Vietnam Highlights: Pearl of Indochina 10 days

Welcome to Hanoi, private transfer to hotel. Optional: Hanoi street food tour if you arrive early

Hanoi enjoys a rich Imperial history dating back over a millennium, and a surprising diversity of local ethnic groups weave the fabric of the city’s rich tapestry. Start your day on the outskirts of the city with your private driver and English-speaking guide by visiting the Museum of Ethnology. The museum provides an insightful glimpse into the country’s lengthy history, with more than 15,000 photos and 10,000 objects and artifacts depicting a historical perspective of the lives, activities, customs, and habits of the 54 recognized ethnic groups of Vietnam. Drive back into central Hanoi to the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius. 

After lunch, visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex and Ba Dinh Square, an important point of pilgrimage for many Vietnamese. The area surrounding the complex is a traffic-free zone filled with botanical gardens, monuments, memorials and pagodas, and includes the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (outside), Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh Museum and the One Pillar Pagoda. Travel back in time to the nearby simple cottage on stilts where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked during his humble beginnings as a revolutionary. Walk a few blocks out of the Ho Chi Minh Complex to the 11th century Buddhist One Pillar Pagoda, an elegant construction rising from the center of a square-shaped lotus pond on a solitary pillar. Continue to Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda situated on a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake accessible by a classically painted wooden bridge. The view of the city from the pagoda is particularly popular.

End your day at a by walking through the iconic Old Quarter. The streets of this district are bustling with scooters, bicycles, cyclos, and cars zipping around pedestrians. The best way to enjoy the charming colonial architecture is to wander with your guide at a leisurely pace and be sure to stop for a cup of Vietnamese coffee or a local snack from one of the many tantalizing street vendors. Your guide and private driver will accompany you back to your hotel, or if you prefer to enjoy dinner at your pace in the Old Quarter and soak up the atmosphere, you can make your own way back to your hotel at your leisure.

Enjoy a transfer from your accommodation in Hanoi to the port in Halong Bay. Welcome aboard!  Take some time to get settled in to your stateroom, and to explore the length of your ship. You'll be welcomed aboard by the captain and crew with a Welcome Drink in the foyer. Your cruise adventure will begin shortly.

Anchor at the picturesque Frog Lagoon, where you will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of on-board activities or watersports. You can choose to unwind in the Infinity Oasis Pool and Jacuzzi, experience the thrills of the inflatable water slide, swim in the green emerald water, take in the beautiful landscape of Lan Ha Bay by kayak or try your luck at mini-golf on the top deck. As the sun begins to set, admire the picturesque views from the Spirit of Sea Lounge and the Ocean sky sun deck, while you opt to enjoy a drink with your fellow cruise mates at Happy Hour. Afterward, join a cooking demonstration guided by the onboard chef, where you will learn how to make traditional Vietnamese dishes.

Relax with a movie at Spirit of The Sea lounge, play exciting board games in the Cigar & Poker room, experience a squid fishing demonstration or simply unwind on your balcony and watch as night descends on Lan-Ha Bay.

Welcome the new day with a sunrise Tai-Chi Class on the sundeck. Set out in a traditional bamboo rowing boat to the captivating realm of the Dark & Bright Cave. Journey into the heart of the Cave, where an entrancing angled passageway will unveil the cave's secrets at water level. As you glide through this mystical corridor, you will experience it's tranquil circular lake, surrounded by lush foliage and towering, majestic stone cliffs. Bid farewell to the crews and your fellow cruisemates as you disembark from your ship.

Enjoy a private transfer from the pier in Halong Bay to your accommodation in Hanoi. You will be privately transferred between your accommodations and Hanoi Airport by a professional driver. Board a flight from Hanoi with direct service to Danang. Approximate flight time is 1 hour and 20 minutes. Enjoy a scenic transfer from Danang to Hoi An with a private vehicle. The transfer is approximately 40 minutes.

The historic and quaint Hoi An is perfect for exploring; As a former fishing village set on the banks of the Thu Bon River and strategic trading port for Southeast Asia, centuries of Chinese and Japanese influence have left their unique mark on this town. Your driver and English-speaking guide will greet you at your hotel and bring you to the edge of the old town for a half-day of exploration. As the streets of the old town are very narrow, cars are not permitted in the historical center. Start with the 200-year-old Tamky House, a beautifully decorated home that has been lovingly preserved over seven generations. Continue on foot to the Museum of Trade Ceramics, with fascinating pottery artifacts from all over Asia and the Middle East. Take a short walk through the historic town to the 17th century Chinese Chua Ong Pagoda – the neighborhood around it has distinctly Chinese inspired buildings and is lovely to explore at a relaxed pace. End with a visit to the Hoi An Market, reputed to be one of Vietnam’s best. Fresh produce and fish are on offer, and this is also an opportune location to pick up some fine silk.

Hoi An’s rich culture includes an incredibly diverse and mouth-watering cuisine, with one of the best street food scenes in the world. The morning markets are particularly vibrant, as locals stop by their favorite food stalls on their way to work. This morning, English-speaking guide will accompany you to the edge of the historic area of Hoi An old town. From here, continue on a walking tour around town to sample some of the delicacies and admire the quaint architecture of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Focus on the unique local specialties, such as banh vac, a subtly-flavored shrimp dumpling topped with crispy onions, and banh bao, a steamed dumpling made with minced pork or chicken, onions, eggs and mushrooms with a distinctly Chinese dim sum influence. Sample the Japanese heritage that flavors the city with CAO Lau, a Japanese-style noodle dish seasoned with herbs, salad greens, and bean sprouts, and served with slices of roast pork. In total, 10 different dishes will be sampled while your guide shares anecdotes on food culture and local traditions. Rest assured, all food stalls and restaurants use carefully vetted sanitary cooking practices and fresh ingredients. Take a break from strolling the narrow alleyways for a much-needed foot massage – you won’t be hungry for lunch after all that nibbling, and the foot massage will replenish your energy for the afternoon.

You will be privately transferred from Hoi An to Hue by a professional driver. Approximate travel time is 4 hours

In the morning, your guide will meet you at the hotel to take you to visit the Hue Citadel, Vietnam’s former imperial capital and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With an area of 500 hectare and a system of three circles of ramparts, namely from outside to inside: Kinh Thanh Hue (Hue Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel), Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel), and Khai Dinh Tomb. In the afternoon, you’ll cruise along the Perfume River. Being the former royal capital, Hue's surrounding countryside contains several of the tombs of the former Nguyen Emperors where you will get to see the Minh Mang Tomb. Back on the Perfume River, visit the Thien Mu Pagoda, an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601. Before returning to your hotel, stop at the Dong Ba Market for some shopping.

You will be privately transferred between your accommodations and Hue Airport by a professional driver. Board a flight from Hue with direct service to Ho Chi Minh City. Approximate flight time is one hour and 30 minutes. 

The history of Ho Chi Minh City has many layers, telling a tale of decades of external influence from the Chinese and the French. start your visit today by exploring Dong Khoi Area in the center of the city where French colonial presence can be felt at the Notre Dame Cathedral, a Catholic Basilica commissioned entirely of imported French building materials. Then it's on to a visit to the Saigon Central Post Office, a stunning architectural marvel with rich Gothic, Renaissance, and French influences. From here, continue to the Jade Emperor Pagoda, also known as Phuoc Hai and regarded as one of the most interesting pagodas in the country. Built by the Cantonese community at the early 20th century, worshipers still use this historic landmark to this day. The pagoda, with its elaborately carved figurines and decorated panels of carved gilt woodwork, is dedicated to Buddhist and Taoist deities. If you only visit one pagoda in the city, it should be this one. Finally, head over to Cho lon, the city’s Chinatown. Cho lon is widely regarded as the largest Chinatown in the world by area.

Years of French occupation and a lengthy war with the United States have marked Vietnam since the late 19th century. One of the most impressive feats of wartime engineering is the famed Cu Chi Tunnels, located in the countryside near Ho Chi Minh City. With your driver and English-speaking guide, head approximately an hour and a half out of the city to explore this monument to perseverance. Gain important insight into the prolonged struggle against invading armies, and appreciation for the resilience and spirit of the Vietnamese people. The residents of Cu Chi took the war underground into a highly developed network of tunnels that at its height stretched as far as Cambodia and included meeting rooms, kitchens and triage areas. Imperceptible from the ground, opposing armies could roll their tanks over the bunkers without causing damage to the tunnels below. Living conditions were harsh – in addition to fighting the war, residents battled food and oxygen scarcity, venomous insects, and cramped living quarters.

Drive back into the city and stop for a local lunch. In the afternoon start with a moving visit to the War Remnants Museum, a must-see for any war or history buff visiting Vietnam. Delve into the images and sounds of Vietnam’s lengthy war history with the French and Americans. The museum features a comprehensive collection of the machinery, weapons, and photos of the Vietnamese side of the war, and includes a moving tribute to the journalists, civilians, and soldiers lost during the war, as well as a critical look at biological warfare, weaponry, and worldwide movements for peace. It’s a truly moving visit but not for the faint-hearted. Continue to the Reunification Palace, also known as the Independence Palace, which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until the end of April 1975 during the Fall of Saigon. It was here that the Vietnam War ended when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates and led to the formal reunification of the two sides.

Leisure time in the morning ! you will get private transfer to Airport for you onward flight. If you want to extend your holidays, our Local experts will support more....