| Vietnam Tours | | | Vietnam Cruises | | | Vietnam Hotels | | | Vietnam Transportation | | | Vietnam Travel Guide | | | Other Services |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home > Vietnam Tours > Cultural Tours > Local Experience of Vietnam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home > Vietnam Tours > Cultural Tours > Local Experience of Vietnam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Local Experience of Vietnam
Tour Code: VTDNCS001
Our journey begins in Ho Chi Minh City, also known as ‘Saigon’, the interesting largest city in Vietnam, sits on the west bank of the Saigon River and lies just north of the Mekong Delta. Saigon is an eclectic mix of the traditional and the new, where pagodas and markets compete alongside the trappings of Vietnam’s newly discovered entrepreneurial spirit.
No visit to Saigon would be complete without exploring something of its tragic recent history and the poignant reminders of what the Vietnamese refer to as the American War can still be seen amongst the buildings and artifacts of the old US Embassy, as well as the remarkable Reunification Palace and the emotive War Crimes Museum, which contains a fascinating, and at times chilling, reminder of the cost of the Vietnam War on the people themselves. 
Optional: Join an excursion out to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels by American war Jeeps of the wartime (or modern vehicle of your choice). Originally started during the French occupation of the country, the tunnels went on to achieve notoriety during the Vietnam War, when they create an amazing underground command base for 10,000 guerilla troops and were a major part of the Tet Offensive in 1968. This area was the centre of intense fighting during the war, much of it falling prey to the incessant carpet bombing, napalm and defoliants utilized by the Americans in an attempt to dislodge the guerillas from their underground shelters. There is little evidence of any of that now and the landscape has returned to something of its pre war beauty, but exploring the tunnels of Ben Dinh and it gives some idea as to the conditions that the Vietnamese and their American adversaries had to endure. Be warned, the tunnels are low and narrow and can be claustrophobic. 
Today sees an opportunity to journey down into the Mekong Delta and explore the fertile hinterlands that lie sandwiched between the East Sea of Vietnam and the Gulf of Thailand. Heading down towards the town of My Tho, the heart of the Mekong Delta, famous for its vast rice fields and most beautiful landscapes for a full boat trip on Mekong River to beautiful islets and observe local daily life as well as handicraft villages.
Optional: Drive to Can Gio Mangrove Forest to observe the wildlife. The trip offers also the canoeing experience to visit the former guerilla base which stationed from the period of 1966-1975. This used to be an important base camp to set up over 1000 combats to Saigon. 
We arrive in Nha Trang early morning then transfer to Hotel. Given the early hour of our arrival, dayrooms are provided to freshen up prior to our own rooms becoming available.
Other Options: include a relaxing mud bath, or perhaps a boat trip out to the islands that lie offshore with the chance for snorkeling. Those looking for something a little more active might like to consider a trip by bicycle to explore the nearby Cham Towers and the old part of the town. Probably Nha Trang’s most iconic attraction, the Po Nagar Cham Towers span a period of some 500 years and present a haunting reminder of the long forgotten kingdom that once ruled these lands through their divine kings. Only 4 of the original 10 towers remain (many were destroyed during the intense fighting of the Vietnam War), but nonetheless they conjure up an impressive feeling of power and mystery and, along with the remnants of Nha Trang’s past and the captivating sights of its fishing villages present an enthralling introduction to the town.
Free Day In Nha Trang - Overnight Train To Da Nang
On arrival in Danang there will be time for breakfast in a local café (at own expenses), before continuing our journey to the town of Hoi An. But first we head for the beach resort of My Khe Beach, an area that during the Vietnam War was popular with the American GIs on RnR. Then we pass by the five peaks of the Marble Mountains, originally islands said to represent the five elements of the planet: water, wood, fire, gold and earth. Exploring the natural grottoes and pagodas we discover a wonderful world of carved Buddhist sanctuaries that date back to the Champa Kingdom of the 14th and 15th centuries (entrance fees not included). 
Today is free to wander through the historic heart of this World Heritage Site at your leisure. An early morning visit to the fish market presents a riot of noises and colours that is perfect for some great photo opportunities and some choice local interaction. You might also like to pay a visit to the Japanese Bridge, Hoi An’s emblematic symbol, believed to have been constructed to quell the violent rumblings of a restless monster, or perhaps explore the traditional wooden houses and Chinese temples that line the streets. There are numerous tailors shops in Hoi An providing an incredibly cheap and quick service and almost all visitors have at least one item made before they depart. Hoi An is also a great place to hire a bicycle as the roads are relatively quiet. There’s a good beach just a few kilometres from the town or alternatively why not set out to explore nearby villages. Cooking classes are yet another option available in this popular travellers hangout.
Public bus is a hard-to-beat means of transportation in Vietnam if you want gain more local experiences. This morning sees us heading along the coastal road towards the historic setting of Hue.
With the better part of the day to enjoy the city, Hue offers a wealth of options to make the most of your time here. You could pay a visit to the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, home to the oldest monastery in the city, whose 21m high tower has become something of a symbol for Hue. Dedicated to the Manushi- Buddha, the existing temple was constructed in the middle years of the 19th century, under the auspices of the Emperor Thieu Tri, and within its confines you can find a number of superb Buddhist statues, as well as an enormous cast bell that weighs in at over 2000kg and is reputed to be audible over 10km away.
Otherwise, paddling on beautiful Perfume River is another fascinating choice to explore other aspects of rural Hue. Downstream to discover Sinh village whose fame is rustic folk paintings for a hand-on experience of responsible travel to community. Upstream, passing the Hue citadel, to pay a call on thebronze casting villageto learn how the artisans cast a bell, which used for worship in almost Vietnamese pagodas. 
Arriving in Hanoi in the early hours of this morning we disembark the train and transfer by road towards the Bay of Tonkin on Vietnam’s northeast coast. Our destination is the breathtaking setting of Halong Bay one of Vietnam’s, and indeed Southeast Asia’s, most spectacular natural attractions, whose staggering beauty has seen it listed as one of the eight natural wonders of the world. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Halong Bay presents a quite extraordinary vista of hundreds of limestone islands (over 1600 at last count) that rise from the jade green waters of the bay like the scales of some great submerged dragon. Indeed Halong means ‘where the dragon descends to the sea’ and local legends tells of a time when this rugged landscape was created by the pounding tail of a mighty dragon as he ran from the mountains into the glittering waters of the bay below. 
Sunrise breakfast and cruise around the clear & emerald water to another part of Halong Bay with a close up view of stunning limestone peaks, such as Drum cave, Man's head Islet....Heading to Van Gia fishing village, you will have the opportunity to understand more about the fishermen's daily life. Having lunch on board with a variety of local foods, enjoying the rest of the boat trip before back to Halong dock. Have a short beak before returning back to Hanoi. 
fascinating venue to explore on foot and the area is known for its interesting ‘tube’ houses, where the narrow frontages give way to long rooms that stretch back from streets, whose pavements are littered with food sellers tempting passers by with all manner of noodles, snacks and stir-fried delights from shoulder panniers. Later today there may be a chance to witness a remarkable performance of traditional water puppetry, a practice that dates back to the 15th century and is deeply ingrained into the cultural lives of the peoples of the Red River Delta. Set on a flooded stage, the stories tell tales of legendary heroes and everyday life, with dragons and unicorns sharing the stage with ducks and frogs, and even fireworks and naval battles.
Architecturally styled like a French provincial town, with tree-lined boulevards and substantial low-built houses, Hanoi is a wonderfully nostalgic city to enjoy and amongst its more interesting sights are the charming One-Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature and the Presidential Palace. Ho Chi Minh was a spartan-living and scholarly man, who chose not to live in the Presidential Palace itself, but instead preferred a simple teak 2-storied stilt-house specially built for him in the grounds. You can visit his museum and this austere mausoleum, said to resemble that of Lenin in Moscow, or perhaps taking another walk through the engaging streets of its Old Quarter. The city’s French Quarter is a great place to explore by bicycle, its grandiose colonial architecture offering up a rich contrast to the more frenetic pace of the old city, whilst those looking to discover something more of the colonial wars might like to pay a visit to the Museum of Vietnamese Revolution or the Military History Museum.