Xin Chao and welcome to evocative Saigon, known officially as Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, a Topas representative will welcome you before heading to the heart of the city to your cozy accommodation for the next few days.

Enjoy the day at leisure exploring old Saigon’s most popular attractions, mainly Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office before heading to the historic Caravelle Hotel for Happy Hour, sipping cocktails with a view of what you’ve seen from above. Then, sup at the contemporary Quan Bui Original for dinner amidst modern office skyscrapers, Oriental styled pagodas, and food stalls, sensing the dynamic urban feel of the new Ho Chi Minh City.

Included meals: Dinner 
Distance and activities: 45’ drive

Board your speedboat this morning and jet out of Ho Chi Minh City into the jungles and stilted houses of the surrounding region. After a 90’ ride, step into the past with a visit through the Cu Chi tunnels, a vital network of 200km of underground passages, chambers, and living quarters from the Second Indochinese War set outside of the city. This fascinating piece of Vietnam’s history helps visitors to understand the conditions of the war and the incredible odds the Vietnamese were against.

Enjoy a local lunch nearby before returning to the center of Ho Chi Minh City for a sightseeing tour, starting at the Reunification Palace and pausing at the old Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral, two still-working colonial masterpieces.  End the day’s activities browsing exhibits at the War Remnants Museum, paying respect to the sobering recent tragedies and the fighting spirit of the Vietnamese to rebuild their society.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Distance and activities: 3h speedboat ride – 5h day tour

This morning explores ancient Vietnamese beliefs combined with delicious traditional cuisine in one go. Start with a warm bowl of Saigon’s best pho and a cup of coffee before wandering wet market stalls in search of com tam, tropical fruits, and other popular snacks. After your belly is full, dive into local history with local insight into “ancestor worship” and a tour of a popular temple dedicated to a Vietnamese military leader, who is now known (188 years after his death) for his fortune-telling.

After lunch, head to Dân Sinh Market, a famous space of narrow walkways selling construction tools, industrial equipment, and Vietnam War memorabilia, although it’s estimated 95% of items are fake. Sift through combat boots, rusty dog tags, rain jackets, mosquito nets, hammocks, canteens, duffel bags, ponchos, combat tents, and binoculars for the coolest souvenirs.

The final stop of the day is at the Southern Women’s Museum, a wonderful “boutique” museum dedicated to the women of Vietnam. There are fascinating stories of the role of women in the struggle for unification and a wonderful range of traditional ao dai’s and weavings.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch 
Distance and activities: 4.5h sightseeing tour – 1h shopping – 1h museum tour

Leave the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City behind today, heading into the fertile rice bowl of Vietnam: the Mekong Delta. Watch the lush land of palm trees and great rivers pass you by on a 2-hour ride to Cai Be, a town situated along the Tien River. Check-in to Mekong Riverside Resort, a boutique lodging with 24 private bungalows, a swimming pool, and lovely spa.

Spend the afternoon at leisure, learning how to craft toys, ropes, and rugs out of coconut leaves or perhaps kayaking down the river.

Included meals: Breakfast
Distance and activities: 2h transfer 

Spend the morning on two wheels cycling through the scenic countryside of small rivers and fruit orchards. Stop by the Cai Be traditional craft village, where they craft a whole range of local specialties such as rice paper, coconut candy, and pop-rice and corn, and Mr. Kiet’s ancient house, receiver of the Award of Merit by the Cultural Heritage Conservation Project, to sample some traditional teas and fruits.

Then, ditch the bike for a rowboat and explore Phu Chau Pagoda, situated on peaceful An Ninh Island. Enjoy a delicious vegetarian lunch before heading to the eye-popping Cao Dai Temple – a cross between Buddhism and Confucianism that started in southern Vietnam.

Return to the resort around 1 pm, with the rest of the day free at leisure to swim in the pool or try out the spa.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch 
Distance and Activities: 4h sightseeing tour

Your morning is at leisure until a late-morning transfer to the pier to board your overnight Mekong Cruise to Can Tho, the largest city in the Mekong Delta.

Spend your afternoon on the sun-deck, absorbing the beautiful scenery passing you by on either side. Mid-afternoon stop to visit a local village and sample delicious fruits from a tropical orchard before returning to the boat. Enjoy cocktails during happy-hour and a delicious onboard dinner before retiring to your cozy cabin for the night.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Distance and Activities: overnight sightseeing cruise

Wake up well rested to the sounds of the Mekong River Delta as the ship begins to cruise at 6:30. Watch locals going about their daily lives drying fruits and building ships in small wooden yards while eating breakfast.

Afterwards, board a sampan, a type of traditional Vietnamese rowboat, and wind through Cai Rang Floating Market, the biggest wholesale floating market in the region. Bargain with merchants for the tastiest fruits before heading back to the ship to disembark.

Leave the boat and return to Ho Chi Minh City by road, or alternatively, fly directly from Can Tho Airport.

Included meals: Breakfast

Distance and Activities: 2h sightseeing tour – 3.5h transfer