Ha Long Bay, lantern-lit Hoi An and the river life of the Mekong Delta
Cruise among the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay, explore Hue's imperial citadel and the lantern-lit lanes of Hoi An, then follow the waterways of the Mekong Delta south of Ho Chi Minh City.
Most travellers begin in Hanoi. Our specialists typically suggest 7–14 nights to see the highlights without rushing — longer if you’d like to combine regions or add beach time.
Vietnam at a glanceCountry details are maintained by our travel specialists. Live weather is provided by an external service and updates automatically.
A bay of around 1,550 square kilometres in north-east Vietnam, scattered with well over a thousand limestone islands and pillars, many hollowed into caves. Together with the Cat Ba Archipelago it forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the country's best-known seascape.
A small historic port near the mouth of the Thu Bon River whose 30-hectare old quarter keeps more than a thousand timber-frame buildings from its trading heyday. Chinese, Japanese and later French influences sit side by side, and the town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
The Imperial City (Hoang Thanh, also called Dai Noi) is the palace enclosure at the centre of the Hue Citadel, built for the Nguyen dynasty after Hue became the capital of a unified Vietnam in 1802. Its gates, halls, temples and gardens form the core of the Complex of Hue Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.
The vast, flat delta where the Mekong reaches the sea, covering more than 40,000 square kilometres of southern Vietnam. It is the country's rice bowl and fruit garden, and visitors come for boat trips along palm-lined canals, early-morning floating markets and the slow rhythm of river towns such as Can Tho.
Landmarks, sacred sites, islands, parks and food streets — each with its story, the best time to go and what’s nearby.
24 places in Vietnam
Vietnam · 11 nights4★ HotelVietnam · 7 nights4★ Resort12 days · 4★ hotel · indicative from $2,258 pp. Every day can be adjusted.
View full packageYou’re met at Noi Bai International Airport and taken to your hotel in the Old Quarter.
Visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and the Temple of Literature, walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and end with a water-puppet show.
Drive to Ha Long Bay and board your junk for an overnight cruise among the limestone islands, with kayaking in the afternoon.
Visit Sung Sot cave at dawn, cruise back to port and fly from Hanoi to Hue.
Explore the Imperial City, take a boat to the Thien Mu pagoda on the Perfume River and visit the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc.
Drive over the Hai Van Pass, with views along the coast, to Hoi An.
Pho, banh mi, bun cha, cao lau in Hoi An and Vietnamese coffee
Pagodas and temples, imperial heritage, water puppetry and busy street life
Tailor-made clothes in Hoi An, lacquerware, silk and conical hats
Bay cruises, kayaking, cooking classes, cycling and street-food tours
AsiaTemples, neon cities and mountain onsen
AsiaAncient rock fortresses, tea hills and wild coasts
AsiaRice terraces, temples and island reefs
AsiaDynasties, rice terraces and riverside karsts
