You and your fellow travellers will be arriving at all times from all around the world today, so there are no arranged activities. Your leader will organise a pre-trip meeting for the early evening followed by an optional group dinner. Look for a welcome note at reception in the joining point hotel explaining where and when to meet. For those who arrive early, there is sightseeing information on the notice board, which is also at reception. Hotel check-in time is 12:00pm. 

Note that your group leader will collect your local payment in cash at the group meeting on day 1. Please bring new USD bills/notes in large denominations.

Our morning walking tour shows us the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Museum of War Crimes (entrance fees not included).

The rest of the day is at leisure for further exploration - consider a half-day excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Today is free for further exploration of this dynamic city. Ho Chi Minh City is characterised by a vast variety of sights and sounds, from ancient pagodas to bustling markets.

The French influence is evident in the excellent baguettes and coffee, and there are still striking French colonial buildings around the city, including the impressive City Hall. In the evening, we head off to the station to catch a train for an overnight journey to Nha Trang. Though bedding is provided, you might like to bring your own sleeping sheet. Most travellers also like to stock up on French rolls, cheese and bottled water for the journey which takes about 14 hours, and you might choose to do the same.

Arriving in Nha Trang in the morning, we make the short trip to our hotel to check-in and freshen up. You can spend our days here soaking up the sun on a lovely beach, exploring the local markets or checking out the ancient Cham Towers nearby. Make sure you try some of the excellent seafood restaurants.

Other optional activities include boat trips to nearby islands or scuba diving (fee not included). This evening we take the overnight train to Danang.

We arrive in Danang on the morning of day 6 and travel on to Hoi An, about 30 km from Danang.

Known as Faifo to early Western traders, Hoi An was a major international port during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and many parts of the town still look as they did in centuries gone by. Hoi An is a charming, small town easily explored by foot, and it's possible to hire a bicycle if you want to explore further afield. We also venture into the country-side by bicycle where your leader can get you familiar with the area.

Make the effort to get up early and watch the action at the local fish market! You can have a whole new wardrobe tailored, take a trip to My Son, hire a bike for a scenic ride to Cua Dai Beach or simply sit in the local cafes and watch the world go by.

You can even try your hand at cooking by taking a Vietnamese cooking lesson - your leader can help you to organize this. Please note that there is an entrance fee to the old town of Hoi An, approx. cost USD5 (not included).
 

Today we take a bus from Hoi An to Hue over the spectacular Hai Van Pass which is considered one of the most scenic routes in the world. The journey takes about 5 hours with stops at the Marble Mountains, China Beach and the Cham Museum en route (entrance fees not included).

Hue is known for the magnificent architecture of its Royal Tombs, pagodas and temples built by the Nguyen Dynasty along the picturesque Perfume River.

The Royal Tombs of the Nguyen emperors on the outskirts of the city are easily reached by bicycle. Don't miss the Imperial Citadel - within the Imperial Enclosure is the Forbidden Purple City, which was almost totally destroyed during the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War, and the museum of Royal Relics.

There is an entrance fee to each of the Tombs and the Imperial Citadel of approx. USD5 each (bike hire and entrance fees not included).

The morning is free for more exploration - the Dong Ba market, which sells everything imaginable, is a great place to spend some time, or your leader can help you arrange a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River (fee not included).

In the afternoon we board the Reunification Express bound for Hanoi, the journey takes about 13 hours so make sure you stock up on snacks!

We arrive in Hanoi in the morning and catch the bus to our hotel. An included walking tour of the Old Quarter is a wonderful way to spend some of the day.

In this ancient part of town, you'll find an amazing selection of shops in Hang Gai (Silk Street) selling everything from souvenirs to exquisite silk clothing, beautifully embroidered tablecloths and CDs.

There's also temples, pagodas and museums to visit in this grand city, and while you're in the Old Quarter, why not pop into the Bach Ma Temple? This small but beautiful temple was built in honour of a white horse that guided King Ly Thai To to the site where Hanoi was to be built, and there are still some valuable ancient relics displayed in the temple such as swords, sabres and spears.

The drive to Halong Bay through the Red River Delta takes about 4 hours and we stop en route for refreshments at a handicraft village run by disabled people. We board our boat on arrival at Halong Bay (entrance fee included) and cruise the breathtaking bay with its limestone karsts rising from the clear emerald waters.

We enjoy a sumptuous seafood lunch on board, explore some of the limestone caves in the area and go swimming during the warmer months. We spend the night on Cat Ba Island where you have the option of visiting the national park in the morning. Please note there is an entrance fee into the national park of Cat Ba of approx. USD1 and transport will cost approx. USD4 (not included).

On day 14 we travel to Haiphong by ferry where we transfer to our vehicle for the 2-hour drive back to Hanoi. The afternoon is free for exploration before our final night dinner together.

Your tour ends this morning in Hanoi.