Private transfer: Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, you will be welcomed to Vietnam by your guide, and transferred to your hotel in a private chauffeur driven car.  Spend the morning and afternoon at leisure to recover from your long flight.

Evening meal and water puppet show: In the early evening, you will be taken to a local restaurant for your evening meal before heading to a nearby theatre to enjoy one of Vietnam's unique and traditional arts. Water puppetry is a highly entertaining form of theatre using the water surface as a stage. Standing waist-deep in the water, the master puppeteers are hidden behind a bamboo screen. The technical virtuosity of the puppeteers is startling and the music enticing. The entire atmosphere is truly enchanting. Many of the brief episodes relate to scenes of daily life.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Hotel de l'Opera (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Dinner

Guided tour of Hanoi: This morning you will head for the Soviet style Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh read out the declaration of the nation's independence in 1945. Here you will pass by his mausoleum before walking through the gardens of the Presidential Palace to see 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. You will also see the One Pillar Pagoda which is nearby. Afterwards you will visit the ancient Temple of Literature which was built in the 11th century and was the first university established in Vietnam.

End the tour by enjoying a cyclo ride through 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 are a multitude of tantalising souvenir shops.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Hotel de l'Opera (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Hanoi to Ninh Binh: Head south from the Vietnamese capital this morning, towards the verdant countryside of Ninh Binh. This journey, along a newly-built road, will take around two hours.On the way, visit temples dedicated to the Dinh and Le Dynasty kings. 

Guided tour of Tam Coc & Hoa Lu: On arrival in Ninh Binh you will take a sampan ride to Tam Coc which is called "Halong on land", as it has the same limestone rock formations but is surrounded by paddy fields and streams rather than the sea. Afterwards you will visit the Bich Dong Pagoda, which dates from the 17th century, and later the Temples of Dinh and Le Dynasties at Hoa Lu. This afternoon you will be transferred to Vinh with a stopover at the Cuong Temple, near Dien Chau town, which is famous for the legendary love story of Trong Thuy and My Chau. After the sightseeing return to Ninh Binh to check in to your hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Emeralda Resort (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Exploring the local villages of Ninh Binh by bike: You will be picked up after breakfast to spend a day exploring daily life in the countryside around Ninh Binh. You will be transferred to Van Long stilt house to begin your half day cycle tour of the countryside surrounding Ninh Binh. You will ride along picturesque roads amidst green paddy fields, temples and rural markets, covering around seven kilometres in total. Upon arrival in Cau Vang village, you will take part in local activities such as crab fishing and rice farming. During lunch with a local family, your host will regale you with stories about the ups and downs of rural life in Vietnam. Relax and soak in the tranquillity of rural Vietnam before heading back to your hotel to spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Emeralda Resort (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Road journey from Ninh Binh to Hanoi: Today you will be picked up by your guide and you will set off on the two hour drive to Hanoi. Once in Hanoi you will transfer to the airport in time to check in for your onward flight. 

Flight: VN171 Hanoi - Danang 12.00 - 13.25 

Private transfer: Upon arrival at Danang Airport, you will be met by a guide and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An, a drive of around 45 minutes. Check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. 

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the La Siesta Resort & Spa (Deluxe Balcony Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Half day walking tour of Hoi An with local crafts experience: Today you will be taken on a walking tour through the ancient town of Hoi An. The tour will include seeing the former merchants’ houses that are a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese style; the 400 year-old Japanese covered bridge constructed in 1593; Sa Huynh Museum located near the Japanese covered bridge, which contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history; and the colourful market with its stalls brimming with tropical specialties. End the day by learning to make a lantern with local artisans to help gain a deeper understanding of Hoi An’s history and culture through its art and traditional crafts.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the La Siesta Resort & Spa (Deluxe Balcony Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Day at leisure: You have time to relax. Alternatively there are opportunities to visit the beach, 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 tonight at the La Siesta Resort & Spa (Deluxe Balcony Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Morning cycling in the countryside: After breakfast, you will be met at your hotel by your guide, who will provide you with bicycles and take you out through the tiny village lanes to the river where you can learn about the daily life of the local people. Keep cycling through the fields of corn & rice, passing water coconut forests and shrimp & fish farms as you go. On the way, stop to visit houses for worshipping ancestors, and residences of handicraftsmen, such as blacksmiths, carpenters & masons, where you can learn many unusual things about life in Hoi An. At the end of the tour, ride back to your hotel and have the rest of the day to relax.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the La Siesta Resort & Spa (Deluxe Balcony Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer: After breakfast, you will be transferred to Danang Airport for your onward flight. 

Flight: VN1945 Danang - Nha Trang 12.05 - 13.20 

Private transfer to your hotel: Upon arrival at Nha Trang airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel. Check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. 

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the L'Alya Ninh Van Bay Villas (2 bed villa with private pool)

Meals: Breakfast

Days at leisure in Nha Trang: You have a couple of days free at leisure to relax by the beach at your hotel in the secluded Ninh Van Bay. Nha Trang City is just a short boat ride across the bay. Take advantage of the facilities on offer at your hotel, or ask your hotel to assist in arranging any excursions they may offer.

Accommodation: Stay these nights at the L'Alya Ninh Van Bay Villas (2 bed villa with private pool)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer: At the appropriate time today, you will be collected from the L'Alya Ninh Van Bay Villas and transferred to Nha Trang Airport for your flight to Hanoi. 

Flight: VN1568 Nha Trang - Hanoi 19.00 - 20.55 

Meals: Breakfast