Vietnam: Saigon to Ha Long

South to north, any day you like: Saigon, the Mekong, Hoi An, Hanoi, Ninh Binh and a night on Ha Long Bay.

Your route

1. 1 Ho Chi Minh City 2 nights
2. 2 Da Nang 2 nights
3. 3 Hanoi 2 nights
4. 4 Ha Long cruise 1 night

1. Day 1 Ho Chi Minh City

   Arrive, city tour, Ben Thanh market.

   Welcome to Vietnam. Indian travellers need an e-visa, approved before flying. Our guide meets you at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City and takes you to your hotel. In the afternoon, enjoy a city tour: the Notre-Dame Cathedral from outside, the French colonial Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace and the busy Ben Thanh Market. Lunch and dinner are included today. Spend the evening exploring District 1's lively streets and cafes. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

2. Day 2 Ho Chi Minh City

   Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta.

   Drive about 70 km to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of underground passages used during the Vietnam War, and crawl through a short section to see how people lived and fought underground. In the afternoon, continue to the Mekong Delta. Take a boat along the wide river and its narrow canals lined with coconut palms, visit a coconut candy workshop and taste tropical fruits to the sound of folk music. Return to the city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

3. Day 3 Da Nang

   Fly to Da Nang, beach and city.

   Fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang in central Vietnam, about one and a half hours. Our guide meets you and takes you on a short tour of the city, with the Marble Mountains, five limestone hills with caves and shrines inside, and the long sandy My Khe Beach. Check in to your hotel and relax by the sea. In the evening, see the Dragon Bridge, which breathes fire and water on weekend nights. Overnight in Da Nang.

4. Day 4 Da Nang

   Ba Na Hills and Hoi An.

   Ride one of the world's longest cable cars up to Ba Na Hills and walk across the Golden Bridge, held up by two giant stone hands. Explore the French Village and gardens on the hilltop. In the afternoon, visit Cam Thanh Coconut Village for a ride in a round bamboo basket boat. In the evening, explore Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO site of old merchant houses lit by silk lanterns, and release a paper lantern on the river. Overnight in Da Nang.

5. Day 5 Hanoi

   Fly to Hanoi, Old Quarter.

   Fly from Da Nang to Hanoi, about one and a half hours. Our guide meets you and takes you to your hotel. In the afternoon, explore the Old Quarter, a maze of 36 streets once named for the goods sold in them, and walk around Hoan Kiem Lake to the red Huc Bridge. Try Vietnamese egg coffee and a bowl of pho. In the evening, watch a water puppet show at extra cost. Hanoi's traffic is busy, so cross roads slowly. Overnight in Hanoi.

6. Day 6 Hanoi

   Ninh Binh day trip.

   A day trip to Ninh Binh, about two hours south, often called Ha Long Bay on land. Visit Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam, with temples to its early kings, and take a sampan boat ride at Tam Coc, rowed through rice fields and limestone caves. You may also cycle through the quiet villages. Return to Hanoi in the evening and enjoy a final night in the city. Carry water, a hat and sunscreen for the boat ride. Overnight in Hanoi.

7. Day 7 Ha Long Bay

   Overnight cruise.

   Drive about two and a half hours to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO site with nearly two thousand limestone islands rising from emerald water. Board your cruise ship and settle into your cabin. Sail among the islands, visit a cave, and go kayaking or swimming when the weather allows. Watch the sunset from the deck, and enjoy dinner on board. Vegetarian meals can be arranged in advance. Carry a light jacket for the evening breeze on deck. Overnight on the Ha Long Bay cruise.

8. Day 8 Ha Long Bay

   Morning on the bay, departure.

   Wake early for tai chi on the sun deck as mist lifts over the limestone islands, then visit a cave or floating village before brunch on board. The ship returns to the harbour around midday. Our guide then drives you to Hanoi's Noi Bai airport, about two and a half to three hours, for your flight home. We recommend evening flights. Pack your bags the night before. Your journey from Saigon to Ha Long Bay ends here, with memories of Vietnam's south, centre and north.

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