Taste of Vietnam: 11 days Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Xin Chao and welcome to Hanoi. On arrival, you’ll be transferred to downtown Hanoi and your hotel for your included one-night stay. Relax at the hotel, explore the city, or wander Hanoi’s romantic West Lake. This evening, meet your tour director for your welcome briefing.

This morning after breakfast, leave Hanoi and travel to Halong Bay where you will board your elegant Au Co cruise ship. Cruise through the bays and islets enjoying the stunning scenery of this magnificent region. Enjoy the tours offered on board, learn more about the main livelihood of the locals in the area or simply choose to relax. Towards the end of the day, the ship anchors for the night in the Trinh Nu area among the karst formations where dinner will be served on board.

Included Excursion
A two-night Halong Bay cruise on the elegant Au Co cruise ship

Today, continue sailing further into the region’s more untouched areas towards Lan Ha Bay. From a smaller boat, enjoy swimming on quiet beaches and kayaking in Ho Ba Ham Lake. Then visit Cua Van fishing village by rowing boat. After a full day’s exploration, you’ll return to your cruise ship and after dinner, try your hand at squid fishing.

Enjoy the sunrise and breakfast. Then cruise through breathtaking rock formations and visit Sung Sot Cave, before arriving back at port for your transfer to Hanoi.

On arrival back in Hanoi, you will explore the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university established to educate Vietnam’s royalty, mandarins and members of the elite. The university functioned for an incredible 700 years, and its charming gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a fascinating glimpse into the nation’s storied past. Later you’ll visit the historic Old Quarter, also known as the ‘36 Streets’. This atmospheric and bustling area of ancient narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses as well as revered temples and traditional ‘tube houses.’ The Old Quarter is a fascinating place to explore, with plenty of photo opportunities at every turn. You can also visit the local-style Hang Be Market. Then enjoy a stroll around the legendary Hoan Kiem Lake, located nearby in the heart of Hanoi. Here, you can walk across the iconic Red Bridge to ancient Ngoc Son Temple located on Jade Islet within the lake.

This evening enjoy a traditional water puppet show, a unique North Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of historical significance. As part of EmeraldPLUS, you'll enjoy dinner at KOTO (Know One Teach One), a unique restaurant set up to train and educate disadvantaged children.

EmeraldPLUS
Dinner at KOTO Restaurant

Included Excursion
Visit Hanoi’s Old Quarter

Included Excursion
A traditional water puppet show

Begin your morning city tour and learn about ‘Uncle Ho’, Ho Chi Minh, regarded as the father of modern Vietnam. Admire the exterior of his imposing mausoleum, before continuing to the Ho Chi Minh Quarter to glimpse his humble stilt house and the small but iconic One Pillar Pagoda.

Depart Hanoi and transfer to the airport for your included flight to Da Nang (Hoi An). Upon arrival in Hoi An, transfer to your resort for your included three-night stay. Tonight you can join a DiscoverMORE excursion.

DiscoverMORE
Hoi An Memories Show (extra expense)

Included Excursion
Hanoi City Tour

Today, start with our EmeraldPLUS visit to the Reaching Out Project. Reaching Out is an NGO (non-governmental organisation) established in 2000, which provides opportunities for people with disabilities to learn skills and gain meaningful employment. Visit the workshop and get a glimpse of how this NGO helps them to integrate fully with their communities and lead independent and fulfilling lives. After, enjoy a walking tour of Hoi An and see the old merchant’s houses, the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Assembly Hall of the Chinese Congregation. Tonight, after a dinner menu sampling the local style street food, the evening is yours free to wander the historical lantern lit streets and their many shops or bars.

EmeraldPLUS
Reaching Out Project

Included Excursion
A walking tour of Hoi An

Enjoy a day of leisure to explore Hoi An and its surroundings. Perhaps take the time to explore the Old Town and visit one of the many tailors Hoi An is known for, or take a cyclo (bicycle style rickshaw) to An Bang Beach. Alternatively venture out on one of our DiscoverMORE excursions. The choice is yours.

DiscoverMORE
My Son Historic Kingdom Tour (extra expense)

DiscoverMORE
Hoi An Rural Life (extra expense)

DiscoverMORE
Thu Bon River Sunset Cruise (extra expense)

DiscoverMORE
Red Bridge Cooking Class (extra expense)

Leave Hoi An for Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. You will drive through Danang before crossing the Hai Vân Pass, known as the Ocean Clouds Pass before dropping down to the wonderfully photogenic fishing village of Lang Co. In Hue, you will visit the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Enjoy a relaxing cyclo (bicycle-style rickshaw) ride from Dai Noi ‘Old City’ to Tinh Tam Lake where the Emperors where the emperors used to go to relax. Then later, join a boat trip to visit Thien Mu Pagoda before checking into your hotel for the night. This evening, for your EmeraldPLUS experience, savour a traditional Vietnamese royal dinner menu.

Included Excursion
Cyclo ride from Dai Noi ‘Old City’ to Tinh Tam Lake

Included Excursion
A visit to the Imperial Citadel

Included Excursion
A boat tour on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda

EmeraldPLUS
A traditional Vietnamese royal dinner at a local restaurant

Today, you’ll be transferred to Hue airport for your flight south to Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon. After checking into your hotel in downtown District 1, you are free at leisure to explore Vietnam’s largest and most dynamic city. Take a stroll around the historic centre to admire the impressive French colonial architecture, or enjoy one of the many Saigoonese restaurants and cafés. 

Drive away from Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi Tunnels, watching the city skyline fade into the distance as the road winds through rice paddies, villages and scenes typical to southern Vietnam. Spend a couple of hours walking around Cu Chi’s rugged grounds with a local guide. Upon your return to Ho Chi Minh City, enjoy a Pho (noodle soup) lunch with the remainder of the afternoon and evening yours to enjoy at leisure or venture out on one of our DiscoverMORE excursions.

Included Excursion
Cu Chi Tunnels

DiscoverMORE
An evening Saigon Street Food walking tour (extra expense)

DiscoverMORE
Saigon After Dark by Vintage Jeep (extra expense)

After breakfast this morning, you will be transferred to the Ho Chi Minh City airport to catch your onward or homebound flight.