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The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, is ready to welcome you when you arrive. Get acclimatised and familiarise yourself with the city by wandering the tree-lined avenues. There’s a group welcome meeting then you’ll dine at KOTO (Know One, Teach One), a well-established training restaurant for disadvantaged youths. You’ll be served a blend of Vietnamese, South-East Asian and Western foods.
You’ll set an early alarm today, but (blissfully) there’s no commuter slog ahead. Instead, you’re off to Hoan Kiem Lake for a Tai Chi and Laughing Yoga session. Mind and body aligned, you’ll feast on /pho, /a Vietnamese soup, for breakfast before setting off on a walk around Hanoi’s Old Quarter where you’ll sample egg coffee. You’ll try /bun cha/ for lunch, a local speciality dish of noodles, broth and meat served alongside some greens. Later, there’s wine tasting in store, led by local expert Thang. You’ll hear his far-flung traveller tales where he discovered global alcohol-making processes. Then learn how he has introduced teas to enrich the taste of his wines.
After breakfast, you’ll make the four-hour journey by road to Halong Bay. A spellbinding sight, this is where thousands of limestone pillars rise from an emerald-hued sea. You’ll set sail through the karst scenery with lunch served on board and later enjoy sunset cocktails and dinner. You’ll sleep onboard tonight, sharing twin-share cabins with en-suite facilities. Please be aware that the boat trip on Halong Bay can be subject to short notice change if certain adverse weather conditions develop during your trip.
Rise with the sun for tai chi onboard before breakfast. Afterwards, you'll kayak past ethereal grottoes before jumping back on board to cruise back to the mainland and head to the airport for a short flight to Hue (pronounced ‘hway’) on the banks of the Perfume River. As the ancient home of the Nguyen emperors, Hue claims to be the true cultural and historic centre of Vietnam.
There’s a historic immersion lined up today. First, you’ll visit the Imperial City of Hue, a complex of the emperor’s residence, palaces, shrines and state buildings. Although it’s a fraction of what was once here (it was badly bombed in the wars that afflicted Vietnam), it’s a fascinating glimpse into Vietnamese history. In the afternoon, you’ll visit the Peaceful Bamboo Family, an uplifting community for children with learning disabilities. You’ll have lunch in their biodynamic garden, see their lacquer painting workshop, and have the chance to buy handmade incense and jams.
After breakfast, you’ll take a private bus to Hoi An, once a major trading port that has retained its old-world charm. You’ll have a walking tour of the Old Town, drinking in the history of the 800 centuries-old buildings. Later, there’s an optional lantern making class. (additional cost) if you wish to participate or free time to relax or explore.
After a morning that’s all yours, in the afternoon you’ll take a leisurely bike ride to Tra Que Vegetable Village. Observe how the locals live and grow their produce, then visit a chef’s home to feast on a spread of the regional dishes.
Tear yourself away from Hoi An – today you’re bound for Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, as it’s now known. You’ll take a short flight to this vibrant, chaotic city. Prepare for an assault on your senses: the relentless racket of scooters and a riot of colourful markets. You’ll take a guided visit to the moving and powerful War Remnants Museum. It’s a horrifying but enlightening insight into the atrocities that afflicted this nation. Tonight, you’ll join the throngs of scooters on a street tour by Vespa. You’ll be guided to the less-explored pockets of the city to try the best of Saigon’s street food.
You’ll visit the Cu Chi tunnels today, an intricate system of underground tunnels that wind for 120 miles. Used by the Viet Cong, the network has living areas, weapon factories, field hospitals and kitchens. On the tour, you’ll hear about the impact the wars had on the local communities. Above ground, your day continues with a cooking class at the Spice Garden restaurant under the expert guidance of a local chef. Having devoured your creations, you’ll return to HCMC. Tonight, there’s an optional dinner and drinks for a fitting farewell to your group before preparing to return home tomorrow.
After a final breakfast in Ho Chi Minh City, a transfer will take you to the airport for your flight home.
* Eight nights in comfortable resorts and boutique hotels
* One night afloat in twin-share cabins
* All breakfast, four lunches and four dinners are included
* Vegetarian food is widely available, however the offering will be fairly
similar in most places
* There are plenty of opportunities to try Vietnam’s excellent and
distinctive food, with menus that balance salty, sweet, sour and hot
flavours
* Eight nights in comfortable resorts and boutique hotels
* One night afloat in twin-share cabins
* A busy but physically easy-going itinerary that visits some of the main
highlights of Vietnam
* Travel by private air-conditioned minibus and two internal flights
* Solo room accommodation available on request (not available for 1 night on
overnight boat in Halong Bay)
Hotels and Boat
*La Belle Vie Hotel, Hanoi*
A modern hotel with stylish guestrooms (think polished hardwood floors),
marble reception and a rooftop pool.
*Syrena Cruise, Halong Bay*
A 34 cabin ship styled in Vietnamese hardwood. Each cabin has a with large,
picture window. There’s a restaurant on board and a sundeck that’s a
prime spot for sunset. Solo room accommodation is not available on the boat,
rooms are twin-share.
*Thanh Lich Royal Boutique, Hue*
A smart hotel with lovely rooms, ideally positioned for adventures through
Hue. See the city skyline from the hotel’s pool.
*Le Pavillon Hoi An Paradis, Hoi An*
A stylish boutique hotel in the centre of the ancient town, with bags of
facilities including a rooftop pool and spa.
*Sila Urban Living, Ho Chi Minh City*
A sleek and modern apartment-style hotel, where each spacious room has a
kitchenette.
* All breakfast, four lunches and four dinners are included
* Vegetarian food is widely available, however the offering will be fairly
similar in most places
* There are plenty of opportunities to try Vietnam’s excellent and
distinctive food, with menus that balance salty, sweet, sour and hot
flavours
Exodus Edits offers *FREE* airport arrival and departure transfers on any
flight for this trip, for both Land Only and Flight Inclusive clients. Unless
specified otherwise, the transfer will be to the Exodus Edits start (or
pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel, and will be on the
date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same
city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers may be
shared with other Exodus Edits customers on the same flight, or on a flight
with similar arrival times. All those taking advantage of the free airport
transfers must provide full flight details for both arrival and departure in
advance.
We know that the unexpected can happen. Your plane may get delayed, or things
just don’t go to plan. If you miss your tour departure, check with the
hotel to see if your tour leader has left you a message with details of how
to catch up with your group. If not, call our emergency number (you will find
it on the final joining instructions) and our team will help you. Don’t
forget that you are responsible for any extra travelling expenses incurred if
you miss your tour departure.
*Flights*
Remember, flights aren’t automatically included in your trip. If you’d
like the Exodus Edits team to help you find some good options, give us a call
on +44 020 8772 3837.
* Refillable water bottle
* Swimsuit
* A couple layers for cooler nights
* Insect repellent
* Sunglasses & hat
To cover any additional costs, including meals not included in the itinerary,
we recommend a spending budget of GBP 300/ USD 385/ AUD 565
* Tipping is customary in Vietnam. Although entirely at your discretion, it
is usually expected. To recognise the help of drivers, local guides, hotel
staff and others, a tipping kitty shared with your group can work well. We
suggest a contribution of GBP 29/ USD 37/ AUD 55 per person
* Our local staff are paid well and fairly for their work with Exodus. If
you wish to tip your group leader in appreciation of their help and
friendliness, we recommend GBP 20- 30/ USD 25- 38/ AUD 38- 55 per person
* Travel insurance
* Visas and vaccinations
* Tips for leaders and staff
* International flights
Ved skriftlig aksept av vårt tilbud bekrefter du/dere at våre betingelser er både lest og forstått og at evt kansellerings gebyrer kan tilkomme ved en evt. avbestilling av reisen.