Highlights
– Learning of the long past of Saigon, from its ancient heritage to its emergence from the Vietnam War
– Visiting the fantastically peculiar Cao Dai Temple for a look at one of Vietnam’s lesser-known religions
– Delving into the Cu Chi Tunnels to hear of the secretive, communist events that took place down there
– Cruising around Cai Be floating market and the wonderful tropical scenery of the Mekong Delta
Itinerary
Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City Arrival (D)
Our driver and guide will be there at Tan Son Nhat international airport to welcome you and your family to Vietnam’s modern metropolis, Ho Chi Minh City. Climb into your private car and we will take the drive to your central hotel, where you will be able to check-in (any time after 14.00) and take in the fast pace of the city in your own time.
In the late afternoon, our guide will return to your hotel to take your family to a local restaurant, where we will try Vietnam’s delicious cuisine together for the first time. After this, either take the chance to continue exploring or retire to your hotel.
Notes: Dinner is the only included meal on the first day. Make your own arrangements for breakfast and lunch and stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City Tour (B, L)
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before our guide and driver arrive. We will start today’s city tour at the Independence Palace, the former office of Ngo Dinh Diem, which was stormed in 1975 during the Fall of Saigon. This brought a long-awaited end to the Vietnam War, memories of which we will explore in the neighboring War Remnants Museum.
After this, we head back in time with a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office, two fantastic examples of French colonial architecture in Ho Chi Minh City.
We will take lunch at a local restaurant before continuing by car to Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown area. Through a visit to Binh Tay market, we will understand more about the history of Chinese immigration to Vietnam and be able to explore the frantic buying and selling of beautiful goods that happens here daily.
After this, we head to the city’s oldest Buddhist temple, the statuesque Giac Lam Pagoda, finishing the tour afterward at the lively Ben Thanh Market, the city’s central trading hub.
In the evening, our guide will meet you're at your hotel and take you to the Golden Dragon Theater for a charming water puppet show, where Vietnam’s unique cultural history comes alive for the whole family through song and dance.
Notes: Make your own arrangements for dinner and stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 3: Cao Dai Temple and the Cu Chi Tunnels (B, L)
Take breakfast in your hotel’s restaurant and head out with the guide to Cao Dai Temple, lying 90km Northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. Here, we will find the eclectic main temple of the Cao Dai religion, the followers of which promote tolerance and understanding through the adoption of Christian, Buddhist and Taoist principles. This unique blend can be seen in the temple’s bizarre but beautiful architecture, which also contains examples of Islamic and Hindu influence. We will visit the highly interesting midday mass here before taking a local lunch at a nearby restaurant.
After a relaxed lunch, we start on the return journey to Ho Chi Minh City, stopping off at the famous Cu Chi Tunnels on the way. We watch a brief introductory video before climbing inside the astounding 250km underground network, where the Viet Cong hid from their Saigonese enemies as well as treated the wounded, stored weapons, taught the children and lived through some truly awful conditions.
The tunnels have been rendered perfectly safe since the end of the war, so we will explore their mazes thoroughly before emerging to the jungle floor above and taking a traditional Viet Cong guerilla snack of sweet potato, cassava, and tea. We head back to Ho Chi Minh City after this.
Notes: Make your own arrangements for dinner and stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 4: Mekong Delta – Cai Be Floating Market (B, L)
Rise early for breakfast and jump into your private car. Today, we will be making the journey to South of Ho Chi Minh City to its resplendent neighbor, the Mekong Delta. Our exact destination is Cai Be, the location of one of the region’s captivating floating markets, in which vendors and potential buyers bargain over everyday goods across the mighty Mekong River. With a gorgeous jungle backdrop, we will head out on a local wooden boat into the market, finding great deals on food and souvenirs.
After this, we head into quieter enclaves of the Mekong Delta, boarding on land to explore some of the charming bonsai gardens and local-trade workshops that dot the area. We cycle along lovely village paths and soak up the laidback atmosphere of this tropical paradise, stopping at the house of a local family who will provide us with lunch and the opportunity to learn more about their relaxed approach to life.
The wonderful traditional music performance will follow this, after which we will return to Ho Chi Minh City for a relaxed end to the day.
Notes: Make your own arrangements for dinner and stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 5: Ho Chi Minh City Departure (B)
Have your final breakfast at the hotel before our driver arrives in good time to transfer you to Ho Chi Minh City’s international airport. From here, your family will board your flight to your onward destination.
This signals the end of the tour. We hope that you had a fantastic time with our Vietnam tour operator company and we certainly look forward to welcoming your family back to Vietnam in the future!
Inclusion
– Accommodation
– Entrance fees as mentioned in the itinerary
– All transport including airport pick-up and drop-off by vehicles equipped with AC
– Mekong Delta cruise
– English-speaking guide
– Meals as mentioned in the itinerary
– Water (2 bottles per person per tour day)
Exclusion
– Early check-in and late check-out surcharge
– Meals and drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
– Travel insurance
– Personal expenses
– Tips for the guides and drivers