Highlights of Vietnam Tour

Depart with Singapore Airlines from London Heathrow. Flights with Singapore Airlines from Manchester are available on selected dates, please speak with one of our travel experts for more details. No matter which airport you choose, there will be no additional cost.

Alternative airline – Emirates

If you prefer, you may fly with Emirates via Dubai from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle or Glasgow for a supplement, from £100 per person.

Those flying with Singapore Airlines to Hanoi will travel via Singapore. After clearing customs, we transfer to our hotel, the delightful Pan Pacific Hanoi, which will be our home for the next three nights. This evening, our Tour Manager will host a welcome drink so we can get to know our fellow travellers and learn more about the adventures which lie ahead.

Our day in Hanoi begins with a morning cyclo tour through the Old Quarter. Cyclos are a traditional form of transport in Vietnam, similar to a rickshaw, and our journey will take us through streets full of charming colonial architecture, past Buddhist temples and pagodas, and along the ancient commercial streets named after the original businesses that were once housed here. We visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the final resting place of Bac Ho, or Uncle Ho, before viewing the 11th century Temple of Literature and The One Pillar Pagoda, a historic Buddhist temple. Our day concludes with a visit to the fascinating Ethnology Museum, together with a traditional water puppet show.

Today has been left free so you can continue to enjoy the delights of the city at your own pace. Budding photographers may wish to join a tour to capture the city’s many incredible photographic opportunities. Or maybe take a cookery class and learn the secrets of Vietnam’s delicious cuisine. Alternatively, take a full-day excursion to ‘Ha Long Bay on Land’, Ninh Binh.

Tour Highlight

Known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforest, Ha Long Bay has become one of Vietnam’s must-see destinations. We travel to Ha Long, where we board our first class vessel, the Au Co, for a spectacular two-night cruise around this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy lunch as we cruise the waterways, and visit the floating village of Cua Van, situated in the heart of the bay. Back on board, end the day on deck watching the sun set, followed by dinner.

Start your day, if you wish, with a Tai Chi lesson on the sun deck before cruising through the lesser-known, but no less dramatic, Lan Ha Bay. We arrive at Cat Ba Island and cycle a short distance to Viet Hai Village, nestled in the heart of Cat Ba National Park, where we learn about community life. Later, we visit Trinh Nu Cave to view its stunning array of stalactites and stalagmites. This evening we enjoy a buffet barbecue on deck with our fellow passengers.

Following breakfast, we visit Sung Sot Cave, Ha Long’s largest and most famous cave. Back on board, spend time soaking up the scenery, or join a traditional Vietnamese Tea Ceremony, as we cruise back to the mainland. We board our waiting coach and travel back to Hanoi for our flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival, we continue to the town of Hoi An and the fabulous Bel Marina Hoi An Resort, home for our next three nights

Tour Highlight

Once a major trading port, historic Hoi An is a delightful UNESCO World Heritage Site of grand architecture, Chinese warehouses, Dutch and French colonial houses and Japanese temples. The best way to explore Hoi An is on foot. During our walking tour we visit the Chua Ong Pagoda, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, Tan Ky House and the 17th century Japanese Bridge. We finish with a boat trip on the Thu Bon River. The remainder of our day is at leisure. Relax by the hotel pool, or maybe join an optional lantern making class.

Today has been left free, so you may choose how to spend your day. Perhaps visit the local community of Tra Que Village and learn about the techniques used by its farmers, then enjoy a delicious lunch made from locally-farmed ingredients. Alternatively, you may prefer to take a cookery class at a local organic farm, visit the enchanting temples of My Son, or simply relax and enjoy your hotel’s facilities.

This morning we begin our spectacular drive over the Hai Van Pass. This 19km stretch of road climbs 3,000ft (914m), following the Vietnamese coastline. Arriving in Hue this afternoon, we visit the elaborate Minh Mang Tomb and continue to Thien Mu Pagoda, before cruising back to the city along the Perfume River. Our hotel for the next two nights is the Eldora Hotel, centrally located for exploring the city.

Originally the settlement of the Cham people, the Imperial city of Hue was capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen Dynasty and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After breakfast, we visit the Imperial Citadel modelled on the Forbidden City in Beijing. Many of the buildings, as well as the citadel, were destroyed by war, but these are slowly being rebuilt and restored. We then visit Ngoc Son, the former residence of Princess Ngoc Son. Our afternoon is free to spend as we please. Perhaps travel to the local village of Thanh Tien to learn the craft of paper flower making, a tradition the local residents have been practicing for over 300 years.

It’s an early start this morning as we journey to the airport for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Visit the city’s Central Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, and explore the War Remnants Museum. A stark, and often graphic representation of the impact of the Vietnam War, the museum provides a fascinating insight into this country’s history. We finish the day with a stroll along Dong Khoi Street to the Saigon Opera House. Our home for the next two nights is the perfectly-located Liberty Central Riverside Hotel.

Tour Highlight

This morning we head out of the city and travel to the countryside which was once the stronghold of the Viet Cong. We visit the Ho Chi Minh Agricultural Village, where we join a Vietnamese cookery class, and continue afterwards to the Cu Chi Tunnels. This vast underground network of tunnels was used by the Viet Cong, and at its peak, the tunnel system in the district of Cu Chi covered more than 250km. Our visit provides a fascinating insight into how the Viet Cong lived and fought the war.

As our flight departs in the evening, there is further time to explore Ho Chi Minh City or to purchase any last-minute souvenirs. We head for the airport to embark on our return flights with Singapore Airlines via Singapore or Emirates via Dubai.

Why not extend your holiday with a tour of the Mekong Delta? 4 days from £725 per person

In a region known as the ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam, discover floating markets, cone-hatted farmers working the fields and small villages surrounded by rice paddies alongside one of Asia’s greatest rivers. Find out more.

Homebound Stopovers from only £295 per person

Explore somewhere new on your way home, with a city stay in Dubai or Singapore, or relax beachside on Sentosa Island. Prices include return airport transfers, two nights accommodation in a four-star hotel and daily breakfast.

This morning we arrive into our chosen airport. Filled with amazing memories to cherish, our Vietnamese adventure comes to an end.