Xin Chao and welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, included is a two night stay. Formerly known as Saigon, the city has many historical landmarks such as the Reunification Hall. Formerly called the Presidential Palace, images of the building were seen around the world on 30 April 1975 when tanks stormed the gates as Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese.
Drive away from Ho Chi Minh City, watching the city skyline fade into the distance as the road winds through rice paddies, villages and other scenes typical to southern Vietnam. Spend a couple of hours walking around Cu Chi’s rugged grounds with a local guide. Hear how the residents constructed an intricate, underground network of tunnels during the French and American Wars. Hear incredible tales about the unusual foods the residents ate to survive and much more. Once above ground, see other ingenious items used by the residents to defend themselves such as bamboo traps and camouflaged pits. Upon your return in Ho Chi Minh City, your afternoon today is free at leisure to relax.
Cu Chi Tunnels tour
Evening Saigon Street Food Tour (extra expense)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today transfer from your hotel to the airport to catch your connecting flight to Hue. Hue was the former capital of Vietnam, you will visit the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. As part of EmeraldPLUS, take a cyclo (bicycle style rickshaw) from Dai Noi “Old City” to Tinh Tam Lake where the Emperors used to come to relax. Then later, join a boat trip to visit Thien Mu Pagoda. This evening, experience a traditional costume play royal dinner.
Cyclo ride through Dai Noi
Boat Tour to Thien Mu Pagoda
Visit to the Imperial Citadel
Royal dinner at a local restaurant
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
You will drive through Danang and other picturesque villages to reach Hoi An. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in the historic port town of Hoi An and relax for the rest of the evening. Included is a three-night stay in Hoi An.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today start with our EmeraldPLUS visit to the Reaching Out Project. Reaching Out is an NGO established in 2000, which provides opportunities for people with disability to learn skills and gain meaningful employment. Visit their workshop and get a glimpse how this NGO helps the disabilities to integrate fully with their communities and lead independent and fulfilling lives. In the afternoon, enjoy a half day tour of Hoi An and see old merchant’s houses, the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Assembly Hall of the Chinese Congregation.
Visit to Reaching Out NGO
Walking tour of Hoi An
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a day of leisure to explore Hoi An and its surroundings.
Vietnamese cooking class (extra expense)
Visit to My Son (extra expense)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Enjoy a morning a morning drive to Danang Airport for your flight to Hanoi with a stop en-route for a light lunch at a local restaurant. At the airport in Danang board your flight to Hanoi. Vietnam’s Capital has many incredible sights and your tour director is at your disposal to help you with tips to spend the rest of your day.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning after breakfast, leave Hanoi and travel to Halong Bay, where you will board your luxurious traditional style junk. Cruise through the bays and islets enjoying the stunning scenery of this magnificent region. Enjoy some tours offered onboard and learn more about the main livelihood of the locals in the area or relax on board. Towards the end of the day the boat sets anchor for the night among the karst formations. Dinner is served on board.
One-way Scenic Flight Over Halong Bay (extra expense)
Halong Bay cruise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, you will be transferred to your day trip boat tour with private crew and cruise to the bay’s most untouched areas. Enjoy swimming on quiet beaches, visiting water tunnels, fishing villages or kayaking. Lunch is served onboard of the boat by your private chef. Return in the evening hours after a full day of exploration to your traditional junk boat.
Private boat tour to local beaches and activities on Halong Bay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Return to Hanoi and enjoy a full-day city tour of Hanoi. The tour includes the main sights of the city including the outside view of by the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, which is the historic figure and father of modern Vietnam. Continue to the small but iconic One Pillar pagoda and to the Temple of Literature. The temple of Literature was Vietnam’s first university and it was established to educate Vietnam's royalty, mandarins and members of the elite. The university functioned for an incredible 700 years and its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a fascinating glimpse into Vietnam’s past. As part of EmeraldPLUS, you will enjoy lunch at KOTO (Know One Teach One), a unique restaurant set up to train and educate disadvantaged street children. After lunch, continue with a visit to Hanoi’s Old Quarter also known as the ‘36 streets’. Take a walking tour through charming Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake, as well as a stop at Ngoc Son temple. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It is a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities. This evening, enjoy a traditional Water Puppet performance.
Full day city tour of Hanoi
Lunch at KOTO Restaurant
Water puppets performance
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, you will be transferred to the airport to catch your onward or homebound flight.
This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above.
Plese note: pre-release itinerary subject to change.
Meals Included: Breakfast