SJourney: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

London to Hanoi

Your luxurious Vietnamese journey begins with an overnight flight from London Heathrow to Hanoi.

Arrival in Hanoi

Touch down in Vietnam's capital and transfer to your chosen hotel, ahead of a free day to acclimatise to your new surroundings.

Uncovering Vietnam's bustling capital

Free day to explore Hanoi. Optional pre-bookable sightseeing tour taking in the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, lunch at a local restaurant, cyclo ride through the streets, Ngoc Son Temple, Hoan Kiem Lake, and a traditional water puppet show. Optional evening street food excursion. Optional Ha Long Bay cruise (day or overnight).

Meals: Breakfast

Boarding SJourney for a luxurious journey

Free morning in Hanoi, then private transfer to Gia Lam station. Welcome to the VIP lounge before boarding SJourney. Check in to your elegant cabin recalling 1920s rail travel. Each cabin has twin or double configuration, table and chair set, wardrobe, minibar, and ensuite bathroom. Each sleeping car contains just three cabins and a butler's room. Evening dinner in the opulent restaurant as SJourney departs Hanoi and crosses the Red River at twilight.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Trang An boat trip & ancient Hoa Lu

Breakfast aboard SJourney. Arrive in Ninh Binh and transfer to Trang An UNESCO World Heritage site. Board a traditional sampan to explore jungle-draped limestone cliffs over an emerald river. Visit Hoa Lu, Vietnam's ancient capital, to explore temples of the Dinh and Le dynasties. Return to train for afternoon tea. Admire mountainous landscapes before dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Leisurely breakfast onboard. Visit Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (UNESCO World Heritage site), known for dense jungle, limestone rocks and cave systems. Boat voyage along the Son River and into Phong Nha cave's subterranean river with stalactites and stalagmites. Lunch back onboard. Evening authentic Vietnamese dinner amid rice fields panoramas. Optional cookery class.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Uncovering Vietnam's last empire in Hue

Arrive in Hue. Rickshaw ride through peaceful streets to the Imperial Citadel (heart of the Nguyen Dynasty 1802–1945), modelled on Beijing's Forbidden City. Visit the Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc. Visit the incense village to see artisans shaping cinnamon, agarwood and lotus-infused incense. Lunch at a local restaurant. Return to train for relaxation and dinner aboard.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Traditional crafts in lantern-lit Hoi An

SJourney crosses the Hai Van Pass. Breakfast and Vietnamese coffee onboard. Arrive in Hoi An. Jeep tour to Au Lac Wood Art workshop and Thanh Ha Pottery Village. Traditional lunch at a local house. Guided tour of Hoi An's Old Town including the market, Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall, Phung Hung or Tan Ky ancient houses, and the Japanese Covered Bridge. Return to train for dinner and drinks.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Phu Yen, the quiet heart of coastal Vietnam

Breakfast aboard. Visit Mang Lang Church (Gothic, built 1892). Visit Phu Tan village where artisans weave mats from rush grass. Lunch at a local restaurant featuring Phu Yen seafood specialities. Train travels southwards towards Binh Thuan. Curated dinner in the dining car.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Ancient heritage in Phan Thiet

Spiritual excursion to Ta Cu Mountain in Binh Thuan, featuring the seven-layered Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda and the longest reclining Buddha statue in Vietnam. Visit the Fish Sauce Museum on the coast. Lunch at an oceanfront restaurant. Relax aboard SJourney. Transfer to ancient Poshanu Towers (built late 8th century, Champa civilisation) for farewell dinner at sunset. Return to train for final night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City

SJourney arrives early at Sai Gon station. Final breakfast aboard before disembarking. Private transfer to chosen hotel. Free day to unwind or explore Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), with its wide leafy boulevards, grand colonial buildings and Vietnamese traditions.

Meals: Breakfast

Exploring Ho Chi Minh City

Free day to explore independently or via optional sightseeing tours. Options include: Cu Chi tunnels tour; Ho Chi Minh City sightseeing (Sino-French History Museum, Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Colonial Post Office, Chinatown, Binh Tay market, Thien Hau Temple); or a full-day Mekong Delta tour by boat, bicycle or cyclo.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Homeward bound

Private transfer to the airport for a flight to London Heathrow. Optional Cambodia extension available (Siem Reap and Angkor Wat).

Meals: Breakfast

Arrival London Heathrow

Arrive back in London Heathrow.