http://www.vietnamopentour.com.vn/ HoChiMinh City Tours - Vietnam Open Tour Homepage en-us Copyright (C) Vietnam OpenTour VietnamOpenTour 3days/2night. Phuquoc (is the largest island currently administered by Vietnam, although the island is the subject of territorial disputes between Vietnam and Cambodia (see History). Situated in the Gulf of Thailand, the island is part of Kiên Giang province. The district of Phú Qu?c includes the island proper and 21 smaller islets. The district seat, D??ng ?ông, which is located on the west coast, is also the largest town on this island, whose total area is 574 km².. OVERVIEW ITINERARY Day 1: HCM - PHU QUOC (L D) Pick-up at local airport, go to resort by bus. Leave your luggage. Buffet breakfast (guest’s account). 9:00AM Departure to visit Hamninh fishing village and buy fresh seafood: crabs, shrimps, squids, sentinel crabs... (Guest’s account). Visit Tranh stream for climbing, swimming and enjoying seafood (guest’s account). 12:00 noon back to resort. Check- in. Lunch. Afternoon: Relax at resort. Swim in the resort’s pool or the private beach. 5:00PM Departure to Duong Dong Port. Getting on Saigon–Phuquoc boat equipped with neon's, nets, fishing rods… to go fishing and squid-fishing. The fishing begins at the sunset and the squid-fishing at night. The number of the squid/fish caught depends on the dark. Enjoying a grilling seafood 9:00PM Back to the resort to have dinner and overnight in Phu Quoc. Day 2: PHU QUOC ISLAND (B, L, D) Buffet breakfast. 8:00AM Departure to visit fish sauce factory, Khutuong pepper garden and Cau Temple. 12:00 noon back to the resort to have lunch and relax at resort. Afternoon: 2:00PM Visit Southern Islet: Sao beach, former Phu Quoc prison, the pearl-cultivating farm. Back to resort to have dinner and overnight in Phu Quoc. Day 3: PHU QUOC - HCM (B) Buffet breakfast. Free for shopping at Duong Dong market. Check-out. Transfer to the airport. Back to HCMC. End of service. PRICE Room Type Number of Travellers Price 2-star hotel 2 pax $253 2-star hotel 3 - 5 pax $224 2-star hotel 6 - 10 pax $194 2-star hotel 11 - 15 pax $181 3-star hotel 2 pax $273 3-star hotel 3 - 5 pax $244 3-star hotel 6 - 10 pax $214 3-star hotel 11 - 15 pax $201 4-star hotel 2 pax $306 4-star hotel 3 - 5 pax $277 Note: Prices net per person in US$, and may change depending on high or low season. Includes: Flight ticket roundtrip Saigon – Phuquoc, transportation, accommodation, entrance fees, guide (in english and french, other languages upon request), meals at program. Excludes: Insurance, personal expenses, tip. Hotel category: - 5* hotel: Saigon Phuquoc Resort - 4* hotel: Blue Lagoon Resort - 3* hotel: Thien Hai Son Resort - 2* hotel: Duong Dong, Sea Star Resort   http://www.vietnamopentour.com.vn/vietnam-tour/paradise-beaches/phu-quoc---pearl-island.html (3 days/ 2 nights). Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City - Vung Tau or Long Hai (B) Pick up at your hotel and transfer ′Without guide′ by coach to Vung Tau or Long Hai. Free time for relaxing and swimming in Vung Tau or Long Hai. Overnight in Vung Tau or Long Hai.     Day 2: Vung Tau or Long Hai (B) All-day free for relaxing and swimming in Vung Tau or Long Hai. (Without guide, transfer and meal) Overnight in Vung Tau or Long Hai. Day 3: Vung Tau or Long Hai and departure (B) Free time until transfer (Without guide) directly to Tan Son Nhat Airport or your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Price: (Contact us for details)  http://www.vietnamopentour.com.vn/vietnam-tour/paradise-beaches/ho-chi-minh-city---vung-tau-or-long-hai.html .   Although it is also a big and chaotic metropolis, I consider this city friendlier to tourists than Hanoi. Ho chi Minh has a nice colonial center, with broad promenades and squares and some French influence buildings that should not be missed. There are also many nice temples and pagodas. Another of the things visitors should not miss are its popular markets -- a great place to taste the local food specialties, by the way. If you come with me I will try to show you all of this on this virtual presentation of this city. I will also give you some tips and hints for visiting Saigon Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, lies between the Mekong Delta and South Vietnam. In the 15th century, this area were swamps, marshes and thick forests. By the early 17th century, a small township was formed. According to one theory, Saigon or Sai Con has its root in a Khmer word Prei Kor (Kapok Tree Forest). The name Saigon was used officially in 1698, when Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu sent Mr. Nguyen Huu Canh to this region to create various districts and to form a government for this southern outpost. Because of its strategic location for trade and commerce as well as military importance, Saigon continued to grow and became a bona fide city. By 1772, Mr. Nguyen Cuu Dam began to fill many of the canals to form streets. In the mid 19th century, the French with the aid of the Spanish invaded this port city and destroyed the fort. This event was the precursor to the long struggle between the people of Vietnam and France leading to the historical defeat of the French in 1954. In the years after the defeat of the French, Vietnam was divided into two separate countries and Saigon became the hub of resettlement for many as people from north and central Vietnam immigrated south. In the 60's and 70's, Saigon was bustling with commerce and business. It was the cultural center and the capital city of South Vietnam       ITINERARY           Welcome at your hotel and transfer for full day touring the bustling Saigon: visit the Old Colonial Residential Quarter and discover the old Hotel de Ville, the Opera House. Notre – Dame Cathedral built in the 19th century, the dazzling French – style post office and the Reunification Palace. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the War Remnants Museum, Jade Emperor Pagoda, Binh Tay Market, on the way back visit bustling China Town. Back to the hotel in the late afternoon.    Includes: - Private car, Lunch, Entrance fees, Guide Excludes: - Drinks, Insurance, Personal expenses, Tip.   http://www.vietnamopentour.com.vn/vietnam-tour/day-trips/saigon-city-tour.html .     OVERVIEW    Today Ho Chi Minh City is very much the heart of Vietnamese business and entrepreneurs. Incomes here are typically twice that of Hanoi and the city’s skyline is rapidly changing, reflecting the sharp influx of foreign trade within the last decade. And yet for all this modernity, the city still retains its connections to the past, particularly so in Cholon, Saigon’s Chinatown. Here dozens of elegant temples and pagodas can be seen. The French too left their mark here – the city has many street cafes and patisseries where fresh croissants can be purchased The Cu Chi Tunnels were pivotal to the Communist’s victory over the Americans and the South Vietnamese Armies as they allowed the Viet Cong to control a large rural area around Saigon. At its height, the tunnel system, parts of which were several levels deep, stretched over 200kms from Saigon to the Cambodian border The area of Cu Chi was one of the most pro-communist districts in the far south; indeed the VC used the tunnels to organize the 1968 Tet Offensive. During the American War the entire area of Cu Chi was designated a free fire zone and was heavily bombarded: you can still see numerous craters caused by 500 pound B52bombs. It was this persistant bombing campaign that drove many of the residents of Cu Chi together with the Viet Cong underground. Originally the tunnels had been created as far back as 1948 to help combat the French. Now they were rapidly expanded to include innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centres kitchens and even schools. Today the remaining tunnels of this intricate network have been widened to accommodate the larger western frame and have now become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience of what underground life in the American war must have been like and a deep appreciation of the courage and ingenuity of the Vietnamese people          ITINERARY Pick up you at your hotel, start to downtown of Ho Chi Minh for touring along the famous Dong Khoi street , passing by the Opera House, Town Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral & central Post Office and Independent Palace. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we are heading to Hoc Mon District to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, is 70 kilometers North West of down town Ho Chi Minh City. The Cu Chi Tunnel system had been created long time back, from 1948 to assist Viet Minh in the combat with French. Back to the hotel in the late afternoon.   Tour includes - Private car, Lunch, Entrance fees, Guide Tour excludes: - Drinks, Insurance, Personal expenses, Tip.    http://www.vietnamopentour.com.vn/vietnam-tour/day-trips/hochiminh-city-cu-chi-tour.html .     OVERVIEW    Located in the northwest of Ho Chi Minh, Cu Chi district is now famous around the world as the base for the Vietnamese operation known as the TET Offensive in 1968 with more than 200 km of underground tunnels. The tunnel network provided sleeping quarters, meeting rooms, hospitals and social centers and are between 0.5 to 1 m wide, with just enough space for a person to walk along by bending or crawling.          ITINERARY Pick you up at your hotel and drive Hoc Mon District to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels 70 kilometers North West of down town Ho Chi Minh City. The Cu Chi Tunnel system had been created long time back, from 1948 to assist Viet Minh in the combat with French. And it was continuing built over 25 years later. It was an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers. In places, it was housed up to 10,000 people who virtually lived underground for years.... getting married, giving birth. During the American War the entire area of Cu Chi was designated a free fire zone and was heavily bombarded. From 1988, two sections of tunnels have been open for visitors. Be back at your hotel after 4 hours travel & visit.   Includes: - Private car. - Entrance fees. - English/French speaking guide. Excludes: - Drinks. - Insurance. - Personal expenses. - Tip. http://www.vietnamopentour.com.vn/vietnam-tour/day-trips/half-day-cu-chi-tour.html .   Full day Cao Dai Temple and Cu Chi Tunnel Ho Chi Minh Cao Daism is an interesting mixture of Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism, all of which are evident in the garish temple at Tay Ninh. Essentially, Buddha and the Christian God are believed to both exist as deities, but Cao Dai is the third, highest deity, all of which was revealed to Ngo Van Chieu in the 1920’s. By 1930, there were half a million followers, with a square kilometre around the temple at Tay Ninh owned by the Cao Dai The head quarter of Cao Dai sect is located in Tay Ninh. This religion was founded in 1923 and now numbers over 2 million members. Heading out of town we drive to Tay Ninh to see the ornate temple of Cao Dai and attend the fantastic mid-day service when the followers fill the hall wearing colored robes, a symbol of the curious combination of the Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Afterwards we continue to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, which were an incredible underground network constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence. The tunnels contained hospitals, plus accommodation and schools, and were used as a military base for the Vietcong in the American war. The trip ends after arrival in Ho Chi Minh City ITINERARY Cao Daism is an mixture of Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism. In this religious, Buddha and the Christian God are believed to both exist as deities, but Cao Dai is the third, highest deity. First found by Ngo Van Chieu in 1923, by 1930 there were half a million followers and over 2 million now. Welcome at your hotel, departure to Tay Ninh and discover the Holy See Temple, which reflects the original Caodaist religion. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, transfer to Cu Chi tunnels, an incredible underground network built by Vietcong during Vietnam’s war. Back to the hotel in the late afternoon. http://www.vietnamopentour.com.vn/vietnam-tour/day-trips/caodai-cuchi.html