Ha Long Bay & the Red River

Fly overnight from London to Hanoi, via Bangkok.

On arrival, transfer to the 4-star Pan Pacific Hanoi for an overnight stay. Afternoon at leisure in the capital, perhaps to sample street food stalls or stroll the tight ’36 streets’ of the Old Quarter.

Transfer to Ha Long Bay (4 hrs). Well over a thousand islands and islets are scattered across the bay; a National Park with numerous caves, some little more than limestone pillars crowned with forestry, others with beaches, hemming ragged shorelines, or clusters of craggy karst cones soaring skyward from the sea. All are UNESCO-protected and even more spectacular when colour-washed by sunset. Embark on the RV Angkor Pandaw for ten nights and cast off for an evening of sailing, mooring in a sheltered bay amidst the beautiful island scenery.
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Morning sail around Ha Long Bay and its islands dating back 20 million years. Mesmeric, magnificent, mystical scenery makes Ha Long Bay a magnet for visitors to Vietnam. Stop at Viet Hai village to visit a local vegetable farm and typical village houses. Cruise towards Lan Ha Bay to visit a floating fishing house.
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Its topography formed over 20 million years, Ha Long Bay National Park encompasses numerous caves. We visit one of them by small-boat this morning, before entering the river to moor near the port city of Hai Phong. Entertainment on-board.
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Cruise the Kinh Thay River, enjoying the scenery and scenes of daily life along the riverbanks. In its setting of farmland and fruit orchards, visit Thanh Ha for a village walk and a private water-puppet show. Continue cruising until late evening. (B, L, D)

Sail along the Lower Red River and Day River this morning whilst getting more acquainted with the expedition vessel as you enjoy a ship tour. After lunch onboard head ashore to Co Chat village, Nam Dinh. Here visit local craftspeople making silk by hand and the local markets filled with exotic produce.
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Continue the exploration of the Red River Delta today, sailing toward Ninh Binh before mooring at Khanh Thien Village. Disembark in the morning for a journey to Phat Diem, home to Phat Diem Cathedral, a 19th-century Roman Catholic church built in an eclectic blend of Vietnamese and European architectural styles. After lunch explore Khanh Thien Village by local transportation or bicycle and discover a host of handicrafts including water hyacinth weaving and a variety of rice paper and cakes. End the evening with a performance by the locals of ‘Chau Van’ singing, an ancient art form local to this area.
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Discover ‘Halong on Land’ today as you visit Ninh Binh and take small bamboo rowing boats through the magnificent limestone caves. Visitors in September and October or April and May will witness the valleys shine golden as the rice fields prepare for harvest. We then return to our ship and sail upstream on the Red River towards Hanoi.
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Discovery in the capital includes visits to the Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius and known as ‘the first university’ for its seven centuries of learning; Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum; and Hoa Lò Prison, dubbed ‘the Hanoi Hilton’ by US prisoners of war, now largely demolished but partly retained as a museum. Visit a coffee shop to learn about the country’s coffee industry.
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Begin the day with a visit to Bat Trang craft village, Vietnam’s ‘cradle of ceramics’, and cruise the Red River for an excursion in highland Vietnam, viewing rural scenes of rice paddies and rocky outcrops, and visiting the little-known Buddhist temples of Tay village, a thousand years old.
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Sail between the scenic banks of the Da (Black) River to visit Duong Lam Ancient Village, a tranquil and timeless enclave of brick roads, banyan trees, pagodas, and wooden houses, recognised by UNESCO for Cultural Heritage Conservation. An afternoon tour of local crafts visits woodcarving workshops and the blacksmith village of Ly Nhan. Enjoy a farewell dinner on board.
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Disembark after breakfast and enjoy a morning excursion en route to Hanoi. Start with a visit to Hung Lo temple where you will be serenaded with traditional folk music as well as enjoy an exploration this quaint traditional town. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant followed by a transfer to Hanoi for a day-use room at Pan Pacific Hanoi before transfer to Hanoi airport for the return overnight return flight via Bangkok.
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Arrival at London Heathrow.