Vietnamese Discovery with Titan

Vietnamese Discovery

Vietnam is a country defined by water. The mighty Mekong Delta in the tropical south is the agricultural heart of this fascinating country where life is literally lived on the water. The Thu Bon river exalted Hoi An to one of the greatest Asian port cities before leaving a unique city frozen in time. The Red River passes through the country’s elegant capital, Hanoi, later forming another huge delta that flows into the Gulf of Tonkin, home to the stunning karsts of Halong Bay. During the course of your fabulous tour you experience ancient history, French colonial style, and stories of past conflict, all mixed with the energy of the industrious Vietnamese which binds this country together.

What's included:

• Return flights
• VIP door-to-door travel service
• 11 nights in hotels and 2 in flight
• 24 meals: 11 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 5 dinners
• Souvenir reusable water bottle

Day 1: London - In flight

Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your journey to London Heathrow Airport for a scheduled Vietnam Airlines flight to Ho Chi Minh City, which may touch down in Frankfurt.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City

Following an early morning arrival into Ho Chi Minh City transfer to the Renaissance Riverside Hotel, where an early check-in has been arranged. Although the name of Vietnam’s largest city officially changed in 1975, the city is still widely referred to as Saigon. Behind the bustling activity of this city, you will find wide boulevards and fine French colonial buildings together with more modern expansion, as the city continues to shape itself as a contemporary commercial city. This afternoon take a tour including the former Presidential Palace, where tanks bursting through its gates symbolised the fall of Saigon in 1975. It is now preserved as a museum. You'll also see the Opera House and City Hall, and visit the Central Post Office, designed and constructed by Gustave Eiffel.

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City

This morning head out to the Cu Chi district to visit the vast underground tunnel complex from where the North Vietnamese waged their guerrilla activities. You will learn about the construction of this network and of the extreme difficulties of living in this harsh subterranean environment. The afternoon is free for you to relax before we enjoy an included evening cruise on the Saigon River with dinner.

Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City - Cai Be

You pay an early morning visit to the Cai Be Floating Market by boat, where bamboo poles hung with produce adorn vendors’ sampan boats to attract custom. Visit a Cao Dai temple before heading to the Mekong Delta, formed by myriad distributaries of this major river whose source lies in China over 2,500 miles away. This fertile area is known as the ‘rice basket’ of Vietnam and throughout the day you will see the local farming community in their daily life, tending to their paddy fields and fruit plantations. Upon our arrival in Cai Be board a motorboat for our introduction to life on the river. After lunch continue your explorations of the region by boat. Stay overnight at the Mekong Riverside Resort.

Day 5: Cai Be - Hoi An

Spend some time in Chinatown before transferring to the airport for your flight to Danang. Upon arrival transfer to Hoi An and the Hoi An Historic Hotel, your base for a three night stay.

Day 6: Hoi An

This morning head out into the countryside to visit a local village, before returning to the ancient trading port of Hoi An. The historic town, now listed by UNESCO, was one of the busiest harbours in Asia until gradual silting up of the Thu Bon river forced trade to nearby Danang. Hoi An was then left relatively untouched, resulting in an outstanding centre of 19th century architecture. The best way to explore is on foot, especially as cars are banned from its historic centre. You will visit the unique Japanese bridge and a Chinese communal house.

Day 7: Hoi An

Today, you explore the brick temple ruins at My Son, which translates to ‘Beautiful Mountain’. This site was the religious centre of the Champa Kingdom for hundreds of years and is inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage list. Tour the temples, get an insight into Cham culture, and learn how even this remote site was not immune to bombing during the Vietnam War. Following our return to Hoi An, the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure.

Day 8: Hoi An - Hue

This morning we overland to Hue, the former epicentre of Vietnam. Indeed no fewer than thirteen Nguyen Dynasty Emperors ruled the country from this city, which is intersected by the Perfume River. Later, much of the city was destroyed during the Vietnam War, due to its location close to the former border between North and South Vietnam. This afternoon visit the contrasting tombs of Emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh, which are located in the hills that overlook the city. You also visit Tu Hieu, one of Hue’s most revered Buddhist monasteries and pagodas. Stay for two nights at the Indochine Palace Hotel.

Day 9: Hue

Visit the Imperial Citadel, where UNESCO is assisting in the restoration of this important site, which was originally modelled on Beijing’s Forbidden City. Later take a short boat trip, before visiting a market located where the Dong Ba Canal joins the Perfume River - local life is very much in evidence. The afternoon is free for you to make your own explorations.

Day 10: Hue - Hanoi

This morning travel to the airport for your flight to Hanoi. Following your arrival transfer to the city, located on the bank of the Red River, which has been inhabited for over 1000 years. The city is known for its French colonial-style buildings, boulevards and parks, together with ancient structures from the city’s origins. Your tour today includes the Temple of Literature and passes by Hoan Kiem Lake before a walking tour of the Old Quarter, made up by the city’s original 36 streets, once the commercial centre of the city, and still a thriving community of sellers. Your base for a three night stay is the Hilton Hanoi Opera.

Day 11: Hanoi

You commence your tour this morning centring on Ho Chi Minh, known as ‘Uncle Ho’ by his followers. Visit his simple stilted home, a museum dedicated to his life, and the imposing mausoleum where his body lies in state. In the same area we also visit the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple that originally dates back to the 10th century. Your last visit today is at the ancient Hanoi Citadel, recently listed by UNESCO. The afternoon has been left free to explore. Tonight enjoy a stunning water puppet performance. The stage is a pool of water in which the puppeteers must stand and manoeuvre the dancing puppets attached to bamboo poles.

Day 12: Halong Bay

Halong Bay is undoubtedly Vietnam’s most famous image; thousands of bizarrely-shaped limestone karsts, often jungle topped, are dotted throughout this vast bay. The best way to observe these is of course on the water and your comprehensive cruise presents many viewpoints, and a short visit to a cave will also be available. After your fascinating excursion you return to Hanoi.

Day 13: Hanoi - In flight

The majority of the day is free before your evening transfer to Hanoi Airport for a scheduled Vietnam Airlines flight to London, which may touch down in Frankfurt.

Day 14: London

Arrival at London Heathrow Airport where you will be met and guided to your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.