DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN HO CHI MINH CITY – FREE TIME

No guide – With driver.

On arrival, get a pick up to hotel. The driver will welcome you at the pickup lobby of Tan Son Nhat Airport and then travel about 30 minutes from the airport to your hotel (in the Ho Chi Minh City center)

Have an overview of city and come to the hotel, check in and rest.

Note: Hotel check in time at 14.00

Dinner at your own expense and overnight stay at Cap Town Hotel (Deluxe Room)

DAY 2 : HO CHI MINH CITY (B)

With guide – With driver.

Breakfast in the hotel.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the biggest and most dynamic city in Vietnam. A tour to some highlight spots to explore the city’s mixed culture of oriental and western, heroic history and stunning architecture buildings.

– Discover the city history & culture: War remnant museum, Independence palace, Quan Am pagoda

– Interract to local people: China town, Ben Thanh market, walking tour

– Special excursion: Fito museum, French architecture buildings

+ The top visited in Ho Chi Minh – the War Remnant museum. The exhibits offer you all-sided views of the Vietnam War that might bring a big surprise than you are probably used to hearing and seeing.

+ The Independence Palace, once used as the home – office of the Presidents of South Vietnam. Our visit includes the North Vietnamese tank which effectively attacked the palace in 1975 to bring the controversial Vietnam War to an end and the five-story palace with its rooms have been preserved in their late 1960s, 1970s style and a bunker basement.

+ Visit Quan Am Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in city and dedicated to Guan Yin, elements of Taoism, and the folk worship of the “Queen of Heaven”.

+ The most famous market in the city, Ben Thanh Market, which has been opened since 1870. The market not only supplies the daily needs of local people but also excellent place to pick up inexpensive souvenirs and enjoy Vietnam’s local street foods.

Dinner at your own expense and overnight stay at Cap Town Hotel (Deluxe Room)

DAY 3 : HO CHI MINH CITY – CU CHI TUNNEL – HO CHI MINH CITY (B, L)

With guide – With driver.

Breakfast in the hotel

Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, which played an important part in the Vietnam-US War. The tunnel system has deep layers, including countless trap doors, specially built living areas, warehouses, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Adding to the trip is a visit to the unique temple of Caodaism in Tay Ninh.

– Explore Cu Chi tunnel system

– Cao Dai Temple

Today, we will visit one of the most sacred attractions in Vietnam – the Cao Dai Temple. Caodaism is a uniquely Vietnamese religion that is influenced by elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and even Roman Catholicism. On a visit, you can attend the midday mass.

Transfer to visit Cu Chi the most striking place in the history of the Vietnam War, the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Cu Chi is a real underground city made up of a large network of tunnels covering an area of over 250km long where the Viet Cong conducted the war of resistance against American troops. All of the tunnels were dug over a period of twenty years using only pickaxes and shovels. The tour includes special entering some part of tunnels. You will also have a chance to visit Ben Duoc memorial temple nearby but far less touristic built in 1993 in memory of the Vietnamese killed at Cu Chi.

Dinner at your own expense and overnight stay at Cap Town Hotel (Deluxe Room)

DAY 4 : HO CHI MINH CITY – BEN TRE – HO CHI MINH CITY (B, L)

With guide – With driver.

Breakfast in the hotel.

Tour guide and driver welcome you at your hotel for your transfer to Ben Tre, a beautiful region in the Mekong Delta River, famous for making coconut candy. Arrive at Hung Vuong pier, take a boat trip on Ben Tre River to discover the daily local life. Continue your boat trip on a canal to Nhon Thanh Village. This will be an opportunity to taste the fresh fruits.

Take a bike ride (or Tuk tuk) on a small path through the villages and enjoy views of the coconut ranges, rice fields and vegetable gardens. A lunch of elephant ear fish is served in the village. A short walk will help you to discover the local life in depth. This is followed by a boat ride on the small canal shaded by the wild palm trees. For those who wish to ride a bike, you can go to Mr Sau Khanh’s house to admire his collection of ancient objects. Then, continue riding through the rice fields and meet the locals.

Transfer back to Saigon in the late afternoon.

Dinner at your own expense and overnight stay at Cap Town Hotel (Deluxe Room)

DAY 5 : HO CHI MINH CITY – RETURN FLIGHT (B)

With guide – With driver.

Breakfast in the hotel.

Private driver will pick you up at the hotel lobby for about 30 minutes to Tan Son Nhat airport (international or domestic hall according to your request). Thanks for the visit to our city.

Note: International flights require you to be at the airport 3 hours and domestic is 2 hours before departure time.

In the rush hour (07:00 – 08:30 AM and 16:30 – 18:30 PM), it takes around 1 hour from city center to Tan Son Nhat airport.

The price includes:

• Hotel and homestay accommodation
• English-speaking guide throughout the entire itinerary and during free days
• Transfer and transportation by private vehicle: car, bicycle, cyclo, boat, as mentioned
• Meals as mentioned
• One bottle of mineral water per day per person
• Entrance fees for the visited sites
• Handling fees (or: Administrative fees)

The price does not include:

• Tips for the guide and driver, and personal expenses
• Meals not mentioned in the program
• Bank fees related to payment
• Visa fees for Vietnam.
• Any other services not mentioned in the “Price includes” section