Compare Vietnam: Saigon, Central Highlands, Coast and Hanoi by Myths and Mountains vs Highlights of Vietnam by Exodus Travels

Day 1: Arrive Saigon. Cyclo Ride And Ben Thanh Market

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Saigon or Caravelle

You will arrive in Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon, and transfer to your hotel.

Built on the site of an ancient Khmer settlement and an outpost for early pioneers in the 14th century, Ho Chi Minh City did not begin to come into its own until the early 17th century. The derivation of the  name, Saigon, is somewhat vague and centers around its water location. Some say that Saigon comes from the Annamese word Thay Ngon, meaning a highly populated area near a dammed river. Others claim that Sai Con is a transcription of the Khmer word Prei Kor or The Kapok Tree Forest. In any case, the city is fast regaining its reputation as one of Asia’s most vibrant cities. The tree lined boulevards and French colonial architecture hearken to the city’s recent past, while the bustling markets, changing infrastructure and dynamism of the people look to the future.

In the afternoon, you will meet in the lobby and go for a cyclo ride in the city, ending up at the Ben Thanh Market. You can explore the market and then have a welcome dinner outside with the locals.

Day 2: Visit Saigon and Cu Chi Tunnels

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Saigon or Caravelle

This morning, you will tour some of the important parts of Ho Chi Minh City. You can stop at the Reunification Palace, the former palace of President Thieu and his predecessors. Today this building is a museum and venue for official receptions. Inside you can visit the private rooms of the president, the “War Room” from where the South Vietnamese forces were controlled, and, most poignantly, the room where the North Vietnamese army finally took control in 1975. Nearby are the Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883 and one of the city’s major landmarks. Neo-Romanesque in form, Notre Dame is the major seat of the Catholic religion in modern Vietnam.

In the afternoon, you can venture outside the city to the Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few remaining monuments to the Vietnam War. Beneath the ground lie 200 km of tunnels, dug by hand and inhabited by the forces of the Viet Cong during the conflict, which ended in 1975. At its peak, prior to the Tet offensive, the tunnel complex was base to almost 10,000 troops. To this day, it remains one of the most powerful examples of how the war was fought.

Day 3: Drive Dalat and Explore Town

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Da Lat Du Parc or Ana Mandara Villas Dalat

Rising early, you have about a 4-hour drive towards Lam Dong Province through “Borri Country,” once the home of Jesuit missionaries. Your destination is “The City of Love,” Dalat, a favorite holiday resort for Vietnamese as well as the French. With evergreen forests, waterfalls, beautiful lakes, the country’s best flower gardens, and delicious fresh produce, Dalat has always provided a welcome respite from the heat of the lowlands.

When you arrive, you can have lunch in the market, and then begin to explore the town. You can visit some of the crafts, see the cathedral, walk down to the water and visit the home of Bao Dai, the last of the Nguyen Emperors.

Day 4: Dalat – Valley of Love, Convent, University, Pagodas

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Da Lat Du Parc or Ana Mandara Villas Dalat

Today, you can continue to explore Dalat, visiting its gardens, waterfalls, Valley of Love, convent, university and key pagodas.

Day 5: Drive Buon Me Thuot. Visit Lac Lake and enjoy Gong Show

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Ban Me Hotel

After breakfast, you have a full day’s drive to Buon Me Thuot, the provincial capital of Dac Lac Province, and the site of the last battle of the Vietnam War in March 1975. Along the way, you will visit some of the hill tribe people, stopping in Lak Lake around lunch time. Here you can ride elephants in a M’Nong village and take a dugout canoe ride on Lak Lake.   The area’s villagers welcome all visitors with local dancing – a gong show Q and an invitation to sample the local homebrewed rice wine. Be prepared and you might want to bring some salt, a gift prized by the villagers. The gong culture has been recognized by UNESCO as one of mankind’s most notable cultures.

From Lak Lake, you will continue on to Buon Me Thuot for dinner and the night.

Day 6: Visit town, museum and villages

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Ban Me Hotel

There are said to be about 31 different ethnic groups in Dac Lac, each with their own traditional dress and customs. The area is also known for its big game hunting, although new conservation laws have brought this practice to a close.  Before venturing out into the villages, you will stop at the ethnic museum in town, with its collection of everything from models of houses to clothes to musical instruments to games popular with the local people.

After the museum, you can visit some of the villages in the area. Some of the villages are known for elephant hunting and taming, some for weaving and other arts. The societies vary from matrilineal and matrilocal among the Rha De to patrilinear. In Ako Village, you can see some of the Ede traditional brocades being woven.

In Dra Sap are the biggest and most beautiful waterfalls in Daklak Province, located in a jungle setting. Late in the day, you will return to Buon Me Thuot and walk through the local market.

Day 7: Drive Pleiku and visit villages

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hoang Anh Gia Lai Hotel

Leaving Buon Me Thuot, you will drive on to Pleiku. Crossing the Nha Rong pass is truly a cultural experience. Along the way are coffee plantations and the stilt houses of the Central Highland’s largest ethnic group, the Gia Rai. These people stubbornly resisted the colonization of the French and, later, the town of Plei Me saw the first North Vietnamese battle of the Vietnam War in 1965. Domestic elephants are kept by many of the villages, and there are even sites where one can find   elephant   fossils   dating   back   to   the   Neolithic and Paleolithic ages. We will follow the Tun River over a pass and down into the small market town of Pleiku.

In the afternoon, you will visit a Giarai Village. The Giarai are animists, believing that demons are an integral part of creation.  They build their villages in the form of a square, with a communal house for all and the society is matrilineal.

Here you can meet the local musician, stroll around the village to get a sense of the traditional culture and customs, and visit the graveyard. Here you can learn about the wooden statures and the unique burial philosophy behind them. When you are spending time with the musician, you can experiment with the goong, the local instrument of the highlands.

When ready, you will return to Pleiku for the night.

Day 8: Drive Kon Tum via Plei Phun. Visit Orphanage, Church and villages

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Kontom Indochine Hotel

After breakfast, you drive to Kon Tum, stopping at Plei Phun Village. Here you can explore the differences between the Bahnar and the Jarai or Gia Rai. The ancestors of the present day Gia Rai arrived on the coast during the first centuries AD, and belong to the Malay Polynesian language group. Villages comprise about 50 homes built around a nga rong or communal house. Families are matriarchal and girls take the lead in choosing their husbands. Hunters, fishermen, and gatherers, the Gia Rai also cultivate fruit trees, rice, beans and other cereals. The animist world of the Gia Rai is peopled by yang or genies of the mountains, water, villages, homes, and other facets of their lives. Two of the most fascinating aspects of the Gia Rai are their graveyards, with their intriguing statues and the watering spring place.

You continue on to Kon Tum, about 30 miles farther. Here you will have lunch. Once in Kon Tum you can begin to do a bit of sightseeing.  During the war, Kon

Tum was the site of massive bombing by American BQ52s and was basically levelled by the bombings and the fighting that occurred between NVA and ARVN troops in 1972. The town is also inhabited by some colorful ethnic groups – Sedeng, Jarai, Bahnar and Rengao. Today you can visit the beautiful wooden Catholic Church, the seminary, and the Orphanage of Vinh Son.

Crossing the amazing suspension bridge, you will visit the villages of Pleitonghia and Konhngokotu. Late in the afternoon, you will return to Kon Tum for the night.

Day 9: Hike to villages and overnight or return to Kon Tum

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Local Village or Kontom Indochine Hotel

After driving to the suspension bridge, you will do a bit of hiking to two other villages – Kon Jori and Kon Kotu. From here you will walk along the Dakbla riverbank to a hanging bridge. Lunch will be a picnic on the Dakbla riverbank.  The length of the walk will depend on you.

After lunch, you will take a wooden boat along the Dakbla River to Kon Ko Tu Village.

Option A: Spend the night

Here you will spend the night. In the evening, you can attend a performance of local ethnic dances, songs and music – the Cong Chieng Show. You can also sip the local wine drink out of a jar through pipes.

Option B: Return to Kon Tum

If you prefer not to spend the night, you can take the boat back and return to Kon Tum and your hotel for the night.

Day 10: Drive Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa

You have a long drive through some spectacular mountain ranges and along sandy beaches to Hoi An, nestled on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Lunch will be on the way.

Hoi An is nestled on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Before the river silted up, Hoi An was one of the most important trading ports in Southeast Asia, and a center for East West exchange and trade. From the 2nd until the 10th century, Hoi An was one of the principal Cham cities. Over the years, Indian, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Thai, Indonesian, Spanish, American, Japanese, Filipino and Chinese ships docked in Hoi An. In the 19th century, as the result of warfare and environmental changes, Hoi An was replaced by Danang as a major port. Reflecting the diversity of the traders and missionaries that settled in the port (including Alexander of Rhodes), the ancient architecture is a fascinating mix of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese. The rooftops of Hoi An retain a magical old world Oriental feel and are a favorite subject for Vietnamese artists. In the early 1980s Hoi An’s ancient quarters and historical monuments came under the protection and restoration efforts of UNESCO and the Polish government.

Tonight, you will enjoy the luxury of the Victoria Hoi An, located on the beach.

Day 11: Visit My Son and Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa

This morning you will rise early and drive a short distance to the Cham ruins of My Son. The Cham Empire controlled the central coastline of Vietnam from the 4th to the 14th century. It is said that the people came to Vietnam from Indonesia, and brought with them the Hindu religion. They made masterful temples and fortunes trading silk, pearls, and even birds nests. Sadly, the ruins of My Son were badly destroyed during the Vietnam War, but enough of the temples remain to get a good sense of the art and architecture of the period.

After visiting My Son, you will return to Hoi An and tour a bit in the town, walking the Japanese Bridge, visiting the different Chinese Assembly Halls and pagodas and walking the market.

After your walk, you can take a boat ride to one of the islands in the river to see a village of potters. In the evening, you might want to head to Brothers for dinner on your own. The food is extraordinary.

Day 12: Free Day in Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa

Today is free to rent bikes, enjoy the beach by your hotel, or wander in Hoi An.

Day 13: Fly Hanoi. Cyclo ride and Water Puppet Show

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel De L’opera or Sofitel Legend Metropole

Rising early, you will fly to Hanoi on VN #1509 (0950/1105), where you will transfer to the Serenade, located in the Old Quarter. After changing clothes and a brief lunch, you will take a cyclo ride around the area.

Hanoi, located at the confluence of the Red and Duong Rivers, has come a long way from the stilt houses of the stone and bronze age dwellers of four and five thousand years ago. Myths link Hanoi’s origins to the center of the earth, visions of soaring dragons, and fears of invasions or fierce winds from the north. Between Chinese power struggles, peasant rebellions, invasions from warring Mongol hordes, the French occupation, and American bombing attacks, the city has undergone and continues to undergo tremendous growth and change. Today’s Hanoi, “the city inside a bend of the Red River,” is a blend of thousand year old temples, tube houses, neo Parisian buildings, and new, modern hotels and office buildings.

After your ride, you will enjoy a charming water puppet show. It may seem touristy, but it is an event that is loved by the locals and tells stories that are intimately part of their culture.

After the performance, you have time to explore the Old Quarter. Here many tiny streets join to sell a huge diversity of products. In the old days, each street bore the name of the product sold – “Shoe Street,” “Noodle Street,” and the like. Today, the streets sometimes sell a variety of items, but often the names are accurate. The Old Quarter also houses some of the most interesting art galleries. You spend some time visiting several of the most respected galleries, meeting with the owners and artists.

Day 14: Tour Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel De Lopera or Sofitel Legend Metropole

A real treat is to rise early before breakfast and walk down to Hoan Kiem Lake. Here you will join the locals in their morning Tai Chi exercises. Returning to the hotel, you will eat breakfast and then take a tour of the city. Your path will take you past the granite and concrete mausoleum where Ho Chi Minh lies in state, and the government buildings. Leaving the museum, you will walk around Hoan Kiem Lake in the middle of the city passing the One Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong to celebrate the birth of his only son, and Ho Chi Minh’s house, given him by the people of the country in thanks for his leadership. If time permits, you will also visit some of the most important temples of Hanoi. One of the most interesting is the Temple of Literature, called “Le Pagoda des Corbeaux” by the French, because of the huge flocks of crows gathering in the mango trees near the entrance. Built in 1070, the complex consists of five courtyards dedicated to Confucius and the pursuit of Confucian thought and behavior. It is here that Vietnam’s first university was founded. Another fascinating shrine is the Dao Quan Bich Cau Temple, built in the 15th century and dedicated to the military hero Ta Uyen, who fought many battles against Cham. One of the most   beautiful   in   Vietnam, this Taoist  temple contains statues of the her, his wife and son. Nearby is a statue to Lao-Tse, who founded the Taoist faith around 604 BC.

After lunch, you can choose between a visit to the wonderful Ethnic Museum or time in the Art Museum.

This evening, you will have a delicious farewell dinner at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants.

Day 15: Home

Meals: Breakfast

The day is free until time to transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Day 1 Start Hanoi

Depending on your arrival time, you might like to start exploring this fascinating city by strolling the broad tree-lined avenues dating from the French period. There is a faded colonial charm where baguettes and good coffee are sold from doorways of grand buildings from a past era. There is a welcome briefing this evening with your leader followed by a welcome dinner at KOTO, a social enterprise that trains and employs underprivileged young people. The delicious food provides a fitting welcome to Vietnam and a chance to bond with your group. Accommodation: May De Ville Trendy Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Day 2 To Ha Long Bay; cruise among limestone formations; overnight on boat

We have an early start for the approximate four-hour journey to Ha Long Bay, where roughly 3,000 limestone peaks rise from the emerald sea. Here we board a boat, navigate this amazing karst scenery and enjoy a seafood lunch. We stay overnight in twin-share cabins with private bathrooms. Accommodation: Overnight boat

Day 3 Transfer back to Hanoi; overnight train to Dong Hoi

We continue to cruise around Ha Long Bay this morning before returning to port. We then drive back to Hanoi where we have a bit of free time to explore. You might like to join the local people by pulling up a plastic stool and sampling one of the many street food offerings; the bun cha (barbecued pork with rice noodles and fresh herbs) is particularly good. Late afternoon, we transfer to the train station to board our overnight train to Dong Hoi, 310mi (500km) south of Hanoi. Accommodation: Overnight train

Day 4 Discover the caves of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Arriving at Dong Hoi at sunrise, we take a short transfer to our hotel to freshen up and have breakfast. We then journey (approximately one hour) to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2003, it is home to the oldest karst mountains in Asia, plus hundreds of cave systems and spectacular underground rivers. We first visit Phong Nha cave by boat. After, we stop for lunch before discovering the Thien Duong cave, known locally as Paradise Cave. This was only discovered in 2005 by scientists from the British Cave Research Association with the help of a local man who had heard the mountains ‘whistling’ while farming. In the afternoon, we return to our hotel in Dong Hoi, where we have time to relax and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Accommodation: Sam Quang Binh Hotel (or similar)

Day 5 To Hue via the war tunnels of Vinh Moc

For early risers, there is an optional visit to the Dong Hoi Fish Market, where buyers and sellers haggle over baskets brimming with the latest catch. We then journey to Hue after breakfast, stopping en route at the Vinh Moc war tunnels. Less well-known than the Cu Chi tunnels in the south, these were predominantly used as bomb shelters during the Vietnam War. Village life carried on underground: children went to school, hospitals were established and films were even played using power from a generator. We next stop at the Hien Luong Bridge which crosses the Ben Hai River, which formed part of the border between North and South Vietnam from 1954 until reunification in 1975. We arrive in Hue mid-afternoon with free time before an optional group dinner. Accommodation: Park View Hotel (or similar)

Day 6 Hue city tour; transfer to Hoi An

It is said that Hue is the cultural and historical centre of Vietnam, and there is plenty to see. The most outstanding sight is the Imperial Citadel, which has walls 6mi (9.5km) long; inside are the palaces and halls of the Mandarins, and the remains of the Forbidden Purple City, where only the emperor, his eunuchs and concubines were allowed. The Forbidden Purple City was almost totally destroyed during the Vietnam War's Tet Offensive, but the foliage-covered ruins are still atmospheric and the gaping bomb holes reveal the destruction wreaked upon the country. This morning, we visit the Imperial Citadel and the Thien Mu Pagoda. The pagoda was a centre for anti-government protest in the early 1960s and houses the Austin car that transported monk Thich Quang Duc to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1963 where he burned himself in protest against the president. The photograph of his self-immolation was printed in newspapers around the world. After lunch, we leave for Hoi An via the spectacular Hai Van Pass, 12mi (19km) of road winds up and over the fortress of mountains providing breath-taking views of the coast. Accommodation: Hoi An Sincerity Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Day 7 Walking tour of Hoi An; free time to explore the market

This morning includes a walking tour of Hoi An, the original European trading port in Vietnam dating to the mid-16th century. It is now a living museum with attractive wooden merchant's houses and pagoda-style temples with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European architectural influences. It is also a marvellous place to wander around and enjoy the thriving riverside market and shops selling silk clothes. This afternoon is free. One popular option is to jump on a bike for a ride through the countryside past local markets, schools and villages before continuing to Cua Dai beach (3mi/5km). Accommodation: Hoi An Sincerity Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Day 8 Fly to Ho Chi Minh City; visit main sites

We drive to Da Nang and then fly to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), an exciting and absorbing city where scooters pack the streets and temples stand by modern developments. Devastated by the Vietnam War, it is now a bustling free-market city where anything goes. We include a visit to the Ben Thanh Market, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and War Remnants Museum. The museum has an interesting photographic record of the Vietnam/American War but some images are very graphic. Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel (or similar)

Day 9 Day trip to Mekong Delta

Journeying out of the city, we head to the lush countryside that is the Mekong Delta for a day tour. Known as the rice bowl of Vietnam, this region produces most of the country’s fruit, sugarcane and coconuts. We take a boat along the many tributaries and stop to see cottage industries along the way. We journey by sampan, a traditional low-riding wooden boat still used by the local people as the main form of transport. After sampling some of the local produce, we return to Ho Chi Minh City where your leader will organise an optional farewell group dinner. Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel (or similar)

Day 10 End Ho Chi Minh City

Our Vietnam exploration ends today after breakfast. However, if you’re not quite ready for the adventure to stop, speak to your sales representative about our extension to Angkor in Cambodia, probably the standout archaeological site in Southeast Asia.