Vietnam Express Southbound

Xin chao! Welcome to Hanoi. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm at your hotel, followed by a group dinner at KOTO restaurant – this organisation is dedicated to developing the hospitality careers of disadvantaged youth. If you arrive early, there’s plenty to see and do in this gorgeous city. You could book the Hanoi Street Food Experience with Urban Adventures and sample some delicious Vietnamese cuisine like a true local, or chill by Hoan Kiem Lake. Maybe wander the Old Quarter to admire the city’s French architecture and shopping streets, then grab a cold beer and a Bahn mi on a bustling street corner.

Travel by private minibus to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay, which is dotted with sandy coves, grottoes and 1600 limestone islands, formed over millennia by wind and water erosion. Board a private boat and cruise the bay, exploring caves and beaches on the way. If you like, you can also take on an optional kayaking tour of the bay and see the gorgeous natural scenery from a different perspective. Spend your evening aboard the boat beneath the night sky, watching as the stars come out and maybe grab a drink at the restaurant bar, getting to know your fellow travellers a little better.

Wake up on the waters of Ha Long Bay and maybe watch the sunrise as the eagles soar overhead. Then return to Hanoi by bus, and enjoy a free afternoon until tonight’s train voyage. Be sure to grab a bowl of pho while you’re in town and slurp down this local specialty made from broth, noodles and meat. Maybe chill by Hoan Kiem Lake until you board an overnight train to Hue this evening.

Arrive in Hue this morning and transfer to your hotel. Once the imperial capital of Vietnam, Hue holds the treasures of the country’s royal past. Visit a local village recycling hub dedicating their work to address their local environment challenges through recycling and try the local specialty – salt coffee, while you are here. In the afternoon, visit the war-damaged ruins of the Imperial Citadel – a sprawling city-within-a-city which contains the remains of temples, state houses and the emperor’s palace.

See Hue like a local today – from the back of a motorbike! Straddle the saddle and whiz around town with a local guide, taking in historic and contemporary sights along the way. Stop at Thanh Toan to see the 18th-century covered bridge and villagers shopping at their local market. Visit the 17th-century active Buddhist monastery of Thien Mu Pagoda and see the car that belonged to Thich Quang Duc – the monk who self-immolated in 1963 in protest against the treatment of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese regime. For lunch, sit down to a vegetarian feast in a nunnery. Finish with visiting one of the royal tombs in Hue before heading back to your hotel.

This morning, take the bus through coastal rice paddies and the spectacular Hai Van Pass. After a photo stop on the way, arrive in Hoi An – recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, Hoi An was a major international trading port during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of the beautifully preserved town retain the feel of centuries past. This is also a very popular town for shopping, famous for its many tailors. When you arrive, your leader will take you on a sightseeing walk through the Old Town to visit a handful of the city's major attractions. You’ll also be given a sightseeing pass so you can further explore select attractions at your leisure.

Today is a free day to explore Hoi An. Maybe browse the cobbled streets and art galleries or hire a bike and cycle through rice paddies out to Cua Dai Beach. Maybe browse for paintings, ceramics and colourful cloth lanterns in the town’s markets and preserved Chinese shophouses. If you’re craving a new look, you could visit to one of the hundreds of tailors and get an outfit custom made. Hoi An is also known for its delicious regional food, so you could have dinner a riverside restaurant or partake in a cooking class.