Wellness & Nature Escape Across Vietnam: Yoga, Hot Springs, and Iconic Landscapes

The trip begins in Hanoi with a morning yoga class and a guided walk through the Old Quarter, then a sauna and massage in the afternoon. That same evening there's a welcome dinner at Tam Vi Restaurant, one of the first Michelin-starred places in Vietnam, which serves traditional family-style dishes made with ingredients from the local market. From Hanoi you drive two hours south to Ninh Binh, where you'll visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu and take a two-hour boat trip through Van Long Nature Reserve, the largest wetland reserve in the Red River Delta—bring binoculars if you want to spot langurs and birds among the limestone karsts.

Day four is mostly free at the Emeralda Resort, with a 90-minute traditional Vietnamese herbal compress treatment included. There's an optional excursion to Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam's first national park, where you can visit the Primate Rescue Centre and do a five-kilometre walk through old-growth forest. Then it's off to Halong Bay for an overnight cruise, with kayaking and swimming depending on the boat, and a night anchored among the karst formations.

After the cruise you fly from Hanoi to Hue, the old imperial capital of central Vietnam, and check into Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion, a resort built around natural hot springs. This is where the trip really slows down. Mornings start at seven with water meditation or a mountain hike, followed by a yoga class, and the rest of the day you can use the onsen baths, join a Tai Chi or chakra meditation class, visit the resort's farm, or just nap by the pool. The final day is free before your flight home.

The whole itinerary is designed to be flexible. Realistic Asia will customise the trip before you go—change the hotels, add a day, swap an activity—and the local guides are experienced with this kind of mixed cultural-and-wellness tour. It's a comfortable, mid-range trip rather than a luxury one: the Hanoi hotel is a boutique place called Le Jardin Hotel Haute Couture, the Ninh Binh resort is a large property with a pool and gardens, and the cruise boat is the Doris, a standard Halong Bay junk.

What's included

- 8 night's accommodation in the hotels, resort, and cruise as listed - 5% service fee and 10% VAT tax - Daily breakfast, plus meals as listed in the itinerary (welcome dinner on Day 1, lunch on Day 3, full meals on the Halong Bay cruise) - Daily yoga classes (as per itinerary) - 90-minute traditional Vietnamese herbal compress treatment - Airport pickup and drop-off on arrival and departure - VIP fast-track immigration service on arrival in Hanoi - Domestic flight from Hanoi to Hue with 7kg hand luggage + 20kg checked luggage - Experienced English-speaking guide for the sightseeing tours - All excursions and entrance fees as per the itinerary - Water, tea, and coffee served throughout the day - Welcome drink - 24/7 hotline support from the operator - Wi-fi connection

What's not included

- International flights to and from Vietnam - Travel insurance (strongly recommended) - Vietnam visa fee (if applicable) - Meals not specified in the itinerary - Additional activities and tours not mentioned (e.g. optional Cuc Phuong National Park excursion) - Additional spa treatments beyond the included herbal compress - Personal expenses and gratuities - Public holiday surcharge (if any)