This itinerary is all about the countryside, but if you need to stop in the city – why not make the most of it? This is our favorite introduction to the capital, taking you on a whistlestop tour through the heart of Hanoi. Starting in the higgledy-piggledy streets of the Old Quarter and passing by an imposing Gothic Revival Cathedral, you’ll then visit the Temple of Literature; Vietnam's first university dating to 1076 and the venue of choice for graduation ceremonies of all ages today. Not your usual city tour, this one’s all about getting beneath the surface of the local culture to find out what makes Hanoi tick. Your guide will also introduce you to Hanoi at night, with an evening tour that culminates at the famous "Train Street".

Picture emerald-green rice paddies rippling down mountainsides, lapping around stilt villages like ocean waves, with lush, forested mountains as a backdrop. That’s Pu Luong. With a local guide to act as navigator, translator and general font of local knowledge, explore Pu Luong on two different treks – each showcasing a different side of the area. Walk through rice fields to learn about traditional farming methods, visit a cottage workshop to see colorful textiles being woven, and stop in minority villages to see how rice wine is made. All this while staying in a boutique eco-retreat complete with infinity pool and spa.

Cuc Phuong is one of the few true wildernesses left in Vietnam. Covered in a thick tangle of rainforest, this is an entirely different trekking experience from the terraces of Pu Luong – as you’ll soon find out on a guided hike. Though you’re unlikely to see any large mammals, stop in at the Primate Rescue Center and you’ll meet gibbons, langurs and loris getting ready to return to the wild. Then, just 40 minutes away, Ninh Binh offers yet another change of scenery: jagged karst pinnacles riddled with caves, wound through by rivers, and speckled with temples, farms and villages. Explore it by bike, hike and sampan, with a guide to show you all the hidden paths and spectacular viewpoints.

You’ve heard of Halong Bay – dramatic limestone pinnacles rising hundreds of meters out of the Gulf of Tonkin – but what about Lan Ha Bay? Every bit as majestic and yet barely known to outsiders, Halong’s neighbor is where we go to escape the crowds. On an overnight cruise, watch from the top deck as the sun sets over those famous karsts – preferably with a cocktail in hand. Though we like to take this opportunity to slow the pace and just soak up the scenery, there are plenty of activities and excursions available too – including kayaking to secluded islets, visits to floating markets and pearl farms, and morning t’ai chi classes on deck.

After more than a week in the countryside, it’s time to touch base with civilization with a stop in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the hectic pace of life in this buzzing metropolis, but the tour we’ve lined up for you delves into the everyday life that goes on in between the skyscrapers. Here, families run businesses out of the ground floors of their houses, little temples honor the five “mother goddesses” of Vietnam, vendors chef up sizzling street-food treats, and markets overflow with a cacophony of sounds, smells and colors. It’s village life, city style - and a fascinating counterpoint to the grand colonial buildings and war history the city is famous for.

We promised this trip was going to be about the countryside, so we couldn’t let you finish in the city, could we? Instead, round it all off with a few days at the Mekong Home, a beautiful, traditional-style lodge in the Mekong Delta. This is a lush and rural region buzzing with life, all supported by the maze-like waterways that thread between rice paddies, coconut groves and stilt villages. Our friends there will help you get to know the culture of the region, arranging for you to meet local families, visit workshops, browse floating markets, and cycle through farmland. Then, retire to their lovely thatch-roofed villas by the waterside to enjoy your last few nights of your Vietnam trip. Finish up with a final night in the city, preparing for your international departure.