Day 1: Arrive Ho Chi Minh City
Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, once the bustling French colonial city known as Saigon. Be met on arrival with Fast Track Service and transferred to your luxury hotel. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner.
Signature Experience – VIP Fast Track Service
Start your holiday as soon as possible when you receive Fast Track Service for a seamless arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Be whisked through immigration and customs, before meeting your APT representative, who will transfer you to your accommodation.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City
Leave the city behind and relish in your Signature Experiences today. Learn about the remarkable tunnel network concealed the Viet Cong and served as supply and communication routes, as well as hospitals and weapon caches. Tonight, relish a delectable dinner during another Signature Experience.
Signature Experience – Cu Chi Tunnels Visit
Set off on a thrilling speedboat journey along the Saigon River to the Cu Chi tunnels, built by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the war. Head to a local restaurant for lunch.
Signature Experience – Private Gin Tasting
Meet a Master Distiller at Lady Trieu Gin Distillery and enjoy a guided tour and private tasting of the multi-award-winning gin. Later, enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.
Signature Experience – Dinner at Vietnam House
Savour dinner at the highly acclaimed restaurant Vietnam House, and delight in a special cocktail designed specifically for APT guests.
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang - Hoi An
A range of Freedom of Choice options await today. This afternoon, board your included flight to Da Nang. On arrival, enjoy a scenic transfer to Hoi An, the charming ancient town with a rich history, lantern lit streets, exquisite architecture, and delightful blend of culture.
Freedom of Choice – City Walking Tour
Discover the city’s iconic landmarks and French colonial architecture on an informative guided walk. Stroll by the Saigon Opera House, Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral.
Freedom of Choice – Motorbike Ride
Jump on the back of a motorbike like a local for a thrilling sightseeing adventure. Weave through the streets past the Central Post Office and Independence Palace. Visit Chinatown and Thien Hau pagoda.
Freedom of Choice – Cooking Class
Meet your chef, visit the market and discover Vietnamese ingredients. Continue to a villa and relax in the outdoor garden before you create your dishes. Learn the intricacies of making bánh mì xíu mại.
Freedom of Choice – Ho Chi Minh City Shopping Adventure
Seek out the city’s boutiques and discover high-quality handmade goods on a visit to Mekong Quilts. Saigon Kitsch sells quirky souvenirs, while L’Usine is a trend-setting lifestyle store.
Freedom of Choice – History of Saigon
Delve deeper into Ho Chi Minh City’s turbulent history. Start at the Reunification Palace, visit the War Remnants Museum and see the Burning Monk Memorial.
Day 4: Hoi An
Set out on a guided discovery of Hoi An this morning, taking in sights such as the Japanese Covered Bridge and the 19th-century Chinese Temple. Visit a handicraft workshop to see local artisans making silk lanterns and other traditional crafts. You will also stop off at a local cafe to try a Vietnamese specialty, coconut coffee. This afternoon, travel by boat along the Thu Bon River.
Signature Experience – Red Bridge Cooking School
Discover Hoi An's colourful market and find local ingredients to use during an exclusive cooking class with the Red Bridge Cooking School.
Day 5: Hoi An - Hue
Today, set out on your Signature Experience. Depart Hoi An bound for Hue, the former Imperial Capital. Travel via Da Nang and up and over the stunning Hai Van Pass, with views across Lang Co Beach. This scenic mountain stretch has been voted by some travellers as one of the world's most picturesque drives. This evening, dine on authentic Hue cuisine at Nam Phuong Restaurant inside the hotel. The restaurant is named after Vietnam's last queen.
Signature Experience – Hoi An Eco Tour
Catch a glimpse of rural Vietnamese life as you set out on an agricultural eco-tour. Visit a local garden and meet the farmers who work there while taking part in several different farming activities. You'll then set out on an exploration of the water coconut palm jungle by basket boat.
Day 6: Hue
Venture to the Imperial City, which served as the nation's political capital and religious hub. Stroll among the citadel's monuments and hear stories of its construction under the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. Next, visit the historical Thien Mu Pagoda, which is the tallest pagoda in Vietnam, standing at 21 metres. The pagoda is part of an active Buddhist monastery that dates to 1601. Marvel at the seven successive tiers, each of which is dedicated to a human form taken by the Buddha, before exploring the gardens, flowers and ornamental plants surrounding the pagoda. Soak up the beautiful landscapes and pass some of Hue's most important monuments.
Signature Experience – Private Perfume River Cruise
Glide along Hue's Perfume River while savouring a delicious afternoon tea, featuring an assortment of sweet and savoury treats, along with a range of teas and coffees.
Day 7: Hue - Hanoi
Time permitting, stroll through bustling and vibrant Dong Ba market to peruse a variety of local goods and delicacies before transferring to Hue's Phu Bai International Airport for your included flight to Hanoi. Settle into your new surrounds over dinner at Spice Garden, your hotel's highly awarded Vietnamese restaurant.
Day 8: Hanoi
A guided tour of Hanoi takes you to the city’s most famous historical and cultural sites. Highlights include Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square, One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, a beautiful example of Vietnamese architecture and the first university in Vietnam. You’ll also enjoy a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter.
Explore the maze-like streets of this charming area, where each street conveys the name of the type of business that once operated there, such as Bamboo Street, Sugar Street and Silver Street. Then, explore more of this vibrant city on your selected Freedom of Choice experience. Tonight, choose your dining experience.
Freedom of Choice – Bat Trang Pottery Village
Journey to Bat Trang, a village where porcelain and pottery of the highest quality have been made for over 700 years.
Freedom of Choice – Head, Hand or Foot Massage
Indulge in a relaxing massage at Le Spa du Metropole.
Freedom of Choice – Walking Tour of Hanoi
Explore Hanoi on foot and learn about Vietnam’s struggle for independence from France.
Freedom of Choice – Water Puppet Performance
Learn about the art of Vietnamese water puppetry.
Freedom of Choice – Vietnam’s Coffee Culture
Discover the importance of coffee in Vietnam and learn to create unique drinks.
Dining Choices: La Terrasse, La Table Hanoia, KOTO Van Mieu or Lý Club Hanoi.
Day 9: Hanoi - Tuan Chau - Embark Ship - Ha Long Bay
This morning, take a private tour of your hotel’s bomb shelter during an insightful Signature Experience. Afterwards, travel to Tuan Chau for another incredible Signature Experience. Here, board the Lyra Grandeur for your three-day Ha Long Bay cruise.
Enjoy a welcome drink on board before setting off towards Frog Lagoon. Spend time swimming, enjoy a putt on the onboard mini golf course, or unwind in your ship’s infinity pool or jacuzzi. This evening, venture to the lounge and Ocean Sky Sundeck and toast to the sunset with your favourite drink before rolling up your sleeves at a chef-led cooking demonstration.
Signature Experience – Exclusive Access to a Bomb Shelter
Signature Experience – Ha Long Bay Cruise
See Ha Long Bay on a two-night cruise aboard the luxurious Lyra Grandeur.
Day 10: Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay
As the sun rises over the acclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, rejuvenate the body and mind with a refreshing Tai Chi lesson. Delight in a hearty breakfast before your ship makes it way to Viet Hai in Lan Ha Bay.
Disembark and travel via bicycle or electric car to the small fishing village framed by highlands and thick jungle. Visit an ancient home, meet the villagers, and learn how to make rice wine. Afterwards, visit Ba Trai Dao beach, renowned for its clear water, white sands and mountainous scenery.
Return to your ship and enjoy the onboard amenities.
Day 11: Lan Ha Bay - Ha Long Bay - Tuan Chau - Hanoi - Siem Reap
Begin the day with a delicious breakfast. Afterwards, board traditional rowing boats and venture to the Dark and Bright Cave. Here, discover a delightful contrast between the murky Dark Cave tunnels and the sunlight-filled Bright Cave.
Later, disembark and transfer to Hanoi airport for your included flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Upon arrival, be transferred to your hotel and enjoy dinner with your fellow travellers.
Day 12: Siem Reap
Begin your exploration of the World Heritage-listed Angkor Archaeological Park with a visit to Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital of the Khmer Empire.
Head to the intriguing Bayon temple and visit the Terrace of Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King. Journey to Ta Prohm, known for the thick jungle of fig trees and vines that have enveloped the structure.
Signature Experience – Local Charity Visit
Visit Opportunities of Development thru Art (ODA), a OneTomorrow partner.
Signature Experience – VIP Circus Show
Witness a mesmerising performance from your VIP seats.
Day 13: Siem Reap
Wake early this morning and travel back to Angkor Archaeological Park for a special Signature Experience.
Signature Experience – Sunrise at Angkor Wat
Witness a spectacular sunrise at the magnificent Angkor Wat.
Signature Experience – Gallery Visit with Khmer Dinner and Apsara Performance
Treat yourself to a private visit to Theam's Gallery before enjoying a five-course Khmer dinner and traditional dance performance.
Freedom of Choice Activities:
- Village Bicycle Tour
- Quad Bike Adventure
- APOPO HeroRATs Tour and Landmine Museum
- Horse and Cart Ride
- Khmer Cooking Class
- Local Boutiques and Markets
- Khmer Massage
Day 14: Siem Reap - Kampong Cham - Embark Ship - Koh Pen - Angkor Ban
Travel through remote Cambodian villages to Kampong Cham, where you'll board the Mekong Serenity, your home for the next seven nights.
Following lunch on board, discover the island of Koh Pen with its wooden stilt houses and local farming culture.
Signature Experience – Tuk Tuk Tour of Koh Pen
Journey by local tuk tuk around a riverside village and gain an insight into village life.
Day 15: Angkor Ban - Oknha Tey - Phnom Penh
Join a walking discovery of Angkor Ban, one of the few villages in Cambodia not destroyed under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s.
Later, your ship glides to Oknha Tey, renowned for its silk weaving traditions. Watch as village women create beautiful Khmer fabrics from their wooden looms.
Day 16: Phnom Penh
Today, wake to the sounds of Phnom Penh and enjoy breakfast on board before setting out on your chosen Freedom of Choice sightseeing experiences.
Morning Choice
- Killing Fields and Genocide Museum
- National Museum of Cambodia
Afternoon Choice
- Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
- Cyclo Ride
Enrich Your Experience (additional cost)
High Tea at Raffles Hotel Le Royal.
This evening, enjoy a captivating cultural dance performance by local schoolchildren.
Day 17: Phnom Penh - Oudong - Koh Chen - Phnom Penh
Journey to Oudong, Cambodia’s former royal capital.
Signature Experience – Buddhist Blessing Ceremony
Take part in a traditional Buddhist blessing ceremony for good luck, health and safe journey with resident monks at a monastery in Oudong.
On the way back to your ship, take a leisurely stroll through the village of Koh Chen and visit some home workshops that make copperware.
Day 18: Phnom Penh - Border Crossing - Tan Chau
Spend the day cruising towards the Vietnamese border. While border formalities are carried out, enjoy onboard activities including local presentations, fruit-carving demonstrations and cooking workshops.
Cross into Vietnam and cruise to the riverside town of Tan Chau.
Day 19: Tan Chau - Evergreen Island - Sa Dec
Transfer to a small boat to cruise the tiny tributaries around the town of Tan Chau. Disembark for a rickshaw tour and visit a local rattan weaving workshop.
Continue to a traditional Cao Dai temple before exploring Evergreen Island to see authentic rural Mekong life.
Day 20: Sa Dec - Cai Be - My Tho
Journey by small tender boat past floating fish farms to Sa Dec, where French writer Marguerite Duras met her Vietnamese-Chinese lover, Huynh Thuy Le.
Tour his former home and learn the story behind Duras' best-selling novel, The Lover.
Later, visit French gothic Cai Be Church as well as the colourful port area. Afterwards, visit rice paper and coconut candy manufacturers and learn how these Vietnamese staples are made.
Day 21: My Tho - Disembark Ship - Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Bid farewell to the crew and disembark your ship at My Tho. Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City, then to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your onward flight
