Blessed with an open, welcoming, and engaging society, Vietnam is a nation balanced between deeply held traditions and an exploding modernity that make it a uniquely wonderful travel destination. The war is a distant memory and Americans are now appreciated as partners in economic opportunity. Vietnam is more about experience than checklists. Being paddled on a river by a rower who uses her feet, taking a cooking class, having a dress or suit tailor-made in a day, relaxing in a hammock in the Mekong Delta, or drifting quietly along on a subterranean river – these are the activities you’ll cherish from this outing. There are, of course, great sights to be enjoyed, including the Temple of Literature, Halong Bay, the ruins of My Son, and Hue’s Citadel. Add in the best food in Southeast Asia and you have a formula for travel memories to last a lifetime.

Day 1 Hanoi
Meeting; Dinner
Our tour starts in the late afternoon. We’ll have our get-acquainted meeting, meet our Vietnamese guide, and then head out for a traditional Vietnamese dinner.
Q Hotel (2 nights) http://theqhotel.com.vn/

Day 2 Hanoi
Bai Dinh; Trang An
Today we take a 2 hour drive from urban Hanoi to the rural province of Ninh Binh. Our first destination is Trang An, often referred to as the “Halong Bay of the Mainland”. This excursion is by small boat. Sit back and enjoy the two-hour paddle through caves and past rural temples, always with the stunning backdrop of karst crags and towers. After having lunch at a local restaurant, we depart for a visit to Bai Dinh, the largest complex of Buddhist temples in Vietnam and a popular site for Buddhist pilgrimages. Bring extra storage cards for your camera! After our full day in the countryside, we return to Hanoi for a free evening.

Day 5  Hue
Son River Cruise; Phong Nha Cave
After disembarking from the train we’ll take a short break to refresh in hotel day use rooms and have breakfast before visiting one of Vietnam’s true treasures - Phong Nha cave. Once again we travel by boat, cruising along the Son River to the cave. We’ll journey through the first half mile of the cavern in our boat, then continue on foot into the heart of the cave. Inside we’ll see the remains of Cham Altars in addition to the fantastic rock formations. After our return to the sunlit world we have an afternoon’s drive to our final destination, Hue, a Unesco World Heritage site. Located on the Perfume River, Hue is the former capital of the Nguyen dynasty.
Romance Hotel (2 nights) http://romancehotel.com.vn/en/

Day 6  Hue
Citadel; Thien Mu Pagoda; Perfume River Cruise; Royal Tomb
This morning we take a tour of the partially ruined Citadel, capital of Vietnam in the 19th century. Its six miles of walls contain the palaces and pavilions of the ruling Nguyen emperors and the remains of the Forbidden Purple City, where only the emperor or his eunuchs and concubines were allowed entrance. Many buildings remain blackened and crumbling, creating an evocative ambiance, ideal for photographing or imagining the ghosts of the mandarins. Next we’ll visit the famous Thien Mu Pagoda, a center for antigovernment protest in the early 1960s. Another waterborne excursion on the Perfume River returns us to Hue. We’ll have lunch in a Buddhist monastery before heading to the surrounding countryside to visit one of the extravagant royal tombs in the area.

Day 10  Ben Tre Homestay
Cao Dai Temple; Mekong
This morning we depart Hoi An for nearby Danang, where we board our flight to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon (flight included). Upon arrival we will depart for the Mekong. Enroute we’ll stop to visit a vibrant and colorful Cao Dai temple. Indigenous to Vietnam, Caodaism is a unique fusion of Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and Confucianism. At Cai Be we begin a Mekong River boat trip, taking us to our island homestay. Dinner tonight is followed by local entertainment. (Note: our homestay accommodations are clean and comfortable with private facilities, but plain and rustic. A single supplement does not provide for a private room at the homestay.)
Bem Tre Homestay (2 nights)

Day 11 Ben Tre Homestay
Mekong activities
After breakfast we will embark on our morning’s activities. We’ll explore the small waterways of the delta in sampans, stop to visit businesses, and observe the locals plying their trades. After sampling various tropical fruits, local candies, and other local specialties we’ll return to our homestay for relaxation. For those interested, you will have the opportunity to participate in the preparation of our traditional dinner.

Day 14  Tour Over
The tour ends after breakfast. Imprint will assist with airport transfer arrangements.

[Itinerary details & hotels subject to change]

Day 3 Halong Bay
Halong cruising; cave visit
You can leave your luggage behind at our Hanoi hotel and pack an overnight bag. We are off to Halong Bay, Vietnam’s most impressive scenic wonder. Views of sailing junks navigating the 3000+ karst islands and rocky outcrops jutting out of the bay are nothing short of spectacular. We travel to Halong where we board our sailing junk for an exploration of the bay, enjoy a seafood lunch and dinner, visit a cave, and spend a night on board (Note: a single supplement does not provide for a single cabin on the junk). It is a wonderful experience to spend a night on the bay.

Day 4  Hanoi/Overnight Train
Halong cruising; Temple of Literature; Hoa Lo Prison
After breakfast, we continue cruising around Halong Bay, before returning to port and driving back to Hanoi. Arriving back in the capital, we’ll visit the Temple of Literature.. We’ll have day use rooms to freshen up before heading for the train station to board the Reunification Express for our overnight train journey down to Quang Binh. We travel in ‘soft sleeper’ class* – a compartment for two people.  (Note - a single supplement does not provide for a private cabin on the overnight train.)
*Subject to availability

Day 7  Hoi An
Walking Tour Hoi An
One of Vietnam’s most scenic road trips over Hai Van Pass begins our day. Our destination, Hoi An, was originally a Cham port town so has been influenced down the centuries by traders from many cultures. The town is a living museum, with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and European architectural influences. There are pagodas, assembly halls, attractive wooden merchant’s houses, and colorful tiled houses scattered along the small streets. Once a bustling port, today Hoi An’s ambiance, tranquility, and charm make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Vietnam. This afternoon will include a guided walking tour and orientation of the town center.
Mulberry Collection Silk Eco - Atlas Hotel (3 nights) https://silkeco.mulberrycollectionvn.com/

Day 8  Hoi An
My Son
This morning, we visit My Son, the Cham civilization’s spiritual home, where Cham kings were buried as early as the fourth century. There are many carved stone towers, sanctuaries, and tombs to explore and photograph at this intriguing archaeological site. This afternoon is free to explore, shop, or relax in Hoi An.

Day 9  Hoi An
Free Day
Today we continue our vacation from our vacation. Hoi An is a marvelous place to wander and enjoy the thriving riverside market – a good place to buy silk. Local tailors can create fine garments for a bargain price, all within a day. Imprint can arrange a Vietnamese cooking class or photography class for those interested.  Rent a bike for the day or just relax by the hotel pool.

Day 12  Saigon
Cu Chi Tunnels
Today we depart the Delta and return to Saigon. Enroute we’ll visit a thriving riverside market and then one of the most important sites in the area, the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. These complex tunnels were used by the Viet Cong in the long war against the Americans and were instrumental to the Vietnamese victory.  Cu Chi is actually the name of the district that covers an extensive underground network (approximately 125 miles) of tunnels. They contained storage, refuge, hospitals, accommodations, and even schools. A section of the tunnels has been widened to allow tourists a feeling for what underground life must have been like.
Lotus Central Hotel (2 nights) https://lotushospitality.com.vn/en/lotus-central-hotel/

Day 13  Saigon
City Tour; War Remnants Museum
This morning, take a tour of the city, passing the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Post Office. We'll visit the War Remnants Museum for a sobering yet informative lesson on the Vietnam War. Your afternoon is free to relax or explore.  We'll then gather for our final dinner together.