Day 1: Arrival - Ho Chi Minh
On arrival at Tan San Nhat Airport, you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. The bustling Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals, is a center of commerce, finance, culture and tourism in Vietnam. This metropolis ,contradiction of its northern counterpart, is crowded with bikes and motorbikes, excited by numerous shopping areas and sidewalk cafés. ( If time permits) we stroll around the down town to explore the different local ways of life. O/N in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 2 : Ho Chi Minh - Cu Chi Tunnels - Ho Chi Minh
The incredible underground network in Cu Chi stretched over 200 kilometres and became legendary during the American war. The extensive tunnels have been specially constructed with living areas, storage facilities, weapon factories, filed hospitals, command centres, plus accommodation. Today we have an excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels to visit an exposition hall and a widened section of the tunnels to get a feel of the underground life. There are also possibilities to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range. The following programme is a sightseeing of major sights in Ho Chi Minh City. We drive past many lively streets on our way to the Reunification Palace. This mansion was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975. Close to the palace are some striking French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. We see these before going to the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War remnant exhibit. The final stop is Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sale!. O/N in Ho Chi Minh. (B)

Day 3 : Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh
Heading out of town, we travel by roads to the Mekong Delta. This plain region boasts the largest rice bowl of Vietnam. On arrival in My Tho we board a boat navigating around the intricate small canals, which is a great way to observe the local lifestyle close-up and catch a view dotted by many islands. The exciting river trip will pass by the lush green vegetation towards the famous Unicorn Island where we have a chance to stroll around an orchard, taste many seasonal fruits and see farmers at work. We navigate some narrower canals using small rowing boats to Ben Tre Province for an interesting visit to some local industries. The extra enjoyment is a lunch at one of the famous local eating spots. We drive back to Ho Chi Minh, stopping off en route to see the beautiful Ving Trang Pagoda and the Saigon’s Chinatown, locally named Cho Lon. This bustling area is crammed with sacred temples and mysterious, narrow lanes. O/N in Ho Chi Minh. (B,L)

Day 4: Ho Chi Minh - Da Lat
The journey northwards begins as we depart Ho Chi Minh and pass through the many tea and coffee plantations to the hill station of Da Lat, sometimes known as the " City of Eternal Spring". The drive is long but views are fantastic all along the way. Once arriving in Da Lat we can soak up the cool climate as much as we want by spending our time to wander around and catch our first glimpse of this town. The influence of the French is evident in local culture and architecture since Da Lat was founded as a hill retreat for the colonials to escape the oppressive heat in the coastal plains and the chaos of Saigon. This charming town is set around a lake and surrounded by forests, waterfalls and rolling countryside. O/N in Da Lat. (B)

Day 5: Da Lat - Nha Trang
Today we enjoy a drive through the charming pine hill to the summer residence of Vietnam’s last Emperor Bao Dai. He was forced to abdicate in 1945, shortly after the end of the World War II. This mansion displays a lovely collection of Vietnam treasures. We follow it with a trip to the sacred Lam Ty Ni Pagoda and the Hang Nga Guesthouse. This construction is well known as the Crazy House because of its bizarre architecture. The lively central market and the old rail station are also visited before we travel by roads passing through the undulating terrains to the picturesque coastal town of Nha Trang. En route we make stopover at the scenic Ngoan Muc Pass and the Po Klong Jarai Cham Towers. These amazing structures represent an interesting culture and a colorful history of the Cham people in central coast areas. O/N in Nha Trang. (B)

Day 6: Nha Trang
The turquoise water surrounding a string of islands and the white sandy beach stretching the whole length of Nha Trang City make it one of Vietnam's premier beach resorts. Today we join a group for a boat trip out to explore the coastal islands. We have plenty of time to enjoy swimming and snorkeling on the blue and clear water or simply lazing on a beach. The thrilling boat trip continues towards Hon Tam Island, giving us a choice of various water sports and good restaurant for lunch. By mid afternoon we cruise back to Nha Trang Pier and complete our day with a short city tour. The impressive Ponagar Cham Towers overlooking the colourful fishing port, and the famous Long Son Pagoda with its huge Buddha image are a major part of our sightseeing. O/N in Nha Trang. (B,L)

Day 7: Nha Trang - Danang - Hoi An
An early morning transfer to the train station for a day train journey to Danang. The train conditions are basic; however this journey is in keeping with the adventurous nature of our trips and allows you to experience a taste of the 'real Vietnam'. The food on board is not the best you will have in Vietnam, so we recommend you to prepare some foods, water, snack. We arrive in Danang Train Station by mid afternoon and take a short drive to visit the famous Cham Museum, formerly the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient. This museum contains many exquisite limestone carvings from the vanquished Kingdom of Champa which has been the central coastal littoral prior to the march of the Vietnamese nation south. We continue driving to Hoi An which was originally a Cham seaport but has been influenced down centuries by a myriad of traders from various cultures. O/N in Hoi An. (B)

Day 8: Hoi An
The ancient architecture of Hoi An is a fascinating combination of Vietnamese traditional characters with Chinese and Japanese influence. There are plenty to see in this delightful and tranquil town, some of which are the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200 years old Tam Ky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda and the vibrant central market. We visit these sites on our morning walking tour past many low tiled houses scattered along the small streets and assembly halls which reflect the town's multi-cultural past. The remainder of the day will be free for your own exploration of the town or simply relaxation on a beach. O/N in Hoian. (B)

Day 9: Hoian - Hue
Heading out of town we travel by roads to Hue. The winding road begins as we make our way up the spectacular Hai Van pass. A view from the top of the pass is one of Vietnam’s most impressive panoramic scenes. We make a break by Lang Co Beach for a leisurely swim. On arrival in Hue we visit the massive citadel, containing the Imperial City and the Purple Forbidden City. This royal residence was all but destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, however it is still fascinating to walk among the ruins. The sightseeing tour of Hue continues with a walk to the bustling Dong Ba Market that sells a wide variety of local goods and handicrafts. Along the way we pass many fantastic eating spots, all ideal for visitors to sample some local delicacies. O/N in Hue. (B)

Day 10: Hue - Hanoi
The beautiful riverside Thien Mu Pagoda is one of the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious work ship in Hue. We include this in a half day cruise on the Perfume River which also gives us a taste of the scenic countryside and an enjoyable visit to the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang. This impressive landmark in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes, reflects the beautiful architecture, intricate decor and mysterious statues. Afterwards we take a short drive though the rolling hill to see the elaborate royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. By mid afternoon we take a short flight to Hanoi. On arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is a stylish and gracious city that retains an unique old world charm and some Asia's most striking colonial architecture. The many lakes and parks make for relaxing atmosphere. O/N in Hanoi. (B)

Day 11 : Hanoi
Today we spend a full day exploring the charming Hanoi City. The first stop is Ho Chi Minh Complex containing the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city. We follow it with a visit to the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam and the History Museum with an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the Vietnamese history. The sightseeing also includes the outlaying Ethnologic Museum, dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. Afterwards we drive back to the town center, stopping at the Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple. They are some major highlights set by the beautiful West Lake. We see these sights before continuing to the peaceful lake of Hoan Kiem with its sacred temple. In front of this lake is the famous water puppet theatre where we will see a fantastic performance. O/N in Ha Noi. (B)

Day 12: Ha Long - Ha Noi
Heading out of town we travel by roads to Halong Bay, truly one of Vietnam ‘s most scenic impressive sights. On arrival in Halong Town we embark on a traditional boat and settle into a private cabin for a two days navigating around the legendary Halong Bay. Along the way we enjoy a huge lunch served on board and admire the picturesque scenery of islands. These limestone karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. We will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to Sung Sot cave, one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. The remainder of day is for your own pleasure; observing the bay, lazing around the deck or simply soaking up the sunshine. O/N on board. (B, L,D)

Day 13: Halong Bay - Hanoi
The sailing junks navigating past over 3,000 limestone islands and outcrops jutting out of the clear and emerald water of the bay make for a marvelous scene. We have an option to get up early to observe the splendid landscape and see the fishmen on a morning catch. The impressive cruise weave its way past many multiform rocks. These imposing islets are aptly named by their distinctive shapes. The next stop is Luon cave, giving us a chance to explore a water tunnel in a scenic lagoon. Upon leaving this area we continue cruising through Bai Tu Long and arrange our luggage to disembark at noon. The splendid landscape of Halong Bay will be left behind as we start our return journey. We arrive in Hanoi by mid afternoon and spend the time for our own exploration of the town. O/N in Hanoi. (B)

Day 14: Ha Noi - Departure
There is a free time to relax or further explore Ha Noi. The tour ends after your transfer to Noi Bai Airport for departure. (B)