Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). Clear immigration, collect bags, grab SIM/eSIM.

Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). Hemanth to meet or Nicky takes Grab to hotel.

Pack up, check out, arrange transport to Hua Hin.

Check in, explore the resort, relax by the pool.

Included with accommodation. Relax and get ready for the afternoon.

Sawadee Ka family and friends! Bridal Mehendi ceremony where the bride is beautifully adorned with henna. Relax with nibbles, drinks, and festive tunes. Ladies are welcome to get mehendi on their hands too - a sweet tradition filled with love.

Fun and games - all in yellow! Family and friends lovingly apply turmeric, sandalwood, and rosewater paste to the bride and groom. Tradition says this adds a natural bridal glow - but really, it's the happy chaos that makes it shine.

Clean up after Haldi, rest, get dressed for the Welcome Dinner. Time to change into your most colourful outfit!

A vibrant dinner by the sea, inspired by tropical blooms, ocean breeze, and desi-island vibes. The evening will be filled with lively speeches, fun games, dancing, delicious food, and plenty of drinks. Let's toast to good times and great company!

Early breakfast - ceremony starts at 8 AM. Get dressed and ready.

The beginning of their forever with the sacred rituals of a South Indian wedding. Rooted in centuries of culture, this ceremony honours timeless traditions, family blessings, and the union of two souls. Surrounded by loved ones, fragrant flowers, and the chanting of mantras, they will take their vows and begin the journey of marriage with love, devotion, and gratitude.

Lunch (likely provided at ceremony). Rest at room. Get ready for the reception - time to bring out the Bollywood glitz!

An evening of sparkle, music, and joy! Dazzling lights, vibrant performances, and a dance floor that will keep the celebrations going late into the night. A glamorous dinner party as we toast to this new chapter together.

Last breakfast at the resort. Enjoy it!

Short pool session before the travel push. Pack bags before pool so checkout is fast.

Depart Hua Hin ~10:30 AM for Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK). Drive is ~3-3.5 hrs. Target arrival at BKK 14:30. International check-in opens 3 hrs before flight (opens ~14:50 for TG564). Leave buffer for traffic.

Thai Airways Row D at Suvarnabhumi. Business/Royal Silk separate counter if applicable. Keep passports + e-visa printout handy.

Thai Airways TG564. Depart Bangkok 17:50 → Arrive Hanoi (Noi Bai Intl, HAN) 19:40. Flight time ~1hr 50min. Both Hemanth & Nicky on this flight. Booking reference: F5GT2U.

Land Noi Bai International. Immigration with e-visa printout - fast lane if no queue. Luggage pickup, then Grab or pre-booked hotel car to Old Quarter (~35-45 min, ~450,000 VND / ~$25 AUD). Expected hotel arrival ~21:30.

Recover from late arrival. Hanoi is hot and humid by 10am, so take it easy.

The symbolic heart of Hanoi. Cross the red Huc Bridge onto Jade Island and visit Ngoc Son Temple. Easy 45-min walk around the lake.

49 Bat Dan. The most famous beef pho in Hanoi - queue up, point, pay, eat. Cash only, 60k VND, no frills, legendary broth.

Narrow alley where the train literally passes inches from cafe tables. Sit at one of the cafes, order a coffee, wait for the train. Check train times with cafe before you go (usually ~3pm and ~7pm weekdays).

Wander the 36 streets of the Old Quarter (each named for the trade once sold there). Duck into Omamori Spa or La Siesta Spa for a 90-min massage (~$30-40) - essential after the wedding weekend.

A 1000-year-old Vietnamese art form - puppets on water with live traditional music. 50 min, touristy but iconic. Book in advance for front-section seats.

The "Obama + Bourdain" spot. Grilled pork + rice noodles + herbs + nuoc cham. Order the "Combo Obama" - bun cha + nem cua be (crab spring rolls) + a Hanoi beer.

Hanoi's signature invention - coffee topped with whipped egg yolk + condensed milk. Tastes like tiramisu. Giang Cafe invented it in 1946. Down a hidden alley - follow the signs.

Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body on display (closed Mon + Fri - Wed is good). Surrounding complex has Presidential Palace, One Pillar Pagoda (unique single-pillar Buddhist pagoda), and Ho Chi Minh's stilt house. Dress modest (no shorts/tank tops).

Vietnam's first university (1070 AD). Beautiful courtyards, calligraphy stalls, and the iconic stone turtles with names of doctoral laureates. Worth 45-60 min.

67 Hang Dieu. Southern-style beef noodle bowl with peanuts, fried shallots, herbs. Clean, fast, delicious, ~80k VND. Famous with locals, not just tourists.

Small, excellent museum - fashion, war, ethnography. Underrated. Alternative: Hoa Lo Prison ("Hanoi Hilton") for war history. Pick one.

Hanoi's biggest lake. Walk along the path or grab a drink at a lakeside bar (Summit Lounge at Pan Pacific has panoramic views, or Trich Sai promenade). Stunning at sunset.

Single-dish restaurant serving only "cha ca" - turmeric-marinated fish fried at the table with dill, spring onions, peanuts, noodles, shrimp paste. Hanoi's most unique dish, in business since 1871.

Local bia hoi culture - plastic stools, 15k VND fresh beer, street food. Touristy but fun for one round.

Cruise provides all linens + towels. Pack: swimmers, sunscreen, sandals, light layer for evening deck, bug spray, chargers, camera. Leave main luggage at hotel (most Hanoi hotels store free).

Most cruises include a shuttle from Hanoi Old Quarter to the pier. Pickup window 7:30-8:30 AM typically. ~2.5 hrs drive via expressway.

Tuan Chau Marina (Ha Long) or Got Pier (Lan Ha). Lan Ha Bay is quieter than Ha Long - 300+ islands, fewer tour boats, cleaner water. Board, get cabin briefing, welcome drink.

Multi-course set menu - fresh seafood, Vietnamese classics, local specialties. Boat sails out during lunch.

Kayak through Dark & Bright Cave or paddle around a lagoon ringed by limestone karsts. The defining Ha Long/Lan Ha experience. Swim stop at a pristine bay afterwards.

Visit a traditional floating fishing village - rowboat tour, see how generations have lived on the water. Culturally significant, quiet, beautiful.

The classic shot. Karsts silhouetted against the sunset, cocktail in hand, no wifi. Worth every minute of the planning.

Multi-course seafood dinner with Vietnamese specialties. BYO drinks pricing varies - ask at boarding.

Crew drops lines off the back. Catch or don't, it's a vibe. Zero light pollution - stars are ridiculous.

Optional. Or stay in bed. Either is correct.

Ha Long Bay's biggest cave - massive chambers with bizarre rock formations. Tour boat docks, short climb up, 45 min inside. Crowded mid-morning but worth it.

Final meal on board. Vacate cabin ~11am, public areas still available till disembark.

Shuttle back to Hanoi. ~2.5 hrs with a rest stop. Arrive Hanoi ~3:30 PM.

Back at hotel. Shower, decompress, another massage if you need it (La Siesta Spa near Hoan Kiem is ~$35/90 min).

Low-key last Hanoi night. Cong Caphe does good Vietnamese comfort food + coconut coffee. Or try Home Hanoi Restaurant for upscale Vietnamese (book ahead, ~$30pp). Stroll Hoan Kiem Lake - it's pedestrian-only on weekend evenings.

Flight tomorrow mid-morning. Hoi An is warmer - pack lighter. Check-in online for VietJet/Bamboo in the morning.

Last Hanoi egg coffee if you want a second. Airport transfer ~45 min.

1hr 20min. VietJet, Bamboo, or Vietnam Airlines. ~$60-100. Book window seat for karst coastline views.

~40 min private car. Arrange via hotel (~$25-30) or Grab. Hoi An has no airport - Da Nang is the gateway.

Top picks: Anantara Hoi An Resort (riverside, boutique, best location), Almanity Hoi An (wellness focused, in town), Allegro Hoi An (central), or The Nam Hai (beach, splurge, ~$700/night).

If you want tailored clothes, drop in TODAY - 24-48hr turnaround. Recommended: Yaly Couture (premium), BeBe Tailor, or A Dong Silk. Bring reference photos. A quality suit ~$200-400, shirt ~$30-50, dress ~$80-150.

Hoi An's UNESCO Ancient Town comes alive at dusk - thousands of silk lanterns, yellow-walled shophouses, Thu Bon river. Walk the Japanese Covered Bridge (400+ years old), browse lantern shops. Magical first impression.

Hoi An's iconic restaurant by chef Trinh Diem Vy. Book ahead - rammed every night. Try cao lau, white rose dumplings, banh xeo, caramelised pork in clay pot.

On Thu Bon River. Tradition says you make a wish as you set it adrift. Take a sampan ride if you want - the full lantern-on-water experience.

Most Hoi An hotels give free bikes. Ride ~15-20 min out of town through rice fields to Tra Que herb village - watch farmers cultivate herbs using 400-year-old techniques. Flat, easy, beautiful.

Cao lau is Hoi An's signature noodle - thick noodles, pork, greens, crispy croutons. Authentic water for the noodles must come from ancient Cham wells (only made here). Trung Bac: old-school, local favourite.

~5km from Ancient Town, easy 15-min taxi. White sand, clear water, beach club culture. Soul Kitchen (live music Sundays), Shore Club, or Deckhouse for loungers + cocktails. Swim, read, nap.

First fitting if you ordered yesterday. Adjustments marked, final collection tomorrow.

Low-key 30-min boat ride on Thu Bon at sunset, lanterns coming alive. Charter a private boat for ~150k-250k VND. Golden hour magic.

Tiny, Bourdain-anointed restaurant - modern Vietnamese, small plates, local ingredients. Book ahead, seats ~20. Try the pork belly bao and squid salad.

Wander Nguyen Hoang Night Market (Cam Nam bridge side) - lantern stalls, street food, souvenirs. Grab a banh mi at Phuong (Bourdain's pick) for a snack - "#1 banh mi in Vietnam." Queue moves fast.

UNESCO Cham Hindu temple ruins (4th-14th century). Go at sunrise - private sunrise tour ($40-60pp) beats the tour buses that arrive ~8:30 AM. You'll have the jungle temples almost to yourself. ~45 min drive each way.

Pool recovery breakfast at hotel. Earn your nap.

Block out the afternoon. You earned this.

Half-day cooking experience. Boat ride to riverside kitchen garden, herb tour, cook 4-5 classic Vietnamese dishes, eat your creations. Fun and hands-on. Alt: Morning Glory cooking school in town.

Last fitting + collection. Try everything on - legit tailors will re-adjust on the spot in 2-3 hrs if needed.

Chef Duc's riverside cocktail bar - creative drinks, Asian fusion small plates. Sunset riverside vibe.

Candlelit restaurant in the middle of rice paddies outside town. Short tuk-tuk ride. Stunning setting, local food, honest prices. Most romantic dinner in Hoi An.

Last walk through Ancient Town. Soak it in.

Final pool session. Slow breakfast at hotel.

Round woven bamboo boats through coconut palm waterways. Local fishermen spin the boats, demo fish traps, sometimes turn it into a full dance show. Touristy but genuinely fun, 90 min, ~$15-20pp.

White Rose Restaurant (Banh Bao Vac) is the only place in the world that makes the authentic white rose dumplings - family has run it for 4 generations, supplies every other restaurant in Hoi An. Unique to this town.

Last shopping in Ancient Town - silk, lanterns, coffee, Vietnamese ceramics, cinnamon. Pack tonight for early flight tomorrow.

One last beach moment. Sundowner at Deckhouse or Salt Pub.

Chef Trinh Diem Vy's market-style concept - live cooking stations showing Central Vietnamese cuisine, all dishes under $5. Fun, interactive, perfect last-night energy.

One more slow loop through the Ancient Town. Goodbye to Hoi An.

Early departure tomorrow. Confirm airport transfer time with hotel - Da Nang airport ~40 min away.