Itinerary

Day 1
Arrive Hanoi

Day 2
Get lost in the whirl of colour, commotion and horn-blowing traffic. Visit the father of modern Vietnam's mausoleum and end the day at a water puppet show.

Day 3
Have breakfast with the kids at the Blue Dragon Charity before leaving the frenetic pace of city life behind to Halong Bay. Swim among the soaring karsts, shimmy into limestone caves and be rocked to sleep by the boat bobbing on the water.

Day 4
Returning to Hanoi, travel overnight on the Reunification Express, bound for Hue.

Days 5-6
Arrive Hue. Imagine the opulence of imperial Vietnam within the Thai Hoa Palace, see the scars of former wars in the Forbidden Purple City or discover the legacy left behind by the fussy Emperor Tu Duc's tomb. Relax aboard a Perfume River cruise.

Days 7-9
Travel through coastal rice paddies to the fishing village of Lang Co before heading into the mountains and crossing the spectacular Hai Van Pass. Take a step back in time in the ancient streetscapes of Hoi An. Here there are centuries-old family homes to explore, the wonderful Japanese Covered Bridge to wander across and bowls of mouth-watering cao lao to try.

Days 10-12
Train to Nha Trang. Devour a delicious seafood lunch then dive into sparkling turquoise waters and float in basket boats. Travel overnight on the Reunification Express, bound for Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 13
Arrive Ho Chi Minh City. Enjoy a relaxed cyclo tour through the city.

Day 14
Take a rowboat down the Mekong Delta. Learn the secrets of longan honey from a family of beekeepers. The lush scenery in this part of the world makes a fabulous backdrop for photos and a visit to a remote village offers insight into rural Vietnamese life.

Day 15
Depart Ho Chi Minh City.