7-Nights Tailor Made Vietnam: North to South - Luxury Tailor Made Travel from $6,820

Abercrombie & Kent: Short Escape: Vietnam

Day 1 HANOI, VIETNAM

Arrive in Hanoi, where you receive fast-track assistance through customs and immigration formalities before being met and transferred to your hotel.

This morning, pay a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s stilted house, located among banyan and milkweed trees. Continue to the iconic, lotus-shaped One Pillar Pagoda, built by King Ly Thai To as thanks to the deity he believed helped his wife give birth to his son. See, too, the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam). Recognized as Hanoi’s first university, the temple is featured on the back of the 100,000 VND banknote. Proceed to the home of Mr. My, a former Vietnamese pilot who shares stories from his time during the Vietnam War, including the close friendship he developed with a U.S. pilot. After lunch at a local restaurant, pay a visit to the gatehouse-turned-museum at Hoa Lo Prison, used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners and later by North Vietnam for prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. Next, travel by cyclo (rickshaw) through the bustling Old Quarter along its time-honored streets before returning to your hotel.

Travel overland to Ha Long Bay — meaning “Where the Dragon Descends to the Sea” — and board your luxury boutique vessel. Enjoy a leisurely lunch as the dramatic beauty of the bay begins to unfold around you, taking in majestic views of the surreal landscape where hundreds of limestone karsts rise out of emerald waters. Pass by a century-old lighthouse, built by the French during colonial times. In the afternoon, visit Viet Hai, a village on Cat Ba Island where you hop on a bike (or an electric car, if you prefer) and cycle along small paved roads to a small village nestled in a valley. Pass by the village school and meet some of the villagers as you observe their simple lifestyle. Return to the cruise ship in the late afternoon where you are invited to join a cooking demonstration by the chef in the open kitchen, learning how to make a classic Vietnamese dish. Savor the cool sea breeze and the warm glow of twilight as the boat anchors for the night.

Wake up to the peaceful sounds of the gentle breeze and water lapping against the boat in the early morning. Enjoy light refreshments, including tea, coffee and pastries in the dining room. For an energetic start to the day, head to the sundeck for an optional tai chi session. Visit Frog Lake, where you can truly immerse in the wild beauty of the bay. Kayak, or ride a sampan (wooden boat), to explore more of the tranquil scenery, admiring the dream-like landscape filled with tree-topped islands. Transfer back to Hanoi, where you fly to Danang, and continue to your hotel in Hoi An. The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Travel to Tra Que Village, where you visit a local home and sample juice made from freshly squeezed fruits, followed by a stroll through the village gardens where local farmers still use traditional farming techniques. You may even assist some farmers with their crop collection. Return to Hoi An this afternoon and set out on a walking tour. Visit the Old House of Tan Ky, Fukien Assembly Hall and the 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge.

After a morning at leisure, transfer to the airport and fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel.

Begin your day with a visit to Cu Chi, a small community located northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, known for its network of deep tunnels that provided shelter and an effective source of infiltration for the Vietcong during the later years of the Vietnam War. The tunnels, which reached hundreds of miles in total length, housed storage rooms, makeshift hospitals and sleeping quarters. After experiencing the Cu Chi Tunnels, return to Ho Chi Minh City for lunch. Later, uncover the stories of Ho Chi Minh City's dynamic past, visiting the Reunification Palace and the Historical Museum. Then, get in touch with southern Vietnam's spiritual side at a colorful Cao Dai temple. Return to your hotel enjoy an evening at leisure.

Rise early for a cyclo ride through the streets as the city slowly comes to life. Stroll through a special section of Tao Dan Park, where locals congregate with their prized birds and the air is alive with birdsong. Next, visit the memorial park dedicated to a Buddhist monk remembered for performing self-immolation in protest of the South Vietnamese government in 1963. Continue along Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street to visit a little-known, hard-to-find weapons bunker, as well as a food market and flower market. Round out your morning exploration of local life by sampling some of the city’s most sensational pho at one of its most popular restaurants. Transfer to the airport and board your departure flight.