Day 1: Ho Chi Minh
Saigon (Lunch)
Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Half-day visit, also in cyclo, of the district of Cholon, Saigon's Chinatown. We visit Thien Hau, the most revered temple of the Cantonese community, dedicated to the Celestial Lady protector of merchants and sailors. We then take a walk along Trieu Quang Phuc St., known for its traditional Chinese herbalists. We reach the Catholic church of Cha Tam, built in 1900, in a peculiar style that blends European baroque and classic Chinese architecture. We then proceed to the bustling shopping area that runs from Dong Khoi Street, the "Rue Catinat" of the French era, to the large Ben Thanh market square. Return to the hotel.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh
Saigon (Breakfast, Lunch)
Departure to reach the famous Cu Chi tunnels, the Vietcong's underground network of warehouses, dormitories, armories, kitchens, infirmaries and command posts resistant to US bombardments and symbol of Vietnamese resistance. In the nearby bushes, some structures are made accessible to the public and evocative mannequins mount the guard at strategic points. On the way back to Saigon we stop to taste the famous rice flour focaccia and explore a rubber tree plantation dating back to the years of French colonization at the beginning of the last century. Lunch in a typical restaurant. In the afternoon we visit the heart of Saigon, starting from the War Remnants Museum, a sad reminder of all wars in which Vietnam has been involved. After a brief stop at the central square to admire the Post Office building, designed by Gustave Eiffel, and the neo-Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame, we visit Ngoc Hoang, the Jade Emperor's pagoda, dedicated to the Taoist cult. The interiors are surprisingly rich and fascinating. Return to the hotel.
Day 3: Chau Doc
Saigon - Chau Doc (Breakfast, Lunch)
Full-day visit to the Mekong Delta. We arrive at Cai Be River port to board a smaller local boat more suitable to navigate the narrow canals. Passing through crowded shores, full of life and commerce, we reach the local fresh market, where a myriad of people on boats convey fruits, vegetables and handicrafts from various areas of the delta. We visit a family-run business specializing in the traditional production of rice cakes, palm sugar candies and a variety of local desserts. Lunch in a typical restaurant. During the transfer to Chau Doc, we travel through the most characteristic landscapes of the Mekong Delta, a river ecosystem unique in the world and very photogenic. Arrive at Chau Doc and transfer to the hotel.
Day 4:
Chau Doc - Phnom Penh (Breakfast)
Departure with a fast boat through a maze of channels connecting the Bassac River to the Mekong all the way to the border post between Vietnam and Cambodia. After crossing the border the journey continues through a unique landscape of great natural beauty, where traditional villages alternate with orchards, forests and swamps. Arrival in Phnom Penh about five hours after departure.
