One week in Vietnam

Day 1: Hanoi
Arrival in Hanoi. Transfer from airport to hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Halong – Hanoi
Travel by vehicle from Hanoi to Halong Bay. Take a 4-hour boat trip Halong Bay. Cruise on a traditional wooden boat among the emerald waters and craggy limestone cliffs of Halong Bay, stopping at different islands to explore some of the many caves in this area. Sail past floating villages, fishermen casting their nets and pearl fisheries and observe the rhythms of daily life on the bay. Then travel by vehicle from Halong to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi
Enjoy full day sightseeing in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Hanoi is a very attractive city with French style buildings and less traffic than other cities in Asia. Visit the One Pillar Pagoda which was built by the Emperor Ly Thai Tong, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. Then proceed to Temple of Literature. Next stop is Hoan Kiem Lake. Right in the heart of Hanoi, this lake contains an islet with the tiny Tortoise Pagoda, topped with a red star. After that visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh is a glass sarcophagus set deep in the bowels of a monumental edifice that has become a site of pilgrimage. Following Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the Opera House, a magnificent 900-seat opera house built in 1911. End the tour in Hanoi at St. Joseph Cathedral and Bao Tang Lich which exhibits artefacts from Vietnam’s turbulent history including some from prehistoric times, proto-Vietnamese civilisations, the Dong Son culture, the Oc-Eo culture and the Khmer Kingdoms. Overnight in Hanoi.

Vietnam

Day 4: Hanoi – Hue
Transfer to airport to catch a flight from Hanoi to Hue. Transfer from airport. Start a sightseeing tour in the Old Imperial City located in the Citadel. It was built in the early 19th century and modelled on the Forbidden City in Peking. Then proceed to Ngo Mon Gate, the principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure, facing the Flag Tower. Thai Hoa Palace and the Halls of the Mandarins are next. Before the tour end, you will drop by the Nine Dynastic Urns followed by the Forbidden Purple City. The Forbidden Purple City was reserved for the personal use of the emperor. The only servants allowed into the compound were eunuchs, who would pose no threat to the royal concubines. Next, visit the Imperial Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc and Dong Ba Market. Overnight in Hue.

Day 5: Hue – Danang – Hoi An
Enjoy an excursion on Huong Giang River to the Thien Mu PagodaDanang; Vietnam’s fourth largest city that marks the northern limits of Vietnam’s tropical zone, boasting a pleasant year-round climate. Start the day in Danang with a sightseeing tour. Visit to find out why the open-air collection of Cham sculpture is the finest in the world. Then head toward . It was made famous in the American TV series of the same name, it stretches for many kilometers north and south of the Marble Mountains. During the war, American soldiers were airlifted here for ‘rest and relaxation’. Stop at Marble Mountains. Travel by vehicle from Danang to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 6: Hoi An – Danang – Saigon
Sightseeing in Hoi An, a picturesque riverside town south of Danang. Known as Faifo to early western traders, it was one of South East Asia’s major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Stop at Quan Cong Temple, Phuoc Kien Pagoda, the Japanese Covered Bridge and Tran Family Chapel (built for worshipping ancestors). Visit to see exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An’s history and Quang Dong Pagoda, a small Chinese style temple with a lintel gate, a rockery courtyard and lucky animals depicted in statues. Transfer from Hoi An to Danang Airport and catch a flight from Danang to Saigon. Transfer from airport. Overnight in Saigon.

Day 7: Saigon
Spend approximately 4 hours for sightseeing in , a huge Chinese neighbourhood to the west of the city in District 5. Cholon means ‘Big Market’, a good indication of the importance the Chinese have traditionally played in Vietnam’s economy. Visit Binh Tay Market and Thien Hua Pagoda. Thien Hua Pagoda was built by the Cantonese congregation in the early 19th century. The pagoda is one of the most active in Cholon and is dedicated to Thien Hau. It is said that she can travel over the oceans on a mat and ride the clouds to wherever she pleases. Last stops are Nghia An Hoi Pagoda and Tam Son Hoi Quan Pagoda.