Best Of Southern Vietnam, 6 days

On arrival at  Ho Chi Minh Airport, you are met by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer. You may have some time free to relax or discover at your own leisure. The bustling city of Ho Chi Minh, still called Saigon by many locals, was originally a fishing village built up on a vast swampland, but it has developed into Saigon under the French domination. The effervescent development has bought Ho Chi Minh some cosmic changes from a war-torn city to a thriving metropolis. However, the architecture, local culture and lifestyle in Ho Chi Minh are still a reconciliation among French, American and Chinese influences. This fast growing city is now punctuated with elegant international hotels and exclusive restaurants, crowded with motorbikes, cars and vociferous cyclo drivers, and excited by numerous shopping areas, sidewalk cafés and noodle stalls. They have formed a dynamic urban area in very special sense and make for an endless exploration in this  south Vietnamese gem.

Today, we start our exploration of Ho Chi Minh with a walk along  the vibrant and beautiful Nguyen Hue Boulevard. This broad walking promenade is fringed with many  shopping malls, eating spots and French colonial structures. We pay a quick look at the ornate City Hall and the old Opera House before we head towards the striking European style­ landmarks of  Notre Dame Cathedral and  Old Sai Gon Post Office. The tree lined boulevards lead us to the Reunification Palace, a former residence of the southern Vietnam President until a dramatic end on April 1975. The president palace was built on base of the French governor-general mansion and had all for the president life, plus shelter, helipad, and command bunker. We visit this site before going to the War Remnant Exhibit which contains a wealth of images and real objects reflecting the notorious Vietnam- American War and the first Indochina War involving the French colonialists. They make your visit like taking a step back into the war time. We continue seeing the Jade Emperor Temple  and the crowded Saigon Chinatown, locally named Cho Lon. This bustling area is crammed with various sacred temples and mysterious and narrow market lanes. The major attractions in place are the Binh Tay Market and  the Thien Hau Pagoda. They will give us some interesting views of the local culture and traditions.  We round off our city tour with a walk around the retail  Ben Thanh Market, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts appealing to every taste!.

The incredible underground network of Cu Chi  was constructed by Vietnamese fighters during their long struggle for independence. These extensive tunnels stretched nearly 200km from the South Vietnamese capital to the Cambodian border and were several stories deep in some places. They included countless trapdoors, living areas, storage facilities, weapon factories, field hospitals, command centers, and kitchens. We head out of the town this morning to Cu Chi Area where we will see an exposition hall and a widened section of Cu Chi Tunnels to get a feel of the underground life and learn a little more about the guerrilla tactics of the Viet Cong. There are also possibilities to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range. We set for Tay Ninh, driving along a crammed road linking Ho Chi Minh City and Cambodia. The rubber plantations go along our journey until Tay Ninh Town, the headquarters of Cao Dai Sect. This religion was founded in 1926 and now numbers over 2 million members throughout Vietnam. We arrive in time to attend the fantastic mid-day service when the followers fill the hall wearing colored robes. These costumes are a symbol of the curious combination of the Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. We also have a look at  the ornate Cao Dai Holy See, of which the vaulted mosque and multicolored temple represent the many great spiritual figures of the Cao Dai religion, including Buddha, Mohammed, and Victor Hugo.

Heading out of the town, we travel by road to My Tho, a gateway to the Mekong Delta. This incredibly fertile region was formed by the mighty Mekong River, which winds its way from Tibet - China through  Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and finally into Vietnam. On arrival in My Tho, we board a private boat to explore the Mekong Delta. This river trip gives some fantastic views from the red water surface to floating fish farms and lush plantation backdrop. Along the way, we anchor on the Unicorn Island and stroll around with our guide to visit this large island, where village lanes are fringed with fishponds, fruit gardens and rice fields. We make some stops at local houses to taste seasonal fruits, listen to traditional music performed by a villager ensemble, and sample honey tea. The interlaced canals are truly a lifeblood of the Mekong Delta; however, many channels can be accessed only by small boats. We enjoy a short sampan trip rowing under the palm grove to venture into this maze of canals before we continue our motor boat to the coconut kingdom of Ben Tre. This luxuriant region offers various activities from bicycle ride to horse cart carriage and motorbike pulling cart. We take one of them to discover the traditional lifestyles, culture, and history of local people and  visit some industry cottages. They may be brick-kiln ceramics, coconut candy and coconut handicrafts,... We round off our excursion and continue our drive to Can Tho.  Along the way, we make stop to visit  the beautiful Vinh Trang Pagoda. This ornate complex was built in peaceful setting of garden and bonsai trees,  with a mixture of China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Europe elements.

The floating markets are a highlight of the Mekong Delta. They  are usually animated from dawn to midmorning only. Today we get up early to take a private boat downstream on the Mekong River towards the Cai Rang floating market. This bustling trading hub still keeps its traditional trading way; each boat usually  sells one particular item, whether it be pumpkins, pineapples, sugar canes,…To make customers know where to shop, they hang that item from the highest part of the boat. We circumambulate many barges heaped with tropical fruits to explore the amazing scene of trade and take some wonderful photos close up. The local boat waves its way back to the Ninh Kieu Pork, giving us a chance to look at the Can Tho cable bridge spanning over the Hau River.  We have time this morning to visit  the Binh Thuy House, one of the most interesting sites in Can Tho City. This ancient house features a beautiful combination of French, Chinese, Vietnamese  architecture and was once the Lover movie scene. Upon leaving this house, we travel by road through paddy fields and villages back to Ho Chi Minh City.

There are no activities planned on this final day. You may have free time to continue your exploration of Ho Chi Minh City, do your last shopping or simply look back upon your trip images. The holiday comes to an end with a transfer to Ho Chi Minh Airport for  your departure.