Vietnam Package Tour - Sights of the South, 9 days

Day 1	Saigon Arrival in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) Transfer Sightseeing in Saigon Saigon is the largest of Vietnamese cities, and one will see the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life everywhere. There are street markets, pavement cafes and sleek new cafes and pubs. The city churns and bubbles. Yet within this teeming metropolis are 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture. NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL: built between 1877 and 1883, is set in the heart of Saigon's governement quarter. It has a neo-Romanesque form and two high square towers, tipped with iron spires. In front of the cathedral is a statue of the Virgin Mary. CENTRAL POST OFFICE: this is a French-style building with its glass canopy and iron frame right next to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The structure was built between 1886 and 1891 and is by far the largest post office in Vietnam. CITY HALL: completed 1908, also known as "Hotel de Ville" at the northern end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard. With it's ornate gingerbread facade it looks like the town hall of a French town. view from outside only OPERA HOUSE: built around the turn of the century and first renovated in the 1940s, the building housed the lower division of the National Assembly. Today it is a Municipal Theatre and also known as “Saigon Concert Hall”. view from outside only REUNIFICATION PALACE: this was the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president and was stormed by tanks on April 30, 1975 signifying the fall of South Vietnam. It has been preserved in its original state. WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM: collections of weapons and photographs from 2 Indochina wars are exhibited along with the original French 'Guillotine' brought here in the early 20th century. BEN THANH MARKET: this is the central market of Saigon and the market and the surrounding streets make up one of the city's liveliest areas. Everything commonly eaten, worn or used by the average resident of Saigon is available here. DONG KHOI STREET: known as 'Rue Catinet' during the French years, this is a main shopping street in the centre of Saigon where there is a lot of choice of handicrafts and laquerware. Overnight in Saigon.

Day 2	Saigon Excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels and Tay Ninh CU CHI TUNNELS: Cu Chi was an important base during the American War, because of its strategic location. The Vietcong built a 200km long network of tunnels connecting command posts, hospitals, shelter and weapon factories. Dug out of hard laterite by hand tools without the use of cement, this amazing network was never discovered. TAY NINH: this town serves as the headquarters of one of Vietnam's religions, Caodism. The Caodai Great Temple at the sect's Holy See is one of the most striking structures in all of Asia and was built between 1933 and 1955. The area's dominant geographic feature is Nui Ba Den (Black Lady Mountain), which towers 850m above the surrounding plains. Please note that shortly before and during the annual TET festival (Vietnamese New Year) the daily ceremony of the priests in Tay Ninh may be cancelled without prior notice. Overnight in Saigon.

Day 3	Saigon Excursion to My Tho with a boat trip to Mekong River islands From Saigon, transfer to My Tho, a bustling town in the rich agricultural region of the Mekong Delta and visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, a beautiful temple and a sanctuary for orphans and other needy children. Afterwards board a local boat to explore the islands of the Mekong, stopping at a fruit orchard to enjoy fruit and tea while listening to local music. The trip also includes a brief sampan ride through the tiny waterways that thread the island. Overnight in Saigon.

Day 4	Saigon - Dalat By vehicle from Saigon to Dalat Excursion to Lat Village LAT VILLAGE: the nine hamlets of Lat Village (population 6000) are at the base of Lang Bian Mountain. The ethnic groups to be found here are the Lat, Chill, Ma and Koho, who make their living growing rice, coffee, black beans and sweet potatoes. Overnight in Dalat.

Day 5	Dalat Sightseeing in Dalat Dalat is in a temperate region dotted with lakes, waterfalls, evergreen forests and gardens. It is by far Vietnam's most popular honeymoon spot. XUAN HUONG LAKE: a manmade lake, located in the center of Dalat and circumnavigated by a pedestrian path. The majestic hilltop Palace Hotel overlooks the lake from the south. CREMAILLERE RAILWAY: a cog railway linking Dalat and Tham Cham from 1928 to 1964, when it was closed due to war. The line has now been repaired and operates as a tourist attraction, running the eight kilometers from Trai Mat Village and back. HANG NGA ART GALLERY: nicknamed the 'Crazy House' by locals, this guesthouse, café and art gallery is run by the gallery's designer, Mrs. Dang Viet Nga, who lived in Moscow for 14 years. The architecture of the place is undeniably unique with whimsical touches including caves, giant spider webs and a concrete giraffe. FRENCH DISTRICT: a small delightful area for strolling, reminiscent of any provincial town in France. BAO DAI'S SUMMER PALACE: a twenty-five room villa constructed in 1933 and filled with artifacts from decades and governments past. Of interest are the engraved glass map of Vietnam given to the Emperor in 1942 by Vietnamese students in France and the life-sized bust of Bao Dai himself. VALLEY OF LOVE: named the Valley of Peace by the Emperor, its name was changed in 1972 by romantically minded students from Dalat University. Paddleboats, canoes and motorboats are available for rent. Local delicacies (jams, candied fruits) are on sale here as well. LAM TY NI PAGODA: founded in 1961. The decorative front gate and the pagoda's wooden furniture were built by the pagoda's one monk, Vien Thuc, an industrious man who learnt English, French, Khmer and Thai at Dalat University. DALAT CATHEDRAL: built between 1931 and 1942 for use by the French residents and holiday makers. Inside, the stained-glass windows bring a hint of medieval Europe to Dalat. VIETNAMESE EVANGELICAL CHURCH: this is the main Protestant church in the city and was built in 1940. Most of the 25,000 Protestants in Lam Dong Province, who are served by more than 100 churches, are hill tribe people. DOMAINE DE MARIE CONVENT: this pink tile-roofed structure was constructed between 1940 and 1942 and was once home to 300 nuns. Today, the 8 remaining nuns support themselves by making ginger candies and selling fruit grown in the orchard at the back of the convent. THIEN VUONG PAGODA: also known as the Chinese pagoda, it is popular with domestic tourists, especially ethnic-Chinese. Set on a hilltop amid pine trees, the pagoda was built by the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation. Tho Da, the monk who initiated the construction of the pagoda in 1958, later emigrated to the US. MINH NGUYET CU SY LAM PAGODA: a second Chinese Buddhist pagoda built by the Cantonese Chinese Congregation in 1962. The main sanctuary of the pagoda is a round structure constructed on a platform representing a lotus blossom. SU NU PAGODA: a Buddhist nunnery built in 1952 whose nuns wear grey or brown robes except when praying, at which time they don saffron garments. Overnight in Dalat.

Day 6	Dalat - Phan Thiet By vehicle from Dalat to Phan Thiet Journey east along Highway 20 with spectacular views of the coast as the road heads towards Phan Rang. Ninh Tuan Province, where Phan Rang is located, is home to tens of thousands of descendents of the Cham people. Continue on Highway 1 along the cost to Phan Thiet. Overnight in Phan Thiet.

Day 7	Phan Thiet * No local guide * All day at leisure Overnight in Phan Thiet.

Day 8	Phan Thiet * No local guide * All day at leisure Overnight in Phan Thiet.

Day 9	Saigon By vehicle from Phan Thiet to Saigon