Southern Vietnam 05 Days

• We embark on a cyclo tour of Ho Chi Minh City, rolling around the city on a traditional three-wheeled bicycle with a carriage at the front for passengers. Drivers use pedal power to push us along, and gives us the opportunity to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of HCMC without the barrier of being trapped behind a car window (or the sound of a noisy engine!). We'll ride toward the crossroads where the famous monk Thich Quang Duc self-immolated in 1963, in protest of the government’s persecution of Buddhists. We’ll then ride to the very local District 3 and the biggest flower market in the city. Back on the cyclo, it’s non-stop sightseeing as we pass by the ‘pet street,’ Le Hong Phong, and the ‘art and painting street,’ Tran Phu, before bidding our cyclos and say goodbye.

• General Post Office, one of the oldest buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. It was built between 1886 and 1891, based on Gustave Eiffel’s design, a famous French architect and has become the busiest post office in Vietnam. Here you can send postcards, buy stamps and books, change money, buy souvenirs and enjoy the elegant architecture. At first sight, visitors may feel they are seeing an old 20th century railway station in Europe.
• Notre Dame Cathedral that was constructed between 1863 and 1880 by French colonists. It is a famous Romanesque cathedral in Southern Vietnam. Notre Dame Cathedral is also in the center of the Paris square, France
• Reunification Palace (formerly known as Independence Palace) has stayed in the mind of many generations. It is the famous historical building which went through the two fierce wars against the French and Americans. It displays many pictures, weapons, and other artifacts in the basement under the palace.
• Cantonese Thien Hau Pagoda in China town, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess, Mazu.
• The tour guide take you to Vietnam Silver House, where you can learn about the history and development of Silver Industry in Vietnam, witness on your eyes how the stuffs and beautiful accessories are made from Silver, you can buy some as souvenirs. You even can join a workshop in about 2hrs if you want to learn how to make a Silver jewelry for yourself (this course cost USD 35/person, and you can pay on spot), this is truly a unique experience.
• We visit an authentic Vietnamese market. These vendors sell variety of products, such as seafood, vegetable, daily tools, clothes. You can find everything in a genuine Vietnamese market with affordable prices

Breakfast at hotel. Tour guide pick you up from hotel and transfer to Vinh Long in Mekong Dela (approximately 1.5 hrs).

• We start from Tân Phong island for a biking or walking on village paths, to see the local farms, houses, real life, how they make rice-net for spring-rolls, sew coconut-leaves for cottage roof and specially see how they wave the dried water-hyacinth to make various products: baskets, bags, hats, wallets, shoes...
• The rowing boat will take you deeper into the countryside through smaller canals, enjoy the peaceful time. It is so interesting to see traditional houses made of wood or palm leaves and witness activities of the local farmers with an opportunity to make contacts with them and see how they catch fish or pick up fruits by ancestral ways in Mekong Delta…
• Lunch will be served at a local home.
• After lunch, we walk around the fruitful orchards, enjoy a cup of tea when listening the traditional music.
• Optional stop can be made at local workshops where you can see how to make rice paper, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn...

• Upon arrival, you will have a chance to watch a brief video that will introduce you to the Cu Chi tunnels, followed by a walk through the reserve. In this walk, you can see the Secret Entrance to the tunnels, workshops for the handmade weapons, the clinic bunker, the commander bunker, the meeting bunker and the kitchen bunkers, which are all open and above ground.
• Nearby is a chilling exhibition of the traps and weapons used against the American GIs. You also can experience the Cu Chi tunnels by crawling inside to see how difficult life must have been, and discover the 3 levels underground. For those who do not like the claustrophobic atmosphere, you do not have to crawl into these tunnels! The small replica displayed outside will give you a perfect example of what the interior looked like.