Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan

Highlights: See Saigon’s highlights on this revealing half-day city tour. Learn about Vietnam’s cultural past from older Saigonese residents and follow up by exploring some colonial buildings and hidden corners that exemplify the local culture and the city’s colorful heritage.

This tour begins at 08:30 or 13:00 and starts with a visit to the iconic Saigon Central Post Office built between 1886 and 1891. Based on the design of French architect Foulhoux, it has a unique vaulted ceiling with wrought-iron beams and columns reminiscent of industrial architecture,

which is now considered a symbol of Saigon and one of its most famous landmarks. Stop for a chat with Mr Duong (if he is available), who enjoys local notoriety for his professional love letter-writing skills.

Walk along Dong Khoi street, formerly rue Catinat, and pay a visit to Gia Long Palace – Ho Chi Minh City Museum to admire its beautiful architecture and learn about the history of the city through the ages. Continue to Le Loi Street to meet a local artisan who specialises in traditional engravings.

Next, stroll through the old central market before arriving at the city’s oldest colonial-era apartment, built in 1886, and see what the young creative Vietnamese are up to in their funky boutiques and coffee shops. Sit down at one of the stylish cafés and chat with a local resident who moved here in 1975.

Optional (combined with half-day program): Enjoy a unique dining experience at NOIR; lunch in the dark before returning to the ship
Noir – Dining in the Dark: Of the five senses, sight dominates. Take away sight, and our other senses emerge to interpret the world from another perspective. Smell becomes more subtle. Taste becomes more acute. Hearing becomes more sensitive. Touch becomes more delicate. We invite you to experience a culinary journey through taste, smell, touch and sound. This is not simply dining, but rather a uniquely mind-altering experience where smell, taste, touch and hearing unite to bring you a completely new journey of the senses.

Travel to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels in style on one of Les Rives’ luxurious speedboats, while learning about life on the river as you glide through the floating hyacinths. Explore the historic tunnels, from the weapons to underground bunkers. If you are feeling extra adventurous, you can even crawl through genuine Viet Cong tunnels and try the local cassava root, which the fighters sustained themselves on for years. After the blast from the past at the Cu Chi Tunnels, enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch right by the river and then relax as the graceful Les Rives speedboat takes you back to Saigon.

At roughly 1pm, you will be picked up on a restored vintage Vespa from Tan Cang pier to show you the best way to get off the beaten track in Saigon. While cruising through the bustling streets like a local on the back of a scooter, see the sites that you would never find on your own. Learn about Saigon life, such as the small family businesses in the big city, the Chinese community and their influence on medicine, Vietnamese customs and religion, and much more. Finish at a hidden, serene Buddhist Pagoda which has yet to be found by most tourists. At around 4:30pm, the tour comes to an end and you will be dropped off at the ship.

Spend your time enjoying the beauty of transforming the landscape from the colorful, energetic city of Saigon to the breathtaking white sandy coast of Nha Trang. Also, experience the numerous fascinating onboard activities.

Nha Trang islands and Snorkeling (Full day)

Pick up from the ship and transfer to Cau Da pier for your boat trip through Nha Trang Bay. Your first stop is the Tri Nguyen Aquarium on Mieu Island. You then head out to Hon Mun Island, the best location for snorkeling, where you can see a multitude of colorful corals and fish. Continue to Mot Island for relaxation, swimming and watersports. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant on the island before stopping at a fishing village on the way back to shore.

Nha Trang cycling tour (6 hours)

This is a special tailor-made cycling excursion, the ideal way to experience the “true” Vietnamese countryside and culture.

Pick up from Nha Trang port then transfer to Dien Khanh citadel. Start cycling through peaceful and picturesque Dien Binh villages, stopping at an orchard, village market, administration center, and local home. Continue to Memento, a characterful country house, for refreshments such as Vietnamese coffee or fresh coconut milk. Try your hand at fishing, have a traditional massage, or a special herbal hair treatment (at your own expense). Finally, drive to a local restaurant for a typical Vietnamese lunch, with local specialties such as spring rolls, before returning to the ship.

Today, you will be on this iconic voyage along the legendary cruise route and unlock the most beautiful bays, beaches, and islands of Vietnam from Nha Trang to Hue. You will have more time to experience an enticing blend of authentic classical French Indochina design and elegant Vietnamese charm and discover more stories about King of Cruise Ship – Bach Thai Buoi, from whom Heritage Cruise derives inspiration.

On arrival at Chan May Port (Hue), disembark and meet your guide. Depart on a 90-minute drive to Hue along a scenic coastal route with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. Upon arrival in Hue, explore the Imperial Citadel at the centre of the Complex of Hue Monuments, inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Enter through the towering main gate and appreciate the magnificent architecture and gardens while your guide explains the events and the intrigue surrounding the former royal court. Drive to the Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue’s best-preserved religious monument. Built in 1601, the seven-storied tower pagoda, perched on top of a hill overlooking the Perfume River, is one of Vietnam’s most recognisable icons. After strolling around the pagoda, sit down and have a chat with the head monk, Thich Quang Dung, for insights into Buddhism in Vietnam and the daily life of a monk. Continue to Les Jardins De La Carambole, located just 400m from the main gate of the Forbidden City, a refined restaurant occupying a gorgeous colonial-style building. The menu is enormous, combining French, Italian as well as Hue specialties and a handful of other Vietnamese dishes. There’s a lengthy wine list and informed service. It’s just the place for a romantic meal. After lunch, visit the Tu Duc Royal Tomb, the most impressive of all the royal mausoleums, built by Emperor Tu Duc between 1864 and 1867. Whilst the complex does include a tomb, together with pavilions and temples, where Tu Duc was actually buried remains a mystery, with all 200 servants who buried the king beheaded to keep the location a secret from grave robbers. Later, watch a 30-minute Royal

Martial Arts performance held in the landscaped grounds of a martial arts school. A cultural tradition inherited from the Nguyen Dynasty, the skilled performance demonstrates several different martial arts techniques. After the performance, return to the port and your ship.

On arrival at the port (Chan May), disembark and meet your guide, then drive 90 minutes to Hue along a scenic coastal route passing mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. The delicate ingredients, preparation, and presentation of Hue royal cuisine have long been considered cultural hallmarks of the ancient imperial city. It is considered not only a sophisticated work of culinary art, but also the embodiment of the philosophy of the ancestors. Hue royal food is delicious and eye-catching, creating a harmony between color and taste, between yin and yang, between hot and cold. Meet your experienced chef who is in her late 60s and grew up in a royal family. Start by strolling through a food market and learn about and taste some of the ingredients used in royal cuisine and watch the buying and selling rituals of a Vietnamese market. Then head to her home for a hands-on cooking class of the food of the Imperial Court. She will share stories about her life and experiences, and you will then taste the dishes you have made. Afterwards, take an electric car ride through the Imperial Citadel, once the exclusive residence of the royal family and its entourage. Enter through the towering main gate and appreciate the magnificent architecture and gardens while your guide explains the events and the intrigue of the former royal court. Despite being bombed heavily during the 60s and 70s, there are some incredibly well-preserved sections and others which are being lovingly restored. Drive back to the port to embark the ship.

Today, you will embark on Heritage Ocean Expeditions following the coastline of Vietnam to leave Hue for Cat Ba Archipelago, an exotic destination with pristine beaches, secluded lagoons, coves, tropical forest and lakes.

8:00 – 8:30 You will be greeted at your hotel to take the new highway to Got Ferry Terminal, Cat Hai Town, Haiphong City (if book our shuttle bus). You will travel on the longest bridge in Southeast Asia and be greeted at our lounge before boarding.

12:30 Board the Heritage Cruises boat and enjoy a welcome drink as you receive a cruise briefing, safety instructions and check in to your suite. Lunch is served at L’Indochine Restaurant.

12:40 Cruise to Da Chong islet, where you can see a heritage lighthouse built by the French more than 100 years ago. After lunch, cruise to Gia Luan Lagoon where limestone karst formations rise out of the sea. This quiet bay is untouched and remote, as not many cruise ships visit.

15:30 The cruise vessel approaches the Ba Trai Dao or Three Peach beaches in Lan Ha Bay, a natural frontier between the provinces of Halong and Haiphong. This secret hideaway has beaches, caves and coves, plus the spectacular natural beauty of about 400 islands. Guests can try kayaking or simply swim in the clear waters of the bay.

17:30 Back on Heritage Cruises, enjoy life aboard the vessel or in your suite, and with cocktail in hand watch the sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin.

18:30 Activities include afternoon tea and the chef will lead a Vietnamese cookery class.

19:30 A memorable dining experience will be offered at the restaurant, with local food in an intimate and romantic setting.

21:30 Enjoy evening views of the bay at the bar on the top deck. Try your hand squid fishing. The bars are open until late

6:15 Start the day with a session of Vovinam on the sundeck,

6:45 The guests will enjoy a light breakfast on board.

7:15 Head off in a bamboo boat to explore the Dark and Bright Cave

9:00-9:30 Return to the ship for checkout.

10:00 Enjoy brunch while cruising back to harbour.

11:00 Return to Got Harbour and relax at our lounge while your transportation arrives.

12:10 Departure to Hanoi for those who have booked our Limousine service.

14:00 Approximate time of arrival in Hanoi, and drop-off at your hotel.