Day 01: HO CHI MINH CITY

• Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, with free time to settle in or explore independently before the trip begins.

• If arriving early, you may visit Pham Ngu Lao Street or Vinh Nghiem Pagoda independently.

• Attend the important 06:00 p.m. welcome meeting to meet your leader and fellow travellers.

• Highlight: Enjoy an included welcome dinner and your first introduction to Vietnamese cuisine.

• A complimentary arrival airport transfer is included subject to the applicable arrival conditions.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Dinner.

Day 02: HO CHI MINH CITY, CU CHI

• Travel outside the city to explore the historic Cu Chi Tunnels, part of an extensive underground wartime network stretching over 120 km.

• Learn about the tunnels’ living areas, kitchens, storage facilities, hospitals and command centres.

• Return to Ho Chi Minh City for an included visit to the War Remnants Museum.

• Highlight: Gain deeper insight into Vietnam’s wartime history through two significant historical sites.

• Enjoy the afternoon at leisure, with Notre Dame, the Central Post Office and Reunification Palace among the suggested independent sights.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast | Travel: Approx. 3 hours.

Day 03: BEN TRE, MEKONG DELTA

• Travel south by private vehicle to Ben Tre and board a traditional small boat to explore the waterways of the Mekong Delta.

• Cruise through an agricultural region of rice paddies and fruit and flower orchards, stopping to visit local cottage industries.

• Sample fresh tropical fruit during the journey.

• Enjoy an included home-cooked Vietnamese lunch with a local family.

• Highlight: Stay overnight at a locally operated guesthouse and experience traditional Mekong Delta hospitality.

• Enjoy an included dinner featuring regional specialities.

• Accommodation: Guesthouse | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Travel: Approx. 3 hours.

Day 04: MEKONG DELTA, HO CHI MINH CITY

• Enjoy breakfast at the guesthouse before leaving the Mekong Delta.

• Travel back to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving during the late afternoon.

• The remainder of the day is free to explore independently or ask your leader for local dining recommendations.

• Highlight: Enjoy a relaxed evening back in Vietnam’s energetic southern metropolis.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast | Travel: Approx. 3 hours.

Day 05: DA NANG, HOI AN

• Take an included domestic flight to Da Nang, then continue to historic Hoi An.

• Enjoy an included traditional Vietnamese lunch featuring Central Vietnamese flavours.

• Join your leader for an orientation walk through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hoi An Old Town.

• See Chinese temples, Japanese pagodas, French-influenced houses, wooden shops and historic canals.

• Highlight: Explore one of Vietnam’s best-preserved former trading ports and its distinctive architectural heritage.

• Afterwards, you may independently browse Hoi An Market and its local craft stalls.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Travel: Approx. 2.5 hours.

Day 06: HOI AN

• Enjoy a free day to explore Hoi An independently.

• You may rent a bicycle and travel to nearby Cua Dai Beach.

• Optional experiences include a countryside bike ride and sunset cruise along the Thu Bon River.

• A food-focused experience through Hoi An’s historic Old Town is also available at additional cost.

• Highlight: Spend the day experiencing Hoi An according to your interests, from countryside scenery to local cuisine.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast.

Day 07: HOI AN

• Enjoy another free day in Hoi An, with the option to visit the local produce market independently.

• You may choose to arrange an optional Vietnamese cooking class with assistance from your leader.

• An optional excursion is also available to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed My Son Sanctuary.

• See temples reflecting the traditions of the Cham civilisation, set within a valley surrounded by hills.

• Highlight: Uncover the heritage of Vietnam’s ancient Cham civilisation on an optional My Son excursion.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast.

Day 08: HAI VAN PASS, LANG CO, HUE

• Continue north across the spectacular Hai Van Pass, enjoying views towards Lang Co Beach.

• Stop at Lang Co, where lunch can be purchased independently.

• Arrive in Hue, Vietnam’s former imperial capital.

• Visit the Imperial Citadel and explore the historic Forbidden Purple City.

• Highlight: Step into Vietnam’s royal past among the palaces, gates and remains of Hue’s imperial complex.

• Enjoy the evening at leisure.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast | Travel: Approx. 5 hours.

Day 09: HUE

• Begin with a local breakfast of bun bo Hue, the city’s signature spiced beef noodle soup.

• Visit Thien Mu Pagoda, an active Buddhist monastery dating to 1601.

• Enjoy an included vegetarian lunch at a local Buddhist nunnery.

• Continue to the Royal Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, surrounded by a lake, frangipani trees and pines.

• Highlight: Experience Hue through its imperial history, Buddhist heritage and distinctive regional cuisine.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 10: HANOI

• Take an included domestic flight from Hue to Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital.

• Enjoy an included lunch at KOTO, a social enterprise providing hospitality training to disadvantaged young people.

• Explore Hanoi on a half-day tour including the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda and Ho Chi Minh Stilt House.

• Pass Hoan Kiem Lake and enter the historic lanes of Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

• Highlight: Experience Hanoi’s temples, historic neighbourhoods and lively street culture.

• When the One Pillar Pagoda and Ho Chi Minh Stilt House are closed on Mondays, Hoa Lo Prison is visited instead.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Travel: Approx. 1.5 hours.

Day 11: NINH BINH, CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK, HOA LU

• Leave Hanoi and travel to Ninh Binh, known for its winding waterways and dramatic limestone mountains.

• Visit Cuc Phuong National Park and Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, which works to rescue and rehabilitate endangered animals.

• Learn from a veterinarian about conservation efforts protecting species including pangolins, monkeys, otters and leopard cats.

• Enjoy an included home-cooked Vietnamese lunch with a local family.

• Visit historic Hoa Lu, including the Dinh and Le Temples dedicated to former Vietnamese emperors.

• Highlight: Combine wildlife conservation, local hospitality and ancient Vietnamese history.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Travel: Approx. 2 hours.

Day 12: NINH BINH, THUNG NHAM

• Enjoy a free morning, with an optional visit to Hang Mua Cave and its panoramic viewpoint.

• Spend the afternoon exploring the Thung Nham Ecotourism Zone.

• Take a traditional rowboat through the area’s natural bird garden amid limestone mountains and lush vegetation.

• Explore But Cave and Tien Ca Cave.

• Visit spiritual and cultural sites including the ancient banyan tree, Gii Dai Temple and Linh Than Mieu.

• Highlight: Experience Ninh Binh’s caves, waterways, birdlife and limestone landscapes.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast | Travel: Approx. 1 hour.

Day 13: HA LONG BAY

• Travel by private minibus to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay.

• Board a private boat and cruise among the bay’s limestone karsts, islands and caves.

• An optional kayaking experience is available within designated areas of the bay.

• Highlight: Spend the night on the water surrounded by one of Vietnam’s most celebrated natural landscapes.

• Enjoy included lunch and dinner onboard.

• Pack a smaller overnight bag for the cruise, while your main luggage can be stored in Hanoi.

• Accommodation: Overnight Boat | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Travel: Approx. 4 hours.

Day 14: HA LONG BAY, HANOI

• Enjoy the morning scenery of Ha Long Bay before returning by road to Hanoi.

• On arrival, attend an included traditional water-puppet performance hosted by a local family specialising in this art form.

• Join the included Hanoi Old Quarter Tour.

• Gather with the group for an included dinner this evening.

• Highlight: Experience one of northern Vietnam’s traditional performing arts before your final evening in Hanoi.

• Accommodation: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Dinner | Travel: Approx. 4 hours.

Day 15: HANOI

• Enjoy breakfast before the organised journey comes to an end, with no further scheduled activities.

• Additional accommodation can be arranged separately if you wish to extend your stay in Hanoi.

• An optional Hanoi street-food experience is available for travellers with additional time.

• Highlight: Extend your stay independently to experience more of Vietnam’s capital.

• Meals: Breakfast.

IMPORTANT TRIP INFORMATION

• Group Size: 1 to 12 travellers.

• Minimum Age: 15 years.

• Fitness & Walking: The pace is generally easy, but city walking tours and walking in caves at Ha Long Bay are included.

• Mekong Guesthouse: Day 03 accommodation is more basic than elsewhere on the trip; bathrooms may be shared and cold water may be the only option.

• Room Sharing: Solo travellers are normally paired on a twin-share basis with another traveller of the same gender according to the gender marker on their passport.

• Single Supplement: Available subject to availability but excludes Day 03 guesthouse and Day 13 overnight boat.

• Arrival Transfer: Complimentary for Day 01 arrivals or when eligible pre-tour accommodation is booked; flight details are required at least 14 days before travel.

• Departure Transfer: Not included as standard but can be pre-booked separately from Hanoi.

• Domestic Flights: Included from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang and Hue to Hanoi.

• Flight Baggage: Maximum 20 kg checked baggage and 7 kg carry-on; excess baggage is payable directly to the airline.

• Flight Ticketing: Full names must exactly match passports. During peak periods, group members may travel on different internal flights and may be unaccompanied during the flight, with assistance provided at departure and arrival.

• Luggage: A small-to-medium wheeled suitcase is recommended, and travellers must be able to handle their own luggage.

• Ha Long Bay Luggage: A smaller overnight bag is recommended for the boat stay; main luggage can be stored in Hanoi.

• Ha Long Bay Boat: Cabins are twin-share with air-conditioning and private facilities. Boat availability may result in a larger shared vessel or the group being split between vessels.

• Boat Type: The Ha Long Bay boat is not likely to be a traditional sailing junk, as many older or imported vessels do not comply with local waterway safety laws.

• Kayaking & Swimming: Permitted only within designated zones in Ha Long Bay.

• Seasonal Operations: Tet may lead to business closures, crowded sites and changes to transport or itinerary order. Wet-season flooding, landslides and typhoons may also affect transport or scheduled activities.

• Travel Insurance: Compulsory for international travellers, with at least medical expenses and emergency repatriation cover required; specific waiver provisions apply to travellers residing in the EU, Switzerland or USA.