Tailormade Trips - Vietnam: Southern City & Beach (7-9 days)

As soon as you deplane, our immigration officer and guide will meet you at the end of the jet bridge or at the entrance of the terminal, holding a signboard with your name(s) on it.
The officer will assist you with immigration procedures. For those who already have their Vietnam visa, the estimated time to clear immigration is approximately 15-20mins per
person. For those applying for a visa on arrival, the estimated wait time for the visa is usually 30mins, depending on the number of guests in the queue. (FYI, there is only one
visa-on-arrival counter at Tan Son Nhat Airport.) After clearing immigration, our Immigration Officer will escort you to the baggage claim to collect your luggage and introduce you to your guide who will be waiting outside the terminal.

NOTES
∙ Not included in trip cost: from +US$35pp ∙ This service does not include any required visa or associated visa fees ∙ Airport assistance services will add an additional $10/pax (248,000 VND/pax) for international flights arriving or departing between 22:30 and 05:30.

• Morning transfer from your hotel to the Jetty and depart for the Cu Chi Tunnels. Enjoy a light snack as you begin your speedboat excursion (join-in basis), witnessing how glittering
  skyscrapers and busy commercial centres give way to green fields and stilt houses along the Saigon River.
• Arrive at the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an immense network of connecting underground tunnels started in 1948 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from the French air and ground sweeps. The tunnels also served as living quarters, communication and supply routes, and housed hospitals, food and weapons caches. Touring the underground compounds will provide a better understanding of the history of the tunnels, the hardship of life in the tunnels and the Vietnamese resilience during combat.
• Return by speedboat to Saigon at approximately noon while enjoying a simple lunch at a local restaurant.

NOTES

∙ Availability: Morning only ∙ Suggested departure time: 08:00 ∙ Tour duration: 06 hours ∙ Capacity: Max. 16 pax ∙ Tour includes join-in return transfers hotel-jetty-hotel (hotels located in District 1/District 3)

“The best way to capture the real food- and night-life of Saigon is by motorcycle, zig-zagging through narrow alleys and bustling residential areas. Your experienced driver understands their Vespa, and the city’s constantly moving traffic, like the back of their hands; and they will introduce you to wonderful street food in the most authentic local restaurants. So relax and enjoy the ride!”  

• Make your first stop at a small yet popular Vietnamese bread stall, line up to get fresh bread roll before heading to a local coffee shop for briefing.
• Keep on riding to a hidden boutique seafood restaurant to taste the freshest local seafood courses.
• Then continue to zig zag through the hustle and bustle of the streets, visiting an old apartment complex which becomes extremely lively at night with hundreds of food and drinks stalls.
• Take a break at a 50-year-old dessert shop to try different hand-made sweet soups.
• End the evening at a cosy bar tucked away in a quiet alley to taste some local beer and have a chat with people here. Take a walk or catch a taxi to get back.

NOTES:

∙ Available: Evening only ∙ Duration: 4 hours ∙ Starting time: 18:30 
∙ The stops can be modified depending on availability and on your dietary preferences.
∙ This tour is an authentic street food adventure; some places are not as formal as restaurants, but we have inspected and chosen shops with acceptable hygiene, so you can experience the best local street food possible.
∙ Special note: the itinerary is subject to change during Tet holidays.

“Escape the high-energy city for a day of exploring sprawling rice paddies and colorful fruit farms”

• Depart Saigon for a 2hr drive to Ben Tre, the gateway to the Mekong Delta.
• Arrive at the quaint An Khanh hamlet, where travelers will visit a small home factory that makes the traditional dish of sticky rice covered by coconut leaves. Meet with the owner
  and her hard-working team who will teach you about how they use century-old traditional methods to make this special and tasty cake.
• Continue this rural journey of discovery with a short drive to meet a local family in Quoi Son village, where you can sample exotic fresh fruits in the orchard of a local fruit farmer.
• After wandering through the lush gardens of this village, a motorboat awaits your arrival to begin a thirty-minute excursion passing peaceful scenes of countryside living.
• Trade boat for bicycle and enjoy a relaxing ride over easy, level terrain as you travel through narrow village lanes lined with fruit orchards and customary cottages.
• Here you will take an auto rickshaw through the lush surroundings of the fruit farms before boarding a sampan and cruise along the narrow canals of the Mekong.
• End your excursion at a local farmer’s house where a lunch of Mekong Delta specialties will be served before driving back to Saigon.

NOTES:
∙ Suggested time: 08:00 ∙ Duration: 7 hours  ∙ The cycling distance can be 3, 5, or 7 km, depending on your physical ability and preference ∙ If you can’t ride a bicycle, a motorcycle can be arranged with a rider.

Nha Trang is known for its fabulous year-round sunny weather and turquoise waters – perfect for a boat tour with snorkelling & swimming.

• Transfer to a pier and take a 45min cruise to Tam Island, named after the black rock formations southeast of the island.
• Enjoy snorkelling (mask and a snorkel are provided on the boat) in the crystal clear waters of this protected maritime reserve, known for its vivid coral and diverse marine life, including a large diversity of nudibranchs, shrimps, crabs and cowries.
• Cruise to another island and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before making your way back to the pier and transfer to L’Alya Ninh Van Bay Lounge.

NOTES:

∙ Tour duration: 4 hours ∙ Pick-up and drop-off at L’Alya Ninh Van Bay Lounge.

The clear turquoise waters surrounding Nha Trang make for excellent fishing opportunities.

• Morning transfer to the pier for a boat trip to several islands for fishing.
• You will also have a chance to try your hand at navigating the local, circular basket boat.
• Enjoy a fresh seafood lunch served at a simple local restaurant, including the fish you helped catch!
• After lunch, spend some time relaxing or swimming.
• On the way back to shore, stop at a fishing village to see the shrimp, crab and other sea creatures raised in floating pens.
• Return to L’Alya Ninh Van Bay Lounge in the afternoon.

NOTES

∙ Tour duration: 6.5 hours ∙ Pick-up and drop-off at L’Alya Ninh Van Bay Lounge.

Explore Nha Trang’s countryside on a 15km (9mi) biking trip, with guide and bicyles provided.

• Morning transfer to the Dien Khanh citadel, a 17^th century military structure
• Begin cycling past peaceful villages, fruit orchards and paddy fields.
• Stop en route at a village market and a local home to meet the family and visit their gardens for insights into rural village life.
• End the trip at Memento Restaurant in a large garden within a resort where fishing and traditional massages are also available (on request)
• Transfer back to L’Alya Ninh Van Bay Lounge.

NOTES:

∙ Tour duration: 5 hours ∙ Pick-up and drop-off at L’Alya Ninh Van Bay Lounge.