5-Star Vietnam
An amazing, exotic, luxurious Journey
Sept. 14 -Sept.30, 2012

Furama Resort on China Beach, Danang, Vietnam

Itinerary

Sept. 14 – Arrive in Hanoi where you have private transfer to the luxurious Hilton Opera Hotel where your windows overlook the French Colonial Opera House which is an exact replica of the Paris Opera. There is time to get settled before meeting for dinner. D

  Sept. 15 – The breakfast buffet at the Hilton is lavish and that is not an overstatement. Give yourself time to enjoy it before we are off on a city tour to see lovely Hanoi . The day begins with a drive which takes us through the former French Quarter with its splendid mansions and to all the must-see sites, and the nooks and crannies in the old center where we pause for the most typical of Vietnamese foods, a bowl of Pho in the best local pho joint in town. Don’t expect elegance and a hush- hush atmosphere, but do expect the most exceptional bowl of beef noodle soup you have ever tasted. After returning to the hotel later in the afternoon the evening is on your own. B L

Sept. 16 – This morning we embark on a scenic drive to Halong Bay where we board a private luxury yacht for an overnight cruise.  Halong Bay is one of the world’s natural wonders, so fantastic are the thousands of lime stone pillars that rise from the sea, that this area was made a UNESCO Heritage Site. Aboard the Yacht the staterooms are spacious and luxurious, as is all of the ship. In the evening a fresh seafood dinner is served aboard after which you can relax over drinks on the deck to watch the day fade into night. B L D

Sept. 17 – Start the day with a Tai Chi lesson on deck while the sun comes up over the bay, that is unless you want to sleep in which of course is an option. But getting up is well worth the effort. Afterwards relax over coffee which is followed by a sumptuous brunch. Around noon we return to shore where we board our coach for the drive back to Hanoi . Time to relax at the hotel before dinner in an elegant colonial villa.  B D

Sept. 18 - After breakfast we transfer to the airport for the flight to Hue (pronounced Wey) Vietnam ’s Imperial Capitol.   After arrival and checking in to the lovely river-side Hotel Huang Giang we relax over lunch on the terrace with its exotic views of river life. In the afternoon we visit Hue ’s Purple City, the Royal Palace where Vietnam ’s Emperors resided and which, as the Forbidden City in Beijing , was off-limits top everyone except the Emperors ministers, his concubines and eunuchs. After returning to the hotel the evening is at leisure. B L

Sept.19 - This morning we board a private dragon boat to cruise up the Perfume River to visit some of the elaborate Imperial Tombs. They are not ordinary tombs but splendid palaces set in romantic surroundings.  For a lunch that is literally a work of art, we pause in the former Dowager Empress’s elaborate French colonial palace decorated inside with Vietnamese folly. In the afternoon we visit more of Hue ’s imperial past making a stop en route a stop at an incense maker where the whole family is engaged in making fragrant incense sticks and cones. In the evening dinner is typical and delectable Hue food. B L D

Sept. 20 - Today we board a deluxe coach to drive over the mountains to the city of Danang, where the fabulous Furama Resort will be our abode for the next four nights.  En route stops in places like the whiskey village where Vietnam ’s most disgusting drink, rice whiskey, is made. It is so bad it is sold by the gallon, yet everyone always tries it. Further down the road a family is engaged in the business of making lovely Eucalyptus Oil, nice stuff, much nicer than the whiskey. After skirting the South China Sea for a while the road climbs through the mountains toward Danang where we check into the luxurious seaside Furama Resort on China Beach, the former R&R resort for American Soldiers during the Vietnam War, and the setting for the TV series of the same name. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to loll at the pool, the beach or indulge in a spa treatment. In the evening we eat Italian at posh Don Cipriani’s at the hotel.  B D

Sept. 21 – After breakfast we drive to the old city of Hoi An, an exceptional and well preserved example of an old Asian Trading Town, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hoi An is also known for its silk, and of course we will make a stop in one of a silk factory where you can have a quality garment custom made for you at a very reasonable price which will be delivered to the hotel the next day. At noon we relax over lunch in a lagoon-side restaurant before a stroll through the old town with its narrow streets lined by shop houses, many selling colorful silk lanterns which are a specialty of Hoi An. Later in the afternoon we return to the hotel where the evening is on your own.  B L

Sept. 22 – This morning, a short drive will take us to a local farm to watch farmers at work and learn about all the vegetables we have been eating. Afterwards we are served a lunch of Vietnamese farmers dishes. After returning to the hotel the remainder of the afternoon and evening is on you own. B L

Sept. 23 – The day is at leisure to enjoy the beach. Indulge in a spa treatment or pursue whatever else interests you. In the evening enjoy a dinner under the stars on the poolside terrace of Café Indochine at the hotel.  B D

Sept. 24 - Today we depart the hotel to transfer to the airport and the flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia to spend three days exploring the ancient imperial complex ofAngkor Wat.  Our abode her is the historic and luxurious Grand Hotel d’Angkor.  This fabulous hotel has been has been around since Colonial times and offers everything a guest needs and does not need. After arrival there is time to relax before a late afternoon drive to Tonle Wat, a huge inland sea where we board a local boat for a ride out into the lake.  After returning to the hotel we meet in the evening for a dinner of traditional Khmer food.  B D

Sept. 25 - This morning we get an earlier start to visit some of Angkor ’s temples. Angkor Wat is one of the most amazing monuments of the ancient world. An abandoned complex of palaces and temples in the midst of the jungle, it is one of the most fascinating and incredible works created by man. We will visit some of the temples and palaces this morning then return to the hotel to escape the heat of the day at noon to relax until we return to see more of Angkor Wat later in the afternoon. The evening is on your own today. B 

Sept 26 – Today we explore Angkor Thom whose palaces have mostly collapsed within them selves. It is a palace swallowed by the jungle and by time where the gnarled roots of Banyan trees wrap around the ancient walls like the claws of wild beasts. Splendid in its destruction, it can not be rebuilt, only preserved in its present stage. At noon we return to the hotel for a few hours rest before visiting the main temple of Angkor Wat in the evening. It is so imposing a structure that it is the symbol on Cambodia ’s flag.  On the return drive to the hotel we stop in the best little restaurant in Siem Reap for dinner. B D

Sept. 27 – After breakfast transfer to the airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City which is still referred to as Saigon . Our hotel in Saigon is the posh five-star Hotel Majestic where your luxuriant rooms overlook the Saigon River . After arrival there is time to relax before we meet for a drink at the rooftop terrace of the hotel. Afterwards a short stroll will take us to a well known Vietnamese restaurant for dinner. B D

Sept. 28 – After a leisurely breakfast we embark on a city tour of Vietnam to see all the famous sites and those lesser ones that are often overlooked by others. After a late lunch the rest of the afternoon and evening is on your own to go shopping, or pursue your own interests. B L

Sept. 29 - The day will take us to the immense Mekong Delta. The river is so wide there that it has its own tide twice a day. A private cruise takes us to some of the hundreds of tiny islands that dot the river. On one of these islands we make a stop to visit a fruit plantation, to sample some of the exotic fruits grown her. Later we change to a small punt to go on a real-life jungle cruise, stopping here and there, maybe to see a fruit drying plant, or a local coconut candy maker, or perhaps a bee keeper. At noon we pause for lunch at an exotic tiny little island where a tiny little restaurant with just a handful of tables is set in a sea of water lilies.  We will feast here on thin rice pancakes which are filled on your table with mild sesame crusted white fish and a variety of greens. Wash them down with a cold beer and you will be happy. Back in Saigon we end the day with dinner in one of the best French restaurants in the city. B L D

Sept. 30 - Individual airport transfers for the return flight home.

TOUR COST:  $4980.00 per person  
SINGLE COST: $6130.00

INCLUDED: 16 nights 5-star deluxe hotel accommodations throughout the trip, daily buffet breakfast, lunches and dinners as per itinerary, all including mineral water, coffee or tea, private airport transfer and transportation, private guides, private overnight 5-star cruise in Halong Bay, business class flights within Vietnam and to Cambodia, private sightseeing throughout, all entrance fees to included attractions, tips to guides and drivers and the services of Posh Journeys.

NOT INCLUDED: International air fare and any expenses in conjunction with it, visa costs, alcoholic drinks and soft drinks with meals if not part of a featured meal,  and any item not specifically mentioned in this itinerary. 

AIRFARE:  You may do your own air fare, use frequent flyer miles, or contact us for the lowest available air fare. 

Posh Journeys
530 E. Patriot Blvd. #172
Reno NV 89511
Tel./Fax: 775-852-5105
E-mail:  contact@poshjourneys.com