Trails of Vietnam

Begin your adventure in Hanoi, a city where an unstoppable energy meets traditional Vietnamese culture and colonial influences permeate the broad tree-lined boulevards, most noticeably in faded French architecture. Whether you’re buying baguettes and inexpensive coffee from the grand doorways of a past era, drifting alongside Hoan Kiem Lake or roaming the animated streets, Hanoi offers a delicious first taste of Vietnamese culture. Even crossing one of many manic roads is a memorable experience. Around 6pm, say xin chào to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome by arranging a group dinner at a nearby restaurant. Want more time in Hanoi? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Transfer (approximately 3hr 30min) to the Hoa Binh Province this morning. Travelling along scenic roads with panoramic views of rolling hills, we journey to Tan Lac and the tranquil village of Xom Chien, home to approximately 75 families from the Muong community. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch cooked by a local family before an afternoon hike (1.5mi/2.5km), on which we visit a farm to learn about traditional agriculture practices. For the next two nights, we stay with a family, an excellent chance to learn more about rural life in this beautiful part of the country. Please note: You need to leave your main luggage at the Hanoi hotel while visiting Tan Lac, taking an overnight bag instead. You are reunited with your main luggage on Day 4 in Hanoi.

Beeping, bustling Hanoi will be a faint memory, and the day is spent exploring this rural paradise. After an early breakfast, we start our trek. Today’s five-hour trek begins with a walk through lush valleys adorned with quilt-like rice terraces, swaying palms, and clusters of traditional villages. Along the route, breathtaking views of the region’s vast green orchards add to the allure of the landscape. A picnic lunch is provided, which we can enjoy while admiring the scenic views of the whole Lung Van area, fondly known as the Valley of the Cloud. Returning to our homestay, we enjoy a delicious dinner with our hosts before experiencing an enchanting traditional music show that brings the day's adventures to a memorable close.

After breakfast and a relaxed morning, we depart Xom Chien and transfer (approximately 3hr 30min) back to Hanoi. On return, a city tour in Hanoi introduces the many layers of Vietnamese culture and history. Sites include Hoa Lo, the Temple of Literature, and the Old Quarter, the centuries-old soul of Hanoi. Stepping into this commercial labyrinth is not as confusing as it first may seem, but only once you realise the 36 streets indicate the products sold. So why not turn down Silk Street, Souvenir Street or even Gold Street? The remainder of the afternoon/early evening is free, perhaps to enjoy the view from a lakeside cafe. If you wish to join an optional activity, your tour leader can arrange a viewing of the water puppets, which originates from the 11th century, where folktale and legends are playfully recounted and soundtracked by wooden bells, bamboo flutes and cymbals.

After an early start, we transfer (approximately four hours) to Ha Long Bay where our private boat awaits, ready to cruise along Ha Long Bay. The name means ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’ –legend has it, the islands were formed when a dragon plunged into the waters. Carving crevasses on its way, it left roughly 3,000 limestone peaks rising from emerald waters. Soak up the enigmatic atmosphere this karst scenery creates, before kayaking to places inaccessible on the larger boat (weather permitting). A seafood lunch is served on board, and the evening is yours to unwind upon tranquil waters. The night is spent in twin-share cabins. Please note: You need to leave your main luggage in Hanoi at the hotel while visiting Ha Long Bay for one night and take an overnight bag instead. You will be reunited with your main luggage on Day 6 after arriving back to Hanoi.

As the boat cruises past the majestic peaks, there will be new opportunities to immerse ourselves in the mystical quality of Ha Long Bay. After returning to port, we transfer to Hanoi train station and board the Reunification Express for the overnight train to Hue (approximately 13 hours). The journey is a great way to travel like the local people and really experience Vietnam.

In the morning, we arrive in Hue, the cultural and historical centre of Vietnam. Brimming with charisma, the city has impacted several poets in its time and serves as a reminder of Vietnam’s imperial glories. Today we take a bus transfer to the Imperial Citadel and Thien Mu Pagoda to peep into the life of Nguyen emperors. With 6mi (9.5km) long walls, the Imperial Citadel is the most outstanding sight in town. We explore the palaces, halls of the Mandarins, and remains of the Forbidden Purple City, once only open to the emperor, his eunuchs and concubines. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax and enjoy at leisure.