Luxury Vietnam Travel Review: Hanoi, Lan Ha Bay, Ho Chi Minh Memorial, Cat Ba National Park, Viet Hai, Hoi An, Saigon, 2-Week Trip

Honestly - there were so many it is hard to decide.  We started with street food tour in Hanoi that was amazing and gave us a good sense of the city and its vibe. The food was incredible!  Over the next couple of days we explored several historical sights in the city including a visit to the Ho Chi Minh memorial. Included were several museum and temple visits to help learn about the history of Vietnam and the many ethnic cultures. We moved on to Lan Ha Bay and stayed overnight for two nights on a luxurious boat and enjoyed a jungle walk, followed by a visit to Cat Ba National Park and the village of Viet Hai. Visits to a local fisheries and an understanding of life on the water enhanced our trip. Sailing around the stunningly beautiful bay and the many amenities available on board helped to further enjoy our stay here.
Then is was off to the central part of the country in to the small village of Hoi An, through Denang and then on to Hue. Hoi An was particularly enjoyable and we loved the tour of local food markets and the extensive cooking class we experienced. The village came alive at night and it was great fun to experience it all. While in Hue, Visits to the Tu Duc Tomb and especially the An Dinh Palace were particularly enjoyable. One of the highlights of this part of the trip was an authentic home dinner and the opportunity to meet and converse with a wonderful local family.
The final leg of the trip brought us to Saigon. We loved the hustle and bustle of this vibrant city and learning about the history and culture. Visits to the Reunification Hall and War Remnants Museum were very interesting and provided a better appreciation of the people of Vietnam. One of the big highlights on this part of the trip was definitely the day long visit to the Mekong Delta region. We were able to experience so much including a river cruise, visits to a coconut and brick riverside factories, bike rides through the jungle, a hands-on demonstration of making rice paper and a visit to a local wine/spirits maker. An amazing two week vacation that provided so many cultural experiences and allowed us to see Vietnam from a totally different perspective.