Child at Angkor

Children at temple

Don and friend

Hue Citadel temple door

Massed wires of Vietnam

Meeting with Can Tho faculty

Oxen plowing paddies

Preah Khan tree

Royal Palace Phnom Penh

Temple at Hue Citadel

Viet Cong tunnel

Water buffalo in rice paddy

Women planting rice

Angkor at sunset

Friday, February 6
Depart from various U.S. cities for Ho Chi Minh City.

Saturday, February 7
Arrive HCM City Greeted and transferred to Majestic Hotel by bus Majestic Hotel.

Sunday, February 8
Ho Chi Minh City

8:30 a.m.

• Depart hotel for day of sightseeing, including China Town with Binh Tay market, Thien Hau pagoda, Chinese herbs street and Fito Museum (museum of traditional Vietnamese medicine).

12:30 p.m.

• Lunch at Lemon Grass restaurant.

1:30 p.m.

• Visit Presidential Palace, War Remnants Museum, Emperor of Jade Pagoda, Notre Dame church, Post Office and Ben Thanh Marke.t

4:00 p.m.

• Return to hotel for rest.

7:00 p.m.

• Depart for opening dinner at Temple Club Restaurant.
• Tony Nong, our Vietnamese travel agent, will join us and tell us his remarkable story.

Monday, February 9
HCM City and vicinity

7:30 a.m.

• Depart hotel for full day of sightseeing, including CuChi Tunnels (used by Viet Cong during Vietnam War). Visit local village making rice paper on the way.

Noon

• Visit Tay Ninh's Caodaism traditional religious ceremony.

1:00 p.m.

• Lunch at Banh Canh Trang Bang local restaurant.

4:30 p.m.

• Return to hotel. Dinner on your own.

Tuesday, February 10
HCM City to Cantho, Mekong Delta

8:00 a.m.

• Depart hotel after checkout for private express boat to Mekong Delta. Stop in Mytho to see Vinh Trang Buddhist Pagoda and watch making of rice noodles in a typical Delta village. Visit Caibe to see local workshop making pop rice and popcorn.

12:30 p.m.

• Lunch at Anbinh Island in a local house.

1:30 p.m.

• Continue on Mekong River, visiting local boat building and brick making businesses, if time permits.

4:30 p.m.

• Arrive at Cantho Transfer to Victoria Cantho Resort.

7:00 p.m.

• Dinner at Tu Ho Restaurant in Cantho.

Wednesday, February 11
Cantho

7:00 a.m.

• Depart from hotel to visit Cai Rang floating market.

11:00 a.m.

• Return to hotel.

Noon

• Lunch at Sao Hom Restaurant.

1:30 p.m.

• Visit Cantho University to meet with Professor Vo Tong Xuan to discuss rice production.
• Free time to walk around town.
• Dinner on your own.

Thursday, February 12
Cantho to HCM City and on to Hue

8:00 a.m.

• Depart hotel in bus for HCM City and airport.

Noon

• Lunch at Mekong Rest Stop Restaurant.

1:20 p.m.

• Vietnam Airlines 252 to Hue.

2:20 p.m.

• Noels depart on VN220 for Hanoi.
• Rest of group arrives in Hue.
• Transfer to Saigon-Morin Hotel.

After Noon

• Free to explore Hue.

7:00 p.m.

• Dinner at Y Thao Garden restaurant.

Friday, February 13
Hue to Hoian

8:30 a.m.

• Depart from hotel after checkout to visit Hue's Citadel and Forbidden Purple City before visiting King Tu Doc's Tombs.

Noon

• Lunch at Biet Thu Thao Nhi restaurant.

1:00 p.m.

• Depart for Hoian, stopping at Cham Museum in Danang and China Beach, if time permits.

4:00 p.m.

• Arrive Hoian.
• Victoria Hoian Resort.

After Noon

• If time permits, visit old town to sightsee or shop.

7:00 p.m.

• Depart hotel for dinner at Cargo Club in old Hoian.

Saturday, February 14
Hoian

8:30 a.m.

• Depart for walking tour of old Hoian, including the Japanese Covered Bridge, local produce market, Tang Ky House and the Fukhien Association.

Noon

• Lunch of local specialty, Cao Lao noodles.

After Noon

• (optional) Private cooking class with Ms. Vy, a renowned chef who owns several local restaurants. Begin with a trip to buy the fresh ingredients before cooking your meal. Or after noon on your own to explore old Hoian (the hotel has a shuttle bus to and from the Old Town).
• Dinner included in the cooking class or on your own.

Sunday, February 15
Hoian to Hanoi

6:15 a.m.

• Depart hotel after checkout for Danang Airport and flight to Hanoi.
• Hotel will provide box breakfast for us.

8:05 a.m.

• VN310 to Hanoi.

9:15

• Arrive in Hanoi.
• Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and house (if flight is on time).
• Transfer to hotel.
• Sofitel Metropole Hotel.

Noon

• Lunch at Koto Restaurant with Chuck Searcy, a Vietnam veteran who lives in Vietnam and runs an NGO for removal of land mines.

AfterNoon

• Visit Ethnology Museum, Temple of Literature and Fine Arts Museum.

5:00 p.m.

• Traditional Vietnamese water puppet show.

7:00 p.m.

• Dinner at Wild Rice Restaurant.

Monday, February 16
Hanoi

8:00 a.m.

• Depart for tour of Hanoi, including One Pillar Pagoda, West Lake with Tran Quoc pagoda, "Hanoi Hilton."

12:30 p.m.

• Lunch at Tamarind Restaurant.

After Noon

• Free time to explore the old city.
• Dinner on your own.

Tuesday, February 17
Halong Bay

8:00 a.m.

• Depart hotel for Halong Bay, visiting Chan Thien My Company to see silk painting on the way.

12:30 p.m.

• Transfer to Jasmine for sailing through Halong Bay.
• Lunch served on the boat as we sail.

4:00 p.m.

• Trekking or swimming on Soi Sim Island.

5:15 p.m.

• Visit Van Chai fishing village and Hang Doi Water Tunnel via rowboat.

6:30 p.m.

• Docking for overnight.

7:00 p.m.

• Dinner on boat.

Wednesday, February 18
Halong Bay to Siem Reap, Cambodia

6:30 a.m.

• Tai Chi exercises while viewing sunrise over Halong Bay.

8:00 a.m.

• Visit Sung Sot Grotto.

9:00 a.m.

• Brunch served on boat.

11:00 a.m.

• Arrive at pier for drive back to Hanoi and airport.

4:55 p.m.

• VN845 to Siem Reap.

6:50 p.m.

• Arrive Siem Reap.
• Transfer to hotel Victoria Angkor Resort.
• Dinner on your own.

Thursday, February 19
Siem Reap

6:00 a.m.

• Depart hotel for tour of Angkor Wat.

Noon

• Lunch at L'escale des Arts des Sens Restaurant.

4:00 p.m.

• Visit surrounding temples, including South Gate, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Preah Khan, enjoying sunset over Angkor Wat.

6:30 p.m.

• Return to hotel.

7:30 p.m.

• Dinner at Champey restaurant.

Friday, February 20
Siem Reap to Phnom Penh

6:00 a.m.

• Visit Banteay Srei temple and Ta Prohm.

Noon

• Lunch box provided.

2:20 p.m.

• Depart for Phnom Penh on FT993.

3:00 p.m.

• Arrive in Phnom Penh.
• Transfer to hotel Raffles Hotel Le Royal.

4:30 p.m.

• Visit Victory Monument, National Museum and Wat.
• Phnom Temple, as time permits.

7:30 p.m.

• Closing dinner at Malis Restaurant.

Saturday, February 21
Phnom Penh to Bangkok

8:00 a.m.

• Depart for visit to Tuol Sleng Museum and Royal Palace.

Noon

• Lunch at FCC Angkor Restaurant.

4:55 p.m.

• Depart on FD3617 for Bangkok.

6:05 p.m

• Arrive in Bangkok.
• Transfer to hotels.

8:30 p.m.

• Dinner with Jim and Dawn Rooney (leading expert on Angkor Wat and Khmer culture).

Sunday, February 22
Departures for U.S.
Transfer to airport on your own (hotel is at airport).

Included are all hotels, breakfast, most lunches and dinners (as specified in itinerary), guides, admissions, transfers and tips. Not included are meals not specified on the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, excess baggage charges, independent airport transfers, incidentals (such as internet access, laundry, phone and fax calls), and medical expenses.