This tour combines Vietnam’s urban highlights with the country’s most thrilling cultural hot spots. Start your trip in cosmopolitan Hanoi, where your introduction includes a private city tour and an evening performance of the famed water puppets. Continue to Halong Bay for an evening on a junk boat, where thousands of limestone rock sculptures jut dramatically from the sea and numerous grottoes have created an ephemeral, fantastic landscape. Return to Hanoi and take the deluxe overnight Victoria Express train to Sapa; the train has made this area of Vietnam more accessible than ever – and getting there is part of the fun. Sapa is one of Vietnam’s most intriguing destinations, set high in the mountains near the China border; it is most famous for its terraced rice paddies and colorful local markets. In Sapa, spend time learning about the hill tribe villages and absorbing the magnificent scenery before taking the train back to Hanoi. Fly from Hanoi to Hue, where you will visit the Citadel and the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc and take a sunset cruise. From Hue, depart on a coastal drive to Hoi An, a wonderful oasis of traditional Vietnamese architecture, Chinese clan houses, temples, pagodas, and homes that display superb woodwork and beautiful antiques. There will be time to relax at the beach before flying to Saigon for city touring and excursion to Tay Ninh province. There, visit the fascinating Cao Dai Temple and the network of secret tunnels in Cu Chi that were used during the Vietnam War.