Vietnam Trails

Fly overnight to Saigon, Vietnam's largest and most evocative city. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.

Contemplate the realities of guerrilla warfare at the astonishing Cu Chi Tunnels, the incredible network of tunnels used by the VietCong resistance during the Vietnam War. Seamlessly blending past and present, Saigon is both a treasure trove of cultural sights and the city that is driving Vietnam towards a bright future. See Vietnam's colonial past at Notre Dame Cathedral and visit the Central Post Office. Also visit the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum.

Journey to Ben Tre to take a cruise

on the Mekong. Paddle through

the maze of palm-lined canals and

get a glimpse of daily life on the

Mekong Delta. Lunch on typical

Mekong fare. Return to Saigon.

Fly to Danang and transfer to

Hoi An. This afternoon take a

walking tour of charming Hoi

An – a wonderfully laidback and

wilfully traditional place, whose

streets are a delight to wander.

Visit an old merchant’s house,

Quan Cong Temple, the elaborate

Japanese Bridge and the bustling

market. Stop en route to visit

Reaching Out, a social enterprise

craft workshop, and watch the

artisans at work.

Purchase fresh ingredients at the

market for a cookery class at a

local restaurant, consuming your

creations for lunch. Enjoy your

afternoon at leisure to further

explore this delightful town.

Enjoy a day at leisure. Perhaps

savour a relaxing coffee, pop into

the town for a stroll or even head

to the beach.

Leave Hoi An for Hue, taking a

scenic route over the Hai Van

Pass. The epitome of Vietnam’s

dynastic past, Hue is a dignified

and scholarly city. Visit the

imposing Imperial Citadel and

Forbidden Purple City. The

magnificent centrepiece of the

Royal Empire, the citadel was

extensively damaged during the

Vietnam War. Visit the UNESCO

World Heritage Royal Tomb of

Minh Mang, a complex of 40

monuments set in surroundings

of gardens and pools. Continue

to the old Thien Mu Pagoda

before taking a cruise on the

Perfume River.

Fly to Hanoi this morning. After lunch, enjoy a tour of the city, taking in the Ho Chi Minh Quarter, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Confucian Temple of Literature. End the day's explorations with a thrilling cyclo tour through Phan Dinh Phung street and the Old Quarter. Wrap up your ride with a strong Vietnamese coffee at a café overlooking St. Joseph's Cathedral.

Travel to Sapa by coach through the Northern Highlands, arriving in the mid to late afternoon. Vast panoramas of stepped rice terraces ribbon their way across these hills; a testament to the extraordinary skills of the local farmers.

Spend the next two days discovering this verdant and beautiful area of rolling

hills and rice terraces with some light walking through the surrounding valleys and villages, and visits to ethnic minority communities including those of the H'mong people.

Take a cable car ride up Mt Fansipan, the highest mountain in Indochina, and admire the views as you get close to the top. Time permitting, you may wish to walk to the summit to enjoy incredible views from a breath-taking 3,143 metres. After lunch, drive back to Hanoi.

Drive east to Halong Bay, where you'll spend the afternoon and night cruising amongst magnificent karst peaks on the tranquil green waters of Halong Bay, and even explore one of the bay's many caves.

Rise early to admire sunrise over the bay as you cruise back toward the port. Spend the morning cruising back to the pier for your return transfer to Hanoi. Enjoy a farewell dinner and attend a spectacular Vietnamese stage performance.

Fly to the UK, arriving home the

same or following day.