Highlights of Vietnam with Con Dao 16 nights from £4,465 per person
ABOUT THIS ITINERARY
This itinerary showcases all the highlights of Vietnam with a luxurious stay at the Six Senses Con Dao at the end.
From the bustling streets of Hanoi (Vietnam's capital) known for its colonial buildings and culinary delights to the incredible scenery of Halong Bay, Vietnam really is a country of complete contrasts.
After Hanoi, work your way from North to South down the East Coast of Vietnam stopping at various cities and sights along the way.
You will end your trip on the hidden gem that is the island of Con Dao where you will spend your last days having the chance to relax and unwind by the beach.
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
On arrival you will be greeted by a Tailored Journeys representative who will accompany you to your first hotel the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, one of our favourite hotels.
Your guide and driver 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.
You'll also have a chance to understand what makes Hanoi's Old Quarter such a captivating place on an exciting food tour. Here, you will be able to taste a wide variety of Vietnamese specialities, such as banh cuon (steamed rolled rice pancake) and banh mi. Then, stop at a bia hoi (beer club) on Ta Hien Street and taste the fresh Vietnamese beer. After that, you will head to a pho shop, where you will be able to choose between regular pho or pho tron (pho noodle mixed with chicken without soup). Then, make your way along Hoan Kiem Lake for one of the tastiest ice creams in Hanoi.
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 7-9
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.
Visit Hoi An’s symbolic Japanese Covered bridge followed by a visit to one of the Chinese communal houses. Later, visit art galleries and enjoy lunch by the river.
You can also travel by car to My Son (which mean: “The beautiful mountain”) – the most important Cham archaeological site in the centre of Vietnam. Dating back from the 4th to the 13th century, the 70 building complex shows that the Cham civilization was contemporary and rather close to the Khmer civilization, which makes My Son as important as the sites of Angkor in Cambodia, Borobudur in Indonesia, or Bagan in Burma.
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 10-11
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.
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
DAY 12-17
CON DAO
Leave Ho Chi Minh city and transfer to the airport to catch a short 45 minute flight to the beautiful island of Con Dao to enjoy your beach break, a chance to relax after travelling around Vietnam.
Upon arrival, you will meet the driver and transfer to the hotel for check in.
You have the next 5 nights to completely relax and unwind
Accommodation: Six Senses Con Dao
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