Spirit of Vietnam

Spirit Of Vietnam
Embrace the very best of Vietnam on this 12-day guided tour. See Ho Chi Minh’s glittering skyscrapers and green paddy elds from a speedboat as you race to the Cu Chi tunnels, where guerrilla fighters once hid during the Vietnam War; here, meet a Viet Cong veteran who will share with you what it was like to live in the tunnels. See the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Imperial Citadel in Hue during a private tour before the palaces open to other tourists. Experience the vibrant city of Hoi An your way: take a hands-on cooking class. Walk through the food carts living Hanoi’s streets and taste its classic cuisine: crab spring rolls, beef noodle soup, and com cakes. Sail through the mesmerizing waters of Halong Bay on a traditional overnight junk cruise.

Dining Summary

• 5 Dinner (D)
• 11 Breakfast (B)
• 5 Lunch (L)

Choice Highlights

• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Ho Chi Minh City: Continue with your exploration about the troubled past of the country at the War Remnants Museum.
• Ho Chi Minh City: Delve into the rich history and practices of traditional Vietnamese medicine. Explore a vast collection of artefacts and ancient remedies that highlight Vietnam’s traditional healing methods.
• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Hue: Take a boat ride to the private museum of Tran Dihn Son, whose great-grandfather was a high ranking mandarin during the Nguyen Dynasty and see the vast collection of rare antiquities collected by him and his ancestors.
• Hue: Take a cyclo trip to An Dinh Palace, the private residence of Khai Dinh, Vietnam’s last emperor who ruled until 1955. Learn about the life of a Royal before heading back via Dong Ba Market to catch a glimpse of everyday life in modern Hue.

Additional Included Highlights

• Enjoy seamless personal assistance throughout your journey. From securing exclusive reservations, to organising transportation, your Travel Concierge ensures every aspect of your travel is tailored to your tastes and preferences.
• In select destinations, our network of Local Expert Guides will illuminate your journey on a deeper level.
• Included at all hotels.
• Hotel taxes, porterage and tips, as well as tips for included dining experiences, are included.
• Enjoy breakfast every morning, and an array of incredible dining options throughout your journey, infused with discovery and adventure.
• On days where a Relaxed Start (RS) is indicated, you can select to indulge in breakfast in bed.
• Enjoy complimentary hotel Wi-Fi. And, on select coaches, onboard Wi-Fi may also be available.
• Transfers are included on your journey start and end dates, and where additional accommodation has been booked in advance through Luxury Gold. Transfers to train stations or alternate hotels, in the same start or end city as the itinerary, may be requested.

Curated Experiences

• Mekong River Delta: Meet Mr. Sau Tuong, a former soldier, at his home and see how he and his wife make a living making rice paper. This quiet existence is in stark contrast to the four years he spent fighting the Khmer Rouge, who terrorised Cambodia in the 1970s.
• Hue: Cycle through rice fields to Thanh Toan village, admiring the green countryside as you pedal by. Visit the lively local market, bargain along with the locals and see traditional houses. Soak up the agricultural way of life, a suitable contrast to the city.
• Hue: Enjoy a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Imperial Citadel. Hear more about Emperor Gia Long, the first ruler of the Nguyen Dynasty, who made this the center of a unified Vietnam.

Exceptional Dining

• Ho Chi Minh City: Admire the marvelous views from a lively rooftop restaurant at your Welcome Dinner in Saigon. Get to know your Travel Concierge and fellow guests as you dine on local delicacies in a sophisticated setting, with the lights twinkling across the city.
• Mekong River Delta: Pause for lunch at the enchanting Mango Home, a thatched restaurant located on the Mekong. Savor delicacies enjoyed in the delta, including noodle soup, grilled fish, and giant prawns fresh from the river, as you enjoy views of the lush countryside.
• Hue: Arrive at the home of celebrated painter and singer, Camille Huyen, for a memorable meal and private concert. Stroll around the traditional home she shares with her husband and hear about their fascinating lives and the dream that brought them home.
• Hoi An: Dine out this evening. Choose from our hand-selected restaurants, known to our local foodies, specialising in different cuisine from traditional to modern Vietnamese, or a fusion of east and west to tantalize your taste buds.
• Hoi An: Visit the beautiful Cam Thanh Village with its dense coconut jungles that were once a shelter for local people and soldiers during the Vietnam War, but today the village is an important supplier of seafood, vegetables and rice to the region. Step into a traditional bamboo-basket boat and glide across the water to the Thanh Dong village where you learn from the villagers how they cultivate and harvest vegetables according to local customs. Continue your voyage through a peaceful water coconut forest to a riverside restaurant overlooking the rice fields. Enjoy and participate in a hands-on cooking class alongside a local chef. Savor your creations for your Highlight Lunch.
• Hanoi: Join a local foodie in the Old Quarter to explore the street food culture of Hanoi. Dine as the locals do, on delights such as steaming pho (a beef noodle soup), rice paper rolls and crab spring rolls.

Magnificent Stays

• Hoi An: The luxurious Anantara Hoi An Resort is moments away from the city’s charming historic center. Take in the tranquil atmosphere, treat yourself to a massage at the spa, or cool down in the pool.

Passport Moments

• Ho Chi Minh City: Join a Viet Cong veteran to visit the underground C Chi tunnels and learn more about this complex network originally built in 1948. See where many thousands of troops trained and lived under difficult conditions during the Vietnam War.
• Ho Chi Minh City: Experience the vibrancy of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, as you visit its most iconic attractions, including the Central Post Office, designed by Alfred Foulhox.
• Mekong River Delta: Board a private vessel for your Mekong River Cruise, taking you down the most important waterway in Southeast Asia. Gain a fascinating insight into coconut processing, one of the major industries for people who live along the river.
• Mekong River Delta: Enjoy a ride on a tri-motorcycle through the tropical scenery of the Mekong delta, passing limestone mountains and rows of neat rice paddies. Arrive at a rustic rice noodle factory to see how the favored breakfast meal of Vietnam is produced.
• Hoi An: Explore the Ancient Old Town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see well-preserved buildings that date back several centuries. See the 18th-century Japanese covered bridge with its elaborate carvings and spot many colored lanterns along the way.
• Hanoi: Take a spin on a nifty electric cart for a fun way to get around Hanoi. See the main sights of the city, including the beautiful French neoclassical Opera House, the center for cultural and historical events in Vietnam.
• Halong Bay: Board a luxury junk boat for a special cruise around the magnificent Ha Long Bay, famous for its emerald waters and thousands of limestone islands dotted with rainforests. Explore mysterious caves and marvel at a memorable sunset over this scene.
• Halong Bay: Visit the spectacular Tien Ong cave with its immense stalactites and stalagmites, resembling various forms, including one called “the fairy godfather.” Sail to Cua Van floating village, amid the towering rocks, where fishermen have lived for hundreds of years.
• Hanoi: Meet a renowned local scholar during a special visit to the famous Temple of Literature, built in 1070 to honor the great philosopher, Confucius. Learn more about the culture of Hanoi and Vietnamese architecture before touring the picturesque grounds and seeing the Well of Clarity.

Personalise your day

• Ho Chi Minh City: Continue with your exploration about the troubled past of the country at the War Remnants Museum.
• Ho Chi Minh City: Delve into the rich history and practices of traditional Vietnamese medicine. Explore a vast collection of artefacts and ancient remedies that highlight Vietnam’s traditional healing methods.
• Hue: Take a boat ride to the private museum of Tran Dihn Son, whose great-grandfather was a high ranking mandarin during the Nguyen Dynasty and see the vast collection of rare antiquities collected by him and his ancestors.
• Hue: Take a cyclo trip to An Dinh Palace, the private residence of Khai Dinh, Vietnam’s last emperor who ruled until 1955. Learn about the life of a Royal before heading back via Dong Ba Market to catch a glimpse of everyday life in modern Hue.