Arrive in Hanoi
Welcome to Hanoi. Following a hotel transfer, you’ll get a chance to settle in before embarking on a half-day city tour of Vietnam’s frenetic capital. Navigate the snaking streets of the Old Quarter, visit cultural attractions like Ngoc Son Temple, taste some iconic egg coffee and learn the legend of Hoan Kiem Lake. In late afternoon, it’s time to sample Hanoi’s famous cuisine on a street food tour, where you’ll taste everything from pho to spring rolls and crispy pancakes. Eat with Hanoians on tiny pavement-side stools and sip a glass of the local draft beer at Bia Hoi corner. Overnight at La Siesta Classic Ma May.
Things to do:
Tasting Hanoi’s street food delights
La Siesta Classic Ma May: the boutique hotel in the heart of Hanoi
A local’s tour of Hanoi
Making pottery with artists in Hanoi
Rural life in Duong Lam Village
The KOTO social enterprise cooking class
Lake life in Hanoi
A Cookery Class at Moon Garden homestay
The Hanoi hotel with a basement bomb shelter
Hanoi & Lan Ha Bay
Depart Hanoi for Lan Ha, the lesser-explored southern extension of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Halong Bay. You’ll board Heritage Line’s luxurious Ylang or Ginger ships for a one- or two-night cruise of this emerald bay. Enjoy chic cabins and vast viewing decks, delicious local seafood and wellness facilities such as a spa, pool and morning Tai Chi classes. Today, you’ll sail to Cat Ba Island for a cycling trip to Viet Hai, a village nestled among mountains which has barely changed in centuries. Here, you’ll get to meet local families and taste some homemade liquors.
Things to do:
Kayaks and karsts: cruising Lan Ha Bay
Lan Ha Bay & Hanoi
Continue sailing Lan Ha Bay, taking in views of its impressive limestone karsts, which are home to hidden sea caves and fringed with golden beaches. In the morning, you’ll visit Ban Beo, one of the last remaining authentic fishing villages in the area, where around 300 families live on bobbing wooding platforms. Back on Cat Ba Island, there’s a chance to hike through the forests of Cat Ba National Park before spending a leisurely afternoon in the Bay. Kick back onboard the boat, take a kayak out to explore deserted sea caves, go for a dip or relax on a secluded beach. Travel back to Hanoi for your overnight stay at La Siesta Classic Ma May.
Things to do:
La Siesta Classic Ma May: the boutique hotel in the heart of Hanoi
The Hanoi hotel with a basement bomb shelter
Hanoi & Hue
Travel back to Hanoi for the short flight to Hue, which sits on the Perfume River. This ancient city was home to Vietnam’s last ruling emperors from the powerful Nguyen Dynasty between 1802 and 1945 and is filled with history. Have lunch at a local restaurant before exploring the moat-encircled Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with the ruins of palaces, shrines and pavilions. You’ll also get the chance to visit emperor Tu Duc’s beautiful mausoleum, which is set eight kilometres from the city in a peaceful pine forest. Overnight at the Ancient Hue Garden House.
Things to do:
Stay in a traditional Hue Garden House
Hue foodie tour by cyclo
Chuon Lagoon cycling and sailing adventure
The wellness retreat in Hue
Stay in a French governor’s colonial mansion in Hue
Hue
Explore more of Hue’s wonders with a choice of cycling tours. Cycle to Kim Long Village, formerly home to Hue’s Mandarin population, to visit unqiue garden houses which mimic the wooden architecture and palatial gardens of Hue’s citadel. This trip includes a dragon boat ride along the Perfume River back to Hue. If you prefer, you can cycle through pristine countryside to nearby Chuon Lagoon, passing through the 6th century Thuy Thanh Village. Sail the sparkling waters, stopping to meet fishermen and tasting local seafood delicacies. Overnight at the Ancient Hue Garden House.
Things to do:
Stay in a traditional Hue Garden House
Hue foodie tour by cyclo
Chuon Lagoon cycling and sailing adventure
The wellness retreat in Hue
Stay in a French governor’s colonial mansion in Hue
Hue & Hoi An
After breakfast, you’ll stop at Khai Dinh Tomb, which fuses European and Asian architectural styles, before departing for Hoi An. The scenic journey winds past red-tiled villages and across Hai Van, the Pass of the Ocean Clouds, which affords spectacular coastal views. Discover Hoi An’s legendary food scene by bike, cycling into the countryside to local villages, where you can try everything from Vietnam’s famous banh mi sandwich to the best homecooked cao lau in Hoi An. Back in the town, you’ll dine riverside with the locals at one of Hoi An’s top BBQ seafood restaurants. Overnight at La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa.
Things to do:
Staying with the Co Tu people in Bho Hoong Village
Home Farm Villa: the Hoi An homestay experience
The Noi Rang cooking class
Hoi An & Departure
Your Vietnam adventure comes to an end this morning and after breakfast, you’ll take a transfer to Danang airport.
