A Journey Through Vietnam accompanied by Joann Geddes & Khoi Dinh

Meals Included: Dinner

Xin chao! Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s vibrant capital city. You will be met on arrival at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

If you arrive early, Hanoi offers plenty of enticing experiences. Perhaps head to the city’s colorful old quarter and explore the charming jumble of shops and cafés, or check out the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum, showcasing ancient through to contemporary Vietnamese art.

This evening, join our Lewis & Clark team - Joann Geddes, Khoi Dinh, and a local guide for a welcome dinner at a beautiful nearby restaurant. Dive into the exciting world of Vietnamese cuisine with the freshest local ingredients.

Accommodations: May De Ville Trendy Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, you will have the morning free at your own leisure after the long flight.

In the afternoon, head out for a guided tour of Dong Xuan Market. Hanoi shopping is often associated with Dong Xuan Market, aka Springfield Market. Established in 1889 by the French, this market is the largest covered market in the capital where the sellers and buyers can trade anything, from household furniture to foodstuffs. There is also an area in the market to try some of the seasonal tropical fruits.

Afterward, we will transfer to Tran Quoc Pagoda - the oldest of its kind in Hanoi, dating back to the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De Dynasty (544 - 548). This Buddhist shrine has undergone several changes throughout the years, particularly its renaming from An Quoc to Tran Quoc (protecting the country) by Emperor Le Huy Tong in the 17th century.

Then we will have a visit to the  Museum of Women. Here, you will learn about the importance of Vietnamese women and their crucial roles in the past, present, and future of the country.

In the evening, we will gather as a group for dinner.

Accommodations: May De Ville Trendy Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, we will first visit Maison Centrale in Hanoi, also known as Hoa Lo Prison or the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ which housed Vietnamese revolutionaries and American POWs during the Vietnam War. The fortress was once a vast colonial-style prison, most of which was torn down in the 1990s. Afterward, we will have an orientation walking tour through Old Quarter - locally known as this because each street originally sold a specific type of product - Hoan Kiem Lake, and then visit Ngoc Son Temple. Set on its own island in Hoan Kiem Lake, it’s easy to see why the picturesque Temple of the Jade Mountain (Ngoc Son Temple) is one of the most visited places of worship in Hanoi. Full of history and scenic beauty, this fascinating 19th-century temple offers a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi.

After lunch, we will head to the Museum of Ethnology to learn more about the diverse heritage of Vietnam. In the afternoon, enjoy a unique water puppet performance hosted by a local family, whose members are experts in this art form. This northern tradition, dating back nearly a thousand years, is performed alongside traditional Vietnamese music that employs drums, wooden bells, horns, and bamboo flutes.

Accommodations: May De Ville Trendy Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Today we will enjoy a half-day city tour of the town. You will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum, One Pillar Pagoda, and the tranquil Temple of Literature – an oasis of calm in the heart of town.

Enjoy a delicious lunch at KOTO restaurant, an excellent establishment that follows the philosophy of “know one, teach one.” It supports underprivileged local youth by giving them a chance at making a career in the hospitality industry.

Dinner on your own and free time for evening activities.

Accommodations: May De Ville Trendy Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive for about 4 hours to the spectacular area of Halong Bay.

We will board our wooden junk-style boat for a cruise among the numerous limestone karst rising from the emerald water. We will make a stop en route to visit a grotto of spectacular stalactites and stalagmites.

Meals will be served on the overnight cruise.

Accommodation: Renea Cruise Boat 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Soak up the scenery of Halong Bay from your cabin. Take in those turquoise water views one last time before hitting the road toward Hanoi. Enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch on the boat.

We will be back in the harbor and disembark at the Ha Long cruise port at around noon.

In the afternoon we will drive 4 hours to Hanoi airport and take a short flight to Hue.

Upon arrival in Hue, we will check into the hotel and have dinner.

Accommodation: Thanh Lich Hotel 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Delve further into the fascinating former capital today. Firstly, we will visit the Imperial Citadel, which is the best preserved remnant of a large citadel and Royal centre that once existed on this fortified site. The unique fortifications are fascinating, even though much of this place has sadly been destroyed by war. The foliage-covered ruins make for an interesting couple of hours of exploring.

Then continue to the Forbidden Purple City, which was almost totally wiped out during the Tet Offensive in 1968. The gaping holes left by bombs give an idea of the shocking destruction that was wreaked upon the country during the war.

Afterward, we will visit one of the royal tombs, that of Emperor Tu Duc, and see the central lake set amid a grove of frangipani and pine trees.

Lunch today will be a delicious vegetarian feast at a nunnery.

Accommodation: Thanh Lich Hotel 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we will drive to Quang Tri for a full day tour today. Start with the Vinh Moc tunnel complex that sheltered sixty families from intensive bombing in the Vietnam war without any loss of life. Be guided through the tunnels and gain insight into this feat of engineering and human resilience. Then on to the Hien Luong Bridge over the Ben Hai River in the middle of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). This was the river that was the only true physical demarcation between North and South Vietnam during Vietnam War (the 17th Parallel).

After that, we will head to La Vang Basilica. Our Lady of La Vang refers to a reported Marian apparition at a time when Catholics were persecuted and killed in Vietnam. The Shrine of our Lady of La Vang (Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang) is situated in what is today Hai Phu commune in the Hai Lang District of Quang Tri Province in Central Vietnam.

Then we will visit Truong Son National Cemetery which is the resting place of soldiers who fell on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which has become part of the history of the anti-American war, and in battlefields in the central part of the country. This is the biggest, highly artistic memorial site showing the people’s deep sorrow, gratitude, and respect for those who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the nation.

Accommodation: Thanh Lich Hotel 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, travel by bus through coastal rice paddies and the spectacular Hai Van Pass (approximately 3 hours). After a photo stop en route, arrive into Hoi An.

Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An was a major international trading port during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of the beautifully-preserved town retain the feel of centuries past. It’s also a shopping mecca, famous for its plethora of tailors. We will have lunch at the local restaurant in Hoi An and then settle into the hotel.

In the afternoon, we will continue by boat and bike tour. This cycle/cruise combo is undoubtedly one of the coolest ways to tour Hoi An. Start with a casual cycle through emerald green rice paddies and villages, then board a boat for a sunset view. Afterwards, enjoy a warm welcome meal at a local family’s home.

Accommodation: Hoi An Blue Sky Boutique Hotel & Spa 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Join your guide on a walking tour this morning to discover Hoi An’s stunning architecture and unique mix of influences. With its charming low tiled houses and tranquil feel, this is a delightful town to walk around.

Start with a visit to an opulently decorated historic house that was once home to a prominent trader. Cross the Japanese Covered Bridge, stop by the Chinese assembly hall and pay a visit to a local museum to learn more about the history you uncovered on your walk.  During this tour, we will have a chance to visit and talk to the calligraphy master, Pham Thuc Hong. 

In the afternoon, head to a small village called Cam Thanh. Join a local chef at the village market, for ingredient shopping and to take in the aromatic herbs, vibrant fruit and vegetables, and local life. Head back to the home of our local chef and enjoy visiting their own edible garden before rolling up your sleeves for a hands-on cooking class. Feast on your delicious creations, dishes that highlight the cooking of the Pho Hoi people.

Evening free and dinner on your own.

Accommodation: Hoi An Blue Sky Boutique Hotel & Spa 

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Take a short flight (approximately 1 hour) to the economic hub of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, we will settle into the hotel.

Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is characterized by a vast array of sights and sounds – a fascinating blend of old and new, East and West.

In the afternoon, check out Ben Thanh Market and experience a delicious local dinner of street food, while enjoying an orientation walk.

Afterward, you’re free to explore the city on your own. Your guide will have plenty of interesting and fun ideas for you.

Accommodation: Ho Chi Minh City Acnos Grand Hotel 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you’ll see Ho Chi Minh City through the eyes of a local during a bus and walking tour with your guide.

Take a sobering trip to the War Remnants Museum and stop by the beautiful Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral. Stroll the city’s captivating streets and admire its many French colonial buildings along the way, including the main post office, and the gorgeous Ho Chi Minh City Hall, modeled on Paris’s Hotel de Ville.

After that, we will come to visit the Emperor Jade Pagoda, also known as Tortoise Pagoda, one of the five most important shrines in Ho Chi Minh City. Built at the turn of the 20th Century by a community of Cantonese who migrated from Guangzhou province in Southwest China, this pagoda is a fine representation of the Mahayanist branch of Buddhism that is practiced widely in Vietnam. The Emperor Jade Pagoda is a living and working shrine very much in use by the locals who come here to pray or make votive offerings of flowers, and light candles and joss sticks. With worshippers coming and going, the temple can get busy and feel a little cramped. It is dimly lit, and the narrow passageways filled with smoke lend an atmospheric feel to the place, adding to its charm.

Free time to rest, relax, or wander the streets and make your own adventure.

Join a local guide this evening for a food tour, on foot. Get right down to the soul of this beast of a food city and spend three hours eating like a local. It may seem like non-stop culinary decadence because that’s just what it is. And you’re gonna love it.

Accommodation: Ho Chi Minh City Acnos Grand Hotel 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning head out on a day trip to explore the Mekong Delta. Board a private boat to Ben Tre to visit the coconut gardens and stop at a local home to sample tropical fruits and coconut jams.

Afterwards, paddle in sampans (small rowing boats) past coconut trees along the Mekong Delta. Take a tuk-tuk tour to explore the village. Learn about rural life and the industry created around coconut products like brooms and coconut fibre mats.

Eat lunch at a restaurant in the heart of the Delta, sampling regional specialties such as the famous elephant ear fish. Cruise the major waterways to Ben Tre boat pier, then return by bus to Ho Chi Minh City.

Evening free to explore on your own.

Accommodation: Ho Chi Minh City Acnos Grand Hotel 

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today, we will visit a hidden gem in busy Sai Gon. The FITO Museum (Traditional Vietnamese Medicine and Pharmacy Museum) is tucked away in an old narrow 5-story wooden house. Traditional Vietnamese medicinal practices are well preserved in the museum. The architecture of the building dates back to ancient times and there are artifacts dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The scent of traditional medicine wafts throughout the museum.

After that, we will take you back to the hotel and the whole afternoon is your free time.

In the evening, join the group for a very special farewell dinner as you prepare to say goodbye to Vietnam.

Accommodation: Ho Chi Minh City Acnos Grand Hotel 

Meals included: Breakfast

Your Vietnam adventure ends today. One last opportunity to wander the side streets and take in the tastes and sounds. The standard checkout time at the hotel is 12:00 noon.

Transfers to the airport will be arranged for those leaving today.