Vietnam, From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh

Senteurs du Vietnam 4^*

Arrival at Hanoi airport. After completing formalities at customs, you'll be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel in the "Old Quarter of Hanoi**. Settle in at the hotel.

Free time to spend however you like.

Make your own dinner arrangements. Overnight stay at your hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, guided walking tour of Old Hanoi with chance to sample Hanoi's culinary specialities. Leave your hotel with the guide and immerse yourself in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter.

Discover the Hang Be market, cross the jewellers' quarter, the scarf sellers' quarter, the cake shops, Hang Buom street, the old Bach Ma temple, the citadel gates, Dong Xuan market, Hang Duong street, the street of sweet dried fruits and vegetables, Cau Dong temple, Cha Cha street, Hai Thuong Lan Ong medicinal remedies street, toys street, silk vendors district, Hang Ma street dedicated to lanterns and paper decorations, St Joseph's cathedral, Ly Quoc Su temple and of course a little time around Hoan Kiem Lake. Throughout the tour, you will have the chance to sample some Vietnamese specialities, such as nems, banh cuon and a bowl of Buan thang...

A few facts about Hanoi: Built on the site of the ancient citadel of Dai La, Hanoi was first selected as the capital of Vietnam in 1010 by King Ly Thai Tô, under the name of Thang Long, the "city of the rising dragon". It was also called Dong Kinh (the capital of the east), which was distorted into Tunquin, then Tonkin by the Europeans, a name that in colonial times designated the north of the country (currently Bac Bo). It was given the name Hanoi much later in 1831. It is a combination of "ha", which means "river", and "noi", "below". The city is in fact located below the Red River. The many lakes scattered around the city are ponds left by the Red River as it travelled eastward over the centuries. The old district of Hanoi is fascinating to visit and ideal for photos!

Make your own dinner arrangements. Night at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure from your hotel in the morning by minibus to Halong Bay. Board your junk around 12.30 pm. Halong Bay was listed as a UNESCO **area of outstanding natural beauty in 1993 and extends over hundreds of kilometres. The jagged shapes of karst peaks form a wonderfully strange landscape. The outstanding value of the site is due to the submerged karst limestone formations. They rise to form striking pillars and feature a variety of elements formed by coastal erosion, such as arches and caves, which give the landscape its natural majesty. Get your cameras ready!

Around 1 p.m., lunch will be served and the trip will start.

First stop around 3 p.m. to visit the Sung Sot cave. At around 4 p.m., you can relax or swim at Titov Beach or climb to the top of the island to get a panoramic view over Hạ Long Bay.**

Return to the boat at 5 p.m. and continue sailing to admire a wonderful sunset.

A Vietnamese meal will be served around 7 p.m.

Overnight in your cabin.

All cabins are equipped with a double bed or two single beds, a private shower room and air conditioning. The proposed meals include traditional Vietnamese cuisine, as well as a variety of seafood from Hạ Long Bay for you to enjoy.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Breakfast on the boat and option of participating in a Tai Chi session.

For those who wish, kayaking in the Bo Nau area. Around 10 a.m., Vietnamese cooking class. Return to the harbour, passing by the fishing village of Ba Hang, Dinh Huong Island, Cho Da Island and Ga Choi Island. Lunch on board before disembarking around 1 p.m.

Return to Hanoi and transfer to the airport. Flight to Danang. Welcome by your driver. Transfer to your hotel in Hoi An. Settle in at the hotel.

Make your own arrangements for dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure from your hotel at around 8 a.m. for a day discovering Vietnamese cuisine. Meet your host and the other participants and transfer to a local market. Your guide will show you around the market and help you find the ingredients you'll use in your recipes during your cookery class.

After the market, you will set off by boat (journey time approx. 35 minutes) to a village on a small island in the middle of the Hoi An river delta, where you will watch the local fishermen casting their nets - their daily activity. On arrival, you will be offered a Sinh To, a typically Vietnamese fruit-based drink. While you enjoy your drink, this is your chance to discover life in the countryside and meet your hostess.

In the family home, you'll learn how the rice paper used to make the famous Nems is made. You can even make your own patties using your hostess's stone mill, which she uses to make her rice flour. You will step inside the bamboo house to prepare 4 typical dishes:

• Banh Xeo (small pancakes made from rice flour), Hoi An style.
• Grilled pork kebabs marinated in a special sauce.
• Green papaya salad.
• Fish cooked the local way.

* Vegetarian menu on request: Banh xeo, grilled aubergine, papaya salad, mushroom tofu.

All that's left for you to do is enjoy your meal in your hostess's home or garden. A pumpkin soup and a dessert, "Xi ma" (steamed sesame cake), will also be served.

You will then take the boat back to Hoi An. Return around 3 p.m.

A few facts about Hoi An: Hoi An is a charming historic city, bordered by the Thu Bon river. As the Old Town is off limits to cars, it's very pleasant to walk there, and wander peacefully from street to street. This city has a particularly relaxing vibe. The ancient architecture of Hoi An dates back to the 19th century and includes residential areas, shops, temples, pagodas and communal houses. There are countless restaurants to choose from. The Vietnamese restaurants serve great food, such as seafood at reasonable prices.

Make your own dinner arrangements. Night at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to Danang airport. Flight to the island of Phu Quoc located in the Gulf of Thailand. You'll be met by your driver and driven to your hotel.

Make your own lunch and dinner arrangements. Check-in and overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast.

Free day to enjoy the beach.

Night at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast.

Free day to enjoy the beach.

Night at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast.

Free day to enjoy the beach.

Night at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast at the hotel.

According to flight schedules, transfer to Phu Quoc airport. Flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Welcome by your driver. Transfer to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Make your own dinner arrangements. Night at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Accompanied by your local guide, departure from your hotel on foot to discover Ho Chi Minh City.

You will discover historic colonial monuments, such as the Town Hall, the Opera House and Notre-Dame Cathedral dating back to the 19th century, the magnificent Central Post Office and the Reunification Palace.

Lunch during the trip.

Complete your tour with a trip to the Ben Tranh market, a market dating back to 1870 and whose main clock tower has become the symbol of the city. It's the perfect place to taste some Vietnamese specialities and indulge in a spot of shopping.

A few facts about Ho Chi Minh City: Once considered a "Pearl of the East", the city is divided between traditional European and Asian architecture, and is a hotspot for foreign tourists.

Ho Chi Minh is a city that should be experienced rather than toured. Even with impressive monuments dating back to the colonial era and modern skyscrapers, when you arrive in Ho Chi Minh, the first thing to catch your eye is the continuous flow of mopeds weaving their way across town.

But it won't take long to discover another side to the city. On the surface it appears lively and perpetually in motion, but it also offers calm and tranquillity

Make your own dinner arrangements. Night at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch.

Breakfast at the hotel.

According to flight schedules, transfer to Ho Chi Minh Airport for your return flight.

Meals included: breakfast.

For those booking the “hotel-only” (without international flight) package, please let us know your flight details as soon as possible using the contact form located in the “Help and Contact” section at the bottom of the page so that we can organise your transfers.

Your tour itinerary may be subject to change with a view to satisfying local requirements.

On arrival at the airport, a driver will be waiting for passengers in the exit hall with a sign bearing their name. Emergency number: +84988724368

For all reservations made on the French market, you will be accompanied by a French-speaking guide

For all bookings made on the German market, you will be accompanied by an English-speaking guide.