Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive in Hanoi and get picked up from the airport for the drive to your hotel. By around 6pm, you meet up with your tour leader and the rest of the group. That evening, your tour leader has organized a welcome dinner at a local restaurant so everyone can get acquainted before the trip really begins.
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Group gathering and orientation
- Welcome dinner at local restaurant
Optional Activities
- Pre-tour hotel nights in Hanoi (must be secured through sales representative)
- Day 2
Hanoi
After breakfast, you head out by minibus with your tour leader to see Hanoi's main sights. The morning includes the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university, followed by a walk through the Old Quarter with its narrow streets and local life. You'll stop at Long Bien Bridge and the historic station, where you can grab a drink in a converted railway building while watching trains go by. From there, the rest of your day is yours to wander around however you'd like.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Temple of Literature
- Walking tour of Old Quarter
- Visit to Long Bien Bridge and Station
- Drink at repurposed railway building
Landmarks Temple of Literature Old Quarter Long Bien Bridge - Day 3
Hanoi to Ha Long Bay
An early start gets you on the four-hour drive to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site with roughly 3,000 limestone peaks. You board a traditional junk boat that'll be your home for the night. After setting off, lunch is fresh seafood served on deck as you float past the forested limestone formations. There's a hike to a viewpoint on a beach stop for great views, plus time to swim in the designated area. As evening comes, you relax topside watching the sunset before heading to your twin-share cabin with its private bathroom.
- Meals
- Lunch (Seafood lunch on deck), Dinner
Included Activities
- Drive to Ha Long Bay
- Traditional junk boat cruise
- Seafood lunch on deck
- Beach hike with viewpoint
- Swimming in designated area
- Sunset viewing from top deck
Optional Activities
- Kayaking trip (available depending on weather conditions, extra cost)
Landmarks Ha Long Bay - Day 4
Ha Long Bay to Hue
The morning continues with cruising through Ha Long Bay looking at the limestone pinnacles before the boat heads back to port around midday. From there, it's a three to four hour drive back to Hanoi Airport for your afternoon flight to Hue (about 1 hour 15 minutes). You'll check into your hotel in the city center and have the evening free to either rest up or do some exploring on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Morning cruise around Ha Long Bay
- Flight from Hanoi to Hue
- Day 5
Hue
Your morning is spent at the Imperial Citadel, walking through the palaces, halls, and what's left of the Forbidden Purple City. Next, you visit Tu Duc's tomb, one of the most elaborate mausoleums built by the Nguyen emperors. Lunch is plant-based and happens at the An Nhien Garden, a family-owned space that's been in the same hands for 22 generations. The afternoon and evening are yours to do as you wish, though there's an optional cruise along the Perfume River with traditional music if you're interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Plant-based lunch at An Nhien Garden)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Imperial Citadel
- Visit to Tu Duc's tomb
- Plant-based lunch at An Nhien Garden
Optional Activities
- Afternoon cruise along Perfume River with traditional Hue music (extra cost)
Landmarks Imperial Citadel of Hue Tu Duc Tomb An Nhien Garden Perfume River - Day 6
Hue to Hoi An
You leave Hue for an 81 mile scenic drive that goes through the Lang Co peninsula, with a crystalline lagoon on one side and the Eastern Sea on the other. The route crosses Hai Van pass with its great views, and you'll stop at Marble Mountain for a short climb through some large caves that served as a Viet Cong hospital during the war, with views out to My Khe beach from the peak. Later, you arrive in Hoi An for a guided walking tour of the Old Town, the original European trading port in Vietnam and now a living museum with wooden merchant houses and pagoda-style temples. After that tour, you can explore on your own or join an optional tour to the 10th-century Ba Le Well for lunch.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Drive through Lang Co peninsula
- Climb at Marble Mountain and cave exploration
- Guided walking tour of Hoi An Old Town
Optional Activities
- Optional tour to 10th-century Ba Le Well for lunch (extra cost)
Landmarks Lang Co Peninsula Hai Van Pass Marble Mountain My Khe Beach Hoi An Old Town Ba Le Well 
- Day 7
Hoi An
Following breakfast, you head to Tra Que, an agricultural village just outside Hoi An where residents have started community-based tourism. You join a hands-on cooking class with a local chef right in the village's herb gardens, then eat what you've prepared for lunch. The rest of your day is free to do whatever you want, and that evening your tour leader sets up a final group dinner so everyone can share favorite moments from the trip.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch of prepared culinary creations from cooking class), Dinner (Final group dinner)
Included Activities
- Visit to Tra Que agricultural village
- Hands-on cooking class with local chef
- Lunch of prepared creations
- Final group dinner
Landmarks Tra Que - Day 8
Hoi An to Airport
Your trip comes to an end today. After breakfast, you get a free transfer to the airport. If you want to stay longer in the region, talk to your sales rep about options like a beach wellness retreat or other Southeast Asia tours such as Discover Laos in Comfort or Treasures of Northern Thailand.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
Optional Activities
- Extension: Beach wellness retreat (must be booked through sales representative)
- Alternative adventures: Discover Laos in Comfort or Treasures of Northern Thailand (must be booked separately)
