Colonial Vietnam - Independent Travel

Although it is more than half a century since French rule came to an end, the colonial influence of the Indochine-era remains writ large in the architecture, grand boulevards and the cuisine across Vietnam. Our Colonial Vietnam itinerary traces the heritage of this era, in the choice of both destinations and accommodation, which features some of the country's finest and most elegant colonial properties.

 

Modern Ho Chi Minh City has undergone many transformations on its journey from fishing port to Vietnam's largest city; moulded by Khmer, French and American influences to form the most cosmopolitan and dynamic city in the region. Your journey commences here with two nights at the elegant Majestic Hotel, built in 1925 and occupying a perfect location overlooking the broad Saigon River.  After exploring the highlights of the city, follow the lead of the French and head upcountry from the hot and humid lowlands to the cool of the colonial summer retreat at Dalat, in the heart of the Central Highlands.  Start your day at the bustling central market, before heading out to explore the pine forest-clad countryside, dotted with crumbling French villas and punctuated with spectacular waterfalls.

 

Hue, the next destination on your journey, played a significant role in the colonial era as the capital of the puppet Nguyen Emperors. The vast Citadel remains as testament to the ambition and glory of the dynasty's founders, before weakness and corruption enabled the French to assume control in 1885. The imperial city, modelled on Beijing's Forbidden City, is undergoing gradual restoration after decades of war and neglect. La Residence, a sumptuous art-deco hotel on the banks of the Perfume River provides an atmospheric base for your stay. The ancient trading port of Hoi An, a few hours drive down the coast from Hue, provides a welcome change of pace - an opportunity to unwind for a couple of days; wandering through the streets of the old town or relaxing by the pool, before flying north to Vietnam's capital, Hanoi.

 

In the heart of the French Quarter, close to the Opera House, is the Metropole, one of Vietnam's grandest colonial hotels. Built in 1901, the hotel has played host to visiting celebrities and dignitaries for more than a century. Stroll to Hoan Kiem Lake and the thronging streets of the old town before heading to the station for your overnight train journey on the Victoria Express. You leave the city over the Long Bien Bridge, a rusting remnant of French influence, engineered by Gustave Eiffel. The hill station at Sapa is the final highlight of your trip, high in the Fansipan Mountains. Gaining popularity in the 1930s, the town is the gateway to some of Vietnam's finest scenery, with spectacular rice terraces forming giants' staircases on the steep mountainsides.   

 

 

The tour begins today in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's most energetic and electric city. You will arrive at Tan Son Nhat Airport where your guide will meet you and escort you the short distance to your central hotel. The Majestic Hotel is a grand old colonial property overlooking the wide Saigon River, and just a few minutes' walk from the Opera House and bustling streets full of cafes, restaurants and shops. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore.

 

Your guide and driver will pick you up early at 0700 to catch the first rays of the sun and a chance to see Saigon waking up. The first stop is 'Tao Dan Park' where locals practice their morning exercises - Tai Chi, aerobics and badminton. Stroll around the park to a small pagoda where you are likely to see locals performing daily prayers. Continue to a local wet market where shoppers haggle over the fresh produce on offer.  Take a break for breakfast, joining the locals over a of bowl of Vietnam's national dish - pho noodle soup, and finish up the morning with a café sua da in one of the city's busiest coffee houses. A legacy of the French, coffee houses are a popular meeting spot for locals. Later take a walking tour of the city's colonial and post-colonial heritage, including the former Presidential Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and Dong Khoi Street. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

 

The Cu Chi Tunnels, some miles north of the city, give a fascinating and, to most Western visitors, unfamiliar perspective on the Vietnam War. After exploring the incredible network of tunnels that housed great numbers of Viet Cong fighters throughout the war return to the city and fly on to former colonial hill station of Dalat in the Central Highlands. Here you stay at the wonderful Palace Hotel, built in 1922 and occupying a prime site overlooking the Xuan Huong Lake. Meals included: Breakfast

 

Take an orientation tour of Dalat this morning, a region that is home to vast flower gardens, pine forests, vineyards and perhaps the most colourful market in Vietnam. Start the tour with Truc Lam Monastery of Meditation - one of the largest Zen Meditation study centres in Vietnam, with equally large numbers of nuns and monks. Reach Truc Lam by a scenic tram ride from a hilltop overlooking Dalat. Visit the Dalat Railway Station which dates back to 1932, Linh Phuong Buddhist Pagoda, an organic vegetable farm, the palace of the last Emperor of Vietnam and the fascinating Lam Dong Museum. Meals included: Breakfast

 

Day 5 Hoi An 

Return to the airport this morning in time for our flight north to Danang, the largest city in Central Vietnam. On arrival your guide will be waiting to transfer us down the coast to one of Vietnam's most magical destinations: the ancient trading port of Hoi An. Our hotel is located on the very edge of the pedestrianised Old Town, making it an ideal spot for personal exploration. Meals included: Breakfast

 

A short walking tour of the Old Town this morning is designed to help you get your bearings sufficiently to make the most of your afternoon at leisure. The pool at the resort hotel is inviting, or the many wonderful riverside cafes and restaurants might appeal for a spot of people-watching. For those of a more active persuasion bikes can be hired to get out into the countryside, or you can arrange a visit to the Cham Dynasty ruins at My Son, an hour's drive from town. Meals included: Breakfast

 

Day 7 Hue 

After breakfast today drive onward to the imperial capital of Hue, stopping briefly in Danang to visit the Cham Museum, which contains the finest collection of Cham sculptures in the world. The drive to Hue is one of the most scenic in the country, ascending the Pass of Ocean Clouds before dropping down to the photogenic fishing village of Lang Co beyond. After checking in to your splendid art-deco hotel, La Residence, you have the afternoon to explore. Meals included: Breakfast

 

Hue is set along the banks of the Perfume River, named for the fragrance of tropical flowers said to be carried down from orchards upriver. After a morning exploration of the huge Citadel, home of the Nguyen Emperors, and a cyclo tour through the Old Town, take a picturesque boat ride up the river to the Thien Mu Pagoda.  The countryside surrounding the city is dotted with the tombs of the former emperors, and you may like to use your afternoon at leisure to pay them a visit. Two of the finest are the Mausoleum of Tu Duc, and Khai Dinh's Tomb; the European-influenced resting place of the final Nguyen Emperor. Meals included: Breakfast

 

A short flight north takes you from Vietnam's former to its current capital, and the fantastic jumble of styles and influences that is Hanoi. Your base here is the magisterial Metropole Hotel, one of the oldest and most refined of Vietnam's colonial properties, located in the French Quarter close to the Opera House and within a few minutes walk of Hoan Kiem Lake. Have a leisurely afternoon to stroll the streets and get your bearings in town. Meals included: Breakfast

 

Ho Chi Minh died before the conclusion of the Vietnam War, but the reverence in which he was held was such that his body was preserved and a grand mausoleum created in Hanoi to allow the Vietnamese people to pay their respects. Start your guided exploration of the city commences here, at the complex that houses the Stalinist mausoleum, the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh's more humble private residence. Next stop is the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university constructed in 1070, with lovely gardens and well-preserved architecture. After lunch, to provide context to the journey ahead, you may wish to visit the excellent, recently-opened Ethnology Museum, where Vietnam's diverse minority cultures are explained in a thoughtful and hands-on manner. This evening head to Hanoi Station for your overnight train journey onboard the Victoria Express to Lao Cai, and the mountains of Sapa. Meals included: Breakfast

 

The train arrives early into Lao Cai, the town on the border with China, and your guide will meet you here for the scenic drive winding into the mountains to Sapa. After breakfast and a chance to freshen up at our elegant hotel, the Victoria Resort, head into Sapa for a visit to the busy market where Red Dao, Black H'Mong, Tay and other ethnic minority people converge from the surrounding countryside to sell their silverware and handicrafts, and to buy provisions. Leaving Sapa behind take a light trek to discover Sapa's minority villages set against the stunning Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range and Indochina's highest peak, Mt. Fansipan. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

 

The local markets are a highlight of any visit to northern Vietnam, with the distinctive and colourful dress of the different minority groups: Flower Hmong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay, and Nung set against the towering rice terraces providing a photographer's dream. Visit a remote village market this morning, and have the day exploring the local countryside and learning more about minority culture and daily life. Return to Lao Cai in the late afternoon and climb back onboard the Victoria Express for the return journey to Hanoi. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

 

Arrive early into Hanoi this morning, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel for an early check-in. The day is at leisure to relax or explore the city further, or you may like to arrange a day trip out to the magnificent scenery of Halong Bay.Day 14 BreakfastHanoi Your colonial adventure concludes today, and you will be taken to Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport by your guide and waved off on your return flight home.  Meals included: Breakfast