10-Day Vietnam Tour from Ho Chi Minh to Ha Long Bay and Hue

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Day 01

Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City

• Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)! Breeze through your first few moments in the city by getting to your hotel with the help of our representative. Hit the sack if you're a bit jet-lagged, or go for a wander if you're not. Bounce some questions off your tour leader when they meet you at 6 pm, then enjoy a welcome dinner before getting down to business tomorrow.

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Day 02

Cu Chi Tunnels and Saigon Street Food

• Head north of the city to the Cu Chi Tunnels to discover the remains of an intricate network of channels beneath the ground - an ingenious method used by the Viet Cong to escape detection from their enemies.
• Take the opportunity to crawl through a section of this tunnel and relive the lives of thousands of soldiers and peasants who spent their time trying to create a parallel city, complete with kitchens, war rooms and bunks.
• Return to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to explore the city centre at leisure and, in the evening, become part of the moving scenery as you jump on a scooter, hopping off only to chomp on bits and pieces of the street food fare.

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Day 03

Hoi An Old Quarter Discovery

• Follow your tour leader through the charming old quarters of Hoi An, bedecked with colourful lanterns, old buildings that skirt the streets in yellow uniformity, and the Thu Bon River that glides lazily through the area. An important port during the 15th century, Hoi An was heavily influenced by its many trade partners, including the Chinese, French and Japanese - a claim substantiated by the many examples of colonial buildings and temples that sprout here, as well as its beautiful centrepiece, the Japanese Covered Bridge.
• Cup your ears closer to the walls, squint your eyes hard enough, and you can almost reach back in time and see merchants and workers bent over their tasks in some of the old houses that once served as trading posts for news, silk and other valuables.
• Discover these and more; and if you still have some time in hand, saddle up and hit the rural patch on a push bike, leaving the sounds of the city behind to enter a world that hasn't changed in many respects.

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Day 04

Free Day in Hoi An and River Barbecue

• Today is a free day, but there's no shortage of things to do. Toss up between ambling through the Old Quarter again or letting your feet lead you to a lantern-making school. If that's not your thing, try some scuba diving or spend some time making noodles - a social enterprise that reaches out to street children. If that doesn't work for you either, engage with one of the nifty tailors in town, who will take your measurements, guide you through the fabrics and help you add to your wardrobe in a matter of hours.
• Later in the afternoon, join the local boatmen as they take you down the Thu Bon River and witness some of the fishing techniques used to make their catch. Top it all off by enjoying a barbecue right by the banks of the river!

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Day 05

Scenic Train to Hue and Imperial City

• All aboard the train to Hue today (approximately 5 hours) via one of the most beautiful coastal lines in Vietnam, as the train passes along the east coast by the Marble Mountains.
• Once you get to Hue, step out from the hotel and make for the Imperial City - which houses the Forbidden City, a place whose walls admitted none but the royal family and whose confines therefore held a mystery for the common people for ages.
• Walk among the buildings, which now show evidence of the Vietnam War with bullet holes and sunken walls, and thank the stars that this treasure wasn't completely destroyed.

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Day 06

Hue Cycling to Thanh Toan Bridge and Tu Duc Tomb

• Following an early breakfast, drag your leg over a cycle saddle and pedal off to discover the quiet charms of Hue. Listen to the crunch of sand and gravel as you stop by Thanh Toan Bridge, which adorns a rural landscape.
• Spend some time at the local market close by, then make a turn for the Tu Duc Tomb, which tells a tale of royal excesses in nevertheless beautiful surroundings, splayed with ancient buildings and lotus pads straddling a lake.
• Delve deeper into history here before returning to Hue.

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Day 07

Fly to Hanoi and Explore the Old Quarter

• Shake yourself awake this morning and pack your bags. With breakfast under your belt, take a flight to Hanoi. Leave thoughts of checking in for later and head out immediately to get a sense of life in the Old Quarter.
• Saunter along Hoan Kiem Lake, where joggers and Tai Chi practitioners add movement to the classical, sentry-like Temple of Jade Mountain.
• Walk past the many colonial buildings - a throwback to French influence - as well as Buddhist temples and pagodas, of which Bach Ma Temple, dating back to the 11th century, is the oldest. Snake your way through a local market and, when you've seen it all, head back to the hotel to check in and recharge your batteries.
• Later in the afternoon, head back to the hip cafes and bars that share space with the old buildings and perhaps even book a water puppet show to finish off the day on a grand note.

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Day 08

Ha Long Bay Overnight Cruise

• Drive to Ha Long (approximately 4 hours) this morning and step on board your cruiser for an overnight stay. Stare goggle-eyed at the karst formations that spike the skies and emerge in gargantuan splendour as far as you can see. If the weather gods are indulgent, go for a swim or paddle your kayak through the tunnel-like formations and caves that have been sculpted by years of erosion. Live it up today, get fed on board, relax and give in to this day that charms like no other.

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Day 09

Morning in Ha Long Bay and Return to Hanoi

• Wake up to the rocking motions of the sea and the tranquil silence, broken only intermittently by the sampans that wriggle their way out, leaving a rippled trail in their wake as they go about hunting for their first catch of the day.
• Have breakfast on board and catch a few more idle hours in this idyll before setting off to Hanoi again, where you have the day to yourself until we catch up for dinner to say our final goodbyes.

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Day 10

Departure from Hanoi

• It's time now to bid farewell to your tour leader and new friends, but not without a backpack full of memories. Departure transfers are included on the day. Please consult your tour leader or the hotel desk to confirm the check-out time.