Vietnam in a Nutshell - 13 days

If you're in the mood for a strange experience, you can drop in on the preserved body of former President Ho Chi Minh. A mausoleum was built for Ho Chi Minh, or Uncle Ho, after his death. You can see his body entombed in a glass sarcophagus- a huge building fronted by a grand square. Surrounded by guards, you can file in, one by one, to take a look at ‘Uncle Ho’. Every once in a while, his body is flown to Russia for a touch up, to keep him looking good for his guests. Oddly, he has an orange tint. Vietnamese people consider it a great honour to visit his embalmed body, and you can see their emotional reactions as you file past.

You can finish off your day with a visit to the Municipal Water Puppet Theatre. This stands on the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake and performances take place every evening. Puppetry is a national tradition in Vietnam, and the people are very proud of the artform.

Today you'll fly from Hanoi to Danang, an airport close to enchanting Hoi An. The transfers to and from the respective airports are very easy for you to arrange yourself- you'll never be short of taxi drivers in Vietnam. Hoi An is, for many people, the highlight of Vietnam. It is also a perfect halfway point between the north and south of the country.  

Hoi An is well known for its enthusiastic tailors, its art galleries, and its narrow streets crammed with tiny wooden cafes. During you stay, you can lazily browse the streets and hire a friendly tailor to sew your made-to-measure outfit. There is plenty to do in and around the port town, including a cycle trip past the paddy fields to the beach. The beach is surprisingly quiet in the daytime, so you can stretch out on a lounger under a thatched parasol and enjoy the peace. At sunset, the beach will fill with locals who come here to cool off, chat, and play football at the end of a long working day.     

This is essentially a free day, so you can stay in the old town or head for the beach for some sun-kissed relaxation. However, we can also offer you the opportunity to whip up some authentic Vietnamese dishes in the kitchen. If you choose this option you'll be collected from your hotel and head to the colourful Hoi An market to pick up the ingredients for your lesson. There are many different types of vegetables and fruits to appeal to your senses. This is the best possible way to get to know local Vietnamese cuisine and to become acquainted with the friendly vendors at the market. Armed with your purchases, you'll head for the cookery school where you’ll hear all about typical Vietnamese dishes. Then, you will have a go at preparing your own dishes before gobbling them straight down afterwards.

The afternoon is yours to spend as you please. You'll spend all three nights in Hoi An in comfortable, centrally located hotel in the historic centre of town. Therefore you won't have to worry about taxi cabs or rickshaws to get home, you can simply walk back to your hotel. Walking through the narrow, lively streets and popping into a few of the small souvenir shops is quite a fun way to spend time. The hotel also has a very pleasant swimming pool and breakfast is included during your stay.


 

Today you'll head to the Cu Chi Tunnels, located 30km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. You'll travel by minibus, passing peaceful paddy fields and watching delta life, you'll also have a chance to see an unusual floating temple.

The Viet Cong dug the haunting network of the Cu Chi tunnels during the Vietnam War to hide from American forces. The underground labyrinth covers an incredible 250km and enabled the Vietcong to carry out covert attacks. They are very narrow, deep, and unbelievably dark, making them hugely claustrophobic. They include sleeping quarters, kitchens, ammunition stores, weapon factories, and command centres.

You can climb into the tunnels and experience the eerie atmosphere first hand. Many have been enlarged especially for tourists, making them far less hair-raising for visitors. However, if you're feeling brave, you can also try the originals. It's a unique, if creepy, experience. The guide will explain the history and the precise uses of the tunnels. In the adjoining Cu Chi Museum, you can also see a video with vintage American film material.

You'll head back to Ho Chi Minh City at about 2pm, giving you plenty of time to explore more of the city or people-watch from a pavement cafe. Try a cocktail at sunset on the roof of the Rex.

The next two days are dedicated to the dazzling Mekong Delta. The Mekong River, with its vast fertile delta, is the backbone of the economy in the south. It produces one of Vietnam's most important exports- rice. At 7am, the minibus will arrive to take you in the direction of Cai Be. From here, you'll sail lazily around the floating markets on a beautiful, traditional boat. Vendors will offer their wares from their boats jammed with produce, dangling their goods in the air from a long pole. You'll also small flotillas drifting along, as traders link up to swap goods amongst themselves.

You'll sail through narrow waterways observing local life on the riverbank. You'll quickly understand why the people of the south are renowned for their friendliness, as they smile and wave from their houses when you pass by. You can also cycle through one of the villages on a river island, catching an even closer glimpse of daily life. The boat will then take you to a simple but charming hotel for the night. It lies in Cantho on the banks of the Mekong, where you can relax in the evening with a cool drink and watch the delta sunset.

Today, the boat will take you to the floating market of Cai Rang. This is the largest, most important, and probably the noisiest floating market in the Mekong Delta. In the village on the banks of the river, you'll drop in on a factory where rice is ‘puffed’ and transformed into Vietnamese rice cakes. Guests are often invited to tea with the locals, who will teach you how to drink tea according to their customs.

You will also visit a small rice noodle factory to watch the workers making, quite literally, oodles of noodles. After this, you'll take the comfortable air-conditioned minibus back to Ho Chi Minh, arriving around 6.30pm.