6 DAYS, VIETNAM SAMPLER

Itinerary

ITINERARY IN DETAILS:

DAY 1: ARRIVAL SAIGON, CITY TOUR

On arrival at Tan San Nhat Airport, you will be met and transferred to hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, a bustling metropolis; contradiction of its northern counterpart is excited by numerous shopping area and sidewalk cafés. Afternoon visit Ben Thanh Market, Independent Palace, War Crime museum,  Ho Chi Minh City Museum, and Reunification Palace.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city 
  

DAY 2: FUL DAY EXCURSION TO CUCHI TUNNELS  TAYNINH(B,L)

Drive to visit the Cuchi Tunnels. At the height of the Vietnam war, the tunnel system stretched from the outskirts of Saigon  all the way to the Cambodian border of over 250 kilometers of tunnels. The tunnel system, built over 25 years starting in the 1940s,  let the Viet Minh  and, later, the Viet Cong, control a huge rural area.  It was an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers.  In places, it was several  stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people who virtually lived underground for years.... getting married, giving birth,going to school. The ground here is hard clay, which made this whole thing possible.  But even so, the planning and construction was incredible.  People dug all this with hand tools, filling reed baskets and dumping the dirt into bomb craters.  They installed large vents so they could hear approaching helicopters, smaller vents for air and baffled vents to dissipate cooking smoke.  There were also hidden  trap doors and gruesomely effective bamboo-stake booby traps. ToDAY, the trees and bushes have grown back.  And since 1988, two sections of tunnels have been open for visitors.  After Cuchi Tunnels tour, drive to Long Hoa and visit Cao Dai Cathedral.  Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
  

DAY 3: FLY TO HANOI, AFTERNOON CITY TOUR (B,L)

Today, we will catch the morning flight VN741 07.00  09.00. Arrival transfer to our hotel.

We will visit Temple of literature – Vietnam’s first national university and wonderful, Museum of Ethnology. Embark on 1 hour  cylo ride  around the old quarter.Visit Ngocson temple and lake of returned sword.  Evening water puppet show.Overnight in Ha Noi.

DAY 4: FULL DAY TOUR OF TEMPLES, MAUSOLEUMS, OLD QUARTER (B,L)

Walking tour through the mazes of old quarter. Enjoy fish cake lunch at typical Hanoi restaurant. Visit the Museum of Military History, Hoa Lo Prison and Ho Chi Minh Museum & Mausoleum. Visit Hang Bong Street to purchase Communion party banners/badges.  Tonight we will attend the water puppet show.

Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 5: HALONG BAY EXCURSION(B,L,D)

8h30: After breakfast at hotel and pick up you and transfer to Halong Bay, which will take about 3 hours. Arrive Halong bay you will board your private boat to cruise around Halong bay and soak in the misty atmosphere of this world heritage site. Halong bay is a breathtaking secluded bay with over 3,000 limestone islands rising from the clear emerald waters of the Bac Bo gulf. It is one of the most magnificent scenic regions in Vietnam and has been referred to as the 8th Wonder of the World. The area of about 1500sq km is dotted with innumerable beaches and grottoes, created over thousands of year by the waves and wind. You will have the opportunity to swim from your boat and explore some caves. You will enjoy a seafood feast for lunch on board. We will continue our excursion around this stunning bay until the sun comes down.
Overnight on boat.
  

DAY 6: HALONG BAY - DEPARTURE B)

We have a whole morning on boat exploring the amazing limestone backdrops. We are treated to a seafood lunch before drive transfer back to Hanoi.