Southern Vietnam Tour 7 days

Highlights: Get a vivid picture of the south of Vietnam in 7 days. The tour is especially set up to meet the demand of everyone who wish to embark in places so-called southern Vietnam. You'll figure out how much is present Ho Chi Minh City different from itself during the past. Mekong Delta is now changing into a new form but still remains precious features. Rural life is running in the flow of modern time but still remains its valuable simplicity.

Details Itinerary:

Code: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, G = Guide

Day 1: Arrival at Ho Chi Minh City (D)

Arriving at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll be driven to your hotel. Rest of the day, you'll be free to stroll around the city as you wish.

19.00 - 20.30: You’ll a Welcome dinner at one of a famous restaurant.

You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 2 : Ho Chi Minh City tour (B, L, G)

8.30: Your car and driver will come to take you for your Ho Chi Minh City tour

8.30 - 10.30: You’ll be driven to visit History Museum, an exhibition of the 5th century ‘Oc Eo’ civilisation.

10.30 - 12.00: You’ll visit the Museum of War Remnants provides a very partial, but riveting, perspective of the ‘American War’

12.00 - 13.15: Lunch will be served at the local restaurant.

13.15 - 14.00: You’ll visit Centre Post Office with colonial building and the Cathedral Church.

14.00 - 14.45: You'll be driven to visit the Jade Emperor Temple. It’s one of the best Taoist temples in Vietnam, with superb effigies, remarkable carved panels of the descent to Hell and somewhat incongruous terrapin and tortoise sanctuaries.

14.45 - 17.00: You’ll have approximately two hour to visit the Ben Thanh market, one of the liveliest areas of Ho Chi Minh City, is packed with every conceivable commodity and a visit to lacquer workshop to see the complex processes and meticulous workmanship involved in this traditional Vietnamese craft product. End of your services at the hotel. You'll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi (B, L, G)

8.30 - 12.00: You’ll be picked up to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See in time to watch the mid-day ceremony. The Cao Dai is a ‘new’ religion unique to Vietnam with around a million followers. Both its creed and its architecture are remarkable and exotic. The service lasts about half an hour – the rituals are based upon an eclectic mixture of Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. Discreet photography is OK, but shoes must be left outside

12.00 - 13.30: You'll be driven to local restaurant to have lunch.

13.30 - 14.30: You'll visit the Cu Chi tunnels, a byzantine maze of underground passages, chambers, rooms and booby traps used by both the Vietminh and the Viet Cong to suddenly materialise as if from nowhere, launch a lightning ambush, and vanish equally rapidly.

14.30 - 15.45: You’ll drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. End of the services at your hotel.

Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City/Vinh Long/Can Tho (B, L, G)

8.30 - 10.30: Drive to Vinh Long, a city famous by the Mekong River and floating market

10.30 - 15.30: You’ll cruise to visit Cai Be floating market, fruit orchards, a traditional family-run brick kiln, and drop in to look at some traditional cottage industries - a workshop making the huge coffins unique to the Mekong is particularly interesting. You'll have a lunch at one of the local family and have a shot show of traditional music in Mekong Delta which is operated by the local people.

15.30 - 16.00: You'll have time to wonder around the fruit market to buy some kind of famoust tropical fruit such as banana, pomelo, dragon fruit and so on.

16.00 - 17.30: You'll be driven further into the Mekong Delta to Can Tho where you'll spend the night.

Day 5: Can Tho/Soc Trang/Can Tho (B, L, G)

8.00 - 10.45: You'll have breakfast at your hotel and then be picked up to Ninh Kieu Harbour. You'll then take about two hour boat trip to cruise along the Mekong River to Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets. You can enjoy the Mekong rural lifestyle.

10.45 - 13.00: You’ll then drive to Soc Trang (a small town well off the beaten tourist track, where you can visit the K’leng Pagoda, remarkable Bat Pagoda, and the unusual ‘Clay Pagoda’. You'll then drive back to Can Tho for lunch. Rest of the day will be free to stroll around some of the fruit local market. You’ll spend the night in Can Tho.

Day 6: Can Tho/Ho Chi Minh City (B, G)

You'll return to Ho Chi Minh City and free in the afternoon. You'll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 7: Ho Chi Minh City departure (B, G)

Your time will be your own until your private car and driver arrives to take you to Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight.

Prices per person in US$:

Valid until December 31, 2011

Surcharge for peak season of hotels are not inclusive in the prices above.

Prices include:

• Breakfast and accommodation in twin or double room.
• All pick up and transfer.
• Boats cruise as programme.
• Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver.
• Experienced English-speaking tour guide as indicated in the itinerary.
• Entry fees for all sightseeing as mentioned in the programme.
• Lunches and dinners, as specified, in the local restaurants
• Government Taxes.

Price do not include:

• Flight tickets and airport tax.
• Visas.
• Dinners except as specified.
• Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.
• Insurance.

Hotel list for Five Stars standard

• Ho Chi Minh City: Renaissance Riverside hotel (*****the city's finest location, Deluxe City-view Room) or similar
• Can Tho: Victoria Hotel (**** beside the Mekong river, Superior Room)

Hotel list for Four Stars standard

• Ho Chi Minh City: Rex Hotel (****,located at the best of downtown Saigon, a luxury hotel heritage dating back to early 20th century, ROH Room) or similar
• Can Tho: Golf Hotel (**** city centre, Superior Room) or similar

Hotel list for Three Stars standard

• Ho Chi Minh City: Elios Hotel (*** city center, Superior Room) or similar
• Can Tho: Kim Tho Hotel (*** overlooking the Mekong River, Superior Room) or similar

Hotel list for Two Stars standard 

• Ho Chi Minh: Duc Vuong Hotel (** city center, Standard Room) or similar
• Can Tho: Ninh Kieu Hotel (** city center, Standard Room in Hotel A1 & A2) or similar  

Creating Unique Touring Experiences with Gia Linh Travel
  All the touring itineraries on this website have been carefully crafted by our in-country management teams and represent a series of experiences we can certainly recommend. However, we understand that every travel experience should be as unique and individual as each traveler. Our consultants are waiting to hear from you so that we can tailor or custom design a tour to your individual specifications.