Saigon Tour - Departure on Friday

Jour 1

Saigon (Dinner)
Arrival and transfer to the hotel. 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 which blends European baroque and classic chinese architecture. We then proceed to the bustling shopping area that runs from the Dong Khoi Street, the "Rue Catinat" of the French era, to the large Ben Thanh market square. Dinner in a typical restaurant. Return to the hotel.

Jour 2

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, 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.

Jour 3

Saigon (Breakfast)
Transfer to the airport or to the bus/railways station.