FROM CENTRAL TO SOUTHERN VIETNAM

After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a half-day walking tour of Hoi An through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter. From the 16th to the 18th century, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port. Today it will be a quaint riverside town popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailor shops, and cafes.
The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure. Hoi An has an abundance of tailors who can produce a custom suit in 24 hours or less, at very reasonable prices.

Overnight in Hoi An
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)

After breakfast, we will drive approximately 4 hours to Hue, via the scenic Hai Van Pass. En route, we will stop to visit the Cham Museum in Da Nang, Marble Mountain with the carving village at the foot of the mountain (optional/ depends on your health condition) and My Khe Beach which was home to American GIs during the war.
Head to your hotel in Hue. We will check in and relax at our own leisure.

Overnight in Hue
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up for an adventure on a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River. During the cruise, you will visit the Thien Mu (Heavenly Lady) Pagoda with its characteristic seven-tiered tower. You will also see the Austin car which took Monk Thich Quang Duc to Saigon where he famously set himself on fire in 1963 as a dramatic protest against the unfair treatment of Buddhists by the Diem regime.
Continue on to the Hue Royal Complex, former home to the Nguyen Dynasty, the last Monarchy of Vietnam from 1802 – 1945. You will explore the ancient and atmospheric walled Citadel which contains the former Imperial Palace and the Forbidden Purple City.
After lunchtime, we will visit Tu Duc Tomb and Dong Ba market to learn about the life of local people.
Return to your hotel after the visit. The rest of the day will be for relaxing at your own leisure.

Overnight in Hue
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

After breakfast, our driver will transfer you to the airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).
Upon arrival in HCM City, your private tour guide will take you on a 2-hour tour of the legendary Cu Chi Tunnels as (travel time approximately 1 hour). This vast network of tunnels, stretching over 150 km, was built by the Viet Cong during the battles that took place in the south. You will take a walk through the reserve and get to see:
– The Secret Entrance to the tunnels
– Workshops for the handmade weapons
– The clinic, commander, meeting and kitchen bunkers
If you are feeling brave, you can crawl inside the Cu Chi Tunnels to experience how difficult life must have been, and discover the 3 underground levels. After the visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, you will return to HCM City.
Transfer to your hotel after the visit. The rest of the day will be for relaxing at your own leisure.

Overnight in HCMC
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)

After breakfast, your private tour guide will take you on a full-day tour and impart another perspective of the familiar and not-so-familiar landmarks in modern-day HCM City. You will discover the city’s culture, architecture, religious practices, and fascinating history. Below are the recommended sites, but of course, your guide will be happy to modify the list based on your preferences.
Visits:
– Tao Dan Park, to catch the bird lovers club who show up only between 6 and 9 am every morning. Enjoy some local coffee while your guide explains the history and practice of keeping birds in Vietnam.
– Thich Quang Duc monument – attribute to a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who burned himself to death on June 11, 1963, in protest against the persecution of Buddhists by South Vietnam’s Ngo Dinh Diem administration
– The colorful Ho Thi Ky flower market
– A drive through Cho Lon to visit Nhi Phu Temple, built at the end of 17thcentury by Chinese immigrants from the Fukien province in China.
Lunch will be served at Pho 2000 Restaurant where former US president Bill Clinton once patronized.
In the afternoon, you will continue to visit:
– General Post Office (GPO), noted for its neoclassical architecture, designed and constructed by the famous architect Gustave Eiffel
– Notre Dame Cathedral considered being one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Vietnam. It was built in the period 1877 – 1880 by the French architect Bourad.
– Reunification Palace (the former Presidential Palace), where the war officially ended on April 30th, 1975 when tank 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of the home of the President of the Republic of Vietnam
– The previous CIA Office
– A drive down Dong Khoi Street, where, in 1975, during the dying days of the former regime, the iconic photograph was taken of a helicopter lifting people out of Saigon.
– The Opera House (now the Municipal Theatre), built in 1880, was used in the filming of “The Quiet American”.
– HCM City People’s Committee (formerly Hôtel de Ville), built in 1902-1908, one of the most photographed buildings in Vietnam, notable for its gardens, ornate facade and elegant interior lit with crystal chandeliers
– War Remnants Museum, highlighting the suffering of the Vietnamese people during recent conflicts – not entirely unbiased
Return to your hotel after the visit. The rest of the day will be for relaxing at your own leisure.

Overnight in HCMC
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Today your private guide and driver will take you out of Saigon in a private vehicle and onto some beautiful country roads to Ben Tre Town, the heart of the Mekong Delta, popularly known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam, and is famous for its vast rice fields, orchard farms, coconut trees, numerous waterways and beautiful landscapes.
After approx 2 hour driving through the lush farming land, we’ll arrive at Ben Tre town where we will embark on a motorized boat trip around the scenic Bến Tre River, viewing various local industries along the way. During the boat ride, we will stop to visit the small local factories where bricks and sleeping mats are made. Take a leisure walk along the village lanes visiting the local homes to try dry fruits, taste honey tea while enjoying a local Tai Tu music show. Continue to visit a coconut mill workshop where the local delicacy of coconut candy is produced and a range of coconut husk and fiber products are skillfully handcrafted.

Overnight in Mekong Delta
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Free at your own leisure until our driver transfers you to the airport for your departure flight home.

Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)