Vietnam Luxury Escape - 7 Days

Highlights

• Enjoy one-on-one cultural tours and gourmet dinners in Hanoi
• Cruise the emerald waters of Ha Long Bay on a luxury ship
• See Ho Chi Minh City with private Jeep and speedboat excursions

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi, Dinner at Ly Club Restaurant

Welcome to Vietnam! This country is a beguiling mix of the old and the new. You'll see examples of the latter in the shimmering sky-rise buildings of its cities, while the former is represented in its historic landmarks and neighborhoods dating back millennia. You'll arrive in the capital of Hanoi, one of the best places to see Vietnam's thousands of years of history brushing up against the modern world.

At the airport, a personal driver will be waiting at the terminal to transfer you to your hotel in the city, the Sofitel Legend Metropole. Located in the center of Vietnam's Old Quarter near historic Hoan Kiem Lake, the Metropole is set in a luxurious French colonial estate dating to 1901. It's the perfect place to relax and unwind after the flight. Soothe your muscles with a relaxing massage at Le Spa, or perhaps enjoy a cocktail on the patio next to the heated pool.

When the sun goes down, head over to Ly Club Restaurant for an unforgettable culinary experience. Located in an ornate French villa built in the early 20th century, Ly Club offers opulent dining rooms to enjoy a fusion menu of Vietnam-meets-Western cuisine against a backdrop of Indochinese decor. Here, you can savor everything from traditional pho (noodle soup) to Hanoi spring rolls and tiger prawn salad. Afterward, transfer back to your hotel.

Day 2: Hanoi Cultural Tour & Water Puppetry Show

With a settled history dating back thousands of years, you can bet there's a lot of culture to discover in Hanoi. After enjoying the Metropole's buffet breakfast, you'll discover this rich heritage. The day tour begins when you meet your private guide/driver and hop on a Soviet-era Minsk motorbike to zip around Hanoi's wonderfully chaotic streets and explore its hidden corners.

The first stop is in central Hanoi at the French-colonial Opera House, which dates to 1901. After snapping some pics, head down backstreets to the largest secondhand electronics market in Vietnam. Here, you can buy everything from 1970s radios to the latest mobile phones. Then, stop at a Soviet-era apartment complex to meet a veteran of the American War. After enjoying a chat and some Vietnamese tea with his family, jump back on the bike and explore Hanoi's French boulevards, stopping for street-food faves like banh cuon (pork mince rice rolls), pho cuon (beef rice rolls) and egg coffee.

Later, you'll visit the home of Mr. Phan Liem, a seventh-generation practitioner of the Vietnamese art of water puppetry. This theatrical expression has been part of the nation's culture for over 1,000 years, and your host has devoted his life to mastering it. The stage for these performances is a small pool (mimicking rice paddies), and the puppeteer stands behind a screen while manipulating the wooden puppets. Over a cup of tea, your host will explain the history of this art and then treat you to a show. Afterward, you'll tour his workshop to see how he crafts these intricate puppets.

Day 3: Fly to Ha Long Bay by Chartered Sea Plane, Luxury Cruise

Check out of the Metropole in the morning and meet your driver for the ride to the airport, where you'll board a chartered seaplane for a flight north to the famous Ha Long Bay. During this 60-minute flight, you'll enjoy incredible views of northern Vietnam's Red River Delta, its vast rice paddies, and its rugged coast. Eventually, you'll touch down in Ha Long Bay. Located on the Gulf of Tonkin, over 1,000 karst islets rise above emerald waters, resembling the spine of a giant reptile (Ha Long translates to "Descending Dragon"). Here, you'll board the Stellar of the Seas luxury cruise ship for a two-day adventure.

Once aboard, you'll sit down for a gourmet lunch and then get underway. The ship will pass several islets before arriving at a secluded lagoon in Lan Ha Bay, part of the Cat Ba World Biosphere Reserve archipelago. Then, the boat will drop anchor, and you'll take a kayak tour. During the excursion, you'll pass through narrow waterways around the karst mountains and visit the famous floating villages. Continue through a natural tunnel to a lagoon where you can swim and relax on a secluded beach.

In the late afternoon, you'll return to the boat, and everyone will gather on the top deck to witness the golden sunset over the water. Then, join a cooking class on board the ship, during which the expert chef will teach your group how to prepare traditional Vietnamese dishes. Later, you can opt for activities like games and movies or go squid fishing.

Day 4: Morning Cruise, Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City

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Wake up early and get your blood pumping with a tai chi session on the sun deck. After a light breakfast, the ship will cruise to the Dark and Light Cave. You'll then board a traditional bamboo boat and enter this system of two sea caverns. The "dark" cave stretches over 328 feet (100 m), and you'll explore the interior with a flashlight. The "light" cave is shorter and is filled with natural light, illuminating the white limestone karst walls and emerald waters of the grotto. Its cathedral-like interior is a great place to snap photos.

Afterward, you'll return to the ship and cruise back to the pier in Ha Long Bay. Then, hop in a private vehicle for the 3.5-hour ride back to Hanoi and the airport. There, you'll catch a two-hour flight south to Ho Chi Minh City. Formerly known as Saigon, Vietnam's largest metropolis is fascinating in that it has managed to preserve its cultural roots and traditions in the face of a communist revolution, a devastating war, and ever-encroaching modernity. Upon arrival, a driver will transfer you to your hotel, the Reverie Saigon, where you can relax in the lap of luxury. After all, this is Vietnam's only six-star hotel. 

Day 5: Ho Chi Minh City Highlights Tour & Saigon by Night

This morning, head out on a half-day private highlights tour of Ho Chi Minh City. Led by an expert guide, you'll visit many historic buildings representing the broad mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, and French influences defining Ho Chi Minh City. These include the Reunification Palace (once the headquarters of the Saigon government), the People's Committee Building, and the 19th-century Notre Dame Cathedral, with its sharp twin spires constructed from materials imported from France. From there, you'll visit the Central Post Office, completed in 1891.

After the tour, you'll return to the Reverie and can spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying its European-inspired opulence. If you get hungry, there are five diverse restaurants from which to choose, ranging from Italian fine dining to gourmet Chinese. Compliment the experience with a homemade gelato and/or bespoke cocktail at the bar.

When the sun sets, you'll meet another driver/guide for a private night trip around Saigon in an open-topped Jeep. Zip around the city and experience its famous nightlife on this 2.5-hour ride, which will take you past famous landmarks and include stops at the city's famous rooftop bars. Here, you can enjoy the view of Saigon's vast skyline lit up at night as you sip on a delicious craft cocktail. There's no need to pace yourself, as your driver will return you to the hotel at the end of the evening. 

Day 6: Cu Chi Tunnels by Speedboat

After enjoying the Reverie's decadent breakfast buffet, you'll meet your guide and transfer to the Tan Cang Jetty on the Saigon River, where you'll depart on a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels. This infamous underground tunnel system located northwest of the city stretches 155 miles (250 km) and was a strategic base for Viet Cong soldiers during the American War. Today, the tunnels are preserved as a memorial/museum for the role they played in the resistance to US forces, and they're open to the public.

The 1.5-hour boat ride up the river to the tunnels is a scenic one. On the way, you'll pass glittering skyscrapers and busy commercial centers lining the banks. After a while, these give way to the green fields and stilt houses of rural Vietnam.

Eventually, you'll arrive at the Cu Chi Tunnels. Constructed in 1948 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from French attacks, they also served as living quarters, communications hubs, and supply routes with storage areas and even hospitals. A visit here will give you a better understanding of the hardships faced by the thousands of soldiers who survived the French and American wars. You'll even crawl through a section of the tunnels to experience their narrow dimensions. Afterward, return to Ho Chi Minh City by private speedboat, stopping en route for lunch at a local restaurant.

Day 7: Depart Ho Chi Minh City

You've experienced the highlights of Vietnam's north and south; now it's time to pack up those memories and take them home. In the morning, your driver will pick you up for the ride to the airport in Ho Chi Minh City, where you'll catch your departing flight. Tam biet!

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