Vietnam Highlights

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8 daysDuration

Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants, maximum 18 travelers

16 peopleMaximum group size

16 - 99 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Moderate

Involves sustained activity requiring a reasonable level of fitness and endurance.

Starts

Hanoi, Vietnam

Ends

Hoi An, Vietnam

Highlights

Capture the essence of Vietnam, visiting must-see sites and meeting the people

Tour the highlights of Hanoi with your expert tour leader

Stay on a traditional junk boat among the otherworldly peaks of Ha Long Bay

Uncover the life of a Nguyễn ruler in Hue’s Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City

Explore Hoi An, a living museum and the original European trading port in Vietnam

Discover the secrets of Vietnamese cuisine in a locally led cooking class

Itinerary

If you only have a week to soak up Vietnam’s magic, the 'Vietnam Highlights' trip delivers the country’s essence in just eight days. This cultural tour is perfect for seniors craving a moderate yet immersive experience, expertly guided by local specialists. Begin in Hanoi, where you’ll taste world-famous street food and explore vibrant markets before cruising through the limestone wonders of Ha Long Bay.

Journey south to the imperial city of Hue and onward to the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An, each destination brimming with historic sites and authentic encounters. The carefully crafted itinerary ensures you enjoy the heart and soul of Vietnam, with opportunities to connect with local traditions and flavors at every turn.

The unique selling point of this trip is its seamless integration with other Southeast Asia tours, allowing you to extend your adventure even further. Accommodation, transport, meals, and expert guidance are all included, making this a worry-free and enriching exploration for culture-loving travelers.

day 1 - Start in buzzy Hanoi • Tuck into Vietnamese food for a welcome dinner

Begin your adventure in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, where street food reigns supreme and the history of the city can be read in the architecture.

You’re met at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Around 6pm, say xin chào to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a big Vietnamese welcome by arranging dinner at a great local restaurant.

Want to explore Hanoi further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Meals:Dinner

Accommodation:Minasi Premium Hotel (or similar)

day 2 - Tour the historic highlights of Hanoi

Explore the best of Hanoi after breakfast, travelling by minibus with some walking involved.

Guided by our tour leader, we visit the Temple of Literature (built in 1070, it’s home to the first university in Vietnam) and walk around the atmospheric Old Quarter. We also visit the historic Long Bien Bridge and Station, where we enjoy a drink in a repurposed railway building as the trains roll just past us. The rest of the day is free to enjoy at leisure.

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Minasi Premium Hotel (or similar)

day 3 - To the mystical Ha Long Bay • Cruise and stay on an authentic junk boat

Visit an icon of Vietnam today: Ha Long Bay, a World Heritage site where some 3,000 limestone peaks break through emerald waters to create a mystical landscape. To get there, we rise early for the approximately four-hour drive; upon arrival, board a traditional junk sailing boat, which is also our home for tonight.

After launching, we enjoy a seafood lunch on deck and drift among the forested pinnacles. We also stop at a beach where we can hike up to a viewpoint (it’s quite steep but the views are worth it), plus there’s time for a swim in a small sectioned-off area. Additionally, an optional kayaking trip (extra cost) may be available depending on weather conditions.

Back on board, pull up a chair on the top deck and watch the sunset together, perhaps with a cold drink from the bar. When it’s time for bed, we have the comforts of twin-share cabins with private bathrooms.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Others:Overnight boat

day 4 - Scenic cruise to Ha Long Bay port • Fly to historic Hue

Continue to cruise around Ha Long Bay, admiring those limestone pinnacles, before returning to port mid-morning.

We then have a three to four-hour drive to Hanoi Airport, where we check in for our afternoon flight (approximately 1hr 15min) to Hue.

Upon arrival, we check into our centrally located hotel and have the evening free to relax or wander around Hue.

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Cherish Hotel (or similar)

day 5 - Explore Hue's imperial monuments • Plant-based lunch at An Nhien Garden

Visit the Imperial Citadel this morning, home to the palaces and halls of the Mandarins, plus the remains of the Forbidden Purple City. Then visit the tomb of Tu Duc, one of the most extravagant mausoleums of the great Nguyen emperors.

After the tour, we head to the historic An Nhien Garden, which has been owned by the same family for 22 generations, to enjoy a delicious plant-based lunch. The restaurant has a well-deserved reputation for creativity and excellent service, making it a highlight for many.

After, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. You may want to join an optional afternoon cruise along the Perfume River, admiring the historic sites of the city, as you listen to traditional Hue music.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:Cherish Hotel (or similar)

day 6 - To Hoi An, via the war caves in the Marble Mountain • Old Town exploration

Leaving Hue, our 81mi (130km) drive passes through the beautiful Lang Co peninsula, between a crystalline lagoon and the Eastern Sea, and then passes over the Hai Van pass (Pass of the Ocean Clouds) where the views are stunning. We stop for a short climb at Marble Mountain to explore large caves used by the Viet Cong as a hospital base during the war. From the mountain peak, there are fantastic views over My Khe beach and the countryside leading to Hoi An, where we spend the final two nights of the tour.

Arriving in Hoi An, we enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town, the original European trading port in Vietnam. It’s now a living museum with wooden merchants’ houses and pagoda-style temples. It is also a marvellous place to wander and enjoy the thriving riverside market and great silk clothes shopping.

After, explore Hoi An at leisure or join an optional tour to the 10th-century Ba Le Well for lunch.

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:My Son Boutique Hotel & Spa (or similar)

day 7 - Cooking masterclass in Tra Que village • Free time and final evening

Head to Tra Que after breakfast, an agricultural village on the outskirts of Hoi An. Here, the villagers adopted a community-based approach to tourism, in which visitors are invited to engage in hands-on activities.

We enjoy one of those today, taking part in a cooking class led by a local chef in the village’s extensive herb gardens. After, we eat our creations for lunch!

The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure, before you tour leader organises our final meal of the trip, a chance to relive our favourite moments together.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:My Son Boutique Hotel & Spa (or similar)

day 8 - End the adventure in Hoi An

The trip ends today after breakfast and there’s a free transfer for you to the airport. If you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative about booking an idyllic wellness retreat on the beach or joining one of our other adventures in Southeast Asia, perhaps Discover Laos in Comfort or Treasures of Northern Thailand.

Meals:Breakfast

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What's Included

Accommodation

All accommodation

Meals

All breakfasts, three lunches and two dinners

Transport

All transport and listed activitiesArrival and departure transfers

Guide

Tour leader throughout

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

This tour has not received any customer reviews yet. However, you can expect a PremierThis travel specialist is consistently delivering tours which receive customer ratings above 4.8 on average. tour and service level as the travel specialist who runs it has received 11622 reviews for other tours with an average 4.8rating.

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Highlights

Itinerary

day 1 - Start in buzzy Hanoi • Tuck into Vietnamese food for a welcome dinner

day 2 - Tour the historic highlights of Hanoi

day 3 - To the mystical Ha Long Bay • Cruise and stay on an authentic junk boat

day 4 - Scenic cruise to Ha Long Bay port • Fly to historic Hue

day 5 - Explore Hue's imperial monuments • Plant-based lunch at An Nhien Garden

day 6 - To Hoi An, via the war caves in the Marble Mountain • Old Town exploration

day 7 - Cooking masterclass in Tra Que village • Free time and final evening

day 8 - End the adventure in Hoi An

Get Trip Brochure & Exclusive Discount

What's Included

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

Tour Availability

Monthly Price Comparison

Do you need help from our trip consultants?

Why Book with Bookmundi

What are customers saying about Bookmundi

Anonymous

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8-Day Romance of Vietnam Tour I Must-See Destinations

North & Central Vietnam: Hanoi, Hoi An & Countryside Adventures

8-Day Vietnam's Mountains and Seaside Melody Expedition

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Premium Vietnam

Best of Vietnam for Teenagers - 9 days

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Customer Reviews

Itinerary

day 1 - Start in buzzy Hanoi • Tuck into Vietnamese food for a welcome dinner

day 2 - Tour the historic highlights of Hanoi

day 3 - To the mystical Ha Long Bay • Cruise and stay on an authentic junk boat

day 4 - Scenic cruise to Ha Long Bay port • Fly to historic Hue

day 5 - Explore Hue's imperial monuments • Plant-based lunch at An Nhien Garden

day 6 - To Hoi An, via the war caves in the Marble Mountain • Old Town exploration

day 7 - Cooking masterclass in Tra Que village • Free time and final evening

day 8 - End the adventure in Hoi An

Keep Exploring Vietnam

Traveler Types

Tour Types

Top activities in Vietnam

Other Vietnam Recommendations

Vietnam tour packages departing in