Vietnam Impressions 8 days

Fly to Vietnam’s vibrant capital city, Hanoi, for an overnight stay.

Day 2 + 3: Spend the day cruising amongst spectacular seascapes, fringed by jagged karst formations jutting from emerald waters. Halong Bay, with its 1,600 islands and islets, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 and is a vision of awe-inspiring beauty. Spend the night on board. The next day return to Hanoi and enjoy a traditional Water Puppet show.

Hanoi brings together all of the charms of a colonial past with a modern buzz in one fast-paced yet graceful city. Exuding a wonderfully exotic aura, Hanoi is the perfect combination of old Asia and new. Sightseeing today includes a wander through the Ho Chi Minh Quarter, where you’ll pass Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and Humble House on Stilts. Also visit One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, ending the day with a walk through the Old Quarter’s atmospheric tangle of streets.
Fly to Danang and transfer to the UNESCO listed town of Hoi An.

Take a morning walking tour of charming Hoi An. A wonderfully laid-back, graceful and wilfully traditional place, the streets
of the town, lined with lantern shops and tailors, are a delight to wander especially as traffic is entirely banished from the town centre. Visit an old merchant’s house, the elaborate Japanese Covered Bridge, a Chinese Temple and the bustling market. Vietnamese cooking is renowned across the world for its innovative use of fresh ingredients and spices – this evening, learn all about the local produce and the necessary skills in a hands-on cookery class.

Fly to Saigon. A seamless blend of past and present, Saigon offers a high-octane ride into Vietnam’s ever brighter future. Whilst this exuberant city is the driving force of modern Vietnam, it also has a treasure trove of fascinating heritage to explore. Experience Notre Dame Cathedral and the neoclassical Central Post Office, designed by Gustave Eiffel – both grandiose legacies of a colonial past. Also visit the Reunification Palace and the chilling War Remnants Museum where the brutality of the war and its victims are well-documented.

Journey to Ben Tre to take a cruise on the mighty Mekong. This area is known as the ‘Rice Basket of Vietnam’, the rich
and fertile lands producing huge amounts of rice, coconuts, vegetables and tropical fruits. Paddle through the maze of palm-lined canals, getting a glimpse of daily life on the Mekong Delta, and enjoy a lunch of typical Mekong fare. Return to Saigon.

Confront the reality of guerrilla warfare at the astonishing Cu Chi Tunnels, where you’ll see the legendary tunnel network used by the Viet Cong to infiltrate South Vietnam during the war. You can even crawl through the tunnels if you are feeling brave! Return to Saigon and transfer to the airport to board your overnight flight home.