Vietnam to Guilin: From the Mekong to the Li River

Tour Highlights

• Two countries, one seamless adventure — the length of Vietnam, then overland into Guangxi, China
• The Mekong Delta by boat and sampan through water-coconut canals
• Hoi An's lantern-lit old town and the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills
• The Hai Van Pass coastal drive and Hue's Imperial City
• Ha Long Bay's extraordinary seascape
• A memorable land crossing from northern Vietnam into southern China
• Detian Transnational Waterfall, Mingshi countryside and the hidden valleys of Bama and Jingxi
• Longji Rice Terraces, a Li River cruise past Xingping, and Yangshuo's Yulong River

Itinerary at a Glance

1. Day 1: Australia – Ho Chi Minh City — Fly to Ho Chi Minh City and begin with the city's French-colonial heritage around the Central Post Office and Notre-Dame Cathedral precinct, a classic Vietnamese coffee, and a southern Vietnamese welc
2. Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta – Ho Chi Minh City — Cruise the waterways of the Mekong Delta around My Tho and Ben Tre, transfer to a sampan through water-coconut canals, visit a fruit garden and coconut-candy workshop, and enjoy a local lunch.
3. Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City – Da Nang – Hoi An — Fly to Da Nang and continue to Hoi An, the best-preserved trading port in Southeast Asia. A walking tour of the lantern-lit old town covers the Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky Old House and the Chines
4. Day 4: Hoi An | Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge — Ride the cable car to Ba Na Hills and walk the extraordinary Golden Bridge held aloft by giant stone hands. Explore the French Village and enjoy the mountain-top gardens before returning to Hoi An.
5. Day 5: Hoi An – Hue (Hai Van Pass) — Drive north over the Hai Van Pass, one of the most scenic coastal roads in Asia, with the South China Sea on one side and mountains on the other. Arrive in Hue, Vietnam's former imperial capital.
6. Day 6: Hue | Imperial City & Perfume River — Explore the Imperial City, the walled citadel of the Nguyen Dynasty emperors, and visit the Thien Mu Pagoda on the Perfume River. A royal-style lunch is included.
7. Day 7: Hue – Hanoi — Fly to Hanoi, Vietnam's thousand-year-old capital. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university, and take a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter.
8. Day 8: Hanoi | Ho Chi Minh Complex & Old Quarter — Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh Museum. In the afternoon, explore Hanoi's Old Quarter with its 36 guild streets and enjoy a traditional water puppet
9. Day 9: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay — Drive to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of nearly two thousand limestone karsts rising from the emerald waters. Board the overnight cruise and sail among the islands.
10. Day 10: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi — Continue cruising Ha Long Bay in the morning, with a visit to a grotto and time for kayaking or swimming. Return to Hanoi by road.
11. Day 11: Hanoi – Nanning (China) — Cross the China–Vietnam border at Dongxing and enter Guangxi Province, arriving in Nanning, the 'Green City' of China. The evening is free to explore Nanning's night market.
12. Day 12: Nanning – Detian Waterfall – Bama — Visit Detian Transnational Waterfall, Asia's largest transnational waterfall on the China–Vietnam border. Continue to Bama, in Guangxi's remote northwest, known for its longevity villages and karst la
13. Day 13: Bama – Jingxi – Guilin — Drive through the hidden valleys of Jingxi, passing the Tongling Grand Canyon and Mingshi countryside — often called 'small Guilin' for its karst scenery. Arrive in Guilin in the evening.
14. Day 14: Guilin | Longji Rice Terraces — A full-day excursion to the Longji (Dragon's Backbone) Rice Terraces, where terraced fields climb the mountainsides in steps first carved over 650 years ago. Visit a Zhuang or Yao minority village.
15. Day 15: Guilin – Li River – Yangshuo — Board a cruise down the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo, passing the karst peaks immortalised on China's 20-yuan banknote around Xingping. On arrival in Yangshuo, explore West Street.
16. Day 16: Yangshuo | Yulong River & Countryside — A bamboo raft on the Yulong River and cycling through the karst countryside are the highlights of the day. In the evening, attend the Impression Liu Sanjie outdoor performance with premium seating.
17. Day 17: Yangshuo – Guilin – Guangzhou — Return to Guilin and board a high-speed train to Guangzhou. The afternoon is free to explore Shamian Island or the Canton Tower area.
18. Day 18: Guangzhou – Australia — Transfer to Guangzhou Baiyun Airport for your return flight to Australia, concluding an extraordinary journey from the Mekong Delta to the Li River.

What's Included

• Economy-class air travel Australia–Ho Chi Minh City–Da Nang and Hue–Hanoi–Australia (direct flights not guaranteed)
• Sydney and Melbourne departures at the same price; Adelaide and Brisbane add $400 per person
• Sixteen nights in the stated 4–5 star hotels and selected character guesthouse, twin share with breakfast
• Lunches and dinners specifically shown in the itinerary
• Air-conditioned touring coach
• High-speed rail Yangshuo–Guangzhou
• All scenic shuttles, boats and bamboo rafts as listed