CAD $4150
11 Days / 10 Nights
After two nights in awe-inspiring Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, cruise the Red River delta and its main tributaries, stopping in the rapidly growing Vietnamese capital of Hanoi before venturing into the remote countryside. This exclusive Vietnam cruise combines natural wonders, with fascinating local history, customs, and culture.
Itinerary
Day | Destination | Activities |
---|---|---|
1 | Halong Bay | EMBARKATION
Scenic cruising around Halong Bay |
2 | Halong Bay | Scenic cruising around Halong Bay
Boat excursions to floating home and caves |
3 | Halong Bay | Morning spent cruising
Set sail for Pha Lai |
4 | Thai Binh River | Excursion to Thanh Ha and water puppet show
Walking tour of Ninh Giang and banh cay tasting |
5 | Bat Trang Village | Explore the ceramic-making village of Bat Trang
Cruise to Hanoi |
6 | Hanoi | Tour Hanoi’s many museums and landmarks
Traditional unicorn and lion performance |
7 | Lower Red River | Visit two little-known pagodas
Explore a carpenter’s village |
8 | Lo River | See where Vietnam’s conical hats are made |
9 | Da River | Scenic cruising passing Ba Vi National Park
Visit UNESCO-listed village of Duang Lam |
10 | Hoa Binh | Boat ride on the reservoir
Discover a traditional Muong village |
11 | Hoa Binh | DISEMBARKATION
Visit to village Muong museum |
Note: This program is also available in the opposite direction.
HALONG BAY / EMBARKATION*
Transfer from Hanoi International Airport to Halong Bay, where your luxury riverboat awaits. Cast off in the late afternoon, admiring the awe-inspiring scenery as you cruise the bay. Tonight, drop anchor in a sheltered cove.
HALONG BAY
With over 1500 limestone islands, dramatic rock formations, and emerald-tinted waters, Halong Bay leaves visitors awestruck. Sail around the bay this morning, admiring forest-covered limestone pillars that date back over 20 million years. Take a local boat to visit a remarkable floating home, and travel by kayak or one of Vietnam’s bamboo basket boats to explore the caves around the bay.
HALONG BAY
After a morning spent cruising in Halong Bay, enter the river in the afternoon to set sail for Pha Lai. Observe the varied and captivating life on this key commercial waterway.
THAI BINH RIVER
Spend the morning sailing on the Thai Binh river. Leave the ship for an excursion to Thanh Ha, a village where you’ll see a traditional water puppet show and walk around. Rejoin the ship to continue cruising to Ninh Giang. Here, set off on a walking tour of this pastoral village, where you’ll visit a local market to taste banh cay, a local dessert. Board a coach bus to see nearby Stork’s Island before returning to the ship, where you’ll enjoy dinner.
BAT TRANG VILLAGE
On the way to Hanoi, discover Bat Trang, known throughout Vietnam for its distinctive ceramics, which feature intricate painted scenes and landscapes.
HANOI
Arrive in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, where you’ll experience this rapidly growing city’s bustling streets on your way to landmarks such as the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature, and the notorious Hoa Lo Prison, which was often referred to as the Hanoi Hilton by American POWs. In the afternoon, visit a café, where you’ll learn about Vietnam’s coffee production industry, a major source of income for the country for the past century. Finally, enjoy a colourful traditional unicorn and lion dance before re-boarding the ship.
LOWER RED RIVER
Follow the Red River from Hanoi to Viet Tri, a launching point for the highlands of Vietnam. Ashore, see Vietnam’s postcard-perfect, emerald green rice paddies, interspersed with dramatic limestone rock formations. Of particular interest on the way are the little-known Thay and Tay Phuong Pagodas, which date back to the eighth and 11th centuries and home to exquisite Buddhist statues carved from jackfruit wood. This afternoon, learn about local livelihoods in a carpenter village. Arrive in Viet Tri, the capital of the Phu Tho province in the northeast region of Vietnam, in the evening.
LO RIVER
Cruise from the Tien Du ferry station to Gia Thanh, where Vietnam’s characteristic conical hats are made. The sights along the banks of the Lo offer insights into traditional village life. Embark by coach to the Hung Temple, which is considered one of the most sacred historic sites by the Vietnamese people.
DA RIVER
Admire the Da river’s unspoilt beauty as you sail downstream. You’ll pass the Ba Vi National Park, which is home to a diverse range of tropical and subtropical flora. After arriving in Hoa Binh, visit the UNESCO-listed village of Duong Lam.
HOA BINH
During the First Indochina War, fighting against the French took place in and around Hoa Binh from 1951 to 1952. Home to the Muong ethnic group, Hoa Binh is also home to the largest hydroelectric dam in all of Southeast Asia. This morning, take a boat ride on the dam’s reservoir and visit a Muong village. Tonight, enjoy a traditional performance.
HOA BINH / DISEMBARKATION
Disembark in the morning, the learn about Muong culture through a visit to a village museum. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before arriving at the hotel from which point you will continue your onward journey.
Dates & Prices
Sailing Season | Price per person |
---|---|
October 2018 - December 2019 January - December 2020 | Main Deck* From $4,150 |
October 2018 - December 2019 January - December 2020 | Upper Deck* From $5,110 |
* Price per person based on double occupancy. Due to the dynamic nature of availability and pricing, please click here to contact us directly for sailing schedule and full pricing |
Featured Inclusions
Entrance fees
English-speaking guides
Gratuities to crew
Main meals
A variety of drinks
Transfers between ports of embarkation and Hanoi International Airport
Ship Information
RV Angkor Pandaw
Sister to the Katha and from the same yard delivered in 2013, the only difference with the Katha is an enclosed air conditioned dining room insisted on by an American charterer. Originally on the Mekong in 2015 we transferred her to the Red River in North Vietnam. In fact the enclosed dining room has proved useful as it can be cold up there in winter.