Highlights of Vietnam

Landing in the Vietnamese capital today, your exploration of this fascinating country begins as you transfer to our four-star hotel.

In the afternoon, we embark on a walking tour of the city, beginning at Sword Lake. Here, we view Ngoc Son Temple, a sacred space built on an island in the 19th century to honor a Taoist deity and a medieval general who defeated the Mongols. This tranquil temple displays traditional East Asian architecture, with decorative tiles and finials.

Afterwards, we relax at a coffee shop before continuing our tour in cyclos (similar to tuk-tuks). Hanoi was the capital of French Indochina during the first half of the 20th century and is filled with fantastic colonial architecture. The cyclos also take us through the Old Quarter, whose streets are dotted with vibrant markets and serene temples.

We return to our hotel this evening for our first dinner together.

After breakfast, we set out on a full day of sightseeing in Hanoi. First, we discover Ba Dinh Square, the area around the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing structure where Vietnam's revolutionary leader is interred. We continue to the One-Pillar Pagoda, where Ho Chi Minh once lived, as well as the Quan Thanh Temple, an 11th-century Taoist structure.

There is some free time for lunch, and then we continue our explorations with a visit to the Temple of Literature. Our attention then turns to Vietnam's famous street food. With the expertise of a local guide, we are introduced to treats like 'bun cha', vermicelli served with fried pork and herbs, and 'banh goi', dumplings stuffed with meat and vermicelli.

Our tour ends at 'international crossroads', a lively part of the Old Quarter, where we enjoy a glass of Bia Hoi, a popular Vietnamese beer. The remainder of the evening is yours to continue enjoying the city's ambience, perhaps finding more local cuisine to sample for dinner.

Today is a highlight of our time in Vietnam as we transfer by coach to Hạ Long Bay. A vast collection of towering, jungle-draped limestone islands dot the emerald waters of this extraordinary, UNESCO-listed bay.

With isolated sandy beaches and spectacular caves, Hạ Long Bay is popular with visitors, and many day boats ferry tourists to the nearest islands. Our overnight cruise takes place on a luxury boat and allows us to travel further into the bay to its quieter, most iconic sights. After a seafood lunch on board, our ship carries us out into this stunning seascape, where we visit some of the caves and islands before enjoying an incredible sunset over the water.

After the sun dips below the horizon, you can unwind with drinks, attend a cooking demonstration or relax in your cabin. Dinner is served onboard tonight.

Waking up in Hạ Long Bay, early risers can enjoy sunrise and a tranquil tai chi class amongst these towering formations. Breakfast is served later this morning as we gently sail back to shore, admiring these unforgettable scenes on the way.

A coach transfers us back to Hanoi after we disembark the ship, and enroute, we stop briefly at a local craft center. This evening, we enjoy a traditional water puppet show performance. Strongly influenced by Vietnamese folklore, this art form dates to the 11th century and has a symbolic link to the rice harvest, as these tales were originally performed in flooded rice fields.

Our evening concludes with a transfer to Hanoi's railroad station, where we board the Reunification Express on an overnight journey to Hue in double occupancy cabins. This evocative route commemorates the unification of Vietnam in 1976 and is a vital form of transport for locals and visitors alike. Traveling aboard this train is a great way to view Vietnam and experience authentic life here.

The Reunification Express rolls into Hue in the morning after a picnic breakfast on board. This historic city is smaller and calmer than Hanoi, and with an early check-in at our modern four-star hotel, we have some time to relax by the pool or have lunch locally before embarking on a sightseeing tour this afternoon.

On our guided exploration, we visit the Thien Mu pagoda, a seven-floor octagonal Buddhist temple built in 1601 that has become a symbol of Vietnam. Hue's main attraction is the impressive Imperial Citadel, the Nguyen dynasty's capital from 1802 to 1945. Modelled on Beijing's Forbidden City and often called the Purple Forbidden City, the expansive palace complex is surrounded by a series of moats fed by the Perfume River. Lavish pagodas, temple roofs decorated with dragon motifs and attractive gardens are guarded by towering walls dotted with ten ornate gates.

Following our tour, the evening is free to explore Hue and its range of appealing restaurants independently.

Traveling by train after breakfast this morning, we admire views of Vietnam's mountains and coastline along the route to Da Nang. On arrival, we explore the Cham Museum, learning about the art and sculptures of the Champa civilization that flourished along the coast from the 2nd century to 1832, before viewing the Marble Mountains - five limestone and marble hills containing atmospheric Buddhist and Hindu grottoes.

After some free time to admire this picturesque setting, we transfer to our four-star boutique hotel in downtown Hoi An, where the rest of the day is free to relax by our colonial-style hotel's pool or step out to explore our new surroundings.

Hoi An is renowned for its monthly lantern festivals, night markets and bespoke tailors with suits ready in a few hours. Stroll amongst the yellow façades of the Old Town bedecked with bougainvillea and marvel at the colorful lanterns casting their glow on the streets and flowers as the night draws in.

Today, we set out into Hoi An with a knowledgeable local guide to tour some of the town's most beloved attractions. Tan Ky Old House reflects Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese influences and was constructed in 1741 by merchants, the descendants of whom still live on the top floor. Here, we admire the dark wood interiors, lacquered panels and jackfruit wood ceilings.

This picturesque town is historically a melting pot of cultures, and we experience this at the 17th-century Fujian Assembly Hall and the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge. The elaborately adorned Fujian Assembly Hall of cherry blossom pink brick and jade tiles dates from the fall of China's Ming Dynasty, while the Japanese Covered Bridge contains an ornately decorated temple with porcelain-capped roof tiles.

We pause for lunch at a local restaurant and then walk to Xu Dang Trong Art Center for a lantern-making class. The rest of the afternoon and evening are free to continue exploring independently. For dinner, you may like to enjoy some local cuisine, such as 'cao lau', pork rice noodles unique to the region.

With a full free day ahead, you may wish to wander through Hoi An's picturesque streets to discover more of the city's culture.

Delve into the scents and sights of the Cantonese Assembly Hall and its pretty gardens as incense wafts gently by the elaborate dragon statue. Alternatively, perhaps head to Trang coconut village for a slice of rural life. Here, you can book a basket boat trip through the tropical waterways. Embrace the laid-back Hoi An lifestyle by watching the world go by from a coffee shop. For lunch, you might like to enter Central Market to sample the local flavors in street-food stalls, including French-influenced banh mi, delicious pho soup and other interesting specialties.

Hoi An also excels at seafood, and for dinner this evening, you could sample it at the Night Market or one of the many restaurants serving crab, lobster, shrimp and fish.

Following an early breakfast, we transfer to Da Nang airport for our internal flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Once a small fishing village, Ho Chi Minh City is now Vietnam's largest city, with a blend of modern 21st-century skyscrapers and age-old lanes lined with ancient temples. The city was famously known as Saigon under French colonial rule - a name many locals still use. During their time ruling, the French heavily influenced the layout of the city, creating wide leafy boulevards and grand colonial buildings.

On arrival early this afternoon, we are transferred to our hotel, with photo stops along the way. We see Reunification Palace, where in April of 1975, a North Vietnamese tank dramatically burst through the gates, signifying the Fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. We also see the General Post Office and City Hall before continuing to the War Remnants Museum.

Afterward, we check in to our five-star hotel and have a free evening to relax.

Today, we learn more about the troubled recent history of this beautiful country during a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels. This vast underground complex that once stretched almost 155 miles towards the Cambodian border was originally developed during the war of independence with France and later utilized in the conflict against the US.

As a base of operations for the Tet Offensive in 1968, there are still remnants of the conflict in the area, including aircraft and tanks located near the entrances. Entry to the small tunnels is optional, but those who want to can join a guide to discover more about the difficult living conditions inside the tunnels, as well as the methods used to protect them and the field hospitals and weapons factories contained within.

There is free time over lunch before we return to Ho Chi Minh City, where the rest of the day and evening is at leisure. Our hotel is well placed for exploring the local dining scene, with many restaurants within easy walking distance, including those overlooking the Saigon river.

On our final day in Vietnam, we head to the palm-lined shores of the mighty Mekong after breakfast. Traveling by motorcoach, we journey to the island town of Ben Tre. For a long time, the only way to reach Ben Tre was by boat, so this authentic town retains a traditional feel and relaxed atmosphere. Amid the peace of lush jungle and winding canals, the sleepy waterfront is dotted with historic villas, coconut palms and stalls selling local produce.

We attend a demonstration to discover how local bricks and grass mats are made using timeless techniques and have plenty of free time to explore the unique setting. With lunch at a local restaurant, we also taste exotic fruits and regional cuisine sourced from the beautiful surroundings.

We return to Ho Chi Minh City by coach later this afternoon, where the rest of the evening is free to spend as you wish.

From the bustling capital, Hanoi, to Ho Chi Minh City in the southern part of the country, our adventure has shown us the vast beauty and history of Vietnam. This journey revealed the contrasts between city life, the serene waterside and Vietnam's rich culture in memorable ways.

Having cruised Hạ Long Bay, visited Hue, spent time in the charming 'Lantern City' of Hoi An, explored a town on the Mekong Delta and dipped our toe into Ho Chi Minh City's poignant past, your vacation concludes today and you are free to make your way home independently.