After all the preparation, the wait is over! Depart for Hanoi. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to the group hotel. Please look for the World Expeditions Schools welcome sign in the arrivals hall. Once checked into your hotel you will have a full trip and safety briefing with your guide. After the briefing, the group takes a walk along Hoan Kiem Lake and into the Old Quarter to the restaurant for our welcome dinner. Today’s welcome dinner is arranged at a nice and relaxed restaurant where the group can get familiar with the traditional way of Vietnamese meals and the handling of chopsticks. Overnight Hanoi

Meals:  L,D

In the morning, the group will first visit the Vietnam Women Museum. A very interesting place to learn more about the place of women in Vietnam’s History and the evolution of their roles in the society. The second part of the morning is dedicated to the Temple of Literature. Then lunch is served nearby, at the KOTO restaurant, a social enterprise that train disadvantaged youths. In the afternoon, we drive to the mountainous region of Mai Chau. Mai Chau is inhabited by a majority of White Thai people living in hamlets of wooden houses on stilts. Upon arrival, drop the luggage at the hotel and go for a walk across the nearby hamlet for a first overview of the lifestyle there. Dinner will be served in the traditional way at a local guesthouse on stilts. After dinner, the group will attend a performance of folk music and dance by the ladies of the village. Overnight Homestay, Mai Chau

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, the group will transfer to a remote sub-valley located about 10 km (6 mi) further West. They will start their cycling tour on narrow pathways across villages and passing by vegetables gardens. This will give an overview of the rural daily life in the region. After the tour, a cooking session is arranged with the women of a village. Students will learn how to cook several iconic dishes including the rice cooked in bamboo. Lunch on spot with the food cooked by the group plus some additional dishes. In the afternoon, the group transfers back to Hanoi. Evening water puppet show and dinner. Overnight Hotel, Hanoi Cycling distance: 15 km (9 mi)

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning, we will leave to Ninh Binh province. We arrive in the small town of Tam Coc where we start by visiting the Bich Dong pagoda. This is an opportunity to stretch our legs as we climb up three levels and enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the valley. Lunch is served in a beautiful garden house in the heart of the village. In the early afternoon, we take a boat trip to Tam Coc. It is certainly one of the most beautiful sites of the region. The end of the afternoon allows us to benefit from more quiet moments but also from the possible superb orange lights of the sunset which add a little more magic to the place. Arrival at the hotel at the end of the day and free evening. Dinner and overnight onboard.

Meals:  B,L,D

Departure from the hotel at around 8:30. About 3.5-hour transfer to Halong Bay with a stop en-route. The group boards a private boat and starts the cruise over lunch onboard. The activity program is not fixed and is subject to change, but it could include some kayaking or the visit of a cave. Dinner and overnight onboard. Overnight train.

Meals:  B,L,D

An early Tai Chi session is arranged on the sundeck at 6:30 followed by a light breakfast. Around 8:30, an activity is arranged (kayaking or cave visit depending on what was done the day before). At 9:30, check-out the cabin. Brunch is served as the boat cruises back to the pier. At 10:30, disembark and drive to Hanoi. Upon arrival in early afternoon in Hanoi, the group will visit the Ho Chi Minh complex and navigate through the history of the country's reunification and declaration of independence. Afterwards, the group will have a day use in a hotel to refresh and rest a bit before an early dinner. At 18:00, head to the train station to hop on the reunification night train to Hue. 4-berth cabins. No cabin will be shared with strangers. Overnight train.

Meals:  B,L,D

Arrive to Dong Hoi in early morning, where you will be transferred to local restaurant for breakfast before the transfer to meeting point to start Hang En cave tour. Hang En is one of the largest caves in the world, located in the core zone of Quang Binh’s cave kingdom, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam. On arrival to the meeting point, you will listen to the safety briefing, sign the release form, pack your bag and receive the necessary safety equipment. The group starts with a jungle trek, hiking down a steep hill to reach a branch of the Rao Thuong Stream leading to the only village located in the core zone of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. After about 1.5 hours of walking and wading through streams, the group will arrive at Doong Village – where the lunch will be served. Continuing to walk through the jungle, crossing the river many times, the group will reach Hang En after about 3 hours. After receiving your tent, you can enjoy swimming in the turquoise lake next to the camp, before enjoying delicious food right in the cave. Overnight in a camp.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, the group continues, climbing up the rocks behind the camp in a cave, exploring and learning more interesting facts of nature's masterpiece in Quang Binh Province, and admiring the stalagmites and stalactites. At the back of the cave, a new view of the Hang En campsite opens up. Save some precious memories of this unique place. After wading through the underground streams, you will reach the large sandy floor of the gigantic cave exit. The group will return through the cave to the underground camp to have lunch and a short break. The group will then leave the cave, for the final challenge of wading through many streams and climbing a steep hill around 450 m (1350 ft) high. At the top of the hill is the road and a bus with cold beverages ready to welcome you back after all the challenges in your caving adventure to discover the wonderful Hang En. The bus will take the group back to Phong Nha at about 18:00. Overnight at hotel in Phong Nha

Meals:  B,L,D

We start after breakfast our journey to the South and the ancient imperial capital of Hue. Our morning drive across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) will take us to the Hien Luong Bridge, a historic landmark that served as the border gate between North and South Vietnam before reunification. We will also stop to visit the Vinh Moc tunnels site. We will explore a part of this 2 km (1 mi) network of tunnels that reached 30 m (90 ft) deep and served as shelter for about a hundred families during heavy bombing from the American Forces. We have lunch in Dong Ha town and should reach Hue in the mid-afternoon. Check-in at the hotel and end of the day at leisure. Driving time: approximately 5 hours

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning is dedicated to a walking exploration of the walled citadel and the forbidden city to learn about the relatively recent imperial past of the country. Lunch will be served in a garden house in an old village, where the Mandarins of the Emperor used to reside. In the afternoon, visit the tomb of Tu Duc before hitting the road to the South. Pass by Lang Co bay and stop at the top of the Hai Van Pass. Arrive in Hoi An in the late afternoon. In the evening, dinner will be served at local restaurant.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today the group will cycle on small roads and across narrow bridges to an island of the Thu Bon River. Meet with a local youths collective that acts for a more sustainable future. They will introduce the group the current coastal erosion situation, explain the challenges, the risks and the possible answers to this. Then the group will help with restoring the ecosystem by planting trees and supporting the natural protection against floods. Lunch will be at a local farm on the way back from the tree planting to towns. The afternoon is at leisure to rest or shopping in the old town. Sunset and dinner on the beach. Cycling distance: 15 km (9 mi)

Meals:  B,L,D

In the mid-morning, the group is transferred to Danang airport to take a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, the group is greeted at the airport and transferred to a restaurant for lunch. The lunch is one of the local specialties: the broken rice. After lunch, walking orientation around the colonial landmarks of the district 1. Then visit of the Ao Dai Exhibition (the traditional and iconic Vietnamese dress through History). Head to hotel, check-in and have some time to rest and refresh. Early evening, dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals:  B,L,D

In the morning the group transfers to the Mekong Delta region, in the Ben Tre district. Upon arrival they first visit a Cao Dai temple, then hop on a private sampan. The morning is dedicated to cruising the river and stopping at various workshops to learn about the local industries. The group reaches Cu Lao Tam Hiep island for lunch in the gardens of a local guesthouse. In the afternoon, cycling tour across the island and visit of a farm producing the plants used to make the sam jelly. The group can try doing some jelly and taste the result. Mid-afternoon return to Saigon. Evening farewell dinner.

Meals:  B,L,D

The exact program of today will depend on the time of the departure flight. If time allows, we can arrange some visits/activities and a lunch (at optional).

Meals:  B