruits, foodstuff and other consumer goods ready for trading and selling. You will visit some farms in Can Tho on the way back to Ho Chi Minh city. Once back in Ho Chi Minh city, you are free for the evening. You will have dinner at your own arrangement and stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

This is the final day of your adventure in Vietnam. You can relax until it is time to be driven to the airport for your return flight.