This morning, your guide and driver will transfer you from Hanoi to the marina, where the Heritage Line team will welcome you before boarding the Violet for a cruise into the waters of Bai Tu Long, the quieter eastern reaches of the Halong Bay area. Lunch is served as the vessel sails deeper into the bay, threading between limestone karsts rising from the water on all sides.

The afternoon is spent at your own pace on deck, on your private balcony, or taking in a short presentation on the legends and geography of the region, before an afternoon kayaking session through the bay’s most secluded channels. The ship anchors for the night, followed by a multi-course à la carte dinner and optional evening activities including squid fishing and guided meditation.

Early risers can start the day with coffee and pastries on deck before an optional tai chi session or meditation on a nearby islet. After a full breakfast, the morning’s first excursion is Thien Canh Son Cave, reached by a short climb of around 100 steps and filled with stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years. From there, the cruise continues to Vung Vieng, a floating fishing village where local residents live and work on fish and pearl farms passed down through generations. A local host will walk you through daily life on the water before you return to the ship for lunch.

The afternoon offers a choice of onboard workshops: an oyster harvesting demonstration, or a traditional Vietnamese phin filter coffee class with tastings of different blends. At sunset the boat will anchor at a secluded beach for sundowner drinks, swimming, and time on the sand. A final dinner onboard closes the evening, with squid fishing and other optional activities available afterward.

The final morning on the water begins with an optional tai chi session and coffee on deck before breakfast is served as the Violet makes its way back to the marina. On arrival, your guide and driver will meet you for the transfer to Ninh Binh, where the rest of the day is at leisure.

Today your guide will take you to Trang An, a UNESCO-listed landscape of karst mountains, flooded valleys, and rice fields near Ninh Binh that is often compared to Ha Long Bay for the drama of its scenery. A boat cruise winds through the limestone formations before lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you’ll cycle to Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s capital during the 10th and 11th centuries, where temple complexes dedicated to the emperors of the Dinh and Le dynasties still stand. From there, your driver will take you to the airport for the flight south to Hue, where you’ll check in to your hotel with the evening at leisure.

The morning takes you along the Perfume River by boat to the bronze workshops of Phuong Duc, where artisans have cast ceremonial objects for generations. Lunch is at a quiet spot overlooking the outer wall of the Imperial City before an afternoon inside the complex itself, exploring the palaces and temples of the Nguyen dynasty. The day closes with a private meeting with a princess from the House of Nguyen, the last royal family of Vietnam.

In the early evening, a scenic drive to Kim Long ancient village leads to a traditional family home where you’ll help prepare a Hue-style dinner alongside your hosts. The meal is served in the family’s historic house, finishing with a herbal foot bath using plants from the garden.

This morning, check out of your hotel and set out south toward Hoi An with two stops along the way. The first is Lang Co, where a local fishing family takes you onto the lagoon by boat to learn about life on the water. Lunch is a fresh seafood spread prepared by the family in their home on the lagoon’s edge.

From Lang Co, the route continues south along one of Vietnam’s most scenic coastal drives, crossing the Hai Van Pass with its sweeping mountain and ocean views before reaching the Son Tra Peninsula outside Da Nang. A winding mountain road climbs past quiet coves and fishing villages to Ban Co Peak, where the views stretch along the coastline in both directions, and to Linh Ung Pagoda, home to a 200-foot statue of the Goddess of Mercy overlooking the sea. The drive then descends along Da Nang’s beachfront before arriving in Hoi An.

The morning begins at Hoi An Central Market, where a walking tour winds through the alleyways, local workshops, and cultural sites that make up the old town’s daily life. A drink break on a riverside veranda is followed by a stroll to the Japanese Covered Bridge before a visit to a local family for a hands-on lantern-making session.

The afternoon takes you to the bamboo workshop of Mr. Tan, a third-generation craftsman who builds and creates household items entirely from bamboo using techniques his family has practiced for generations. You’ll see the range of objects that can be made from a single material and take home a piece as a souvenir.

As evening falls, your guide leads you through the ancient streets of Hoi An on a cocktail tour, stopping at hidden bars and tucked-away spaces in buildings dating back more than 200 years. At each stop, a signature off-menu cocktail developed with local mixologists is waiting, paired with stories about the city’s lesser-known history.

This morning, cycle out of Hoi An’s old town to visit a local family home where the morning begins over a Vietnamese iced coffee and a conversation about the neighborhood’s history. From there, the route winds through rice paddies and into the surrounding villages, stopping at an incense-making couple who still work entirely by hand, a rice mill where old and new methods are compared side by side, fishermen repairing boats along the waterway, a whale temple, a local rice wine producer, and textile weavers working on traditional hand looms. The final stop is a coracle where you’ll try traditional fishing techniques before cycling back to the family home for a cold drink and a local meal.

In the late afternoon, head to Da Nang Airport for the flight south to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Set out by private speedboat along the Saigon River to the Cu Chi Tunnels, arriving without the crowds that come with the overland route. A guided exploration of the underground network built and used by Viet Cong fighters during the American War is followed by a riverside lunch before the speedboat returns to the city.

The evening begins with sunset drinks at a rooftop bar over the Saigon skyline before a Vespa tour through the city’s streets after dark. The night moves between two local restaurants sampling authentic Saigon dishes, past the city’s most iconic landmarks in the evening light, and ends at a music bar where the city’s younger generation gather. All food and drinks throughout the evening are included.

After breakfast, your driver will take you to Cai Be for a day cruise on the Mekong Delta’s waterways aboard a traditional sampan. The boat sets out along the busy river channels toward Hoa Khanh, a remote and largely unspoiled stretch of the delta where life on the riverbanks unfolds at close range. In Hoa Khanh, you’ll have the option to explore the surrounding countryside by bicycle, ending at Ba Kiet Ancient House, a 19th-century home, or simply continue by boat at a leisurely pace.

Stops along the way take in local cottage industries including coconut candy making and puffed rice production before lunch at Le Longanier, a colonial-style villa set in a tropical garden by the river. After lunch, a short walk along a canal brings you back to your vehicle for the drive to Ho Chi Minh City.

Say goodbye to Vietnam and head to the airport to catch your departing flight.