Hue The Imperial City of Hue was the capital of Vietnam during the reign of the Nguyen dynasty, the last dynasty in Vietnam. Even today, the Vietnamese regard Hue with amazement and respect. Hue also has the contrast of being one of the rainiest cities in Vietnam, receiving more than 120 inches each year. Hue is one of the most popular destinations for visitors to Vietnam. Straddling the Perfume River, this mystifying, solemn city is a historians dream come true, with numerous 19th century ruins, royal tombs and an excellent museum. Hue is dominated by The Citadel, a moat, walled fort, constructed during the early 19th century. Within these walls lies the forbidden Purple City, former home of the royal family. The Citadel was also the scene of merciless fighting and astounding casualties during the 1968 Tet Offensive, when the North Vietnamese held the fort for 26 days before being driven out by American forces. The damage inflicted to the architecture is still being repaired and the Citadel may never be fully restored. In somewhat better shape are the various royal tombs of the Nguyen emperors, which can easily be assessable by boat, car or motorbike. The historical museum is one of the best in the country.

The Vietnamese regard Hue as the peak of Vietnamese fashion, language and cuisine. The women of Hue, wearing the traditional ao dai and non bai tho, are assumed to be the most beautiful in all of Vietnam. The Hue accent is regarded as the most distinct and pleasing to the ear. The food, including local dishes such as banh khoai, is said to be the most delicious. Some of this is surely legend rather than fact, but who am I to argue?

You won´t be alone when you visit Hue. At any time of the year this small city is bursting with tourists. Hue is on almost every tour itinerary and it is the northern accomplishment of the infamous “open tour” bus route. Many tourists also meets lots of hawkers, cyclo drivers and children selling chewing gum. It sometimes seems impossible to walk more than 10 feet without being approached by someone wanting to sell you something. Smile a lot, say thank you (preferably in Vietnamese) and go about your business and you will be left alone. Hue can easily be visited as a day trip from Danang, or as an overnight stop on the way to Hanoi or before returning to Saigon. The best time to visit Hue is from May to August, when it tends to be driest. Bring a raincoat anyway, as its still likely to rain.

Hoi An Ancient Town – Vietnam

A noticeable quality of Hoi An is its relative silence. There are few cars and drivers do not feel the urge to use their horns every two seconds. The streets are filled with the buzz of voices, motorbikes and the shuffling of thongs along the ground. Hoi An is small enough to get around on foot, and you will need a set of wheels if you are going to Cue Dai Beach, or on a day trip to the Marble Mountains or Da Nang.

Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa – Vietnam

Nha Trang is Vietnam´s beach resort town. A major face-lift in 1995-96, and the opening of two upmarket hotels later in 1996, vaulted Nha Trang onto the playing field with places like Phuket, Thailand, and Cancun, Mexico. Today, it´s a popular destination for both foreign and domestic visitors.

In addition to sun bathing, popular attractions include boat trips to the nearby islands and tours of Nha Trangs historic sites. If you like typical beach resort towns, then Nha Trang is for you. Nha Trang is on the central coast, about 450 km north of Saigon and 1,200 km south of Hanoi. The main strip in Nha Trang is Tran Phu Street, which runs north-south along the sea for about 4 kilometers. It is a wide boulevard, bisected by a grassy median with street lamps. Several restaurants and bars line the beach side of Tran Phu, while hotels and more restaurants line the other. A walking path and wide swath of trees separate the beach from the road.

Not surprisingly, life in Nha Trang centers on the beach. In the early mornings and late afternoons, especially on weekends, you´ll find the beach packed with locals. In addition to swimming, football (soccer) is a popular pastime, and you´ll find several games in progress. During the heat of the day, the locals surrender the beach to mostly foreign sun-worshippers. In the evenings the beach is all but empty. When you tire of the beach, visit the nearby islands. Day trips are offered by just about every hotel and cafe. A typical itinerary includes visiting 2 or 3 islands, snorkeling and lunch, all for about US$8 per person. For serious snorkelers and divers who want to spend more time in the water, two local dive operators offer day trips from January to October

Back on the mainland, there are a few worthwhile attractions in or near town. The towering white Buddha that can be seen from many parts of Nha Trang is part of the Long Son Pagoda and can be reached by climbing a steep (and long!) set of stairs. North of town, across the Nha Trang River, lies the Po Nagar Cham site. The ancient Cham towers sit high atop a hill; the views overlooking the river and town are awe-inspiring. A little beyond Po Nagar lies Hon Chong, a scenic beach that is reputed to have the best seafood in the area. South of town, check out Emperor Bao Dais former holiday retreat, now a hotel

Every road leads to Nha Trang; well, actually there´s only one road, National Highway 1, but you can also fly or take the train from just about anywhere in Vietnam. Some promoters boast that there is only one month of bad weather in Nha Trang, which is true if you don´t mind rain and wind. Otherwise, plan to visit between January and August

Halong Bay – Quang Ninh – Vietnam

Located in the North-East region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is a bay in the Gulf of Tonkin comprised of regions of Halong City, the township of Cam Pha, and a part of the island district of Van Don. Halong Bay borders Cat Ba Island in the southwest, the East Sea in the east, and the mainland, creating a 120 km coastline. Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been named. There are two kinds of islands, limestone and schist, which are concentrated in two main zones: the southeast (belonging to Bai Tu Long Bay), and the southwest (belonging to Halong Bay). This densely concentrated zone of stone islands, world famous for its breathtaking scenery of grottoes and caves, forms the central zone of Halong Bay, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage

The bay itself has an area of 43,400 ha, consists of 775 islands, and forms a triangle with the island of Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto) to the west, the lake of Ba Ham (Three Shelter Lake) to the south, and the island of Cong Tay to the east. Viewed from above, Halong Bay echoes a geographic work of art. While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a legendary world of stone islands. There is Mans Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. Dragon Island looks like a dragon hovering above the turquoise water. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the islands of the Sail, the Pair of Roosters, and the Incense Burner, which all astonishingly resemble their namesakes. The forms of the islands change depending on the angle of the light and from where the islands are viewed. At the core of the islands, there are wonderful caves and grottoes, such as Thien Cung (Heavenly Residence Grotto), Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto), Sung Sot (Surprise Grotto), and Tam Cung (Three Palace Grotto).

Halong Bay has many interconnections to the history of Vietnam. For example, there are such famous geographical sites as Van Don (site of an ancient commercial port), Poem Mountain (with engravings of many poems about emperors and other famous historical figures), and Bach Dang River (the location of two fierce naval battles fought against foreign aggressors). It has been affirmed by scientists that Halong was one of the first cradles of human existence in the area at such archeological sites as Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu, and Thoi Gieng. It is also a region of highly-concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of salt water-flooded forests, coral reefs, and tropical forests boasting thousands of species of animal and plant life. With all this in mind, the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Thailand on December 17th, 1994), officially recognized Halong Bay as a natural heritage site of worldwide significance.

TOUR COST – All Tours are subject to an Acceptance Payment/Deposit of £200.
Cost per person on twin share basis as per itinerary

All Tours are subject to an Acceptance Payment/Deposit of £200

REMARK
- The above tariffs are subject to change accordingly to the increasing of gasoline cost till 30th day prior to the date of departure

Payment.
1. On acceptance – £200 per person, Acceptance Payment/Deposit (non refundable) by bank transfer or cheque payable to “S W & M Miller”.

Your Contract for all tour arrangements is directly with our Partner Company in Vietnam to whom payment for the tour is made.

2. You pay eight weeks prior to arrival in Vietnam, or on Acceptance – 50% of the total in US $, by Credit Card or International Bank Transfer.

3. On arrival in Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos– the balance of 50% is payable, in US $, by Credit Card or Cash.

Please Note:  A credit card charge may apply.

Cancellation Charges

35 days prior to arrival a cancellation fee of US$200 per person will be applicable.
30 days notice of cancellation a fee of 25% of the total amount will be applicable.
25 days notice of cancellation a fee of 50% of the total amount will be applicable
Less than 25 days notice incurs the full amount.
Acceptance Payment non refundable

Included in the Cost

• Accommodation on a twin sharing basis in the hotels mentioned above or equivalent – subject to availability.
• Any single room subject to supplement shown.
• Room and breakfast basis – or meals as indicated in the itinerary (B), (L) and (D)
• Full board at Wildlife Park if applicable.
• All transfers, sightseeing and excursions by air-conditioned vehicle where appropriate.
• Services of an English speaking local guide (or a naturalist in National Parks)
• Entrance fees at monuments and parks where applicable
• Train journeys where applicable – Train ticket from Hanoi to Hue (night train)
• Boat trip
• One bottle water a day per person
• Basic porterage at airports, rail stations and hotels (not tips).
• All currently applicable taxes.
• Where US$ or Thai Baht are quoted,  the UK pounds price shown is for comparison only and is subject to change.

• Excluded from the Cost
• Expenses of a personal nature:  table drinks, laundry, telephone calls, Internet charges, mineral water, tips, shopping etc.
• Any other meals or services not mentioned in the itinerary or ‘includes’ list.
• Any international airfares to India and Asia
• Any airport taxes where applicable in each country
• Domest flight-Supplement for flight from Danang to Saigon: DAN / SGN = $80.00/ person
• Any subsequent increase in airfares, fuel costs, monuments/sightseeing fees.
• Any other taxes subsequently introduced by Government, State or Tourist Ministry.
• Travel Insurance
• Visa Fees, if applicable, in any country
• Any Christmas, New Year and Gala Dinners

General note:
All elements included in this quotation are subject to availability until the booking is made.  The hotels/ services  as quoted may change when giving you the final confirmation, based on current availability.