Vietnam Essence: 8-Day Journey Through Culture and Nature

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.

Enjoy a VIP treatment at the hotel's mineral baths to prepare yourself for more adventures.

After a relaxing evening, you’ll be ready for a day of cycling through Hoi An’s scenic countryside. Pedal through rice fields and swaying palm trees before taking a boat ride across the Thu Bon River to Cam Kim, an isle known for its tranquil village life. Here you’ll take a break from cycling at a noodle workshop. Watch as local craftspeople prepare a noodle that’s unique to Hoi An and taste this key Vietnamese ingredient fresh from the pot.
Enjoy the afternoon free at your own pace by the pool or head to the beach. For the fashionable, customize your wardrobe at a Hoi An tailor.
Check with your trip leader for the show schedule this evening of Lune Production shows, a highly acclaimed music theatre about the life and culture of Vietnam.

Breakfast savored, venture forth to embrace an indigo dyeing workshop led by the talented visual artist, Le Thuy. Immerse yourself in the ancient art of fermenting indigo, crafting your bespoke design with Le Thuy's guidance. Depart with a beautiful cotton scarf of your own creation. Whetted appetite beckons a cooking class, an epicurean adventure through Hoi An's historic streets. Stroll the Old Town's charm, mastering new recipes to delight family and friends and let the flavors linger in the hearts of those dear.
The indigo workshop takes approximately 2.5 hours and is 5 minutes walk from the Old Town.
Cooking class take about 2 hours in total.

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. 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.
Return to Saigon and enjoy your final night of adventure in the wild Saigon nightlife.
Ben Tre is 3 hours by private bus.
Included meal: Breakfast, Lunch,

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.