Vietnam North to South with a Mui Ne Beach Stay - 18 Days

Your Vietnam adventure begins in Hanoi. Your private driver will meet you at the airport with a name sign and take you to your accommodation. Explore independently or relax after your flight.

Your guide will collect you between 08:00 and 08:30. At 08:45, visit Tran Quoc Pagoda on Golden Fish Island in West Lake, a historic pagoda with origins in the sixth century.

At 09:30, explore the Ho Chi Minh Complex, including the mausoleum when open, the gardens and the houses where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked between 1954 and 1969. Continue to the One Pillar Pagoda, dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy.

Please cover your shoulders and knees when visiting the mausoleum, temples and pagodas. Mausoleum access is subject to opening days and maintenance closures, and will be confirmed for your travel dates. The surrounding grounds can still be visited when access to the mausoleum itself is unavailable.

At 11:15, visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology to learn about the country's 54 ethnic groups. On Mondays, the programme visits the Vietnamese Women's Museum instead. At 12:45, enjoy lunch at a restaurant with a selection of eight Vietnamese dishes.

Between 14:00 and 14:15, continue to the Temple of Literature, founded in the 11th century and associated with Vietnam's first university. At 15:15, visit Hoa Lo Prison Museum. The French colonial authorities first used it for political prisoners; North Vietnam later held American prisoners of war here, who nicknamed it the 'Hanoi Hilton'.

The tour ends with your return to the hotel between 16:15 and 16:30.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Pick-up from your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter is at 07:00. The drive takes around four hours in normal traffic, with scenic villages along the way and a planned 15-minute break at around 10:00.

Arrive in Pu Luong Nature Reserve around midday and have lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards, settle into your reserved room and relax. Standard check-in is at 14:00.

At 13:30, transfer to Ban Cong for the afternoon excursion. Walk around 2.5 km, crossing a suspension bridge to a scenic village beside Pu Luong's main stream. Follow the river past rice fields, village homes and the large waterwheels used by local communities. Difficulty: 2 out of 5.

At Chieu Lau Dam, board a bamboo raft and paddle upstream with local residents. Around 15:00, come ashore on the opposite bank and complete the loop with another walk of approximately 2 km through fields and villages. Your transfer will meet you at the main road, with arrival back at the hotel around 17:00.

An optional cooking class is available if you would like to join. Dinner is served at 19:00, followed by free time.

Overnight in Pu Luong.

Have breakfast at 07:00. At 09:00, set off on a scooter excursion with a local driver. Travel through Bang village and forest, passing striking rice fields on the way to Kho Muong.

Your driver will introduce you to daily life in this secluded Thai ethnic-minority village. Explore Bat Cave, Pu Luong's largest cave.

Around 11:00, continue along rural roads to Hieu. A short walk leads to a waterfall within the nature reserve, where you enjoy lunch in a natural setting.

This afternoon, swim in the clear water and discover village life. Return to your hotel by scooter, arriving around 16:00, then enjoy time to relax.

You can join an optional cooking class if you wish. Dinner is at 19:00, followed by an evening at leisure.

Overnight in Pu Luong.

Have breakfast at 07:00 and get ready for the day, aiming to be ready to leave around 08:30.

At 08:45, begin a gentle walk into the valley towards Don village, one of Pu Luong's main communities. Follow a winding path through broad rice terraces with changing views, then continue towards Uoi hamlet at the foot of a high mountain.

Descend to Lan village, home to around 100 Thai families. Explore on foot or on an optional bicycle ride, passing clear streams, fields and duck ponds. Meet residents and learn about daily life, particularly the traditional craft of brocade making.

Transfer back to your accommodation, check out by 11:30 and have lunch. The bus departs for Hanoi at 13:00, with arrival at your hotel expected around 18:30, depending on traffic.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Meet your guide for the journey to Ninh Binh. Pick-up time depends on your location in Hanoi's Old Quarter or at the Opera House. A short break of around 15–20 minutes is planned for 09:15.

At 10:15, visit Hoa Lu, Vietnam's capital from 968 to 1010. Learn about the Dinh, Le and Ly dynasties, then discover village life on a bicycle ride.

At 12:00, enjoy a buffet lunch at Ninh Binh Excursion Restaurant. Dishes may include goat, spring rolls, fish, chicken, fried rice and vegetable salad, with vegetarian options available.

At 13:30, take a bamboo-boat trip of around 1.5 hours through Tam Coc. Rice fields, rivers, caves and open skies create the scenery often called 'Halong Bay on land'.

Depart for Hanoi at 15:00, with hotel drop-off expected between 17:30 and 18:00.

Check out this morning and meet the cruise team's transfer service. Travel through the Red River Delta's green rice fields towards Halong Bay, then board your boat to discover its limestone formations and caves.

After your first views of the bay, enjoy a seafood lunch. Visit a limestone cave, then have time for kayaking or swimming, with an opportunity to see floating communities and shops from the water.

Return on board in the evening for an early dinner. Afterwards, join an onboard activity or simply relax.

Rise early for tai chi or enjoy breakfast at leisure. The boat returns to the main pier, where the cruise team arranges your transfer to Hanoi. There will be time for a short rest at a hotel before your onward journey.

Your private driver will collect you there for the transfer to the airport and your flight to Da Nang. On arrival, transfer to your hotel in Hoi An.

Overnight in Hoi An.

From 08:30 to 13:00, discover Hoi An's palm-lined waterways and regional cooking. Start at a colourful market to learn about local vendors and choose ingredients for your meal.

Continue to Cam Thanh, a village connected with the history of the wars against France and the United States. Travel through the nipa-palm waterways in a bamboo basket boat, discover small gifts woven from palm leaves and learn about casting fishing nets and catching small purple crabs in the canals.

In the cooking class, learn about ingredients and traditional methods, then enjoy the five Vietnamese dishes you have prepared. Spend the afternoon exploring the Ancient Town or relaxing at your hotel.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Enjoy your free time in Hoi An.

After breakfast, enjoy free time until your transfer to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Your driver will meet you on arrival and take you to your hotel to check in. Spend the rest of the day relaxing or exploring the lively city.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

This morning, visit the Independence Palace, also known as Reunification Palace. Designed by architect Ngo Viet Thu on the site of the former Norodom Palace, the building holds an important place in Vietnam's modern history.

Admire French colonial architecture at Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office, then visit the War Remnants Museum, whose extensive collection explores the Indochina wars.

After lunch at a local restaurant, travel by bus to Cu Chi, around 1.5 hours away. A short introductory film explains how the tunnels were built and the harsh conditions of wartime life. Explore the underground network, including living spaces, kitchens, storerooms, weapons workshops, field hospitals and command centres, and see concealed entrances and defensive systems.

Afterwards, try tea and cassava, a staple food for guerrilla fighters. Take a break or choose an optional shooting-range activity under the operator's conditions and charges before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Please note: the programme includes an exterior visit to Notre Dame Cathedral because of restoration work. Traffic and weather may affect your return time.

Leave the busy city for My Tho in the Mekong Delta. Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, then board a sampan to cruise past the islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Turtle.

On Unicorn Island, walk along village paths and through orchards, taste tropical fruit and listen to local folk musicians. Visit a fruit plantation, then take a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son Canal.

Discover local products at a family business, a bee farm and a coconut-candy workshop, and enjoy honey tea. After lunch and a break, cycle through Tan Thach to meet local residents. If you prefer not to cycle, you can relax in a hammock instead.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City afterwards. Traffic and weather may affect your arrival time.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Your private driver will take you from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne. Enjoy free time at the beach or explore the area's food and culture independently.

Mui Ne is known for its beaches, water sports and sand dunes, especially at sunset. Optional independent outings include a jeep trip to the dunes or a visit to a fishing village for fresh seafood.

Overnight in Mui Ne.

Enjoy another day of your beach break.

Overnight in Mui Ne.

Spend another day relaxing by the sea.

Overnight in Mui Ne.

Enjoy your final relaxed hours on Mui Ne's beaches before returning to Ho Chi Minh City by private vehicle. After checking in, spend some free time exploring the city.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Enjoy breakfast on your final morning. After checking out, there may be time to visit local markets for souvenirs before your airport transfer and flight home.

Your journey comes to an end.