Essential Vietnam

Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam. This adventure kicks off with a group meeting at 6 pm. Get to know your leader and your group mates and see who’s up for grabbing some food and a fresh bia hoi at a roadside stall and watching the motorbikes zoom by tonight.

You do you in Hanoi today. The day is yours to explore however you’d like. Check out your reflection in beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake, wander along shaded boulevards or relax in a public park with some delicious street food (spring rolls inside rice paper rolls, anyone?). Museum-wise, you could visit the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, drop into the serene Temple of Literature or get arty at the city's Fine Arts Museum.

Travel by bus and ferry (approximately 3.5 hours) to Cat Ba Island, the largest island in the UNESCO-listed Halong Bay. With thousands of little limestone islands scattered around, this area is one of those quintessential Vietnamese scenes in which bright green water is dotted with traditional junk boats and limestone karsts. Take a cruise around Lan Ha Bay and enjoy a seafood lunch prepared by your on-board chef. Hop off the boat to get up close and personal with this other-worldly landscape by kayak.

This morning, ferry back to the mainland and head to Ninh Binh province, once the site of Vietnam’s capital which is now a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hoa Lu was the capital of Vietnam in the 10th and 11th centuries. Join a local guide on a cycling tour to visit the ancient citadel. This once covered 300 hectares of land, however the passage of time has left few remains of this once glorious capital. You’ll pay a visit to the 17th century temples built in honour of King Dinh and King Le among other temples, pagodas, monuments and lush grounds surrounded by mountains.

The day is yours to explore the many other wonders of Ninh Binh. You might choose to lace up your hikers to trek to the incredible Mua Cave. While the cave sits at the base of a mountain, be sure to make the trek up the 500 steps to the mountain peak for amazing views of Hoa Lu and Ngo Dong River. Or maybe get out on the water and take a boat tour past limestone karst peaks, caves, temples and maybe even the locations of scenes from a King Kong movie. Tonight, board an overnight train to Hue (approximately 13 hours).

Arrive by train in Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. You have today free to do as you please. You can easily spend a couple of hours exploring Hue’s massive walled citadel and the Forbidden Purple Palace that's enclosed within it. Perhaps jump on board a dragon boat and enjoy a cruise up the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda. You could also check out Dong Ba Market, which offers locally made goods, fresh produce and some tasty street food. This is a good place to try the dishes that Emperor Nguyen used to feast on: the banh khoai royal rice. If you like being on two wheels then maybe cycle out to one of the royal tombs such as the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc (one of the most excellent remaining examples of its kind). Tonight, head into the home of a local family and enjoy a prepared dinner. You’ll be chatting and laughing over your chopsticks in no time!

Continue along the coast to Hoi An by private bus (approximately 3 hours). Once in Hoi An, your leader will take you on a walking tour of this unique town which has been influenced over the years by Europe, China, Vietnam and Japan. The town was a major trading port from the 17th century onwards, and its old-school flavour is written all over its architecture. For a small town, it's pretty lively in places. In others, it's chilled out. The tour will take you down the streets that are being restored and look a lot like they did 100 years ago or more. You'll check out a historic house (formerly home to a prominent trader), the Japanese Covered Bridge, a Chinese assembly hall and a museum.

Start the day by cycling through the beautiful surrounds of Hoi An to the organic vegetable and herb gardens of a local chef. See, smell and taste what makes Vietnamese food so delicious. After a tour of the gardens, enjoy a freshly prepared lunch using some of the ingredients you picked during your tour. Much of the food waste here is composted, recycled or reused. The rest of the afternoon is free for your own explorations. Maybe wander to the Central Market and browse the paintings, woodwork, ceramics and lanterns. Hoi An is also famous for its talented tailors, so if you’ve been wearing the same shirt every day (who hasn’t), why not hit one of the same-day tailors and get yourself something new? Or, if you're still feeling adventurous, hire a bicycle and tour the surrounding countryside, or take a ride to the coastline for an afternoon on the South China Sea – this is one of the best ways to travel in and out of town.

Lucky you, it's another free morning in this historic haven. You could take a trip out to the My Son temples (World Heritage-listed beauties that reflect the rich cultural traditions of the Cham civilisation), join a cooking class or take the stairs or the escalator up the Marble Mountains to explore the many pagodas, tunnels, caves and shrines. Afterwards begin your overnight train journey to Ho Chi Minh City (approximately 16 hours).

Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City very early (approximately 5:45 am) and transfer to your hotel, then leave your gear in a day room at the hotel. Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is a whirl of sights and sounds. You can still see the French influence in the top-notch baguettes and coffee on offer. Compared to the north, the food here is spicier, sweeter and more varied. Perhaps take advantage of the early morning by checking out the markets and tucking into a bowl of pho with the local traders. Your leader will let you know the best places to check out during your free time. Well worth the visit are the Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum. Included for today is a visit to a local market, where you can browse the exotic street foods and maybe take the chance to try some. Then finish the visit by sitting down to try the iconic Saigon café sua da (iced coffee with condensed milk) amid the market’s everyday bustle as your leader shares stories about life in Ho Chi Minh City. Tonight, why not get your group together for a meal and some drinks on Pham Ngu Lao Street?

With no planned activities today, you can depart at any time. If you would like to spend some more time in Ho Chi Minh City, we don’t blame you! We’re happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability). The Cu Chi Tunnels are an interesting day trip nearby, plus the city is a great springboard to head down to the Mekong Delta or to Phu Quoc Island. Ask your group leader for more recommendations or, better yet, book an Urban Adventures tour! Find out more at urbanadventures.com.