GLIMPSE OF SOUTH VIETNAM I

SAIGON - MY THO - BEN TRE - SAIGON - TAY NINH - CU CHI - SAIGON

4 DAYS | 3 NIGHTS

From the bustle and hustle of Saigon, take a cruise along the Mekong, enjoy a folk music show performed by peasants and seasonal fruits, get even closer to the locals on the rowing boat and take a walk into the rustic local village, explore the ingenious Cu Chi tunnels of the Viet Cong, to Cao Dai Great Temple, the Holy Land of Caodaism and where all the major religions of the world blend together in a unique religious mosaic.

Start

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Air routes

Road route

SMALL GROUP TOUR ITINERARY

DAY 1: SAIGON ARRIVAL (D)

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, you will be met our guide and transferred to hotel for the check-in. Note: normal check in time of hotel is 14:00 p.m and schedule of this day will be adapted to your international flight arrival time.

This afternoon, a half day Saigon city tour includes the Independence Palace, formerly the Presidential Palace, the home to the last 3 President of South Vietnam, then we take a stroll to the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City as the Old Saigon Post Office, Gothic-style Notre Dame Cathedral, Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Opera House and City Hall. Overnight in Saigon.

Note: an alternative to the Independence Palace, visit the History Museum (closed Mondays), the good collection of displays and illustrations depicting the cultural evolution of the country from ancient times plus valuable artifacts from Angkor Wat and household implements, clothing, ceramics and weaponry from Vietnam’s past

DAY 2: SAIGON – MY THO - BEN TRE (B/L/D)

Our guide will meet and pick you up at the hotel lobby then we leave the bustle of the city behind for a day of exploring scenic rice fields, waterways and extensive orchards of My Tho, one of exciting destinations of the Mekong Delta area, just some hours by coach from Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon arrival at My Tho boat station. You embark a local boat for a boat trip up to Mekong River and sightseeing of fish floating market, four famous islands of Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, and Phoenix and then stop at the famous Unicorn Island. While at the Unicorn Island, you will take a short trek for an orchard visit, enjoy a folk music show performed by peasants and seasonal fruits. Visit then to a coconut candy workshop, taste fresh candies. It’s time for you to experience of the daily life of villagers in Mekong Delta by getting on a horse-cart and it brings you along the countryside road. The next spot is to visit a bee-farm and enjoy honey- tea.

We end the day excursion with a discovery of Ben Tre province’s Vam Chua natural canal by rowing boat. The bus will drive you back to Saigon around 18:30, end of your Mekong Delta Trip.

Overnight in Saigon.

DAY 3: SAIGON – TAY NINH – CU CHI (B/L/D)

Leaving the city behind, the scenery changes to views of rice paddies, villagers drying noodles by the side of the road and other scenes typical to southern Vietnam. At Tay Ninh visit the Cao Dai Great Temple, the Holy Land of Caodaism and where all the major religions of the world blend together in a unique religious mosaic.

After lunch in a local restaurant, we head back to Cu Chi district visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, located 70km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, built and used by the Viet Cong during Vietnam War. It took 25 years to construct this tunnel and it stands today as a symbol of struggle of the Vietnamese people. This Tunnel consists of more than 200km of underground tunnels, many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels and home to more than 16,000 communist guerillas and sympathizers during the war. The underground network provided sleeping quarters, meeting rooms, hospitals, and other social rooms. Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels provides a better understanding of the prolonged resistance war and also of the persistent and clever character of the Vietnamese. Back to Saigon in late afternoon.

Over night in Saigon.