A Feelivacation Signature Experience
The Festival of Light Journey
Ten days from the radiant pulse of Saigon to the quiet grandeur of Hanoi — by luxury rail, through ancient Cham towers, lantern-lit Hoi An, imperial Hue and the karst cathedrals of Trang An.
10
Days of slow magic
7
Nights aboard SJourney
2
Legendary hotel suites
8
Curated stops
40
Guests on board, max
3
UNESCO heritage sites
"Some journeys are measured in kilometres. This one is measured in lantern light, in the slow turn of rice fields outside your window, in the sound of a bistro car at midnight."
Vietnam's first luxury rail experience meets two of Asia's most legendary hotels. From Saigon's marble-and-crystal Reverie suite to Hanoi's colonial Metropole — with seven nights of Indochine elegance and curated excursions in between — every detail has been quietly composed for a single purpose: to let the country reveal itself, slowly, to you.
The Route
Saigon to Hanoi · 1,726 km of slow Indochine
Ho Chi Minh City
Reverie Suite
Phan Thiet
Cham towers
Phu Yen
Coastal calm
Hoi An
Lantern lanes
Hue
Imperial citadel
Quang Binh
Phong Nha caves
Ninh Binh
Trang An karst
Hanoi
Sofitel Metropole
Ho Chi Minh City
Reverie Suite
Phan Thiet
Cham towers
Phu Yen
Coastal calm
Hoi An
Lantern lanes
Hue
Imperial citadel
Quang Binh
Phong Nha caves
Ninh Binh
Trang An karst
Hanoi
Sofitel Metropole
Bookended by Legends
Two iconic stays
Nov 3 · Ho Chi Minh City
The Reverie Saigon
Suite Room
An Italian-designed palace in the heart of District 1 — Murano chandeliers, Carrara marble, and views over the Saigon River. Member, The Leading Hotels of the World.
Nov 11 · Hanoi
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Prestige Suite · Half Board
A 1901 colonial grande dame that has hosted Charlie Chaplin, Graham Greene and Joan Baez. Your Prestige Suite includes a daily breakfast and either lunch or dinner.
The Vessel
SJourney — Vietnam's first luxury rail
Thirteen Indochine-style carriages. Just 40 guests. Two bistro cars, a lounge, an open kitchen — the romance of 1930s Trans-Indochina travel, restored with quiet modern grace. Polished teak, brass, candlelight, and a window that becomes a moving painting of Vietnam.
Standard Cabin
10 m²Double or twin beds, en-suite bathroom, climate control, complimentary Wi-Fi.
Suite Cabin
17 m²King bed, daybed, in-room massage chair, minibar, spacious 4 m² bathroom with bathtub.
Imperial Suite
51 m²An entire private carriage. Living area, tea lounge, premium bathtub, bespoke artistry — a residence on rails.
A Day in the Rhythm
How a day unfolds on board
No two days repeat — but the cadence is unmistakable. Slow mornings, considered excursions, long lunches, candlelit nights.
First light
Wake into a moving landscape
Soft jasmine tea brought to your cabin. Curtains open onto rice paddies, fishing villages and the South China Sea sliding past your window.
Mid-morning
Step off the train
A private excursion — a Cham tower, a sampan ride, a lantern workshop — guided by a local storyteller, never a crowd.
Long lunch
A taste of the region
Either a refined regional menu in the bistro car or a home-hosted meal with a local family. Always paired, always seasonal.
After dark
Candlelight & quiet
An aperitif in the lounge car. A turndown of silk linens. The hum of the rails carrying you onward, somewhere new by morning.
At The Table
Dining as a quiet ceremony
Every meal is composed in the open kitchen aboard, drawing from the very provinces the train passes through — and at every off-train table, from a trackside BBQ to a riverside farewell, the same care is taken.
Bistro car
Two elegant dining cars seating just 24 guests at a time — fine Vietnamese cuisine with French sensibility.
Open kitchen
Watch the chef compose each plate, ingredients sourced from the very provinces you are passing through.
Lounge & library
An intimate observation lounge for a Negroni at sunset, a quiet read, or a slow conversation between cities.
Off-train tables
From a trackside countryside BBQ to a riverside farewell dinner, meals onshore are as composed as those on board.
Day by Day
The journey unfolds
Nov 3
Arrival in Saigon
The Reverie Saigon — Suite Room
Land into the radiant pulse of Saigon. A private chauffeur escorts you to your suite at The Reverie, an Italian-crafted palace of marble and crystal in the heart of District 1. The afternoon is yours — unwind, indulge in the spa, or step out for a curated welcome dinner as the city lights flicker to life.
- Private airport transfer
- Suite check-in at The Reverie Saigon
- Optional spa & wellness
- Curated welcome dinner
Nov 4
Welcome on Board
A leisurely morning at the hotel. By late afternoon you arrive at the station, welcomed into the private VIP lounge. As dusk softens over Saigon, you board SJourney — Vietnam's first luxury rail — and step into an Indochine reverie of polished teak, brass, and candlelight. The Festival of Light Journey begins with an opulent welcome dinner aboard.
- Private station transfer
- VIP lounge welcome
- Boarding SJourney luxury rail
- Welcome celebration dinner
Nov 5
The Ancient Cham Whisper
Awaken to coastal light streaming through your cabin. Step off into Phan Thiet to wander the ochre Cham towers of Po Sah Inu, walk the rippling sand dunes of Mui Ne, and lunch on freshly-grilled seafood by the sea before the train glides north.
- Po Sah Inu Cham towers
- Mui Ne sand dunes
- Coastal seafood lunch
Nov 6
A Voyage into Coastal Serenity
Mornings in Phu Yen feel painted by hand. Visit the centuries-old Mang Lang Church, watch artisans weave rush-grass mats in Phu Tan village, and surrender the afternoon to a quiet beach. Dinner unfolds under a canopy of stars as the rails hum onward.
- Mang Lang heritage church
- Phu Tan mat weaving village
- Afternoon by the ocean
- Starlit onboard dinner
Nov 7
The Ancient Merchant Hub
A scenic jeep ride into Hoi An's countryside. Try your hand at woodblock painting and silk-lantern making, share a home-hosted Quang lunch, then lose yourself through the lantern-lit lanes of the UNESCO old town. Evening brings a rural BBQ at a tiny country station — fireflies, slow flavours, vast quiet.
- Vintage jeep tour
- Lantern-making workshop
- Home-hosted local lunch
- Hoi An ancient town walk
- Trackside BBQ dinner
Nov 8
The Last Empire Awakens
Glide into Hue at first light. Board a nostalgic rickshaw to the Imperial Citadel, then explore the restored Luc Bo cultural quarter — try your hand at conical-hat weaving and royal five-colour cake making. A refined imperial-cuisine lunch precedes a slow afternoon back aboard, the Perfume River fading behind you.
- Rickshaw ride to Imperial Citadel
- Luc Bo cultural workshops
- Royal Hue cuisine lunch
Nov 9
Soft Adventure in Jungle & Caves
Disembark into Phong Nha-Ke Bang — a UNESCO realm of primeval karst. Drift along the Son River by boat into Phong Nha Cave's subterranean cathedral of stalactites. Return to the train for a candlelit dinner as the carriages roll north towards Ninh Binh.
- Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
- Son River boat journey
- Phong Nha Cave exploration
- Onboard candlelit dinner
Nov 10
The First Kingdom of Vietnam
A sumptuous breakfast as Ninh Binh appears outside your window. Glide on a sampan through the emerald waterways of Trang An — Vietnam's only Dual UNESCO Heritage Site — beneath towering limestone cathedrals. Step back a thousand years at Hoa Lu, the ancient capital. The day closes with a private farewell dinner in a magical riverside setting.
- Trang An sampan journey
- Hoa Lu ancient capital
- Open-air farewell dinner
Nov 11
Arrival in the Capital
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi — Prestige Suite (Half Board)
The train pulls into Hanoi as the city stirs. A private transfer carries you to the legendary Sofitel Legend Metropole — a colonial grande dame that has hosted poets, presidents and Pulitzer winners since 1901. Your Prestige Suite awaits with half-board indulgence. Evening is yours: an Old Quarter walk, a French-Vietnamese café, or quiet luxury shopping.
- Private transfer to Sofitel Metropole
- Prestige Suite check-in with half board
- Optional Old Quarter walk
- Café & shopping at leisure
Nov 12
Departure
A leisurely breakfast at the Metropole. A private chauffeur escorts you to the airport for your onward journey — already plotting your return.
- Breakfast at Sofitel Metropole
- Private airport transfer
- Onward journey home
Why November
The country is at its most luminous.
Cool dry mornings on the coast. Lantern festivals in Hoi An. The harvest light over Ninh Binh's karst valleys. The Festival of Light Journey is timed to follow this glow from south to north — culminating in the Diwali season at home.
Trang An, Ninh Binh
A morning between karst cathedrals
On Day 8, you'll glide through Vietnam's only Dual UNESCO Heritage Site by sampan — beneath thousand-year-old limestone towers, into water-bound caves, past ancient temples that emerge from the mist. A morning that asks for nothing but quiet.
Not included
Package exclusions
Items and services not covered within the quoted experience. These may be arranged separately upon request.
International & domestic airfare
All flights to and from Vietnam, and any internal flights not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance and any optional coverage upgrades are not included.
Premium beverages & alcohol
Premium beverages, specialty wines, and alcoholic drinks outside the included onboard beverage selection.
Personal expenses
Laundry, telephone calls, minibar usage, spa treatments not mentioned in inclusions, and discretionary purchases.
Optional experiences
Activities or private arrangements requested outside the curated journey program.
Early check-in / late check-out
Early check-in, late check-out, or additional hotel nights beyond the confirmed itinerary.
Private transfers & upgrades
Any private transfers, upgrades, or bespoke services not specifically mentioned under inclusions.
Force majeure & delays
Expenses arising due to flight delays, force majeure events, medical situations, or changes beyond operational control.
GST, TCS & transaction charges
Applicable GST, TCS, and international transaction charges as per prevailing government regulations.
Meals at anchor hotels
Lunch and dinner in Ho Chi Minh City (The Reverie) and lunch and dinner in Hanoi (Sofitel Metropole) are not included unless specified.
What's included
Package inclusions
Every essential of the experience — from suites and rail accommodation to dining, beverages, transfers and curated excursions.
Hotel stays
Suite at The Reverie Saigon (Nov 3) and Prestige Suite with half board at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi (Nov 11).
Onboard accommodation
07 nights aboard SJourney's Indochine luxury rail in your selected cabin category.
All dining
Breakfast, lunch and dinner — freshly prepared on board with the finest local ingredients, plus authentic local restaurants on excursions.
Beverages
Daily complimentary soft drinks, beer, house wine by glass, tea and coffee on board. One complimentary beverage with off-train meals.
Service
Cabin attendant with evening turndown, dedicated tour management, private airport and hotel transfers in Saigon and Hanoi.
Excursions
All curated excursions with English-speaking local guides and entrance fees as per the itinerary.
Vietnam visa included
Vietnam e-visa charges and processing fees for both travellers (₹7,000 per couple) — fully covered within the package.
Good to know
A few quiet answers
How many guests are on board?
SJourney is intentionally intimate — a maximum of 40 guests across the train, with the bistro car seating just 24 at a time.
Can the journey be customised?
Yes. Cabin category, hotel categories in Saigon and Hanoi, and onward extensions to Halong Bay, Sapa or Siem Reap can all be composed with your travel curator.
What is the dress code?
Smart resort by day. Smart casual at dinner — many guests enjoy dressing for the occasion, especially the welcome and farewell evenings.
Is the experience suitable for families?
The journey is designed for couples and discerning travellers seeking a slow, refined pace. Children above 12 are welcome by prior arrangement.
A note on this itinerary
This is a private, advisory-led composition. Final pricing, cabin category on SJourney, and onward arrangements will be confirmed with your travel curator.
The investment
Festival of Light Journey
Vietnam by Luxury Rail · Diwali Edition · November 2026
Cabin Category
Deluxe Cabin
per couple
Cabin Category
Suite Cabin
per couple
Taxes applicable as per prevailing government regulations.
Limited cabins
Invitation-led inquiries
Priority access
Curated departures