Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City

Sud du Vietnam et îles paradisiaques

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon)!

You'll be met by your driver at Tan Son Nhat airport and driven to the city center. Check-in at the hotel from 2pm.
The rest of the time is free for you to relax after the long flight. If you feel up to it, opt for a first discovery of the city on your own.

Our suggestions for you (car/guide not available):
- The old post office, built in the days of French Indochina
- Notre-Dame Cathedral
- Cholon Chinatown
- Ben Thanh market, where you'll find shoes, accessories, handicrafts, flowers, spices, various foods and restaurants.

Meals on your own.
Overnight at hotel.

This morning, depart from Ho Chi Minh City for a three-hour journey to Vung Liem, a remote village in the Mekong Delta where lush rice paddies and fruit farms replace urban views.

Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly welcomed by your host, enjoy a welcome drink, and settle into your rustic private bungalow, built using traditional methods and materials from the Mekong Delta.
After a typical Mekong Delta meal, hop on your bicycles and ride along a peaceful rural path, stopping at a duck farm, a dragon fruit orchard, a coconut product workshop, and a rice paddy area. Visit a local home to discover the traditional process of making puffed rice and learn more about this ancestral practice. It's a relaxing time with many opportunities to capture the picturesque scenes of the Asian sunset.
Help your host prepare a traditional homemade dinner tonight.
The final activity of the day is a short walk with locals to a neighbor’s house using traditional torches made from dried coconut leaves and enjoying the "poon" lights while listening to a traditional music performance by a veteran war musician.
Overnight in your private bungalow.

Note: For the bike ride, the distance is around 4–5 km, depending on your physical condition and how far you'd like to go.

After breakfast prepared by your host, set off on a peaceful private boat cruise along the nearby tranquil canal.

Spend some time at a local market and witness the exchange of goods by the residents of the Mekong. Visit a Cao Dai temple for a brief introduction to Caodaism, a blend of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, as well as elements of Christianity and Islam.

Then continue your journey to a local coconut workshop, where almost every part of the coconut is used in handicrafts.

Head toward Can Tho, the heart of the Mekong Delta. Enjoy a city tour of Can Tho starting with the Can Tho Museum (closed on Mondays, Fridays, and weekend afternoons), which houses over 5,000 artifacts and historical relics. It is the largest museum in the Mekong Delta, showcasing agriculture and river life in the region, as well as the peaceful coexistence of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Khmer ethnic groups. Next, visit the ancient Binh Thuy house, which reflects the rural characteristics of the Mekong Delta in the 20th century. Built in 1870, the house blends Eastern and Western styles, with interior architecture rooted in traditional Eastern culture and the exterior reflecting Western design.

Overnight at a hotel in Can Tho.

Wake up early in the morning and board a local boat to visit the Cai Rang floating market. The waterway becomes a maze of hundreds of boats, where you will witness fascinating trade activities using a traditional "offering pole"—exchanging consumer goods hung on the pole for Mekong fruits and vegetables with local vendors. This lively wholesale market on the water offers fantastic photo opportunities, especially from the unique viewpoint of your boat.

Continue your cruise to a hidden hamlet where you’ll enjoy a walk along peaceful village paths. Stop at a local home for a tea break and a chat with the host. Located not too far from the bustling city of Can Tho, this village has preserved its bucolic beauty, typical of rural Mekong Delta life where people live simply and close to nature.

Then, transfer to Rach Gia (2h-2h30 drive) to take the speedboat to Phu Quoc (approximate schedule: 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM).

Upon arrival at Phu Quoc port, a car will transfer you to the resort. Phu Quoc is known as the "Pearl Island" due to its natural richness. It’s a peaceful haven for nature and sea lovers seeking a place to relax. The island is considered "off the beaten path" as it remains remarkably underdeveloped. Phu Quoc’s forests and pristine white sand beaches make it ideal for trekking, diving, and snorkeling.

Meals on your own.

Overnight on the island.

Note: The rainy season in Phu Quoc generally lasts from June/July to mid-October.

Surrounded by pristine forests and pristine white sandy beaches, Phu Quoc attracts many visitors with its natural landscapes and diverse beach activities.

This morning, transfer to An Thoi pier where you will board a local boat to discover some of the spectacular islands at the southern end of Phu Quoc. Arrive at Mong Tay Island and Gam Ghi Islet, known as the best snorkeling spots due to their crystal clear water, vibrant corals and diverse marine life including a great diversity of nudibranches, shrimps, crabs and cauri. Enjoy snorkeling to explore the colorful corals and fascinating sounds of the ocean.

A fresh lunch will be served on board while you bask in the tropical sun and the boat glides to May Rut Islet where you continue swimming or snorkeling to explore the colourful marine life with a variety of corals and fish. Relax on the white sand and turquoise water, then return to the mainland at the end of the day (shared tour with local English-speaking guide).

Night on the island of Phu Quoc.

Today, free time to relax, sunbathe, read a book, etc...

Night on the island of Phu Quoc.

This new day is free. Perfect for relaxing, sunbathing, reading a book, etc…

Overnight on Phu Quoc Island.

Today, enjoy your free time until the shuttle transfer from the resort to Phu Quoc airport. Then you take a flight from Phu Quoc to Ho Chi Minh City. Welcome by your driver and transfer to the city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

After breakfast, free time until your transfer with the driver to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your international departure flight. The room is available until noon only. Meals are on your own.

We wish you a pleasant journey!

Since August 15, 2023, French nationals have been exempt from visa requirements for stays of up to 45 days (including days of entry and exit), regardless of passport type and purpose of stay.

To benefit from this visa exemption, the expiry date of the French passport must not be less than six months before the end of the stay in Vietnam.
Tourist visa exemption (maximum 45 days, including entry and exit days), e-visa (maximum 90 days, including multiple entry and exit days), and tourist visas in general cannot be extended or renewed on the spot. Neither the French Embassy in Hanoi nor the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City can intervene in these matters, which are the responsibility of the Vietnamese authorities.

The following transfers are included in the offer:

- Ho Chi Minh airport transfer - Ho Chi Minh city center by private vehicle (day 1)
- Transfers scheduled in the program from day 2 to day 4 by private vehicle
- The Rach Gia – Phu Quoc non-private fast boat transfer (day 4)
- Transfer from the port of Phu Quoc to the hotel in Phu Quoc by private vehicle (day 4)
- Transfer from Phu Quoc hotel to Phu Quoc airport by hotel shuttle (day 8)
- The domestic flight Phu Quoc - Ho Chi Minh (day 8) in economy class (1 baggage of max. 20 kg in hold + 1 hand luggage of max. 7 kg/ person)
- Ho Chi Minh airport transfer - downtown Ho Chi Minh city by private vehicle (day 8)
- Hotel transfer from Ho Chi Minh City - Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) by private vehicle (day 9)

Note: no driver or vehicle is available during the free stay in Phu Quoc.