Departure day, where you will fly to Hanoi with connecting flights along the way.

After arriving in Hanoi, you will pass through immigration before collecting your luggage. You will be met in the arrivals hall by a guide holding a TourCompass sign, who will accompany you to the hotel where you will be spending the next nights. Having checked in at your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to do with as you wish.

For example, you can saunter along the busy streets and alleyways of the exotic old quarter, stopping as you please to admire the sights and sounds of this amazing city. Hoan Kiem Lake is close by; it takes about half an hour to walk all the way around it – a delightful stroll in the shade of the tall trees.

An exciting sightseeing tour to Hanoi’s top sights awaits you today.

You’ll start by visiting the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which was built in honour of the Republic of Vietnam’s first president and national icon, Ho Chi Minh, who lived and worked in Hanoi for most of his life. The complex includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House and the Ho Chi Minh Museum.We would like to inform you that Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed for approximately two months a year due to renovation work.

The tour continues from here to the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, which was a centre of political power for more than a century. Research and excavations are still ongoing, and it is also recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Before the sightseeing tour continues, there will be a lunch break when you will be served a light lunch consisting of pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) or bun cha (Vietnamese meatballs with noodles).

The next stop is the 11th century Temple of Literature, which was Vietnam’s first university. The nation’s powerful officials, the Mandarins, were educated here in accordance with Confucian teachings.

Finally, you also see the iconic Long Bien Bridge over the Red River before enjoying a 30-minute cyclo tour through the narrow, chaotic streets and alleys of The Old Quarter.

The day rounds off with a cup of Vietnamese coffee at a local café, overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake.

Just a few hours’ drive from Hanoi lies Mai Chau, one of the most beautiful valleys in Vietnam. This is an absolute gem with fantastic paddy fields nestling between limestone mountains, as well as villages that are home to ethnic minorities including H’mong, Thai and Dzao people – and very few tourists. It is the perfect place to experience undisturbed landscapes and villages that preserve the traditional way of life.

After arrival and check-in at the hotel, you will be served a delicious lunch. Later in the afternoon, it is time to head off on a hike to a couple of the nearby villages – Pom Coong and Lac, for example – and to the Mo Luong grotto.

The day winds up with a delightful dinner featuring local delicacies, served while a local troupe of Muong or Thai provides entertainment.

To start the day a tasty, international breakfast will be served in the restaurant, which provides a magnificent view out over the lake, the paddy fields and the swimming pool. From Mai Chau, the tour proceeds via Tam Coc to Hoa Lu, where you will visit the Dinh and Le temples. These are the only two temples that remain from the old citadel in Hoa Lu. The Hoa Lu citadel was an important imperial palace in Vietnam 1,000 years ago. It was here that the Le dynasty took over from the Dinh dynasty.

After lunch, you will head off on a 2-hour sailing tour along the Ngo Dong River. The landscape along the river is utterly magical. The water flows gently through the flat landscape, which is broken only by ‘sugar top’ mountains – almost like Ha Long Bay; only on land.

You will be picked up from the hotel and driven to Ha Long Bay – a drive of around 4 hours. A stop for a break will be made along the way.

Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most outstanding natural areas. In the bay, hundreds of green-clad limestone cliffs jut vertically out of the sea, which over the course of the year fluctuates in colour from deep blue to jade green. On the large island, Cat Ba, there are several villages, with smaller fishing villages on some of the smaller islands. For travellers, Ha Long Bay is first and foremost a wonderful world-class natural area, while for the Vietnamese it is also associated with legends of dragons and drama. Ha Long Bay is about 1,500 km² in size and was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.

You arrive in the town of Ha Long at noon and board your cruise ship, where you receive a short safety briefing followed by check-in. The boat heads out towards the secluded islands in the bay, and you can now relax and just enjoy the view of the islands and the floating fishing villages. Along the way, you visit a pearl farm, and make a stop at Ti Top Island, where you can swim and hike up to a viewpoint that offers stunning views of the bay. In the evening, you can fish for octopus from the stern of the boat and enjoy watching the magnificent sunset.

NOTE!! In the event of bad weather with storms, the Vietnamese authorities reserve the right to close Ha Long Bay to navigation for safety reasons. This happens a few times a year. In such cases, the mini cruise will be replaced with hotel accommodation and an excursion in Hanoi.

Start the day with a refreshing dip in the clear waters of Ha Long Bay, or perhaps you’d like to enjoy the sunrise from the magnificent sun deck. You can also participate in the morning’s keep-fit session (usually tai chi) on the sun deck.

Breakfast is served as the boat calmly begins to head back to port. Along the way, you will visit Sung Sot Cave with its impressive stalagmites and stalactites. We recommend that you wear closed-toe shoes for this excursion.

When the junk sails you in to the shore, you will disembark and meet your guide and driver, who will drive you to Hanoi. You spend a few hours here on your own before being driven to the train station. The night train departs from Hanoi at 7 pm and you arrive in Danang at 11 am the next morning.

For a surcharge, you can fly from Hanoi to Da Nang instead of taking the night train. This option will include an extra night in Hoi An.

You wake up to a beautiful view as the train makes its way along the coast. Look out over the green mountains and the beautiful blue sea.

You arrive in Da Nang mid-morning, where you are met by a guide who drives you to your hotel in Hoi An. Having checked in, the rest of the day is at your leisure.

Hoi An is a wonderful experience and you cannot help but fall in love with the city. It is especially well-known for its charming architecture, impressive silk production, great tailors and its Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Flowing through the heart of the Old Town is the Thu Bon River, which is a glorious example of an international port dating back to the heyday of European and East Asian trading companies from the 16th to the 18th century.

Away from the river, you will find yourself in a maze of cosy, charming streets. Wherever you turn, you will see how the former colonial powers have each made their mark on the district. Colourful lanterns, Japanese houses, Chinese temples and French yellow merchants’ houses fill the cityscape. Shops, street kitchens, cafés and restaurants line the streets, where you can while away several hours connected to the city’s free Wi-Fi.

The fact that Hoi An’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site naturally makes it a major draw for tourists. The streets might be busy, but there is still a lovely calm to the area, and the district has managed to retain its authenticity and charm. It also helps that cars, scooters and motorcycles are denied access.

You spend four nights at this wonderful gem of a place, giving you plenty of time to enjoy and explore different parts of the city.

The days are yours to do with as you wish. Enjoy the beach, go exploring in Hoi An, visit the Cham temple area … there is no shortage of opportunities.

You will be picked up from your hotel and driven out to the airport to catch your flight from Da Nang to the UK. There will be connecting flights along the way.

Arrive back in the UK after a wonderful holiday.