Arriving to Ho Chi Minh City, also known by its old name of Saigon, you are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the heart of old Saigon. Now an upmarket and bustling part of the city, there are modern high rises and glitzy designer stores juxtaposed with captivating buildings of colonial French architecture. Settle in to your comfortable city hotel; perhaps you might like to stretch your legs with a stroll along the bank of the Saigon River, or orientate yourself to the nearby sights including the Opera House, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, and the Reunification Palace. To gain an elevated view over the city, head to the 262m-high Bitexco Financial Tower where you can purchase a ticket to access the Saigon Skydeck observation deck.

This afternoon you will have a welcome meeting at 17:00 with your self-guided assistant, who can answer any questions you have about your days ahead in Ho Chi Minh City. This evening, you are free to take your pick from the abundance of roadside stalls and restaurants serving up Vietnamese classics. Follow your senses, excite your taste buds and immerse yourself into the flavours of the country. A good starting point is the Vietnamese classic pho bo - a delicious and fragrant bowl of rice noodles in a steaming beef broth.

This morning, you will meet with your local guide and head to the Mekong delta, where you will explore the picturesque province of Ben Tre, also known as the "Green Venice" of Vietnam. The Mekong delta is one of the world's largest, encompassing an area of over 40,000 km². The mighty river's numerous branches that empty into the South China Sea give the Mekong its Vietnamese name: Song Cuu Long (River of Nine Dragons).

Reaching Phong Nam, you will have the opportunity to visit a small factory where bricks are still made by hand, before boarding a boat for a cruise along the Chet Say river, one of the arms of the Mekong. The boat will make several stops along the way to discover different local workshops, allowing you an insight into the specialties of the local economy. Crossing a small canal, the boat will stop at a small village where you will visit a carpet-weaving workshop and even try your hand at this traditional method of weaving. Hopping on a bike, you can enjoy a leisurely ride to continue your exploration of the languid village, pedalling past traditional farms producing abundant fruits and vegetables. If you prefer, as both options are included in your tour today, you could take a short tour on a xe loi (a kind of motorised rickshaw). Stopping at a local restaurant, you will enjoy a delicious lunch made of specialties of the Mekong region, such as elephant-ear fish (a type of gourami) and freshwater shrimp. Feeling sated, you will board a sampan (a flat-bottomed wooden boat) to leisurely explore the network of narrow canals and groves of water coconut, gliding silently on the water. In the afternoon, you will return to Ho Chi Minh City by car (approx. 2 hours) and enjoy a final evening in the lively city at your leisure.

Your day is free to further explore the city at your own pace before taking the night train to Danang this evening; you will find loaded into your self-guided app details of all the most significant historical sights in the city.

You also have the option today to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. This is a full day excursion (the Cu Chi Tunnels are located around 2 hours from Ho Chi Minh City) and return transfers can be booked in advance through KE - contact our sales team for a quote. Originally dug by hand by the Viet Minh (Resistance Force) during the French-Indochina War of the late 1940s, this network of tunnels was expanded during the Vietnam War. This incredible feat of ingenuity included at its peak over 250km of underground tunnels, parts of which were several storeys deep, and included meeting rooms, living areas, field hospitals and kitchens. Beginning your tour with a video documentary of the tunnels and the Vietnam War, you will then be able to squeeze through the narrow underground passageways to have a glimpse into the tenacity of the Viet Cong guerrilla fighters living for prolonged periods of time in these difficult conditions. Please note the close nature of the tunnels makes this visit unsuitable for those with claustrophobia.

In the evening, you will be collected by your driver and transferred with your luggage to the train station, to catch the sleeper train heading north. The journey takes around 17 hours, arriving to Danang the following day around mid-day.

Waking this morning on the gently rocking train, sit back and enjoy the passing scenery as you trundle through ever-changing rural, urban and coastal landscapes. Travelling by train is a great way to experience the authentic side of a destination - you will get to see the "real" Vietnam. The interactions and experiences of sharing the journey with your fellow travellers could make for some of the most memorable moments of your holiday, perhaps with the exchanging of stories, photos and other unscripted moments!

Arriving to Danang Train Station, you will be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An (45 minutes). The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy as you wish; you may like to relax by the hotel pool or perhaps head out on foot to explore the charming town of Hoi An. To understand more about the UNESCO-listed town and its history, you can purchase the Hoi An Old Town Ticket that gives you access to the protected ancient town and its distinctive old Vietnamese houses, communal houses, Chinese assembly halls and the beautiful Japanese covered bridge. Within your self-guided app you will find details of all the most significant places along with their historical information.

Your bicycle will be delivered to your hotel this morning, ready for your self-guided cycling excursion into the scenic countryside around Hoi An. Take your time and enjoy the leisurely ride today; venturing afield into the lesser-trodden surrounds on two wheels, you can experience an insight into rural Vietnamese life that is not afforded to those that stay within the main tourist hub. Pedalling initially through the old town, you will soon pass through impressive rice fields, rarely-visited villages, and see fishermen working on the river along with their colourful boats and large fishing nets. Your self-guided app includes recommendations for coffee stops along the way - a perfect opportunity to enjoy the sugary buzz of a cafe sua da, the traditional Vietnamese iced coffee drink of strong drip coffee combined with condensed milk.

Returning to Hoi An, you will have the rest of the day free to soak in the peaceful atmosphere of this ancient port town as you wish.

Enjoy a relaxed morning and a final stroll around the atmospheric streetscapes of old Hoi An. You will be picked up by your driver in the early afternoon for your private transfer to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Hue, a journey of around 3 hours. The scenic drive will cross the spectacular Hai Van Pass, offering up stunning panoramic views and majestic vistas of the bay. Arriving to the city positioned on the romantic-sounding Perfume River, check in to your hotel and settle in; the rest of the day is free for you to enjoy at your leisure. You might like to stretch your legs and discover the atmospheric ramparts of the Citadel, positioned on the north bank of the river - most of Hue's historical sights are located within the Citadel's 2m-thick, 10km-long walls. There are a number of restaurants, cafes and stalls in and around the Citadel for you to tuck into your choice of dinner tonight. Perhaps you'd like to sample a specialty of central Vietnam called bun bo hue, a dish of rice noodle soup packed with fiery spices and fragrant herbs.

This morning your bicycle will be delivered to your hotel for your self-guided cycling tour of Hue and its surrounds. Leaving behind the city centre, your cycle journey will first take you through the ubiquitous rice fields of rural Vietnam to reach the village of Thanh Toan, where you can admire the covered Japanese Bridge constructed in 1776. From here, your ride continues along a peaceful canal lined with impressive family temples and large fishing nets, before arriving to the idyllic Chuon lagoon. Pedalling along the edge of this peaceful spot, you will find picturesque scenes of small fishing villages, endless fishing nets, and colourful graveyards paying homage to ancestors passed. Also dotted along the shores and canals are markets where the freshly-caught fish and local produce are sold - a perfect little snippet of authentic everyday life. Your return to the Imperial city follows scenic canals accompanied by far reaching views.

The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you desire; you will still have use of your bike before it is collected from the hotel at 18:00 so you may wish to explore some of the additional sights as detailed in your self-guided app, including the numerous tombs of former emperors that can be found around the city.

If you have not done so already, a walk around the Imperial Enclosure of the Citadel is well worth doing. This citadel-within-a-citadel is comprised of several sections, including a collection of palaces, temples and residences of the Nguyen royal dynasty of the early 19th century. You will find in your self-guided app details of the most important places within the site to help you uncover its history. It is a tranquil place to spend the morning, drinking in the incredible monuments and beautiful architecture, the pleasingly geometrical courtyards, pockets of shady groves and ponds teeming with golden koi carp.

In the early afternoon, you will be transferred to Hue station to catch the overnight train to Hanoi; departing Hue in the mid-afternoon and arriving to the bustling city of Hanoi bright and early in the morning after a journey of around 14 hours. This is your final journey on the Reunification Express linking towns and cities along the spine of Vietnam. Sit back and enjoy the changing scenery as you journey on this historic railway line, a symbol of Vietnamese unity.

Arriving to the capital city of Vietnam early in the morning, your driver will be waiting to meet you at the train station to transfer you to your hotel in the centrally-located Hoan Kiem district. The famous lake that gives the district its name is a peaceful oasis in the midst of the city's buzzing commercial hub, and early in the morning you will find local residents practicing tai chi on its tranquil shore. Your hotel room will be available for you on arrival, you can catch some quick winks before refuelling on breakfast at the hotel and embarking on your self-guided walking tour of the city today.

Following the route in your self-guided app, you will wander through the maze of different markets, hidden pagodas and small alleys, discovering iconic colonial buildings such as the St Joseph Cathedral and the Hanoi Opera House. The self-guided app also recommends several restaurants where you can sample some local specialties for lunch, for example bun cha, a delicious dish of grilled pork and noodles, heaped with fresh herbs and green vegetables. Yum! Feeling sated, you can continue your self-guided walking tour, with many more sights to discover such as the Temple of Literature, the beautiful Tran Quoc pagoda near West Lake, or the lesser-known Women's Museum. In the evening, you might like to follow the street food tour in your app to take your taste buds on a journey, through some of the signature dishes of Hanoi such as banh cuon (steamed filled rice rolls), bun bo nam bo (stir fried beef noodles), banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich, a legacy of French and Chinese colonialism), and bia hoi (fresh brewed beer). Go with an open mind and an empty stomach, and be prepared to eat like a king!

Your driver will pick you up from your hotel this morning to transfer you to the coast (3 hours), where you will board your comfortable modern junk boat. This will be your floating home for the next two nights as you cruise around the spectacular natural formations of Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Welcomed aboard by your friendly crew and your English-speaking guide, you can settle into your beautiful private cabin and explore your surroundings, meeting your fellow guests and discovering the sun deck with its 360-degree views, comfortable lounge areas, and on board restaurant where you will be served delicious meals including plenty of seafood, freshly caught right from the bay. Perhaps you might even like to pamper yourself with a spa treatment on board!

This world-famous natural wonder consists of some 3000 limestone islands and islets, most of which are uninhabited. The stunning seascapes of jagged green limestone pillars jutting out from the emerald sea inspired legends of giant dragons that shaped the earth. Over the next couple of days you will have a perfectly balanced program of off-junk excursions and free time to enjoy swimming, kayaking or simply sunbathing and relaxing on board.

Please note the order of activities is not fixed and can be subject to change.

Your day will be filled with activities and excursions to really immerse you into this stunning landscape. Starting the morning with an early tai chi session on the sun deck, you will feel energized and full of beans for the exciting day of sightseeing ahead. Depending on weather conditions, your day's excursion off the junk will typically include exploration on a smaller day-boat around the smaller islands and islets, discovering hidden beaches, isolated villages, and surprising caves and grottoes with fascinating rock formations. You will also have free time to enjoy swimming, snorkelling or kayaking, before freshening up for dinner and perhaps joining a traditional cooking class with the chef on board.

You might like to wake early to catch an unforgettable sunrise over the bay from the comfort of your cabin or from the sundeck. Enjoy a leisurely morning and drink in your peaceful surroundings as the junk makes its way languidly through the bay, back to the port where you will disembark and say goodbye to new friends made on board and to your delightful crew. You will be picked up by your driver and transferred back to your hotel in Hanoi; the rest of the day will be at your leisure, perhaps this would be a good opportunity to gather some souvenirs of your time in Vietnam!

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Depending on your time of departure, you might like to have a final wander around the old quarter before picking up a taxi to the airport for your onward flight. Your hotel can assist with arranging a taxi, or you can also pre-book a taxi through KE if you prefer, just ask our sales team for a quote. We can also assist with arranging additional nights in Hanoi if you'd like to stay a little longer in this atmospheric city.