Vietnam Sample Itinerary

Brief | Hanoi | Halong/Hanoi | Koh Kood | Cambodia | Bangkok | Options/Prices

 A jet-setter's Indochina

 An itinerary that combines the highlights of Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia in so luxurious and leisurely a manner- the immortal karsts of Halong Bay, the ruins of Angkor and a luxury retreat on a remote island in Thailand. You will be transferred by seaplane to remote islands in Thailand, go on a day trip to the ruins of Angkor by private plane and end the journey in Bangkok with a private blessing ceremony on the ruins of Ayutthaya.

Day 1: Arrival in Noibai’s airport – Hanoi then meet & transfer with guide to your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day2: Full day city tour + Water Puppet Show
This morning meet your guide at your hotel and depart on your tour after breakfast. Your first stop will be Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (closed on Monday & Friday and from Sep 20 to Dec 10 as annual maintenance), as well as his private residence from 1954 until 1969. The wooden ethnic minority style house, which was built on stilts, is surrounded by lovely peaceful gardens. In the same complex you will see the One Pillar Pagoda, founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049. This structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi.

Your tour continues to the National Fine Arts Museum, located in colonial France’s former Ministry of Information, which has an
eclectic mix of contemporary Vietnamese art, religious pieces, lacquer-ware and sculptures. Your next stop will be the Temple Of Literature, Vietnam’s first university. Constructed in 1070, the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing on to Hoa Lo Prison (formerly known as the “Hanoi Hilton” during the American war). Your tour will also include the Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake (one of the oldest in Vietnam) and Quan Thanh Temple (Taoist, dating from the Ly Dynasty). The last stop of the day beforereturning to your hotel will be the Museum of Ethnology where you observe Vietnam's diverse culture through the Museum’s unique presentation of artifacts and dress used in daily life. One hour Old Quarter Cyclo tour: Enjoy a one hour tour by cyclo, a chauffeur pedalled tricycle, through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as “36 streets”. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It's a great place to explore, especially by cyclo, with plenty of photo opportunities all around you.

Water Puppet: Attend a traditional water puppet show, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form especially designed for depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history. Overnight in Hanoi.

Halong: Hanoi - Halong
Your early morning departure from your hotel to Halong Bay takes you on a journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta. You observe everyday life of Vietnamese Villages as you see villagers work the local rice fields, take live pigs to market on bicycles or motorbikes, and plough the fields with their large water buffaloes. Welcome on board of Halong cruise and set sail through bay while lunch is served. Passage into the magical bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragons’ teeth. After lunch, take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay dotted with Halong Ginger golden sails, go swimming on a quite beach or sunbathing on the sundeck. Later afternoon, visit an interesting fishing village with opportunity to interact with fishmen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. At sunset time, kayak or symply take a bamboo row boat to discover a water tunnel with many coral reefs in a scenic lagoon. Back on board, enjoy cocktails while watching sunset and later unwind at luxury restaurant. Overnight on boat in Halong.

Day 4: After breakfast, transfer to your day – trip boat with private crew and cruise to the bay’s most untouched areas. Enjoy swimming on quiet beaches, visiting water tunnels, fishing villages or kayaking. Lunch served on board by your private chef. Return to the mother boat for the night. Overnight on board. Day 5
Halong-Hanoi Greet the day with a morning Tai Chi exercise with an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. After breakfast, visit beautiful limestone grotto then back to the boat for a final glimpse of the Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. Upon disembarkation you will be met and transferred back to Hanoi. The rest of day is at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 6: Koh Kood, Take a transfer flight to Bangkok from Hanoi today . Upon arrival at Bangkok airport, be greeted and transferred to a seaplane to Koh Kood, a remote island in Thailand. Here, you will be based at the plush Soneva Kiri, which, aside from its remoteness, is unique for its treehouse dining experience. Based here for the next three nights, take a day trip to visit the ruins of Angkor in Cambodia on the second day- surely a fine way to combine the highlights of Indochina.

Day 9: Take a flight back to Bangkok, where you will be based at the Four Seasons. Depending on time of arrival and/or flight out tomorrow, you will
be driven to the haunting grounds of Ayutthaya where a private blessing ceremony shall take place.

Day 10: Transfer to airport for onward international flight.

USD5756 per person (indicative only)

Itinerary can be extended to include more of Thailand at the end.

For a pdf version of the itinerary:

A jet-setter's itinerary to Indochina- from cruising the karsts of Halong Bay to a transfer by seaplane to a remote island in Thailand, followed by a day trip to Angkor Wat and ending with a private blessing ceremony on the haunting ruins of Ayutthaya.