DELTAS – PLATEAUS & BEACHES

DELTAS – PLATEAUS & BEACHES

BRIEFING AND TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

DETAILED TOUR ITINERARY 

Day 1
SAIGON ARRIVAL

You will meet your guide on arrival Saigon airport, be transferred and check-in to your hotel. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Saigon, answer any questions you have. Enjoy free time for the remainder of the first day.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in southern Vietnam is a sprawling metropolis of more than ten million people. Formally renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam-American war, locals still refer to Saigon. With thousands of motorbikes zipping past luxury cars, French colonial buildings dwarfed by modern skyscrapers and traditionally dressed school girls riding bicycles past trendy city workers, Saigon is an exciting city of contrasts.

Saigon is a city that never sleeps and offers a plethora of great restaurants and bars catering to all tastes, from street food vendors to the rooftop bar at the Rex Hotel, where international correspondents covered the Vietnam War and where the U.S. military attaché’s press briefing was held daily and dubbed the “Five O’clock Follies”. Whatever your interests, be sure to ask your guide for personal recommendations.

Included meals: None
Accommodation in SAIGON

Day 2
SAIGON – CITY VISIT & CU CHI TUNNELS

The Cu Chi Tunnels are an immense network of interconnected tunnels near Saigon that are part of a much larger network lying below much of the country. A guided visit to these tunnels provides a better understanding of their history, the hardship of life underground and the resilience of the Vietnamese during combat.

The tunnels were built and used initially by the Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots to protect them from the French air and ground sweeps. They later served as communication routes, storage facilities, hospitals and living quarters for the guerrilla fighters throughout the Vietnam-American war.

You’re invited to enter a section of the tunnels to witness the secrets of the tunnels firsthand. Your guide will also show you various mantraps employed from this period, the remains of an American tank and numerous B52 bomb craters. There is also the opportunity to fire an M60, M16 or AK47 rifle at the range next to the tunnel complex.

After returning to Saigon, learn about the city’s historic landmarks as you tour the city with your guide. Visit the former Presidential Palace, headquarters to the Saigon Government during the Vietnam-American war. You may also like to visit the War Remnants Museum for a vivid insight into the Vietnam-American war from a Vietnamese perspective. Next stop is the Notre Dame Cathedral, a red brick building with twin spires based on the original construction from Paris, then head across the square to the Central Post Office designed by the French architect Gustav Eiffel.

Included meals: Breakfast
Accommodation in SAIGON

Day 3
SAIGON – MEKONG DELTA FULL DAY EXCURSION

Depart your hotel this morning for about 02 hours drive heading south Ben Tre where referred locally as one of the biggest coconut tree orchards in Vietnam. Take in the lush surroundings of rice paddies and fruit farms alongside the highway as you leave behind the busy city.

Arrive at the waterfront pier and embark on an enjoyable motor boat excursion, take a glimpse at the Delta scenery, houses built on stilts and local fish farms along the way.

Take short Xe Lam (Moto cart) along country roads through the villages, tropical gardens along the way; discovering how Vietnamese farmers work their rice fields and observe daily life of the villagers in the Mekong Delta. Engage in a casual chat with your host and stroll through the garden to get an insight into daily farming life. Have a chance visit some local home factories, get to know lively activities of coconut processing and trading as well as enjoy tropical fruit & coconut juice.

Lunch will be served at local house, taste some local delicacies before returning to Saigon and arrive back to Saigon late in the afternoon.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation in SAIGON

Day 4
SAIGON – DRIVE TO DALAT

The drive from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Dalat (approx. 7 hours) passes through spectacular countryside as the road weaves through plantations, villages and mountains to the plateau of the Central Highlands. There will be opportunities to stop at silk weaving farms and coffee and tea plantations en-route as we explore this verdant region. Drop by Chicken Village, a K’ho hill tribe village near Bao Loc for visit.  Established as a hill station at the beginning of the century, Dalat is reminiscent of an alpine town with its French chalets and pine forests. It is located on the Lang Biang Plateau, some 300 kilometres north of Saigon. All kinds of flowers and vegetables found in Europe are grown here, too. Many varieties of orchids are cultivated in Dalat. The town suffered little from years of war and its characteristic colonial houses still stand. On arrival transfer to hotel.

Included meals: Breakfast
Accommodation in DALAT

Day 5
DALAT – HIGHLIGHTS CITY VISIT

Dalat was founded in 1897 by when Doctor Alexandre Yersin. It is located on a verdant plateau containing pine forests and lakes. Its pleasure cool climate was the reason that the French developed it in the early 19^th century as a summer retreat or “City of Eternal Spring”. The town nowadays has a relaxed atmosphere and is very popular with Vietnamese holiday makers. A trip to Dalat would not be completed without a visit to the nearby cheery flower & vegetable gardens.

Start your trip with a visit to Domain de Marie Church built in 1938 atop of a hill.

Tour to The former Railway Station (in use only for an optional steam train ride).

Dalat’s cool weather, peaceful atmosphere and gorgeous scenery create a wonderful backdrop for many of the city’s dedicated monks and nuns. Linh Phuoc Pagoda is among the city’s most famous and one of the most intricate and gorgeous pagodas in all of Vietnam. The building exteriors at Linh Phuoc are meticulously laid with shattered glass and pottery, while stunning jade, stone and wood sculptures and statues are strewn about almost carelessly. The magnificent pagoda holds several records in Vietnam for its exhibits.

Continue with a visit to Prenn Waterfall, arguably one of the nicest waterfalls of the region. The waterfalls are situated at an altitude of 1,120 metres and the falls themselves are 15 metres high.

Visit to Truc Lam Monastery of Meditation – one of the largest Zen Meditation study centres in Vietnam, with equally large numbers of nuns and monks. An optional at own expense to reach Truc Lam by a scenic

End your trip at XQ embroidery workshop, which is located in a natural setting of hills, streams and gardens. Here you will gain an understanding of the special handicraft that has been kept alive for generations for Dalat.

Enjoy a walk through the town’s bustling central market (Hoa Binh Market), where you will meet local people and ethnic minority people of the region. Your will end the tour at the town’s bustling central market, renowned for its fresh vegetables and fruit that is rarely found in a tropical country.

Included meals: Breakfast
Accommodation in DALAT

Day 6
DALAT – DRIVE TO NHA TRANG

Breakfast at hotel.

Drive on a panoramic route through the lush mountain pass to the coastal plain. The highland crops of coffee, tea and vegetables are replaced with that of tobacco, grapes and rice as the road descends into the dry climate. Nhatrang, one of the most developed of all the beaches, with its charms derived from a harmonious combination of mountains, island sea and beautiful white sand beaches. Nha Trang has numerous cultural attractions and interesting sites. It is also an excellent place for fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving.

The afternoon, enjoy a meandering drive along the coast of the beautiful beach city. Passing by Long Son Pagoda where for those more energetic will have the chance to climb the 152 stone steps leading to the giant white Buddha seated on a lotus blossom. There are superb views of the whole city from the platforms around the Buddha (14 metres high. Continue biking or drive to Thap Ba Hot Springs where you will have chance to treat your skin to a therapeutic mud bath followed by a swim in the mineral rich hot thermal springs (Optional mud bath services with extra fee). On your ride back to town, visit the Cham Po Nagar Temples built between the 7th and 12th centuries, before returning to your hotel.

Included meals: Breakfast
Accommodation in NHA TRANG

Day 7
NHATRANG – BOAT CRUISE EXCURSION

Breakfast at hotel.

Spend your time in Nha Trang with a balance of activities and free time to relax on the beach or by your hotel pool. For those that require additional action and a surge of adrenalin, activities like jet skiing and parasailing are available on the beach.

Today’s highlight is a cruise to tropical Islands, a protected marine area in the bay of Nha Trang. The island is also known as Ebony Island due to the black rock cliffs in the south eastern part. Every year swallows flock to the area to build their nests in the black stone caves found in the cliffs. Relax on the island or snorkel and explore the coral reef where you will be able to see some of the 350 species of sea life biodiversity that Vietnam has to offer. Cruise to an island restaurant for lunch passing fishing villages along the way, before returning to Nha Trang for an afternoon of free time.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation in NHATRANG

Day 8
NHA TRANG DEPARTURE

Breakfast at hotel. Free at leisure.
You will be transferred to the Saigon airport for your departure flight.

Included meals: Breakfast

TOUR PRICE(S):

Standard 3*    : from US $ 877
Superior 4*     : from US $ 986
Deluxe 5*        : from US $ 1,287

* Prices are based on twin/ double share for group of at least 02 passengers travelling together and depend on availability and season.

All our itineraries can be customised. For questions or further information, Enquire Now!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION