Day 1 Arrive Siem Reap.
Transfer to your elegant hotel, which was once the home of royalty. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure. Stroll through the manicured hotel gardens, relax under the frangipani trees beside the magni?cent architect-designed pool or perhaps enjoy a massage to ease your way into your holiday. At 19:00 meet your Travelling Concierge and fellow travel companions for your Welcome Dinner.(Dinner with Wine)
Meals: Dinner with Wine
Locations:
Day 2 Angkor Wat in Style.
This morning, commence your day of sightseeing with a visit to Angkor Thom, a perfectly-preserved walled city that served as the Capital of Cambodia from the 12th to the 16th century. At the time it was bigger than any European city. Continue to Ta Prohm, a unique Bayon style temple overgrown with trees and vines. In the afternoon, Angkor Wat, hailed as one of the world’s most important religious monuments, is yours to explore in VIP style. Guided by a renowned archaeologist, learn about Khmer history, culture, archaeology and civilisation as the stories contained in the bas-reliefs and murals are brought to life. Admire the sunset and watch as the last light of the day shines on the temple. This evening, be dazzled at a youthful performance by the Phare Circus and see how local traditions blend with new creative genres to form a triumph of choreographed acrobatics, dance and storytelling.(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Locations:
Day 3 Dynamic Ho Chi Minh City.
Fly to Ho Chi Minh for a journey of a lifetime. Join your Travelling Concierge for a night to remember at the Art Salon Saigon, where you will enjoy a Welcome Dinner set in a sophisticated atmosphere and accompanied by live music.(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Locations:
Day 4 Marvels of Saigon.
See the best of Saigon as you travel from the city’s glittering skyscrapers to the green paddy ?elds scattered along the Saigon River. Your destination is the Cu Chi tunnels, which were dug in 1948 for guerrillas to hide from combatant forces during the Vietnam War. These extraordinary tunnels form part of a network of tunnels that cover most of the country. During your visit to these underground villages, meet a Viet Cong veteran who used to live here and find out how challenging the living conditions really were. After lunch, visit a coffee shop and learn about coffee in Vietnam. Back in the city, embark on a leisurely walking exploration that reveals highlights including Notre Dame Cathedral and Gustave Eiffel's Central Post Of?ce. Over a cup of Vietnamese coffee, gain an appreciation for local street-side cafe culture.(Breakfast)
Meals: Breakfast
Locations:
Day 5 Cruise the Mekong Delta.
Travel to the Mekong Delta and board a private charter. At your first stop see coconut production and processing, then enjoy a taste of the freshest juice possible. Further along, stop to see where locals still use centuries-old methods to make bricks at a small brick kiln. Next you'll enjoy a ride on a tri-motorcycle along narrow village roads, arriving at a rice noodle factory to see the most popular breakfast in the region being produced. Continue your cruise to Mango Home for a tasty lunch of Mekong Delta specialties. Then walk along the shady village roads to the home of Mr. Sau Tuong, a former soldier who fought the deadly Khmer Rouge, known for orchestrating the Cambodian genocide. Learn how life in Vietnam has evolved for him and his wife since the 1960s and how they earn a living from making rice paper.(Breakfast / Lunch)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Locations:
Day 6 Royal Refinement in Hue.
Marvel at vistas of lush countryside, as you fly to Hue for the next chapter of your journey. Enjoy a cyclo ride through rice ?elds to Thanh Toan village and visit the Vietnamese Agriculture Museum for an insight into rice production. Then you will stroll along the canals, visit the vibrant local market and admire the ancient, arched, tile-roofed Thanh Toan Bridge, which was built in the 17th century. This evening, you will savour a delicious meal at a local restaurant.(Breakfast / Dinner)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Locations: Ho Chi Minh City
Day 7 Highlights of Hue.
Rise early for a private, VIP visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Imperial Citadel, before it opens to the public. Enjoy an escorted journey on a state-of-the-art electric cart, as a renowned local historian guides you through the towering main gates and shows you the majestic architecture and splendid gardens of the former royal court. Return to your hotel for breakfast, then visit the royal tomb of Minh Mang, the second Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. Your exploration continues to the 18th Century Dong Thuyen Pagoda, where you can relax in the peaceful precinct and enjoy a delightful vegetarian lunch specially prepared by the Buddhist nuns. You'll have the opportunity to speak with the nuns and gain a better understanding of their beliefs and food philosophies. After lunch you will meet the headmaster of the Vietnamese Royal Martial Arts Academy at an ancient temple. Learn about the intricate training activities of the practitioners and attend a performance showcasing the different martial arts techniques. The evening is at your leisure, perhaps ask your Travelling Concierge to make restaurant reservations for you.(Breakfast / Lunch)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Locations:
Day 8 Romantic Hoi An.
In the morning, you may wish to rise early and participate in offering alms to hundreds of saffron-robed monks, a living Buddhist tradition going back generations. Then watch as the town comes to life at the morning market. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, before walking to the top of Mount Phousi to admire spectacular views of the Mekong and Khan rivers and surrounding mountain ranges. Experience a delectable family style lunch at local restaurant, Khai Phaen, named after a popular Laotian snack that is unique to Luang Prabang. The restaurant focuses on vocational training with all profits re-invested in the trainees and their supporting social programs, enabling them to become skilled, productive professionals with a more secure future. During your free time, discover the secret alleyways and hidden gems as you explore Luang Prabang at will. Hear stories of the rural lifestyle of the local people as you travel to visit Wat Xiengthong. Known as the the Temple of the Golden City, it remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art for the locals. Your adventure culminates with a private sunset cruise on the mighty Mekong River. Witness the vibrancy of daily life along its banks and enjoy a cool drink as you toast your newfound friends.(Breakfast / Dinner)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Locations:
Day 9 The locals in Hoi An.
Visit the beautiful Cam Thanh Village with its dense coconut jungles that were once a shelter for local people and soldiers during the Vietnam War. Today the village is an important supplier of seafood, vegetables and rice to the region. Step into a traditional bamboo-basket boat and glide across the water to the Thanh Dong village where you'll learn from the villagers how they cultivate and harvest vegetables according to local customs. Continue your voyage through a peaceful water coconut forest to a riverside restaurant overlooking the rice fields. Enjoy traditional Vietnamese folk games and participate in a hands-on cooking class alongside a local chef. Savour your creations for your Highlight Lunch.(Breakfast / Lunch)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Locations:
Day 10 Hanoi street-food tasting tour.
Board a morning ?ight to Hanoi, Vietnam’s glistening capital city known for colonial-style architecture, ancient temples and vibrant culture. Enjoy a ride aboard an electric cart to see the historic Opera House, avenues lined with French mansions, Sword Lake and the 18th century Jade Mountain Temple. Join a local foodie in the Old Quarter for an exploration of Hanoi’s robust street-food culture, that will delight all the senses. Learn what locals love to eat and taste the city’s very best dishes, including rice paper rolls, crab spring rolls, beef noodle soup, com cake and other delights. The rest of the day is at your leisure to relax at your five-star hotel or ask your Travelling Concierge to recommend city-centre attractions nearby.(Breakfast)
Meals: Breakfast
Locations: Hoi An
Day 11 Cruise along Ha Long Bay.
Travel to Ha Long Bay, known as the bay with a thousand islands and glistening emerald water. Step aboard a deluxe junk for a memorable overnight cruise. Visit the mysterious Tien Ong Cave, where human bones dating back to 10,000 B.C. were discovered by archaeologists, and explore the Cua Van area. In the evening you'll have the choice to participate in a hands-on cooking class with the on-board chef, or simply relax on the top deck as the sun gently dips beyond the horizon, before sitting down to dinner.(Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner with Wine)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with Wine
Locations: Hanoi
Day 12 Ha Long to Hanoi.
Start the day with a session of Tai Chi on the upper deck, or enjoy an early morning swim, or perhaps venture to a white sandy beach and climb the hilltop for views over Halong Bay? Return to the boat for breakfast as you cruise to Ha Long City to disembark. Journey back to Hanoi where the evening is at leisure.(Breakfast)
Meals: Breakfast
Locations:
Day 13 The Temple of Literature.
Visit the Temple of Literature, built in 1076 as the ?rst university for the sons of mandarins. Meet a scholar who will share their insights into this famous institution. Learn about Hanoian culture and Vietnamese architecture before exploring the temple grounds. In the evening, join your travel companions and toast to your travels during your Celebration Dinner.(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Locations:
Day 14 Farewell Vietnam.
Your journey comes to an end after breakfast with a transfer to the airport for your onward flight.(Breakfast)
Meals: Breakfast
Locations:
Touring with Luxury Gold
Luxury Gold is a journey beyond the ordinary, with your Travelling Concierge opening doors around the world to places and people that you wouldn’t dream possible. They take care of everything, while you relax and enjoy VIP experiences, exceptional dining and luxury hotels. Their small group holidays are expertly crafted to suit your preferences and will open your mind to an astonishing journey of wonder, adventure and new learning. NEW DESTINATIONS FOR 2018: Costa Rica, Croatia, Japan, Montenegro, Scandinavia and South Africa.
Luxury Gold has launched a series of special Chairman’s Collection departures in 2018, curated by their chairman Mr Stanley Tollman. Exciting experiences have been added to select departures across a collection of hand-picked European itineraries, including lunch with an Italian Count at his Tuscan Villa; a drinks reception at Artstetten Castle with Princess Anita von Hohenberg, a direct descendant of Archduke Franz Ferdinand; and dinner with a French Count at Paris’ oldest café.
As a proud member of The Travel Corporation (TTC), Luxury Gold is driven by service and passionately run and owned by a family involved in travel and hospitality for 100 years. Partnering with the Treadright Foundation helping to ensure that the environment and communities we visit remain vibrant for generations to come.