Vietnam Discovery - 15 Days / 14 Nights
• Ho Chi Minh City: 2 nights
• Can Tho (Mekong Delta): 1 night
• Hoi An: 2 nights
• Sapa: 3 nights
• Hanoi: 1 night
• Halong Bay: 2 nights
• Hanoi: 1 night
ITINERARY
Day 1: Your home to Ho Chi Minh City
Depart from your home on your overnight flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City
Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Stay: Novotel Saigon Centre (or similar).
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City
A half-day city tour takes in the Central Post Office and the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. Stroll along Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat) which featured in Graham Greene’s novel, The Quiet American, stop at the Reunification Palace and discover the country’s turbulent past at the War Remnants Museum. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore or relax. This evening you can enjoy a welcome dinner, entertainment and views of the city’s skyline as you glide down the Saigon River on the Bonsai Cruise.
Stay: Novotel Saigon Centre (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho
Drive south to Cai Be in the heart of the fertile Mekong Delta for one of the highlights of the tour – a cruise on the Mekong River. Board your boat and watch life around the water as you pass local cottage industries where families use centuries-old methods to produce rice paper. Disembark at Vinh Long Pier and continue your journey by car to Can Tho. Approx. journey time: 2½-3 hours, 75 miles.
Stay: Victoria Can Tho Resort (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5: Can Tho to Hoi An
Rise early for a breakfast cruise to Cai Rang floating market, one of the largest floating markets in the Mekong Delta. Return to your hotel before checking out and transferring to Ho Chi Minh City airport (approx. 3½ hours, 105 miles) for your flight to Danang. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel in the pretty UNESCO-listed city of Hoi An (approx. 40 minutes).
Stay: Almanity Hoi An Wellness Resort (or similar).
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: Hoi An
Explore Hoi An during a walking tour with visits to the ornate Fujian Assembly Hall and the Jinshang Temple. Pass the Old House of Tan Ky, which was the home of an 18th-Century merchant, and cross the iconic 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge. End your tour with a relaxing boat trip along Thu Bon river, before an afternoon at leisure.
Stay: Almanity Hoi An Wellness Resort (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Hoi An to Sapa
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Hanoi (approx. 1¼ hours). Journey by road from the capital to the mountain town of Sapa (approx. 5 hours). Vietnam’s beautiful northern region is renowned for its stunning mountain scenery and distinct cultures.
Stay: Victoria Sapa Resort (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Sapa
After breakfast, drive to the Black H’mong village of Lao Chai, enjoying views of the mountains and rice terraces along the way. You are likely to pass locals from a number of ethnic minority groups including H’mong, Zay and Red Dao, as well as stalls serving tea, fruit and sweets. Stroll around the village before walking to Ta Van village to gain an insight into the life of the Zay hill tribe. After a picnic lunch prepared by your guide in a local home, transfer back to Sapa town.
Stay: Victoria Sapa Resort (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9: Sapa
Follow a winding road downhill to the Black H’mong village of Cat Cat and walk through the village, observing the traditional homes and rural life here. Return to your hotel. This afternoon, drive to Ta Phin village which is home to the Black H’mong and colourful Red Dao hill minorities. Experience the differences between the two groups – that live without mixing with one another – by visiting local homes and meeting the villagers.
Stay: Victoria Sapa Resort (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: Sapa to Hanoi
Return by road to Hanoi (approx. 5-6 hours). This is a great opportunity to quiz your guide about local culture. This afternoon, explore the Old Quarter and the Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural – the longest in the world – during a walking tour. End your day with a visit to the Giang Cafe, a coffee shop founded by Nguyen Giang who famously invented the Vietnamese egg coffee.
Stay: The Ann Hanoi (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11: Hanoi to Halong Bay
Today is another of the tour’s highlights – a cruise in Halong Bay. Drive to Halong City (approx. 3 hours, 105 miles) and board a junk. Enjoy lunch whilst gliding past limestone peaks and islands in the bay. This afternoon, transfer by tender to the Tien Ong cave where human bones and artefacts dating to 10,000-8000 BC were discovered. You can also see beautiful stalagmites and stalactites here. Return to the ship to join a cooking demonstration before admiring the sunset over the bay. Dinner is served on board.
Stay: Bhaya Cruise (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: Halong Bay
Early risers can join a t’ai chi exercise on the deck at sunrise. After a hearty breakfast, continue cruising the bay and transfer to the Bhaya Spirit (a day boat) for a day of activities. Cruise past the Ang Du area, Hang Du, where Kong: Skull Island was filmed, to reach the peaceful Coc Cheo Islet area. Spend time here swimming and kayaking (subject to availability) before returning to the Bhaya Spirit and visiting a floating pearl farm for an authentic Vietnamese lunch. Learn about the cultivation of pearls and how they are used to make handicrafts. Return to your junk and enjoy a relaxing evening with a set-menu dinner on board. This evening there’s an opportunity to try squid fishing on the deck.
Stay: Bhaya Cruise (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13: Halong Bay to Hanoi
Rise early to make the most of the stunning scenery at first light. After a light breakfast, continue cruising the bay and enjoy brunch as you make your way back to the harbour. Drive back to Hanoi (approx. 3 hours, 105 miles) and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure so you can explore further before returning to your hotel for a farewell dinner.
Stay: The Ann Hanoi (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 14: Hanoi
Visit the marble mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, the One Pillar Pagoda and 11th-Century Temple of Literature. Enjoy a cyclo ride through the evocative Old Quarter. Transfer to the airport for your overnight return flight to your home, or choose to extend your holiday.
Meals: Breakfast
ABOUT THIS TOUR
Is this for you?
Perfect for seeing the iconic cities of Vietnam while also getting an off-the-beaten-track, immersive experience in lesser-known Sapa – known for its beautiful mountain scenery and hill tribe villages.
Good to know
• For guests over 16 (unless travelling on a private journey, where the minimum age is 12)
• Average group size of 10 guests
• A maximum of 18 guests
• Journey times do not take into account stops or local traffic conditions
• We recommend travelling with no more than one suitcase and one day bag
• A good level of fitness is required.
What to expect
• Busy days with lots of walking and exploration on foot, so a pair of comfortable walking shoes is recommended
• You will experience cooler temperatures in Sapa. Layers are essential
• A considerable amount of travelling with some early starts
• Authentic local experiences
• Unsuitable for those with walking difficulties
• Knees and shoulders need to be covered during temple visits.
Accommodation on tour
Experience the Mekong Delta by staying at Victoria Can Tho Resort, a modern spa retreat on the banks of the Hau River and one of the best hotels in the area. Your hill tribe adventure includes a stay at the cosy chalet-style Victoria Sapa Resort which is surrounded by forest. Enjoy a comfortable and relaxed experience on board the Bhaya Classic, a traditional-style wooden junk, during your two-night cruise in Halong Bay.
Solo travellers
Single room supplement from 845 EUR
Tour dates
24/11/2021
Included in price
• Quality accommodation
• Insightful local tour leaders
• Hand-picked itineraries
• Flexible arrival times
• Small groups
• Porterage and guide tips
• Meals where most convenient (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
• All specified flights.
Upgrade your tour
Private tour
Upgrade to a private tour with a local tour leader on the same itinerary, departing on the date of your choice from 725 EUR per person
Excursions
Day-use room
Pre-book a day-room before your return flight from 110 EUR per person.