Travel to Vietnam

Vietnam Highlights Tour

10 Days from only $97.00 per day

*all prices are subject to change, without notice, until ticketed.

Your Itinerary

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City

Formerly known as Saigon, cosmopolitan Ho Chi Minh is action packed. Tonight meet your Tour Manager & fellow travelers at the hotel before visiting Ben Thanh markets. Hotel.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang

Take a tour of the city hotspots before catching a flight to the beach paradise of Nha Trang. Hotel. (B)

Day 3: Nha Trang

Sink into the laid-back beach lifestyle with a free day. Do your own thing or take off to the gorgeous offshore islands o an optional cruise! Hotel. (B) 

Day 4: Nha Trang to Hoi An

Fly to Danang & travel down to Hoi An. Enjoy a guided city tout through the Old Quarter then some free time, or opt for a cooking class tonight! Hotel. (B)

Day 5: Hoi An

Maybe head to the untouched Cham Island on a speed boat cruise or use the day to explore the city. Hotel. (B)

Day 6: Hoi An to Hue

Enjoy stunning views while driving over the "Pass of the Ocean Clouds" to Hue. Visit the famous city sights & enjoy a cruise before dinner at a family-run restaurant. Hotel (B,D)

Day 7: Hue to Hanoi

Take a cyclo tour before our flight to Hanoi. Full of French flair, Chinese culture & Vietnamese vitality-it's an open-air museum. Hotel. (B)

Day 8: Hanoi to Halong Bay

Today it's on to Halong Bay for our overnight Junk Boat Cruise. Junk Boat.(B,L,D)

Day 9: Halong Bay to Hanoi

Wake to fantastic views from the junk before we return to Hanoi. Hotel. (B,L)

Day 10: Depart Hanoi

Your tour ends after breakfast, so it's time to say farewell to your group. (B)

Tour Runs All Year (January-December)

For more information or to book please contact Unique Travel Concepts.

619-464-6426 or 800-879-8635

Our Website: http://www.uniquetravelconcepts.com/

Our New Blog: http://www.dwandh.blogspot.com/

Email us: info@uniquetravelconcepts.com

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Extravagant Castles Around The World

No place symbolizes the extremes of the romantic, fantastical castle ideal like Neuschwanstein Castle, rising from the hills near Germany’s border with Austria. The brainchild of Ludwig II of Bavaria — who also built several other extravagant castles, and left behind plans for still more — the 19th-century castle is a turret-bedecked, theatrically ornate confection that seems made for a fairy tale. No wonder Neuschwanstein reportedly served as the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Bounded by water on all sides, Eilean Donan Castle commands a dramatic landscape from a small island in the Scottish Highlands. In the castle’s early days, waterways were the main transit arteries in this inlet-filled region, and the castle — perched at the convergence of three sea lochs — was perfectly situated for defense. First built in the early 13th century as protection against marauding Vikings, Eilean Donan Castle has been associated with the Clan MacRae for centuries.



A castle on an island is one thing, but a castle in a cave? Slovenia has just that in the form of Predjama Castle, built in the mouth of Postojna Cave, about 100 miles east of Venice, Italy. The in-cave location provided excellent defensive capabilities for the castle, whose history goes back at least to the 13th century; these days, cave tours are popular with visitors to the castle.

Just west of London, Windsor Castle is huge, and it’s hugely old, too. According to the British government, Windsor Castle — one of Queen Elizabeth II’s official residences — is the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. Its history dates back to William the Conquerer; in the nearly 1,000 years since then, Windsor has expanded to a floor area encompassing about 480,000 square feet.

With its multicolored exterior walls and its eclectic aesthetic styles, Portugal’s Palácio da Pena almost resembles a cake covered with colorful frosting. The romantic, fanciful castle was built on a craggy hill near Lisbon in the first half of the 19th century and incorporates elements of German, Moorish and other architectural traditions. These days it’s a Portuguese national monument and is used for state occasions.

Prague Castle is widely considered the world’s largest castle complex. Dominating the Prague skyline from a hill overlooking the Vltava River, Prague Castle has an area of about 750,000 square feet. The castle was probably founded around 880, and it houses the crown jewels and relics of the Bohemian kings who ruled from there over the centuries.

Castles are usually associated with Europe and the Middle East, but you’ll also find them in places such as Japan. One of the loveliest Japanese castles is Himeji Castle, about 70 miles west of Kyoto, dating from the 14th century. Sometimes called the White Heron Castle for its white exterior, Himeji Castle is Japan’s largest and most visited castle. It’s also one of the best-preserved, being one of the few Japanese castles to survive virtually intact to the present day.

There’s one castle in continental North America that has housed sovereigns: Mexico’s Chapultepec Castle, which Emperor Maximilian I called home during the short-lived Second Mexican Empire in the 1860s. The castle’s hilltop location in present-day Mexico City was once sacred to the Aztecs (chapultepec is Náhuatl for "at the grasshopper’s hill"); the modern castle’s history dates to the 18th century.

Places you should see: before they're gone.

Barrow, Alaska

"Why travel to the northernmost point in the U.S.? To see the polar bears that occasionally wander off their sea-ice homes and amble through the tiny town (pop. 4,500). The Department of the Interior added polar bears to the list of threatened species in 2008 as melting sea ice diminished the bears’ ability to hunt for prey. Debate continues to rage — especially in Alaska — about whether the warming trend means polar bears should be added to the more restrictive endangered species list. But when it comes to bears, why not play it safe and see them before it’s too late?"

Mount Kilimanjaro

"The Snows of Kilimanjaro," described in Ernest Hemingway’s 1938 short story of the same name, may soon become history. A 2009 report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences warned that Africa’s highest peak has lost 26 percent of its icecap just since 2000, and 85 percent of the snows that blanketed the mountain in 1912. Climate change and deforestation may both be contributing factors. The study’s author, Ohio State University glaciologist Lonnie G. Thompson, warned that Kilimanjaro may be bare as soon as 2020. That will make summiting the mountain even easier than it is now, since it already requires relatively little climbing expertise. There just may not be as much to see from the top."

(http://www.bing.com/travel/content/search?q=Endangered+Destinations%3a+Mount+Kilimanjaro&FORM=TRSSPG)

Appalachia

"Across the southeastern U.S., mining companies are clear-cutting forests, blowing the tops off mountains to get at the coal within, and dumping the waste into nearby streams. "Mountaintop removal,” as the process is known, has already flattened nearly 500 Appalachian peaks, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. A good way to witness the beauty of the remaining mountains is on a whitewater rafting trip through the Gauley River National Recreation Area in West Virginia. This 28-mile river features more than 100 rapids and is home to a salamander called the eastern hellbender, found only in this river gorge."

(http://www.bing.com/travel/content/search?q=Endangered+Destinations%3a+Appalachia&FORM=TRSSPG)

The Great Barrier Reef

"If ocean temperatures continue to rise, the world’s largest coral reef could lose much of what makes it so appealing to more than 1,500 species of tropical fish — and to thousands of snorkelers and scuba divers. In 1998, 2002 and 2006, higher water temperatures caused epidemics of coral bleaching, which robs the coral of the algae that gives it its brilliant color. Scientists say the reef has recovered well from the latest episode, but runoff from coastal development and increasing commercial fishing levels remain threats to this magnificent underwater ecosystem. Most at risk are the reef’s populations of dugongs — marine mammals closely related to manatees — and loggerhead turtles."

(http://www.bing.com/travel/content/search?q=Endangered+Destinations%3a+Great+Barrier+Reef&FORM=TRSSPG)

Bhutan: Kingdom in the Clouds (National Geographic)

12 Days

2010 (October 12-23 and November 6-17)

2011 (March 15-26, October 4-15 and November 6-17)

"Within the folds of Bhutan's mountains lie sacred temples, dazzling rice fields, and villages unchanged by time. On this magical journey, experience the wonders of the last Mahayana Buddhist kingdom of the Himalaya. Hike to ancient dzongs, meet local families, wander through serene monasteries, discover unique artistic traditions, and witness one of Bhutan's spectacular local festivals.
Day 1 and 2
U.S./Bangkok, Thailand
Depart the U.S., cross the international date line, and arrive in Bangkok the next night.

Day 3

Paro, Bhutan
From Bangkok, fly to the Paro Valley (7,300ft) in Bhutan. Transfer to our hotel and enjoy time to relax, or visit the seventh-century Kyichu Lhakhang. Tonight, gather for a welcome dinner.

Day 4

Punakha

This morning, journey to Punakha, Bhutan's ancient capitol. Travel over the Dochu La pass (10,000ft) and stop for tea and a view of 200 miles of Himalayan summits (weather permitting). Settle into out hotel in the garden Punakha Valley and enjoy dinner together.

Day 5

Punakha

After an invigorating hike to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten, a spectacularly situated temple, be rewarded for your efforts with incredible views of the valley below. Then visit the Punakha Dzong, an impressive fortress guarding the southern and of the valley at the confluence of the Pho (male) and Mo (female) Rivers. Day 6

Punakha/Phobjika

Today is the fourth king's birthday, which is celebrated with small ceremonies throughout the country.* Also known as Children's Day, we have the opportunity to witness some of the festivals. Travel to the alpine valley of Phobjika (10,000ft), considered one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan. It is also the largest wintering site for the endangered black-necked crane, which arrives in November and stays through March.

Day 7

Phobjika

Against a backdrop of forest-clad mountains, the Gangtey Gonpa temple complex rises dramatically from a cluster of hilltop cottages. One of the oldest Nyingma monasteries in Bhutan, Gangtey Gonpa has recently been restored, allowing us to examine the fine workmanship of Bhutan's best woodcarvers, sculptors, and painters. Our visit coincides with the annual Crane Festival, * a charming mix of traditional masked and folk dances. Held in the courtyard of the Gonpa, this festival was created by the community to raise awareness for the rare cranes that winter in the valley. Then set off on a half-day hike, stopping to meet a family at a local farmhouse along the way.

To learn more about this exciting once in a lifetime journey call us.

619-464-6426 or 800-879-8635

Pricing in 2010 are from $5,995 per person

Pricing in 2011 are from $6,295 per person

(based on double occupancy)

All rates are subject to change