6D/5N Vietnam Discovery

Highlights: English- or Chinese-speaking guide Halong Bay cruise Cu Chi Tunnels Hanoi's famous water puppets Pagodas & Temples

This tour will take you to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam which at one time was under communist-rule and also to Ho Chih Minh City, commonly known as Paris of the East as it was under French-rule. Today both are thriving metropolis under the same country.

Hanoi is a city of stunning visual and audio contrast. The rickety sounds of cyclos (pedicabs) fight for airwaves amidst the blasting horns of motorbikes, and the Nike swoosh wallpapers the French-styled building facades in the Old Quarter.

The Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi's commercial nucleus, ripples out from the lake of the same name. The lake's name means Lake of the Restored Sword, according to a legend dating back to the mid-15th century.

The tangled streets of the Old Quarter, which spread from Hoan Kiem's fringes, is like Hanoi's intestines. Originally a snake- and alligator-infested swamp, the Old Quarter, or 36 Pho Phuong (36 Streets), is now transformed to an outdoor shopping mall and stomping ground for backpackers.

Just south of West Lake, the Ba Dinh district is the old French administrative center where several new flashy hotels are located, eagerly anticipating the growth of a much talked-about business center. Aside from the complex devoted to Ho Chi Minh, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Botanical Gardens and the Temple of Literature are tourist attractions here.

The city is fairly spread out and cyclos or motorbike taxis will get you from one area to another. Once you have picked a spot, wandering on your feet affords the best view of Hanoi's chaotic street life.

HALONG BAY

A visit to North Vietnam is not complete till you visit Halong Bay. Designated as one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, it is in most people travel list as “one of the places to see before you die". Halong translates as "where the dragon descends into the sea".

Set in the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, the stand out feature is a series of tiny islands with mountainous terrain. The scenery is storybook stuff and as an added interest, there are numerous illuminated caves you can explore as well.

HO CHIH MINH CITY

Located on the Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's major port and largest metropolis, with an estimated population of over eight million people. For many, Saigon – as it’s still called by all – can seem to be one chaotic mess of traffic-clogged roads and urban bustle. But most of them have since been seduced by the hidden charms of one of Southeast Asia’s liveliest cities.

Teeming markets, sidewalk cafés, massage and acupuncture clinics, centuries-old pagodas, sleek skyscrapers and ramshackle wooden shops selling silk, spices, baskets and handmade furniture all vie for attention amidst this surreal multi-colored city.

Saigon must-sees include the Vietnam History Museum; the grisly War Remnants Museum; and Cholon, the Chinese District, with its pagodas and exotic stores. Dong Khoi Street -- formerly fashionable Rue Catinat during the French era and Tu Do, or Freedom Street, during the Vietnam War -- is a strip of grand hotels, some dating from the colonial era, chic shops and boutiques, and lots of fine dining and cafes. Saigon food is some of the best Vietnam has to offer, its nightlife sparkles, and the shopping here is eclectic.

Brash and noisy, Ho Chi Minh City has an attitude.

CU CHI TUNNELS

The tunnels of Cu Chi are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Cu Chi district of Ho Chi Minh CityThe tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters.

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