Our first day of sightseeing will be spent visiting the 11th-century Temple of Literature, which was the site of Vietnam's first university; the Army Museum, featuring fighter aircraft from the Vietnam war and a model of the battle of Dien Bien Phu; the "Hanoi Hilton," the prison where American POWs were held during the war; and the History Museum with an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the Vietnamese history.

We will have a leisurely morning before we depart for Halong Bay through the scenic countryside of the Red river Delta. Halong Bay is truly one of Vietnam's most impressive sights.

After breakfast we will embark on a boat for an exploration of the Bay. This exciting half day cruise will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery of hundreds of limestone mountains which rise from the water. Along the way we will enjoy a visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs.

Hue, known to Americans for its bloody battle in the Tet Offensive of 1968, was capital of Vietnam from 1802-1945 under 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty and is considered one of the cultural centers of Vietnam. In the morning we will take a boat excursion on Perfume River which will give us a taste of the scenic countryside to see the beautiful riverside pagoda of Thien Mu which now becomes the symbol of Hue and the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang.

We will also visit the Citadel which contains the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City. This royal residence was all but destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, however, it is still fascinating to stroll among the ruins. Time permitting, we can visit the nearby Dong Ba Market for souvenir shopping.

The ancient architecture of Hoian is a fascinating combination of traditional Vietnamese along with Japanese and Chinese influences. On the morning walking tour we will see the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the 200 years old Tam Ky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda, and the market. The remainder of the day will be free for your own exploration of the town or a trip to China Beach and the Marble Mountains, whose peaks are supposed to represent the five elements of the universe.

On this day we will travel by bus to My Lai (Son My), the site of the moving Memorial those killed in the My Lai Incident. We will spend the night in the town of Quang Ngai before traveling on to Nha Trang.

Upon leaving Nha Trang we head south towards Da Lat, sometimes known as the " City of Eternal Spring". The journey will pass by the famous Cam Ranh Bay before arriving at the Po Klong Jarai Towers which represent an interesting culture and a colorful history of the ancient Cham people. At an elevation of over 1,000 meters, the hill station of Da Lat was founded in the early year of the last century for the colonials to escape the heat and chaos of Saigon. On arrival in Da Lat our tour will take us past French colonial structures and to the summer residence of Vietnam's last Emperor Bao Dai, who was forced to abdicate in 1945.

On this final day we will make an excursion out of town to the ornate Cao Dai Temple. This religion, a curious combination of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, was founded in 1923 and today has over 2 million members. We will attend the noon service when the followers fill the hall wearing very colorful robes.