Day 01 Arrive Saigon
Today you are scheduled to arrive Saigon, the largest of Vietnamese cities and one will see the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life everywhere. There are street markets, pavement cafes and sleek new cafes and pubs. The city churns and bubbles. Yet within this teeming metropolis are 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture. To the west of the city is district 5, the huge Chinese neighborhood called Cholon, which means 'Big Market'. Once clearing through Customs & Immigration, you will be bet at the exit gate for the transfer to the hotel.
Overnight: Majestic Hotel, Saigon (3 nights)

Day 02 Saigon
Full day tour includes Notre Dame Cathedral built between 1877 and 1883, is set in the heart of Saigon's government quarter. It has a neo-Romanesque form and two high square towers, tipped with iron spires. In front of the cathedral is a statue of the Virgin Mary. Central Post Office is a French-style building with its glass canopy and iron frame right next to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The structure was built between 1886 and 1891 and is by far the largest post office in Vietnam. The Opera House built around the turn of the century and first renovated in the 1940s, the building housed the lower division of the National Assembly, today it is a Municipal Theatre and also known as "Saigon Concert Hall". The Jade Emperor Pagoda was a key meeting place for Chinese secret societies. It has very colorful and mysterious ambiance. The Reunification Palace was the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president and was stormed by tanks on April 30, 1975 signifying the fall of South Vietnam. It has been preserved in its original state. Ben Thanh Market is the central market of Saigon and the surrounding streets make up one of the city's liveliest areas. Everything commonly eaten, worn or used by the average resident of Saigon is available here. Giam Lam Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Saigon, built at the end of the 17th century. Because the last reconstruction here was in 1900, the architecture, layout and ornamentation remain almost unaltered by the modernist renovations that have transformed so many other religious structures in Vietnam. Ten monks live in this pagoda, which also incorporates aspects of Taoisma and Confucianism. Binh Tay Market is Cholon's main marketplace with much of the business here being wholesale. Thien Hau Pagoda built by the Cantonese congregation in the early 19th century. The pagoda is one of the most active in Cholon and is dedicated to Thien Hau. It is said that she can travel over the oceans on a mat and ride the clouds to wherever she pleases. (B)

Day 03 Saigon
Day excursion to My Tho, the capital of Tien Giang Province. The economy is based on fishing and the cultivation of rice, coconuts, bananas, mangoes, longans and citrus fruit. My Tho Church is a solid pastel-yellow building built about a century ago. The stone plaques set in the church walls express 'merci' and 'cam on' to Fatima and other figures. Cao Dai Temple in the Long An Province, smaller temple than the one at Tay Ninh, but well worth a visit. My Tho Central Market where the streets are filled with stalls selling everything from fresh food and bulk tobacco to boat propellers. Vinh Trang Pagoda is a beautiful and well-maintained sanctuary. The charitable monks here provide a home to
orphans, disabled and other needy children. The Mekong Delta is the southernmost region of Vietnam and it was formed by sediment deposited by the Mekong River. Silt deposits extend the delta shoreline at the mouth of the river by as mush as 79m per year. The area is known as Vietnam's 'bread basket' and produces rice to feed the entire country. Dragon Island has many longan orchards, which can be visited and the lush, palm-fringed shores of the island are lined with wooden fishing boats. (B)
Note: The above tour / excursion may be substituted for Cu Chi & Tay Ninh instead.

Day 04: Saigon / Dalat (Drive 298 kms / 185 miles)
Morning we journey north east for Dalat with the following enroute stops. Dambri Falls where the views are positively breathtaking as these falls are one of the highest in Vietnam, this area is inhabited chiefly by Montagnards. Pongour Falls, these are the largest falls in the Dalat area and during the rainy season the falls form a full semicircle. Langa Lake, is a reservoir which is crossed by a bridge, many floating houses can be seen here. Dinh Quan, where we will find volcanic craters, all 3 volcanoes are now extinct. The craters dated from the late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago.
Overnight: Novotel Hotel, Dalat (1 night) (B)

Day 05: Dalat / Nha Trang (Drive 213 kms / 132 miles)
Continue touring of Dalat. Hang Nga Art Gallery, nicknamed the 'Crazy House' by locals, this guesthouse, cafe and art gallery run by the gallery's designer, Mrs. Dang Viet Nga, who lived in Moscow for 14 years. The architecture of the place is certainly different with caves, giant spider webs, a concrete giraffe and so on. The French District is a small delightful area for walking around similar to any provincial town in France. Cam Ly Falls, the grassy areas around the 15m-high cascades are the habitat of horses and Dalat cowboys. The Valley Of Love was named the Valley of Peace by the Emperor, its name changed in 1972 by romantically minded students from Dalat University. There are paddleboats, canoes and motorboats available to rent. Local delicacies (jams, candied fruits) are on sale here. Dalat Cathedral was built between 1931 and 1942 for use by the French residents and holiday makers. Inside, the stained-glass windows bring a hint of medieval Europe to Dalat. Domaine De Marie Convent is a pink tile-roofed structure was constructed between 1940 and 1942 and was once home to 300 nuns. Today, the 8 remaining nuns support themselves by making ginger candies and selling fruit grown in the orchard at the back of the convent. Thien Vuong Pagoda, also known as the Chinese pagoda, it is popular with domestic tourists, specially ethnic-Chinese. Set on a hilltop amid pine trees, the pagoda was built by the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation. Tho Da, the monk who initiated the construction of the pagoda in 1958, later migrated to the US. Late afternoon depart for Nha Trang, the home to tens of thousands of descendents of the Cham people.
Overnight: Lodge Hotel, Nha Trang (2 nights) (B)

Day 06 Nha Trang
Full day tour includes Po Nagar Cham Towers, built between the 7th and 12th centuries and the site was used for Hindu worship as early as the 2nd century AD. The towers serve as the Holy See honoring Goddess Yang Ino Po Nagar, the Goddess of the Dua clan, which ruled over the southern part of the Cham Kingdom covering Kauthara and Pan Duranga. Pasteur Institute, founded in 1895 by Dr Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943). Today the institute coordinates vaccination and hygiene programs for the country's southern coastal region. Dr.Yersin's library and office are now a museum. The Oceanographic Institute, founded in 1923, it has an aquarium and specimen room open to the public. The 23 ground floor tanks are home to a variety of colorful live specimen of local marine life, including seahorses. Lang Son Pagoda, founded in the late 19th century has today resident monks. The entrance and roofs are decorated with mosaic dragons constructed of glass and bits of ceramic tile. At the top of the hill behind the pagoda is the huge white Buddha seated on a lotus blossom. Nha Trang Cathedral, built in the French Gothic style and complete with medieval-looking stained glass windows, it stands on a small hill overlooking the train station. Bao Dai Villas. the former retreat of Bao Dai, Vietnam's last emperor. Between the mid-1950s and 1975, Bao Dai Villas were used by high-ranking officials of the South Vietnamese government including President Thieu. The villas are set on three hills with brilliant views of the South China Sea, Nha Trang Bay and Cau Da dock. Hon Chong Promontory, a narrow granite promontory that juts out into turquoise waters of the South China Sea. There are good views of the mountainous coastline north of Nha Trang and nearby islands. (B)

Day 07 Nha Trang / Danang / Hoi An (Flight / Drive 30 kms / 18 miles)
Morning transfer to the airport for a flight to Danang. Tour of Danang includes the Cham Museum founded in 1915 by the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, the open-air collection of Cham sculptures is the finest in the world. Many of the sandstone carvings are breathtaking. China Beach which was made famous in the American TV series of the same name, it stretches for many kilometres north and south of the Marble Mountains. During the American War, soldiers were airlifted here for 'rest and relaxation'. The Marble Mountains consist of 5 stone hillocks, once islands, made of marble. Each is said to represent one of the five elements of the universe. The largest and most famous, Thuy Son, has a number of natural caves in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. When the Champas ruled this area, these same caves were used as Hindu shrines. Continue to Hoi An, a picturesque riverside town south of Danang. Known as Faifo to early western traders, it was one of South East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
Overnight: Hoi An Beach Resort, Hoi An (2 nights) (B)

Day 08 Hoi An
Full day tour includes Quan Cong Temple founded in 1653, this Chinese temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, whose partially gilt statue is in the central altar at the back of the sanctuary. Stone plaques on the walls list contributors to the construction and repair of the temple. Phuoc Kien Pagoda is a Chinese pagoda built around 1690 and then restored and enlarged in 1900. It is typical of the Chinese 'clans' that were established in the Hoi An area. The temple is dedicated to Thien Hau Thanh Mau (Goddess of the Sea and Protector of Sailors and Fishermen). The Japanese Covered Bridge is the first bridge on this site was constructed in 1593. It was built by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link them with the Chinese quarters across the stream. The bridge was provided with a roof so it could be used as a shelter from rain and sun. Sa Huynh Museum is located near the Japanese covered Bridge, it contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history. Phung Hung House, one family has been living here for already 8 generations. The house is a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese style. (B)

Day 09 Hoi An / Hue (Drive 132 kms / 82 miles)
Morning depart for Hue. Afternoon tour includes the Citadel, which was built in the early 19th century and modeled after the Forbidden City in Peking. There are numerous palaces and temples within these walls, as well as towers, a library and a museum. Ngo Mon Gate is the principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure and faces the Flag Tower. The central passageway with its yellow doors was reserved for use by the emperor, as was the bridge across the lotus pond. The Forbidden Purple City was reserved for the personal use of the emperor. The only servants allowed into the compound were eunuchs, who would pose no threat to the royal concubines.
Overnight: Saigon Morin Hotel, Hue (2 nights) (B)

Day 10: Hue
Full day tour includes Tu Duc Tomb, once the Royal Palace of Tu Duc, who ruled Hue more than 100 years ago. There are pavilions in a tranquil setting of forested hills and lakes. The tomb was constructed between 1864 and 1867. Tu Duc, who was the longest reigning Emperor, lived a luxurious life. Khai Dinh Tomb, this was the last monument of the Nguyen dynasty and was constructed between 1920 and 1931. It sits magnificently on the slopes of Chau E Mountain in Chau Chau Village. It has a long staircase flanked by dragons. There are ceiling murals and ceramic frescoes. Thien Mu Pagoda is located just outside of Hue, on the bank of the Perfume River, was a hotbed of anti-government protest during the early 1960s. Behind the main sanctuary of the pagoda is the Austin motorcar, which transported the monk Thich Quang Duc to the site of his 1963 self-immolations. Tomb Of Emperor Minh Mang, the complex built in 1840 by King Minh Mang and its known for its magnificent architecture, military statuaries and elaborate decorations. It is perhaps the most beautiful of Hue's pagodas and tombs. (B)

Day 11 Hue / Hanoi (Flight)
Morning transfer to the airport for a flight to Hanoi, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and public parks, is the capital of Vietnam. It is a very attractive city with French style buildings and less traffic than other cities in Asia.
Overnight: Sunway Hotel, Hanoi (3 nights) (B)

Day 12 Hanoi
Full day tour includes One Pillar Pagoda built by the Emperor Ly Thai Tong, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. Built of wood on a single stone pillar, it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom. Hoan Kiem Lake is located right in the heart of Hanoi, this lake has the tiny Tortoise Pagoda topped with a red star, on an islet in the middle of the lake. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh in a glass sarcophagus set deep in the bowels of a monumental edifice. St Joseph Cathedral, a neo - Gothic cathedral inaugurated in 1886 noteworthy for its square towers, elaborate altar and stained-glass windows. (B)

Day 13 Hanoi
Full day excursion to visit Halong Bay. Boat trip on the bay includes Hang Dau Go is a huge cave consisting of three chambers which are reached via 90 steps. The cave derives its Vietnamese name from the third of the chambers, which is said to have been used by Tran Hung Dao during the 13th century to store bamboo stakes, used against the Mongol invaders. Bo Nau is the 'Pelican' caves of interest. Thien Cung is "Heaven Palace". (B)

Day 14 Friday: Depart Hanoi
Morning departure transfer for the departure flight the.

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