Vietnam Discovery

Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam. Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, private car and tour guide will pick you up at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and then transfer you to hotel for check in (the rooms are at your disposal from 14:00). Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. You can arrive at any time during the day as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. Please check with hotel reception or look on the reception noticeboard for where and when the meeting will take place. If you're going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please ensure you have all these details to provide to your leader.

As you won’t be spending much time in Ho Chi Minh City, we recommend arriving a few days early to see more of this incredible city. See the ancient pagodas and cathedrals near the former Presidential Palace, the historic Dong Khoi Street, and the chaotic markets of Ben Thanh and Cholon (Chinatown). Consider taking a day trip such as ‘The Cu Chi Experience’ with our partners Urban Adventures. See urbanadventures.com for more information.

Make your way to the province of Ben Tre, where you’ll get on a boat to tour the canals of the Mekong Delta. This fertile area is famous for its abundance of fruit, flower and rice crops, and is known as ‘the rice bowl’ of Vietnam. During your boat ride you’ll visit some local cottage industries and then head to your overnight homestay. Your stay with a Vietnamese family will be one of the highlights of your trip as you get a taste of the life of a local and enjoy a home cooked meal.

Notes: On the homestay, you’ll be sleeping on simple camp beds in a dorm-style arrangement with people of the same sex. You’ll have basic shared bathroom facilities, and bedding and mosquito nets will be provided.

Rising early to the sounds of the delta coming alive, we enjoy a simple breakfast before boarding our boat, and catching a bus back to Ho Chi Minh City. Enjoy some free time in Ho Chi Minh City this afternoon, perhaps visit the War Remnants Museum or Reunification Palace. This evening, board an overnight train to Nha Trang (approx 11 hours). Conditions are basic on these trains and they may be a little dirtier than what you’re used to, however overnight trains are the best way to brush shoulders with the locals and make the best use of your time. Most trains have a dining carriage serving simple food, but some travellers like to take some fresh bread, cheese and fruit for the journey.

Notes: There are shared hotel rooms available this afternoon if you would like to freshen up or organise your luggage. Sleeper trains typically have four or six berth compartments with bench seats that convert into sleeping bunks. A sheet, pillow and blanket are provided, although some travellers prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet. Depending on the configuration of the group, you may have to share with people of different genders or passengers who aren’t part of the group.

At around 5 a.m, you will arrive in Nha Trang and our driver will pick you up to your hotel. You will have the whole day to relax. Nha Trang is known as one of the most beautiful bay in the world. It has beautiful white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, where the waves are perfect for surfing and where the diving lovers have a lot to discover. We sure that you will be surprised by its stunning beauty that will bring you the most wonderful experiences.overnight in Nha Trang.

Today is another free day in Nha Trang. You can visit some tourist attractions of this place as Vinpearl theme park, Tram Huong Tower, Long Son temple, Po Nagar pogoda, Dam market. In the evening, board another overnight train for Danang.

Arrive in Danang and travel by minibus for one hour to Hoi An. Hoi An was recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is being beautifully restored. It was a major trading port with the west from the 17th century onwards. Today, parts of Hoi An look exactly as they did more than a century ago. Your leader will take you on a sightseeing walk through the Old Town and visit some of the city's major attractions. A sightseeing pass is included in your tour for you to visit a selection of the major sights as you wish. Hoi An is also a shopping mecca, so head down to the markets and street stalls to browse paintings, woodwork, ceramics and lanterns. Hoi An is famous for its tailors who can make beautiful items to order.

Today, you can take a bike ride through the countryside near Hoi An. You will find yourself totally immerse in the peaceful atmosphere here with endless paddy fields and small creeks. The rest of the day is free at leisure to enjoy the shopping in Hoi An – a paradise for silk & fashionable clothing and accessories. you will buy many wonderful gifts for your family and friends. Overnight in Hoi An.

Another free day in Hoi An. You can take part in a cooking class and know how to make some delicious dishes of Vietnam with just simple ingredients or take a boat trip along Thu Bon river and admire the beautiful scenery on the both sides. One more night in Hoi An.

Say goodbye to Hoi An this morning and make your way to Hue. The drive in our minibus will take about five hours, but along the way you’ll stop at My Khe Beach (China Beach) and the picturesque fishing village of Lang Co. You’ll be travelling on the incredible Hai Van Pass, through lush mountains. Once in Hue, you’ll have a free afternoon to explore. Hue was once Vietnam’s Imperial capital and has a curious mix of bustling streets and tranquil enclaves. Perhaps visit the Dong Ba Market, which sells everything imaginable and is a great place to spend some time.

Another free day in Hue. Perhaps visit the Imperial Citadel which includes the Forbidden Purple City that was almost totally destroyed during the Vietnam war. The gaping holes left by bombs give you an idea of how much destruction occurred in this country. Another optional activity is a dragon boat cruise along the Perfume River and then a visit to Mu Pagoda, the unofficial symbol of Hue. Here you’ll see an active Buddhist monastery dating back to 1601, and a car belonging to a monk who set himself alight in protest against the treatment of Buddhists. You may also like to visit one of the royal tombs, that of Emperor Tu Duc, with its central lake set amid a grove of frangipani and pine trees.

You have a free day to discovery more about Hue before your night train to Hanoi. Overnight on train.

Your train will arrive in Hanoi at around 4a:m and our drive will escort you to hotel to relax. In the morning, you will start your journey to explore the charming beauty of Vietnam's capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will be taken you to Hanoi's most attractive destinations as: Hoan Kiem lake, the Old Quarter, the Ho Chi Minh Complex, the Temple of Literature; the Quan Thanh Temple,... in the evening, you can enjoy an interesting Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture. Overnight in Hanoi.

At around 8 AM, a private bus will pick up you at hotel lobby and take you to Halong, one of seven World's Natural Wonders. On this 3,5 -hour trip, you will go through the rich farmlands and endless paddy fields of the Red River Delta. Upon arriving in Halong, you will board in a junk and set sail through the bay while lunch is served. This is a great journey among surreal islands rising from a tranquil emerald sea. In the late afternoon, you will anchor for the night on the bay and enjoy a delicious seafood dinner on board. Overnight on a junk boat in Halong Bay.

After an interesting day exploring the spectacular landscape of Ha Long, you will head back to Hanoi. Once arriving, you can have time to relax and then, the rest of day is free for you to do anything you want. You can wander around lovely streets, taste some delicious street foods as: Banh mi, Banh xeo. In the evening, you can enjoy cool beers in Ta Hien and feel the hustle life of Hanoi at night. Over night in Hanoi.

There are no activities planned for today and you’re able to depart the accommodation at any time.