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ITINERARY:
Days 1: Arrive in Saigon (Ho Chi
Minh City) and transfer to the beautiful Caravelle
Hotel. After a brief orientation lunch, use the day
to recover from jet lag by walking the bustling
District 1 neighborhood or just relax by the pool at
the hotel. A welcome dinner is provided this evening
at the Caf Indochine.
Day 2: Tour the city and war era
sights. We will take a bus an hour outside the city
and tour the VC tunnel system at Cu Chi. This is a fascinating way to experience
the "American" war.
Return in the early afternoon for a brief city tour,
including the war and historical museums. Open time
in the evening to explore on your own.
Day 3: We will take a short
flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia and transfer to the
lovely Victoria Hotel for 2 nights. A brief rickshaw
and walking tour of Siem Reap is provided this
afternoon, including a traditional foot massage and
dinner in the French Quarter of Siem Reap.
Day 4: We will take a full day
tour, including lunch, to the fabulous complexes of
Angkor Wat. The evening will be open for you to
explore the charming French Colonial city of Siem
Reap on your own.
Day 5: Transfer to the airport
and fly back to Saigon before transferring to
another flight to Danang in central Vietnam. Our
home for the next 4 nights will be the Furama Resort
Danang, one of the finest hotels in the country.
Located on China Beach where US troops went for R&R
during the war, you are centrally located for an
amazing array of activities on this spectacular
stretch of coast. Enjoy a dinner of local seafood
prepared by a family on China Beach. The next 3 days
will weave in fascinating tours of the area with
plenty of free time to relax on the beach.
Day 6: Take a guided tour to the
Cham civilization ruins at My Son, considered a
"mini-Angkor Wat". Afterwards, tour the Marble
Mountains, a cave system housing ancient Buddhist
devotional structures and later used as a hospital
site by the North Vietnamese during the war. Open
time in the afternoon.
Day 7: Shuttle to the nearby
town of Hoy An-a Unesco World Heritage Site. One of
the few towns in this part of Vietnam to escape
destruction in the war, Hoy An has been a key port
city for over 500 years. Today, travelers love to
linger in this charming town where old and new come
together in myriad ways. Hoy An is famous for its
clothing shops where you can have nearly anything
you want hand made for amazingly low prices. After a
brief guided tour to get your bearings, you'll be
turned loose to explore on your own.
Day 8: Today is left
intentionally open to pursue your own interests.
Many opt to return to Hoy An on this day. You can
also take a free shuttle to the huge markets in
central Danang. If ocean conditions permit, we will
organize an optional boat trip with scuba/snorkeling
to the reefs off Danang. (seasonal availability at
extra cost).
Day 9: After breakfast, we will
take a 1 hour flight to Hanoi. A van will transport
us 4 hours to Halong City. On the way, we will visit
a "friendship village", a coop of local artisans
supported by US veterans who wanted to give
something back after the war. In Halong City, we
will transfer to a luxury junk (Chinese Sailing
Vessel) for the next 2 nights. Enjoy a spectacular
cruise into the Unesco World Heritage Site of Halong
Bay.
Day 10: By foot and kayak, spend
the day on a guided tour through Halong Bay's
spectacular limestone towers, caves, and fishing
villages while enjoying wonderful seafood aboard our
mother ship.
Day 11: After a final meal on
board, we will transfer to the high speed ferry from
Cat Ba Island through the Red River Delta to the
port city of Haiphong. A van will return us to Hanoi
(3 hours), where we will check into the Hilton Hanoi
Opera Plaza hotel for our final 2 nights in Vietnam.
Day 12: Enjoy a final half-day
tour to the craft villages surrounding Hanoi.
Conclude with a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and a
water puppet performance before an open afternoon to
stroll the streets of Hanoi on your own. A farewell
dinner is provided this evening at the Opera House
Caf.
Day 13: You will take a taxi to
the airport and fly home, arriving a few hours later
on the same day because of the international date
line.
INCLUDES: Double occupancy
lodging in 4 and 5 star hotels, all breakfasts and
some other meals as mentioned in itinerary, all
ground transportation (excepting 1 taxi ride on the
last day) and tour guide fees, flights within Asia.
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