THE LONG BUSTLING SOUTH

Arrive in Saigon. Greeted by your guide at the airport and transferred to the city centre. Let’s commence our visit in Saigon at the Cach Mang Thang Tam Square, featured by the graceful colonial–style Notre Dame Cathedral and Saigon Central Post Office, from where we can walk up to visit the historical Reunification Palace. After lunch with delicious Vietnamese foods, we will drive overland to Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground network constructed by Vietnamese guerrillas to protect the region against the American attacks during the Vietnam War. We can even crawl a part inside the tunnel, visit their infirmary, kitchen.... to discover how people had survived hereby. Back to Saigon for dinner and overnight.

Let’s visit a part of the Mekong Delta today. Head South to Can Tho province and have a break after two-hour driving at My Tho to visit the ornate Vinh Trang Pagoda and family-run rice noodle factory, coconut candy mill, or stroll in the garden where the locals feed honeybee. Check-in hotel in Can Tho at noontime. After lunchtime, we will leave for Thot Not, 45km to the north of Can Tho to visit a bamboo basket-making hamlet of Long Thanh before going on to Thot Not Stork Sanctuary, from where we can watch thousands of egrets and herons coming back to their roost in tree branches from a watching tower. Return to Can Tho late afternoon for overnight.

Visit Cai Rang floating market near Can Tho to enjoy how the Mekong “boat people” come to markets on the river everyday for their daily trading, especially of tropical fruits and local specialties. Drive on northwest to Chau Doc, situated on the Cambodian border. Lunch en route or at hotel in Chau Doc. Afternoon we will take a boat to visit Fish Farms, where fish are bred in cages suspended under floating houses on Mekong River. Stop at an islet for visiting a Cham minority group village where people are continuing their traditional simple life on stilt houses with fishing, weaving and practising their daily Muslim ceremonies. Return to the mainland to drive up the Sam Mt. to watch the sunset over the Vietnam-Cambodia border. Overnight in Chau Doc.

Leave Chau Doc and back to Saigon via Vinh Long. Break the journey at Vinh Long to take a boat trip to visit Phan Thanh Giang Confucious Temple and the cottage industries at Cho Cua village. Depending on the time we will have many chances to visit small, family factories making ceramic tile, tofu (bean curd), fish sauce, workshops of rice husking, blacksmith and thatching. Continue to Cai Be Floating Market and rejoin the car to drive back to Saigon for overnight.

Leave Saigon after breakfast for a drive through scenic rubber and tea plantation farms to the cooler climes of Dalat, 300km from Saigon. Established as a hill station at the beginning of 20th century, Dalat is reminiscent of an Alpine town with its French chalets and pine forests. Have an afternoon of sightseeing in Dalat in the art deco Summer Palace of the former Emperor Bao Dai, Xuan Huong Lake and Lam Ty Ni Pagoda. Overnight in Dalat.

Leaving for Nha Trang after our breakfast, the road descends to the arid coastal city of Phan Rang. Break the journey here to visit the 13th century Po Klong Jarai Cham Towers perched high on a rocky hill surrounded by prickly pear cacti. After Phan Rang, the Highway I turns Northward and follows the coast, passing by salt heaps and vivid green rice fields. Check-in hotel in Nha Trang. Afternoon visit the Po Nagar Cham Towers, the Stone church, Long Son Pagoda with its enormous white Buddha statue, the remarkable points of the city, and fishing villages. Overnight in Nha Trang (dinner at your own arrangement).

Have a morning boat trip on Nha Trang bay to visit some of the nearby islands, we can go swimming and snorkeling in the crystal warm water of Nha Trang. Return to the shore after a fresh seafood lunch on one of these islands. Afternoon is free to relax on the beach. Overnight in Nha Trang (dinner at your own arrangement).

Go back to Saigon with the stop tonight at Mui Ne, a beautiful beach that has become more and more familiar to both foreign and Vietnamese tourists. Upon arrival, visit the fishing village in Mui Ne, stroll around its very famous pink sand-dunes and the Fairy stream. Check-in your resort and relax in Mui Ne. (lunch, dinner are at your own arrangement).

At your leisure in the morning to enjoy Mui Ne. Check-out at noon time and drive back to Saigon. Overnight in Saigon (lunch, dinner are at your own arrangement).

At leisure till our guide comes to see you and transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your departure flig