Hanoi, Halong Bay, the Son Doong caves, Hue, Hoi An & Saigon
A full north-to-south traverse of Vietnam by plane, night train, boat and bus — from the Old Quarter of Hanoi and the limestone maze of Halong Bay, through the world-class caves of Phong Nha, down the imperial coast of Hue and Hoi An, and into the tunnels and river life of the Mekong south.
| Day | Where | Plan | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Hanoi | Fly in (Air Canada AC63); Old Quarter, night market, Water Puppet show | Aurora Premium Hotel & Spa |
| 4 | Ninh Binh | Hoa Lu citadel, Trang An sampan, Mua Cave climb | Aurora Premium Hotel & Spa |
| 5–6 | Sapa | Overnight to Sapa; 2-day hiking tour through the rice-terrace villages | Sapa homestay |
| 7–8 | Ha Long / Lan Ha Bay | Overnight cruise — kayaking, caves, squid fishing, sunrise Tai Chi | La Pandora cruise |
| 9–10 | Phong Nha | Night train (SE1) to Dong Hoi; Hang En 2-day cave trek & jungle camp | Phong Nha Ecolodge |
| 11 | Hue | Train (SE3) to Hue; royal tombs, Thien Mu Pagoda, the Citadel | Melia Vinpearl Hue |
| 12–14 | Hoi An | Hai Van Pass drive; Old Town lanterns, My Son ruins, Ba Na Hills Golden Bridge | Cozy Savvy Boutique / Allegro |
| 15–17 | Ho Chi Minh City | Fly to Saigon; Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta, War Remnants Museum | Silverland Jolie / la Vela Saigon |
| 18 | Fly home | Ho Chi Minh City → Vancouver (Air Canada AC9768) | — |
We settled into the Aurora Premium Hotel in the Old Quarter for street food, the night market, and a Water Puppet show, then ran a day trip to Ninh Binh — Hoa Lu’s ancient citadel, a sampan row through the Trang An grottoes, and the climb up Mua Cave for the rice-valley view.
A worthwhile detour into the far north: a 2-day hiking tour out of Sapa, walking between the tiered rice terraces and hill-tribe villages of the Muong Hoa valley, with a night in a local homestay.
An overnight cruise aboard La Pandora took us out through Lan Ha Bay — kayaking limestone caves, squid fishing off the deck, sunrise Tai Chi, and a run through the Dark & Bright Cave before heading back to Hanoi.
The night train south to Dong Hoi set up the trip’s centrepiece: a two-day Hang En trek through the jungle to camp inside one of the largest cave entrances on earth, beside an emerald lagoon. This is the Son Doong national-park country and it is unreal.
By train to Hue for the royal tombs, Thien Mu Pagoda and the Citadel, then the spectacular Hai Van Pass drive — Lang Co Beach, Marble Mountain — into Hoi An. We based at the Cozy Savvy boutique for lantern-lit old town nights, the My Son Cham ruins, and the Ba Na Hills Golden Bridge.
A flight to Ho Chi Minh City and the Silverland Jolie for the big-city finish: the Notre-Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office, the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace, a full day at the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta, and a last night market before flying home.
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