(EJ) Vietnam Explorer – 14 Feb 2025 – Fully Escorted ex Perth

Meet Travel with Me Director, Annette Porter, at Perth Airport on day of departure. If departing from another Australian City then we will advise the meetup location.

Our driver will be waiting for us at Hanoi Airport. The journey from the airport to your hotel will take approximately one hour and is an entertaining experience full of chaotic traffic, hectic architecture and overloaded motorbikes.

Welcome to Vietnam!

Hanoi is a window to a world from long ago that has been dragged into the present. Motorbikes whizz around, ladies haggle over the price of bread being sold from a bicycle, business deals are struck over a cup of green tea, whilst sitting on little plastic stools by the side of the road. Prepare to be amazed by this frantic, yet incredibly charming slice of real Asia.

6.30pm our tour guide will meet us at the hotel and take us to a nice restaurant for a Welcome Dinner.

After that, free time at your leisure to explore Hanoi by night.

Accommodation

• GM Premium Hotel – Deluxe Room

Depart at 8:30am from your hotel. We will begin our day by visiting Uncle Ho, learning about his great life at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, and his residential place. Next stop is the nearby Temple of Literature. The site of Vietnam’s first University, built in twelfth century, to teach the royals the Confucius theory. Here we will also have a chance to see a traditional music performance, if available. Lunch will be served at Koto restaurant.

KOTO – Know One Teach One. A training centre for former street kids/underprivileged and at risk youth, in all areas of Hospitality. This program has changed the lives of hundreds of Vietnamese young people and their families

In the afternoon, we have 1 hour cyclo tour to visit the Old Quarter and surrounds to enjoy the excitement of the Old Quarter. After that, we head off with our local guide to discover some amazing street food around the old town of Hanoi. Sampling some of the greatest street foods in Hanoi while walking around the city is certainly a highlight, we will finish with one of Vietnams most famous coffees, Ca Phe Trung, Egg Coffee.

Shops are open late so always time for shopping after our street food tour.

Accommodation

• GM Premium Hotel – Deluxe Room

For your tour to Ha Long Bay you only need to take some essential items and leave your main luggage at the hotel in Hanoi.  Bring your swimsuit, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, toiletries, change of clothes, something warm for the winter months and a book or journal, etc.  And don’t forget your camera.

09.00: Our driver will meet us at hotel and transfer to Halong Bay.

12:00: Warmly welcomed by Signature Team in Halong International Harbour. Complete the luggage check-in procedure at the waiting lounge before boarding our privately chartered cruise boat.

12:45 Transferred to the Signature Cruise by a tender boat. The Cruise Manager and the whole crew member welcome you onboard, a safety briefing and clearing out the itinerary will be delivered while you are enjoying our signature welcome drink

13:00 Lunch is served at our cozy restaurant. As the cruise departs towards Bai Tu Long Bay – a hidden gem of Halong Bay Complex, absorb yourself in the gorgeous scenery and famous sights of limestone

14:45 The cruise stops at Vung Vieng Floating fishing village, a wealthy fishing village and had its reputation for culturing pearls. Here we have time to discover the life and culture of fishing people by kayaking for free and traditional woven (bamboo) boat rowed by a local boatman.

16:00: Back to the Signature Cruise to enjoy your free time. Massage is available -please book in advance with the Cruise Manager.

18:00 – 19:00 HAPPY HOUR Take advantage of the Happy hours “Buy 1 get 1 free” drink while the sun is giving way to stunning twilight.

17:30 Cooking Demonstration of traditional Vietnamese dishes will be organized by Athena Head Chef

19:00 A fusion set menu will be served to warm up your stomach after a long active day

20:30 Free time for evening activities: film entertainment, mini-games (in the dining room); squid fishing; massage… The Cruise Manager will be there to support you

Accommodation

• Signature Cruise Private Charter

NOTICE: Wifi connection is available on board but has limited internet connectivity throughout the itinerary due to the sea and karst limestones and mountains blocking the signal from the satellites. Please take this into your consideration.

06.30 Start a day with a Tai Chi session, enjoy the fresh air and watch the sunrise on the bay. 07.00 Have a light breakfast on board. 7.30 – 8.45 Explore Bright cave on a traditional rowing bamboo boat with locals. 9.00 Return to the cruise, check-out. CABIN CHECK-OUT: 09:00 AM 9.30 Enjoy brunch at the restaurant while cruising back to Tuan Chau port. 11.00 Disembark at Tuan Chau Marina. Get on our bus and drive to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Hue.

Flight Hanoi – HUE: TBA

Arrival HUE, you will be picked up and transferred to hotel, check in and relax.

Stop on the way to the airport to visit a traditional workshop and refreshment about 30 minutes then go straight to Hanoi airport for a short flight to Hue. Dinner at your own cost.

Arrival Hue, you will be collected and transferred to hotel. Check in and relax.

Accommodation

• Romance Hotel – Deluxe Room

8.00am Our guide will meet us at our hotel and take us to begin our touring with a visit to Khai Dinh Tom. Then continue to visit Hue’s Citadel and Forbidden Purple City to learn about Vietnam’s emperors and their intriguing histories. It is here that the emperor lived with his wife, concubines, eunuchs and flock of staff. The buildings are currently being restored to their former glory, bringing the complex back to life and igniting your imagination. Including: Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh). Have lunch at a pagoda. After that, embark on the boat drive through Perfume River to enjoy the sightseeing, docking the Thien Mu Pagoda. Back to hotel and relax.

Accommodation

• Romance Hotel – Deluxe Room

At 8.00am our driver will pick you up at your hotel transfer to Hoi an, stop at coffee shop at Lang Co. Then continue driving over Hai Van Pass, My Khe Beach. Arrival Hoi An, have lunch at Banh My Phuong Hoi An.

After that, back to hotel, check in and relax.

15.00pm our tour guide takes you for a walking tour. Known as Faifo to early Western traders, Hoi An was one of the major trading centres in South East Asia between the 16th & 17th centuries. A charming 16th century merchant town, with strong Japanese and Chinese influences, Hoi An is best explored on foot. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved architecture, it is also a thriving centre of traditional handicrafts. Wander through the cobbled streets, past low tile-roofed buildings, the bustling central market and the small harbour where colourfully painted boats are moored. Your walking tour will include visits to a private house where members of the same family have lived continuously for centuries in a traditional setting to one of the family chapels built by prominent merchant or official families as centers for ancestor worship. Finally, continue to the famous Japanese Covered Bridge Pagoda, first constructed in 1593 by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link the town with the Chinese quarters across the stream.

Accommodation

• Hoi An Historic Hotel – Superior Room

We start the day (8.15am) with a welcome drink at Hai Café (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street)  Hoi An Ancient Town.

Visit Hoi An’s colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and learn about all the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later.

We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy.

On arrival, we 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 we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, we sit down and eat what we have cooked.

Accommodation

• Hoi An Historic Hotel – Superior Room

Another day in paradise. You may choose to lounge by your resort pool, swim at the beach or indulge in a massage, facial or pedicure.

For those wanting action, optional activities include a half day countryside cycling tour, scuba, snorkeling, abseiling, fishing or a photography tour. We can include any of these in your itinerary.

Cultural options include My Son ancient ruins, historical walking tour of Hoi An or Marble Mountain.

Accommodation

• Hoi An Historic Hotel – Superior Room

Free time until our driver meet you at hotel then transfer you to airport for a short flight to Saigon.

Flight Da Nang – Saigon (flight time TBC)

Arrival Saigon, you will be picked up and transfer to central for a short city tour, visit Reunification Palace and the Post Office

Have lunch at local restaurant. After that, back to hotel for check in. Free time in the evening.

Accommodation

• Silverland May Hotel – Premier Room

This morning you will be met at your hotel at 8.00am by guide for the journey west from Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi. On arrival you will be guided through the famous tunnels used by the communist guerrillas during the Vietnam War. The tunnel network stretches over 250km and extends to three levels underground providing you with a remarkable insight into the hardships, courage, determination and terror of a guerrilla war. Back to Saigon and have lunch at nice restaurant.

After lunch, we have a short tour visiting War Remnants Museum and stop for free shopping at Saigon Square markets.

Dinner at your own cost.

• Accommodation
  • Silverland May Hotel – Premier Room

08:30AM Pick up at the hotel, leaving the busiest city and start the trip to Ben Tre.

On arrival at Ham Luong Pier (Ben Tre town), take a boat on Ben Tre River – one of the tributaries of the Mekong River. Sight-seeing includes fluvial activities such as fishing and water transferring (irrigation on a large scale). Stop at a brickworks (kiln) to see how to make bricks in a handmade traditional style by printing and baking. Visit one of plenty of coconut processing workshops located along the canal. Take a walk to the family workshop making sleeping mats and enjoy some fruits and tea. Take a bike ride (or xe loi) on shady paths, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to experience the reality of local life and find out about tropical culture from the locals in the area.

Lunch at a local restaurant This afternoon, take a rowing-boat down water palm creeks and then the boat back to Hung Vuong Pier. Disembark and return to Saigon.

Accommodation

• Silverland May Hotel – Premier Room

Free day today to enjoy the hotel facilities or to organise some last minute shopping.

Farewell Dinner tonight

Accommodation

• Silverland May Hotel – Premier Room

Check out before 12.00, Transfer to airport for flight home, or to Danang if extending for Hoi An RnR