After arriving at Tan Son Nhut Airport, you will be transferred to the hotel, stopping briefly along the way at the post office and the Notre Dame Cathedral – two elegant reminders of France’s colonial past. After checking into the hotel, you will have lunch at a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant.

After lunch, you will return to the hotel and the rest of the afternoon will be free to spend at your leisure.

Your guide and driver will pick you up a for a two-day tour of the Mekong Delta region where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through nine tributaries. The Delta is one of the most fertile areas of the country and is also called the "rice basket" of Vietnam.

First, you head for Mytho where you board a boat to visit the Cai Be floating market. Boats of all sizes ply the waters, and fruits, vegetables and flowers are among the many kinds of produce that you can find for sale here.

After lunch with Vietnamese specialties on An Binh Island, you will explore the island by bicycle.

In the afternoon, you will continue by boat to Vinh Long and then drive to Cantho, the political and economic centre of the Mekong Delta. After arriving in Cantho, the rest of the day is free to spend at your leisure.

Today is a free day to explore this World Heritage site on your own. For those who are interested, we have a wide range of tours or activities in and around Hoi An. It is possible to rent a bicycle and explore the surroundings of Hoi An or spend time on the delightful Cua Dai Beach, only 4 kms from Hoi An. It is also possible to make an excursion to the Cham ruins of My Son, another World Heritage site.

After breakfast, you will be picked up at the hotel by your guide and driver ready for your visit to the Marble Mountains and the famous Cham Museum in Danang. This lovely museum displays artefacts from the culture of Champa.

You will continue your drive to Hue over the Hai Van Pass from where you have fantastic views over the South China Sea. In the afternoon you will enjoy a delicious seafood lunch at a restaurant in Lang Co. 

After arriving in Hue, you will visit the Forbidden Purple City, constructed under Emperor Gia Long's reign in the early 19th century AD. It's located inside the Citadel of Hue, which was badly damaged during the Tet offensive in 1968.

After you arrive at the railway station in Hanoi, your luggage will be transferred to the hotel while you start touring right away (rooms will not be available until noon).

You start off with a delicious breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants before you start your day tour, which takes in all of Hanoi's essential sights. You will first visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and museum, and then the One Pillar Pagoda and Hoi Chi Minh's House on Stilts*.

You will continue your tour with a visit to the Temple of Literature before heading to the Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake. The Ngoc Son temple is set on a tiny island on the Hoan Kiem Lake and dates back to the 13th century. The lake itself is a picturesque focal point of Hanoi, frequented by tourists and locals alike.

After a sumptuous lunch, you will take a relaxing one-hour cyclo tour through the Old Quarter. Also known as the 36 streets, this bustling area of narrow streets is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It's a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities.

Once the tour is over, you will head to the Flower Hotel where you will stay overnight.

* The Mausoleum and Museum are closed on Monday and Friday and usually during the months of October and November for maintenance. If the Mausoleum and Museum are closed, you will visit the Museum of Ethnology, widely acknowledged as the best in the country. The museum houses a display dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic minority peoples.

You will be met upon arrival at Lao Cai railway station by your guide and driver. Lao Cai is right on the Vietnamese/Chinese border. The majority of the inhabitants of Lao Cai province are ethnic minorities such as Hmong, Thai, Zao, Giay, Nung, Tay, Sa Pho, Lolo, Xa Mang and Phu La, and most of these tribal people still wear their traditional dress.

You will drive to Sapa, about 30 kms from Lao Cai. This town, formerly know as Cha Pa, is at the foot of the Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain in Vietnam.

After arriving in Sapa, you can settle into your hotel and freshen up.

The morning is free and then you will check out at noon and transfer to Lao Cai in the late afternoon.

You will spend the night on the 2nd class sleeper train to Hanoi.

After driving back to Hanoi, you will have the rest of the day free for some last minute shopping. The Old Quarter, in particular, is full of some great little shops selling all sorts of exquisite handicrafts like lacquer ware, colorful lanterns, tribal silverware, luxurious silk clothing and much more.

In the evening, you will have a farewell dinner at our favorite restaurant in Hanoi.