Essentials of South Vietnam

Xin chao! Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival at the airport you will be greeted by your guide and transfer to hotel for check in.
The remainder of the day is free to relax or wander around for catching up with some first sights of the city’s busy life.
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the largest commercial and most dynamic city of Vietnam. This is the place of great mix between old and new, east and west that blend very well in the tropical air to make it a wonderful place of discovery.

Summary of inclusions

Take a morning ride on cyclo through busy Saigon streets, catch up interesting moments of local life and visit to city’s some featured sights. Explore the War Remnants Museum where you learn something about serious wars that happened in the country in the last century. Continue to the Reunification Palace, former Presidential palace of the Saigon regime where display many interesting objects that related to occupants of the building before it was captured by the communist army in 1975.
Walk across the street to the nearby Notre-Dame Cathedral and then Central Post Office, two of some prominent French gothic architecture in the city. From there you will take a ride along the Dong Khoi Street (former Rue Catinat, made famous by Graham Greene in his best-selling book - the Quiet American) and passing the historical building such as municipal theatre, hotel Continental, Rex Hotel and so on.
Drop to visit a colorful Hindu temple, where you will see most of the payers are not Hindus, to learn more about the local spiritual life. Your last visit in the morning will be the Ben Thanh market.

In the afternoon you will take a tour to Saigon’s China Town. Wander through colorful streets and shops at Binh Tay Market (Cho Lon) and visit to the Thien Hau Pagoda.
Back to your hotel and the remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

After an early breakfast, depart Saigon center for a drive out to visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the most famous war relics in Vietnam and the World. The system was dug and used as a stronghold of Viet Minh and Viet Cong from 1948 to 1975 during the first and second Indochina War.

This underground city consists of more than 200km of spider net narrow underground tunnels that connecting half or total covered hideouts, shelters, fighting bunkers, hospital, school, living rooms and so on with air filters, airtight covers, booby traps and sentries were all part of the system.

Watch a documentary film introducing the war time then walk along sinuous paths run under tropical foliages to explore the tunnel system. Discover secret entrance, booby traps, visiting workshops, clinics and so on...
It is the chance for you to creep into a tunnel to experience how the Vietcong lived and fought during that time and learn more about Vietnam War as well as how strong people’s determination can be.

Continue with a short drive to Tay Ninh through some of historical sites and old battle field and take a visit to Cao Dai Holy See, the head church of Caodaism that could have come straight from a Walt Disney fantasy and where all the major faiths of the world blend together in a unique religious cocktail.
This afternoon, after getting back to Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City, it is free time to roam around the city for sightseeing and photos.

Summary of inclusions

Leave Ho Chi Minh City for a 2 hour drive through scenic country land to the Mekong Delta. On the way you make stop in My Tho to visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, a special Buddhism architecture in Mekong with more than hundred year history.

On arrival in Ham Luong pier in Ben Tre, board a wooden boat for your leisure cruise on Ben Tre River, exploring lively activities along river such as fishing, water transferring etc.
Following, visit one of plenty of coconut processing workshops located along canal. As Ben Tre is the land famous for coconut, you will have a chance to learn lots about this kind of tree, huge variety of products made from coconut and do not miss the opportunity to taste some local specialties. Back on the boat and turn on natural meandering creeks where they look smaller and smaller to go to village. Take a walk to family workshop making sleeping mats and enjoying some fruits and tea.
Continue with an exciting ride on motor cart (or bicycle) along shady paths, pass by coconut forest, green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to touch on real life and find out about this fascinating tropical land.

Afternoon, take little sampan rowing along meandering canal to Ham Luong pier then drive to Can Tho.
Check in hotel and remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight in hotel in Can Tho

Summary of inclusions

Early breakfast then take a motor boat cruise along small and picturesque tributaries to the Cai Rang floating market, the largest and most famous one in the Mekong Delta.
Here, hundreds of boats gather for selling and buying local products of different kinds and colors making it a very hustle atmosphere on the river.
Enjoy the typical scenery, learn about local and their way of life and do not forget to take for you memorial photos.
Continue with a visit to a rice husking mill then visit to Binh Thuy Temple, Binh Thuy ancient house.

Get transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City. Remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

Breakfast at the hotel.
Enjoy your free time at leisure until getting transfer to the airport for your onward flight.  Safe travel and see you again!

Summary of inclusions