Vietnam … from charming Hanoi, the “Paris of the East” with its fading colonial architecture and national monuments, to the spellbinding scenery of Halong Bay, to bustling Ho Chi Minh City on the edge of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam is as colorful as it is diverse.
Unforgettable experiences are everywhere in Vietnam. There’s the sublime: gazing over a surreal seascape of limestone islands from the deck of a traditional junk in Halong Bay. The ridiculous: taking 10 minutes just to cross the street through a tsunami of motorbikes in Hanoi. Historical: exploring Vietnam’s 1,000 year old historical sites. The comical: watching a moped loaded with honking pigs weave a wobbly route along a country lane. And the contemplative: witnessing a solitary grave in a cemetery of thousands of war victims.
Vietnamese culture is complex, diverse and represents something of a history lesson. The nation’s labyrinthine, teeming trading quarters are rich in indigenous crafts and reflect centuries-old mercantile influences. Ancient temples display distinctly Chinese influences in the north and Hindu origins in the south. Meanwhile the broad, tree-lined boulevards and grand state buildings that grace the capital date from the French colonial period.
In Southeast Asia nothing really comes close to Vietnamese food … It’s that good. Incredibly subtle in its flavors and outstanding in its diversity, Vietnamese cooking is a fascinating draw for travelers. Geography plays a crucial role, with Chinese flavors influencing the soups of the north, spices sparking up southern cuisine, and herbs and complex techniques typifying the central coastline, rightly renowned as Vietnam’s epicurean hot spot. And up and down the country you can mingle with villagers, sample local dishes and sip rice wine in Vietnam’s many regional markets.
This is a land of staggering natural beauty, cultural complexities, dynamic megacities and hill-tribe villages…. and both exotic and compelling.
Our Tour Includes
• Round-trip transportation from the East End to JFK
• Round-trip airfare to Vietnam
• Inter-Vietnam air
• Round-trip airport/ hotel transfers
• Baggage handling at hotels
• First Class hotel Accommodations
• Hotel taxes and service charges
• Daily breakfast
• Additional meals as per itinerary
• Guided sightseeing including entrance fees
Added Features
• Welcome dinner and unique water puppet show
• Overnight Halong Bay cruise on a Chinese Junk
• A “Dragon Boat” ride on the Perfume River
Our Itinerary
Tuesday, August 6: Depart USA Depart Montauk and East Hampton for JFK to board your flights to Vietnam.
Wednesday, August 7: Cross the International Dateline Cross the International dateline as you lose a day that you will gain back on the return flight home.
Thursday, August 8: Arrival in Hanoi (D) Arrival at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, the “Paris of the East”. After clearing Immigration and Customs, we will be met and escorted to our hotel for a well-deserved rest. Hanoi is over 1000 years old and is currently the capital of Vietnam, as well the commercial, political, and cultural heart of the country. It’s a perfect place to start our tour of Vietnam. This evening, we will have dinner at our hotel.
Friday, August 9: In Hanoi (B/D) After breakfast, we meet our guide in the lobby to start our city tour of Hanoi with a visit to the One-Pillar Pagoda, rising from one pillar in the center of an elegantly square shaped lotus pond. It is said to represent a lotus flower growing up out of the water. Then to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, his former residence and the Army Museum. Ho Chi Minh was an important historical figure and this visit will give us greater insight to him. We end our tour with a visit to the Quan Thah Temple. Time for a quick bite on our own and some independent exploration & shopping. In the late afternoon we will experience a special event as we will enjoy the Water Puppet Show, a unique Vietnamese traditional art form as puppeteers behind a screen control the puppets who seem to glide over a large pool of water. This will be followed by dinner at a local restaurant.
Saturday, August 10: Morning in Hanoi. After start cruise on Halong Bay (B/L/D) We leave Hanoi on a two-hour drive to Halong and board our Chinese Junk for a most unique travel experience. About noon we start our cruise with a welcome drink and a briefing from the cruise director. This is followed by a tasty lunch as we depart for unforgettable experience on Halong Bay that is listed as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding natural beauty. “The dragon descending to the sea” as it is known in Vietnamese, the picturesque Halong Bay has more than 3,000 limestone inlets rising from clear emerald waters, many of them containing beautiful grottoes, some of which we will see during our boat cruise. Our first stop is mysterious Tien Ong Cave as we explore its magnificent limestone formations in one of the most beautiful and biggest caves on Halong Bay. Return to our junk for “Happy Hour” Vietnamese style before we join the onboard Chef at a cooking demonstration discover the Vietnamese cuisine featuring the famous local traditional spring rolls, as well as learning how to toast the Vietnamese by way of several evening’s toast of the local rice wine. Then a special sunset Paradise dinner followed by relaxing in your overnight cabin.
Sunday, August 11: Cruising Halong Bay and then back to Hanoi (B/L) After breakfast, we can take part in an early Tai Chi lesson followd by morning tea and coffee. After breakfast we anchor by the Cua Van floating fishing village and have some time to visit a village that was voted one the top “insanely beautiful” small towns in the world. Return to our Junk for a light lunch before arriving back at our departure port for the drive back to Hanoi where we have the afternoon and evening free to experience part of the world that has still displays its former elegance. Walk down the tree lined boulevards where we still see many French influences such as Hanoi Opera House, the former Governor’s Palace and the Hanoi Cathedral that was built in the 19th century and take time for some GREAT shopping. A change to have dinner on our own at one of the many wonderful local restaurants.
Monday, August 12: To Hue (B/L/D) A really early breakfast as we transfer to the airport for the flight to Hue, known as the royal city of Vietnam’s last ruling dynasty. Upon arrival, we will be met and transferred to our accommodations in the city center, to be followed by lunch at a local restaurant. Our afternoon tour will be visiting the Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1993. The Citadel includes the Imperial City and Forbidden City. Then we head to the outskirts of Hue to explore the famous Tu Duc Tomb. Emperor Tu Duc designed it himself to use before and after his death. The enormous expense of the tomb and the forced labor used in its construction spawned a coup plot that was discovered and suppressed Return to our hotel for dinner and our overnight.
Tuesday, August 13: To Danang and Hoi An (B/L/D) After breakfast, we take a Dragon Boat cruise along the Perfume River passing the Dong Ba market to Thien Mu Pagoda, where we visit the vestiges of the royal residence at the Imperial City. This is followed by lunch at local restaurant. Then depart by coach via the picturesque Hai Van Pass (Pass of the Ocean Clouds) to Hoi An as we pass through pretty red-tiled villages and enjoying a specular view of the sea and sky to enchanting Hoi An. After checking into our hotel, we will have a tour of Hoi An to discover the historic town which used to be a prosperous seaport city during the 16th to 18th centuries. We will walk through the narrow and ancient streets of this charming town. Perhaps more than any other place in Vietnam, Hoi An retains the feel of centuries past. Once known as Faifo, Hoi An was an influential port along the Silk Road. For over 500 years, merchants from China, Japan, France and Portugal settled in the prosperous town resulting in a distinctive blend of culture, cuisine, religions and architecture. In 1999, the town was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site listed for having the most unique architecture in Southeast Asia. Dinner and overnight in Hoi An.
Wednesday, August 14: To Ho Chi Minh City (B/L/D) After breakfast we transfer to the airport in Danang and fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, we board a coach for the 3-hour drive to the resort of Can Tho, the main city of the Mekong Delta, called the “Nine Dragon River Delta” where the Mekong River empties into the South China Sea. Check into our hotel for our overnight and dinner.
Thursday, August 15: In Can Tho (B/L/D) This morning an early departure as we cruise the Cai Rang floating Market considered the best and busiest floating markets in Vietnam. Savor morning coffee from a coffee boat, as we watch the floating vendors haggle and trade. The colors are amazing and that means the sample of what is being sold will be hung on the long upright pole so visitors and buyers can easily notice their goods from a distance. So, for example, don’t waste your time asking which boat sells clothes. Instead, simply look up and see which boat has a clothes sample hung on top of the pole. We return to our hotel about mid-morning and have the rest of the day and evening on our own to relax by the pool or go out independently for exploration. The Victoria Can Tho hotel offers many on-premise facilities such as two swimming pools, wellness center, tennis. Maybe visit the Ong Temple, in a fantastic location facing the Can Tho River and decorated with huge, constantly burning incense coils. This evening we have dinner at our hotel.
Friday, August 16: Back to Ho Chi Minh City (B/D) The morning at our hotel on our own and taking an R & R break from touring. After an early lunch on our own, we board our coach back to Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon. After checking into our hotel, we will take a brief panoramic tour of the city to marvel at colonial architecture at the Notre Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office and the Reunification Palace. We will see the Bird Café in Tao Dan Park, where locals take their caged birds every morning and more. Then we have will have a Farewell to Vietnam dinner at a local restaurant.
Saturday, August 17: Back to JFK (B)
Morning transfer to the airport for our connecting flights home with a same day arrival. On arrival, after clearing Immigration and Customs, it’s back to the East End.
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Per Person in Double Occupancy room: $3,099 payments via check or money order
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Add to above costs:
U.S. airline facility, security, taxes and Fuel Surcharge $799 ($839 via credit card)
Prepaid Gratuities $100 ($105 via credit card)
INITIAL DEPOSIT $500 ($525 by credit card) deposit due on or before March 15, 2019 to hold space
FINAL PAYMENTS: Due on or before June 11, 2019
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