Vietnam & Angkor - Premium Adventure

Begin your adventure in Hanoi, the culture-rich capital of Vietnam. Stroll the broad tree-lined avenues, perhaps in search of great coffee being sold from the doorways of grand buildings. 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 KOTO (Know One, Teach One). By eating here, we're helping to support their inspiring training restaurant and foundation, which gives disadvantaged young people the skills and experience needed to build a brighter future. Want to explore Hanoi further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative. Upgrade to a chic-wing room today – speak to your sales representative for more details.

Enjoy a sightseeing tour this morning, which includes a visit to the Temple of Literature, the site of the oldest university in Vietnam; Hoa Lo Prison; and the Old Quarter. For lunch, we visit a local restaurant. The afternoon is then free for you to wander around Hoan Kiem Lake and perhaps enjoy the view from a lakeside cafe. Upgrade to a chic-wing room today – speak to your sales representative for more details.

We make an early start for the approximate four-hour journey to Ha Long Bay, one of the most stunning sights in Southeast Asia with some 3,000 limestone peaks rising directly from the emerald sea. We cruise among this striking karst scenery, stopping to swim and kayak, allowing us to get to places inaccessible by boat (weather permitting), and enjoy a seafood lunch on board. Later in the afternoon, join the tour leader and group for a drink or two on the top deck while watching the sunset before spending the night in twin-share cabins.

We continue to cruise around Ha Long Bay this morning before returning to port. Your tour leader then introduces the group to the Ha Long Women’s Association in the Hon Gai township, an initiative committed to cleaning waste in Ha Long Bay and upcycling it, where possible, into items of value. Meet the women and witness how they upcycle trash into beautiful, handcrafted products. You may also get the chance to try upcycling too. We then drive back to Hanoi for a free evening to explore or relax. There may be an option of seeing a water puppets performance, which your leader can arrange if you wish (subject to availability). Upgrade to a chic-wing room today – speak to your sales representative for more details.

Transfer to Hanoi Airport after breakfast for a flight to Da Nang. In Da Nang, we climb Marble Mountain where we explore the large caves used by the Viet Cong as a hospital base during the war. There are wonderful views from the mountain peak over My Khe Beach and the surrounding countryside which leads on to the captivating town of Hoi An, our next destination (approximately one-hour transfer). This evening, the group dines at a local restaurant with views of the atmospheric Thu Bon River. Upgrade to a deluxe room with a balcony today – speak to your sales representative for more details.

This morning includes a walking tour of Hoi An, the original European trading port in Vietnam dating back to the mid-16th century. It is now a living museum, with attractive wooden merchant houses and pagoda-style temples. It is also a marvellous place to wander around, dipping into the thriving riverside market and shopping for silk clothing. After lunch at a local eatery, the afternoon is free to enjoy a town that has become a favourite for so many travellers to Vietnam. Options include a trip to My Son (the spiritual home of the Cham civilisation) where Cham kings were buried as long ago as the fourth century. Although bombing has destroyed much of the site, there are several interesting stone towers and sanctuaries. Upgrade to a deluxe room with a balcony today – speak to your sales representative for more details.

We spend the morning visiting the local market, shopping for ingredients before visiting the renowned Green Mango Cooking School. Here we learn the intricacies of Vietnamese cooking, creating dishes under the supervision of a Vietnamese chef. You don’t need to be a proficient cook to enjoy this activity – but be warned, you eat your creations at the end of the morning! The afternoon is free to enjoy Hoi An at leisure or jump on a bike (optional) to ride through the countryside, passing markets, schools and villages, before continuing to Cua Dai beach (3mi/5km). Upgrade to a deluxe room with a balcony today – speak to your sales representative for more details.