An authentic Vietnam escape with city tours & Halong Bay cruise

Embark on an adventure from Hanoi down to Ho Chi Minh with guided tours, a sleeper train & dreamy boat trips – includes excursions & all travel

Day 1-2: UK - Hanoi

Get excited as you take off from your chosen UK airport, and touch down in bustling Hanoi. You’ll be met and transferred directly to your hotel, with time to freshen up and take your first steps into the city’s intoxicating cloud of Vietnamese culture, laced with French colonial influence. The following morning, fortify yourself with a delicious breakfast ahead of a morning packed with sightseeing. Your guide will lead the way to Hanoi’s top sights, including the Presidential Palace on Ba Dinh square, the Tran Quoc Buddhist Pagoda, the charming Old Quarter and much more. Enjoy an afternoon of leisure time, ideally stopping to sample a mouthwatering banh mi.

Day 3-4: Halong Bay

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the glorious Halong Bay where your traditional Vietnamese cruise awaits. Embark for a dreamy, overnight sojourn through the enchanting, emerald waters and dramatic cliffs of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, all meals included aboard. The next day, behold the sun rise over the stunning waterscape, and the cruise continues as you tuck into brunch on board. Later on, you’ll be transferred back to Hanoi, in time to catch your sleeper train at 7.30pm. Settle into your cosy, first-class cabin as the train winds you down to Hue.

Day 5: Hue

Draw back the curtain to the beautiful city of Hue, the historical capital under the Nguyen Dynasty, bursting with colour, culture and history. On the agenda today is a visit to the Hue Citadel and Royal Antique Museum, plus lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon and evening are yours to explore, perhaps with a visit to the bustling night markets. Fuel up at breakfast the next morning ahead of your heavenly Huong River boat tour, aka Perfume River, then it’ll be back on the road as you transfer on to Hoi An Ancient Town.

Day 6-7: Hoi An

This unique UNESCO World Heritage Site is a truly picturesque scene of colourful houses, arched bridges and paper lanterns, its trading port roots reaching right back to the 2nd century. Settle in before embarking on an enriching walking tour, with highlights such as an ancient merchant house and a bustling riverside market. After breakfast the following day, Hoi An is yours to explore as you please. Wander the charming streets and sample some fine Vietnamese coffee, and be sure to visit the silk garment boutiques for which the city is famous.

Day 8-10: Ho Chi Minh - UK

After breakfast in Hoi An, you’ll transfer to the airport in Da Nang for your flight to Ho Chi Minh, where you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel. The next day, tuck into breakfast before an exciting morning of sightseeing. A stop at the resplendent Reunification Palace makes for quite the selfie backdrop, and your guide will also take you to Chinatown, Thien Hau Temple, a delectable street food market, and more Ho Chi Minh highlights. The afternoon is yours to enjoy, be it in a food coma or hopping in a boat to explore the city’s complex confluence of canals and rivers. Why not finish the day at one of Ho Chi Minh’s urban-glam cocktail bars, raising a glass to a truly epic holiday?

The following day, it’s breakfast followed by some possible leisure time in the city, before your transfer arrives to take you to the airport. Sit back and smile over the memories as your flight takes off, UK-bound.