• Unique small group itinerary
• Hanoi sightseeing
• Ha Long Bay cruise
• Imperial capital of Hue
• Charming Hoi An
• Acclaimed Cham Museum
• Visit to farming settlement
• Extensive Mekong Delta touring
• Floating market at Cai Rang
• Saigon touring

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 2: Arrive Hanoi We arrive in the Vietnamese capital late this evening then transfer to our hotel.

Day 3: Hanoi This morning we take a walking tour of Ba Dinh Square, a popular complex of cultural and historic sites, including the marble and granite mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace, and thousand-year-old One Pillar Pagoda. Following lunch on our own, we embark on an orientation tour of this French-accented city with broad tree-lined boulevards and colonial architecture. We pass Hoan Kiem Lake; visit the marvelous Temple of Literature (c. 1070); and tour infamous Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War. Later we walk the narrow streets of the diverse Ancient Quarter, where tonight we gather at a local restaurant for a welcome dinner. B,D

Day 4: Hanoi/Ha Long Bay This morning we depart on a full-day excursion to Ha Long Bay, a breathtaking waterway sprinkled with 3,000 islands and islets, and surrounded by a fairytale landscape of limestone cliffs, secret grottoes, and hidden caves. Our tour includes a boat ride and seafood lunch. B,L

Day 5: Hanoi/Da Nang We fly this afternoon to ­Da Nang, Vietnam’s third ­largest city, situated on the south central coast. Upon arrival, we tour the acclaimed Cham Museum, which celebrates the Cham people’s Hindu legacy with a fine collection of sculpture and artifacts dating from the 7^th to 15^th centuries. After we reach our beachfront hotel, the remainder of the day is at leisure in this splendid setting. B,D

Day 6: Da Nang/Hoi An This morning we visit nearby Hoi An, where a succession of Dutch, Chinese, Portuguese, and Japanese traders helped to build an architecturally diverse and colorful village where many ancient traditions still hold sway. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Hoi An’s Old Town is a charming car-free pedestrian zone lined with tailors, shops, and art galleries. This afternoon is at leisure to either remain in Hoi An on your own or return to our beachside resort for a relaxing interlude. Tonight, we enjoy a cooking lesson and dinner in Hoi An. B,D

Day 7: Da Nang A morning walking tour of a nearby farming settlement reveals the daily life of a local community up close. Here rice paddies occupy every spare patch of ground, water buffaloes plow the fields, and villagers ride to market with produce piled high on their bicycles. B,L

Day 8: Da Nang/Hue We depart this morning by coach for the ancient imperial city of Hue, whose palaces, temples, and tombs evoke its past grandeur as home to emperors and mandarins. We explore the Imperial City – enjoying a traditional cyclo ride along the way – housing the Forbidden Purple City complex where emperors lived with their families and now a UNESCO site. We also visit the busy Central Market. Tonight we enjoy dinner accompanied by traditional music. B,D

Day 9: Hue This morning we cruise along Hue’s Perfume River to peaceful Thien Mu Pagoda, a Buddhist monastery that ranks among the city’s oldest and most important monuments. After admiring the seven-story octagonal tower, we visit the palatial Tomb of Minh Mang (c. 1840), with its pavilions and courtyards modeled after the Ming Tombs of China. This afternoon we see the tombs of Tu Duc, a gem of royal architecture; and Khai Dinh, an elaborate mix of ancient and modern, European and Asian. B,L

Day 10: Hue/Da Nang/Can Tho We return to Da Nang by coach this morning then board our flight to the busy river port of Can Tho, provincial capital of the Mekong Delta. With its tributaries covering some 15,600 square miles of southwestern Vietnam, the Mekong supplies half of the country’s rice and fish – and ranks as a biological treasure-trove, known for its multitude of bird and flower species. B,D

Day 11: Can Tho/Mekong Delta We rise early for today’s journey by boat to the lively floating market at Cai Rang on the Mekong’s lower reaches. After lunch together at a local restaurant, the remainder of the day is at leisure. B,L

Day 12: Mekong Delta/Saigon An hour-long coach ride this morning brings us to the upper reaches of the storied Mekong. Here we board motorized sampans for an up-close look at river life as we explore the maze of tributaries and inlets that lead to tiny settlements and villages populated by fishermen and farmers. After lunch at a local restaurant, we continue on by coach to Saigon (the name Ho Chi Minh City is used interchangeably). We reach our hotel late afternoon; dinner is on our own in this vibrant city. B,L

Day 13: Saigon A morning tour includes the former Presidential Palace, which served as the South Vietnamese government’s wartime headquarters. Now known as Reunification Palace, it was here that the first Communist tanks rolled into Saigon on April 30, 1975; it remains preserved as a museum almost exactly as it was on that day. We also tour the History Museum, with its excellent collection of art and artifacts of the indigenous peoples of Vietnam. Later we attend a traditional water puppet performance. B,D

Day 14: Saigon This morning we visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, the infamous underground network from which North Vietnamese forces operated in wartime. Tonight we celebrate our journey over a farewell dinner. B,D

Day 15: Depart for U.S. Today we transfer to the airport for our return flights to the U.S. B

B = Breakfast included L = Lunch included D = Dinner included

• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities; all flights within itinerary
• 13 nights’ accommodations in Deluxe and Superior First Class hotels
• 25 meals: 13 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners
• Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• Gratuities for local guides, dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers
• $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after 3 tours; $300 after 10 tours)

2023 Tour Dates & Prices
including international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $502, which are subject to change until final payment is made.

Single travelers please add $1,495. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days prior to departure. All 2023 tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

Depending on flight schedules, certain U.S. cities may require an evening flight from Ho Chi Minh City on Day 15, arriving in the U.S. on Day 16. In this case, hotel rooms will be reserved for late check-out on Day 15.

Business Class upgrade (subject to availability) on round-trip international flight: $4,995 per person LAX, SFO, SEA, JFK; $6,595 all other cities

A visa is required for this tour. Odysseys Unlimited will provide information about visa requirements upon reservation.

2024 Tour Dates & Prices
including international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $502, which are subject to change until final payment is made.

Single travelers please add $1,495. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days prior to departure. All tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

Depending on flight schedules, certain U.S. cities may require an evening flight from Ho Chi Minh City on Day 15, arriving in the U.S. on Day 16. In this case, hotel rooms will be reserved for late check-out on Day 15.

Business Class upgrade (subject to availability) on roundtrip international flight: $4,995 from JFK, LAX, SFO, SEA; $6,595 from other cities

A visa is required for this tour. Odysseys Unlimited will provide information about visa requirements upon reservation.

Cambodia: Angkor Wat & Phnom Penh

5 days/3 nights from $1,495 total price
Single Supplement: $325

Discover the amazing temples and statuary from the Angkorian Empire, and also the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.

Your Tour Price Includes

• Air transportation Ho Chi Minh City/Siem Reap; Siem Reap/Phnom Penh, inclusive of airline taxes and fees
• 3 nights’ accommodations: 2 nights in Siem Reap at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra (Deluxe); 1 night in Phnom Penh at Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh (Deluxe); rooms reserved for late check-out in Phnom Penh
• 6 meals: 3 breakfasts, 3 dinners
• Three days’ sightseeing of Angkor complex (UNESCO World Heritage site), including all entrance fees
• Phnom Penh sightseeing
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private motorcoach transportation
• Gratuities for dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers

Please see the Accommodations tab for hotel information.

Pricing: $1,495 Oct-Nov 2023 and Jan-Mar 2024;$1,595 Oct-Nov 2024. Single Supplement: $325

A visa is required for this extension. Odysseys Unlimited will provide information about visa requirements upon reservation.

David Lamb
Vietnam Now, A Reporter Returns
An insightful portrait of contemporary Vietnam by a Los Angeles Times foreign correspondent and National Geographic writer. Lamb interweaves stories of Vietnam today with his own experiences and memories as a young reporter for UPI during the war.

John Balaban, Nguyen Qui Duc
Vietnam, A Traveler’s Literary Companion
From rainforest to city, these 17 stories from Vietnam’s finest writers explore its landscapes, myths and changing traditions.

Eyewitness Guides
Eyewitness Guide Vietnam and Angkor Wat
Featuring innovative site diagrams, local maps and hundreds of color photographs, this handy companion introduces the culture, history and attractions of Vietnam.

ITMB
Vietnam Map
A sturdy, double-sided map of Vietnam, at a good scale (1:1,000,000), including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and the Hue region. With index.

Geoffrey Murray
Culture Smart! Vietnam
Take along this concise, well-illustrated and practical guide to local customs, etiquette and culture.

Nguyen Xuanthu
Lonely Planet Vietnamese Phrasebook
A handy palm-sized guide to pronunciation, grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler.

Anthony Bourdain (Foreword), Graham Holliday
Eating Viet Nam, Dispatches from a Blue Plastic Table
While living in Vietnam, native Englishman Holliday penned this gastronomic adventure which takes him from fancy dining tables to streetside vendors and everywhere in between. A genuine adventure through Vietnamese cuisine.

Bill Hayton
Vietnam, Rising Dragon
The veteran BBC newsman covers the tangled politics, rapidly changing economy, culture, history and people of Vietnam with great insight in this timely portrait of a nation in transition.

Peter D. Sharrock, Vu Hong Lien
Descending Dragon, Rising Tiger, A History of Vietnam
This first English-language account of Vietnam’s often neglected, understudied history takes us through 10,000 years of outsiders, invaders and technological innovation.

Fredrik Logevall
Embers of War, The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America’s Vietnam
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this bold history traces the four-decade build-up to the Vietnam War as the French disengaged from the country and American forces were deployed in full.

Frances FitzGerald
Fire in the Lake
A classic historical, political and cultural portrait of the Vietnam War, seen through the eyes of the Vietnamese. Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, FitzGerald, a staff writer at the New Yorker and a reporter in Vietnam, presents a vivid image of a revolution and a clear-sighted case for why the U.S offensive was doomed from the start.

Neil Jamieson
Understanding Vietnam
Jamieson’s ambitious primer addresses politics, social history, village life, structural renewal, literature and the arts, illuminating the Vietnamese worldview with insight and depth. It’s a terrific introduction to Vietnam.

David Halberstam
Ho
The historian explores the life and times of Ho Chi Minh and his fight for Vietnamese independence in this brief sketch, originally published in 1987.

John Laurence
The Cat from Hue, A Vietnam Story
Journalist John Laurence’s detailed and haunting account of Vietnam War combines his first hand experiences as a correspondent with a historical overview of the war. The cat in the title is Meo, a Vietnamese stray he adopted along the way.

Andrew X. Pham
The Eaves of Heaven, A Life in Three Wars
Pham recounts the story of his father’s life during the French occupation, Japanese invasion and the American War, weaving such momentous events with anecdotes from his childhood and details of family, friends, food and daily life.

Edward Gargan
The River’s Tale, A Year on the Mekong
A personal, probing chronicle of a 3,000-mile journey on the river from its source in China through Tibet, Burma, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

Robert Olen Butler
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
Winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize, this collection of 15 short stories captures the spirit of Vietnam through a juxtaposition of American and Vietnamese perspectives and settings.

Quan Barry
She Weeps Each Time You’re Born
A beautiful, lyrical novel written in a magical realist style. Born during the Vietnam War, a woman has the ability to hear the voices of the dead and pieces together a truly human version of Vietnamese history.

Colin Cotterill
The Coroner’s Lunch
The first in Colin Cotterill’s wonderful Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery series follows the septuagenarian national coroner of Laos as he navigates both the criminal underworld of communist Laos and the spiritual world of his ancestors.

Truong Vu (Editor), Le M. Khue (Editor), Wayne Karlin (Editor)
The Other Side of Heaven, Postwar Fiction by Vietnamese and American Writers
An anthology of fiction, with contributions from both sides of the experience of the Vietnam War

Graham Greene
The Quiet American
A classic, this is the most famous Western work of fiction on Vietnam. Greene writes of a love triangle between a war correspondent, his Vietnamese consort and an optimistic young American during the last days of French rule.

Craig Robson
Birds of Southeast Asia
This authoritative, masterfully illustrated guide, featuring 140 color plates covering 1,270 species throughout the region, also includes Malaysia, Burma, Borneo and Indonesia.