Discover Vietnam in Style 10 days

Day 1: Arrive HCMC (D)
After arrival and check in at your hotel, you will have an afternoon private city tour of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon). It is the largest and busiest city in Vietnam, with a population of 7 million people. Much of daily life takes place on the streets, which are lined with shops, stalls and vendors with their wares spread out on the footpath. Don't miss the bustling Ben Thanh Market, a fantastic place for bargains of every kind! The War Remnants Museum has a wealth of images from the wars, the most moving being a gallery entitled 'Requiem', which is dedicated to Vietnamese and foreign journalists and photographers who perished during the French and American conflicts.

The Reunification Palace was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975 when the North Vietnamese tanks came crashing through the front gates, bringing the U.S.-Vietnam War to a dramatic end. Close to the Palace some of the best examples of French colonial architecture are represented in the forms of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office.

Notre Dame Cathedral was built between 1877 and 1883 and the stone used to create it was exported in its entirety from France. Next to the cathedral stands the Central Post Office, finished in 1891. It is another fine example of French architecture and is Vietnam's largest post office. For all its French colonial history, Ho Chi Minh City is far and away Vietnam's most modern city. It has numerous shopping malls, cinemas, discotheques and a bewildering number of bars. You will stay overnight after a busy and exciting day!

Day 2: Mekong Delta Excursion (B/L)
The Mekong Delta is the southernmost region of Vietnam. It is often referred to as the rice bowl of Vietnam as it produces three crops of rice per year. The fertile Mekong Delta is also famous for its tropical fruits and flowers.

The Delta area marks the end of a 4,500 km journey made by the Mekong River after having traveled through six countries. Traditional transportation in the Delta is by boat, along a vast network of canals and channels. Boating along these canals and visiting the floating markets always proves to be a fascinating and rewarding experience for all visitors.

You will leave HCMC for lush My Tho where you will cruise on a private boat through the green vegetation of the canals to an orchard, where you will be treated to a delicious lunch in a local restaurant in the heart of the Mekong, complete with tropical fruits. You will also visit the snake farm Dong Tam that breeds snakes for, among other things, snake wine, before heading back to HCMC for an overnight stay.

Tentative:  
You can also visit Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temples.

Day 3, 4 and 5: HCMC - Nha Trang Beach Holiday
This morning you will take a flight to the resort town of Nha Trang to spend several days at a seaside resort overlooking beautiful Nha Trang Bay. You can snorkel or dive among the coral reefs in crystal blue waters, hike nature trails, cool off in your private plunge pool, indulge in spa treatments or just relax on the white sand beach and admire the unspoiled mountain and sea views.

Day 6: Nha Trang - Danang - Hoi An (B/L)
You will transfer to the airport and fly on Vietnam Airlines to Danang. Upon arrival in Danang, you will be greeted by our guide who will begin by escorting you on a tour of Danang City, including the Cham Museum where you can find out more about this ancient but advanced civilization.

After leaving Danang, you will make your way the short distance to the Marble Mountains , where there will be the opportunity to climb to the top and admire the temples that have a commanding view over the surrounding district. You will continue to the delightful town of Hoi An, approximately 30km away. Once in Hoi An, you will check into your hotel and have some time to explore Hoi An on foot. Hoi An is now one of five UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites in Vietnam. You will stay overnight in Hoi An.

Day 7: Hoi An - Da Nang - Hanoi (B/L/-).
Today, Hoi An is a quaint riverside town, popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailor shops, and numerous cafes. Some of the buildings in the narrow streets have remained unchanged for more than a century.

You will enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200 year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge.  

You will transfer to the airport for flight to Hanoi and have free time. You can ride a cyclo around the Old Quarter then go to dinner at a super restaurant in the French Quarter. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show before an overnight stay in Hanoi.

Day 8: Hanoi (B/L)
The colonial capital city of Hanoi is a unique Asian city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and oriental pagodas and temples. This full day tour takes you around Hanoi's most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and his Stilts House, the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda, and the Old Quarter, which is a maze of 36 streets and craft guilds. Also on the tour are the Lake of the Restored Sword, Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, peaceful West Lake (with "lovers street", Thanh Nien), Tran Quoc Pagoda, Quan Thanh Temple and one of the city's best museums, either the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum. You will stay overnight in Hanoi.

Day 9: Halong Bay Excursion (B/L)
In the morning you will drive to Halong Bay City, approximately 3 hours away. Once at Halong Bay City, you will be welcomed on board for a four hour cruise on the stunning bay, stopping along the way to visit one of the limestone caves in the area. As you are cruising, the boat crew will serve you a sumptuous local seafood lunch. After a four hour navigation, you will sail back to the harbor, rejoin car and head back to your hotel in Hanoi for anovernight stay.

Day 10: Departure (B)
There is n activity planned for today, so you are free to enjoy your free time souvenir shopping until transfer to the airport for your onward flight.