Vietnam Reunification Express
| country: | Vietnam |
| location: | North Vietnam, South Vietnam |
| departures: | Regular departures throughout the year on Sundays, either weekly or fortnightly depending on the time of year |
| price: | From £290 (11 days) excluding flights, plus local payment US $150. We can arrange flights from the UK |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Beginning in the nation’s capital, Hanoi, this north to south tour of Vietnam still allows you to visit all of the country’s most popular destinations in just 10 days. Most of our travelling will be done aboard the ‘Reunification Express’ train, a fascinating and unforgettable way to view the unfolding landscape of Vietnam. We begin by discovering the charms of graceful Hanoi before taking the train down to a city that’s steeped in history and culture, Vietnam’s former imperial capital, Hue.
A short drive through some remarkable rural and coastal scenery brings us to Hoi An. We’ll spend three days in this wonderfully well-preserved ancient port town, a favourite of every traveller to Vietnam. Further south at the beach resort city of Nha Trang we’ll cruise the offshore islands and relax in the sun before once again catching the overnight sleeper train down to the steamy southern city of Saigon.
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £3 - this does not include your international flight.
A short drive through some remarkable rural and coastal scenery brings us to Hoi An. We’ll spend three days in this wonderfully well-preserved ancient port town, a favourite of every traveller to Vietnam. Further south at the beach resort city of Nha Trang we’ll cruise the offshore islands and relax in the sun before once again catching the overnight sleeper train down to the steamy southern city of Saigon.
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £3 - this does not include your international flight.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Hanoi You can arrive at any time today. No activities are planned for today. |
| Day 2: | Hanoi There’s a lot to see in Hanoi so we get an early start this morning on our half-day tour of some of the city’s major attractions. We’ll visit One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature and the infamous Hoa Lo (‘Hanoi Hilton’) prison. The remainder of the day is then our own to further explore this charming city before boarding the overnight train for Hue. |
| Day 3: | Hue Steeped in history, both ancient and modern, Hue and its environs are a marvellous place to explore by bicycle. In our own time we can wander through the city’s massive citadel and the ruins of its Forbidden Purple Palace. Later we head out into the surrounding countryside on bicycles to explore the tombs of Vietnam’s last Emperors. We return to Hue on board a dragon boat. |
| Day 4-6: | Hoi An Our drive from Hue to Hoi An showcases some of the most remarkable coastal scenery in the country. We have time to discover the charms of Hoi An, a town that is considered a “must see” by every traveller to Vietnam. The old town’s narrow streets still retain much of their Japanese, Portuguese, Dutch and Chinese influences. We can confine ourselves to Hoi An’s ‘old town’ or we can get out and about. Hoi An has a great beach not far from town and world famous China Beach and the nearby Marble Mountains are only half an hour away by motorbike. On our last day we make the short drive into Danang to catch the overnight train to Nha Trang. |
| Day 7-8: | Nha Trang Enjoying some of the best weather in Vietnam, the coastal city of Nha Trang has, in recent years, become the country's premier beach resort. We take a day cruise through the crystal-clear blue waters that surround Nha Trang's offshore islands and our crew will serve up a delicious seafood lunch at midday. There's plenty of time to enjoy some swimming and snorkelling before heading ashore to catch the Reunification Express once more for our overnight journey to Saigon. |
| Day 9: | Saigon You'll awake to the sounds of frenzied activity as we arrive in Vietnam's frenetic powerhouse city of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). With a population nearing 8 million people, Saigon somehow still manages to retain a 'laid back' quality. Our hotel is centrally located in the heart of 'District 1' and it is conveniently placed for sightseeing and shopping. There's also a huge selection of excellent restaurants to whet our appetite. |
| Day 10-11: | Saigon Cu Chi’s tunnels were constructed by the Viet Minh, then expanded by the Viet Cong, to conduct covert operations and then quickly hide from the enemy. We’ll crawl through a section of the tunnels and learn about the underground hospitals and kitchens used during the struggle for a unified Vietnam. Free afternoon in Saigon. Your tour finishes after breakfast the following morning. |
travellers' tales
Amongst the highlights were the two days shopping in Hoi An, the cooking lesson in Vietnamese cuisine, the trip to the local mud bath and whizzing around the countryside, off the beaten track, on the back of a motorbike taxi. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
Award winner
how this holiday makes a difference
 Around the globe, we identify selected community projects that we can support through our trips. KOTO (Know One, Teach One) is a training centre and restaurant, established to help disadvantaged kids in Hanoi to get off the streets and into a stable living and working environment. Each year an integral part of the training is a field trip in Vietnam which this operator sponsors.Vietnam is a charming, picturesque country with a constantly changing landscape and on this journey much of the travelling is done on board the 'Reunification Express' – so-called because it unites the former countries of North and South Vietnam. It is a fascinating and unforgettable way to witness the unfolding landscape of Vietnam, and the towns and villages along the way. The journey is punctuated with visits to many attractions and you stay in small family run hotels. All trips are led by local Vietnamese leaders, and over the years we have developed a strong team. Many of them have developed a western sense of humour and can offer an interesting commentary on test cricket scores! This trip is focused on respecting and benefiting the local people and the environment of this country. On this trip you will be lead by an experienced local leader passionate about their country's history, heritage and natural beauty that will help you to get 'under the skin' of their country and see it through the eyes of a local. This trip stays at locally run accommodation; we eat at local restaurants and travel on local transport. This ensures the financial return to the local economy opens up training and employment opportunities - and allows for informal and meaningful interaction between our travellers and local people. We are constantly seeking new and innovative ways of neutralising our impact on the environment. We will become the first Australian adventure tour operator to offer a voluntary carbon offsetting option on the land component of all its tours, as well as the accompanying flights. Our Community Trust provides funds for local community projects and initiatives that promote responsible and sustainable tourism development in the destinations in which we operate. First and foremost, but not exclusively, the Trust supports projects and initiatives that advance education and employment within the tourism and hospitality industry. The Trust operates on a not-for-profit basis, with every cent of funds donated by us, our staff and our travellers, going to the nominated projects. The maximum group size on all of our adventures is 16 passengers – with exception of some African trips (24 max) and in the Polar Regions, where our ship carries a maximum of 110 passengers. Travelling in small groups ensures we make significantly less impact on the natural environment, as well as breaking down many of the communication barriers presented by a larger group. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |