Welcome to Hanoi and Vietnam, a country full of breathtaking scenery and enchanting culture offering a unique blend of East and West. Hanoi may certainly be a bustling city, but it still retains the mystery and charm of the past centuries and French colonial influence, with its narrow lanes and traditional shop houses that invite one to explore. Its many beautiful public areas, lakes, parks, tree-lined boulevards and monuments give the city a touch of elegance and a harmony with nature. We'll meet tonight to enjoy our group welcome dinner in the Old Quarter. (D)
We'll discover another side of Hanoi during a half day tour in Long Thuong Village, home to a community of bronze casters since the 13th century. Explore the village and observe how the families create a range of products, including incense-burners and flower vases. Walking alongside fields of rice paddies, we'll reach the nearby 200-year-old Nom Village. Exploring the narrow brick roads, we'll see the antique houses and enjoy a cup of tea with a local villager. Learn about the local life and the traditions that define this community.
Later this afternoon, we'll be met at our hotel by a chef from the Rose Kitchen, who will guide us through the local markets, teaching us along the way about Vietnamese cooking before a special cooking class, where we get to savour what we create! (B/D)
An early start this morning as we discover Hanoi as the city awakens, a great way to see how the locals begin their day. Our tour begins at the photogenic flower market and moves onto the Old Quarter—a fascinating network of narrow alleys and shop houses, also known as 'The 36 Streets'. Each street has been named after the merchandise traditionally sold there, ranging from fabrics and crafts to medicines and tombstones.
This is also a great time of day for us to stroll along the majestic Hoan Kiem Lake as it stirs to life—a favourite spot among locals to practise Tai Chi, an exercise long known for its promotion of health and longevity, in the tranquil half-light. We can just watch these practitioners or join in ourselves. Breakfast today includes a traditional Vietnamese ‘banh mi', followed by a visit to a local coffee shop. Witnessing some of the unique highlights of the city, our orientation tour will include Long Bien Bridge, St Joseph's Church and the grand Hanoi Opera House.
Continuing on, we'll visit the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex comprising of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (outside only), the beautiful Presidential Palace (outside only) and Ho Chi Minh's neighbouring traditional Stilt House, where the former Prime Minister lived from 1954 to 1969. We'll also see the One Pillar Pagoda before heading to the Imperial Citadel & Flag Tower, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010.
After lunch, our tour resumes with our first stop at Vietnam's first university, the Temple of Literature, a peaceful series of walled courtyards and graceful gateways, which is also host to the ‘Imperial Academy'. Gain a fascinating insight into the lifestyle, culture and customs of Vietnamese woman at the Women's' Museum, before exploring the Tran Quoc and Ngoc Son Temples.
Our final stop is the notorious Hỏa Lò Prison, nicknamed ‘Hanoi Hilton'. Formerly used by the French colonists for political prisoners, it later housed the imprisoned US pilots that were shot down during the Vietnam War, and today the remnants of the gatehouse remain as a moving museum. (B/L)
Today we take a scenic road journey to Sapa, a small mountain town approximately 350 kilometres northwest of Hanoi. This picturesque region is home to the famed hill tribes and nestled in a valley, surrounded by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range and endless fields of rice paddies. We'll take a short drive to Ta Phin Village, inhabited by the Red Dao ethnic group. Here we'll learn the touching story of the abandoned monastery. Meet the locals who will inform us about a local successful enterprise connecting them with the Hanoi University of Medicine.
Special Experience: Share a home-cooked meal tonight with the local Ly Ma Man family, learning about their culture and how corn alcohol is produced. (B/D)
Our day begins with a drive through the charming Tam Duong Valley, as we make our way towards Heaven Gate. Along the way we enjoy a short stroll to view the picturesque Silver Waterfall before continuing on to the breathtaking views that await us at Heaven Gate. Here, we can see the Fansipan, the highest peak of Indochina.
After travelling along one of the most beautiful stretches of road in Vietnam, we arrive at Tam Duong, where we have the chance to meet the black Dao, who trade in the village market wearing their black traditional dresses. Upon our return to Sapa, the rest of the day is at our leisure.
Challenging Day: Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity. (B/L)
Today we travel back to Hanoi where the remainder of the day is free for you to relax or explore at your own pace. (B)
This morning we travel through Hai Hong Province to breathtaking Halong Bay. Dotted with thousands of limestone islands and outcrops, the bay is known for its stunningly emerald waters.
Cruise Embarkation: We'll board our cruise vessel and enjoy lunch, while witnessing the incredible views. After our delicious lunch, we'll have the opportunity to explore Hang Sang –Toi (Dark and Bright Cave), known for its stunning limestone structure, by bamboo boat or kayak, before a refreshing swim in the emerald waters of Tra Bau – Lan Ha Bay.
Returning to the ship, we'll enjoy some time to relax and watch the sunset on the deck before dinner. (B/L/D)
Try your hand at Tai Chi this morning or just simply sit back, relax and watch the incredible scenery pass by from the deck as we continue cruising on the waters of Halong Bay. We'll enjoy a light breakfast, before weighing anchor and heading out in the kayaks to explore the stunning Ao Ech area. Back on deck, we'll enjoy brunch before we disembark our cruise and set our sights on Hue, Vietnam's former capital and seat of the Nguyen Dynasty's emperors. Hue is the ancient capital of the Nguyen emperors, and its atmospheric charm owes partly to its location right on the Perfume River. (B)
This morning we'll explore Hue during a sightseeing tour, including the bustling Dong Ba Markets and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Citadel in the old Imperial City, modelled on Beijing's Forbidden City. It was completed in 1833 and from here the emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty ruled Vietnam until 1945.
Entering the citadel via a stone bridge you can see the Thai Hoa Palace, an important venue for official receptions and other important court ceremonies. The ostentatious columns supporting the roof are lacquered and inlaid with gold. There is a pair of smaller halls behind the Thai Hoa Palace used by mandarins to prepare for court ceremonies.
After lunch and some time to explore further at our own pace, our afternoon continues with a cruise by dragon boat along the tranquil waters of the Perfume River, before joining a local family for dinner. (B/D)
Our day commences with a visit to the imperial tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Ruling from 1848–83, Emperor Tu Duc enjoyed the longest reign of the Nguyen dynasty. Despite having over a hundred wives and concubines, he was unable to father a son and was left to write his own epitaph, even though he believed doing so was a bad omen. His epitaph can still be found on the stele, the largest of its type in Vietnam, in the pavilion to the east of his tomb.
This afternoon we travel to Hoi An via the scenic Hai Van Pass, the geographical and psychological boundary between North and South Vietnam. (B)
Hoi An was known as Faifo to early western traders, and it was one of South East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. This ancient town remains a well-preserved mix of both indigenous and foreign influences, with architecture styles pulled from Chinese, Japanese and later European, designs.
Our walking tour this morning includes a visit to the Culture and History Museum to learn more about this charming town before taking a stroll along the main street where we'll come to the Chinese Assembly Hall of Fujien Chinese Community. This was built in 1697 as a place of worship dedicated to Thien Hau—the Goddess of the Sea. Strolling along the banks of the river we'll come to the famous Japanese Covered Bridge, first built by the Japanese community in order to link the town with the Chinese quarters on the other side of the river.
Special Experience: Visit the colourful local market before taking a short cruise along the Hoi An River to the secluded Red Bridge Cooking School for an aromatic and informative cooking class. (B/D)
Today is at leisure for you to relax and enjoy the resort and local surrounds or explore the old city at your own pace. An ideal town to discover by foot, why not immerse yourself in Hoi An's fascinating history. (B)
We'll transfer to the airport today, for our flight to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). The largest city in Vietnam, the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life is visible everywhere in Saigon. There are street markets, sidewalk cafés and trendy new bars. The city is constantly moving, yet within this teeming metropolis are 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture.
Special Experience: Go off the beaten track to discover Saigon's best food spots. Touring by vespa, we'll taste authentic Vietnamese cuisine as the locals do. (B/D)
We explore the Ben Tre province in the Mekong region today, riding a xe lôi (a local cyclo) to the local village of Huu Dinh. Travelling along the tributaries and narrow canals in a traditional-style cruise boat, we can observe daily life along the banks. We'll stop at a family-owned coconut processing business and a brick making factory. We'll then cycle to a local rice noodle factory before enjoying lunch. Our cycling excursion then continues as we visit Mr Sau Toung, a former Viet Cong soldier who spent two years fighting the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh.
Challenging Day: Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity. (B/L)
Our half day city tour departs from the historic Rex Hotel today, as we begin our walking discovery of some of Saigon's most famous locations. Our first stop is the iconic Dong Khoi Street, the Municipal Theatre, Hotel de Ville and Nguyen Hue Boulevard. We'll then head to the Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office before hopping on our coach to finish our tour.
Our final sights in the city centre include the impressive Presidential Palace (Re-unification Palace) with its lush gardens and secret rooms and the War Remnants Museum, a sobering reminder of the brutal effects of war on civilian populations. Lastly, we'll make our way to the Ngoc Hoang (Jade Emperor) Pagoda before stopping for lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon we depart for Vung Tau, which became home to the Australian Army during the Vietnam War.
Challenging Day: Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity. (B/L)
A popular seaside destination for locals, expats and tourist alike, Vung Tau is the ideal getaway to relax by the beach that surrounds the resort town on three sides. We'll learn more about the Vietnam War today, beginning with visits to Long Tan-Long Dat, where the first Australian Task Force was established in 1966 and the former Nui Dat Task Force. Little remains of this military base today except for the columns of the main gate. We'll also visit the old bunkers, Kangaroo Pad, SAS Hill – Hui Dat Hill, Lusbcombe Air Field and the Battalions Flag Pole.
Next, we'll see the Nui Dat Kindergarten, built for children of the village by Australian vetrans. Continuing on, we'll visit the Long Tan Cross Memorial, site of the most talked about battle of the Vietnam War for Australians and New Zealanders, before a stop at the Long Phuoc Tunnels, which acted as meeting areas, first-aid stations and fighting pits during the war. (B/L)
Today we return to Saigon, where your day is free to explore more of this lively city, or simply unwind at our hotel.
Later, we'll take in the city skyline as we relax with a sundowner atop a rooftop bar, before our group dinner, where we'll bid farewell to beautiful Vietnam. (B/D)
Today marks the end of our adventure through incredible Vietnam. We hope you leave with fantastic memories! (B)
Hanoi, Halong Bay and the hills of Sapa
Heritage-listed Hoi An and Hue
Saigon, the lively Mekong Delta and Vung Tau
There are currently no departures available on this trip. Either it's the end of the season and new departures will be released shortly, or this itinerary has been changed and will no longer continue. Feel free to contact us for information about when next seasons dates will be released or click here to view the general release dates for all destinations.
Bunnik Tours
Travel Styles