Highlights of Vietnam

Hanoi

Arrive Hanoi, Vietnam

Criss-crossed by mopeds, shaded by banyan trees, soothed by the lake at its center, Hanoi is an immersive experience. Its vintage neighborhoods are threaded together by boulevards and dotted with orchid-scented shops and sun-faded colonial villas. There's a contemporary buzz, thanks to youthful design and restaurant scenes, but the past is never far away - immortalized in temples, museums and President Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum. Above all, though, this is a city to be experienced at street level, at its food stalls, markets and pavement bars serving bia hoi, the local beer.

Hanoi

Hanoi - Cuisine and Culture Come Alive

Immerse yourself in the city's fascinating food scene guided by a local chef, travelling by cyclo (a three-wheeled bicycle taxi) to a bustling market where you select the produce used to prepare your own Vietnamese feast. Get acquainted with Confucian philosophy at the Temple of Literature, a downtown oasis of lotus-dotted gardens, pagodas and shrines, and watch Vietnamese myth come to life as colorful marionettes dance on water at the Water Puppet Theater.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long and Han La Bays - Karst Towers and Limestone Islands

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its extraordinary karst landscape with thousands of weather-sculpted limestone peaks rising from the Gulf of Tonkin's tranquil waters. Your luxury vessel also cruises Han La Bay, Ha Long Bay's lesser-known neighbor, sailing within sight of lush forests before mooring in a photogenic island to explore local communities dotted among jungle-clad mountains. Back on board, savor classic Vietnamese dishes in the elegant dining room of your ship, joining a cooking class or trying your hand at squid fishing.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Hue

Hue - Vietnam's Garden City

Much smaller than Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, the lush, garden-like enclave of Hue wraps its way around the lazy waters of the Perfume River - its mossy pagodas, water-lily ponds and leafy streets scented with frangipani. As the home of the country's last royal family, its imperial citadel dominates the landscape, with ornate mausoleums along the riverbank, guarded by stone mandarins, and a jumble of palaces, temples and pavilions. This is also Vietnam's most food-focused city, thanks to the harvest of ingredients grown nearby, its street-food markets sizzling with the sheer variety of flavor.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast

Hue

Hue - Pagodas, Palaces and the Perfume River

Walk in the footsteps of Vietnamese emperors, touring the Imperial Citadel, the Forbidden Purple City and the tomb of Tu Duc, the "Poet Emperor." Discover the craft of ceremonial incense making at a local village. Explore the enchanting Perfume River on the water before reaching the historical Thien Mu Pagoda. Tour a former regal residence, as a royal descendent guides you through the garden house of Princess Ngoc Son where you dine in its peaceful gardens.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Hoi An

Hoi an - Lantern-lit Canals

Traditional wooden houses practically tumble into the canals in Hoi An, a waterfront city with a well-preserved lantern-lit Ancient Town of tailor shops and banh mi stalls. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it moves at a slightly gentler pace than most urban centers in Vietnam. Walk through centuries of history on a tour of the preserved streets of Hoi An Ancient Town. Make a traditional Hoi An lantern as skilled artisans teach you their craft.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast

Hoi An

Hoi an - Farming and Fishing Traditions

Get under the skin of the region's rice farming and fishing traditions, first joining farmers in the field, then boarding a traditional round basket boat with local fishermen. Later, discover the secrets of Vietnamese cuisine as a top chef takes you through the ingredients, flavors and cooking techniques in their private kitchen.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Hoi An

Hoi an - Exploring on Your Own

Spend the day exploring or relaxing however you prefer. You might choose to leave the town behind to cycle through emerald rice fields or unwind on the golden sands of nearby Cua Dai.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City - Echoes of Saigon

Otherwise known as Saigon, this is Vietnam's most dynamic metropolis - cacophonous and endlessly diverting. Best seen from the back of a motorbike (if you dare), it's a hub for contemporary Asian culture, cuisine and entrepreneurship, with skyscrapers pushing the city upwards. But the romance prevails, with the belle epoque Opera House and Notre Dame Cathedral at its heart, and boulevards leading past colonial-era villas and hotels. Delve into Vietnam's fascinating past as you tour the city's Reunification Palace and historical museums. Take off on a vintage Vespa as the sun sets, riding through the city on an evening adventure peppered with plenty of authentic street food stops en route.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City - A Metropolis Awakens

Take in the morning rituals of a city as it awakens to a new day. Begin with a serene cyclo ride through the quiet boulevards - the elegant silhouettes of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office emerging gently from the early mist. Pause at a cafe tucked behind the historic Reunification Palace to sip coffee as locals gather in the cool morning air to practice tai chi at a nearby park. As the streets grow livelier, step into a local market to browse stalls brimming with tropical fruits, fragrant herbs and the chatter of vendors. After lunch, head to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an intricate underground network used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast

Ho Chi Minh City

Depart Ho Chi Minh City

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast