Day 1, Hanoi
Sunday. Xin Chao! Welcome to Vietnam and the start of your family holiday. You'll be met by our representative at the airport and transferred to our hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free for you and your family to explore the city, with its picturesque tree-lined avenues, scenic lakes, ancient pagodas and bustling old town, all of which are easily accessible by foot. At 6pm there will be a Welcome Meeting in the hotel lobby.
No meals included.
Day 2, Hanoi
After breakfast, we head out to explore the Vietnamese capital, starting at the Ho Chi Minh complex. Here we take in Ho's mausoleum and the former leader's simple house on stilts, where he chose to live throughout the Vietnam War.
We also enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Quarter of Hanoi with its '36 Streets', where skilled craftsmen and artisan guilds set up shop in what was once the beating heart of the city. After our tour, we enjoy a delicious lunch before returning to the hotel. The afternoon is free to relax or further explore independently.
1 breakfast, 1 lunch, no dinner included.
Day 3, Halong Bay
Hanoi - Halong Bay. Leaving Hanoi, we transfer to perhaps the jewel in Vietnam's crown - pristine Halong Bay. Here karst limestone islets dappled with green vegetation rise out of the emerald water. We'll be exploring the bay on an overnight cruise aboard a deluxe junk boat, which are based on a traditional design, combining oriental style with modern luxury.
This afternoon we visit Trinh Nu Cave to marvel at the stalactites and stalagmites. You can also go kayaking or enjoy a refreshing swim in the bay. This evening there's a Vietnamese cooking demonstration back onboard and we tuck in to a tasty seafood dinner.
1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner included.
Day 4, Hoi An
Halong Bay - Da Nang - Hoi An. Early risers can join a Tai Chi class on the sundeck at sunrise. There's also time to explore the beautiful Sung Sot Cave, which consists of two cavernous chambers that are big enough to hold thousands of people. After visiting the cave, we disembark our junk boat and transfer to Hanoi airport for our flight to Da Nang. From Da Nang we transfer to Hoi An, where the evening is free to relax or explore this enchanting waterfront town.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 5, Hoi An walking tour
Hoi An is a charming, old-world trading port, home to quaint cobbled streets, traditional Vietnamese houses and tiny shops - the perfect place to lose yourself in a bygone era. On a short walking tour we take in the Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Hall, 200-year old Tam Ky house and the even older Japanese Bridge. The rest of the day is free to relax at the hotel with your family or further explore this endearing town your way. Boutique restaurants, hip cafes along the waterfront, delightful craft shops and artisans including some of Asia’s best bespoke tailors (whose services come at a nominal price), can all be found here.
1 breakfast, 1 lunch, no dinner included.
Day 6, Hoi An
Today we enjoy a leisurely bicycle ride past rice paddies, local orchards and rural farm workers to Cam Thanh village (we can arrange alternative transportation at no extra cost for those who don't wish to cycle). Meeting local farmers, we enjoy a fun, hands-on farming experience. Get stuck in as we help the farmers with their daily works, including spreading organic manure, creating organic pesticides and cultivating the soil.
Our hard work deserves its rewards and after the gardening, we use some of the farms organic produce to cook a delicious lunch. Eat your meal out in the garden before we continue on our bicycles to a bamboo workshop. Here we work with a talented craftsman to make our own bamboo sculptures and products. We then transfer back to the hotel.
1 breakfast, 1 lunch, no dinner included.
Day 7, Hoi An
Today is completely free of scheduled activities so that you can relax with your family or further explore however you like. Hoi An is great for shopping and there are many fantastic restaurants that foodies may wish to visit, alternatively consider heading to the beach for the day.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 8, Hoi An
Hoi An - Da Nang. Today our Vietnamese family adventure comes to an end. There's an included departure transfer to Da Nang Airport for your onward flight home.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.