Three countries in fifteen days, without the sprint

Day 1

Arrive Hanoi

Met in the arrivals hall and driven the 35 kilometres into the old quarter, which takes about 50 minutes outside rush hour and closer to 80 inside it. Nothing is scheduled today.

Day 2

Hanoi on foot

Coffee on a plastic stool at the hour the street belongs to people who live there

A morning walking the old quarter with a guide who grew up in it — the guild streets, a working temple rather than a museum one, and the market at the hour it is busiest.

The afternoon is free. Most people sleep; the ones who do not walk around Hoan Kiem and fail to cross the road for twenty minutes.

Day 3

Hanoi, your own way

A free day, with the guide and car available if you want them. Common choices: the ethnology museum on the edge of town, a cooking class, or the ceramic villages across the river.

Day 4

To Lan Ha Bay

The hour after the day boats leave and the bay goes quiet

Two and a half hours on the expressway to Haiphong, then a small boat out past the Cat Ba headland into Lan Ha, which sits beside Ha Long and takes a fraction of its traffic.

Afternoon kayaking between the karsts if the water is flat, swimming from the boat if it is warm enough, and dinner at anchor.

Day 5

Bay to Hue

Off the boat late morning, back to Hanoi for an afternoon flight south to Hue — about 80 minutes in the air. Evening free along the river.

Day 6

Hue, tombs and the river

The Nguyen tombs are spread along the river south of the city and are best taken two at a time, not six. We take Minh Mang and Tu Duc, with the boat used properly rather than as a photo stop.

Afternoon inside the citadel, which is half restored and more interesting for it.

Day 7

Over the pass to Hoi An

The pass in clear weather, which is roughly two days in three from February to August

The coast road over the Hai Van pass rather than the tunnel — 40 minutes longer and the reason to do it is obvious at the top. Lunch at Lang Co lagoon, arriving Hoi An mid-afternoon.

Day 8

Hoi An, town and water

The old town early, before the tour groups and while the light is still low. Afternoon by bicycle out through the rice fields to the river, which is flat and takes about an hour each way.

Day 9

Hoi An, unstructured

Nothing planned. The beach is fifteen minutes by bicycle, the tailors need two fittings if you are having anything made, and My Son is a half-day if you want a fourth set of ruins before Angkor.

Day 10

Hoi An to Luang Prabang

Drive to Da Nang and fly, usually via Hanoi, arriving Luang Prabang in the afternoon. Transfer to town and an evening walk to the river.

Day 11

Luang Prabang, morning and Mekong

Coming back downstream in the late afternoon with the engine off for the last stretch

The alms round at first light if you want it, watched from a distance and without a camera in anyone's face — our guide will explain why that matters before you go.

Late morning upriver by boat to the Pak Ou caves, then back with the current.

Day 12

Kuang Si and the hills

Forty minutes out to the Kuang Si falls, arriving before the town empties into them. Swimming in the lower pools, and a walk up the side of the falls for anyone who wants it.

Afternoon in a weaving village that is a working one rather than a demonstration.

Day 13

Luang Prabang to Siem Reap

A morning flight of about two hours. Afternoon free, and a briefing over a map of the temples so that tomorrow makes sense before you are standing in it.

Day 14

Angkor, both ends of the day

Ta Prohm at 06:30, which is a different building from Ta Prohm at 10:00

Out early to Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom while it is under 30 degrees, back to the hotel through the middle of the day, and out again for Angkor Wat in the late afternoon when the western face has the light.

This is deliberately not a single eight-hour push. The temples in the middle of the day in March are unkind and most people stop looking properly by eleven.

Day 15

Depart Siem Reap

Free until the transfer. The airport is 15 minutes from town, and we ask for three hours before an international departure.