FREE TIME - Contiki

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City. Start your
Vietnam Experience in Ho Chi Minh City,
still sometimes called Saigon, a cosmopolitan
city combining Vietnamese flair
with US influences post Vietnam War,
with great places to eat and drink. Hotel
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City to
Mekong Delta. It’s a 2 day journey
into the Mekong Delta. After
experiencing the Cai Be floating
markets, lunch at a local home then
bike ride the rural area looking at local
industries. Meet your home stay family,
and get to experience Vietnamese life
first-hand, enjoying a meal with them
this evening. Homestay (B,L,D)
Day 3: Mekong Delta to Ho Chi
Minh City. Rise early, as the village
awakes see the morning life of rural
Vietnam. Returning to the host family
for breakfast we bid farewell and
continue our cruise of the Mekong with
soe local stops before returning to Ho
Chi Minh City. Hotel (B,D)
Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City to Nha
Trang. Spend the first half of your day
seeing the landmarks of this bustling
city with museums on the history of
The Vietnam War. Enjoy some free time
this afternoon before your flight to Nha
Trang. Hotel (B)
Day 5: Nha Trang. Take the pace of
your trip down a notch and enjoy this
waterside resort town while soaking up
the rays and swimming in the warm
waters. Do your own thing or you could
bliss out with a mineral hot spring mud
bath or a full day snorkelling cruise to
offshore islands. Hotel (B)
Day 6: Nha Trang to Hoi An. Fly to
Danang and travel down to the
UNESCO World Heritage listed Hoi An.
Join a walking tour through the Old
Quarter, pagodas and markets before
biking the surrounding countryside.
Free time this afternoon to explore the
town’s galleries and boutiques; perfect
for gifts! Hotel (B)
BURMA
LAOS
Itinerary
Day 7: Hoi An. Enjoy another day in this
little historic gem. A former trading port
famous for wooden houses and silk
shops; it is the perfect place to have
clothes tailor-made at tiny prices. Meet
the locals by taking an option to spend a
day working with village farmers. Hotel (B)
Places visited
1 or more nightstops
Day 8: Hoi An to Hue. There’s
stunning coastal views while driving
over the “Pass of the Ocean Clouds”
to the former Royal City of Hue. A
dragon boat is your ride to pagodas
with a visit to the Royal Tombs and the
fortified Citadel. This evening perhaps
join an optional cooking class in Hue
Royal cuisine. Hotel (B)
Day 9: Hue to Hanoi. Swap the coast
for the city and fly to Hanoi, the capital
where you’ll find a unique mix of
Vietnamese, Chinese and French
influences and where history and
modernity live side by side. Wind your
way through the narrow streets of the
Old Quarter, sip cappuccinos, the
renowned Vietnamese coffee, in road
side cafes or relax in one of the many
parks or lakes. Hotel (B)
Day 10: Hanoi to Halong Bay. Drive
out from Hanoi to the spectacular
Halong Bay where over 3,000
limestone islands rise right out from
the water. Board a traditional Junk
boat for an overnight cruise on these
World Heritage listed waters. Take a
bamboo row boat to explore the
lagoon, coral and water tunnels or
watch the sunset on the top of Titov
Mountain. Overnight Junk (B,L,D)
Day 11: Halong Bay to Hanoi.
Wake to a view of sunrise over jade
green waters. View the simple fishing
villages perched on the tiny islands,
swim and relax on the large deck
before enjoying lunch and heading
back to Hanoi. Hotel (B,L)
Day 12: Hanoi. Spend the
morning exploring Hanoi before a
late check out. (B)
Refer to contiki.co.nz/
vietnamexperience
2009
Floating Markets
CODE: VIEP 2009/10
Start End NZ$ Per
Ho Chi Hanoi Person
Minh
MAR 2 MAR 13 1875
MAR 16 MAR 27 1875
MAR 31 APR 11 1875
APR 14 APR 25 1875
MAY 4 MAY 15 1875
MAY 18 MAY 29 1875
MAY 31 JUN 11 1875
JUN 16 JUN 27 1875
JUN 22 JUL 3 1875
JUL 6 JUL 17 1875
JUL 13 JUL 24 1875
JUL 20 JUL 31 1875
JUL 27 AUG 7 1875
AUG 3 AUG 14 1875
AUG 10 AUG 21 1875
AUG 18 AUG 29 1875
AUG 21 SEP 1 1875
AUG 31 SEP 11 1875
SEP 7 SEP 18 1875
SEP 11 SEP 22 1875
NOV 13 NOV 24 1969
NOV 16 NOV 27 1969
NOV 23 DEC 4 1969
DEC 4 DEC 15 1969
DEC 14 DEC 25 1969
THAILAND
2009
2010
VIETNAM
Hanoi
CAMBODIA
Mekong
Delta
Start End NZ$ Per
Ho Chi Hanoi Person
Minh
DEC 21 JAN 1 1969
DEC 28 JAN 8 1969
JAN 4 JAN 15 2065
JAN 11 JAN 22 2065
JAN 15 JAN 26 2065
JAN 18 JAN 29 2065
JAN 25 FEB 5 2065
FEB 1 FEB 12 2065
FEB 5 FEB 16 2065
FEB 8 FEB 19 2065
FEB 16 FEB 27 2065
FEB 22 MAR 5 2065
FEB 26 MAR 9 2065
MAR 1 MAR 12 2065
MAR 8 MAR 19 2065
MAR 15 MAR 26 2065
MAR 19 MAR 30 2065
MAR 22 APR 2 2065
MAR 29 APR 9 2065
APR 5 APR 16 2065
APR 9 APR 20 2065
APR 12 APR 23 2065
APR 20 MAY 1 2065
APR 26 MAY 7 2065
APR 30 MAY 11 2065
Halong
Bay
Da Nang
Hue
Nha Trang
Ho Chi
Minh City
Hoi An
South China Sea
Start End NZ$ Per
Ho Chi Hanoi Person
Minh
MAY 3 MAY 14 2065
MAY 10 MAY 21 2065
MAY 17 MAY 28 2065
MAY 21 JUN 1 2065
MAY 24 JUN 4 2065
MAY 31 JUN 11 2065
† On Day 1, your Tour Manager
will collect a mandatory local
payment of US$160 cash.
Single room supplement:
NZ$785.
Start 6:00pm & end
approx. 12:00 noon.
For Travel Insurance see p.22
2010
EARLY
PAYMENT
DISCOUNT
6 MONTH DISCOUNT
SAVE UP TO NZ$95
4 MONTH DISCOUNT
SAVE UP TO NZ$45
SEE PAGE 19
12 Days
13