Compare Highlights of Vietnam by Exodus Travels vs Best Of Vietnam by Indus Travels

Day 1 Start Hanoi

Depending on your arrival time, you might like to start exploring this fascinating city by strolling the broad tree-lined avenues dating from the French period. There is a faded colonial charm where baguettes and good coffee are sold from doorways of grand buildings from a past era. There is a welcome briefing this evening with your leader followed by a welcome dinner at KOTO, a social enterprise that trains and employs underprivileged young people. The delicious food provides a fitting welcome to Vietnam and a chance to bond with your group. Accommodation: May De Ville Trendy Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Day 2 To Ha Long Bay; cruise among limestone formations; overnight on boat

We have an early start for the approximate four-hour journey to Ha Long Bay, where roughly 3,000 limestone peaks rise from the emerald sea. Here we board a boat, navigate this amazing karst scenery and enjoy a seafood lunch. We stay overnight in twin-share cabins with private bathrooms. Accommodation: Overnight boat

Day 3 Transfer back to Hanoi; overnight train to Dong Hoi

We continue to cruise around Ha Long Bay this morning before returning to port. We then drive back to Hanoi where we have a bit of free time to explore. You might like to join the local people by pulling up a plastic stool and sampling one of the many street food offerings; the bun cha (barbecued pork with rice noodles and fresh herbs) is particularly good. Late afternoon, we transfer to the train station to board our overnight train to Dong Hoi, 310mi (500km) south of Hanoi. Accommodation: Overnight train

Day 4 Discover the caves of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Arriving at Dong Hoi at sunrise, we take a short transfer to our hotel to freshen up and have breakfast. We then journey (approximately one hour) to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2003, it is home to the oldest karst mountains in Asia, plus hundreds of cave systems and spectacular underground rivers. We first visit Phong Nha cave by boat. After, we stop for lunch before discovering the Thien Duong cave, known locally as Paradise Cave. This was only discovered in 2005 by scientists from the British Cave Research Association with the help of a local man who had heard the mountains ‘whistling’ while farming. In the afternoon, we return to our hotel in Dong Hoi, where we have time to relax and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Accommodation: Sam Quang Binh Hotel (or similar)

Day 5 To Hue via the war tunnels of Vinh Moc

For early risers, there is an optional visit to the Dong Hoi Fish Market, where buyers and sellers haggle over baskets brimming with the latest catch. We then journey to Hue after breakfast, stopping en route at the Vinh Moc war tunnels. Less well-known than the Cu Chi tunnels in the south, these were predominantly used as bomb shelters during the Vietnam War. Village life carried on underground: children went to school, hospitals were established and films were even played using power from a generator. We next stop at the Hien Luong Bridge which crosses the Ben Hai River, which formed part of the border between North and South Vietnam from 1954 until reunification in 1975. We arrive in Hue mid-afternoon with free time before an optional group dinner. Accommodation: Park View Hotel (or similar)

Day 6 Hue city tour; transfer to Hoi An

It is said that Hue is the cultural and historical centre of Vietnam, and there is plenty to see. The most outstanding sight is the Imperial Citadel, which has walls 6mi (9.5km) long; inside are the palaces and halls of the Mandarins, and the remains of the Forbidden Purple City, where only the emperor, his eunuchs and concubines were allowed. The Forbidden Purple City was almost totally destroyed during the Vietnam War's Tet Offensive, but the foliage-covered ruins are still atmospheric and the gaping bomb holes reveal the destruction wreaked upon the country. This morning, we visit the Imperial Citadel and the Thien Mu Pagoda. The pagoda was a centre for anti-government protest in the early 1960s and houses the Austin car that transported monk Thich Quang Duc to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1963 where he burned himself in protest against the president. The photograph of his self-immolation was printed in newspapers around the world. After lunch, we leave for Hoi An via the spectacular Hai Van Pass, 12mi (19km) of road winds up and over the fortress of mountains providing breath-taking views of the coast. Accommodation: Hoi An Sincerity Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Day 7 Walking tour of Hoi An; free time to explore the market

This morning includes a walking tour of Hoi An, the original European trading port in Vietnam dating to the mid-16th century. It is now a living museum with attractive wooden merchant's houses and pagoda-style temples with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European architectural influences. It is also a marvellous place to wander around and enjoy the thriving riverside market and shops selling silk clothes. This afternoon is free. One popular option is to jump on a bike for a ride through the countryside past local markets, schools and villages before continuing to Cua Dai beach (3mi/5km). Accommodation: Hoi An Sincerity Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Day 8 Fly to Ho Chi Minh City; visit main sites

We drive to Da Nang and then fly to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), an exciting and absorbing city where scooters pack the streets and temples stand by modern developments. Devastated by the Vietnam War, it is now a bustling free-market city where anything goes. We include a visit to the Ben Thanh Market, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and War Remnants Museum. The museum has an interesting photographic record of the Vietnam/American War but some images are very graphic. Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel (or similar)

Day 9 Day trip to Mekong Delta

Journeying out of the city, we head to the lush countryside that is the Mekong Delta for a day tour. Known as the rice bowl of Vietnam, this region produces most of the country’s fruit, sugarcane and coconuts. We take a boat along the many tributaries and stop to see cottage industries along the way. We journey by sampan, a traditional low-riding wooden boat still used by the local people as the main form of transport. After sampling some of the local produce, we return to Ho Chi Minh City where your leader will organise an optional farewell group dinner. Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel (or similar)

Day 10 End Ho Chi Minh City

Our Vietnam exploration ends today after breakfast. However, if you’re not quite ready for the adventure to stop, speak to your sales representative about our extension to Angkor in Cambodia, probably the standout archaeological site in Southeast Asia.

Make your way to your gateway airport to board your flight to Vietnam. Enjoy in-flight meals and services. Overnight onboard the flight.

Although it is the modern-day capital of Vietnam, Hanoi still retains the mystery and charm of past centuries. Narrow lanes and traditional shop houses invite exploration, while its many beautiful public spaces; lakes, parks, tree-lined boulevards and monuments; give the city an air of elegance and harmony with nature unique among Asian capitals. On arrival at Hanoi International Airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check in. Overnight in Hanoi

Begin your day with a one hour cyclo ride to explore the capital city. The city is a blend of long established traditions and modern imprints of Western colonization. Tree-lined boulevards and colonial buildings give the city a touch of Western elegance, while crowded blocks of tiny old houses and narrow lanes bear the charm of past centuries. Afterwards visit the vast Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex, a lovely park setting home to Ho Chi Minh's final resting place, as well as a museum and other memorials.
Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Mondays & Fridays) where one can pay respects to the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh. Continue through the park to Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, the simple two-room dwelling where Ho Chi Minh lived from 1958 until his final days in 1969. Preserved in the same condition as during his life, it may be viewed through windows only. Visit the miniature One Pillar Pagoda dating from the 11th century but rebuilt after being destroyed by the French in 1954. Today it stands near the vast ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex, a lovely park setting which is home to Ho Chi Minh’s final resting place, as well as a museum and other memorials. Then visit the Temple of Literature, a peaceful series of walled courtyards and graceful gateways, and one of the best examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture. Founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, this was also the site of Vietnam's first university. Afterwards visit Hoan Kiem Lake which means "Lake of the Returned", which is a lake in the historical centre of the capital of Hanoi.

If you wish to see how the locals rise and shine in the morning, wake up early and join an exciting scene of hundreds of locals, passionately attentive in their morning exercises of Tai Chi Quan, jogging, martial arts, classical dance and so on.

After breakfast, we depart for Halong Bay, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO since 1994. En-route you will pass by the Red River Delta with many rural villages, fascinating towns, and paddy fields. On arrival at Halong Bay Tuan Chau International Marina, a tender boat will take you Halong Phoenix Cruise. A refreshing welcome drink is served followed by check-in into your cabin. Enjoy lunch. A delicious set menu lunch is served in the restaurant while you can enjoy the amazing scenery. Cruise amongst the hundreds of islands. You will pass by a several islands and islets on the Bay. This afternoon, stop at Luon cave for Kayaking to visit the small cave and beautiful lagoons. Kayaking provides the opportunity to explore the beautiful lagoons and get closer to the island. (A bamboo boat will be arranged for people who cannot Kayak). The boat will take you to Titop Island for you to enjoy the beach. You can enjoy a swim, or climb up to the top to get an overview of a corner of the bay. As the sun sets over the bay, we head back to our cruise. Relax with Coffee, tea and fruits on the sundeck or order your favorite drink while your boat cruise to the night’s anchorage area. Dinner will be server with local seafood. After dinner you may choose to spend time on the top deck or experience squid fishing before retiring to your cabin.

Enjoy the morning view of the beautiful landscape with a cup of coffee or tea. Have breakfast in the fresh air
You will visit the impressive Cave of Halong Bay – Surprising Cave (S?ng S?t) with your tour guide, a truly awesome and amazing cave to experience. As the boat begins cruising back to the harbor, experience more views of Halong Bay such as Fighting Cocks Island (Symbol of Halong Bay), Incense Burner and Stone Dogs Islands. A cooking demonstration onboard shows you how to make authentic Vietnamese Spring rolls. You will learn about the recipes and techniques that create this popular dish of Vietnamese people. Lunch is served on board during cruising towards the harbor. After disembarkation, You will then be transferred back to Hanoi to catch a flight to Danang where you will be met and transferred to Hoi an. The exquisitely preserved merchant town of HOI AN was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Its colorful shop houses and temples reflect a diverse heritage, dating back to the 16th and 17th century, when it was a major port for Western, Chinese and Japanese traders. Today it is a thriving center of traditional crafts and a shopper’s paradise, best explored on foot. Overnight in Hoi An

Wander through the cobbled streets, past low tile-roofed buildings, the bustling central MARKET and the small HARBOUR where colorfully painted boats are moored. The walking tour will include visits to a PRIVATE HOUSE, where members of the same family have lived continuously for centuries in a traditional setting; to one of the FAMILY CHAPELS built by prominent merchant or official families as centers for ancestor worship; and to a typical CHINESE-STYLE PAGODA. Continue on to SA HUYNH MUSEUM located near the Japanese Covered Bridge with exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history. Visit handicraft workshops in Hoi An where local products are being made. Finally, continue to the famous JAPANESE COVERED BRIDGE PAGODA, first constructed in 1593 by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link the town with the Chinese quarters across the stream. Overnight in Hoi An

This morning travel back to Danang to the domestic airport for a flight to Saigon. On arrival you will be met and enjoy a tour of the vibrant metropolis. SAIGON teems with energy, activity and motion. Everywhere you look, you see the meeting of traditional and modern life. The emerging modern skyline stands cheek by jowl with colonial buildings and traditional temples. Outside on the streets, young professionals zip by on motorcycles, chatting on cell phones; inside the quiet temple courtyards, worshippers pray amidst clouds of incense. Begin your tour of this exciting city with a tour of the historic center, strolling along DONG KHOI STREET, formerly known as the Rue Catinat, the main shopping thoroughfare and heart of old colonial Saigon. Pass by classic European-style landmarks such as the ornate CITY HALL (HOTEL DE VILLE), the old OPERA HOUSE (both may only be viewed from the outside), and pay a quick visit to the neo-Romanesque NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL and the CENTRAL POST OFFICE. Afterwards dive into modern history with a tour of the REUNIFICATION PALACE. Formerly the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president, this 60s style building was famously stormed by tanks on April 30, 1975 signifying the fall of South Vietnam. It has been preserved in its original state, and the original tanks remain on display near the entrance gates. End the tour at the central BEN THANH MARKET, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts. Overnight in Saigon

Enjoy your day at leisure; no services provided. Overnight in Saigon

Today you will be transferred back to the airport for your onward flight.