Highlights of Vietnam
Designed for those who don’t have time to waste, this is your pocket-sized introduction to the sheer variety of Vietnam.
Contrasting the wildly different cultures and geographies of north and south, you’ll visit Vietnam’s two most important cities, one of its richest historical towns, and take an overnight cruise through one of its most dramatic landscapes. Just the highlights, done right. When time is short, why bother with anything less than the best?
Pricing
Key facts
Transport in detail
All transport will be by private car (maximum journey time 2.5 hours), with the exception of a two-day cruise on Lan Ha Bay and two domestic flights.
What's great
Get a taste of Vietnam’s top historical, cultural and scenic highlights
Short but sweet, this trip is designed for those with limited time
It’s also great paired with a highlights tour of Cambodia, Laos or Thailand, or extended with a few days on the beach
Things to consider
This trip focusses on classic destinations, so don’t expect to stray far from the tourist trail
It covers a wide array of latitudes and geographies, so you’ll need to pack for a range of different weather conditions
We’ve left plenty of space for you to do your own thing, but if you’d like more included guiding just let us know
The experience
Hanoi
Day 1-2
If you want the fast track to everyday Vietnamese life, there’s no better place to begin than Hanoi’s Old Quarter. A maze of old-fashioned guild streets festooned with telegraph wires, infused with delicious smells and crammed with cafés serving egg coffee and pho: this is a taste of an early-twentieth-century Vietnam that’s all but disappeared. A morning tour of the city will help you get your bearings, including a visit to either the excellent Women’s Museum or Hoa Lo Prison (the infamous “Hanoi Hilton”) to give you a fresh perspective on Vietnamese history. After that, it’s up to you.
Highlights
Stay in the heart of the Old Quarter, where narrow alleys are lined with bars, shops and food carts
Learn about Vietnamese history at one of Hanoi’s superb museums
Visit the thousand-year-old Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university
Lan Ha Bay
Day 3
With its calm, still waters, early-morning mists and seemingly endless jungle-covered islands, Lan Ha Bay is indisputably one of the great landscapes of the world. The best way to get a sense of the scope of the region is on an overnight cruise on a Chinese-style junk: an experience that can feel like journeying into a Vietnamese fairy tale. This is your chance to decompress after the hectic buzz of Hanoi, watching from the deck as karst cliffs loom out of the mist and secret coves wait to be discovered. Depending on your boat’s itinerary, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see traditional floating villages and oyster farms, or perhaps stop to swim or kayak.
Highlights
Lose yourself in a land before time as you explore the otherworldly crags of Lan Ha Bay
Watch the sunset from the top deck of your overnight cruise
The finer detail
What's included
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Breakfast every day
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Two lunches: one onboard the cruise; one at the cookery class in Hoi An
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One dinner: onboard the cruise
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Three half-day experiences: half-day tour of Hanoi; cookery class in Hoi An; half-day tour of Ho Chi Minh City
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Overnight cruise on Lan Ha Bay
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All entrance fees to sites included in guided experiences
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All internal transport & accommodation
Logisitics and journey times
Day 1
Car transfer Hanoi Airport to hotel (30 minutes)
Day 3
Car transfer from Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay (2 hours)
Day 4
Car transfer from Lan Ha Bay to Hanoi Airport (2 hours)
Flight from Hanoi to Danang (1.5 hours)
Car transfer from Danang to Hoi An (45 minutes)
Day 8
Car transfer from Hoi An to Danang Airport (45 minutes)
Flight from Danang to Ho Chi Minh City (1.5 hours)
Car transfer from airport to hotel (30 minutes)
Day 10
Car transfer from hotel to airport (30 minutes)
What's not included
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International flights
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Meals not mentioned
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Entrance fees to any sites not included in guided experiences
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Tips for guides & porters