Meet & Greet: On arrival at Hanoi airport you will be welcomed to Vietnam by your private guide and transferred to your hotel.

Afternoon cyclo tour of the Old Quarter: The best way to explore the picturesque area of the Old Quarter is by "cyclo" (a three-wheeled bicycle taxi). Also known as the "36 Streets District", it was once the thriving commercial centre of the city. Each of the 36 short lanes used to specialise in a particular trade represented by one of the guilds. This is still reflected in the names of certain streets: like Silk Street, Gold Street and Fish Street. Among the ancient homes and attractive temples there is a multitude of tantalising souvenir shops.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the La Siesta Premium Hang Be (Junior Suite)

Morning tour of Hanoi: Start your morning tour of Hanoi with a visit to the 900 year old Temple of Literature, Vietnam's principal Confucian sanctuary and its historical centre of learning. Made up of five courtyards, this is one of the few remnants of the original city. Continue to the Soviet style Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh read out the declaration of the nation's independence in 1945. Visit the museum dedicated to Ho Chi Minh before visiting Ho Chi Minh's house, the modest dwelling he built based on a rural Vietnamese stilt house and where "Uncle Ho" lived for the last years of his life. Continue to the old quarter for a walking tour of the bustling streets, before returning to your hotel.

Afternoon at leisure: You have an afternoon at leisure to explore the Vietnamese capital independently. Stroll around the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake, take in a water puppet show, go shopping in the Old Quarter, or sample some of Hanoi’s many culinary delights.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the La Siesta Premium Hang Be (Junior Suite)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer to Halong Bay: This morning drive for approximately three hours through the Red River Delta to the coast and the Gulf of Tonkin, where the waters of Halong Bay are found.

Overnight Halong Bay Cruise on Indochina Sails: Board your Indochina Sails boat in time for lunch, and set sail across the bay. All activities arranged by the cruise are on a shared basis. After lunch take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay. There will also be the opportunity for swimming on a quiet beach or sunbathing on the sundeck. In the late afternoon there will be an excursion to a local fishing village, and a water tunnel. Return to the boat in time for a pre-dinner drink as the sun is setting.

Accommodation: Stay tonight on board the Indochina Sails (Deluxe Cabin)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning cruise: After some morning activities enjoy brunch on board. Disembark the Incochina Sails late this morning.

Private transfer: On arrival at the quay you will be met by your guide and transferred back to Hanoi. En-route you will stop off at the Phu Lang ‘ceramic village' where the villagers have been practicing this traditional craft for generations. On arrival in Hanoi you will have time to freshen up at a hotel before your transfer to the train station in time to catch the overnight train to Lao Cai, the nearest station to Sapa.

Train journey to Lao Cai: You will be booked on the Victoria Express in a private cabin. The train will depart from Hanoi this evening around 9.15pm.

Meals: Brunch

Full day guided tour in the Sapa region: Wake up in Lao Cai around 5am where you will be met and taken for a simple breakfast at a local restaurant before the morning's sightseeing. Breakfast is followed by a five mile drive, along the rim of a deep valley, which in turn is followed by a 30 minute walk which brings you to the so-called rattan bridge and the ethnic Ta Van village, inhabited by the Dzay people. Lunch will be taken in a local restaurant. This afternoon you will explore some of the neighbouring villages on foot, passing through picturesque scenery as you walk. At the end of the trek you will meet up with your driver and then you will be transferred to your hotel in Sapa to check in and enjoy a well-earned rest.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Topas Ecolodge (Executive Bungalow)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Full day minority village trek: This morning set off on a trek around the valleys and minority villages surrounding Sapa. Start on the road leading west from Sapa, which winds through hilly terrain and past terraced paddy fields to Cat Cat village, just 2km from the town. Take a walk through the ancient village to see the traditional customs and practices of the ethnic Black H'mong, and continue to a nearby waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station constructed by the French during the colonial era. From here follow a dirt trail which sneaks between mountains along a narrow river until you reach Muong Hoa Valley, a stunning spot with the largest rice terraces in Sapa. Visits between May and October coincide with the planting and harvesting season, a chance to see local farmers in action. The trek then takes you from the Black H'mong Lao Chai village to Ta Van village of the Giay minority, with a stop at the local Catholic Church. You will then be met by your driver and taken back to your hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Topas Ecolodge (Executive Bungalow)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day at leisure: You have some time at leisure in Sapa. You may wish to have a root around the busy market, or take a short trek to some of the nearby villages. Further excursions can be arranged through your guide.

Private transfer: This afternoon you will be taken back to Lao Cai for the overnight Victoria Express sleeper train to Hanoi.

Train journey to Hanoi: You will be booked on the Victoria Express in a private cabin. The train will depart from Lao Cai this evening around 7.30pm, and will arrive in Hanoi at around 4.30am the following morning.

Meals: Breakfast

Freshen up: Upon arrival in Hanoi early this morning, you will be met at the railway station and transferred to a local hotel where you will have the use of a room to freshen up and have breakfast, before transferring to the airport for your onward flight to Hue.

Flight: VN1543 Hanoi - Hue 08.45 - 09.55

Private transfer: On arrival in Hue, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon tour to the Royal Mausoleums: The final resting places of the Nguyen Emperors are dotted around the hills surrounding the south bank of the Perfume River. They were also designed for recreation - somewhere the emperor could fish, hunt and enjoy the company of his concubines in his twilight years. Each tomb is of individual construction but usually features a pavilion detailing the lifetime accomplishments of the dead emperor, a temple for worship to the emperor, a sepulchre where the emperor's remains are enclosed, a decorative courtyard, and a lotus pond. The Tomb of Tu Duc and of Khai Dinh are two of the best examples and you will be shown around these during the tour.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Eldora Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Morning visit to Dong Ba Market and the Imperial Citadel: This morning, stroll around the hectic Dong Ba Market with your guide. The market is best explored in the morning when a sea of conical hats, colourful fabrics, produce of every description and an array of vendors offering delights for the senses await you. Continue to the Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City nearby. Modelled on the Forbidden City in Beijing by the Nguyen emperors in the early 19th century, the city was badly damaged during the war but the imposing city walls, surrounded by a large moat, afford good views of Hué. The palace retains a feeling of its past scale and importance, with detailed stonework and pavilions and it is at the moment in the process of being restored to its former magnificence.

Afternoon at leisure: The rest of the day will be free at leisure for you to relax and continue exploring at your own pace.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Eldora Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Hue to Hoi An: Today you will be driven south, along Highway 1, to Hoi An, a journey of approximately three hours. Soon the highway meets the Hai Van Pass (meaning Pass of the Ocean Clouds). There are some spectacular vista points and photo opportunities en-route as the Truong Son mountain range cuts across the narrow centre of the country. The mountain range has created a barrier to the cold airstreams from the north which often results in thick cloudbanks over the peaks. The pass has been a strategic military focal point during Vietnam’s turbulent history and from the top there are views of the curve of Danang Bay. En route pass through the port city of Danang with the option of stopping to see the famous 'Danang Beach' before continuing south to Hoi An where you will check-in to your hotel by the beach.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Boutique Hoi An Resort (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Days at leisure: You have time to relax. Your hotel is located by the beach but the Ancient Town is just a 10-15 minute drive away. Alternatively, there are opportunities to cycle in some beautiful countryside, visit the ruins at My Son, discover the artists of Hoi An or see a tailor to get some clothes made.

Accommodation: Stay these nights at the Boutique Hoi An Resort (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer: After an early breakfast you will be transferred to Danang Airport for the Vietnam Airlines flight to Ho Chi Minh City

Flight: VN1309 Danang - Ho Chi Minh City 09.30 - 10.40

Guided tour into the Mekong Delta: On arrival you will be met at the airport and you will then take a scenic two-hour drive to a lush green area in the middle of the Mekong Delta called Ben Tre. Stop en route to visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, an ancient southern architectural gem. Built in 1849, the structure is a mixture of Asian and European architecture including elements from the Renaissance period, Romanesque style, French decorative flowers and Japanese tiles. Later you will arrive at the jetty in My Tho. Here you will board a motorized boat for the trip to Ben Tre, where you will visit a small coconut-candy workshop to get a glimpse of typical family run business in this area. Another 30 minutes bobbing on the waves takes you deeper into the Delta. Disembark from your boat and walk around sleepy villages and picturesque orchards until you reach Vuon Dau for a rest stop. Here you can sample freshly picked fruit at the invitation of friendly local farmers. Later savour a simple but tasty lunch including Mekong Delta specialties. Then enjoy a fun rowing boat ride in the shadows of water-coconut palms passing along idyllic tiny canals. Mid-afternoon bid farewell to your boat rowers and continue by road to Can Tho, a journey of approximately two hours.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Victoria Can Tho (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Morning visit to Cai Rang Floating Market: After an early breakfast this morning depart by road to a nearby dock, and board a sampan boat to explore Cai Rang, the largest floating market on the Mekong. The seemingly chaotic gathering is mostly large boats wholesaling vegetables and fruit, but there are also local traders selling groceries to the larger boats. Weave around the vessels and observe the frenzied trading. The morning tour continues with a trip along the small canals, through local villages, to a fruit orchard garden.

Afternoon cycling tour in the Mekong Delta: Start your guided cycling tour this morning from My Khanh orchard garden, from where you will travel for around 30km along the river on narrow lanes to Binh Thuy, exploring the hidden backwaters of the delta. Transfer back to your hotel in Can Tho by car in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Victoria Can Tho (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer: This morning you will return to Ho Chi Minh City. This is a journey of around three hours, and on arrival you will check in to your hotel.

Afternoon at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City: This afternoon you have some time at leisure in this bustling Asian metropolis. Relax at your hotel, or explore independently. Great shopping opportunities can be found in busy Ben Thanh market as well as numerous glitzy modern malls, while great food can be found on every corner either on the street or in a number of fantastic upmarket restaurants.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Grand Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Morning tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels: After breakfast travel out of the city to the Cu Chi Tunnels. This vast network of tunnels, stretching for over 150 kilometres, was built by the Viet Cong in the battles for the South. The tunnels are a sobering insight into the dedication of the Viet Cong who virtually lived in the narrow and claustrophobic tunnels whilst the war raged. Nearby, a chilling demonstration of the traps and weapons that were used against the Americans is given. The Cu Chi tunnels have been widened in places for visitors, however they can still be dark, hot and claustrophobic inside so please bear this in mind if you do not like enclosed spaces.

Afternoon tour of Saigon: This afternoon visit some of Saigon's historic landmarks including the 1880's General Post Office and the former Presidential Palace which was once headquarters for the Saigon Government during the "American War". Next visit the late 19th century Notre Dame Cathedral, located in a peaceful part of the city, and the War Remnants Museum.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Grand Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Day at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City: Today you have a full day at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City, to catch up on some last minute sightseeing or souvenir shopping.

Private transfer: This evening your guide and driver will transfer you to the airport for your return flight.

Meals: Breakfast