Grand Tour of Vietnam 14 nights from £3,550 per person
ABOUT THIS ITINERARY
This itinerary really does deserve to be called The Grand Tour.
Commencing this trip in Hanoi, you will work your way from North to South down the East Coast of Vietnam stopping at various cities and sights along the way, including an overnight stay on a luxury boat in Halong Bay, the ancient city of Hue and the incredible Hoi An. From here you will finish your grand tour in Ho Chi Minh City visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong river.
Price Includes
International flights
Domestic flights
Private transfers
Activities and tours as mentioned
All accommodation
24/7 support while you're away
UK airport transfers (conditions apply)
DAY 1-3
HANOI
You will be greeted by a Tailored Journeys representative who will accompany you to your first hotel, the Sofitel Legend Metropole, one of our favourite hotels which is conveniently located for you to discover the nearby sites on foot.
Your guide will accompany you on a city tour of Hanoi. The sites visited will include Ho Chi Minh‘s Mausoleum, House and Cottage, One Pillar pagoda, Temple of Literature, Quan Thanh pagoda.
After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, you'll visit the Old Quarter with a history that spans over 2,000 years. The Old Quarter started as an alligator-infested swamp but then transformed to be home to Vietnam’s craftsmen and is now a bustling square lovingly known as the eternal soul of Hanoi.
You'll also embark on a tour of the beautiful countryside. Just 16km outside of Hanoi is Co Loa, Vietnam’s capital in the 10th Century, after looking around the remnants of a 3rd Century BC citadel you will continue onto the village of Bat Trang, famous for its excellent ceramic works.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
DAY 4
HALONG BAY
This morning you will travel to Halong Bay and arrive late morning ready to embark on your overnight junk boat.
This world-famous bay is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Vietnam, with its giant rock islets covered in luxuriant vegetation overlooking the waters. Halong Bay includes some 1,900 islands and islets of rocky peaks, often uninhabited and unvisited. This scene creates a spectacular marine landscape, which earned it UNESCO World Heritage status in 1994.
You will be served lunch and dinner aboard with excellent and freshly caught seafood from the bay. At the end of the day, you will have the chance to enjoy a night fishing session on the boat.
Accommodation: Violet Heritage Line
DAY 5-6
HUE
After breakfast on the boat you will disembark late morning. From Halong Bay you will be met by your driver and transferred to Hanoi Airport to catch the short flight down to Hue.
On arrival in Hue you will be met by your guide and driver and transferred to your hotel.
Hue was the mighty Imperial headquarters and the political capital of the country until 1945. Fortified by thick walls, Hue is a serene town perched on the banks of the Perfume River offering plenty to do and see. One of the most notable features of Hue is the meandering Perfume (Huong) River that divides the city. Both the Imperial Citadel and the Thien Mu Pagoda are situated on the riverbank
Your hotel in Hue is the former French Colonial Governor’s residence which was refurbished and made into an enchanting boutique hotel in 2005. Located on the banks of the fabled Perfume River, overlooking the former Imperial Citadel.
Make the short journey to visit the Tu Duc and Khai Dinh tombs. There are eight tombs in total all built by the Nguyen Emperors as their own resting places. Among them, the Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, with its lotus-filled lake and central pavilion and the simple and serene Tomb of Khai Dinh are the most impressive.
Accommodation: Azerai La Residence Hue
DAY 7-11
HOI AN
After breakfast you will be transferred to Hoi An via the Hai Van Pass, made famous by Top Gear! You have 5 nights here to unwind and relax.
You will have the opportunity to discover the old town of Hoi An which is full of Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese and French architectural elements. Along the narrow streets you will find small Chinese homes dating more that two centuries old, the famous Japanese Pagoda Bridge, a Chinese Temple and the original house of Tan Ky, a rich Vietnamese merchant from 200 years ago.
The unique trading town of Hoi An was a civilisation cut off by broken rail lines and a silted river, leaving it untouched by war and frozen in time. Start with a visit to Hoi An’s symbolic Japanese Covered bridge followed by a visit to one of the Chinese communal houses. Later that morning you will visit art galleries and enjoy lunch by the river.
While in Hoi An, you will join a lantern workshop where you will have the chance to learn this traditional form of handicraft. At the end of the visit, you will be able to take home your own lantern as a souvenir!
On an evening of your choice, relax on a leisurely boat trip on the Thu Bon River to enjoy the sunset.
Accommodation: Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa
DAY 12-15
HO CHI MINH CITY
You will be transferred from your hotel in Hoi An to Da Nang Airport where you will catch a short 1 hour 20 minute flight down to Ho Chi Minh City for the final part of your grand tour!
You will be met on arrival and transferred to the Park Hyatt hotel in the centre of town. Your hotel is centrally located making visits to the former Saigon Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Opera House only a short stroll away.
Later today you will visit the unique Cu Chi tunnel network. This incredible system, covering almost 250km in length was shelter to over 16,000 Vietcong guerrillas during the wars.
Explore Ben Tre in the Mekong delta, also known as the “Green Venice” of Vietnam. After visiting a brick factory in Phong Nam where bricks are still hand-made, step onto a boat for a cruise along the Chet Say river (one of the Mekong’s arms). You will make several stops along the way to discover different local workshops, allowing you to understand the specialities of the local economy.
One evening, you will be picked up by your vintage Vespa driver and once seated comfortably, you'll start your discovery of Saigon after dark!
Accommodation: Park Hyatt Saigon
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