Your Itinerary
Day 1 - Join trip in Hanoi: introduction to the Old Quarter
Our trip starts today in Hanoi. Vietnam's bustling capital is architecturally styled like a French provincial town, with tree-lined boulevards and low-rise buildings. It's a wonderful city to explore on foot.
Our tour leader plans to meet everyone in the hotel reception at 4pm for a welcome meeting. Afterwards, for those who wish, we'll head to a restaurant for dinner. On the way to dinner, our tour leader will orientate you and introduce you to life in Vietnam as you head through some of the bustling streets and markets of Hanoi's Old Quarter. The maze of alleys is known for its 'tube' houses, whose narrow frontages give way to long rooms that stretch back from the road.
If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive at any time. However, if you'd like to join the orientation tour, you'll need to arrive at the hotel by 4pm. If you're booking your own flights, we recommend giving yourself at least 30 minutes to clear the airport. From the airport to the hotel is around a 45-minute drive, so the latest your flight can arrive is 1pm.
Should you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will leave a note at the front desk to inform you of any essential information.
Day 2 - Drive to Pu Luong; hike to our stilt house retreat
Leaving Hanoi behind this morning, we'll drive west to the Pu Luong Nature Reserve, a beautiful region of limestone cliffs, forests and terraced fields that is richly biodiverse. This area is home to the Thai ethnic minority tribe who live in villages of stilt houses.
We'll be staying in the heart of the reserve at the Pu Luong Valley Home, a stilt house built with breathtaking views all around. The accommodation is basic but traditional with comfortable mattresses in one very large room that can be divided into sections by curtains. The shared bathrooms are connected to the stilt house and open to the elements. See more: https://puluongretreat.com/traditional-shared-stilts-house/.
Upon arriving at the Nature Reserve, we'll hike across the paddy fields to our accommodation while the bus continues there with our luggage.
We can expect today's 8-kilometre/5-mile walk to take around two hours and 30 minutes across gently undulating terrain.
Day 3 - Hiking in Pu Luong Reserve
Today, we'll head out to hike among the beautiful landscapes of the Pu Luong Reserve, making plenty of stops along the way. We also plan to spend time in some of the villages of the Thai minority tribe and have a picnic lunch en route.
Today's leisurely hike of approximately 10 kilometres/6.2 miles will take around five hours across gently undulating terrain.
Day 4 - Morning walk; return to Hanoi
We have another walk ahead of us this morning, rambling alongside the bubbling river with its vast wooden waterwheels which transport water to irrigate the terraced paddy fields. We'll return to the hustle and bustle of Hanoi later today with time in the evening to see a traditional water puppet performance (optional). These puppet shows date back to the 11th century, and performances took place in the flooded rice fields of the villages in the Red River Delta.
This morning's walk covers approximately 5.5 kilometres/3.4 miles and is expected to take around two hours.
Day 5 - Walking tour in Hanoi; drive to Halong Bay
This morning, we'll discover more of Hanoi outside of the Old Quarter on a walking tour. Architecturally styled like a French provincial town with tree-lined boulevards, the city is wonderfully nostalgic. Among the interesting sights that we'll visit are the One-Pillar Pagoda, the Confucius Temple and the Presidential Palace. Ho Chi Minh himself chose not to live in the Presidential Palace; he preferred a simple teak stilt house which we'll see in the Palace grounds.
This afternoon, we hop back on the bus and drive to our hotel at Halong Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin.
We can expect today's 5-kilometre/3.1-mile walking tour to take around four hours including sightseeing.
Day 6 - Junk Cruise around Halong Bay; overnight train to Hue
All aboard - this morning, we have an adventurous start with a junk cruise to see the romantic scenery of Halong Bay. Along the way, watch as we pass by thousands of jagged limestone islands that rise out of the jade-green waters like the hairy scales of a submerged dragon. In fact, Halong means: 'where the dragon descends to the sea', and as legend has it, the rugged seascape was created by the pounding tail of a dragon as he ran from the mountains into the sea, carving the islands in his wake. During our cruise, we'll stop at a grotto beneath towering cliffs and perhaps visit a beach. We'll enjoy a delicious freshly caught seafood lunch onboard.
After disembarking, we return to our hotel in Hanoi to freshen up before boarding the 'Reunification Express' to Hue. We travel in 'soft sleeper' class on the train in four or six berth cabins. All bedding is provided and toilets can be found at the end of each carriage. Please note, while we endeavour to keep the group together, sometimes you might be sharing the overnight journey with locals or passengers of a different gender.
Day 7 - Afternoon walking tour around Hue Citadel
Awaking aboard the train, we pass through a rural landscape of seemingly endless rice paddies before arriving in the city of Hue mid-morning. We'll have some time to freshen up after our journey and relax before we head out to explore the city.
This afternoon we will discover Hue's history on a walking tour around the Imperial Citadel. Located on the left bank of the river, the palace was built by the Nguyen dynasty and was a copy of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Although most of the inner part of the city was totally destroyed during the Tet Offensive in 1968, the outer walls and the west wing remain a reminder of the palace's former glory.
We can expect today's 7-kilometre/4.4-mile walking tour to take around three hours and 30 minutes including sightseeing.
Day 8 - Hike through villages; cruise on the Perfume River
This morning, we drive out of the city to enjoy a hike through the countryside and villages overlooking the Huong Giang River, better known as the Perfume River. Exploring on foot allows us to observe rural life up close and our leader is always on hand to explain what we see. Various cottage industries take place in the villages here including silk painting, bronze casting and incense stick production. The river supposedly got its name from the aromas carried by the river downstream from the forests and mountains of its source. Near the end of our walk, we'll stop on Vong Canh Hill to admire the great view of the river down below before descending to board our own boat for a leisurely cruise along the river back to Hue.
Today's hike of approximately 8 kilometres/5 miles will take around three hours. We'll walk along village footpaths and the terrain is undulating.
Day 9 - Drive to the laid-back town of Hoi An
Today we enjoy a scenic drive south to Hoi An, crossing the spectacular Hai Van Pass en route and passing through rural scenes of thatched, wooden houses and lime-green rice paddies as well as panoramic sea views. The UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An was one of the busiest international trading ports of Southeast Asia in the 17th and 18th centuries. First colonised by the Portuguese in the 16th century, it still retains its medieval charm today, with many of its old buildings superbly preserved. The afternoon has been left free to explore Hoi An at your own pace. You may choose to visit the Japanese Bridge or some of the Chinese temples and meeting halls in the Old Town. There are also many shops, bars and restaurants and it is a great place to buy souvenirs, have clothing tailored or simply watch the world go by in a riverside cafe.
Day 10 - Hike to the Cham temples at My Son
Today we drive for around an hour from Hoi An and enjoy a hike through a hilly landscape of pine forest and grasslands to the ancient Cham site of My Son. The Chams were dynastic lords who rejected the authority of China and established their own kingdom in what is now Vietnam. Although they benefited from strong sea links with the rest of South East Asia, the kingdom's interior could not supply sufficient food for a strong military force. For 1000 years they managed to stave off attacks by the Vietnamese and Chinese, before being overcome by the Vietnamese in the 15th century. The site is impressive, even though much of it was bombed in the 1960s and there are several groupings of Cham temples which we can visit.
We can expect today's 9-kilometre/5.6-mile hike to take around 4 hours and 30 minutes across undulating terrain with a high point of 168 meters/551 feet.
Day 11 - Travel to the Mekong Delta
We have an early start ahead of us this morning, but we'll be sure to make time for coffee. After a short drive to Danang Airport first thing, we fly to Ho Chi Minh City, from where we drive further south to Cai Be in the Mekong Delta. Surrounded by lush and fertile land the area is home to small villages and swaying coconut palms. We'll take a walk in the village to see the local Delta life.
Later, we'll hop on a boat to one of the Delta's island where we'll spend the night in a local guesthouse. Our homestay features a mix of twin and triple rooms with attached bathrooms. While we're here, we'll get the chance to taste the local produce, including coconut, fruits, rice and of course fish.
We can expect today's 4-kilometre/2.5-mile hike to take around 90 minutes.
Day 12 - Walk in the Mekong Delta; drive to Ho Chi Minh City
This morning, we plan a walk on the island, stopping off along the way to observe some of the traditional cottage industries of the Delta such as the production of rice paper and coconut sweets. Other glimpses of everyday life may include seeing people catching fish from the river, or mending baskets and repairing tools by the riverbank. Departing by boat once more, we meet our bus and drive to our final destination of the trip, Ho Chi Minh City.
Still unofficially referred to as 'Saigon', the city is the largest in Vietnam with a population of around 8 million. You'll find an eclectic mix of the traditional and the new, where pagodas and markets compete alongside the trappings of Vietnam's newly discovered entrepreneurial spirit.
We can expect today's 8.5-kilometre/5.3-mile hike to take around 3 hours across at a leisurely pace. The terrain of the Delta is flat.
Day 13 - Walking tour of Old Saigon; free afternoon to explore
This morning, we walk around the central sights of Old Saigon, now known as District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. We see the Notre Dame Cathedral and the GPO building as well as some of the old French Colonial hotels such as The Rex. We then continue to the Independence Palace (renamed the Reunification Hall) and the War Remnants Museum. The afternoon is free for you to explore the city further, perhaps with a visit to the huge Ben Thanh market for some shopping.
We can expect today's 5-kilometre/3.1-mile walking tour to take around 4 hours including sightseeing.
Day 14 - Visit Cu Chi tunnels; return to Ho Chi Minh City where trip ends
This morning we take a short drive out of the city to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground command base which was a major part of the 1968 Tet Offensive. If you're up to experiencing the claustrophobic conditions the Viet Cong lived in, there's the opportunity to crawl through a small, specially adapted section of the tunnels.
We'll finish up around 1.30pm, and you're free to depart from our hotel any time after. If your flight is later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Tan Son Nat International Airport (SGN), which is around a 30-minute drive from the hotel. If you wish to join the morning excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels, the earliest time your flight can depart is 5pm.
