VIBRANT VIETNAM

Upon arrival in Hanoi airport (HAN), you’ll be transferred to the hotel where our Local Insider will help you check in. They will accompany the group throughout the trip. Feel free to explore the area or grab a drink at the bar before meeting your fellow travellers at 5.15pm. Kick off the evening by heading out to a local night market for your first taste of Vietnamese street food. Try delicacies such as bun cha (meatballs with noodles and herbs), pho (noodle soup) or goi cuon (fresh spring rolls), washed down with a cold Hanoi beer.

After breakfast, set out on a walking tour of Hanoi. You’ll start at Ba Dinh Square, where president Ho Chi Minh read the Independence Declaration on 2 September 1945. Take time to appreciate the imposing marble mausoleum built in his honour. Next, stop by the Temple of Literature, a picturesque complex housing the oldest university in Vietnam, dedicated to the ancient Chinese scholar, Confucius. In the afternoon you’ll be able to explore Hanoi at your own leisure, perhaps by strolling through the lively Old Quarter and finding a cafe to try a creamy egg coffee – a Hanoi speciality.

Today, you’ll swap the bustle of Hanoi for the tranquility of the Mai Chau, a lush valley 140km (87mi) southwest of the capital, inhabited by several ethnic minority groups in the mountains of Hoa Binh province. Following a lunch of local delicacies, you’ll cycle through rice fields to a White Thai village and experience farm life – including collecting food for buffalos and feeding them. Enjoy fresh fruit and honey tea with the indigenous people while embracing their slower pace of life. Come nightfall, you’ll dine at a homestay.

This morning, you’ll take a short transfer to Bao La commune and continue from there to reach Na Chao village. Get a deeper feel for the Mai Chau countryside by following a short hiking trail and glimpse inside the traditional stilt houses built and lived in by local families. You’ll learn all about the history and culture of the White Thai ethnic group, who live in the area, and attend a class on weaving bamboo baskets at a White Thai house before returning to Hanoi in the afternoon.

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll transfer to Tuan Chau Island, on the fringes of Halong Bay, where you’ll set sail for tiny Ti Top Island. With its white beach and verdant, sail-shaped karst peak, this tiny islet is one of the bay’s top stops. Before you get there, you’ll enjoy lunch on board your cruiser and stop enroute at Tung Sau pearl farm, to see how these natural gems are cultivated. You’ll drop anchor overnight at Ti Top Island, where you can hit the beach for a swim or trek up to the mountain overlook – just make sure you’re back on board in time for happy hour and canapés on the boat’s sundeck. After watching the sun set, relax with a spot of squid fishing off the back of the boat.

Start the day by focusing the mind and body with a tai chi class on deck. After, you’ll tuck into a light breakfast before sailing on to Sung Sot cave – the largest and most beautiful cave in Halong Bay, festooned in delicate stalactites. After the cave visit, you’ll be treated to a final full breakfast on board as you cruise past Thien Cung and Dao Go Cave, and the Fighting Cock islet. After a little more time to relax and take in those Halong Bay views, you’ll disembark back at Tuan Chai Island. It’s time to bid farewell to the crew and return to Hanoi to board an overnight train to Hue. Be prepared – there are no showers on sleeper trains in Vietnam but our cabins have four comfy beds with two people to a cabin.

Wake up in Hue, the capital between 1802 and 1945. After arriving at the station, check into the hotel and spend the afternoon at leisure. In the evening, you’ll join a street food tour by cyclo – a rickshaw-style form of transport, popular in Vietnam – and get an authentic feel for the city, stopping at a number of restaurants, markets and hidden eateries to sample a variety of Hue specialities – noticeably distinct from typical Vietnamese cuisine. Bun ho hue (spicy beef noodle soup), nem lui (pork and lemongrass skewers) and banh beo (steamed rice cakes with shrimps) are among the local favourites.

Now you’re familiar with Hue’s food scene, it’s time to learn about the flavours and techniques behind the local delicacies by visiting a market and attending a cooking masterclass with gastronomy artisan, Ms Huy. After enjoying the fruits of your labour, head to the ancient Hue Citadel, where you can admire the lavish architecture of the royal palaces in the Imperial City. You’ll then sail along the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda and experience a royal tea ceremony in the style of the Nguyen Dynasty, finally stopping at the XQ Hand Embroidery Art Museum on your way back to the hotel.

After a healthy Vietnamese breakfast and a gentle start to the day we’ll continue on to the final stop of your trip, Hoi An, an atmospheric coastal town featuring a colourful mix of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and French-colonial architecture, intersected by canals. The signature local dish, cao lau (spicy braised pork with rice noodles, bean sprouts and greens), is worth seeking out. There’s no shortage of excellent restaurants here.

The day will begin with a guided walking tour of Hoi An. Soak up the ambience of the old centre as you meander the lantern-lit streets, passing striking historical landmarks such as the Chua Ong Pagoda, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall and Japanese Covered Bridge. The latter was built to connect the Japanese and Chinese districts back when Hoi An was a major trading port between the 15th and 19th centuries. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring as you wish – our Local Insider is always on hand with a flurry of recommendations.

Fancy taking it easy on your last full day? Feel free to do so. But if you’re keen for an adventure, take a private speedboat to the Cham Islands, an archipelago consisting of eight granite outcrops 15km (9mi) off the Hoi An coast. A local fisherman, Mr Lau, will greet you on the main island (Hon Lao) and guide you around the biosphere reserve where you can snorkel and swim among flourishing coral reefs and marine life. Enjoy a seafood lunch and take a stroll through Bai Huong village before returning to the mainland via private speed boat. Then it’s time to learn about restorative Yin yoga – a soothing session before heading for one last group dinner at a local restaurant.

After one last breakfast, it’s time to pack your bags and checkout of the hotel. Bid farewell to your fellow travellers at midday and make your way to Da Nang International Airport (DAD) via an included transfer to catch your flight home – or extend your stay in Vietnam.