HANOI Meet at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Rest and relax for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hanoi.

HANOI (B) After breakfast, spend a day touring the capital. Visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (outside) and his personal residence, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Tran Quoc Pagoda. End the morning with your group choice of visit the Museum of Ethnology – an insightful museum focusing on 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam OR Hoa Lo Hilton - a site commonly referred to as the Hanoi Hilton by US prisoners of war (based on personal preference). In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, the first University for the sons of mandarins. Follow this with a walking tour through the old quarter of the city. Visit a local house and take your time talking with the hosts and learn about their family’s life and history. Embark on a leisurely ride on a cyclo around Hoan Kiem Lake followed by a water puppet show in the early evening. If time permits, pay a visit to a local coffee shop and enjoy Hanoi’s specialty - Egg Coffee. Overnight in Hanoi.

HANOI – NINH BINH (HOA LU) (B) After breakfast, drive to Hoa Lu (around 2-hour drive), the ancient royal capital of Vietnam. On the way, visit temples dedicated to the Dinh and Le dynasty kings. Continue your trip to Tam Coc and take a bicycle ride along picturesque roads amidst beautiful green paddy fields. In the afternoon, board a small sampan for a spectacular 2-hour trip through caves, waterways and beautiful rural landscape consisting of limestone cliffs and rice paddies. Overnight in Ninh Binh.

NINH BINH – HAI PHONG – HALONG BAY (B-L-D) After breakfast, depart for the stunning Halong Bay located in the Gulf of Tonkin. On the way, stop for a sightseeing tour in Hai Phong city including a visit to local architecture such as a church or a temple, Hang Kenh Communal House and the French influenced Municipal Theatre. Arrive at Halong City, check in and board a junk. Lunch will be served while cruising towards the bay. In the afternoon, enjoy some visits and activities or just spend some time relaxing on board (Possibility to swim in the bay if weather permits). Dinner is served on board. Overnight on Halong Bay.

HALONG BAY – HANOI – HUE (B – Brunch) Breakfast on board and enjoy the fresh morning in the bay. The cruise ends around 11h00 am. Disembark and drive back to Hanoi airport. On the way, visit Tho Ha or Phu Lang village (*). Arrive at Noi Bai airport in the late afternoon and take the flight to Hue.Welcome upon arrival at Hue airport and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Hue.

HUE (B) After breakfast, take a boat for a short cruise on the Huong River. Visit Thien Mu Pagoda which is located on the river bank and is an iconic seven-story pagoda considered the unofficial symbol of the city. And then continue on the visit the Imperial Citadel, the center of the Complex of Hue Monuments inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Enter through the towering main gate and appreciate the magnificent architecture and gardens while your guide explains the events and the intrigue surrounding the former royal court. Despite being heavily bombed during the Vietnam War, there are some incredibly well-preserved sections intact and others which are being carefully restored. End the morning with a leisure walk around Dong Ba Market where you can find anything from fabric and gold to fake watches, fresh flowers and street food. In the afternoon, visit Emperor Tu Duc's Mausoleum, built according to the mystical laws of geomancy. Transfer back to your hotel and relax for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hue.

HUE – DANANG – HOI AN (B) After breakfast, drive to Danang via the spectacular Hai Van Pass, visit the Cham Museum, probably the best museum in the world focusing on the ancient kingdom of Champa. Continue on to the charming old town of Hoi An, an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port during the 15th to 19th centuries. Many of the buildings in the town reflect historical architectural styles and the whole town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Check-in to the hotel, have lunch and then enjoy a walking tour in the old town. Visit Phuc Kien Pagoda and the Japanese wooden bridge. End the day with a visit to a lantern making cottage and learn how to make this handicraft yourself. Overnight in Hoi An.

HOI AN – MYSON – HOIAN (B) After breakfast, take a half day trip to visit the capital and religious center of the former Champa Kingdom, My Son (1 hour drive) located to the southwest of Hoi An. In a lush green valley stand dozens of red brick towers and sanctuaries dating from between the 7^th and 13^th centuries. In the afternoon, go on an excursion by boat on the Thu Bon River. Relax for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hoi An.

HOI AN – DANANG – HO CHI MINH CITY (B) After breakfast, transfer to Danang Airport for a morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). On arrival, proceed to your hotel and check in. Enjoy a full day exploring the city. Visit the former Presidential Palace, or as it is known today - the Reunification Palace. Then head to the historical heart of the city and visit the Notre Dame Cathedral (outside visit only due to its renovation). The red bricks of the cathedral walls were originally from Paris, France. From there, take a short walk to the old Central Post Office. After that, visit the best-preserved buildings from the colonial era, the Opera House and the Hotel de Ville now home to Saigon’s municipal authorities. Continue to Catinat building. Built in 1927, in an art deco style, it has once again become a hub for fashion conscious Saigonese and contains many designer boutiques, galleries, restaurants and cafés. In the afternoon, visit the War Remnants Museum and discover some different perspectives on the war.End the day with a visit to China town with its the bustling Binh Tay Market. Transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. Note: Notre Dame Cathedral: outside visit only due to its renovation till 2027

HO CHI MINH CITY – CAI BE – VINH LONG – CAN THO (B) After breakfast, drive to Cai Be in the heart of the Mekong Delta. Visit a Cao Dai Temple on the way. In Cai Be, board a sampan for a cruise on the Mekong River and its numerous canals. Visit an old colonial house and a rice popcorn factory along the way. In the afternoon continue on to Vinh Long and then drive to Can Tho, the largest town in the Mekong Delta. Overnight in Can Tho.

CAN THO – HO CHI MINH CITY (B) After breakfast, board a sampan to visit the Cai Rang floating market and a local fruit farm. Then visit the charming, colonial style Binh Thuy House (over 100 years old). Explore Can Tho’s local market before heading back towards Ho Chi Minh City. Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City late in the afternoon. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

HO CHI MINH CITY (B) After breakfast, relax until departure to Tan Son Nhat airport.