Vietnam: Cultural and Culinary Adventure

Day 1

Arrive Hanoi, Vietnam

With one foot in the past and one in the present, Hanoi is the cultural heart of Vietnam, offering visitors a visceral travel experience that is both captivating and reflective.

Day 2

Hanoi – Legacies and Landmarks

Visit Ho Chi Minh’s house, a simple structure set among banyan and milkweed trees that served as home to the revolutionary guerrilla leader who pursued independence for Vietnam. Continue to the lotus-shaped One Pillar Pagoda, dating back to the first Vietnamese empire independent from China and the Temple of Literature, Hanoi’s first university. Eat a traditional Vietnamese meal at Michelin-starre

Day 3

Hanoi – Charms of the Old Quarter

Ride by cyclo (rickshaw) around Hanoi’s Old Quarter, and then explore Hanoi town on a guided walking tour. Explore a local market, bustling with vendors selling an array of produce. Afterwards, take part in a cooking class where you learn to make regional specialties. Return to the hotel with your afternoon at leisure, free to relax or take advantage of your hotel’s amenities. Later, gather for a

Day 4

Ha Long Bay – Cruising Among the Karsts

Travel to the shores of the Gulf of Tonkin, where you board your vessel for a cruise of picturesque Ha Long and Lan Ha Bays. Relax on deck as your ship snakes its way past countless islets, their striking karst outcrops rising dramatically from the emerald waters. Once anchored, begin exploring this secret hideaway of beaches, caves and coves. Later, watch a sunset framed against the Gulf of Tonki

Day 5

Ha Long Bay and Ho Chi Minh City – Sunrise Over the Bay of Tonkin

Begin with optional traditional morning exercises on the sundeck, followed by breakfast. Set out for a morning excursion among the towering limestone pinnacles. Return for brunch on board as you cruise back to home port. Disembark and drive to Hai Phong for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Formerly Saigon, the city now named for “Uncle Ho” enchants with bustling streets abuzz with motorbikes, frie

Day 6

Ho Chi Minh City – Design Your Day

Start your day with a cyclo ride to a local park. Stroll through this neighborhood gathering place and observe the locals partaking in their morning rituals, from tai chi practice to a game of badminton. Stop for a cup of freshly brewed Vietnamese coffee before continuing to a local shop serving up banh mi — a crispy, light baguette stuffed with egg or other fillings, such as pâté, cold cuts and p

Day 7

Ho Chi Minh City – Waterways of the Mekong Delta

Drive to My Tho in the Mekong Delta, where you board a traditional wooden boat to Thoi Son island. Disembark to visit a fishfarming family as well as a mushroom farm and grapefruit orchard. Stop for lunch at the island’s lodge before cruising back to the mainland, returning to Ho Chi Minh City by late afternoon. After some time to relax and freshen up at your hotel, gather for rooftop cocktails at

Day 8

Depart Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, privately transfer to the airport for your departing flight.