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Itinerary

Day-By-Day Itinerary

Days 1-2: Depart U.S. for Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 3: Arrive Hanoi We arrive in the Vietnamese capital mid-morning, then transfer to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day 4: Hanoi This morning we take a walking tour of Ba Dinh Square, a popular complex of cultural and historic sites, including the marble and granite mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace, and thousand-year-old One Pillar Pagoda.  Following lunch on our own we embark on an orientation tour of this French-accented city with broad tree-lined boulevards and colonial architecture. We pass Hoan Kiem Lake; visit the marvelous Temple of Literature (c. 1070); and tour infamous Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War. Later we walk the narrow streets of the diverse Ancient Quarter then enjoy a traditional cyclo ride. Tonight we gather at a local restaurant for a welcome dinner and traditional Water Puppet show. B,D

Day 5: Hanoi/Ha Long Bay Early this morning we depart on a full-day excursion to Ha Long Bay, a breathtaking waterway sprinkled with 3,000 islands and islets, and surrounded by a fairytale landscape of limestone cliffs, secret grottoes, and hidden caves. Our tour includes a boat ride and seafood lunch. B,L

Day 6: Hanoi/Da Nang We fly this morning to ­Da Nang, Vietnam’s third ­largest city situated on the south central coast.  Upon arrival, we tour the acclaimed Cham Museum, which celebrates the Cham people’s Hindu legacy with a fine collection of sculpture and artifacts dating from the 7th to 15th centuries. We reach our beachfront hotel mid-morning; the remainder of the day is at leisure in this splendid setting. B,D

Day 7: Da Nang/Hoi An This morning we visit nearby Hoi An, where a succession of Dutch, Chinese, Portuguese, and Japanese traders helped to build an architecturally diverse and colorful village where many ancient traditions still hold sway. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Hoi An’s Old Town is a charming car-free pedestrian zone lined with tailors, shops, and art galleries. This afternoon is at leisure to either remain in Hoi An on your own or return to our beachside resort for a relaxing interlude. B

Day 8: Da Nang A morning walking tour of a nearby farming settlement reveals the daily life of a local community up close.  Nestled amidst ­seemingly endless rice paddies, the village represents the Vietnam of fable and film; where rice paddies occupy every spare patch of ground, water buffaloes plow the fields, and villagers ride to market with produce piled high on their bicycles. B

Day 9: Da Nang/Hue We depart this morning by coach for the ancient imperial city of Hue, whose palaces, temples, and tombs evoke its past grandeur as home to emperors and mandarins. We explore the Imperial City, housing the Forbidden Purple City complex where emperors lived with their families and now a UNESCO World Heritage site. We also visit the Central Market where locals buy fish, meat, produce, and sundry goods. Tonight we enjoy a special Hue buffet, accompanied by a performance of traditional music. B,D

Day 10: Hue This morning we cruise along Hue’s Perfume River to peaceful Thien Mu Pagoda, a Buddhist monastery that ranks among the city’s oldest and most important monuments. After admiring the seven-story octagonal tower, we visit the palatial Tomb of Ming Mang (c. 1804), with its pavilions and courtyards modeled after the Ming Tombs of China. This afternoon we see the tombs of Tu Doc, a gem of royal architecture; and Khai Dinh, an elaborate mix of ancient and modern, European and Asian. B,L

Day 11: Hue/Mekong Delta/Can Tho Today is a travel day that begins with an early morning flight to Saigon. Upon arrival we transfer to a motorcoach for the three-hour drive south to the Mekong River town of Cai Be. From there we travel by coach and ferry to the busy river port and provincial capital of Can Tho. We dine tonight at our hotel. B,D

Day 12: Can Tho/Mekong Delta We rise early for today’s journey by boat to the bustling floating market at Cai Rang on the Mekong’s lower reaches. After lunch together at a local restaurant, we return to our hotel where the ­remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure. B,L

Day 13: Mekong Delta/Saigon An hour-long coach ride this morning brings us to the upper reaches of the storied Mekong. Here we board motorized sampans for an up-close look at river life as we explore the maze of tributaries and inlets that lead to tiny settlements and villages populated by fishermen and farmers. After lunch at a local restaurant we continue on by coach to Saigon (the name Ho Chi Minh City is used interchangeably). We reach our hotel late afternoon; dinner is on our own in this vibrant city. B,L

Day 14: Saigon A morning tour includes the former Presidential Palace, which served as the South Vietnamese government’s wartime headquarters. Now called Reunification Palace, it was here that the first Communist tanks rolled into Saigon on April 30, 1975; it remains preserved as a museum almost exactly as it was on that day. We also tour the History Museum with its excellent display on the indigenous peoples of Vietnam. B,D

Day 15: Saigon This morning we visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, the infamous underground network from which North Vietnamese forces operated in wartime. This afternoon is free for independent exploration; tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner. B,D

Day 16: Depart for U.S. Today we depart Saigon for our connecting flights to the U.S. B

Included

Tour Price Includes

• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities; all flights within itinerary
• 13 nights’ accommodations in Deluxe and Superior First Class hotels
• 23 meals: 13 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 6 dinners
• Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• Gratuities for local guides, dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers
• $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after three tours)

Dates and Prices

2010/2011 Tour Dates & Prices

	2011 Mar 26 Apr 2	2011 Mar 5 Mar 12	2010 Oct 16 Oct 23	2010 Nov 6 Dec 4 2011 Jan 12, 19 Jan 26 Feb 5, 12 Feb 19
Los Ang, San Fran	$2,895	$2,995	$3,095	$3,195
Phoenix, Port (OR), Seattle	$3,095	$3,195	$3,295	$3,395
Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Minn, New York	$3,295	$3,395	$3,495	$3,595
Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia, Washington, DC	$3,395	$3,495	$3,595	$3,695
Cincinnati, Orlando, Tampa	$3,495	$3,595	$3,695	$3,795

 

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Single travelers please add $1,295. Your $375 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days before departure. All 2010/2011 tour prices above are guaranteed.

An overnight stay at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport (upon departure or return) is available for $79 per person (single supplement: $59). Depending on flight schedules, certain U.S. departure cities may require an overnight stay at your expense.

Business Class upgrade on round-trip Trans-Pacific flight from Los Angeles or San Francisco: $5,895 per person. Airline taxes and departure fees of $313 per person ($339 with Angkor Wat extension) are subject to change and will be listed separately on your invoice.

Hotels

Hotels & Ratings

Day Itinerary Hotel Rating 1-2 Depart U.S. for Hanoi 3-5 Hanoi InterContinental Hanoi Westlake Deluxe 6-8 Da Nang Furama Resort Sup. First Class 9-10 Hue Saigon Morin Sup. First Class 11-12 Can Tho (Mekong Delta) Victoria Hotel Sup. First Class 13-15 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) InterContinental Asiana Saigon Deluxe 16 Depart Ho Chi Minh City for U.S.

Ratings are based on the Hotel & Travel Index, the travel industry standard reference.