Vietnam Adventure

The day is free to recover from the flight or stroll amongst broad tree-lined

avenues dating from the French period. There is a faded colonial charm where

baguettes and good coffee are sold from doorways of grand buildings of a past

era. 



This evening there will be a welcome briefing followed by an optional group

dinner at a local restaurant.

In Hanoi we take a sightseeing tour of the city that includes a visit to the

Temple of Literature; the site of the oldest university in Vietnam with over

2000 graduates, Hoa Lo Prison & the Old Quarter of the city with its '36

Streets' where each street is home to shops selling particular products -

e.g. 'silk street', 'gold street', 'paper street' and 'tourist souvenir

street'. Another stop is the grounds of the Presidential Palace where Ho Chi

Minh refused to live in the grand structure for symbolic reasons. We visit

his traditional Vietnamese stilt house here. In the evening there is the

option to enjoy a performance of Hanoi's famous water puppets.



*May de Ville City Centre Hotel or similar*

We make an early start for the approximately 4-hour journey to Halong Bay.

This is one of the most stunningly beautiful sights in South East Asia with

roughly 3,000 limestone peaks rising directly from the clear emerald sea. We

cruise amongst this amazing karst scenery and enjoy a seafood lunch on board.

We overnight on board in twin share cabins with en suite facilities.

We continue to cruise around Halong Bay this morning before returning to

port. We then drive back to Hanoi, and transfer to the train station and

board the Reunification Express for the overnight train ride to Hue, 688km to

the south.

Arriving mid-morning in Hue we transfer to our hotel. Hue claims to be the

cultural and historical centre of Vietnam, and there is plenty to see. The

most outstanding sight is the Imperial Citadel with walls six miles in

length. Inside are the palaces and halls of the Mandarins, and the remains of

the Forbidden Purple City, where only the emperor, his eunuchs and concubines

were allowed. The Forbidden Purple City was almost totally destroyed during

the Vietnam War's Tet Offensive, but the foliage-covered ruins are still

atmospheric and the gaping holes left by bombs give an idea of the

destruction wreaked upon the country during the war.



This afternoon we visit the Imperial Citadel and the famous Thien Mu Pagoda.

The pagoda was a centre for anti-government protest in the early 1960's and

it houses the Austin car that transported a monk, Thich Quang Duc, to Saigon

in 1963 where he burned himself in protest against the president. The

photograph of his self-immolation was printed in newspapers all around the

world. 



*Park View Hotel or similar*

This morning after breakfast we visit the mausoleum of Tu Duc, one of the

most extravagant mausoleums of the great Nguyen emperors who ruled Vietnam

from Hue between 1802 and 1945.



Heading back to Hue, the afternoon is then free to further explore and get to

know this historical centre or to simply relax by the riverside and absorb

the local sights. 



*Park View Hotel or similar*

Leaving Hue, our 130km journey drives through the beautiful peninsula of Lang

Co between the crystal waters of a lagoon and the Eastern Sea, and then

passes over the spectacular Hai Van pass ('Pass of the Ocean Clouds') where

the views are stunning. In Da Nang we stop for lunch before we visit and

climb Marble Mountain where we explore the large caves which were used by the

Viet Cong as a hospital base during the war. From the mountain peak, there

are fantastic views over My Khe beach and the surrounding countryside leading

on to Hoi An where we spend the next three nights.

This morning will include a walking tour of Hoi An, the original European

trading port in Vietnam dating back to the mid-16th century. It is now a

living museum, with attractive wooden merchant's houses and pagoda-style

temples with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European architectural

influences. It is also a marvellous place to wander around and enjoy the

thriving riverside market and great silk clothes shopping.



This afternoon is free, one popular option is to jump on a bike for a ride

through the countryside past local markets, schools and villages before

continuing on to Cua Dai beach (5 km).

This morning we will visit My Son, the Cham civilisation's spiritual home,

where Cham kings were buried as early as the 4th century. Although wartime

bombing has destroyed much of the site, there are a number of interesting

stone towers and sanctuaries. Upon returning to Hoi An the rest of the

afternoon is free to carry on enjoying this historic town.

We drive to Da Nang and then fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), an exciting

and absorbing city where scooters pack the streets and temples stand

defiantly alongside modern developments. Devastated by the Vietnam War, it is

now a bustling free market city where anything goes. This afternoon's walking

city tour includes a visit to the Ben Thanh Market, Reunification Palace,

Notre Dame Cathedral and War Remnants Museum. The Museum has an interesting

photographic record of the Vietnam/American War. Please be aware that some

images at the museum are very graphic.

Today we leave the city behind us and head north to visit the infamous Cu Chi

tunnels. Used by the Viet Cong during the war, the network covers 3 levels

and approximately 240km of tunnels. Traditionally these were very narrow but

some areas have been widened to allow tourists to explore the system.

Claustrophobes may prefer to stay outside in the sunshine! In the afternoon

we return to Saigon and the rest of the day is free for individual

exploration.

In the morning we drive to Vinh Long (approx. 2.5-3 hrs) in the Mekong Delta,

known as the 'rice bowl' of Vietnam. This region produces most of Vietnam's

fruit, sugar cane and coconuts. We take a boat trip on the mighty Mekong

River to Cai Be. Recently, Cai Be floating market is becoming less crowded

and smaller as fruit trading is mostly now done by trucks due to the bridge

being built. However, this is still a great opportunity to see a local market

and the trade being conducted traditionally on a smaller scale.



En route we pass many orchards and friendly locals also travelling by boat.

We stop to see some small cottage industries such as rice paper and coconut

candy, getting a chance to sample the local produce along the way. The

evening is tranquil as we have dinner on an Island and enjoy some 'Delta'

hospitality. We spend the night sleeping at a simple homestay guesthouse

built in the style of a local house. Bedding, a mosquito net and a small

towel are provided.

This morning we take a walk through the fruit orchards and navigate our way

through the small canals in a traditional wooden sampan. Later we rejoin our

boat to rendezvous with our vehicle for the journey back to Saigon via a

little visited Cao Dai temple used by devotees of this strange indigenous

religion, which fuses all the great religions of east and west.

For land only clients, the tour ends this morning in Saigon after breakfast.