Vietnam by Train

Xin Chao, hello in Vietnamese! On arrival at Hanoi airport, you’re greeted by your driver and transferred into the city. Take the time to settle into your hotel, and if you wish, begin exploring the Old Quarter of Hanoi and Hoan Kiem Lake. Enjoy your first evening by attending a traditional water puppet show.

This morning, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an iconic site dedicated to the revolutionary leader. You then continue with the discovery of the One Pillar Pagoda, a true architectural masterpiece. In the afternoon, you explore the Temple of Literature as well as the Ethnography Museum, a must to learn more about local cultures. You end the day with a peaceful stroll around West Lake (Ho Tay).

In the morning, a bus picks you up from the hotel for an excursion to the must-see Halong Bay. Upon arrival at the port, you board your traditional junk. Enjoy a welcome drink, then a Vietnamese meal as you cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay. In the afternoon, you go out kayaking and paddle around the bay. Then, at sunset, you attend a Vietnamese cooking demonstration, followed by dinner and a magical night aboard the junk.

At sunrise, aboard the junk, you can start the day with a tai chi lesson. If you choose to have just a cup of tea or coffee, the view will be just as stunning. After breakfast, you explore the Thien Canh Son Cave. A traditional Vietnamese lunch awaits you before returning to the port. Then, you take the return bus to Hanoi for a free evening and an overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, you’re taken to the Hanoi Train Station. You travel by train to Ninh Binh. Your first journey by rail lasts about 2.5 hours, during which you admire the beautiful landscapes of Northern Vietnam. Ninh Binh is a peaceful haven and you’ll quickly fall in love with this lush region. In the evening, you stay overnight in a charming guesthouse ideally located.

This morning, you discover Hoa Lu, the former capital of Vietnam, where you visit the temples of Kings Dinh and Le. Then, from the Tam Coc wharf, you take a 2-hour boat cruise along the Ngo Dong River, with visits to three stunning caves. Lunch features roast goat skewers in Tam Coc, followed by a bike ride to the Bich Dong pagodas, riding through picturesque countryside. Return to Ninh Binh for the night.

You begin the day by climbing up to the Hang Mua Cave. You climb nearly 500 steps to the top of a rocky hill, which offers breathtaking panoramic views. You continue with the Phat Diem Cathedral, located 20 km away—an exceptional example of fusion architecture combining Buddhist pagodas and Catholic churches. In the evening, you depart on an overnight train to Hue, arriving the next morning.

On arrival at the station, you’re welcomed and taken to a local restaurant for breakfast. Then, you discover Hue with a French-speaking guide. You board a dragon boat for a cruise on the Perfume River, with a stop at the Celestial Lady Pagoda. You explore the Imperial City, inspired by Beijing’s Forbidden City, with its palaces, temples, and pavilions. Conclude the day at Tu Hieu Pagoda, a place of devotion surrounded by serene nature.

This morning, you wake up at your hotel, then take the train toward Da Nang. You finish the journey by bus to Hoi An, a charming coastal town with beautiful beaches. In the afternoon, check in at the hotel and begin exploring Hoi An’s Old Town at a relaxed pace.

Today, with a guide, you explore the narrow streets of the former Hoi An district. You visit the Fujian Assembly Hall dedicated to the protective goddess of fishermen and sailors, the Phuc Thanh Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hoi An (1454), the Japanese Bridge built in 1593, linking two Chinese and Japanese quarters, the Tan Ky House, and the Assembly Hall Temple of the Fujian Congregation. Next, you visit a lantern-making workshop and finish with a stroll along the Thu Bon River.

This morning, you’ll be transferred to Da Nang to take the train to Nha Trang. This train journey takes around 9 hours and allows you to reach the south of the country at a relaxed pace. In the evening, arrival in Nha Trang, whose bay is certainly among the most beautiful in the world, followed by check-in at the hotel.

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Vinh Truong port for half a day of snorkeling—snorkeling is possible—in the Bay of Nha Trang. You’ll have lunch on the Tre Island and take some time to unwind before boarding the boat again and returning to the port. In the afternoon, you travel by train to Ho Chi Minh City. You arrive in the evening and check in at the hotel.

Your day starts with the Reunification Palace, the presidential palace of South Vietnam until 1975. Next, you visit the War Museum, which displays artifacts and photographs from the Indochina War, the Notre-Dame Cathedral and Dong Khoi Street with its luxury boutiques. In the afternoon, you discover the Giac Lam Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in Saigon. You stroll through the old Chinese quarter of Cho Lon and its Binh Tay Market, where the Hoa community still lives and works according to its traditions.

In the morning, you travel by road to Ben Tre via My Tho, a town known for its orchards and rice fields. En route, you visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda. In Ben Tre, it’s by river that you discover local life. By boat, you visit a brickworks, a coconut candy factory, and sample sweet treats with honey tea. Then, you explore the Nhon Thanh village, specializing in mat weaving, and enjoy a wonderful tuk-tuk ride through the fields. Return to Saigon for the night.

This is your last day in Vietnam. Enjoy a final breakfast at your hotel, then, depending on the time of your return flight, you’ll be transferred to the airport. End of your train trip in Vietnam; see you soon on the roads of Asia.