You fly to Southeast Asia.

Today you reach Hanoi, Vietnam’s lively capital on the Red River. You are met individually at the airport and taken to your hotel. There, your tour guide or a welcome host is on hand to help you settle in and inform you about the rest of the day. Depending on your flight time, an early check-in is recommended so that you can move straight into your room and freshen up at your leisure (optional, bookable in advance). Your start in Hanoi is deliberately flexible: if you arrive early, you can gather first impressions of everyday life in Hanoi in the morning on an orientation walk around the hotel and through a local market. Over a shared lunch at a local restaurant afterwards, you get to know the first facets of Vietnamese cuisine with the traditional pho soup. In the afternoon, the whole group meets and you discover the city’s highlights together: you stroll through the lively Old Quarter with its narrow lanes and visit Hoan Kiem Lake with the Ngoc Son Temple, among other places. This way – depending on your arrival time – you can spend your first day flexibly and start your travel experience without any idle time. In the late afternoon, you drive to West Lake. Here you enjoy a refreshing drink in a relaxed atmosphere – the ideal moment to get to know your fellow travellers and toast the journey ahead. 2 nights in Hanoi. (L) (Distance: approx. 30 km; driving time: approx. 1 hr)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast Located in the heart of Hanoi, The Q Hotel, with its stylish and cosy French architecture, is one of the best boutique hotels in the Vietnamese capital. The Q Hotel’s restaurant offers an extensive menu with a variety of fine dishes and is open around the clock. The modern rooms offer free Wi-Fi, a minibar and a desk, among other amenities.

After breakfast, the morning is at your leisure. Spend the time just as you like, whether on a relaxed walk, an individual stroll through the city or some rest at the hotel. Afterwards, you explore Hanoi’s most important sights together. These include the house and the mausoleum of the famous revolutionary Ho Chi Minh, who is still very popular in Vietnam (exterior visit). Experience the unusual architecture of the One Pillar Pagoda and visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national academy. (B)

This morning, you continue your Vietnam tour towards Halong Bay. You travel part of the way by train and stop in a traditional village outside Hanoi. You watch a water puppet show, an art form with a long tradition here that depicts the daily life of the farmers in the delta: rice growing, buffalo keeping, fishing, singing and dancing to celebrate a rich harvest. After the performance, you have some time to explore the village on foot and gain an insight into rural life and local crafts. After a lunch of regional delicacies prepared by a local family, you continue to Halong. You drive past rice fields and, depending on the season, can see farmers working the fields with their water buffaloes. 1 night in Halong. (B/L) (Distance: approx. 210 km; driving time: approx. 4–5 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast Your hotel, the “D’Lecia Ha Long”, is located in Halong’s popular Bai Chay district. Just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel you will find various hotspots of the city, such as the Cai Dam seafood market, the Sun World amusement park and picturesque Bai Chay Beach, which stands out above all for its turquoise water. Your hotel has everything you need for a perfect stay: in the D’Lusso Lounge you can enjoy a refreshing cocktail or a delicious coffee in a cosy, relaxed atmosphere. In the hotel’s “Chopsticks Restaurant”, you can enjoy various Vietnamese specialities prepared at live cooking stations. The rooms are cosily furnished and impress with beautiful wood tones. Room facilities include air conditioning, a smart TV and free Wi-Fi.

Early in the morning, you go on board a ship and it’s “cast off”! Glide through the legendary landscape of Halong Bay with its mighty islands and rock formations rising up to 330 metres into the sky. Relax during the cruise and enjoy the breathtaking sight of the unique limestone landscape from on board. Since 1994, the area with more than 1,000 rocks, grottoes and islands has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along the way, the ship anchors so that you can visit individual caves (subject to change). During the cruise of just under 4 to 5 hours, lunch is also served on board. In the afternoon, the ship returns to Halong, where you disembark and drive to the airport in Hanoi. From here, you fly on to the old imperial city of Hue in the evening. Once at your hotel, you can let this eventful day come to a relaxed end. 2 nights in Hue. (B/L) (Distance: approx. 215 km; driving time: approx. 4.5–5 hrs)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast The exquisite Alba Spa Hotel is located right on the banks of the Perfume River in Hue and offers you an oasis of relaxation and recovery. The hotel’s highlight is undoubtedly its award-winning spa, which covers an area of 2,000 square metres and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and a wide range of treatments. At the Madame Chau Restaurant & Bar, you can enjoy local as well as Western-inspired dishes. With a total of 58 rooms and suites, all carefully designed and equipped with modern amenities such as air conditioning, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, minibar and safe, the hotel offers you a place to feel at home.

Today you take a tour of the imperial city of Hue (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage) and experience the glorious past of the Nguyen dynasty. Around 40% of all Vietnamese still bear this family name today. After breakfast, you visit the Citadel with the Imperial Palace, which was built on the model of the “Forbidden City” in Beijing. You then visit an old mandarin house built in Hue’s traditional style. During a short tea break with snacks, you meet the hosts and hear many interesting stories about the culture and life of the people of Hue. Now sit back, relax and let the atmosphere of the city sink in on a cyclo ride. During the ride, enjoy the charming, hilly landscape around Hue until you reach the Thien Mu Pagoda. As one of Hue’s landmarks, the famous seven-storey pagoda stands on a small hill and is dedicated to the Heavenly Lady. To round off the day, you visit the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh and enjoy the evening atmosphere at sunset. (B)

In the morning, you visit the Tu Hieu Pagoda, set in a secluded forest, and the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. You then continue your journey towards Hoi An. During an extended break at Lang Co Lagoon, you can stretch your legs on the beach and enjoy a lunch of fresh seafood. Through picturesque landscapes, you next reach the Hai Van Pass (Cloud Pass), the natural border between northern and southern Vietnam, and in the Marble Mountains you visit some natural grottoes in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. Finally, you reach today’s destination, enchanting Hoi An. 2 nights there. (B/L) (Distance: approx. 150 km; driving time: approx. 3.5 hrs)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast The exceptional Legacy Hoi An Resort welcomes you in Hoi An. The resort is set amid rice fields and an impressive natural backdrop that also creates a calming atmosphere. The resort’s traditional décor is reflected in the air-conditioned rooms too. Another special feature is the outdoor pool, which offers you a picturesque view of the surrounding countryside. Treat yourself to one of the many wellness treatments and relax in this green oasis.

This morning, on a walking tour, you discover the diversity of the historic town of Hoi An (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage) and have the unique opportunity to gain an insight into the local craft of lantern making. In a lantern workshop, you learn how the colourful lanterns are made and can make your own lantern as a unique souvenir. Around midday, you take an excursion to a herb village outside the town that is known for its organic farming methods. Villages like this in the area are usually non-profit farming cooperatives whose members receive land free of charge as long as they farm it organically. Learn about the herbs native to the area, which also play an important role in medicine. Look forward to a freshly prepared lunch of local specialities, which you can help to prepare, followed by a relaxing herbal foot massage. Back in Hoi An, you can spend the evening entirely as you wish. For example, explore more of the Old Town when, at nightfall, countless colourful lanterns light up the narrow lanes, try the culinary delights of the local restaurants or simply relax at the hotel. (B/L)

Early in the morning, you transfer to the airport in Danang. After a short domestic flight, you land in the lively metropolis of Saigon, officially called Ho Chi Minh City. From there, you continue into the Mekong Delta, which is also known as Vietnam’s “rice bowl” because of its enormous rice production. In Ben Tre, a boat trip takes you into the tropical “garden” where many families live scattered across the land. By boat, you reach ever smaller arms of the Mekong and then partly switch to a xe loi, a vehicle similar to a tuk-tuk, which takes you to various local manufacturers, craft workshops and orchards. Rice paper, coconut sweets, woven mats and bricks, for example, are made here according to old traditions, and on your visits you can learn more about the local products. For lunch, you are a guest at a family-run restaurant where food is freshly cooked for you. A variety of local delicacies is served family-style, so you can try the traditional dishes of the delta’s inhabitants to your heart’s content and experience Vietnamese hospitality. 1 night in Ben Tre. (B/L) (Distance: approx. 170 km; driving time: approx. 4 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast The Diamond Stars Hotel in Ben Tre is a stylish oasis in the heart of the Mekong Delta! The hotel is ideally located near the river, surrounded by lush gardens and traditional villages – perfect for experiencing the authentic beauty of Vietnam. The large infinity pool invites you to take a refreshing dip. There is also a fitness centre with all the equipment you need for a good workout. The spa and wellness area is waiting to be explored. The restaurant serves Vietnamese and international cuisine. The Diamond Stars Hotel offers modern comfort and first-class service. The standard rooms are stylishly furnished and offer the ideal retreat after an eventful day. They have a private bath or shower/WC.

Today you leave Ben Tre and drive to Sa Dec. The town’s many canals make Sa Dec look a little like a miniature Venice in the Mekong Delta. There you stroll around the local market and buy local fruit and snacks for a small picnic. After visiting a historic mandarin house dating from 1890, you look for a suitable spot for your picnic and enjoy the unique surroundings of the Mekong Delta while you tuck into the local treats. You then drive on through the enchanting landscape of the vast Mekong Delta and finally reach today’s destination, Can Tho. 1 night in Can Tho. (B/P) (Distance: approx. 120 km; driving time: approx. 3 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast You stay at the 3-star-plus TTC Hotel Premium, located on the banks of the Hau River in the centre of Can Tho. The hotel is about 500 m from the Ong Pagoda, the night market and Can Tho’s stadium. The 107 rooms are spread over 10 floors and offer panoramic views over the river and the city centre.

Early in the morning, Cai Rang with its floating market becomes the main attraction. From small and large boats, people from all over the region sell numerous exotic goods. The floating markets in the Mekong Delta are not tourist markets but wholesale markets where fruit and vegetables from the Mekong Delta are sold. As a result, the number of boats varies with the harvest seasons and demand. See this unique market activity for yourself – perhaps you can pick up a few fresh snacks for the drive back to Saigon. Then it’s time to say goodbye to the Mekong Delta as you drive back to the vibrant, dynamic city of Saigon. Settle in at your own pace, get a first impression of the city in the afternoon and, for example, stroll around a local market before the joint sightseeing programme in the metropolis the following day. 3 nights in Saigon. (B) (Distance: approx. 170 km; driving time: approx. 4 hrs)

3 nights · Double room · With breakfast You stay at the 3-star Victory Saigon Hotel in the centrally located District 3 of Ho Chi Minh City. The long-established hotel is right next to the War Remnants Museum and just a few minutes’ walk from the Reunification Palace. Saigon’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, Diamond Plaza and other sights in the city centre are also within easy walking distance. Its central location makes the hotel an ideal base for exploring the former capital of South Vietnam. The hotel looks back on a long history and combines classic architecture with contemporary comfort. Facilities include a covered outdoor pool, a spa and wellness area (for a fee), a bar, a restaurant serving Asian cuisine and free Wi-Fi. A fitness area is also available for active guests. The rooms are furnished in a classic, local style and feature a bath or shower/WC, air conditioning, TV, safe and minibar. Warm wooden furniture and functional furnishings make for a pleasant stay in the heart of the city.

In the morning, experience the modern metropolis of Saigon waking up and watch the armies of mopeds and cyclos that are everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City, as Saigon is officially called. Worshippers pray in quiet backyards, young people meet in noodle restaurants and many locals relax with walks and exercise in one of the city’s many parks. Marvel at the city’s architectural diversity as you explore it past modern skyscrapers, colonial buildings and traditional temples. Sights such as the Reunification Palace, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the City Hall, the Opera House (all exterior visits) and the Post Office are on the programme. In between, you take a short break at one of your tour guide’s favourite cafés and try a local coffee speciality. Whether “egg coffee”, Hanoi’s speciality, the latest trendy drink “salted coffee” or the classic Vietnamese “drip coffee” with sweetened condensed milk – you are sure to broaden your coffee horizons here. You then continue to Chinatown to visit the Binh Tay market hall and the Chinese Thien Hau Temple. You also see the old St Francis Church and the “medicine street” before heading back towards the centre. (B)

Today the area around Saigon with its rich culture is on the programme. First, you take an excursion to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, a tunnel system over 200 km long that served the Viet Cong above all as an underground base of operations in the Indochina War against the French troops. Afterwards, in the large and colourful Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh, you gain an insight into the Cao Dai religion, which emerged at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a blend of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and various indigenous Vietnamese beliefs. After returning to Saigon, you enjoy a sundowner in the evening at a trendy rooftop bar and feel the pulsating metropolis around you and at your feet, high above the city’s rooftops. (B) (Distance: approx. 210 km; driving time: approx. 4–5 hrs)

Today it’s time to say goodbye. At the appropriate time, you transfer to the airport and fly back home. Have you opted for a beach extension? Then we wish you a relaxing stay at your beach hotel! (B) (Distance: approx. 10 km; driving time: approx. 30 min) Day 15: You arrive back in your home country with wonderful memories.