This morning, depart at 0800 from the southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City to the area referred locally as "the rice bowl of Vietnam".

On arrival in Ben Tre Province head towards Tien Giang where you will board your local boat for a cruise among the aptly named Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle and Phoenix Islands. En-route, visit a small factory producing handicrafts made of coconut. Stop at Turtle Island where you will visit a tropical orchard to taste some exotic fruit. Continue on a smaller rowing boat for a more adventurous cruise on the Xep Canal which is set amongst a forest of palm trees. Embark once more by boat to Turtle Island where a selection of Mekong delicacies will be served for lunch. In the afternoon return to Ben Tre for a visit to Vinh Trang Pagoda before heading back to Ho Chi Minh City where you will arrive late this afternoon.

Transfer to airport for flight to Danang on Vietnam Airlines. Upon arrival at Danang you will be greeted by our guide who will begin by escorting you on a tour of Danang City, including the Cham Museum where you can find out more about this ancient but advanced civilization.

After leaving Danang we will make our way the short distance to the Marble Mountains, where there will be the opportunity to climb to the top and admire the temples that have a commanding view over the surrounding district. We will continue to the delightful town of Hoi An, approximately 30km away. Once in Hoi An we will check into our hotel and have some free leisure time.

From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port for Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab traders. These people came primarily to trade in the high grade silk, which is still produced in the area, as well as ceramics.

Today, Hoi An is a quaint riverside town, popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailors shops, and numerous cafes. Some of the buildings in the narrow streets have remained unchanged for more than a century. We enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200-year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge. Free time in the afternoon.

This full day tour takes you around Hanoi's most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and his Stilts House, Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda nearby, and the Old Quarter known for its maze of 36 streets and former craft guilds.

Also on the tour - the Lake of the Restored Sword and Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, peaceful West Lake with lovers street Thanh Nien, the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple and one of the city's museums, either the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum.