China & Vietnam: Chengdu to Ho Chi Minh

Built in 1911, the People's Park was the first public park in Chengdu. It's the largest green area in downtown. The park features an artificial lake, gardens, teahouses, and is a popular place for locals to enjoy the outdoors. Walk to Tianfu Square in the centre of the city, surrounded by museums.

Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Enjoy a free morning in Chengdu.

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Walk through the charming old town of Lijiang, a World Heritage Site and home to the Naxi minority. Observe scenes from another era, with old men smoking pipes and women in their traditional costumes. Get lost in the small pedestrian lanes that meander throughout the town -- every twist and turn reveals picturesque old buildings, local arts and crafts, fast flowing canals, and beautiful arched bridges. You can also spend an afternoon resting in a pavilion in the Black Dragon Pool Park, gazing at the reflection of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and listening to the local Naxi music.

Explore the gorgeous Black Dragon Pool, a pond in Jade Spring Park, which is a short walk from the Old Town of Lijiang. Take in a spectacular view of the region’s tallest mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Visit the many temples and pavilions in the park, including the Deyue Lou (Moon Embracing Pavillion), the Longshen Temple, and the Wufeng Tower. Tour the Dongba Culture Research Institute and the Dongba Culture Museum, which help to preserve local culture.

Enjoy a free evening in Lijiang.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Take a walking tour of the city, hitting the main highlights. Each route will be different, but you can expect to see the best this city has to offer.

Enjoy a free evening in Shaxi Old Town.

Visit the Old town of Dali and enjoy its traditional architecture. It's a great opportunity to learn more about the minority cultures (mostly Bai but also with many Yi and Hui) and relax in this unique place.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Join your CEO on a walking tour of charming Xizhou Old Town. Visit famous spots like Sifang Street and Yan Family Compound, a Traditional Folk Residences.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Spend today in Dali however you'd like!

Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.

Visit the largest flower market in all of Asia, the Kunming Flower Market. Enjoy the exotic scents and vibrant colours of of this lively flower market.

Check out the brightly coloured pavillions, tree-lined walkways, and locals doing tai chi in centuries-old Green Lake Park (Cui Hu Park). Traverse the bridges that connect the park’s four small lakes, or relax with a visit to the many restaurants, shops, and tea houses lining the park's edge.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Head out on a tour of the city of Jianshui. Visit the Qing Dynasty Xianghui Bridge and the historic Xianghui Old Train Station. Then drive to the Double Dragon Bridge, an ancient bridge was built in the years of the Emperor Qianlong with incredible views. At the confluence of the Lushui River and Tacun River, it looks like double winding dragons crossing the land. Explore the Zhu's Family Garden, called the Grand View Garden, a representative of Chinese residential houses of the Qing Dynasty. After the garden, walk through the Old Town.

Join a workshop and learn by watching the process of making this extremely popular Chinese dish.

Visit the vast UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yuanyang Rice Terraces. Explore different parts and scenic points, like the famed Tiger Mouth area. Admire the rugged, exaggerated terraces that seem like they could have been painted by an artist. Hike through local villages and experience local life.

Visit the vast UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yuanyang Rice Terraces. Explore different parts and scenic points, like the famed Tiger Mouth area. Admire the rugged, exaggerated terraces that seem like they could have been painted by an artist. Hike through local villages and experience local life.

Walk through Quan Fuzhuang to Bada platform. Arguably the most important part of the Yuanyang Rice Terraces. You'll have the opportunity to hike through the levels of the terraces and speak to locals working in the field. This is also the best place to watch the sunset over the terraces.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Cross the land border from China into Vietnam.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Join the Hmong People, the local indigenous group for a hands on painting activity.

Spend today trekking the most famous hiking area in Vietnam. Pass through local villages, beautiful rice terraces and plantations. We'll stop for lunch in Su Pan Village before continuing on to our final spot, Muong Hoa.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Take a seat on a cyclo for a tour of Hanoi’s lively Old Quarter. Let the driver navigate through the bustling streets and start taking some photos or just use the tour to help get familiar with the area.

Climb aboard and make friends with your seatmate en route to the next stop.

Skim across the water aboard this iconic traditional Asian sailboat.

Board a traditional junk boat at Ha Long Bay harbour and cruise out onto serene waters. Marvel at massive limestone karst mountains jutting out of the water, creating unforgettable spectacular scenery. Swim, kayak or go cave exploring on one of the islands, if conditions are right. Indulge in fresh seafood meals with a variety of dishes to sample. Drift to sleep in a cozy cabin on board. On rare occasion Halong Bay is closed to tourist vessels by the government authorities due to extreme weather conditions. Should this occur, an alternate activity will be provided.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Spend a few hours exploring this beautiful capital city. Visit some shops, have a bia hoi on a street corner or grab a coffee in a lakeside café.

Drive about 15 mins to the station and then board the southbound train for the overnight journey.

The sleeper train is quite comfortable with cabins of bunk beds that sleep four. All bedding is provided and cabin doors lock from the inside. The train is air-conditioned with squat and Western-style toilets with wash basins at the end of each carriage. Bags can be stored in each cabin and accessed at anytime. Food and drinks are available for purchase on board, but it is recommended to bring your own.

Visit Tien Mu, one of the tallest and, perhaps, most elegant pagodas in Vietnam, at seven storeys high. Take a step back in time touring this historic temple - built more than 400 years ago along the north shore of the Perfume River, it has been the site of many political protests.

Tour this one-time capital city and UNESCO World Heritage site. See the walled fortress and former palace, which has many palaces, gateways, courtyards, and gardens to explore. The Forbidden Purple City (modelled on China's Forbidden City) inside the citadel was once home to the imperial family and was significantly damaged during the Vietnam War.

Visit the Royal Tombs along the Perfume River in Hue. Embracing the concept of Feng Shui, these tombs are extremely ornate and provide fantastic insight into the lives of the former rulers.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Use free time in this quaint town to explore any way you like.

Try some of the oodles of noodles (more than 26 types!) available in the city in this tasty cooking class. Run by our G for Good partners, STREETS International, this class was developed exclusively for G Adventures. Former street youth that are part of this hospitality training program, will help you prepare and cook a number of different types of noodles. This program helps these youth practice their English, increasing their skill-set and opportunities available to them in the tourism industry. Enjoy your yummy creations while learning more about the local cuisine and this initiative which empowers street youth through skills and employment training.

Explore this charming city.

Enjoy free time in this charming town.

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Drive approx 45 mins to Da Nang Airport before hopping a flight south.

Take a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels, a complex network of tunnels that the Viet Cong lived in to protect themselves from opposing forces during the Vietnam War. Try crawling through some of the tunnels (if you’re not claustrophobic). These tunnels stored ammunition, had underground hospitals, and served as a hidden base for attacking allied forces.

Get out and explore this frenetic city.