SAIGON CITY - CU CHI TUNNEL - MEKONG DELTA 4 DAYS

Itinerary

Day 1: BEN DUOC TUNNELS OF CU CHI

Stop At: Ben Duoc Memorial Temple, Ben Duoc, Phu My Hung, Cu Chi, Ho Chi Minh City 700000 Vietnam
Our trip begins at 8 am with a two hour drive through the modern mayhem of hectic Saigon, into the rustic rurality of Cu Chi. Along the way we'll keep you entertained with tales about the area's turbulent history, about the lives and grinds of its people. Just 30 minutes further from the typically-visited tunnels of Ben Dinh, we will arrive in Ben Duoc, the one which other companies tend to avoid due to the extra distance of about 20km. Here, you'll learn what life was truly like in these enemy named "black echo" mazes, as we guide you through the historic grounds - and into the ground, if you dare ! Model-home and display area shows of daily lives and survival means, and an ornate memorial temple commemorating those who dies make this site particularly enlightening.
Enjoy a scenic lunch of the kind eaten in the area for centuries. After lunch, we'll make our way back to Saigon on a different route to which we came, arriving at your hotel at around 4pm.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: Real Saigon including Cyclo riding

Stop At: Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City
8 am- from your hotel in Saigon, we kick start our exciting day with a short cyclo ride (40 minutes) at rush hour to Ho Thi Ky alleys with a short break for photos at the site of, ‘the most powerful photo of all time’ where a Buddhist monk set himself a fire in 1963 to oppose the then regime’s depressing on Buddhism
- Upon arrival at Ho Thi Ky alleys, we will enjoy a short walk (30 minutes) in the alleys and visit Saigon’s largest wholesaled flower market which has been here for almost a century
- Drive to Cho Lon (known as china town) and stroll through the backstreets market of Tan Thanh where jungles of motor-parts are provided for some 6 million motorbikes in Saigon. Interestingly, hundreds of U.S ammunition boxes found their way to this market after the Vietnam War and are now being reused as toolboxes
- We go on to visit Binh Tay Market and the colorful Thien Hau Pagoda in the same area
- Lunch: at Pho Hung – the best ever Vietnamese rice-noodle soup with beef
- Afternoon: we will visit the sobering War Remnants Museum, the former Presidential Palace (also known as Unification Hall) and the historic French-built landmarks i.e. Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, the Opera House, and Hotel de Ville to name but a few
*** Our service ends at your hotel at around 17:00pm
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 3: SAIGON - BEN TRE - CAN THO

Stop At: Ben Tre Province, Ben Tre Province, Mekong Delta
Take about a two hours drive to Ben Tre. On arrival at Hung Vuong pier - the boat will cruise along the Ham Luong river (a branch of the Mekong) and stop at various local workplaces to give you a picture of how the local economy works, including a brick-kiln; a coconut processing workshop; and a mat weaving house.
You will then hop onto a bicycle for a 9.5 mile (15 km) fun ride through the quiet and beauty country lane to Mr Khanh’s local house where you can contemplate a antiques pottery collection. Then stop at a local restaurant for lunch. After lunch, it’s time to board on a rowing boat for a relaxing trip along narrow canals. Back to Hung Vuong Pier, take a way to Ham Luong, Co Chien ferry for Can Tho. Check in hotel
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3 stars hotel with double or twin sharing room

Day 4: CAI RANG & PHONG DIEN Floating Markets (B)

Stop At: Phong Dien Floating Market, Can Tho 92000 Vietnam
5:00am: Drive to Phong Dien district and board on boat and cruise to Phong Dien floating market - a retailed floating market with many small and rowing boats. As our boat edges through the market, you will be surely driven back to the yester-centuries by the sound of bargaining, rowing, motoring mixed with the sound from the coffee boat, meat boat, grocery boat, ice boats.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Cai Rang Floating Market, 46 Hai Ba Trung near Cai Rang Bridge, Can Tho 900000 Vietnam
Then our boat will speed up to Cai Rang floating market - it is much bigger and is more of wholesaled market with many more big and motored boats. Next stop will be a local fruit orchard where you can enjoy some kind tropical fruit. Back to hotel for check out and head off for Ho Chi Minh City.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.