Hanoi Holidays

A great introduction to Vietnam, this varied trip combines essential sites & hidden places: Hanoi, Saigon, World Heritage Hue, charming Hoi An, the rarely visited Central Highlands and picturesque Mekong Delta.

Discover the country’s past and present – ruined temples of the Cham Empire, glorious pagodas & royal tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty, the more recent, tragic sites of the Vietnam War & the friendly people, exotic cuisine, fantastic landscapes & exciting cities of Hanoi & Saigon.

• Hanoi
• Royal tombs of Hue
• Hoi An
• DMZ tour
• Ruins of My Son
• Montagnard villages
• Lak Lake
• Nam Cat Tien National Park
• Elephant riding
• Mekong Delta
• Family home stay
• Saigon

Itinerary

• Day 1: Departure from London.

• Day 2: Arrival in Hanoi, check-in to a downtown hotel and afternoon free to wander or relax before an evening trip to see the City’s unique water-puppet show. *Note: a 2 day/1 night extension to explore the incredible scenery of World Heritage Halong Bay is available should you so wish.

• Day 3: Day tour of this beautiful old city with it’s French colonial ambience: lakes, parks and temples and a stroll through the bustling backstreets of the old quarter before an evening flight to Hue - the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam – and check-in to our centrally located hotel.

• Day 4: Time to check out the numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites of this historic city: morning cruise by ‘dragon boat’ along the Perfume River to visit some of the majestic tombs of the former emperors and afternoon walk around the ancient Citadel.

• Day 5: More recent history with a day trip to the infamous DMZ, (demilitarized zone), to visit some of the key sites of the Vietnam War, including the Vietcong tunnels at Vinh Moc, Hien Luong Bridge on the 17th parallel, which marked the border between former South and North Vietnam, and Khe Sanh Combat Base – scene of some of the most intense fighting of the war.

• Day 6: Short drive to nearby Hoi An Town with stops on the way at mountainous Bach Ma National Park and the beautiful and spectacular beach at Lang Co.

• Day 7: Well-preserved and charming, World Heritage site Hoi An was one of SE Asia’s most important ports during the 17th – 19th centuries. A half-day tour of the old town and waterfront area and a free afternoon to roam the beautiful old streets at your leisure or bicycle down to the nearby beach for a dip or massage.

• Day 8: Morning at leisure – relax or visit the bustling silk market and an afternoon trip to the atmospheric ruined temples of My Son – Vietnam’s most important Cham site. The city was occupied from the 4th to 13th centuries before succumbing to it’s powerful Khmer and Vietnamese neighbours.

• Day 9: Transfer to nearby Danang for a flight to the Central Highlands and the provincial capital of Buon Me Thuot. Afternoon visit to the fascinating Ethnographic Museum to discover the culture and lifestyles of some of the area’s numerous ethnic minorities.

• Day 10: Day exploring the beautiful Lak Lake region with visits to some of the local ‘Montagnard’ minority villages, elephant riding around the lake, and a boat trip to take in some of the stunning scenery before continuing south to Dalat for our overnight stay

• Day 11: Due to it’s cool temperatures the former French hill station of Dalat, is now equally popular with modern day Saigonites. Time to explore the bustling little town as well as a hike in the scenic pine covered hills of the surrounding Central Highlands.

• Day 12: Continue south to Nam Cat Tien National Park – an outstanding area of well preserved lowland jungle and swampland and one of the country’s last refuges for many large mammal species such as elephant, tiger, leopard and Javan rhinoceros as well as plentiful birdlife and one of Vietnam’s last remaining crocodile colonies. Afternoon nature hike and overnight in National Park bungalows.

• Day 13: An opportunity for a further morning hike in this exceptional setting before heading on to Saigon. Late afternoon arrival and check-in to our centrally located hotel.

• Day 14: Morning tour of Cholon, the city’s Chinatown district, with the afternoon to explore, shop or sit in a cafe and watch the non-stop spectacle of the city’s traffic!

• Day 15: Our three day exploration of the picturesque Mekong Delta begins with a journey south to Vinh Long with a stop-off at one of the area's unique and spectacular Cao Dai temples. Afternoon scenic boat cruise through the Delta's maze of waterways to discover the region's spectacular scenery and the local cottage industries and handicraft manufacturing of the, still very traditional, villages. Overnight stay as guests of a very friendly local family on one of the myriad islands.

• Day 16: Morning stroll or cycle ride around the tranquil island before a visit to the bustling floating market of nearby Vinh Long Town before continuing on to Can Tho. Afternoon to explore the town or check-out the interesting Mekong Delta Museum.

• Day 17: Visit some of the Delta’s traditional floating markets and a fascinating tour of the former Vietcong jungle base at Xe Quit before returning to Saigon.

• Day 18: Time to relax, last minute shopping or more sites before an afternoon return flight to London, via Bangkok.

• Day 19: Arrival in London.

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This holiday is operated by Gecko Travel.