10 DAYS VIETNAM SOUTHBOUND

DAY 01: Hanoi

Welcome to Hanoi! Our representative will be at the airport to make sure you’re headed for the right direction! Check in at your hotel and get your bearings before you meet your tour leader at 6 pm. Get the inside scoop on the tour during the meeting and then get to know your travel companions, over a welcome dinner.

DAY 02: Ha Long

Don’t trip over yourself at breakfast this morning in anticipation of the drive to Halong Bay complex, one of Vietnam’s most enduring natural attractions. Step on board your cruiser once you’re done with your drive and get an eyeful of the thousands of towering limestone pillars that rise imperiously from an emerald sea. Depending on the weather, take a plunge in the gentle waters or kayak through some of the hollowed out Karsts Mountain. Hunker down for some delicious food on board and let the day take its gentle course as you hit the beaches, caves and perhaps a secret treat from the floating market.

DAY 03: Hanoi - Hue

Wake up to the buoyant rhythms of the sea this morning and open your eyes to the giant like Karst Mountains that still keep sentinel over the sampans and junks that float with increasing ardour as they go about making their first catch of the day. Plunge and indeed soak yourself brain deep in these idyllic locales until the clock urges you to head back to Hanoi. Browse through the streets of Noi, sampling the food as you do so before catching the overnight train to Hue.

DAY 04: Hue

Dust yourself off on arrival at Hue in the morning. Leave your bags at the hotel and immediately attend to your stomach over a local breakfast. Make your way to the Imperial Citadel where further exploration takes you to the threshold of the Forbidden Purple City, so called because, no one apart from the royals were allowed to enter its precincts. Walk through some of the ruins here that were razed to the ground during the American War, since renovated – and deconstruct the life of the emperors and their entourage that housed them during the 1800s. Visit the Dong Ba Market if you’re up to it after the tour and sample some locally made goods, fresh produce and some good old lip smacking street food.

DAY 05: Hue

Ride out on cycles to the 18th century Thanh Toan Bridge that straddles a canal midst the lush green Vietnamese countryside and then walk through a local market nearby. Get a sense of Vietnam’s history as you walk along the vast grounds of Tu Duc Tomb that houses among other things a temple where the emperor and empress were worshiped, the oldest theatre in Vietnam and a lake fringed with a reception area. All harking back to a time of excesses practiced by the ruler, as his country stepped unaware into an impending storm with the approach of the French at Da Nang in the south.

DAY 06: Hoi An

Follow the scenic coastal route to Hoi An (approximately 5 hours) halting briefly at the Lang Co fishing village and then going over the dramatic Hai Van pass. Breeze through the old town with your tour leader in the afternoon, slack jawed, eye in the sky and not worrying about having to fling yourself to the sidewalk to dodge a wayward vehicle-because none are allowed entry here! Plenty of time then to discover the makings of this 16th century port town that stopped being one when the river silted. Yet, despite running out of favour with the merchants, Hoi An is one of the most loved destinations of Vietnam with its weathered yellow buildings that used to be shop houses in the past but have now transitioned comfortably in their contemporary role of cafes and coffee shops. Submit to the amalgam of European, Chinese and Japanese architecture that defines the buildings and temples here along with a street grid system that hasn’t changed even with the encroachment of modernity. Communal houses, assembly halls, trading centres each wait patiently -waiting for their stories to be heard . Once you’re done with this cultural scene, perhaps head out to the beach for some R&R.

DAY 07: Hoi An

You’ve got a free day at your disposal to take time out and wander off on your own through the Old Quarter. Between strolling through the street corners, consider approaching some of the tailoring shops that are a quintessential part of the Old Quarter scenery. Get some advice on the cut of a suit or the nuances of different fabrics and have it ready to don your back in just a couple of hours. Alternatively, swing up and on that saddle and bike your way to An Bang beach or wind your way through the rural areas of Hoi An, making way for the occasional buffalo or reaching out to some school kids ready to practice their language skills on you. Later in the afternoon, float down the Thu Bon River on board a local boat and make the most of a barbecue on its lazy banks.

DAY 08: Ho Chi Minh

We take a short flight to Saigon early this afternoon to avoid the hectic morning commute. Head off for an orientation walk around the vicinity with your tour leader and if you’ve got time, flip a coin between a visit to the War Remnants Museum or the Reunification Palace. Later in the evening, morph into the skin of a true Vietnamese as you swing by the Saigon nightlife on board a scooter and join its inhabitants on a street food tour.

DAY 09: Ho Chi Minh

Travel approximately 40 km northwest this morning to discover the Cu Chi Tunnels, a living reminder of the country’s fractious relation with France and later, America. Lower yourself under the surface and get a first hand experience of how the Viet Cong personnel flitted in and out of these warren like passages, building an underground city and working out ingenious ways and means to paralyze an enemy that was far more well equipped. Drive back to Saigon and wander around the city centre to get a last sense of the city and as the evening closes in, gather along with your travel companions for a final dinner together.

DAY 10: Ho Chi Minh

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 with your tour leader or the hotel desk to confirm the check out time. Looking to extend your holiday have a look at our 9 Days Wonders of Cambodia