ESSENCE OF VIETNAM
10 days | US$2510 | Imperial Journey in Vietnam
The Essence of Vietnam is the ideal journey for those wanting to experience the diversity of this wonderful country in style and within a limited time frame. This journey allows you to soak up the youthful vitality of Saigon, stroll the charming streets of Hoi An, immerse yourself in the ancient rhythms of Vietnam's countryside, relax within the mystical view of Halong Bay¡and so much more!
Days 1 - 3 Ho Chi Minh (plus Cu Chi and the Mekong Delta)
Ho Chi Minh, or Saigon as it was once known, is a city layered with nostalgia. From your city tour through the boulevards of French colonial architecture (including the Opera House, Town Hall, and the Notre Dame Cathedral) to the landmark American Caravelle Hotel, where you will stay Ho Chin Minh is a city that still resonates the bitter struggles of the American Vietnam War.
Experience the meaning of war from the Vietnamese perspective as you tour out to the tunnels of Cu Chi, a complex of underground tunnels, connecting hideouts, shelters, command centres and living quarters of the Viet Cong.
Crawl through these claustrophobic chasms if you dare, then further your insight as you explore alternative perspectives on the war at the Reunification Palace museum.
A day trip by boat through the jungles, and shoaling branches of the Mekong Delta, is an exciting introduction to a river whose waters are considered lifeblood of this agriculturally rich region. Coconut candy and honey production, tropical fruits growing, and fishing are a few aspects of life on the river to observe as you are paddled in a sampan to Phoenix and Turtle Islands where samples of these delicious products await you.
Binh Tay Wholesale Market in Cholon China Town, the Vin Trang Pagoda, Thien Hau Temple, the Church of the quirky Cao Dai cult, are also included over your two days to help fill out the picture of modern day Ho Chi Minh.
Day 4 Hue
Fly to the city of Hue, Vietnam's former royal capital set beautifully amidst landscaped gardens on the banks of the Perfume River, and back-dropped by the forested slopes of the Truong Son Mountain Range. Vietnamese say that what Halong Bay is to nature, Hue is to the art of humankind. 13 Nguyen Kings sculpted (competitively) the palaces, citadels, temples, shrines, pagodas and mausoleums that decorate this misty valley.
Relax along the river or explore sights such as the delightfully sprawling Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO world Cultural heritage listed site that is slowly being restored to its pre war-damaged glory.
Cruise along the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda, the oldest temple and symbol of Hue, and then explore the extravagant mausoleums of former Emperor's Tu Duc and Khai Dinh - both exquisite examples of the Vietnamese Buddhist aesthetic.
Day 5 Hue - Hoi An
Enjoy stunning mountain and ocean views as you travel the refreshingly crisp Hai Van Pass on a switchback south to the famous "China Beach" coastline on route to another elegantly historic town, Hoi An.
The Road from Hue to Hoi An is one of incomparable beauty. Along the way stop to see the sculptures of Cham-Vietnam's ancient Hindu Kingdom; the caves of the Buddhist Shrines at Marble Mountain (which also served nearby Danang as an emergency hospital during the Tet offensive of the Vietnam/American War) and China Beach where American and Australian G.I's rested and recreated in the brighter moments of their tours of duty.
Day 6 - 7 Hoi An
Hoi An is a highpoint for most visitors to Vietnam. Historically rich and aesthetically beautiful, Hoi An has a UNESCO World Heritage listing from its former role as a trading post for Chinese merchants who have docked their junks inside the estuary of the Thubon River since the 16th century. Their elegantly tiled and lacquer-paneled Trading Houses and Community halls lend this river front town a seductive old world charm.
Take to the narrow cobblestone streets on foot, explore such sites as the, The Phung Hung Family Home, the Fukien, Cantonese, and Hokien, Hong Meeting Halls, The Quan Kong Temple, the Japanese Covered Bridge and the fruit, flower, silks and lantern markets, before progressing to a more relaxed pace in a cycle along the river front.
Eating seafood on the nearby Cua Dai beach, and having clothes tailored at a fraction of the cost of back home, are just a few of the popular pastimes that your guide can help you with to get the most out of your two days in Hoi An.
Day 8 - 10 Hanoi (plus Halong Bay)
Soak up the ambience of the capital, a city whose bustling streets are a blend of both Chinese and French Colonial architecture and design. Coffee shops, bars, fantastic restaurants, and excellent shopping make Hanoi, Vietnam's most cosmopolitan city.
A full day city tour takes you to Ho Chi Minh's Former Residence and Mausoleum (when he is not away being retouched in Moscow,) the One-Pillar Pagoda, the sacred Hoan Kiem Lake, and Vietnam's first university - the 11th Century Temple of Literature.
A separate rickshaw tour through the Old Town gets right in amidst the bustle taking you along streets each dedicated to a particular style of good - silk, paper, silver, lacquers, ceramics, gravestones... based on ancient guild memberships. Stop at Hoa Lo Prison dubbed the Hanoi Hilton by American POW's, and look out for the impossibly skinny "tub" houses, a Hanoi phenomenon that arose from a tax on property frontage widths.
A day trip to Halong Bay to enjoy a delicious seafood lunch on board a wooden boat as you explore, the breathtaking beauty of this area.
Premium seating at an evening performance of the renowned Hanoi Water Puppets, (traditionally performed in irrigated rice paddies) are reserved in advance, as this popular performance is a not-to-be missed Hanoi experience.
Tour Inclusions
Tripcode: IEVN1008
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