Best of Vietnam Travel: 9 Days Luxury Tour

Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, be met by our car driver and be transferred to the hotel for check-in. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Depart from Saigon for the 1.5-hour drive to Ben Tre, situated in the Mekong River Delta, exchanging city scenes for lush rice paddies and fruit farms. At the pier, embark on a fascinating motorboat excursion past stilt houses, fish farms, and scenes of countryside living. Arrive at Turtle Island, and sample freshly picked fruit and coconut milk while interacting with a local farming family. Visit a family-run coconut candy workshop, utilising Ben Tre’s famous coconuts. Explore more of the Delta from a rowing sampan through a network of small canals. A local lunch of local specialties will be served at a local restaurant before returning to Saigon in mid-afternoon. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

In the morning, you will take a half-day city tour to visit outside of Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, a neo-Roman cathedral built by the colonial French with materials entirely imported from Marseilles, Saigon Central Post Office, which was designed and constructed in the early 20th Century by the famous French architect Gustave Eiffel. Then, visit the War Remnants Museum, which features an extensive collection of exhibits including weaponry, photos, and documentation on Vietnam’s wars with the French and Americans. You also have free time to go shopping at Ben Thanh Market before transferring to the airport to fly to Danang. Upon arriving at Danang airport, you will meet our guide and transfer to a hotel in Danang for check-in. Overnight in Danang. Meals: Breakfast. Lunch Accommodation: Hotel in Danang

Drive 45 minutes from Danang to Ba Na Hills. In the old-growth forest, there are 543 species of flora and 256 species of fauna including many rare animals such as Crested Argus, Asian Black Bear, and northern buffed-cheeked gibbon. Located at an elevation of 1,487 meters, the temperature of this place is mostly cool year-round. Arrive at Ba Na Hills Station where you have a chance to ride on a modern system of cable cars. Get a bird's-eye view of nature which is strikingly beautiful, while enjoying the feeling of flying in the blue sky among the clouds and wind. Next, visit some old French villas as well as a suspension bridge, Nui Chua, and Mountain Peak. Experience the feeling of walking in the clouds when you walk on the Golden Bridge which is supported by giant hands at a height of over 1,400m above sea level. After your lunch at a local restaurant with a great view, continue to explore Vong Nguyet villa (and its wine cellar), and Linh Ung Pagoda, Sakyamuni Buddha's monument. Transfer back to the hotel in Danang. Overnight in Danang. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: Hotel in Danang

In the morning, you will join Hoi An Ancient City. Hoi An known then as ‘Faifo’, was a prosperous trading port, attracting Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish ships amongst others. Today, this World Heritage ancient town is recognized for its well-preserved architecture, pedestrian-only streets, and distinctive local cuisine, allowing visitors a glimpse of its illustrious past. Hoi An’s narrow lanes are ideal for a guided walking tour of its many atmospheric sights including old merchant houses with influences from Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese architecture; the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, first built in the 1590s by the Japanese community to link them with the Chinese quarters across the stream; the Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation with its intricate woodcarvings; and the colorful market with stalls brimming with local specialties including silk, which can be turned into fashionable garments within a day or two before transfer to Danang airport for your flight to Hanoi. Upon arriving at Noi Bai Airport, you will meet our guide and transfer to the hotel for check-in. Overnight in Hanoi. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Explore the charming city of Hanoi, often referred to as the ‘Paris of the East’, with its yellow ochre colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards, and scenic lakes Start by visiting Ho Chi Minh's House, a simple wooden house in a tranquil setting where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. Some of his belongings are on display and visitors can walk up the steps to see his bedroom. Continue to the 6th century Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, located on a small island in West Lake. Then visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university built in the late 11th century. The picturesque temple is an example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture and is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese dong banknote. In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Ethnology and then drive back to central Hanoi for a 45-min cyclo tour through the famed Old Quarter known for its ‘36 streets of 36 wares’ named after the original 36 artisan guilds that date as far back as the 13th century. Then stop at a vintage coffee shop, where you sit on very small chairs as is the special style of Hanoi, to start a day by tasting a cup of Vietnamese coffee. This also offers a perfect opportunity for people-watching, to get a better idea of the daily activities of the locals. Conclude your Hanoi day tour by watching an entertaining water puppet performance, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form said to have originated in the flooded rice fields of the Red River Delta. The show uses colorful wooden puppets to depict scenes of rural life and episodes of national history set to music. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Depart for a 2.5-hour journey to Halong Bay. Make a stop en route for some refreshment (around 15-20 minutes). On arrival in Halong Bay, This UNESCO World Heritage site boasts a wild beauty of clustered limestone islets and crescent beaches. Then board your deluxe junk, settle into your cabin, and prepare your appetite for an enjoyable lunch on deck. Settle on board your main boat to begin a 2-day / 1-night cruise through the spectacular Ha Long Bay. Afterward, take an exhilarating kayak trip through the lagoon, have a refreshing swim or simply relax on board and enjoy the sunset. Overnight on junk. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Halong cruise (Joined boat - private cabin, 2 persons per cabin)

Wake up early and take a position on the upper deck to witness the sun rise over the bay, a cup of hot tea in hand. Early morning is truly a magical time on the bay as the limestone karsts appear all around you in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Continue sailing through magnificent Ha Long Bay. Enjoy a brunch on board before arriving at Ha Long City Pier at noon where transportation will be waiting for and drive back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi. Meals: Breakfast, Brunch Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Today is the last day of your Vietnam travel itinerary. Spare some time for shopping and the driver will take you to the Airport for your departure flight back home. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: N/A