Ultimate Vietnam Journey

On arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, our local guide greets you and we head into the city centre – along the way we share an easy introduction to Hanoi’s history and practical tips for your first evening in Vietnam. You then have free time to rest or wander the Old Quarter at your own pace. We arrange a room for day–use so you can freshen up before boarding the evening train.

We leave Hanoi on a scenic drive towards Mai Chau, watching rice paddies, sugar cane and rural villages slip by. In Mai Chau we sit down to a traditional lunch in a Thai stilt house, sampling home‑style dishes while learning about White Thai culture. Afterwards we take a gentle walk through the village, passing stilt houses and scenes of daily rural life amid a peaceful valley. We then continue over a mountain pass into Pu Luong Nature Reserve, with sweeping views across valleys and terraced hillsides. On arrival, you have free time at the homestay to enjoy the quiet mountain setting – you can relax, explore the grounds or simply admire the surrounding rice terraces.

After a short transfer from our retreat in Pu Luong Nature Reserve to Dong Dien village, we set off on a trek through terraced fields and small hamlets towards Kho Muong – a hidden village tucked within Pu Luong. In Kho Muong we share a home‑cooked lunch with a Thai family, enjoying warm local hospitality and a glimpse of traditional life. We continue on foot via Bang village, tracing narrow paths beside terraced fields and rural homes as we make our way back to the retreat. On arrival, you have free time at the homestay to savour the quiet mountain setting – relax, explore the grounds or simply admire the surrounding rice terraces.

We return by road from Pu Luong Nature Reserve to Hanoi, watching the scenery shift from mountains and rural villages to the bustling streets of the capital. On arrival, you have free time to rest or wander the Old Quarter at your own pace. A day–use room is provided so you can freshen up before boarding the evening train.

We begin at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – an imposing national monument in the heart of Hanoi – to pay our respects and appreciate the complex’s austere architecture and powerful symbolism. We pause at the historic One Pillar Pagoda, its small wooden shrine poised on a single stone column rising from a lotus pond – a graceful expression of Vietnamese Buddhist design. From the landscaped grounds, we view the French–era Presidential Palace, its yellow façade evoking the city’s colonial heritage and role in modern political life. We continue to the Temple of Literature, originally founded as a Confucian university, where courtyards, pavilions and time‑worn stone steles honour generations of scholars and the country’s learning tradition. In the afternoon, we join a guided street‑food walk through the Old Quarter, sampling classic dishes at small, local eateries tucked along narrow lanes – a lively introduction to everyday Hanoi flavours. We stop at Hanoi Train Street for a cup of egg coffee by the tracks, where the tight alleyway offers a dramatic perspective on passing trains and local life. We round off the day with dinner at KOTO Van Mieu – a social enterprise restaurant training disadvantaged youth – enjoying Vietnamese dishes served with a strong sense of community.

We drive from Hanoi through the Red River Delta to Halong Bay, watching rural villages and paddy fields slip by as we leave the capital behind. On arrival we board a traditional junk and cruise among limestone karsts and scattered islands, with a fresh seafood lunch served on board as we sail deeper into this UNESCO–listed bay. Later, you can tackle a steep climb to a viewpoint for a panoramic sweep of emerald water and islets – a rewarding spot for one of the region’s most iconic sunsets.

We begin at sunrise with a gentle Tai Chi session on the junk’s sundeck in Halong Bay – a calm, reflective start as the limestone towers glow in the early light. We then explore Luon Cave by kayak, paddling through a low natural arch into a sheltered lagoon where quiet water and steep cliffs offer an intimate view of the karst scenery. Back on board, we join a Vietnamese cooking demonstration, learning how to prepare simple local dishes and sampling our efforts at lunch. In the afternoon we drive from Halong Bay back towards Hanoi – leaving the coast behind and passing farms and villages of the Red River Delta. You have free time in Hanoi to rest or wander the Old Quarter at your own pace. We provide a day–use room so you can freshen up before the evening departure, then we board the Reunification Express SE3 overnight train bound for Hue – shared cabins and an unhurried pace give us time to watch the countryside slip by.

On arrival at Hue Railway Station, we transfer to your hotel – a short drive that offers a first glimpse of this former imperial city beside the Perfume River. We then explore the Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site and former seat of the Nguyen emperors, where imposing walls, graceful palaces and ceremonial gates reveal the scale of the royal complex. Later, we board a traditional dragon boat for a gentle cruise along the Perfume River, watching daily life unfold on the banks and seeing the city’s pagodas from the water. We continue to Thien Mu Pagoda overlooking the river – its tower of seven storeys and tranquil temple grounds are among Hue’s most important religious sites.

We head south from Hue across the Hai Van Pass – a spectacular coastal drive where beaches and mountains frame the road – towards Hoi An. On arrival, we explore the UNESCO‑listed Ancient Town on foot, where narrow lanes, assembly halls and riverside houses reveal centuries of trading‑port history. We step into a traditional family chapel used for ancestor worship, its timber interior and altars reflecting time‑honoured customs. We pause at a Chinese‑style assembly hall or pagoda to admire elaborate carvings, curling incense and quiet courtyards that speak of the town’s merchant past. We cross the Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the 16th–century to link communities across the canal – its wooden roof and small shrine making it an enduring emblem of Hoi An. We visit the Fukien Association Temple, once a gathering place for Fujian traders, where richly decorated halls and courtyards honour sea deities and ancestors. We call at the Ceramic Museum to view historic pottery and trade artefacts tracing Hoi An’s links to regional sea routes, then continue to Chua Ong Temple, dedicated to a revered general from Chinese legend, where colourful statues and incense‑filled halls add to the old‑town atmosphere. Later, we join a lantern‑making workshop and learn to craft Hoi An’s famous silk lanterns with guidance from local artisans. At dusk, we release our handmade lanterns onto the Hoai River – a gentle glow drifting downstream for a memorable farewell to the ancient town.

You have free time in Hoi An to revisit favourite streets, browse the shops or relax by the river – the atmospheric old town rewards slow, unstructured wandering. We then drive north to Da Nang Airport – a short coastal run linking the heritage town to the region’s main flight hub. We fly south to Ho Chi Minh City, swiftly carrying us from central Vietnam to the country’s largest metropolis. On arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, we continue to your hotel – traffic, scooters and high‑rise buildings signalling the energy of Saigon.

We go by road from Ho Chi Minh City southwest towards Cai Be in the Mekong Delta, passing suburban districts before the landscape opens into flat, fertile countryside. At Cai Be we board a motorised boat to explore canals and rivers, where wooden boats, stilt houses and riverside workshops line the waterways. We visit a local family home to see how rice paper and popcorn cakes are made – a simple demonstration that offers insight into small‑scale Mekong Delta food production. We continue to Cai Be Floating Market, where traders sell produce from their boats – painted bows and hanging sample goods show what each vessel offers. We stop at a rice candy craft village to watch sweets being cooked and shaped, tasting freshly made pieces to connect directly with this local speciality. We then visit Uncle Tu Dang’s bee farm on Tan Phong Island, where he explains how the bees are kept and serves honey tea in a garden setting. We walk through fruit orchards on the island – with seasonal crops such as durian and jackfruit – before arriving at Uncle 5 On’s house to enjoy fresh fruit and traditional folk music performed by locals. We board a small rowing boat to glide through narrow canals fringed with low palms, gaining an intimate sense of daily life in the Delta. We check in at Mekong Ecolodge on Tan Phong Island and take a leisurely stroll through its gardens; you can pick and taste fresh fruit while relaxing in the rural setting. We round off the day by joining a ditch‑slapping activity to catch fish and harvest vegetables – ingredients we then use in a hands‑on cooking class for dinner.

We cycle along the quiet lanes of Tan Phong Island, visiting homes and workshops scattered among the orchards – a gentle ride that brings everyday Mekong Delta life up close. We stop at Sister 3’s house to see traditional rice paper rolls being made, where simple tools and local rice flour show how low‑tech food production can be. We visit Aunt 4’s house to watch her weave hammocks from banana‑fibre rope – a creative use of readily available materials. We meet Ms Thao and learn how she works with dried water hyacinth; under her guidance you can create a small woven souvenir. We call at Ms Hieu’s home to see how she makes nail files from bamboo sticks – a neat example of practical cottage‑industry skills. Back at the ecolodge we join Ms Tam for a cooking class, preparing and tasting jackfruit leaf cake, a sweet local speciality. A short local ferry ride then carries us across the Mekong waterways towards Hiep Duc – sharing the crossing with residents gives the journey a very authentic feel. From the Hiep Duc area we continue by road back to Ho Chi Minh City, leaving the Mekong Delta’s orchards and canals for the country’s busiest city.

You have free time in Ho Chi Minh City to relax, shop or add a little extra sightseeing – the city’s markets, museums and cafés offer plenty to enjoy before departure. When it is time to leave, we arrange a road transfer from your hotel to Tan Son Nhat International Airport – this marks the end of our guided services in the south. You then depart from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to continue your journey or fly home, and the tour concludes after your included airport transfer.