Inside Vietnam

Arrive in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, famous for its rich culture, bustling life and colonial influences. Its small lakes, busy streets and secluded alleyways are all waiting to be explored. For those arriving on time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Hanoi at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive into Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), which is a 45-minute drive to the hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will leave a note at the hotel reception to inform you of any essential information. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to walk around the peaceful shores of Hoan Kiem Lake.

This morning, we'll set out on a tour of the main sights of Hanoi. Architecturally styled like a French provincial town with tree-lined boulevards and low-built houses, the city is wonderfully nostalgic. Among the interesting sights are the charming One-Pillar Pagoda and the Presidential Palace. Ho Chi Minh himself, a spartan-living and scholarly man, chose not to live in the Presidential Palace, he preferred instead a simple teak stilt house specially built for him on the grounds. In the afternoon, our tour leader will give you a map and instructions so you can discover the narrow lanes of the fascinating Old Quarter solo, where the streets are named after various crafts or specialities: Paper Street, Silk Street, Basket Street and so on. The shops themselves have very narrow frontages but are actually quite deep; they are known locally as tube shops. On the pavements, food vendors sell noodles, snacks and stir-fries from shoulder panniers. Take some time to really soak in your unique surroundings with the tempting smell of the food stalls mixing with the scent of incense from small temples dotted around.

This morning, you're free to explore some more of Hanoi - perhaps visit one of the many museums or Ho Chi Minh's austere mausoleum, which resembles Lenon's in Moscow. Afterwards, we'll drive out towards the iconic Halong Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin. Here, thousands of jagged limestone islands rise out of the jade green waters like the hairy scales of a submerged dragon - in fact, 'Halong' means 'where the dragon descends to the sea'. As legend has it the rugged seascape was created by the pounding tail of a dragon as he ran from the mountains into the sea, carving the islands in his wake.

This morning, we'll take to the water for a scenic cruise amongst Halong Bay's islands. We'll have the chance to stop at a grotto beneath towering cliffs and perhaps visit a beach. It is interesting to see the curious assortment of tourist boats, traditional junks and wooden sampans gliding through the waters. There'll be a seafood lunch on board the boat before we return to our hotel in Hanoi to freshen up. Finally, we'll board the Reunification Express to Hue. We plan to stay in 'soft-sleeper' four berth cabins, bunk bed style and bedding is provided. Both Western and Asian style toilets are at the end of each carriage as well as a basin. Our tour leader will allocate beds and will try to keep our group together as far as possible, however, it might be necessary to share with other travellers and passengers of a different gender.

We'll arrive in Hue this morning. A quietly impressive place, the city is one of the great cultural and religious centres of Vietnam. The Perfume River divides the city in two and has been the inspiration for poets and painters for many centuries. This afternoon, we'll take a boat trip along the Perfume River from Hue to the Thien Mu Pagoda. This serene temple is the oldest in Hué and also the symbol of the city.

This morning, we get to appreciate Hue's fascinating history with a visit to the Imperial Citadel. Located on the left bank is the river, the palace was built by the Nguyen dynasty, Vietnam's ruling emperors from the early 1800s to 1945. Although most of the inner city was destroyed during the Tet Offensive in 1968, the outer walls and the west wing remain a reminder of the palace's former glory. The remainder of the day is free to perhaps explore some of the outlying Tombs of the Emperors.

This morning, we set off on a scenic drive over the stunning Hai Van Pass, also known as the Ocean Cloud Pass. As we travel, watch as we pass charming rural scenes featuring thatched wooden houses and rice paddies, all while enjoying sweeping views of the sea. Continuing our journey, we'll explore the Marble Mountains - five peaks representing the elements of water, wood, fire, metal and earth. These natural grottoes have been beautifully transformed into intricate Buddhist sanctuaries. Just a short drive away, we arrive at My Khe Beach, known as China Beach to American troops, where we'll take a brief rest on its pristine white sands. It's just a short drive from here to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An.

Today is free to explore at your own pace. The historic, merchant town of Hoi An had become one of the busiest international trading ports of Southeast Asia by the 17th and 18th centuries. First colonised by the Portuguese in the 16th century, it still retains its medieval charm today, with many of its old buildings superbly preserved. You might like to visit the Japanese Bridge or some of the Chinese temples and meeting halls in the Old Town. There are many shops, bars and restaurants and it's a great place to buy souvenirs, have clothing tailored or simply watch the world go by in a riverside café. There's also the option to take an excursion to the site of the My Lai village massacre memorial. The massacre was a significant turning point in the American War and the horrific story is told through a very emotive exhibition of photography. Another option is to take a fishing trip out to the Thu Bon River Delta, where you can learn how to fish using a traditional cast net. Travelling out by boat, we meet local fishermen and try our hand at cast net fishing as well as trying the bamboo winches used to haul in the huge drop nets from the river. There's also a chance to go out in a Vietnamese 'basket boat' - a circular boat constructed from bamboo that takes a little practice to row!

This morning, we have an excursion to My Son, one of the holiest and most evocative of Vietnam's Cham sites. The Chams were dynastic lords who rejected the authority of China in 2AD and established their own kingdom. Travel along the track that leads to the site is slow, as we bump through wooded hills, but the site is certainly impressive with several groupings of Cham temples which can be visited. The afternoon is free to enjoy Hoi An further. You could take a cookery class at one of Hoi An's restaurants or take part in a lantern-making workshop to learn how to make the lanterns that are ubiquitous in Hoi An. Alternatively, the beach is a short taxi drive away or you could take a boat trip on the river as the late afternoon sun casts across the water.

We have a very early start ahead of us today to catch our flight to Saigon. After a short drive to Danang Airport, we fly to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly, and still locally, known as Saigon) from where we drive further south to Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta. Surrounded by lush and fertile land, the area is home to small villages and swaying coconut palms, and we'll have plenty of time to explore the land and the waterways. First, we'll take a local ferry to a nearby village to explore by trishaw. Then, we'll board sampans, which are small Chinese wooden boats, and cruise along the narrow canals that shoot off the main vein of the Mekong River. After lunch at a local house, we'll have free time to see more of the area. Finally, we'll return to Ben Tre by boat and spend the night in a local guesthouse.

There's more time to explore the canals of the Mekong Delta this morning. If we're lucky, we might meet some of the hardworking locals and witness the coconut processing trade. We also have options to walk or cycle along the canal before we drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Heading out this morning, it's time to take in the sights of Old Saigon, now District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. Along the way, our tour leader will point out the Notre Dame Cathedral and the GPO building as well as some of the old French Colonial hotels such as The Rex. Next, we'll drive to the Independence Palace (renamed the Reunification Hall) and the graphic War Remnants Museum. Another side to the city awaits this afternoon, as we walk through Old Saigon's back alleys. Our walk takes us past ramshackle shopfronts, through local markets selling everything from colourful fruit to bootleg DVDs, and past houses, churches and schools, all squeezed into the small buildings that line the narrow alleys. If you need a pick-me-up, we'll stop at a local stall for a traditional Vietnamese coffee (brewed coffee served sweet with condensed milk). Here, we can also sample 'Banh Mi' - a Vietnamese take on the humble French baguette - freshly baked and packed with a combo of traditional and more exotic, aromatic ingredients. The walk ends at Saigon's 'Secret Weapons Bunker'. A small unassuming 'tube house' hides a trap door which conceals a basement stocked full of rifles, grenades and ammunition. The bunker played a key role in the TET Offensive of 1968. There's time to explore the house and bunker, filled with decommissioned weapons and photographs, news clippings and memorabilia from wartime.

This morning, we'll take a short drive out of the city to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground command base which was a major part of the 1968 Tet Offensive. If you're up to experiencing the claustrophobic conditions the Viet Cong lived in, there's the opportunity to crawl through a small, specially adapted section of the tunnels. Returning to Ho Chi Minh City, the remainder of the afternoon is free.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Ho Chi Minh City at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), which is a 20-minute drive from our hotel. If you have time you may wish to pick up some last-minute bargains at one of the city's markets.