Upon arrival in Noi Bai International Airport, you will be greeted by the local guide and transferred to your hotel, the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital. It ranks amongst the world’s most attractive and interesting cities and was first the capital of Vietnam in A.D. 1010, and though the nation’s capital moved to Hue under the Nguyen dynasty in 1802, the city continued to flourish after the French took control in 1888. In 1954, after the French departed, Hanoi was declared Vietnam’s capital once again. The remnants of over 1,000 years of history are still visible here, with that of the past few hundred years wonderfully preserved. After checking into the hotel, you have time to spend at your leisure. There’s plenty to do and see or you may choose to find a spot on the lakeside and just watch the world go by - Hanoi is a truly unique city. In the evening you can choose from one of the many restaurants near Hoan Kiem Lake or in the Old Quarter. Hanoi is also a fascinating city to enjoy an alfresco drink.

After having breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Sapa, set in the stunning mountains of Northern Vietnam. Sapa is your base for discovering the surrounding rice terraces and villages of the ethnic minorities that live here. Sapa itself is full of charm and provides plenty of opportunity for exploration. Arrive at Sapa, proceed to the Silver Waterfall. The Silver Waterfall is located about a half hour from town which offers stunning views over surrounding mountains and lush forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park. Stop by surrounding farms along the way for a cup of tea and talk with the people to understand their local life. Then we continue our drive uphill to the Heavens Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Enjoy fantastic view over the valley! Afterwards we head back to Sapa. Check into the BB Hotel Sapa and spend the rest of the evening at leisure.

After enjoying your breakfast, you are free to explore the charm of Sapa. Visit Stone Church located in the centre of Sapa. It was built by stone (walls, floors, bell towers …) that are linked by a mixture of sand, lime and molasses. It is always a place which holds many traditional cultural activities of ethnic minorities. Then return to your hotel in Hanoi. Enjoy free time in Hanoi and a farewell dinner (At your own Expense).

This morning enjoy a full day city tour of Hanoi. First, visit Ba Dinh Square, where silent sentries guard the marble and granite mausoleum where Ho Chi Minh lies in state (closed every Friday and Monday and in October & November). See the simple cottage where Uncle Ho lived and worked. Nearby, visit the Ho Chi Minh Museum, an extraordinary tribute in abstract form to the life of the 'father of the country' and the evolution of Vietnamese independence. French architecture is a feature of Hanoi, and the nearby former Governor’s Residence is a fine example as well as the One Pillar Pagoda. Continue to the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and then dedicated to Confucius, it is a serene retreat from the busy streets outside, and later became Vietnam’s first university. In the afternoon, go inside the famous Hoa Lo Prison ("Hanoi Hilton"), where Senator John McCain and Douglas "Pete" Wilson were once imprisoned during the Vietnam War. Enjoy an orientation of the tree-lined streets of Hanoi, resplendent with French colonial architecture, including the recently restored Opera House. Pass by Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Lake of the Restored Sword from the legend that surrounds it en route to one of the city’s fascinating museums. Then have a Cyclo Trip around the Ancient Quarter or 36 Streets District. This densely populated corner of the city was once a centre of commerce where goods were sold under the street name of a particular guild. Still a thriving community of sellers today, you will see street names such as Sugar Street, Tin Street and Paper Street. Ancient homes and temples are interspersed with stores in this souvenir hunter’s paradise! Enjoy a performance of the renowned Water Puppet Theatre - an ancient Vietnamese form of entertainment, which enables the puppeteers to control their active marionettes by levers hidden under the water. Water puppet skits generally enact ancient folklore and legends that are rural in origin, and the theme of water is often present, as it defines so much of Vietnam’s landscape. Afterwards head back to the hotel for the night.

After having breakfast at the hotel, drive through green rice paddy fields to Ha Long Bay which is located in East Hanoi about 170 kilometres (approximate 3.5 hours). You will board a sailing Junk for a cruise amongst hundreds of islets of Ha Long Bay. Relax over lunch and begin your passage into the magical bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragons’ teeth. Sail to a spellbinding limestone grotto. Take a dip on a quiet beach or simply soak up rays on the sun deck. In the afternoon, visit a small village, where you interact with local fishermen. Back on board the vessel, watch the sunset over cocktails. Then, make your way to the dining room for dinner. Overnight spent on board the Paradise Elegance Cruise.

You will spend the morning cruising through the limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Ha Long Bay before returning to the wharf. On the way to Noi Bai Domestic Airport for flight to Danang, stop at a ceramic factory. Upon arrival, you’ll travel a short distance to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An. Book into the Sunrise Premium Resort Hoi An and spend the rest of the evening at your leisure.

Walking to Hai café to attend a cooking class operated by Red Bridge cooking school. Experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of Hoi An market on a personally-guided tour with the chef of Red Bridge Restaurant. Interact with local sellers and purchase fresh ingredients for the day’s meals. After completing the shopping, take a boat cruise along the Hoi An river to the Red Bridge Cooking School set along the riverside. Upon arrival, learn about Vietnamese herbs and spices, local ingredients, and the art of food decoration. The chef will demonstrate how to prepare some of Vietnam’s most delicious dishes. Guests then have a chance to create their own meals under the chef’s guidance. Enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal of Vietnamese and Hoi An specialties. Cruise back to pier and discover how the traditions of the past are treasured in the present in Hoi An on the Thu Bon River, a key international trading port between the 15th and 19th centuries – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved, centuries-old streets, dwellings, temples and pagodas, including the Phung Hung House and an 18th-century Japanese-style bridge. Visit the workshop of a traditional lantern maker for a demonstration of this time-honoured craft; meet the artisans and try your skills as you create your own lantern to take home. Head back to the hotel for the night.

After a leisurely breakfast in the hotel enjoy a free day to do as you would like. Spend the day relaxing or sight-seeing. Overnight spent in the hotel.

Transfer to Danang Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, head to the Cu Chi Tunnels in Ben Duoc for a close-up look at the Vietnam War. Stretching out in a 120-mile underground network of meeting rooms, triage centres and kitchens, this vast complex allowed North Vietnamese combatants to evade discovery as they moved freely throughout the area, and offers a unique look at life in wartime Vietnam. Then head back to the Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon for the night.

From Ho Chi Minh City, we drive to the Mekong River town of Cai Be and board a motorised sampan to cruise through small villages along the banks and floating markets for an authentic look at daily life along the river and the Mekong Delta. Stop at a local rice paper workshop and a fish sauce factory to sample their wares. Enjoy lunch (Own Expense) at a local farmer’s home, an authentic taste of daily life before you return by land to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. After freshening up go on a sightseeing tour and discover the secrets of the cities past, including the ornate French colonial architecture of the Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral (both may only be viewed from the outside). Overnight spent in Ho Chi Minh.

After having breakfast at your hotel, you will be met by your guide at the hotel and then depart Ho Chi Minh City for a scenic morning drive through the Mekong Delta. At My Tho, take a boat to an orchard garden. Enjoy a brief walk on the island, trying some tropical fruits grown in the region. Boat along green and empty creek before experiencing a horse cart ride. Stop at a local family to visit a bee farm where you can try Vietnamese tea mixed with honey and lemons. Then enjoy the Mekong beauty and quietness while rowing a sampan through narrow water at coconut creek. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit a family-run business making coconut candies. Before returning to My Tho, visit the 150 year old Vinh Trang Pagoda a combination Vietnamese Khmer and French architecture which reflects the religion and history of the land. Drive back to Ho Chi Minh to spend the night.

Transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport to take a morning flight to Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. Upon arrival, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to the Sunway Hotel for checking in. During the afternoon, visit the Apsara Arts Association, dedicated to the preservation of traditional Cambodian dance and culture. Return to the hotel for the night.

Explore Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace complex this morning, where you’ll find solid silver tiles on the floor of the Silver Pagoda, which today serves as a repository for religious and cultural treasures. The architecture of the various buildings in the complex is extraordinary. Visit the National Museum, housing the world’s premier collection of Khmer art, including bronzes, ceramics and sculpture, and chronicling Cambodia’s history and culture. After lunch, join us for a poignant, optional trip to the infamous “Killing Fields” of Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Museum, memorializing the victims of the infamous “S-21” prison operated at the site, a former high school; gain insights on what happened at both locations during the genocidal reign of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Overnight spent in Phnom Penh.

Take a short flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor. More than 1,000 archaeological sites have been identified at what were the ancient Khmer metropolitan areas. Begin exploring some of them today on a guided visit to Angkor Wat, said to be the largest temple ruins in the world; the bas-reliefs that adorn the massive temple are among the finest examples of 12th-century Khmer art. Overnight in the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golft & Spa Siem Reap.

Unlike other temples at Angkor, Ta Prohm has been left much as it was found, surrounded by jungle with silk-cotton trees growing out of the walls and covering them with roots; the temple’s stele records indicate that over 12,000 people once lived at the site. Explore Angkor Thom, the last capital city of the Khmer Empire, home to the incomparable Bayon Temple and the Elephant Terrace, a huge platform adorned with carvings of elephants and used as a reviewing stand for grand public ceremonies long ago. The rest of the day is free to spend as you please. Spend overnight in Siem Reap.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, then have some free time until transferring to the airport to take your flight back home. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey!