Price Validity still : 30th Sept 2007 to 1st
Oct 2008
Hand
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DAY 1: ARRIVAL - HO CHI MINH
On arrival at Tan San Nhat Airport, you are met and
transferred to hotel. Ho Chi Minh City,
still called Saigon by many locals, is a
center of commerce, finance, culture and
tourism in Vietnam. This bustling
metropolis, contradiction of its
northern counterpart, is crowded with
bikes and motorbikes, excited by
numerous shopping area and sidewalk
cafés. ( If time permits) we stroll
around the down town to explore the
different local ways of life. O/N in Ho
Chi Minh.
DAY 2 : HO CHI CMINH - CU CHI TUNNELS -
HO CHI CMINH
The sightseeing tour of
Ho Chi Minh City begins with a visit to
the Reunification Palace which was the
former residence of the President of
South Vietnam until end of April 1975.
Close to the palace are some striking
French colonial structures including the
Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon
Post Office. After seeing the Jade
Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant
Museum, we continue our trip on to the
bustling Ben Thanh Market where anything
and everything is for sale. We drive out
to explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, an
incredible underground network
constructed by Vietnamese fighters
during the long struggle for
independence. The tunnels contained
hospitals, plus accommodation and
schools, and were used as a military
base for the Vietcong in the American
war. O/N in Ho Chi Minh. (B)
DAY 3 : HO CHI MINH -
MEKONG DELTA - HO CHI MINH
Heading out of the town, we travel by roads to the Mekong
Delta, Vietnam's
largest rice bowl. On arrival in My Tho
we embark on a boat navigating around
the intricate small canals in the delta
region, which is a great way to observe
the local lifestyle close-up and catch a
view dotted by many islands. The
exciting excursion will pass the lush
green vegetation before arriving at the
famous Unicorn Island. Here we have
opportunities to stroll around an
orchard, taste many seasonal fruits and
enjoy wonderful traditional music. The
next stop of our trip is Ben Tre Province
to visit some fascinating local
industries. After feasting on a huge
lunch we return to Ho Chi Minh, stopping
off along the way to see the beautiful
Ving Trang Pagoda and the Cho Lon,
Saigon’s Chinatown, which is crammed
with sacred temples and mysterious,
narrow lanes. O/N in Ho Chi Minh. (B,L)
DAY 4: HO CHI MINH - DALAT
The northbound journey begins as we depart Ho Chi Minh and
pass through the many tea and coffee
plantations to the hill station of Da
Lat, sometimes known as the " City of
Eternal Spring". The drive is long but
views are fantastic. On arrival we can
soak up the cool climate as much as we
want by spending our time to wander
around and catch our first glimpse of
the town. The influence of the French is
prevalent since Da Lat was founded as a
hill retreat for the colonials to escape
the oppressive heat of the coastal
plains and the Mekong Delta. This
charming town is set around a lake and
surrounded by forests, waterfalls and
rolling countryside. O/N in Da Lat. (B)
DAY 5: DALAT - NHA TRANG
After breakfast, we embark on a short drive past the charming
pine hill to visit the summer residence
of Vietnam’s
last Emperor Bao Dai, who was forced to
abdicate in 1945, shortly after the end
of the World War II. We follow this with
a trip to the Lam Ty Ni Pagoda and the
Hang Nga Guesthouse , well known as the
Crazy House because of its bizarre
architecture. The central market and the
old rail station are also visited this
morning before we travel by roads
through the undulating terrains to the
picturesque coastal town of Nha Trang. Along the way we make stopover at the scenic
Ngoan Muc Pass and the Po Klong Jarai
Cham Towers. These amazing structures
represent an interesting culture and a
colorful history of the Cham people. O/N
in Nha Trang. (B)
DAY 6: NHA TRANG
The fabulous sunny weather, turquoise water surrounding a
string of islands and white sandy beach
stretching the whole length of the city
make Nha Trang one of Vietnam's premier
beach resorts. After breakfast we board
a boat for a day trip around the coastal
islands, stopping on the way at a local
fishing village to observe the island
life. Today we also have lots of time on
the blue clear water enjoying swimming
and snorkeling or lazing on a beach. A
seafood lunch is some enjoyment of the
trip. We arrive back in town late
afternoon and spend our time to catch
up on some shopping areas or simply to
relax. O/N in Nha Trang. (B,L)
DAY 7: NHA TRANG - BUON MA THUAT -
LAK LAKE
The beautiful
Ponagar Cham Towers is one of the most
interesting sights in Nha Trang .We
visit this and Long Son Pagoda before
we head the coast towards the Central
Highlands, travelling via the famous
town of Buon Ma Thuat to Lak Lake. On
arrival, we enjoy an one and half hour
elephant ride to admire the rural life
and the stunning mountain backdrops.
Afterwards we transfer to June village
where we are guest of a M'nong family in
a traditional long house. The facilities
here are very basic, but the experience
is definitive unique. This also offers
us a chance to explore the simple
lifestyle of the M’nong hill tribe
people. O/N at June village. (B, D)
DAY 8:
LAK
LAKE - PLEIKU- KOMTUM
An impressive way of commencing our day is a short dugout
ride on Lak Lake
surrounded by the verdant and rugged
mountains. We also have enough time this
morning walking to discover a nearby
village, home of the M'nong hill tribe
people. Upon leaving Lak Lake we travel
by roads along the central highlands and
pass Vietnam's biggest growing coffee
area to Pleiku and Komtum , our final
destination. The deep contrast of lush
vegetation and red surface of basaltic
soil is incredible all along the way.
After checking into hotel in Komtum we
visit the town with the Komtum Seminary,
the traditional culture center, the
Wooden Church and the Banar ethnic
village. O/N in Komtum .(B)
DAY 9 : KOMTUM - HOIAN
The scenic journey continues to Hoi An which was originally a
Cham seaport but has been influenced
down the centuries by a myriad of
traders from various cultures. We make
our way past the beautiful mountainous
region towards the central coast. A part
of the pleasure of travelling in this
region is the simple joy of seeing the
rice fields and the smiling faces of the
people. On arrival in Hoian we wander
around to catch our first glimpse of
this delightful town. Here are plenty
to see, some of which are the famous
Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery
Museum, the 200 years old Tamky House,
the Chua Ong Pagoda and the vibrant
market. O/N in Hoi An. (B)
DAY 10: HOIAN -
HUE
An interesting walk around the old
quarter streets will acquaint us with
Hoian's some major landmarks. We then
depart for Hue, stopping en route to
visit the sensational Marble Mountains,
the China Beach and the Cham Museum.
This structure is home to Vietnam's
largest collection of Cham treasures.
The winding roads begin as we make our
way up the spectacular Hai Van Pass. At
the top of the pass we stop to admire a
fantastic view north to Lang Co and
south to Danang. After checking hotel in
Hue we explore the massive citadel,
containing the Imperial City and the
Purple Forbidden City. This royal
residence was all but destroyed during
DAY 11: HUE
The beautiful riverside pagoda of Thien Mu which now becomes
the symbol of Hue, and the elaborate royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc are
not to be missed. We include these in a
half day cruise on the
Perfume River which also gives us a
taste of the scenic countryside as well
as an enjoyable visit to the mausoleum
of Emperor Minh Mang, in a tranquil
setting of gardens and lakes. After an
impressive boat trip we enjoy a walk to
the bustling Dong Ba Market that sells a
wide variety of local goods and
handicrafts. Along the way we pass many
fantastic eating spots, all ideal for
visitors to sample some local
delicacies. In the late afternoon, we
board the train for an overnight journey
to Hanoi. The train conditions are basic
; we travel in soft sleeper class which
is a compartment for up to four people.
O/N on board. (B)
DAY 12:
HUE - HANOI
The train journey arrives in
Hanoi this morning. Hanoi is a stylish
and gracious city that retains an unique
old world charm and some Asia ‘s most
striking colonial architecture. The many
lakes and parks also make for relaxing
atmosphere. After a short rest we
commence our city tour, exploring the
beautiful lake of Hoan Kiem with its
sacred temple and the West Lake and the
impressive Ethnologic Museum, dedicated
to Vietnam ’s 54 ethnic minorities. This
is a must for us as we will embark on an
overland trip into the homeland of
several minority people. A perfect way
to finish the day is to enjoy a short
cyclo excursion through the bustling old
quarter streets named after the specific
goods once offered for sale at these
places. O/N in Ha Noi.(B)
DAY 13:
HANOI - SONLA
An early morning start to drive towards
Son La. We pass through the undulating
terrains of tea plantations and the many
timeless villages linked to the road
which is the main artery of trade
between the northwestern region and the
capital city. This is our first glimpse
of rural northern Vietnam and sets the
tone for the days ahead. Depending on
road and traffic conditions our drive
will deliver us in Son La by mid or
late afternoon. After checking into
hotel we take a walk around this
mountain town. There is a little traffic
on roads and many Black Thai in
traditional costume scurry in all
directions. O/N in Son La.
(B)
DAY 14: SONLA -
DIEN BIEN PHU
The provincial museum and the nearby old prison are some of
this hill town's major sights. We have a
chance to visit these before we leave
for our next destination. The winding
roads cross over the
Pha Din Pass before reaching Dien Bien
Phu, the site of the decisive battle in
Vietnam’s struggle for independence in
1954. After checking into our central
located hotel we enjoy a walk around to
see this fast growing town. Our main
stop is Dien Bien Phu’s
Museum which details the event in place.
We also pay a visit to the old battle
field where the lush vegetation grows
behind many war relics including old
French tanks and artillery pieces. O/N
in Dien Bien Phu .(B)
DAY 15:
DIEN BIEN PHU - SAPA
Heading out of the town, we spend a full day
traveling into Vietnam’s
most mountainous region. The roads are
difficult at times, but the spectacular
landscape with a mixture of terraced
fields and hill villages makes the
hardship all worthwhile. On the way, we
have some opportunities to encounter the
Red Hmong, Kho Mu, Mang, Dao people
who still retain their age old
cultural traditions and are recognizably
distinct from each other by their dress.
We arrive in Tam Duong by late
afternoon and have time strolling around
to catch our first glimpse; a small town
surrounded by breathtaking mountains and
tea plantations. We arrive in Sapa by
mid afternoon and can soak up the fresh
climate as much as we want by spending
our time wandering this famous hill
town. The ethnic people are frequently
seen on the main street of Sapa and
small vendors along the street sell
local textiles and handicraft. O/N in Sa
Pa. (B)
Transportation in private air-conditioned
vehicle with driver + Meal as mentioned: B =
breakfast, L = Lunch, D = dinner +
Accommodation: twin sharing room at the
below mentioned hotel or similar one +
English or French speaking guide + Entrance
fee to indicated sights +Boat trip in Halong,
+ Train ticket soft sleeper with air-
condition
Tour
cost does not include:
Drinks
, Meals and not mention on program , tip
.. personal expenses ...
