Vietnam by Private Train (Ground Only)

DAY 1

Thursday 29th October
After making your own flight arrangements to Vietnam, you will meet the Tour Leader at Ho Chi Minh Airport and transfer to the Mai House Hotel, our hotel for the next three nights. After check-in, we will enjoy time at leisure to explore our new surroundings before meeting for drinks on the rooftop and enjoying a welcome dinner together.

DAY 2

Friday 30th October
After breakfast this morning, we explore Ho Chi Minh City, still known locally as Saigon, with visits to the historic City Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, the War Remnants Museum, and the old Presidential Palace. After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda, one of the most atmospheric temples in Ho Chi Minh City, filled with statues of phantasmal divinities and grotesque heroes. This evening, we head to a local market to sample authentic street food ahead of our dinner along Vinh Khanh street aka 'Seafood Street'.

DAY 3

Saturday 31st October
Today, we journey southwest tracing the path of Vietnam's very first railway line, opened in 1885, to My Tho where we board our private boat to cruise the Mekong Delta to the picturesque province of Ben Tre - Vietnam's 'capital of coconuts'. Along the way, we will visit local villages, fruit orchards, islands, and a coconut candy workshop before a peaceful sampan journey to our lunch spot featuring the regional delicacy - 'elephant ear fish'. On our return to Ho Chi Minh City, the rest of our day is at leisure.

DAY 4

Sunday 1st November
After breakfast this morning, we make our way to Saigon Railway Station where our private carriages await us for the first of our scenic train journeys - the Reunification Express. We will journey in style and indulge in morning tea, lunch, and an early dinner as we travel along this legendary rail route that symbolised the unification of North and South Vietnam following major damage and sabotage during the Vietnam War. On our arrival in Nha Trang, we will transfer to our luxurious beachfront hotel, the InterContinental Hotel, and check in for our overnight stay.

DAY 5

Monday 2nd November
This morning, we will enjoy a legendary buffet breakfast before our exploration of Nha Trang with visits to Long Son Pagoda, home of the world's largest Buddha statue, and the Po Nagar Cham Tower, located on a sacred hill. We will stroll along the magnificent golden beach promenade and take lunch before rejoining our private train for a spectacular coastal journey past beautiful mountain scenery with afternoon tea and an early dinner served in our private dining car. On arrival in Dieu Tri, we will drive the short distance to Quy Nhon and the Avani Resort, our hotel for the next two nights.

DAY 6

Tuesday 3rd November
Today, we have the chance to learn about Vietnam's largest and most developed form of martial arts, Viet Vo Dao (aka Vovinam) at a local family home before continuing to the historic Cha Do Ban Citadel, the final capital of the ancient Champa Kingdom. For lunch today, we will visit a local market to sample exotic fruits, traditional Vietnamese coffee, and regional favourites including crab noodle soup and jumping shrimps fried pancake! Afterwards, we have time to visit the stunning Bai Xep Beach before returning to the hotel for an evening at leisure to enjoy all the resort has to offer.

DAY 7

Wednesday 4th November
Today, we return to Dieu Tri to board our private train for the scenic rail journey to Da Nang enjoying a sumptuous morning tea and lunch in our private dining car as we roll past stunning rural scenery of rice fields, palm trees, and charming villages. Our coach will be waiting for us at Da Nang to transfer us to our luxurious riverside hotel in Hoi An, the Anantara Resort, nestled on the banks of the Thu Bon River where we check in for our three-night stay and enjoy our evening meal together.

DAY 8

Thursday 5th November
After an early breakfast, we enjoy a guided walking tour of Hoi An visiting the highlights of the Old Town including the Thien Hau Temple, the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, and the ancient trading houses. We have some time at leisure this afternoon to take lunch, wander the alleys of the old city, or visit one of the renowned tailors or shoe makers who can create any garment within 24 hours so if you'd like a unique item to take home, this is the place to be! This evening, we reconvene for our evening meal at a local restaurant in the heart of the Old Town.

DAY 9

Friday 6th November
Today, we enjoy a full day at leisure to spend how you please in Hoi An. You can relax and unwind in style at the hotel, explore the Old Town further, join a traditional Vietnamese cooking class, or ask your Tour Leader for recommendations of local excursions and attractions.

DAY 10

Saturday 7th November
After breakfast this morning, we board our private coach to visit the world-renowned Cham Sculpture Museum, home to the world's largest and most valuable collection of Cham sculptures. After our visit, we will be treated to lunch at a famous local restaurant before continuing to Da Nang to rejoin our private carriages for the picturesque journey over the stunning Hai Van Pass and through stone-lined tunnels to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage City of Hue. Here, we transfer to the Senna Hue Hotel for two nights and enjoy an evening at leisure.

DAY 11

Sunday 8th November
After breakfast, we embark on a full-day guided tour of Hue, once Vietnam's royal capital, visiting the highlights including the ancient Imperial City and Hue Citadel, the Tomb of Tu Duc, and the Royal Arena. Following our lunch at a local restaurant, we will explore the tranquil Thien Mu Pagoda before returning to the hotel by boat along the picturesque Perfume River. This evening, we will enjoy an elegant dinner with music, art, and royal architecture at the riverside Ben Xuan Garden House Theatre.

DAY 12

Monday 9th November
Today, we transfer to Hue Airport for a short morning flight to Hanoi, Vietnam's dynamic capital, where we enjoy our lunch together at a local restaurant before checking in to the Apricot Hotel for our two-night stay. This afternoon, we experience the charm of a traditional Water Puppet Theatre performance - one of Vietnam's most unique cultural art forms - followed by our evening meal at a nearby restaurant.

DAY 13

Tuesday 10th November
After a leisurely morning, we will make our way to KOTO for lunch, a remarkable social enterprise providing hospitality training and work opportunities to disadvantaged youth and we will learn its inspiring story from a small banh mi stall to an acclaimed restaurant. This afternoon, we will visit the Ho Chi Minh Stilt House and the historic One Pillar Pagoda before returning to the hotel for some free time. This evening, our Vietnamese guide will take us on a street food tour through the Old Quarter, sampling delicious, authentic food along the way.

DAY 14

Wednesday 11th November
After breakfast this morning, we depart Hanoi for Sapa visiting Lao Cai, the historic gateway between Vietnam and China, along the way. On arrival in Sapa, we make our way to the Hotel de la Coupole and check in for our two-night stay enjoying some free time to take in the serene mountain air and breathtaking views of terraced rice field cascading down the valleys. This evening, we travel by electric buggy through the misty streets to a local restaurant for our evening meal together.

DAY 15

Thursday 12th November
This morning, we can join an optional guided walk through the scenic Muong Hoa Valley, a patchwork of terraced rice fields where we will encounter local families, wooden stilt houses, and water buffalo. Alternatively, you can spend the morning at leisure before we gather for lunch a local restaurant. This afternoon, we ascend to the "Roof of Indochina" with a cable car ride to Fansipan Mountain, the highest peak in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia where we can admire panoramic views and visit the Buddhist temples. Afterwards, we retrace our steps to the hotel for an evening at leisure.

DAY 16

Friday 13th November
Today, we reboard our private carriages for the return journey to Hanoi winding through misty valleys and along the Red River, we enjoy a nostalgic ride through the ever-changing scenery of rice terraces, bamboo forests, and traditional villages with our lunch served on board. On arrival at Hanoi, we enjoy our evening meal at a local restaurant before returning to the Apricot Hotel for our overnight stay.

DAY 17

Saturday 14th November
After an early breakfast, we travel by coach to the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Ha Long Bay where our privately chartered deluxe boat awaits to take us on our overnight cruise through this beautiful landscape. We will enjoy our lunch on board before joining one of the many included off-boat excursions or simply unwinding with a massage or spa treatment on board - the choice is yours! As the sun sets, we can sip drinks on the sundeck or join a Vietnamese cooking demonstration ahead of our sumptuous five-course farewell dinner together.

DAY 18

Sunday 15th November
If you're an early riser, you may wish to start your morning with a serene Tai Chi session on the sundeck before our breakfast together as we sail to Thien Canh Son Cave. Known for its mythical atmosphere and sparkling stalactites, we will wander through its chambers and underground landscape, returning to our boat to enjoy a buffet lunch served on board as we sail back to Ha Long Harbour. Here, after our fantastic Vietnamese adventure, you will be transferred to Hanoi Airport for your chosen flights home.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner