Vietnam World Heritage Luxury Tour 10 days 9 nights

On your arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport, you will be welcomed by your guide and driver who will take you to Ho Chi Minh city to check-in to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore and drink in the excitement of Saigon. You will stay overnight in your hotel Ho Chi Minh city.

This morning you will enjoy a city tour which takes in some of the most important historical and cultural sites of the city including the Reunification Hall, formerly known as the Presidential Palace. On the morning of April 30, 1975, Communist tanks rolled towards building signaling the fall of Saigon. This fascinating building is filled with history still fresh in the minds of many. The tour also includes the Old Post Office, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Jade Emperor Pagoda, Chinatown, and Binh Tay Market – the central market for the city and one of the liveliest areas. Next, we visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, the incredible network of tunnels that once stretched right to the border with Cambodia. This underground complex was built by guerilla fighters beginning in 1940 and construction continued throughout the Vietnam War. Here you can experience the harrowing conditions for yourself as you descend into one of the tunnels. You will return to your hotel in the late afternoon. The evening is yours to experience some more of the city. You will have dinner on your own arrangement and stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Today, we will take you to My Tho, the capital of Tien Giang Province. Situated on the Mekong River, 75 kilometers south-east of Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho is surrounded by orchards and rice fields, which produce grain for the entire country. You will get to experience the unique local culture with a visit to one or two of the islands that produce traditional handicrafts, coconut candy, and bee farms. You will also visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, the oldest ones in the delta, on your boat trip on the Mekong River. You will return to HCMC in the late afternoon where you will spend one last night before flying to Hue the next day.

After breakfast, you will leave HCMC to fly to Hue, Vietnam's capital from 1802 to 1945 under the 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. Traditionally, the city has been one of Vietnam's cultural, religious, and educational centres. Here you will visit the Imperial City, which is located in the Citadel. Modeled after the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Imperial City was built in the early 19th century. You can explore the Thai Hoa Palace, with its spacious hall and ornate roof of huge timbers supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns. You will also see the Halls of the Mandarins, the Nine Dynastic Urns, and the site where the Forbidden Purple City once stood. You will stay overnight in Hue.

Just outside Hue City, we visit the Thien Mu Pagoda on the bank of the poetic Perfume River, which was a hotbed of anti-government protest during the early 1960s. Next, you will visit the complex of the Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang, built-in 1840, known for its magnificent architecture and elaborate decorations and considered one of Hue's most beautiful pagodas. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Tu Duc Tomb, which was built for meditation, reading and theatre performances in a tranquil setting of forested hills and lakes. Your final stop is at Khai Dinh tomb, the last monument of the Nguyen dynasty. It has a remarkably long staircase flanked by dragons, ceiling murals, and ceramic frescoes. After a day of discovery, you will return to your hotel on the riverbank for the night where you can relax in your Art Deco-inspired rooms.

Today, journey south past the incredible Hai Van Pass and with views of the Lang Co coast. Upon arrival in Da Nang, you will visit the Cham Museum, which features a fine collection of open-air sandstone carvings from the ancient civilization. You will make a stop at My Khe Beach, made famous in the American TV series of the same name. The stunning beach stretches for miles along the coastline separating the Marble Mountains from the sea. Each of the five stone hills which make up the mountain is said to represent one of the five elements of the universe. Within the mountains, there are many natural caves in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. At the end of the exciting journey, you will arrive Hoi An Town where you will check into your hotel for the night.

Enjoy a full-day excursion to Hoi An, once a major trading port for sailors from around the world. Since the main trading business was transferred to Da Nang in the 18th century, Hoi An has managed to retain its charm without the intrusion of over modernization. You will visit a temple with partially gilded statues in the center, a pagoda dedicated to sailors and fishermen, and a chapel with origins in the 1700s that reflects the influences of Chinese and Japanese styles. Next, you can discover more of the history at the Sa Huynh Museum which contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history. Late in the afternoon, you will take a boat trip on the Thu Bon River to Kim Bing Village on Cam Kim Island to see the unique culture of the woodworkers and shipbuilding families. You will spend the night in Hoi An taking in the sights of the world-famous Cua Dai Beach.

You will leave Hoi An and drive to Da Nang Airport in the morning to fly to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. You will be collected from Noi Bai airport and taken to Halong Bay, one of the most magnificent scenic environments in the world. Covering 577 square miles, this vast bay is filled with more than 3,000 limestone peaks or karsts which jut from the deep blue water as far as the eye can see. You will spend a day and a half, including an overnight stay with dinner and breakfast, on board a boat exploring this overwhelming seascape. Comfortable and intimate, your boat will feature hand-crafted wooden interiors including a dining room and pleasant air-conditioned cabins with private baths. Since you'll be staying overnight on the water, you will be able to explore Halong Bay’s most beautiful spots with time to swim and even visit some of the largest rock formations and caves. This promises to be one of your most memorable travel experiences in Asia.

Rising to the sound of lapping bay waters, you will have time for an early morning dip followed by breakfast. Sitting on the upper deck, you can relax while taking in the breath-taking beauty of the rocky islands and beautiful bay lit up by the rising sun. After breakfast, explore Sung Sot Cave, swim and relax. Brunch is served while you are cruising through the bay, taking in more of the fascinating formations. At the end of the cruise, you will be met by your driver to travel back to Hanoi for overnight where you will stay overnight. You will arrive in Hanoi at about 15:00. You will stop in the heart of Hanoi at Hoan Kiem Lake, which contains an islet with a tiny Tortoise Pagoda. Here you can visit Ngoc Son Temple and enjoy Water puppet Show after a one-hour cyclo tour around the Old Quarter. You will spend the night in Hanoi.

You have the morning free to relax before your return flight home or if you aren't quite ready to go home, why not explore some other amazing destinations with Mr Linh's Adventures.