Korea and Vietnam: Seoul, Gyeongju, Busan, Hoi An, Hanoi and Halong Bay in 12 Days

Your guide meets you at Incheon International Airport and takes you by private car to your hotel in central Seoul, about an hour away. After a rest, take a gentle evening walk along Cheonggyecheon, a stream that runs below street level through the city center and is lit up after dark. Your guide will go over the plan for both countries and help you set up a transport card for the subway.Overnight: Seoul

Visit Gyeongbokgung, the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, and watch the changing of the guard at Gwanghwamun gate. Explore the throne hall and the National Folk Museum. Many visitors rent a hanbok, the traditional dress, for the day. Walk up into Bukchon Hanok Village, a hillside of tiled houses and narrow lanes, then wander the tea houses, galleries and craft shops of Insadong.Overnight: Seoul · Meals: B, L

Visit Changdeokgung Palace and join the guided walk through its Secret Garden, a UNESCO-listed royal retreat of ponds, pavilions and old trees. Next, see Jongmyo, the shrine of the Joseon kings. Have lunch at Gwangjang Market, famous for mung bean pancakes and hand-cut noodles. In the late afternoon, ride the cable car up Namsan to N Seoul Tower and watch the city lights come on below.Overnight: Seoul · Meals: B, L

Take the KTX high-speed train south to Gyeongju, about two hours, where your guide meets you at the station. Walk through Daereungwon, a park of grassy royal burial mounds, and step inside Cheonmachong tomb. Visit Cheomseongdae, one of the oldest surviving astronomical observatories in Asia, and the Gyeongju National Museum. In the evening, see Donggung Palace and its pavilions reflected in Wolji Pond under soft lights.Overnight: Gyeongju · Meals: B

Visit Bulguksa, an 8th-century temple of stone terraces, wooden halls and two famous pagodas, listed by UNESCO. Continue up the mountain to Seokguram Grotto, where a granite Buddha has gazed toward the sea for more than 1,200 years. After lunch, drive about an hour to Busan and check in to your hotel near Haeundae Beach. In the evening, walk the beachfront and try fresh grilled seafood.Overnight: Busan · Meals: B, L

Visit Haedong Yonggungsa, a Buddhist temple perched on rocks right above the waves. Then head across the city to Gamcheon Culture Village, a hillside neighborhood of pastel houses, murals and small cafes. Have lunch at Jagalchi Fish Market, choosing seafood downstairs to be cooked upstairs. In the afternoon, walk the coastal trail of Dongbaek Island with views of the Gwangan Bridge. The evening is free.Overnight: Busan · Meals: B, L

Transfer to Gimhae International Airport for your direct flight to Da Nang, about four and a half hours. Your Vietnamese guide and driver meet you on arrival and take you 45 minutes south to Hoi An, along the coast past the Marble Mountains. Check in to your hotel by the river or near the beach. Spend the evening at leisure, perhaps with a first dish of cao lau, Hoi An's local noodles.Overnight: Hoi An · Meals: B

Explore Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on foot with your guide. Cross the Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the early 17th century, and visit Chinese assembly halls, old merchant houses and the riverside market. Spend the afternoon at your hotel or with one of the town's skilled tailors. In the evening, as silk lanterns light the streets, take a small boat on the Thu Bon River and release a candle lantern.Overnight: Hoi An · Meals: B, L

Cycle along quiet paths through rice fields to Tra Que, a village where families grow herbs and vegetables in neat raised beds, and learn how they farm with seaweed from the river. Continue to the Cam Thanh water coconut forest for a ride in a round basket boat with a local boatman. Return to your hotel for a free afternoon at the pool or on An Bang beach, and dinner in town.Overnight: Hoi An · Meals: B, L

Transfer to Da Nang airport for the flight to Hanoi, about 80 minutes. Your Hanoi guide meets you and takes you to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070, and to Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. Then explore the Old Quarter on foot or by cyclo, its narrow streets once each devoted to a single trade. In the evening, join your guide for a street food walk.Overnight: Hanoi · Meals: B

Drive about two and a half hours to Halong Bay and board your cruise boat around midday. Lunch is served as you sail out among the thousands of limestone islands rising from the water. In the afternoon, explore a cave or paddle a kayak through a quiet lagoon, and swim from a small beach when it is warm. Watch the sunset from the deck, then enjoy dinner on board as the boat anchors for the night.Overnight: Halong Bay · Meals: B, L, D

Rise early for tai chi on deck and the quiet morning light over the islands. After breakfast, visit one more cave or bay area before returning to the harbor, with brunch served on board. Your driver then takes you directly to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, about two and a half hours, for an evening flight home. We recommend booking a flight departing after 6 pm.Meals: B, L