Itinerary Expand all Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City Day 1 Good Morning Vietnam The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, is ready to welcome you when you arrive. Get acclimatised and familiarise yourself with the city by wandering the tree-lined avenues. There’s a group welcome meeting then you’ll dine at KOTO (Know One, Teach One), a well-established training restaurant for disadvantaged youths. You’ll be served a blend of Vietnamese, South-East Asian and Western foods. Meals included: Dinner Day 2 Start the day right with yoga and tai chi You’ll set an early alarm today, but (blissfully) there’s no commuter slog ahead. Instead, you’re off to Hoan Kiem Lake for a Tai Chi and Laughing Yoga session. Mind and body aligned, you’ll feast on pho, a Vietnamese soup, for breakfast before setting off on a walk around Hanoi’s Old Quarter where you’ll sample egg coffee. You’ll try bun cha for lunch, a local speciality dish of noodles, broth and meat served alongside some greens. Later, there’s wine tasting in store, led by local expert Thang. You’ll hear his far-flung traveller tales where he discovered global alcohol-making processes. Then learn how he has introduced teas to enrich the taste of his wines. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 3 Discover the majesty of Halong Bay After breakfast, you’ll make the four-hour journey by road to Halong Bay. A spellbinding sight, this is where thousands of limestone pillars rise from an emerald-hued sea. You’ll set sail through the karst scenery with lunch served on board and later enjoy sunset cocktails and dinner. You’ll sleep onboard tonight, sharing twin-share cabins with en-suite facilities. Please be aware that the boat trip on Halong Bay can be subject to short notice change if certain adverse weather conditions develop during your trip. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Hello Hue Rise with the sun for tai chi onboard before breakfast. Afterwards, you'll kayak past ethereal grottoes before jumping back on board to cruise back to the mainland and head to the airport for a short flight to Hue (pronounced ‘hway’) on the banks of the Perfume River. As the ancient home of the Nguyen emperors, Hue claims to be the true cultural and historic centre of Vietnam. Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 Explore ancient Hue. Visit the Peaceful Bamboo Family There’s a historic immersion lined up today. First, you’ll visit the Imperial City of Hue, a complex of the emperor’s residence, palaces, shrines and state buildings. Although it’s a fraction of what was once here (it was badly bombed in the wars that afflicted Vietnam), it’s a fascinating glimpse into Vietnamese history. In the afternoon, you’ll visit the Peaceful Bamboo Family, an uplifting community for children with learning disabilities. You’ll have lunch in their biodynamic garden, see their lacquer painting workshop, and have the chance to buy handmade incense and jams. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 6 Get to know Hoi An and try your hand at lantern making (optional) After breakfast, you’ll take a private bus to Hoi An, once a major trading port that has retained its old-world charm. You’ll have a walking tour of the Old Town, drinking in the history of the 800 centuries-old buildings. Later, there’s an optional lantern making class. (additional cost) if you wish to participate or free time to relax or explore. Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Cycle to Tra Que Vegetable Village for dinner After a morning that’s all yours, in the afternoon you’ll take a leisurely bike ride to Tra Que Vegetable Village. Observe how the locals live and grow their produce, then visit a chef’s home to feast on a spread of the regional dishes. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 8 Get swept up in Saigon Tear yourself away from Hoi An – today you’re bound for Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, as it’s now known. You’ll take a short flight to this vibrant, chaotic city. Prepare for an assault on your senses: the relentless racket of scooters and a riot of colourful markets. You’ll take a guided visit to the moving and powerful War Remnants Museum. It’s a horrifying but enlightening insight into the atrocities that afflicted this nation. Tonight, you’ll join the throngs of scooters on a street tour by Vespa. You’ll be guided to the less-explored pockets of the city to try the best of Saigon’s street food. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 9 Visit the Cu Chi tunnels You’ll visit the Cu Chi tunnels today, an intricate system of underground tunnels that wind for 120 miles. Used by the Viet Cong, the network has living areas, weapon factories, field hospitals and kitchens. On the tour, you’ll hear about the impact the wars had on the local communities. Above ground, your day continues with a cooking class at the Spice Garden restaurant under the expert guidance of a local chef. Having devoured your creations, you’ll return to HCMC. Tonight, there’s an optional dinner and drinks for a fitting farewell to your group before preparing to return home tomorrow. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 10 So long, Saigon After a final breakfast in Ho Chi Minh City, a transfer will take you to the airport for your flight home. Meals included: Breakfast
Vietnam **UPDATE 11.03.2020** The below visa advice is not valid at the current moment in time. If you are booked to travel to Vietnam within the next month, Exodus will contact you with further information when it becomes available. A visa is no longer needed for British, German, French, Spanish and Italian citizens travelling to Vietnam (for all purposes) for a period of up to 15 days, and on the basis of meeting all conditions prescribed by Vietnamese laws. The visa exemption period will end on 30 June 2021. All other nationalities require a visa to enter Vietnam and this must be obtained prior to departure. For further information please check the FCDO site and check under Vietnam / 'Entry Requirements'. If you have any questions about whether you need a visa for your trip please contact the Customer Operations department.
Vietnam There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Tetanus, Polio, Typhoid, Hepatitis A and Diphtheria. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Zika fever is a mosquito‐borne viral disease and a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, we therefore strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Hotels and Boat La Belle Vie Hotel, Hanoi A modern hotel with stylish guestrooms (think polished hardwood floors), marble reception and a rooftop pool. Syrena Cruise, Halong Bay A 34 cabin ship styled in Vietnamese hardwood. Each cabin has a with large, picture window. There’s a restaurant on board and a sundeck that’s a prime spot for sunset. Solo room accommodation is not available on the boat, rooms are twin-share. Thanh Lich Royal Boutique, Hue A smart hotel with lovely rooms, ideally positioned for adventures through Hue. See the city skyline from the hotel’s pool. Le Pavillon Hoi An Paradis, Hoi An A stylish boutique hotel in the centre of the ancient town, with bags of facilities including a rooftop pool and spa. Sila Urban Living, Ho Chi Minh City A sleek and modern apartment-style hotel, where each spacious room has a kitchenette.
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