Glorious Asia, Old and New

Upon arrival, you are welcomed by our driver and tour guide. Transfer to Sofitel Plaza Hanoi for check-in. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

After breakfast, you will make a full day city tour of charming capital Hanoi with ochre-colored colonial style buildings, tree-lined avenues and many lakes. Set out on a visit to the Temple of Literature for an overview about Hanoi culture and history at the outset of the trip. Then visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed during this period, outdoor visit only), Ho Chi Minh Stilt House --where he lived and worked during his presidency-- an imposing monument made of an impressive amount of marble and granite. This is where the preserved body of “Uncle Ho” lies in state. Continue visiting the One-Pillar Pagoda in the form of a lotus, it emerges from the water and rests on a single stone pillar. It contains a statue of the Goddess of Mercy with its legendary “thousand arms and a thousand eyes”. Enjoy a walking tour around Hanoi Old Quarter , or a 1 hour cycle ride around the city to complete this experience!
This evening attend a traditional water puppet show, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form especially designed for depicting scenes of rural life as well as many episodes of national history.

After breakfast at your hotel, our guide will pick up you and transfer around 3.5 hours to Halong City with a break en route at a local coffee shop. Arriving by noon at the quayside, we board our private junk to begin a 4-hour cruise through the spectacular Halong Bay, stopping along the way to explore the limestone caves or just lazing about atop the deck of our boat. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Halong Bay is one of Vietnam’s most spectacular natural wonders. The tiny limestone islands are dotted with many beaches and grottoes created by the wind and the waves that provide an excellent backdrop for swimming. Whilst on board indulge in a delicious seafood lunch. Drop off at the pier and transfer back to Hanoi.

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer to the airport, take flight to Dien Bien.
Upon arrival, transfer to the Hanoi-Dien Bien Hotel for check-in (early check-in is subject to availability). Afternoon, you will visit Army Museum, A1 Hill. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

After simple breakfast at your hotel, drive to the Pa Khoang Lake where the former Vietnamese leaders spend their holidays and go fishing. Leave Dien Bien for Tam Duong, stopping on the way at Muong Lon and Muong Lay to visit Red H’Mong & Thai villages. Lunch at Lai Chau, and then continue to Tam Duong. Check in to the Lan Anh Hotel (or similar)

After simple breakfast at your hotel, depart for Sapa, stopping to have leisure walks and enjoy the fantastic sceneries of mountains and hills. You may be lucky to meet the Red H’Mong groups. Arrive in Sapa, check into the Victoria Sapa Hotel. In the afternoon, take a walking tour to visit Cat Cat village.

After breakfast at the hotel, walking tour to visit Sapa market, then drive to the top of Lao Chai village, and then start to hike downhill from the main road in Lao Chai to visit a Black H'Mong village. Continue to hike from Lao Chai to Ta Van where the Zay group, Red Zao tribe live. In the afternoon, visit Ta Phin village.

After breakfast, drive to visit Can Cau market which swells on Saturdays. On arrival, visit the colorful market of hill tribe people such as Flower Hmong, Phu La and Dao Tuyen gathering here to exchange goods. Before lunch we go on a short trek to the nearby village of Sa Koun Ho which is inhabited by the Flower Hmong and Black Dao minority. We enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before we leave Can Cau and drive to Trung Do village - inhabited by Tay minority. From the village we go by boat down the river, where we experience the magnificent sight of the beautiful caves and bustling life on the riverbank. Transfer back to Sapa.

Enjoy breakfast and full day is free on your own discovery till transfer to Lao Cai train station and take an overnight ride on the King Express local train (private cabin) back to Hanoi. Late check-out is included on this day.

Early arrival in Hanoi station, pick up and transfer to your deluxe hotel. Rest of day is free at leisure.

Explore the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. In the evening, toast your journey with a special dinner at the imposing Co Loa Citadel, an architectural wonder and Vietnam’s first capital.

One last day to explore Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital. A fascinating blend of East and West, Hanoi’s architecture is a fusion of Chinese influence from centuries of dominance, and French design from its colonial past. Board the Spirit of Oceanus and depart for Haiphong.

Soak up the expertise of our Exploration Leaders and learn about the cultures you’ve experienced and are about to encounter as we cruise north towards Chan May.

Vietnam’s new port of Chan May provides easy entree to Hue, the Imperial City, once capital of the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945). Hue, on the banks of the Huong or “Perfume” River — surrounded by rice fields, is an important trade center. Legacies of both the ancient Champa Kingdom and years of colonial rule are alive in the city’s art and architecture, including the Forbidden Purple City and the moated Imperial Citadel.

Strategically located in Vietnam’s center, Danang played an important role in the wars of the 20th century. Nearby Hoi An, a small town nestled on the banks of the Thu Bon River, was a vital seaport in the Champa Kingdom. Harboring a wealth of temples, pagodas and shrines, Hoi An has been classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Take in a seascape of thousands of limestone mountains dotting calm waters as you approach Ha Long Bay. Known as the “Bay of the Descending Dragon,” this UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Gulf of Tonkin includes some 1,600 mostly uninhabited islands and islets. Legend has it that Ha Long Bay was carved into the seabed by the tail of a dragon as it plunged to earth.

Skip the roadways and make your way to Vietnam in the lap of luxury — relaxing aboard the Spirit of Oceanus as you sail the South China Sea.

Ride to the top of Victoria Peak for a stunning panoramic view of the city. Browse the open-air Stanley Market for everything from silk garments to arts and crafts to costume jewelry. Visit the Man Mo Temple (built to honor the god of literature and the god of war) alongside students praying for good results on their exams.

A fusion of natural splendor and man-made wonders, Xiamen (meaning “gate of China”) has been one of China’s major seaports since ancient times. Explore the extraordinary Buddhist Nanputao Temple nestled at the foot of the massive Wulaofeng (Mountain of Five Old Men) overlooking the sea. Return the smile of a Laughing Buddha at the Heavenly Kings Hall and visit Gulangyu Island, home to 20,000 residents, renowned for its delicate natural beauty, ancient relics and colonial architecture.

Bask in the amenities of the Spirit of Oceanus and prepare for the delights ahead as we sail along China’s eastern coast.

Take another relaxing day to enjoy the amenities of the Spirit of Oceanus.

Delve into Shanghai, exploring the city on your own, or meander the classical gardens of Suzhou on an optional excursion.

Originally a sleepy fishing town, Shanghai is now China’s premier cultural, commercial and financial center and the largest city in the country. Strategically located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, it’s one of the world’s busiest ports. The new, architecturally adventurous Shanghai Museum exhibits an extraordinary collection of Chinese art through the ages, while the beautiful pavilions, corridors, streams and courtyards of the Yuyuan Garden offer timeless tranquility. Other not-to-be-missed Shanghai experiences include the French Concession District and Nan Shi, the ancient quarter.

Often thought of as the “Hawaii of Korea.” for its volcanic rock, mountainous terrain and temperate climate, Jeju, the “Island of the Gods,” boasts South Korea’s highest peak. Explore the Jeju Folk Village Museum, home to over 400 thatched-roof houses still inhabited by villagers. Visit the Biosphere Reserve at Seogwipo and learn the legend of the lone Oedolgae Rock pillar, standing tall off the seashore.

Once Japan’s “Gateway to the West,” Nagasaki was one of the few ports open to foreign traders during Japan’s 250-year period of isolation. It was also the second city to be destroyed by an atomic bomb in World War II. Peace Memorial Park offers spectacular views, a reminder of the war’s devastation and a message of hope and rebirth. Tour the Atomic Bomb Museum and Glover Garden, an open-air museum exhibiting 19th-century Victorian mansions and gardens built by an enterprising Scotsman who helped to overthrow the shogunate.

Bright red floating torii (gates) and tame deer welcome you to Miyajima as you approach the mountainous “island of the shrines,” once regarded as so sacred a place that people were forbidden to till the soil, give birth, pass away or be buried on the land. Here we will meet a Shinto priest and enjoy a performance and personal tour of the famous Itsukushima Shinto shrine.

Hiroshima, a city once battered, is now thriving and devoted to peace. In memory of the 1945 atomic bomb explosion, a Peace Flame, never to be extinguished until all nuclear weapons are abolished, burns in front of the Memorial Cenotaph. Tour the Peace Park, Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Museum.

Disembark the Spirit of Oceanus. Enjoy the morning at leisure to explore historic attractions of this port city, one of the first to begin accepting foreign traders following Japan’s two and a half centuries of isolation. Visit Himeji (White Egret) Castle, Japan’s most beautiful stronghold.

Following breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the Kobe Airport for your flight home.