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HIGHLIGHT OF THE SOUTH
8day trip
Trip code: VNHL8
This trip covers the best highlights of South Vietnam: Cuchi
Tunnels, endless
Mekong
waterway, charming Dalat, Golden beach Nhatrang, little
township
of Phanthiet.
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This trip covers the
best highlights of South Vietnam. We start our trip by a visit to the
intricate network of the Cu Chi Tunnels, constructed by the Viet Cong
during the American War. Also included are the charming beaches and
islands of Nha Trang as well as the colonial hill station of Dalat, where
the art deco villas of Bao Dai, Vietnam's last emperor, and the old French
governor-general's Residence still remain and we have the chance to
explore endless waterways of Mekong Delta.
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Day 1 :
Ho Chi Minh city - Cuchi Tunnels
This morning begins with a 1 hour 45 minute drive to the Cu Chi
Tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels lie 75 km northwest of Saigon . At the height
of the Vietnam war, the tunnel system stretched from the outskirts of
Saigon all the way to the Cambodian border ... something like 250
kilometers of tunnels. The tunnel system, built over 25 years starting in
the 1940s, let the Viet Minh and, later, the Viet Cong, control a huge
rural area. It was an underground city with living areas, kitchens,
storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers. In places,
it was several stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people who virtually
lived underground for years.... getting married, giving birth, going to
school. They only came out at night to furtively tend their crops.
The ground here is hard clay, which made this whole thing possible. But
even so, the planning and construction was incredible. People dug all this
with hand tools, filling reed baskets and dumping the dirt into bomb
craters. They installed large vents so they could hear approaching
helicopters, smaller vents for air and baffled vents to dissipate cooking
smoke. There were also hidden trap doors and gruesomely effective
bamboo-stake booby traps. Today, the trees and bushes have grown back. And
since 1988, two sections of tunnels have been open for tourism. There are
what some guidebooks call the "real" tunnels at Ben Dinh. They remain
unlit and mostly unreconstructed, which means chunky Westerners shouldn't
even try.
(Breakfast and lunch included)
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Day 2 :
Mekong Delta
Our tour starts with a drive through the Mekong Delta to Cai Be floating
market, from here we will board our river boats for a cruise along the
endless waterways of the mighty Mekong to visit Caibe floating market. One
of our stops will be to a small restaurant serving the local delicacies on
the river. We will arrive at the lush orchards of Vinh Long where we will
be treated local style lunch in lush orchard gardens. In the afternoon we
drive to Cantho which is considered to be the heart of the Mekong Delta.
We will stay for the night at our hotel.
(Breakfast, and Lunch included)
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Day 3 :
Mekong Delta - Saigon
After having breakfast, we will then drive to Phong Dien floating market
for a nice shot to bubbling laden boat of spectacular hustling & bustling
market before we proceed further to Soctrang where we visit the Clay and
Bat pagoda. We drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.
(Breakfast included)
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Day 4 :
Saigon - Dalat
This morning we leave Ho Chi Minh City and head for the hills, literally.
The scenic 7 hour drive along Highway 20 to Da Lat will be broken up by
stops at some of the tea and coffee plantations along the way. We will
stop for lunch at the picturesque Dambri falls, about 15km from the
highway. Here you may get the chance to have your photo taken next to an
elephant! Arriving at Da Lat, sometimes known as the “City of Eternal
Spring,” by late to mid afternoon, there will be the chance for a short
walk to get the feel of this delightful city. We will begin with a visit
to the Lam Ty Ni pagoda to meet Vien Thuc, a monk who is fluent in six
languages. We follow this with a trip to the summer palace of Vietnam's
last Emperor, Bao Dai. Bao Dai was forced to abdicate in 1945, shortly
after the end of World War II and spent the rest of his life in voluntary
exile in France where he was educated as a child. It is believed that he
spoke better French than Vietnamese. From here we visit the rather bizarre
and very aptly named Crazy House, a brightly painted concrete house which
winds itself around trees, mimicking their shapes. It now functions as a
guesthouse. This evening we will head out to one of the fine restaurants
of Da Lat.
(Breakfast included)
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Day 5 :
Dalat-Nhatrang
Our drive today will take us out of Da Lat and back down the Prenn Pass
for a stop at the “Chicken village,” so-called because of its statue of a
chicken, inhabited by the Koho minority people. From here we will head
east and down the Ngoan Muc pass to the coastal lowlands. Our destination
for today is Nha Trang, the country’s premier Resort town. This part of
the country was once inhabited by an ancient civilization known as the
Cham, and our next stop will be at the Po Klong Garai Cham tower. This
amazing structure, which has endured the test of time, the elements and
indeed war, was built in the 13th century. We will stop for a late lunch
at Cam Ranh Bay and arrive in Nha Trang by mid to late afternoon.
(Breakfast included)
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Day 6 :
Nhatrang-Phanthiet
Nhatrang is Vietnam's premier beach resort with a sugar white beach shaded
by swaying palms and lapped by the warm South China Sea. It is easy to
see why. A busy fishing town with picturesque scenery in its charming
harbor, Nhatrang boasts beautiful ancient towers built by the architects
of Champa Kingdom. No wonder Vietnam's last emperor, Baodai set his summer
villa here overlooking the South China Sea and Nhatrang Bay. To make it
complete, Nhatrang has beautiful beaches and stunning site. A boat trip to
nearly by fishing villages or a scuba diving trip or just have a mineral
mud-both at nearby by natural mud spa is absolutely wonderful when stay in
Nhatrang. In the afternoon we drive to Phanthiet
(Breakfast included)
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Day 7 :
Phanthiet
The sleepy fishing town of Phathiet is about 200 km up the coast from Ho
Chi Minh city. Today we have whole day at leisure to explore sand dunes
are
just relax on quiet beach.
(Breakfast included)
Day 8 :
Phanthiet - Ho Chi Minh city
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At leisure at this lovely beach destination. We then transfer back to Ho
Chi Minh city in time for your flight home.
(Breakfast included)
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Trip includes |
ü
English speaking guide
ü All transportation and transfers
ü All accommodation on twin share basis with daily breakfast
ü Meals as indication
ü Admission fees and permits where applicable |
Trip excludes |
ü
Airfares & airport taxes
ü Pre/post trip arrangement
ü Visa and visa arrangement
ü Travel insurance
ü Other personal expenses |
Trip cost |
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Contact
us for further information |
Accommodation |
Saigon:
Rex hotel
Dalat: Novotel Dalat
Nhatrang: Que Huong hotel |
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