Arriving at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey before a Welcome dinner.
You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City orientation (B, L, D, G)
After breakfast, your guide will arrive to show you around Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll visit the Reunification Palace, the Museum of War Remnants provides a very partial, but riveting, perspective of the ‘American War’: not for the squeamish! The huge Ben Thanh market, one of the liveliest areas of Ho Chi Minh City, is packed with every conceivable commodity.
You’ll also call in at the Jade Emperor Temple. It’s one of the best Taoist temples in Vietnam, with superb effigies, remarkable carved panels of the descent to Hell and somewhat incongruous terrapin and tortoise sanctuaries. You’ll finish your day with a visit to the Sea Goddess Temple, one of the largest temples in city dedicated to both Buddha and Sea Goddess (Thien Hau Goddess).
You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City- Tay Ninh - Cu Chi (B, L, D, G)
A morning drive will take you to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See in time to watch the mid-day ceremony. After lunch, you’ll visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels, a Byzantine maze of underground passages, chambers, rooms and booby traps used by both the Vietminh and the Viet Cong to suddenly materialise as if from nowhere, launch a lightning ambush, and vanish equally rapidly. You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.
Cao Dai is a ‘new’ religion unique to Vietnam with around a million followers. Both its creed and its architecture are remarkable and exotic. The service lasts about half an hour – the rituals are based upon an eclectic mixture of Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. Discreet photography is OK, but shoes must be left outside.
Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City – Vinh Trang Pagoda – Me Kong Delta day trip (B, L, D, G)
In the morning, you will depart for My Tho Town in the Mekong Delta, 70km from Ho Chi Minh City. On the way you’ll call in at the beautiful and ancient Vinh Trang pagoda, 3 km from My Tho center. Arrival in My Tho, you will take the motorized boat through the natural canal, view the fish market and islets of Dragon, Phoenix, Tortoise and Unicorn. Lunch at a local house on the island with local specialties (Muslim food is not available in the area). Transfer to a sampan row boat along the natural canal. Visit fruit plantation farm, bee farm, coconut candy factory. Back to My Tho wharf by boat. Drive back to HCMC in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in HCMC.
Vinh Trang Pagoda is renowned for its architectural mixture of Chinese, Vietnamese and Angkor styles. It’s Located on a 2 hectare block with 5 buildings, 2 ornamental yards, 178 pillars and many valuable statues (especially the statues of 18 arahants which were carved from wood and made in 1907) the pagoda will give you a deeper look into the relationship between Vietnamese art and Buddhist beliefs.
Day 5: Ho Chi Minh City shopping – Departure (B, G)
You’ll have the whole day to do shopping in the biggest shopping malls in Ho Chi Minh City (Parkson, Diamond Plaza, Zen Plaza, etc.). You’ll be assisted by our guide and driver.
You’ll then being driven to the airport to take your departure flight home. Trip ends.
Readmore: Southern Splendor 5 days
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