GLIMPSE OF SOUTH VIETNAM II

We leave the bustle of the city behind for a day of exploring scenic rice fields, waterways, extensive orchards and colorful markets of the Mekong Delta area.

Upon Cai Be arrival, we embark a local boat and start the excursion with a visit of Cai Be colorful floating market, the market run approximately 400 to 500 boats filled with fruits, vegetables, and other products are anchored along the banks of the river waiting for customers and traders, from 5 am to 5 pm every day. Visiting the market give you a better understanding of the villager’s daily lives and more. After the colorful market, the short stop will be made at local workshops where you can see how to make rice paper, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn.

Then the rowing boat will take you into the untouched countryside along small canals and to enjoy the peaceful time. It is so interesting to see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves and see daily activities of the local farmers as with an opportunity to make contacts with them and see how they catch fish...

After lunch at a local home, you will enjoy a folk music show performed by peasants and seasonal fruits. We end the excursion by taking a bike trip along countryside paths to see the local farms, houses, real life of inhabitants in Mekong Delta.
In the late afternoon we return to Saigon.

Overnight in Saigon.

Leaving the city behind, the scenery changes to views of rice paddies, villagers drying noodles by the side of the road and other scenes typical to southern Vietnam. At Tay Ninh visit the Cao Dai Great Temple, the Holy Land of Caodaism and where all the major religions of the world blend together in a unique religious mosaic.

After lunch in a local restaurant, we head back to Cu Chi district visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, located 70 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, built and used by the Viet Cong during Vietnam War. It took 25 years to construct this tunnel and it stands today as a symbol of struggle of the Vietnamese people. This Tunnel consists of more than 200 km of underground tunnels, many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels and home to more than 16,000 communist guerillas and sympathizers during the war. The underground network provided sleeping quarters, meeting rooms, hospitals, and other social rooms. Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels provides a better understanding of the prolonged resistance war and also of the persistent and clever character of the Vietnamese. Back to Saigon in late afternoon.

Over night in Saigon.

After breakfast, we transfer to Cho Lon market or Chinatown, one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most interesting areas, where you can get a taste of true Saigon commerce, explore the authentic market, shops and the Cantonese Thien Hau pagoda, one of Saigon’s must-see pagodas- dedicated to the goddess of the Sea. The next, visit the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine (FITO), the museum displays nearly 3,000 items relevant to traditional Vietnamese medicine dating back to the Stone Age, implements used to prepare traditional medicine and objects found in traditional pharmacies as well as ancient books and documents on traditional Vietnamese medicine before heading back to the city center to visit Ben Thanh Market, the city’s central market that is packed with all kinds of local wares and souvenirs famous for wholesaler trading where you can take a long stroll around the market’s expansive grounds and watch the hustle and bustle.

The rest of the afternoon is free at leisure until transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for onward flight.