 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Tours
By Region |
|
| |
 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 Sunday: 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: Duxton Hotel, Saigon (3 nights)
 Day 2 Monday: 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 Tuesday: 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)
Day 4 Wednesday: 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 Thursday: 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: Hai Au Hotel, Nha Trang (2 nights)
(B)
Day 6 Friday: 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 Saturday: 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 Sunday: 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 Monday: 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 Tuesday:
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
Wednesday:
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:
Anise
Hotel,
Hanoi
(3
nights)
(B)
Day
12
Thursday:
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
Friday:
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
Saturday:
Depart
Hanoi
This
morning
we
depart
Vietnam
with
pleasant
memories
of
this
historic
and
artistically
rich
country. (B)
Departure
Dates |
2010
English Speaking Departures
Jan 10 & 24, Feb 21 & 28, Mar 71 &
21, Apr 04 & 18, May 09 & 23, Jun 06 &
20, Jul 04 & 18, Aug 08 & 22,
Sep 12 & 26, Oct 10 & 24, Nov 07 &
21, Dec 05 & 19
|
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 |
| 2010 |
US
$ 2295 |
US
$ 695 |
|
Estimated
International Airfare - International
airfare is NOT included in this tour |
| Canada
- West Coast |
N/A |
USA
- West Coast |
US
$ 1400 |
| Canada
- East Coast |
N/A |
USA
- East Coast |
US
$ 1600 |
|
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. |
 |
|
|
| © Copyright 1999-2010 Bestway
Tours & Safaris |
Site last updated May 27,
2010 |
| Photographs by Peter
Langer & Mahmood
Poonja |
Website © 1999-2010 Powered
by BTS |
tours
in Afghanistan, tours
in Algeria, tours
in Antarctica, tours
in Argentina, tours
in Austria, tours
in Bahrain, tours
in Balkans, tours
in Bangladesh, tours
in Belize, tours
in Bhutan, tours
in Bolivia, tours
in Borneo, tours
in Botswana, tours
in Brazil, tours
in Brunei, tours
in Bulgaria, tours
in Burkina Faso, tours
in Cambodia, tours
in Canada, tours
in Caucasus, tours
in Chile, tours
in China, tours
in Colombia, tours
in Cuba, tours
in Cyprus, tours
in Czech Republic , tours
in Ecuador, tours
in Egypt, tours
in England, tours
in Eritrea, tours
in Estonia, tours
in Ethiopia, tours
in Ghana, tours
in Greece, tours
in Guatemala, tours
in Honduras, tours
in Hungary, tours
in India, tours
in Indonesia, tours
in Iran, tours
in Iraq, tours
in Israel, tours
in Jordan, tours
in Kazakstan, tours
in Kenya, tours
in Kuwait, tours
in Kyrgyzstan, tours
in Laos, tours
in Latvia, tours
in Lebanon, tours
in Libya, tours
in Lithuania, tours
in Madagascar, tours
in Malaysia,
tours in Mali, tours
in Mauritius, tours
in Maldives, tours
in Moldova, tours
in Mongolia, tours
in Morocco, tours
in Myanmar, tours
in Namibia, tours
in Nepal, tours
in North Korea, tours
in Oman, tours
in Pakistan, tours
in Papua New Guinea, tours
in Peru, tours
in Philippines, tours
in Poland, tours
in Qatar, tours
in Romania, tours
in Russia, tours
in Saudi Arabia, tours
in Sikkim, tours
in Singapore, tours
in Slovakia, tours
in Southern Africa, tours
in Sri Lanka, tours
in Sudan, tours
in Syria, tours
in Tajikistan, tours
in Tanzania, tours
in Thailand, tours
in Tibet, tours
in Togo, tours
in Tunisia, tours
in Turkey, tours
in Turkmenistan, tours
in the UAE, tours
in Uganda, tours
in Uzbekistan, tours
in Vietnam, tours
in Yemen, tours
in Zambia and tours
in Zimbabwe |
|
|
