February 3 to 14, 2008 12 Days & 12 Nights Maximum Group Size: 8 Landcost: $2,980 Int'l Airline: approx $1,180 Airline Information ITINERARY BRIEF 1 Arrive Hanoi 2 Hanoi City Tour 3 Hanoi to Halong Bay 4 Halong Bay to Hanoi 5 Hanoi to Hue 6 Hue 7 Hue to Hoi An 8 Hoi An 9 Hoi An to Nha Trang 10 Nha Trang 11 Nha Trang to Saigon 12 Saigon X Depart Saigon Extended Travel: Halong Bay Temples of Angkor Sapa La Residence, Hoi An Click Map to Enlarge CLICK TO VIEW Reading & Media List

ravel writer Michael Buckley observes "though it's the Vietnam War that lingers with those who know Vietnam through film, television, and personal experience, it's the French presence that strikes those who actually visit. There are stately French-built mansions and tree-shaded boulevards in Hanoi, art galleries in Hanoi and Saigon selling works heavily influenced by French styles, cafés serving French bread and drip filter coffee in Saigon, French villas dotting the hills of Dalat. The origin of some customs are French, but the interpretation is purely Vietnamese. The people still move at bicycle pace. On the streets, schoolgirls in graceful white ao dais pedal by, and women with conical hats sit on top of loads of produce, being wheeled around in bicycle-powered contraptions."

Our tour in Sawasdee Magazine

If your looking for the best tour of Vietnam, this is it, a cultural journey offering a comprehensive portrait of Vietnam, finest accommodations, incredible restaurants, and taking place during the wonderous cultural festivities of Tét — the Vietnamese lunar New Year period. "Everyone’s birthday all at once," as one writer describes Vietnam’s Lunar New Year period, or Tét. Indeed, our most popular tour offers a glimpse into Vietnam during it’s most celebratory.

Our tours are known for their strong personal encounters and this trip is no exception. The highlight of travel to Vietnam — the people — will be emphasized, including home visits and activities with people along the way. Tét is a time for prayer, ritual, and time with friends and family. The transition from winter into spring is a time for settling accounts, of spiritual renewal, and when new crops are planted in anticipation of an ever greater harvest. All over Vietnam traffic disappears as families stay home to prepare special gifts and foods. The bright sprigs of the yellow-blossomed Mai tree are displayed everywhere and kamquat trees bearing orange fruit are proudly carted home. It is a wonderful time to travel in Vietnam, not only for the empty roads and great weather, but also the joyous mood and celebratory atmosphere.

Witness the rush of modernization in Saigon and life in agrarian villages where little has changed in the last thousand years. Discover ancient wonder in Cham temple ruins, Buddhist pagodas and ancestor worship at the center of Vietnam's spiritual element. We'll encounter the legacy of French rule in the elegant colonial architecture and hotels, study the ancient Chinese influence on customs and food as well as the profound effect of the American period on Vietnamese culture, for better or worse. Ancient traditions, foreign influences and dynamic society make Vietnam a fascinating destination.

Along the way we will observe the distinct personalities of Vietnam's provinces, spending quality time in the fertile Central Highlands, pristine coastal regions and the pastoral countryside where vast stretches of rice paddies meet a jungle foliage that is a hundred shades of green. In addition to stunning landscapes, this tour is designed to provide frequent access to Vietnam's greatest treasure - its people. Their warm greetings and smiles come naturally and their optimism and enduring spirit are inspiring. The Vietnamese are happy to have visitors again, especially Americans, who are now a novelty, yet historically familiar.

Our route travels the length of Vietnam, from the stoic, socialistic capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, through the unique provinces on the way south to capitalist Saigon. The graceful, tree-lined boulevards of Hanoi recall the days when it was the French capital of Indochine, yet it is where a statue of Lenin makes its last stand. Day trips to Halong Bay miss the incredible sunsets and monring mist, we'll be there for both with kayaking also an option. Freshly cooked meals and restful nights in charming colonial hotels will restore tired legs. Swimming, snorkeling, and exploration by foot round out our itinerary. The experience of a lifetime? Many of our past travelers have said so.

Airlines: Many families return home to Asia for the Lunar New Year -- reserve your air travel as soon as possible -- either with your own agent or with assistance from us. This popular tour also sells out early, sometimes 6 months in advance.

Note: If you've come this far, we encourage you not to miss the prize of Southeast Asia: the grand Khmer temples at Angkor in neighboring Cambodia. There is now a convenient, direct one-hour flight from Saigon and accommodations are at the splendid Grand Hotel d'Angkor or expat favorite, Angkor Village. Click here for more information on our Angkor trip. We can also arrange extended travel to Bangkok, Phuket, Myanmar and Laos in conjuntion with this tour.