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Top Destinations |
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Hanoi
City: Vietnam's small and
pleasant capital lies at the heart
of the northern Red River Delta, and
is a city of lakes, leafy boulevards
and open parks with a French
colonial feel.
Hanoi was founded in 1010, and
became the centre of government for
the Indochina Union under French
rule in 1888. In 1954 it became the
official capital of independent
Vietnam. Today ancient crumbling
buildings dating from the 11th
century lie scattered among grand
French colonial residences, while
shrines and monuments to Vietnam's
first president, Ho Chi Minh, sit in
the shadow of modern high-rise
buildings. The streets of the Old
Quarter preserve age-old customs,
where trade takes one back half a
century, and temples, pagodas and
monuments reflect the historic
character of Vietnam.
Hanoi is fast becoming one of the
most enticing and interesting cities
in Asia. As a cultural centre there
are traditional water puppet shows,
and music and dance performances. It
is also a good base for excursions
to the beautiful Halong Bay, or into
the Hoang Lien Mountains inhabited
by several hill tribes.
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Halong
Bay
Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin,
includes some 1,600 islands and
islets, forming a spectacular
seascape of limestone pillars.
Because of their precipitous nature,
most of the islands are uninhabited
and unaffected by a human presence.
The site's outstanding scenic beauty
is complemented by its great
biological interest. This densely
concentrated zone of stone islands,
world famous for its spectacular
scenery of grottoes and caves, forms
the central zone of Halong Bay,
which has been named a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
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Sapa
is a small market town that has been
a gathering spot for many local hill tribes
for nearly 200 years. H'mong and Dao
people, among others, still come
here to conduct trade, socialize. It
is a picturesque village near the
Chinese border in north-east
Vietnam. Sapa is one of the most
enchanting of the Vietnam popular
destinations. It is situated among
the greenery of the high Tonkinese
Alps. A visit here lets you enjoy
the beauty of a village built during
the French colonial days. The
village was built to avoid the
summers in Hanoi. The village has a
serene beauty. It is a land of
complete peace and delight. The
village can provide a fulfilling
experience even with limited
amenities. Sapa is one of those rare
places in Vietnam which have the
ability to provide a glimpse of the
tribal life as it existed a couple
of centuries ago.
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Hoi
An was designated a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 1999, and a visit
to this old-world gem is a sure
cultural highlight of any tour in
Vietnam. The quaint riverside town
of Hoi An was an important port town
and one of the major trading centres
in South East Asia during the 16th
and 17th centuries. The cultural
influences of the Japanese and
Chinese merchants are still evident
today in the town's architecture,
with the famous Japanese Covered
Bridge and the distinctly Chinese
atmosphere of the Old Quarter part
of its unique character. Lining the
narrow streets are two storey
Chinese shops with charming wooden
facades and tiled roofs, merchants'
homes, Assembly Halls and temples
that preserve its ancient character.
On the 15th day of every lunar month
the ancient character of this sleepy
town takes on fairytale propotions
as porches, streets and windows are
lit by the glow of colored lanterns,
a practice reminiscent of the old
days and aimed at retaining the
ancient spirit of the past.
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Hue is
the former modern capital of Vietnam. It is well known
for its monuments and architecture. The city is located
in central Vietnam on the banks of the Perfume River,
just a few miles west of the South China Sea. Hue
originally rose to prominence as the capital of the
Nguyen family, a feudal dynasty which dominated much of
(then) southern Vietnam from the 17th to the 19th
century. In 1802, Emperor Gia Long succeeded in
establishing his control over the whole of Vietnam,
thereby making Hue the national capital. It
retained this status until 1945, when last Emperor Bao
Dai abdicated. Hue's most outstanding attractions are
the royal citadel, an imperial city and the emperor's
tombs. Hues complex of monuments is listed among the
UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.
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Nha Trang: is
a coastal city and capital of Vietnam's Khanh Hoa
province, 1 hour by flight from both Danang and Saigon
City. This city is well known for its pristine beaches
and excellent scuba diving, it is fast becoming a
destination for international tourists. Large numbers of
backpackers on the South-east Asia circuit head there
for sun and salt water. But locals have been on to it
for years. Flanked by almost 10km of prime beach and
warm water year round, it's not surprising people love
going there. Its average temperature is 26ºC and it has
Vietnam's lowest level of humidity.
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Dalat -
The Highlands around Dalat is where we specialize and
base our activities. Dalat is a quiet town in the south
central highlands of Vietnam, about 300 kilometers from
Ho Chi Minh City, and is set in a landscape dotted with
lakes and blanketed with pine forested hills and jungle
covered valleys. It was first established as a hill
station by the French, and many of the fabulous villas
they built are still here. The cool climate, clean air
and escape from the heat and congestion of Saigon
provide the perfect setting for the adventure sports we
love to do. At an altitude of between 1,500 and 2,000
meters the cool, hilly terrain is fantastic for mountain
biking, trekking, canyoning, kayaking, rappelling and
rock climbing.
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Phan Thiet
(Mui Ne) - Located in Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan
province, has long been considered the
"Hawaii" of Vietnam. It boasts shady roads
under coconut trees, a beautiful beach and cliffs
battered by the waves of the sea. The typical scenery of
Mui Ne lies in the moving lines of golden sand caused by
the wind and when they are seen from afar they look like
moving waves. The scenery looks more fascinating at
dawn, when young Cham girls in green dresses go to work.
Mui Ne is an ideal place for rest and
relaxation. Away from the beach, the key attraction
of Mui Ne are its sand dunes, of which there are
three sets which can easily be visited from Mui Ne. Best
visited in the late afternoon when the light is sublime,
you can also catch the sunset from above Mui Ne village
which, with its bevy of fishing boats, is particularly
scenic.
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Ho Chi Minh
City: Once romantically referred to by the French as
the Pearl of the Orient, Ho Chi Minh City is still
called Saigon by almost everyone who lives there. It is
a modern city by Asian standards and has only been under
firm Vietnamese control for a little more than 200
years. The city's character remains essentially French
with wide boulevards, colonial villas, and a lively
café society but also resolutely Asian. It has more
of a cosmopolitan feel than Hanoi, although much of the
old French colonial city is vanishing beneath the
rapidly rising skyline and the sheer weight of recent
history. Combined with this vivacious street life, the
city's French influences have bred a charm all their
own. But it is the people even more than the city that
you will remember most.
The Mekong
Delta is the southern rice bowl of Vietnam. The
Mekong River, one of the famous river of the world, is
known to the Vietnamese as Song Cuu Long (River of the
Nine Dragons). The Mekong originates high in the Tibetan
plateau, flowing through China, between Myanmar (Burma)
and Laos, along the Lao-Thai border and through Cambodia
and Vietnam. The Mekong splits into two main branches in
Phnom penh, the lower river cross Chau Doc, Long Xuen
and Can Tho and flows to the sea, the upper river splits
into several branches at Vinh Long and empties into the
sea at six points. Half of the delta region is fully
covered with rice fields. The region is dotted with
small villages and towns and several large centres like
Can Tho, My Tho, Rach Gia, Chau Doc and Ca Mau. There
are many Khmer temples and relics dating from previous
centuries. This is an area of endless paddy fields and
mangrove swamps, small villages and communities and,
along the coast, deserted beaches. Special features
include Vinh Long with the most charming hotel in the
Mekong Delta, Chau Doc and the temple hill, Ha Tien with
the best beach in Vietnam and Soc Trang and Tra Vinh
with their Khmer temples.
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Vietnam Tours in 2010
17 days and
16
nights
For Australian women only and the
tour will be escorted by an
experienced Australian tour leader.
Great & fun!
Departure on 25 May 09 and 12
September 2010
From 1486 USD/person
Valid until 12th Sep 2010
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Spotlight on Vietnam
18 days and
17
nights
Amazing country, stunning
landscapes, incredibly friendly
people...
Departure on 25 May 09 and 12
September 2010
From
2595 USD/person
Valid until Oct 2010
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Essence of
Vietnam
14 days and
13
nights
Fully escorted
join-in tour. Boutique hotels, great
fun!
Departure in May, June, July,
August and Sep 2010
From 910 USD/person
Valid until late Sep 2010
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Golfing in
Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam
11
days and
10
nights
World class
courses, charming caddies and great
accommodation, the tour is escorted
by Tom Peterson
Departure on May, June,
September 2010
From 2595 USD/golfer
Valid May - Sep 2010
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