Vietnam Luxury Journey

Arrive in Hanoi and be welcomed at the International Airport by the team and transferred to the hotel in the city center, check-in. Have a rest and recover after a long journey by air or you venture out to explore the city on your own. In the evening, have dinner at the famous restaurant in town.

Today you will have a full-day cultural city tour with a local guide for an insight into Vietnamese history. You will first visit the historic Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho Chi Minh made his speech of manifesto the Declaration of Independence, marking the birth of the young Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Resume to the stilt house, his temporary residence from 1954 – 1969, and the One Pillar Pagoda was founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049. Next, visit the Temple of Literature, the Vietnam’s first university, built in the 11th century and then continue to Westlake to visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest Buddhist pagodas in Hanoi and the nearby Taoist temple of Quan Thanh, which dates from the Ly Dynasty. In the afternoon, stroll through Hanoi’s Old Quarter with your tour guide and enjoy a cyclo tour experience hustle and bustle of 36 famous Streets of Hanoi Old Quarter. Finish the day with a Water Puppet show, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history.

After you are picked up at the hotel lobby and transferred to Gia Lam Helicopter Port for a memorable flight to Ha Long Bay, circling above the bay for a panoramic view before it’s land at Ha Long helipad. Our private shuttle van with the team will drive you to Tuan Chau International Marina. Relax at the Paradise Café. Then get on board with welcome drinks. The cruise will begin sailing with a special seafood lunch shortly. The cruise continues towards Cua Van floating village, where you will take a ride by row boat or paddle a kayak to visit the village. back to the cruise and resume sailing in Ha Long Bay, passing by Tien Ong Cave, Trong Cave, Ho Dong Tien, Luon Cave, and Ti Top Island. The boat will cast anchor at Coconut Three Island for an overnight stay. A cooking demonstration will take place. You are invited to join us and learn how to toast in the Vietnamese way with rice wine. Pre-dinner. cocktail serving canapé and nuts will be available on the sundeck until 19:00 hours. Dinner will be served. You can wear a traditional Bao Dai dress for a photo shoot with the cruise manager. Evening activities will follow with movie night or board games or squid fishing or Beauty & Spa services on-board.

Early risers can join the Tai Chi session on the sundeck. Coffee and tea with assorted homemade pastries will be available from 07:00. You will explore the Amazing Cave by tender boat. Sung Sot-Amazing Cave is one of the most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay. The magnificent limestone formations inside will surprise you. Return to the boat for an international a-la-carte breakfast and then set sail back to the pier. Arrive at Tuan Chau Island. Disembark and take a helicopter flight back to Gia Lam Heliport and then take a land transfer to Hanoi Airport for the domestic flight to Danang. Upon arrival at Danang Airport, meet our representative for a transfer to your hotel.

Transfer to Hai Scout Café in Hoi An town for a welcome drink. Visit Hoi An’s colorful market and experience this busy market’s amazing sights, sounds, and aromas. Interaction with the local sellers and learn about all the ingredients used in the cooking lesson later. After the market visit, board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. nThis is a chance to view local river life, so ensure your camera is ready. On arrival, explore the cooking school’s herb garden before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours. The Red Bridge chefs first demonstrate each dish before you prepare the same dish yourself. The class briefly introduces Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, enjoy lunch and indulge your cooking.

After a leisurely breakfast, travel on a shuttle to Hue via the Hai Van mountain pass, along the coast to the former imperial capital of Vietnam and now Hue City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The scenic route passes through Danang where you will visit Cham Museum. This small museum displays various artifacts from the Hindu kingdom of Champa. Resume your journey over the spectacular Hai Van pass (meaning pass of the ocean clouds) and then continue down to the picturesque fishing village of Lang Co. Following the back roads to Thuan An beach, with many stops at the old temples, pagodas, and peaceful lagoons. In the afternoon, visit the mausoleum of former Emperor Tu Duc with its tranquil setting of gardens and lakes, followed by the elaborate European-influenced mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh. You may want to treat yourselves to the Governor’s Colonial Dinner in the evening. An aperitif to be had on the Le Gouverneur terrace followed by a singular culinary experience by the poolside and amidst frangipani trees for a repast inspired by colonial-era traditions. 

Have a half-day Hue City tour in the morning (08:00 hours – 12:00 hours)

Hotel pick-up. You will first drive to visit the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, an elegant seven-tiered octagonal tower that has become Hue’s most widely recognized monument. Relive the grandeur of the Imperial Citadel, where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Afterward, take a cyclo through the ‘Old City’ to Tinh Tam Lake, where the emperors used to come to relax. Have lunch at Tha Om garden house, a traditional house belonging to a descendant of the royal family. Enjoy traditional dishes of Hue prepared by the host and learn more about the local culture. The afternoon is at leisure.

18:00 hours – 23:30 hours. Have a dinner cruise on the Perfume River. You will depart from the hotel heading towards Thien Mu Pagoda. Enjoy the sunset while dining in style with a delicious three-course signature dinner menu. Accommodation at Azerai La Residence Hotel & Spa, Deluxe River-view Room.

Have early check-out and transfer to Hue Airport for the morning flight (by VN1371 08:20 hours – 09:50 hours, subject to change) to the dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by the locals. Have lunch at a selected restaurant. Enjoy a Saigon city tour. You will first head to Cho Lon, the city’s Chinatown district. Visit the Cantonese Thien Hau Pagoda, dedicated to the goddess of the sea, and Vietnam’s first traditional medicine museum, the FITO Museum. Head back to the city center to visit Ben Thanh Market where an incredible display of fresh produce is offered. The evening is free at leisure. An optional dinner at Restaurant Strata Bitexco on the 50th floor of the Saigon’s landmark, the 262 m high Bitexco Financial Tower, is recommendable. You will have the opportunity to experience a fantastic 360-degree view of Saigon City and its surroundings at night by taking the high-speed elevator up to the observation deck (your own account)

Pick up at the hotel, transfer to the Bac Dang Pier in District 1, and embark on a luxury speedboat to Cu Chi Tunnels. It’s 65 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City with an amazing tunnel complex used during the Vietnam War. More than 200 km of tunnels comprising three levels with many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and fighting trenches. You have the chance to crawl through this incredible system of tunnels.

Be picked up at the hotel and transferred to Ben Tre, the “Coconut Land” of the Mekong Delta. Board on Mango Cruise, the private motorized sampan is charmingly designed for exploration in the areas untouched by commercial tourism, complete with an on board bar, comfortable cushioned chairs, and a private washroom. It’s open-sided, allowing the river’s breeze to refresh. The rest of the day is to visit the cottage industry, where the locals traditionally make bricks, coconut products, rice noodles, rice papers for spring rolls dishes and, taking rowing sampan to discover the maze of small canals, biking along the village path to visit local families, an enjoy views of rice paddies before returning to Saigon late in the afternoon.

At leisure until a pick-up and transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your international flight to the next destination.