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Vietnam
Explorer
The Vietnam
Explorer is an escorted group tour
that shows you the stunning beauty and traditional culture
that Vietnam has to offer. Vietnam is a unique and fascinating
land of great scenic and cultural diversity whose history
spans over 4000 years.
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tour takes in many of the historical sites that have featured
in Vietnam's often chequered past and focuses on the country's
miles of beautiful coastline. An individual
tour is also available |
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Hanoi
The faded
colonial architecture and the ancient old quarter, the lakes,
parks and tree-lined boulevards must make Hanoi one of Asia’s
most charming cities. In 1883 Hanoi was occupied by the French
who made the city the capital and administrative centre of
their Indochina colonies. They then set about constructing
impressive government buildings, offices, opera houses and
palatial villas, which to this day line the long boulevards
of the city.
Although
years of neglect and war have made their mark, much of the
city remains unchanged. Take a cyclo ride around the old quarter
with its labyrinth of small streets with stalls selling everything
imaginable. Relax and enjoy the tranquil atmosphere at one
of the many small cafes that can be found around Hoan Kiem
Lake or enjoy a tasty Vietnamese meal at one of its numerous
excellent restaurants or for the more adventurous a noodle
stall. A variety of hotels
are available.
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Northern
Tours
North
Vietnam achieved freedom from colonial rule long before the
South and was ruled by the communist government throughout
the war years. As such it has a completely different character.
Mekong Travel has a number of tours that will show you some
of the ancient and more recent history of this region.
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Sapa
Sapa is
a delightful French hill station built in the early years
of the century. Like Dalat in the South it served as a retreat
for French administrators when the heat of the plains became
unbearable. At 1,650m Sapa enjoys warm days and cool evenings
in the summer, but gets quite cold in winter. Rain and cloud
can occur at any time of year but the wettest months are May
to Sept. with nearly 1,000 mm of rain in July and August alone.
The huge
scale of the Fan Si Pan Range gives Sapa an Alpine feel and
this impression is reinforced by architecture with steep pitched
roofs, window shutters and chimneys.
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In an
alluring blend of French and Vietnamese vegetation the gardeners
cultivate foxgloves and apricot trees next to clumps of bamboo.
What makes Sapa unique is that it is surrounded by diverse
ethnic minority groups, each maintaining its own language
and tradition. Whether you enjoy hiking and climbing in the
pure mountain air or just strolling through the streets of
the old town, Sapa offers a fascinating destination to enjoy
the rich mix of ethnic cultures and scenic beauty. Sapa is
a pleasant place to relax and unwind but being comparatively
new it has no important sites, but several French buildings
in and around are worth visiting.
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Sapa Tribal Market Tour: STM4 |
Conquer Fan Si Pan Tour: VNFP6 |
4 Day Sapa and Hilltribe |
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| Saigon |
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Once
known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, is a mix of the ancient
and modern, of western and eastern inferences, different
religions and beliefs and an equally varied cuisine.
Old French colonial buildings stand alongside recently
constructed office blocks as the city moves towards
a confident future.
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Explore
the old Chinese quarter of Cholon with its maze of small
streets and bustling markets or take a cyclo ride around
the tree lined main square to the Notre Dame Cathedral.
As night falls the cities energy continues as hundreds
food stalls serve up Pho to hungry people while shoeshine
boys pester for business. Sample one of the many new
restaurants or take an evening boat trip along the Saigon
River and just soak up the city’s vibrant atmosphere.
We can offer several different hotels
of a range of standards
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Southern
Tours
The Mekong
Delta is a vast low lying area and one of the most important
and productive agriculture areas in Southeast Asia. Crossed
by canals and dotted with stilted villages, the waterways
of the Mekong play an important part in the life of the local
people. Growing rice, fruit and vegetables as well as fishing
and raising ducks, the delta provides a rich harvest for the
whole country. The scenic beauty blended with the hustle and
bustle of the daily working life, has changed little over
the years. Our tour has been designed to provide an extraordinary
view into this unique part of Vietnam.
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Battlefield
Tour
The
so-called Vietnam War has held a fascination for the
West since before it had even finished, yet it was just
part of a longer struggle by the countries of the Indochina
region to gain independence from colonisation. This
tour takes you to many of the key battlefields of this
eventful period in the history of Vietnam and includes
many background lectures by contemporary experts. This
is an escorted group tour.
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Golf
Vietnam
Vietnam
has some outstanding Golf courses recently built and designed
to a high standard. As yet there are relatively few people
using these facilities so very often the only people you will
find there will be yourselves. Most of the courses are located
in the southern part of Vietnam in the mountain highlands
of Dalat on the white sandy windswept beaches of Phan Thiet
and the paddy fields near Ho Chi Minh City with the addition
of the King island course near Hanoi.
Vietnam's
coastline stretches the length of the country for almost 2,000
km. Stunning white sandy beaches fringed by coconut palms
and lapped by the warm South China Sea offers peace and tranquillity.
Phu Quoc is an island paradise
well worth a visit.
This is
a 17 day group tour showing the best of Vietnam, Cambodia
and Laos.
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