Ultimate Vietnam & Phu Quoc 17 nights from £5,595 per person
ABOUT THIS ITINERARY
This 17 night journey through Vietnam captures the country’s full charm, from the cultural pulse of Hanoi and the tranquil rice fields of Mai Chau to the emerald waters of Halong Bay.
You'll uncover imperial history in Hue, wander lantern-lit streets in Hoi An, and dive into the vibrant energy of Ho Chi Minh City before unwinding on the tropical beaches of Phu Quoc.
Blending culture, scenery, and relaxation, this itinerary offers the perfect balance of discovery and downtime.
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.
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 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
MAI CHAU
This morning, after breakfast at the hotel your guide will meet you and accompany you to Mai Chau. The drive is along narrow, mountainous, picturesque roads all the way up to your hotel. On arrival you will enjoy lunch prepared and served by a local family in a traditional Thai stilt house.
In the afternoon you will visit a neighbouring ethnic Thai village. In these mountainous regions you will discover many crafts and the various customs of the locals. You will have the car and driver with you therefore you could do things at your leisure and enjoy as many stops as you wish and walks in the local villages.
Later return to your hotel in time for dinner followed by Thai folk dance performance.
You will have the chance to explore Mai Chau by bicycle. You will travel along an easy, flat surface in the middle of this great "green stadium" via roads that lie among rice fields, passing from one village to another.
Accommodation: Mai Chau Ecolodge
DAY 5
HANOI
On the way back to Hanoi, you will have a chance to experience the first Wow Show of Vietnam.
Located about 25 kilometres west of central Hanoi, The Quintessence of Tonkin occupies a space close to Chua Thay, a special National Cultural Heritage site and one of the oldest Buddhist pagodas in Vietnam. The spectacle draws inspiration from the pagoda’s spiritual history, with the help of a world-class sound and lighting system, but the sounds of the spectacle keeps reflecting the peaceful sounds of rural Vietnam, including wooden drums and brass gongs, night crickets, and flowing water. The spectacle also blends different elements of traditional music styles, including Quan Ho and Ca Tru, both of which are now recognized by UNESCO as an intangible World Heritage.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
DAY 6
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 7-8
HUE
After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel you will be transferred to the airport for your short flight down to Hue.
On arrival in Hue you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Once the religious, economic and cultural epicentre of Vietnam, Hue is a serene town perched on the banks of Song Huong-Perfume River offering plenty to do and see. Your hotel in Hue is the former French Colonial Governor’s residence which was refurbished and made into an enchanting boutique hotel in 2005.
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, boating on a simple, yet comfortable vessel offers a relaxing alternative to driving around the area.
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 9-11
HOI AN
You will be picked up from your hotel by your guide to commence your journey south along the coast to Da Nang, one of the most ancient cities in Vietnam. Your guide will accompany you on a brief tour of Danang including the Cham Museum and the Marble Mountains.
You will be transferred to your hotel in Hoi An and the remainder of the day is free at your leisure.
Hoi An really is one of the most charming and pretty towns in Vietnam and is definitely worth a visit. Wander around the lantern lined streets filled with coffee shops and small markets.
Start a walking tour with a visit to Hoi An’s symbolic Japanese Covered bridge followed by a visit to one of the Chinese communal house. Later you will be taken to see art galleries and enjoy lunch whilst soaking in the riverside ambience.
Travel by car to My Son (which means “The beautiful mountain”) – the most important Cham archaeological site in the centre of Vietnam.
After exploring the area, you will return to Hoi An and have a free afternoon to either discover the old town or enjoy the beach.
Accommodation: Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa
DAY 12-13
HO CHI MINH CITY
This morning you will be transferred from your Hotel in Hoi An to Da Nang Airport where you will catch a short 1 hour flight down to Ho Chi Minh City.
At Ho Chi Minh City Airport, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel for check in.
You will have the exciting opportunity to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, located around two hours from Ho Chi Minh City. Originally dug by hand by the Viet Minh (Resistance force) during the French Indochina War, this network of underground tunnels was expanded during the Vietnam War. At its peak, it was 200-kilometers long, 3-to-4-meters deep and was very well equipped, including meeting rooms and medical and sanitary posts.
Today it is one of the largest historical sites of the Vietnam War. You will begin the visit by watching a documentary on the tunnels and the war in the 60s-70s, then you can pass through various narrow underground ducts in order to discover the rooms: offices, kitchens, meeting rooms, weapons stores and even hospitals.
Accommodation: Park Hyatt Saigon
DAY 14-18
PHU QUOC
Leave Ho Chi Minh city and transfer to the airport to catch a short 55 minute flight west to the beautiful island of Phu Quoc to enjoy your beach break, a chance to relax after traveling around Vietnam.
Touching down in this picture-postcard setting is the start of something special: the paradise presents to you miles of palm-lined white beaches and turquoise bays. There are reefs to dive, fresh seafood to sample, coves to kayak, and plenty of jungle-clad backroads to bike along. The majority of the island is a national park, offering numerous opportunities for wildlife viewing and hiking. The island is also well known for its production of fish sauce, black pepper, the local Phu Quoc hunting dogs, characterised by their ridged backs, curly tails and blue tongues.
Upon arrival, you will meet the driver and transfer to the hotel for check in.
You have 4 nights to completely relax and unwind.
Accommodation: Salinda Resort Phu Quoc Island
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