Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive in Hanoi and get transferred to your hotel. After you've had time to get settled and freshen up, everyone meets for a welcome briefing with drinks so you can meet the other travellers on the tour.
- Day 2
Hanoi
This morning the full-day city tour kicks off at 8am. You'll drive past Long Bien Bridge, St Joseph's Cathedral and the Opera House before walking through the Old Quarter. Then it's on to the Ho Chi Minh Quarter to see the mausoleum, Presidential Palace, Uncle Ho's stilt house and One Pillar Pagoda. After that you'll check out the Citadel and Flag Tower, followed by stops at Temple of Literature, Tran Quoc and Ngoc Son Temples. The day wraps up at Hoa Lo Prison Museum before heading back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch (KOTO Van Mieu restaurant, a social enterprise supporting hospitality training)
Included Activities
- Full-day city orientation drive past Long Bien Bridge, St Joseph's Cathedral and Opera House
- Walking tour through the Old Quarter
- Ho Chi Minh Quarter exploration including mausoleum, Presidential Palace (external view), Uncle Ho's stilt house and One Pillar Pagoda
- Citadel and Flag Tower viewing
- Temple of Literature visit
- Tran Quoc Temple visit
- Ngoc Son Temple visit
- Hoa Lo Prison Museum visit
- Lunch at KOTO Van Mieu restaurant
Landmarks Long Bien Bridge St Joseph's Cathedral Hanoi Opera House Old Quarter Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Presidential Palace Uncle Ho's Stilt House One Pillar Pagoda Hanoi Citadel Flag Tower Temple of Literature Tran Quoc Temple Ngoc Son Temple Hoa Lo Prison Museum - Day 3
Hanoi to Ninh Binh
You'll depart Hanoi at 8am for the 90km drive south to Hoa Lu, Vietnam's 10th-century capital. There you visit the sanctuary of Dinh Tien Hoang and the Le Emperor temple. Next is the Trang An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO-listed area with limestone karsts and valleys. You'll take a small boat through the cave systems and dramatic scenery, then transfer to your hotel in Ninh Binh for check-in.
Included Activities
- Dinh Tien Hoang sanctuary visit
- Le Emperor temple visit
- Trang An Landscape Complex boat journey through limestone karsts and caves
Landmarks Hoa Lu Dinh Tien Hoang Sanctuary Le Emperor Temple Trang An Landscape Complex 
- Day 4
Ninh Binh to Halong Bay
From Ninh Binh you'll travel to Halong City and board a traditional junk boat for an overnight cruise through Halong Bay. Lunch gets prepared fresh on board as you sail past 3,000 limestone karsts, with time to explore quieter spots. Later you can relax in your cabin, on the deck or at the bar.
- Meals
- Lunch (Freshly prepared lunch on board)
Included Activities
- Traditional junk boat cruise through Halong Bay
- Lunch on board
Landmarks Halong Bay 
- Day 5
Halong Bay to Hue
Wake early if you want to join the optional Tai Chi session on the sundeck or just catch the final views of Halong Bay. Buffet brunch happens before you disembark. From there it's back to Hanoi by road, then you'll fly to Hue, the former imperial capital on the Perfume River, and check into your hotel.
- Meals
- Brunch (Buffet brunch on board)
Included Activities
- Buffet brunch on board
Optional Activities
- Tai Chi session on the sundeck
- Day 6
Hue
At 8am your guide meets you for a half-day city tour. You'll visit Emperor Tu Duc's tomb, which sits among lakes and frangipani trees, then head up to Bunker Hill for views across the Perfume River and plains. A quick stop at the historic Tiger Arena comes next, followed by the Imperial Citadel (it's being restored after damage from the 1968 Tet Offensive). The tour finishes with a short boat trip to Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue's oldest pagoda. Your evening is free to explore on your own.
Included Activities
- Half-day city tour including Emperor Tu Duc's tomb visit
- Bunker Hill visit with views over Perfume River
- Tiger Arena stop
- Imperial Citadel exploration
- Boat trip to Thien Mu Pagoda
Landmarks Emperor Tu Duc's Tomb Bunker Hill Tiger Arena Imperial Citadel Thien Mu Pagoda Perfume River 
- Day 7
Hoi An
This morning you'll walk through Hoi An's UNESCO-listed Old Town with a guide. The architecture here shows Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and European influences from when it was Vietnam's busiest trading port. You'll see a traditional merchant's house, Hoi An Museum, a Chinese Assembly Hall, Chao Ong Pagoda and the Japanese Covered Bridge. After the tour ends in the Ancient Town, you'll have time to wander around on your own.
Included Activities
- Guided walking tour of Hoi An Old Town
- Traditional merchant's house visit
- Hoi An Museum visit
- Chinese Assembly Hall visit
- Chao Ong Pagoda visit
- Japanese Covered Bridge visit
Landmarks Hoi An Old Town Hoi An Museum Chinese Assembly Hall Chao Ong Pagoda Japanese Covered Bridge - Day 8
Hoi An to Danang
After breakfast you'll transfer by road to Danang. The tour ends with drop-off at Danang Airport for your next flight. If you've extended your stay, you'll get transferred to your beach resort in the Danang-Hoi An area instead.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Extend your stay with a transfer to a beach resort in the Danang-Hoi An area
