Luxury Holidays
in Vietnam

Culture, history, scenery and much, much more

Travel Information

Time Difference: GMT +7 hours

Leisure Activities

Hanoi

Hanoi is a compact city so the most interesting places for tourists to visit are quite close to each other. The North end of Hoan Kiem lake is where most of the hotels are situated. It is the oldest part of the city and the most interesting. It is also known as the “Old Quarter” or “36 Streets”, an area dating back to the 11th century. The 36 streets were each named after the commodity sold by the local businesses, ie medicine, copper, horsehair, chickens and coffins to name but a few. Probably the best way to explore this area is by cyclo, a very cheap way to get around or you can always walk!

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is a beautiful area in North East of Vietnam. Made up of 969 islets rising up out of the jade coloured waters of the bay, of which 980 have names. It was designated a World Heritage Site in 1994. The distance from Hanoi is approximately 3 hours by road, so a day trip is a possibility. You can sail around the bay on a traditional junk with lunch included, while marvelling at the scenery as it unfolds.

Hue

Lovers of history will be in their element in Hue. Step inside this majestic Citadel which still bears the scars of successive wars. Built in 1805, during the reign of Emperor Gia Long, the citadel is comprised of a series of central enclosures, within which stands the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City. Surrounded by a moat and a 10km long brick wall it covers 52ha. You will need to take a whole day to visit the whole site, however, you can wander around at your leisure or take a Cyclo ride if you prefer.

More About Vietnam

Vietnam is located at the crossroads of Southern and Eastern Asia on the trade routes between Europe and the Far East. Its coastline is an incredible 2140 miles long and it borders China in the north, Laos in the northwest and Cambodia in the southwest. Since its reunification in 1976 Hanoi has been its capital. One of the easiest ways to see the many highlights of this diverse country is to take an organised tour. You could start with the wonders of the vibrant and atmospheric capital of Hanoi. The French left a big influence on the city during their rule in the late 19th century so there‘s an abundance of French colonial architecture to see plus many other fascinating places such as the bustling market, The Temple of Literature and Ho Chi Minh’s home museum and mausoleum.No visit to Hanoi would be complete without a trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay which consists of almost 2000 limestone islands. Some of these islands are hollow with incredible caves. Take a cruise around the bay where you will pass floating fishing villages. It's an amazing place where you're sure to take plenty of photographs. To travel further afield, you can take a flight so you get to see the main areas of interest such as Hue, Danang and Hoi An. You can take a full-day tour of Hue which takes in the Thien Mu Temple - an octagonal tower of seven tiers rising above the Perfume River. The hills surrounding Hue are dotted with the tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty emperors. Hoi An takes you across the Pass of Ocean Clouds and, as Hoi An itself does not allow cars, it’s a great place to walk around and pop into the many galleries and handicraft centres. Also, a visit to the famous Japanese Bridge is a must. Danang is one of the most ancient cities in Vietnam and was once the centre of the Cham Dynasty. During the Vietnam War, it was home to a big air base used by the South Vietnamese and the US, and it was made famous by the film “Good Morning Vietnam”.From Danang, it’s just a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon as it's formerly known. It is more cosmopolitan than Hanoi and, again, there is a French feel about the city. Places to visit include the former Presidential Palace (now a museum) and the surprisingly stunning Central Post Office designed by Gustave Eiffel! Slightly out of the city, there are the Cu Chi Tunnels. These were used by the Viet Cong during the war and are almost like an underground city, complete with field hospitals and meeting rooms. A great follow-up to a tour is a two or three-night stay at one of the impressive Vietnam beach resorts. Most of the beaches are in the southern half of Vietnam and include An Bang beach and Ninh Van Bay. Mui Ne, once a fishing village, is now a popular beach resort and somewhere you can enjoy a range of watersports including kitesurfing and sailing. Designer Travel can create a bespoke holiday itinerary tailored exactly to your requirements for your visit to Vietnam. We are ABTA bonded and we're independent so we have access to a huge range of flight and accommodation choices. Customers love our personalised and friendly service and are choosing to book with us year after year. To contact us, simply complete the enquiry form or give us a call. We'll be delighted to help.

Climate

Vietnam experiences a tropical and sub tropical climate and is exposed to the monsoons of South East Asia, which means high rates of rainfall and copious amounts of sunshine. Hanoi, the capital, enjoys an average yearly temperature of 23°C with summer highs of 35°C, while winter lows of 11°C are quite common. Ho Chi Minh City in the South of the country is usually around 26°C.

Destination Information

Capital

Hanoi

Population

95.54 Million

Currency

VND

Location

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