Day 1: Welcome to Hanoi (D)

Xin Chao! Welcome to Hanoi, one of Asia’s most enchanting cities, full of culture and history. We are met at Noi Bai airport by our local guide and learn a bit about this fascinating country on the way to our hotel.

We have time to relax at our hotel and adjust to the pace of Hanoi. This beautiful city is bustling with energy and will soon dispel even the slightest feeling of jetlag. We can try an iced coffee (cafe sua daa) or iced tea (cha daa) in one of the many typical cafés and learn about the Vietnamese café culture. For those that are hungry there are many small local restaurants and food stalls we can recommend. These little food outlets form the pulsating culinary heart of the Vietnamese cuisine.

At night we are invited by a Hanoian family for a warm welcome dinner. Around the dinner table they share their story, tell us more about Vietnamese culture, and teach us some basic Vietnamese phrases.

Overnight in hotel (Hanoi)

Remarks: For group of 11 pax up, we will arrange the meal at local restaurant instead

Day 2: Authentic flower market, Tai Chi & cooking demo at Van Giang village (B,L)

We wake up early, grab our cameras and head out to Hanoi’s biggest flower market in Quang Ba. We take in the beauty and wonderful aromas of flowers from villages all around Hanoi, Sapa and Dalat. The diversity and vibrant colours on display guarantee amazing pictures.

On our way back to the old centre we visit the banks of Truc Bach Lake. Every morning, hundreds of Hanoians gather here to practise Tai Chi, do their daily fitness exercises or play some badminton. We can join in or simply enjoy this oasis of peace and serenity in the middle of the city centre.

We skip breakfast at the hotel this morning and join the locals in the streets for a bowl of Pho. This aromatic beef noodle soup is without a doubt Vietnam’s most famous dish.

Next is a quick stop at Ba Dinh Square for some pictures. This historic spot is where Ho Chi Minh declared the Vietnamese independence in 1945. From here, we drive to Van Giang Village, about 30 minutes outside the city. Here, a local family will teach us how to cook some typical Vietnamese dishes. After the cooking demo, we join the family for lunch and then head back to the city. Now we have time to relax in the back of a Cyclo and take in the sights of the bustling Old Quarter and the 36 Guild Streets.

For dinner (optional) we can recommend some other local specialties such as bun cha (smoked and grilled pork in stock with rice noodles and fresh herbs) or cha ca la vong (a 200-year-old Hanoian specialty of marinated grilled fish served with dill and peanuts).

Overnight at hotel (Hanoi)

Remarks: Van Giang cooking activity is most suitable for group of below 25 pax. For group from 25 pax up, we will arrange the similar activity instead

Day 3: Ha Long Bay cruise (B,L,D)

We have breakfast at our hotel in Hanoi before heading out to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On our way there, we visit a typical Northern Vietnamese village where the younger and older generations still live together in traditional houses.

In Ha Long we board one of our luxury Vietnamese sampans for an overnight boat cruise amongst the more than 3000 limestone islands and rocks rising majestically out of the turquoize bay. We pass grand rock formations and quaint fishing towns, and sample a delicious buffet made up of freshly caught fish and seafood.

In the afternoon we visit the small floating fishing village of Vung Vieng and are offered a choice of other interesting activities: a food carving and cooking class with our master chef on board, an optional traditional massage, a optional kayaking trip or, weather permitting, a refreshing swim.

We end the day with a spectacular set-menu gastronomic dinner; steamed crab in tamarind sauce, fresh squid, giant prawns and delicious mussels are just a few of the many possibilities.

Before heading to our luxurious cabin and beds, and if we are in the right season, we can see the crew fishing for our lunch the next day. Fresh squid being caught the traditional way.

Day 4: The old imperial capital of Hue (Brunch, L)

We start our day with calming Tai Chi or an optional massage on the sun deck. We pass beautiful spots such as Trong, Trinh Nu and the Me Cung Caves, and get a chance to explore the Surprise Cave ourselves before our buffet brunch on board.

We arrive back at Ha Long harbour around noon where our transfer to Hanoi awaits. On the way back we pay a visit to the famous Manh Hoach chicken restaurant in the Hai Duong province. Ga Manh Hoach is the specialty of this province and extremely popular in North Vietnam. It is called the ‘king of chicken’by the North Vietnamese.

We continue on to Noi Bai airport just north of Hanoi for a short flight to Hue. We are greeted at the airport and are transferred to our hotel.

Day 5: Hue-  Hoian (B,L)

After breakfast at the hotel, take a boat ride along the romantic Perfume River. Stop off at the Thien Mu Pagoda on the banks of the river to see the 7-storey Stupa. The pagoda is also home to the old Austin car driven to Saigon by the Venerable Thich Quang Duc in 1963 for his self-immolation. Continue on to visit the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang (1791-1841), built between 1841 and 1843. The Emperor’s mausoleum complex consists of 40 constructions (palaces, temples, pavilions etc.) designed on a symmetrical axis

We enjoy our vegetarian lunch in the serene atmosphere of the pagoda’s Meditation Hall.

In the afternoon, we say goodbye and drive down to Da Nang. We stop at Lang Co beach, one of the most beautiful bays in the world, before we arrive in Hoi An. This World Heritage site was home to merchants from all over the world. Our guided walk through this enchanting and peaceful town will take us back in history. We have a closer look at the Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and French influences and visit some of its characteristic trade houses, bridges and temples.

We spend the night in our hotel in Hoi An.

Day 6: The rich cultural history of Hoi An (B,L)

After breakfast at our hotel, we jump on our bicycles and take a beautiful scenic route through the rice paddies to Tra Que Village just outside Hoi An. This little town is well-known for supplying the many restaurants and hotels in the area with fresh herbs and vegetables. We take a walk through the vegetable gardens, experience how the local farmers work the land and learn more about the history of the village and the importance of herbs in Vietnamese medicine and cuisine.

For lunch we have some central Vietnamese specialties such as Tam Huu spring rolls, the local Banh Xeo pancakes and fresh seafood. After lunch we can relax before cycling back to Hoi An.

In the afternoon, we can further explore the old quarter and learn more about its rich history, or we have the chance to relax by the pool or on one of the many beautiful beaches.

For dinner (optional) we can highly recommend a meal at one of the many fusion restaurants in Hoi An that offer a unique blend between Vietnamese and Western cuisine.

Overnight in hotel (hoi An)

Day 7: Cooking in Hoi An (B,L)

After breakfast at our hotel, we are greeted by our chef and pay a visit to Hoi An’s busy market where we buy the ingredients for our Vietnamese cooking class. We then travel by boat to a mystical and unique location where we will learn to make rice pancakes and some typical dishes of this region. Lunch consists of the dishes we just cooked.

In the afternoon we visit the My Son sanctuary, another UNESCO World Heritage site. My Son is a elaborate temple complex and burial place of Cham royals and heroes dating back to the Kingdom of Champa. It is one of the most important examples of Hindu influence in the whole of South East Asia.

In the evening we can stroll around the romantic streets of ancient Hoi An, or enjoy a drink at one of its trendy cocktail bars (optional).

Overnight in hotel (Hoi An)

Day 8: Life in the Mekong delta (B,L,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Danang for our short flight to Saigon, also known as Ho Chi Minh City. From the airport, we take a beautiful drive through the Mekong Delta and Vinh Long province. We cruise aboard our private boat through an intricate and bustling maze of waterways and canals, filled with local merchants and traders.

For lunch we try the popular ‘Elephant Ear Fish’ at the home of a local Bonsai gardener before further exploring the delta.

Along the way, we will visit the local handicraft factories to see how bricks and pottery items are made. Afterwards, we will reach our homestay.

We are in for a truly unique experience in the evening. We are spending the night with a local family who have invited us into their home. We share their house, prepare an authentic family dinner with them and experience first hand what life on the Mekong river is like.

Overnight at homestay Vinh Long.

Day 9: The Graham Greene Trail in Ho Chi Minh City (B,L,D)

We join our friendly hosts for breakfast and then go for a stroll around the village, learning more about charming rural life in South Vietnam. After our walk, we head back out on to the river to further explore the Mekong delta. We will go ahead to visit one of the highlight of the region which is Cai Be floating market. Everyday more than 400 boats fill its waters to trade and sell their goods. When we reach Cai Be town, we are met by our driver for the trip back to Ho Chi Minh City.

We drop our bags at the hotel, have a quick shower, and explore the sights of Saigon. For lunch we try the local variety of Banh Xeo, a big savoury pancake made out of rice flour, coconut milk and freshly ground turmeric. The pancake is filled with fresh herbs and vegetables, pork and prawns, and served with nuoc cham (the famous Vietnamese fish sauce thinned with water, lemon and chilli).

In the afternoon we follow the Graham Greene Trail taking us on a journey from colonial to modern Saigon. We visit the places where Greene lived and worked, taking us past the HCMC Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Metropole Hotel; famous from the ‘Quiet American’ novel and film. There is time for an optional tea or coffee at the historical bar before we’re off to that other famous Saigon hotel, The Majestic. This hotel and its bar were home to many foreign reporters and secret agents during the Vietnam War. We head up to the rooftop bar to try one of Saigon’s many local beers and enjoy a panoramic view of the city with live music.

Dinner is served aboard one of the luxurious imperial dragon boats of the Bonsai Cruise Company.

Day 10: Saigon departure (B)

We have our last breakfast together in HCMC and do some last minute shopping before flying back home or on to our next destination.