Vietnam in 10-Day for the flash pack with premium stays

Hanoi, where streets blare with the horns of innumerable scooters, colonial architecture provides a visual feast and the smell of street food accents the air at every turn. You are invited into the home of a Hanoian family for a traditional Cha Ca meal. Sitting in their living room alongside three generations, you’ll get to feast upon a traditional fish or vegetarian dish that’s near-impossible to find outside of a family kitchen. Get to know your generous hosts and fellow travellers.

Ha Long Bay or the Bay of the Descending Dragon. Legend has it that a dragon created these thousand little islands.
Board your luxury cruise boat and cruise amongst the 2,000 islands that dot this UNESCO world heritage site until you reach the isolated and lesser-explored Lan Ha Bay.
After lunch on deck, kayak the emerald water and may be explore one of the caves. Enjoy the gorgeous scenery on deck, cocktails and a sunset dinner.

When was the last time you saw the sunrise? Sunrise on Ha Long Bay is a singular beauty that will continue to move you after it has passed. Tai Chi class on the top deck to salute the sun. Settle in for breakfast then depart for a short walk to explore Cat Ba Island, the most important in the bay, before heading onward to Hue.

Hue is a UNESCO city steeped in Imperial history. Travel back in time to the Imperial days and wander through the sprawling Citadel, with its vast network of temples and pavilions. Lunch will be a unique affair as you join Buddhist nuns in rituals and eat in silence to savour the flavours.
The evening is yours to explore what this ancient town has to offer.

Today you’ll reach Hoi An by taking one of the world’s best train rides (as voted by Conde Nast). Enjoy your breakfast at your hotel. Then take the SE01 train (depart 8:55AM) one of the most beautiful train-ride in Southeast Asia from Hue to Danang. Prepare some snacks and drinks, share it with your fellow travelers while enjoying the spectacular view along the most beautiful coastal part of Vietnam.
The joy is truly in the journey, as scenes of rural life and coastal beauty play out through the train windows as you roll along. Be curious and open during the three-hour ride; you might find that locals are willing to chat about their daily lives in this part of Vietnam. Someone might even offer to share a snack with you.
Arrive in Danang at 11:30. You will be met by our driver who will take you to your beautiful Hoi An riverside resort.
Later today, you will explore the Old Quarter of Hoi An, with houses and building since centuries. Known as an international port, its imprints are still visible with influences from Japan, China and Europe in its architectures. Get to know more of the local tradition and their life with is still guided by the seasons.
Enjoy a complementary spa session on arrival.

After breakfast at the hotel. You will meet with our Fun Genie for a guided tour of Hoi An village life by bicycle. Catch an electric car to the bike shop to set up. Then make your way through scenic rice paddies and village lanes. Try your hands at river reed mat weaving and learn to make rice noodles. Enjoy a simple lunch of traditional Hoi An noodles from what you've just made. The freshly hand made noodles is the best noodles you will ever have. Then wander through a boat making village before catching a boat ride back into town.

There are 4 must try dishes in Hoi An: cao lầu, mỳ Quảng, bánh mỳ, cơm gà. There are numerous street vendors and market stalls that serve up these delectable treats. Within the Old Town are upmarket restaurants that serve up westernised versions or modern fusion re-interpretations. Some have even gone down the path of “deconstruction”. If you prefer the authentic version then we recommend any street vendors or the market stalls. Cheap and wonderful and putting the money in the hands of those who need it. Price should be 30-50,000 VND or USD1.50-2.50.

Enjoy breakfast back at your hotel then wander across the river to join an indigo dyeing workshop at a private artist's studio across the river. The 2 hours workshop include an introduction to natural indigo dyes following the ancient fermentation process. You will try your hands at dyeing a cotton scarf or shirt that you can take with you as a self-made souvenir.

The afternoon is free for you to wander. Meet up with your tailor or get some massages. For lunch, consider dropping into Hoi An market where the most authentic and delicious local food can be found. You can tell it's good when there are few tourists around. Dishes are around USD1.50 - 2.00 (30-50,000 VND)

For dinner, upgrade your cooking skills with a few more recipes such as duck breast smoked with green tea.

There’s perhaps nothing more Vietnamese than sitting atop a tiny stool on a busy city street and tucking into a bowl of something brimming with intoxicating flavours. For all the fancy restaurants you could book a table at in Saigon, the city’s street food is where you’ll really feel the pulse of Vietnam’s flavours and people. Almost just as thrilling as all the dishes you’re about to try tonight is the chance to zip around the city on the back of a restored vintage Vespa. The places you’ll stop at aren’t in any guide book. These are places that evoke special memories of childhoods in the city for the locals.

Saigon’s breakneck pace gives way to a totally different cadence once you enter Bến Tre Province in the Mekong Delta, a fascinating region where the locals have learned to be self-sufficient and live in harmony with the river’s natural bounty.

Join a local family in the home they built themselves and dig into another authentic feast. Post-lunch, travel deeper into the hidden waterways of the Mekong on a private sampan. Before your final night dinner of yet more delicious Vietnamese food on to the best rooftop bar in Saigon. Partake in a sunset cocktail and make a toast to your adventures as you overlook the sprawling cityscape.

It's the end of your adventure. Enjoy your last shopping spree of travel gifts. Let your trip leader know of your travel plan so your transfer can be organised.
If you plan to spend more time in Vietnam, we'd love to help.
Hope to see you soon on another adventure with us.