Dec. 27:  Connection from home to San Francisco .  Depart  home in afternoon or early evening.  Arrive San Francisco . 

 

Dec. 28:  Depart San Francisco on CI 3 at 1205 AM.

 

Dec, 29:   Arrive Taipei 6: 05 AM .  Depart Taipei on CI 925 at  7:45 AM .  Arrive Hanoi at 10:25 AM .  Go to lunch.  Visit the Temple of Literature and Army Museum .  Check into the Hanoi Horison Hotel.

 

Dec. 30:  Army Museum , Hanoi Hilton.   Walking tour of the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake district.  Evening performance at the Water Puppet Theater.

 

Dec. 31:  Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh Museum , House-on-Stilts,  One Pillar Pagoda.  Drive to Ha Long Bay via two river crossings on Ferry.  Stop in Hai Phong for lunch.  Ha Long Bay Hotel.  Get to Ha Long Bay in time to stroll the waterfront, take a swim on the beach, or just relax before dinner.

 

Jan 1:  Cruise in Ha Long Bay among 3,000 limestone islands.  Opportunity to go cave exploring and swim in deep lagoon from the boat.  Seafood feast on board.  Return to Hanoi stopping at a pottery village.

 

Jan 2:  Fly to Hue .  Visit the Citadel and Flag Tower .  Also visit the tomb park of Emperor Tu Duc .  Huong Giang Hotel.

 

Jan 3:  Cruise on the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda and the tomb of Emperor Minh Mang with expansive terraces and a moat and on to the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc.  Then visit the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh combining traditional and modern elements.

 

Jan 4:  Drive to Da Nang over the Hai Van Pass stopping for photos on the way. Continue on south of Da Nang to Hoi An to visit this quaint and ancient seaport with Japanese and Chinese architecture.  We will visit the Japanese covered bridge, Chinese community halls, and historic homes.  This is also a great place to shop for Vietnamese arts and crafts.  Upon returning to Da Nang , we will  visit the Marble Mountains and  China Beach .  Stay at the brand new SaigonTourane Hotel.

 

Jan 5:   Morning flight to Saigon .  Check in to the famous Rex Hotel .  Ben Thanh Market, Remnants of War Museum , Notre Dame Cathedral, Presidential Palace.  Visit Cho Lon, Saigon ’s Chinatown , including a very active Chinese pagoda.

 

Jan 6:  Visit the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels and the center of the Cao Dai religion at Tay Ninh.   Observe the colorful worship ceremony and take time in the formal gardens and other buildings in the Cao Dai Holy See.  Return to Saigon .

 

Jan 7:  Trip into the Mekong Delta with a cruise on the Mekong River and lunch at an outdoor restaurant featuring “elephant-ear” fish.  Sample tropical fruits on an orchard island which was once a Viet Cong stronghold. Return to Saigon for dinner.

 

Jan 8:  If returning home from Vietnam , transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for flight home.

 

Cambodia extension:

 

Jan 8: Transfer to Airport for flight to Phnom Penh :   Arrive Phnom Penh around noon . Visa processing-very fast, about 15 minutes. Transfer to hotel. Afternoon half-day city tour to National Museum , Silver Pagoda on the grounds of the Royal Palace , Wat Phnom. Juliana Hotel .

Jan 9: Choice: Either a city tour with boat cruise on the Tonle Sap River and the Central Market or alternative tour to the Killing Fields of Cheung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum of Genocidal Crimes.

 

Jan 10: Early morning flight to Siem Reap. Transfer to Ta Prohm Hotel.  Tour Angkor Thom, the Bayon, Baphoun, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, Phimean Akas. Afternoon tour of Angkor Wat.

 

Jan 11: Early morning wakeup to view sunrise over Angkor Wat.  The same morning, tour Angkor Thom including South Gate , Bayon, Baphoun, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leopard King, Phimean Akas.  Afternoon tour to Srah Srang, Banteay Kdei, Ta Prohm, Ta Keo, Thommanon, Chao Say Tevoda, and sunset view at Phnom Bakheng.

 

Jan 12:  Tour Prasat Kravan, Pre Rup, East Mebon Ta Som, Neak Poan, Preah Khan. Afternoon tour to Srah Srang, Banteay Kdei, Ta Prohm, Ta Keo, Thommanon, Chao Say Tevoda, and view the sunset at Phnom Bakheng.

January 14: Flight from Siem Reap to Saigon .  Free time in Saigon . Overnight at the Rex Hotel .

 

January 15/16:  Return flight to the United States and connections to home.  Persons on the West Coast will arrive home the same day.  Persons going to Eastern cities will probably arrive home early on January 16.