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Tours
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 HIGHLIGHTS
OF VIETNAM
A cultural tour of Vietnam
Vietnam
is a beautiful lush country offering a rich variety
of historical sites, sounds, cultural traditions
and friendly people for its visitors. From the French
Colonial architecture to the intriguing scent of
the Perfume River, from to the hustle and bustle
of the markets in Saigon to the war memorials, Vietnam
has much to be discovered.
Day
1 Saturday: Arrive Saigon
Chào ban! (Welcome in Vietnamese) Upon arrival
to one of Vietnam’s largest cities we are met
and transferred to our hotel.
Overnight: Majestic Hotel, Saigon (3 nights)
Day 2 Sunday: Saigon
We have a whole day to explore some of
the most interesting sites, including the
beautiful neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral,
the Central Post Office, the Opera House
also known as “Saigon Concert Hall’,
the Jade Emperor Pagoda with its colorful
and mysterious ambiance, the Reunification
Palace and Ben Thanh Market. We also visit
the Giam Lam Pagoda built at the end of
the 17th century and the oldest pagoda
in Saigon, Binh Tay Market, and finally
the Thien Hau Pagoda, one of the most active
in Cholon. (B)
 Day
3 Monday: Saigon
Today we take an interesting excursion
to My Tho, the capital of Tien Giang Province.
The economy of My Tho is based on fishing
and the cultivation of rice, coconuts,
bananas, mangos, longans and citrus fruits.
We have the opportunity to visit the centuries-old
My Tho Church and experience the Central
Market, filled with stalls selling everything
from fresh food and bulk tobacco to boat
propellers. Cao Dai Temple in the Long
An Province, is a smaller temple than the
one at Tay Ninh, but is well worth a visit.
The Vinh Trang Pagoda is a beautiful and
well-maintained sanctuary where charitable
monks provide a home to needy children.
Finally, we visit Dragon Island with its
many longan orchards and lush, palm-fringed
shores lined with traditional wooden fishing
boats. (B)
* The above tour/excursion may be substituted
for Cu Chi & Tay Ninh.
Day 4 Tuesday: Saigon/Dalat
(Drive 298 kms/185 miles)
This morning we journey northeast
for Dalat. En Route we have
the opportunity to stop at
Dambri Falls, the highest falls
in Vietnam, where the views
are breathtaking. This area
is inhabited chiefly by Montagnards.
We also stop at Pongour Falls
that, during the rainy season,
form a full semicircle. Next
on our journey is Langa Lake,
a reservoir that is crossed
by a bridge and is residence
to many floating houses. Finally
we explore Dinh Quan, where
we will find 3 inactive volcanic
craters dating from the late
Jurassic period.
Overnight: Novotel Hotel, Dalat
(1 night) (B)
 Day
5 Wednesday: Dalat/Nha Trang
(Drive 213 kms/132 miles)
Today is our day to tour Dalat
beginning with the Hang Nga
Art Gallery, a café and
art gallery run by the gallery's
eccentric owner. The French
District is a delightful area
for walking around, and is
reminiscent of a French provincial
town. Next we are off to Cam
Ly Falls, the grassy areas
around the 15m/16 yard-high
cascades are the habitat of
horses and Dalat cowboys. The
Valley Of Love was named the
Valley of Peace by the Emperor;
however in 1972 its name was
changed by romantically-minded
students. Dalat Cathedral was
built between 1931 and 1942
for use by French residents
and holidaymakers and features
stained-glass windows that
put us in medieval Europe.
Domaine De Marie Convent is
a pink tile-roofed structure
and was once home to 300 nuns.
Thien Vuong Pagoda, also known
as the Chinese pagoda is set
on a hilltop amid pine trees.
Later this afternoon we depart
for Nha Trang, the home of
tens of thousands of descendents
of the Cham people.
Overnight: Lodge Hotel, Nha
Trang (2 nights) (B)
Day 6 Thursday:
Nha Trang
This day is full
of interesting
sites! The Po Nagar
Cham Towers, built
between the 7th
and 12th centuries,
were used for Hindu
worship as early
as the 2nd century
AD. The Oceanographic
Institute has an
aquarium and specimen
room open to the
public. Next we
are off to the
Lang Son Pagoda,
with an exquisite
entrance and roofs
decorated with
mosaic dragons.
At the top of the
hill, behind the
pagoda, is the
huge white Buddha
seated on a lotus
blossom. Nha Trang
Cathedral, built
in the French Gothic
style, stands on
a small hill overlooking
the train station.
The Bao Dai Villas,
formerly the retreat
of Bao Dai Vietnam's
last emperor, were
used by high-ranking
officials of the
South Vietnamese
government. (B)
Day 7 Friday:
Nha Trang/Danang/Hoi
An (Flight/Drive
30 kms/18 miles)
We are transferred
to the airport
for a short flight
to Danang where
we start our tour
with the Cham Museum.
Founded in 1915
by the Ecole Francaise
d'Extreme Orient,
it has the finest
open-air collection
of Cham sculptures
in the world. China
Beach, made famous
in the American
TV series of the
same name, stretches
north and south
of the Marble Mountains.
The Marble Mountains
consist of 5 stone
hillocks made of
marble and each
is said to represent
one of the five
elements of the
universe. The largest
and most famous,
Thuy Son, has a
number of natural
caves, in which
Buddhist sanctuaries
have been built
over the centuries.
We continue to
Hoi An, a picturesque
riverside town
south of Danang.
Known as Faifo
to early western
traders, it was
one of South East
Asia's major international
ports from the
17th to 19th centuries.
Overnight: Hoi
An Beach Resort,
Hoi An (2 nights)
(B)
Day
8 Saturday:
Hoi
An
A full
day
visiting
the
many
interesting
sites
of
Hoi
An,
including
Quan
Cong
Temple,
founded
in
1653.
The
Phuoc
Kien
Pagoda
is
a typical
example
of
the
Chinese
'clans'
that
were
established
in
the
Hoi
An
area,
was
built
around
1690.
The
Japanese
Covered
Bridge,
constructed
in
1593
was
built
by
the
Japanese
community
of
Hoi
An,
to
link
them
with
the
Chinese
quarters
across
the
river.
The
Sa
Huynh
Museum
contains
exhibitions
from
the
earliest
period
of
Hoi
An's
history.
Finally
we
visit
the
Phung
Hung
House,
a structure
that
combines
Vietnamese,
Japanese
and
Chinese
architectural
styles
and
has
been
the
home
to
one
family
for
eight
generations.
(B)
 Day
9 Sunday:
Hoi
An/Hue
(Drive
132
kms/82
miles)
A scenic
drive
to
Hue
begins
this
day.
Upon
arrival,
our
afternoon
tour
includes
the
19th
Century
Imperial
City
that
was
for
a long
time
the
cultural
and
intellectual
center
of
Vietnam.
Our
tour
includes
the
Citadel
that
was
built
in
the
early
19th
century
and
modeled
after
the
Forbidden
City
in
Peking.
Ngo
Mon
Gate
is
the
principal
entrance
to
the
Imperial
Enclosure
and
faces
the
Flag
Tower.
The
Forbidden
Purple
City
was
reserved
for
the
personal
use
of
the
emperor
and
the
only
servants
allowed
into
the
compound
were
eunuchs.
Evening
is
free
to
mix
and
mingle
with
the
local
Hue
people.
Overnight: Saigon
Morin
Hotel,
Hue
(2
nights)
(B)
Day
10 Monday: Hue
A
jaunt to Tu Duc Tomb,
once the Royal Palace
of Tu Duc, begins our
day’s
tour. Constructed between
1864 and 1867, its pavilions
are framed in a tranquil
setting of forested hills
and lakes. The Khai Dinh
Tomb, the last monument
of the Nguyen dynasty,
sits magnificently on
the slopes of Chau E
Mountain in Chau Chau
Village and houses a
long staircase flanked
by dragons and decorated
with stunning ceiling
murals and ceramic frescoes.
Located just outside
of Hue on the bank of
the Perfume River, Thien
Mu Pagoda was a hotbed
of anti-government protests
during the early 1960s.
The Emperor Minh Mang
Tomb complex built in
1840, is known for its
magnificent architecture,
military statuaries and
elaborate decorations.
It is perhaps the most
beautiful of Hue's pagodas
and tombs, a fitting
end to a spectacular
day. (B)
Day
11 Tuesday:
Hue/Hanoi
(Flight)
Morning
free at leisure
till we are
transferred
for our short
flight to
Hanoi, a
city of lakes.
Hanoi, the
capital of
Vietnam,
is a charming
city of peaceful
shaded boulevards,
French style
buildings
and public
parks. Balance
of the day
at leisure.
Overnight:
Sunway Hotel,
Hanoi (3
nights) (B)
 Day
12 Wednesday:
Hanoi
The
first of
our two full
day of Hanoi
sightseeing
includes
the One Pillar
Pagoda built
by the Emperor
Ly Thai Tong.
Built of
wood on a
single stone
pillar, this
structure
was designed
to resemble
a lotus blossom.
Hoan Kiem
Lake is located
in the heart
of Hanoi
and is home
to a small
Tortoise
Pagoda topped
with a red
star perched
on an islet
in the middle
of the lake.
The Ho Chi
Minh Mausoleum
is the final
resting place
of Ho Chi
Minh, Vietnam’s
great leader
of independence.
Our journey
today concludes
with a visit
to St Joseph
Cathedral,
a striking
neo-Gothic
cathedral
noteworthy
for its square
towers, elaborate
altar and
colourful
stained-glass
windows.
(B)
Day
13
Thursday:
Hanoi
Our
excursion
to
Ha
Long
bay
includes
a
boat
ride
to
Hang
Dau
Go,
a
huge
cave
consisting
of
three
chambers
that
are
reached
climbing
90
steps.
The
cave
derives
its
Vietnamese
name
from
the
third
of
the
chambers,
which
is
said
to
have
been
used
by
Tran
Hung
Dao
during
the
13th
century
to
store
bamboo
stakes
that
were
used
against
Mongol
invaders.
Bo
Nau
is
the
'Pelican'
cave
of
interest.
Thien
Cung
is "Heaven
Palace". (B)
Day
14
Friday:
Depart
Hanoi
This
morning
we
depart
Vietnam
with
pleasant
memories
of
this
historic
and
artistically
rich
country.
(B)
Departure Dates | 2008
English Speaking Departures
Jan 12, Feb 02 & 23, Mar 08 & 22, Apr 05 & 19, May 10 & 24, Jun 07 & 21, Jul 05 & 19, Aug 09 & 23, Sep 13 & 27, Oct 11 & 25, Nov 08 & 22, Dec 06 & 20
| Inclusions | | Tour Price Includes | Tour Price Does Not Include | | Hotel
Accommodation as mentioned or similar | International Airfare | | Meal
Plan as mentioned (B=Breakfast) |
Departure Taxes | | Regional/Domestic Air/Trainfare: Nha Trang/Danang, Hue/Hanoi |
Insurances
/ Visa Fees |
| All
sightseeing and transfers by private transportation | Drinks/Beverages
with meals | | Entrance Fees to Museums and Sites | Tips/Gratuities
to Drivers & Guides | | Services
of local English speaking guides | |
| Tour Price | | We accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for clients outside North America). Bestway Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received, and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please download  Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf
Note: to read this file you must have Adobe Acrobat. | | Departure | Double Occupancy | Single Room Supplement |
| 2008 |
US
$ 2295 • CA $ 2295 |
US
$ 695 • CA $ 695 |
| Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is NOT included in this tour | | Canada - West Coast | CA $ 1500 | USA - West Coast | US $ 1200 | | Canada - East Coast | CA $ 1800 | USA - East Coast | US $ 1400 | | Participants | | This tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum of 15 participants. | Notes | Customised Itinerary
If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you.
Foreign Language Departures
Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking departures.
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844. |
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| © Copyright 1999-2008 Bestway
Tours & Safaris |
Site last updated May 02,
2008 |
| Photographs by Peter
Langer & Mahmood
Poonja |
Site by antoinette |
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