Officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after reunification in 1975, most people here still prefer to use the old name, Saigon, and they don’t seem to mind if you do as well. Once referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, Saigon, with its population officially nearing 8 million is Vietnam’s largest city (unofficially 12 million). It has a certain laid back tropical ambiance that makes it a distinctly South East Asian city and today we will discover some of its history. This morning we will visit a number of sites including some of the fine French colonial sites dating back to the 19th century including the Notre Dame Cathedral and General Post Office, designed by Gustave Eiffel. Afterwards, we take a short drive to the Reunification Palace, formerly the residence of the President of South Vietnam and the headquarters of the South Vietnamese government before the liberation date of 30 th April 1975. Our last stop for the morning will be the War Remnants Museum, a poignant reminder of the struggle of the Vietnamese people over the past century. For lunch, we will visit a local Pho or noodle soup restaurant, which is the national dish of Vietnam and was also where Bill Clinton chose to eat lunch when he visited Saigon in 2000.

Saturday Day Tour Option One: Mekong Delta – Cai Be to Vinh Long Boat Excursion

Lying to the west of Saigon, the Mekong Delta is one of the most fertile regions on earth and home to some 20 million people. The best way to see the Delta is, of course, by boat and we join ours at the small market town of Cai Be. As we cruise the canals, rivers and backwaters we’ll discover how the local people lead their lives here and go about their daily business. We’ll cruise past a congested flotilla of boats selling all manner of fruit and vegetables at Cai Be’s floating market. We’ll visit some family-run industries, which include a rice paper, popcorn and popped rice factory. You arrive on an island near Vinh Long, where you will stop for a traditional lunch at an old 19th century restored house situated on the waterways and surrounded by fruit gardens. Our riverboat carries us back to Cai Be and we take the bus from here returning to Saigon in the afternoon.

Saturday Day Tour Option Two: Cu Chi Tunnels & Cao Dai Temple

Our excursion to the northwest of Saigon would have been considered risky business indeed 35 years ago but today the peaceful farming communities around the former Viet Cong stronghold of Cu Chi Tunnels belie the horrors of the Vietnam War. Begun by the Viet Minh and later expanded by the Viet Cong, Cu Chi’s tunnels were constructed to conduct covert operations and then quickly hide from the enemy. There are reputed to be around 150 miles of underground tunnels within the area and in some places they even managed to penetrate the perimeters of nearby US military bases. Delegates will also be able to crawl through a section of the tunnels and learn how the brave men and women of Cu Chi built underground hospitals, kitchens and meeting rooms during their struggle for a unified Vietnam.

After Cu Chi, we will stop for a brief intro and visit at Wildlife at Risk Animal Refuge (WAR) to see what animals are currently being helped back into the wild and to learn more about what WAR does. WAR is not a zoo; but rather a halfway house for animals that have been injured, are traumatized or lost their homes and need a place to stay for a while.

We will also visit Tay Ninh, close to the Cambodian border and headquarters for the Cao Dai religion. It is best to arrive in time for the colorful midday ceremony in the elaborate temple, where you will see the large congregation of local worshippers praying, singing and playing music in a ceremony that comprises elements of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. We will have lunch at a local restaurant in Tay Ninh after the afternoon service, and then we will return to Saigon.