Day 1: Arrive Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival you will be met by our local representative and transferred by private car to your chosen hotel.  Dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 2: Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City sightseeing. Synonymous with the Vietnam War, the underground network of passages at Cu Chi is a fascinating day trip out of the city.  The tunnels allowed the Viet Cong to control a vital area of South Vietnam and at their height, extended for more than 200 kilometres in length and stretched from what was then Saigon to the Cambodian border.  Return to Saigon for a late lunch at a local restaurant then continue to enjoy a half day tour of this exciting city, including Reunification Palace, formerly named the Presidential Palace, now a museum complete with period meeting areas, war rooms and a basement communication centre.  Also visit Notre Dame Cathedral, a romantic church dating back to the late 19th century and a popular backdrop for wedding photographs, Hotel de Ville de Saigon, officially Ho Chi Minh City Hall, and the Museum of Vietnamese History.  The final stop today is the unforgettable Jade Emperor Pagoda.  Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 3: Fly Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, Hoi An sightseeing.  The superb Museum of Cham Sculpture boasts the largest and most impressive collection of Cham artefacts anywhere in the world and is a must-see attraction. Further afield, the five craggy limestone peaks of Marble Mountains make for a compelling excursion.  Also visit China Beach, once a recreational hangout for US soldiers during the Vietnam War. Nowadays, the beaches are home to several luxurious hotels and resorts.  Hoi An Ancient Town is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and without doubt is one of the most attractive destinations in Vietnam. Colourful scenes of traditional merchant houses painted yellow and blanketed in purple bougainvillea present picture-perfect scenes and as night falls, delicate silk lanterns create a rainbow of hues against the night sky. Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 4: Overland Da Nang to Hue. Leave Da Nang this morning for an overland through the most beautiful scenery in Vietnam as you traverse the Hai Van – or ‘Cloudy’ Pass – to reach Hue.  There will be opportunities for photo stops at the many beaches and coves en-route.  Enjoy lunch on arrival at your hotel then visit the Imperial Citadel and Long An Palace, home to the Royal Fine Arts Museum (closed Mondays).  Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 5: Hue. Fascinating boat ride along the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda. Consisting of seven stories, the pagoda is the tallest religious building in Vietnam.  Then visit the Emperor’s tombs.  Located in attractive settings along the banks of the Perfume River, the tombs of the emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty were not just designed as their final place of rest. Here, the emperors would come during their twilight years to enjoy recreational activities such as fishing and hunting as well as the company of their many concubines.  Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 6 Fly Hue to Hanoi.  Lunch on arrival is followed by an afternoon of sightseeing where you will visit some of the highlights of Hanoi City. The best way to experience Hanoi’s Old Quarter is on foot and next your private guide will take you on a walking tour through an area of the city known as ’36 Streets’.  Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 7: Hanoi sightseeing. This morning visit Ba Dinh Square where silent sentries guard the marble mausoleum in which Ho Chi Minh lies in state (inside visit at your discretion), before continuing to the nearby visit Ho Chi Minh Museum, dedicated to the late Vietnamese leader. The final stop is the Thang Long Royal Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 11th century by the Ly Viet Dynasty. This important historical site served as the capital of Vietnam for eight centuries.  Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 8: Depart Hanoi.   Breakfast included.  Transfer to Hanoi Airport.

Why not add a short tour extension to mystical Angkor Wat?  Click here for details.