VIETNAM
Join UVA history professor Will Hitchcock to encounter Vietnam’s breathtaking natural beauty, abiding tradition, and profoundly hospitable people on this comprehensive 15-day small group journey. Get acquainted with French-accented Hanoi and explore stunning Ha Long Bay. Staying in a beachfront hotel in Da Nang, tour the acclaimed Cham Museum and Hoi An’s charming Old Town. Enjoy a cooking lesson and visit a farming settlement. Explore Hue’s vast Imperial Citadel. With two nights in the storied Mekong Delta, experience river life, visiting a floating market. A three-night stay in vibrant Saigon concludes the journey. Discover Angkor Wat’s amazing temples and Phnom Penh with an optional 5-day/3-night post-tour extension.
Program Highlights:
- Explore Hanoi
- Embark on a Ha Long Bay cruise
- Tour the acclaimed Cham Museum
- Explore charming Hoi An
- Visit a farming settlement in Da Nang
- Traverse the imperial city of Hue by traditional cyclo
- Extensively explore the Mekong Delta and visit Cai Rang’s floating market
- Tour Saigon and visit the Cu Chi Tunnels
Price: $4,595 per person, double occupancy, with economy class round-trip airfare from Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Seattle, plus $402 airline taxes and fees
$3,995 per person, double occupancy, land only
$5,245 per person, double occupancy, with economy class round-trip airfare from Charlottesville, VA, plus $402 airline taxes and fees
Other Gateway Cities Are Available

Director, Governing America in a Global Era
Will Hitchcock is the James Madison Professor of History at UVA. He teaches and writes about the great conflicts and struggles of the twentieth century, including World War I, the crises of the interwar years, the catastrophe of World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. His most recent book was a study of the 1950s called The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s, which was a New York Times bestseller.
Previously, he wrote The Bitter Road to Freedom, which explored the experiences of European civilians and American soldiers during the liberation of Europe in 1945. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He is now writing a book about Franklin Roosevelt, the rise of the dictators in 1930s Europe, and the American entry into World War II.
Will was born in Japan and has lived in and traveled across much of Europe and the Mediterranean. He has joined other Cavalier Travels trips down the Danube, to the D-Day beaches in Normandy, and to Scotland. His two children are both UVA graduates, and he is married to the UVA Civil War historian Elizabeth R. Varon.
We arrive in the Vietnamese capital late this evening then transfer to our hotel.
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake
DAY 3 - Saturday, November 4, 2023
Hanoi
This morning we take a walking tour of Ba Dinh Square, a popular complex of cultural and historic sites, including the marble and granite mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace, and thousand-year-old One Pillar Pagoda. Following lunch on our own, we embark on an orientation tour of this French-accented city with broad tree-lined boulevards and colonial architecture. We pass Hoan Kiem Lake; visit the marvelous Temple of Literature (c. 1070); and tour infamous Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War. Later we walk the narrow streets of the diverse Ancient Quarter, where tonight we gather at a local restaurant for a welcome dinner.
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake B, D
DAY 4 - Sunday, November 5, 2023
Hanoi/Ha Long Bay
This morning we depart on a full-day excursion to Ha Long Bay, a breathtaking waterway sprinkled with 3,000 islands and islets, and surrounded by a fairytale landscape of limestone cliffs, secret grottoes, and hidden caves. Our tour includes a boat ride and seafood lunch.
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake B,L

DAY 5 - Monday, November 6, 2023
Hanoi/Da Nang
We fly this afternoon to Da Nang, Vietnam’s third largest city, situated on the south-central coast. Upon arrival, we tour the acclaimed Cham Museum, which celebrates the Cham people’s Hindu legacy with a fine collection of sculptures and artifacts dating from the 7th to 15th centuries. After we reach our beachfront hotel, the remainder of the day is at leisure in this splendid setting.
Hyatt Regency Danang B,D
DAY 6 - Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Da Nang/Hoi An
This morning we visit nearby Hoi An, where a succession of Dutch, Chinese, Portuguese, and Japanese traders helped to build an architecturally diverse and colorful village where many ancient traditions still hold sway. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Hoi An’s Old Town is a charming car-free pedestrian zone lined with tailors, shops, and art galleries. This afternoon is at leisure to either remain in Hoi An on your own or return to our beachside resort for a relaxing interlude. Tonight, we enjoy a cooking lesson and dinner in Hoi An.
Hyatt Regency Danang B,D
DAY 7 - Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Da Nang
A morning walking tour of a nearby farming settlement reveals the daily life of a local community up close. Here rice paddies occupy every spare patch of ground, water buffaloes plow the fields, and villagers ride to market with produce piled high on their bicycles.
Hyatt Regency Danang B,L
DAY 8 - Thursday, November 9, 2023
Da Nang/Hue
We depart this morning by coach for the ancient imperial city of Hue, whose palaces, temples, and tombs evoke its past grandeur as home to emperors and mandarins. We explore the Imperial City – enjoying a traditional cyclo ride along the way – housing the Forbidden Purple City complex where emperors lived with their families and now a UNESCO site. We also visit the busy Central Market. Tonight we enjoy dinner accompanied by traditional music.
Silk Path Grand Hue Hotel B,D
DAY 9 - Friday, November 10, 2023
Hue
This morning we cruise along Hue’s Perfume River to peaceful Thien Mu Pagoda, a Buddhist monastery that ranks among the city’s oldest and most important monuments. After admiring the seven-story octagonal tower, we visit the palatial Tomb of Minh Mang (c. 1840), with its pavilions and courtyards modeled after the Ming Tombs of China. This afternoon we see the tombs of Tu Duc, a gem of royal architecture; and Khai Dinh, an elaborate mix of ancient and modern, European, and Asian.
Silk Path Grand Hue Hotel B,L
DAY 10 - Saturday, November 11, 2023
Hue/Saigon/Can Tho
Today begins with an early morning flight to Saigon. Upon arrival we board a motorcoach for the three-hour drive south to the Mekong River town of Cai Be then on to the busy river port and provincial capital of Can Tho. With its tributaries covering some 15,600 square miles of southwestern Vietnam, the Mekong supplies half of the country’s rice and fish – and ranks as a biological treasure-trove, known for its multitude of bird and flower species.
Victoria Can Tho Resort B,D
DAY 11 - Sunday, November 12, 2023
Can Tho/Mekong Delta
We rise early for today’s journey by boat to the lively floating market at Cai Rang on the Mekong’s lower reaches. After lunch together at a local restaurant, the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Victoria Can Tho Resort B,L
DAY 12 - Monday, November 13, 2023
Mekong Delta/Saigon
An hour-long coach ride this morning brings us to the upper reaches of the storied Mekong. Here we board motorized sampans for an up-close look at river life as we explore the maze of tributaries and inlets that lead to tiny settlements and villages populated by fishermen and farmers. After lunch at a local restaurant, we continue on by coach to Saigon (the name Ho Chi Minh City is used interchangeably). We reach our hotel late afternoon; dinner is on our own in this vibrant city.
Sofitel Saigon Plaza B,L
DAY 13 - Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Saigon
A morning tour includes the former Presidential Palace, which served as the South Vietnamese government’s wartime headquarters. Now known as Reunification Palace, it was here that the first Communist tanks rolled into Saigon on April 30, 1975; it remains preserved as a museum almost exactly as it was on that day. We also tour the History Museum, with its excellent collection of art and artifacts of the indigenous peoples of Vietnam. Later we attend a traditional water puppet performance.
Sofitel Saigon Plaza B,D
DAY 14 - Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Saigon
This morning we visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, the infamous underground network from which North Vietnamese forces operated in wartime. Tonight we celebrate our journey over a farewell dinner.
Sofitel Saigon Plaza B,D
DAY 15 - Thursday, November 16, 2023
Depart for U.S
Today we transfer to the airport for our return flights to the U.S.
B
Post-Tour Extension
Cambodia: Angkor Wat & Phnom Penh
November 16-20, 2023
5 days/3 nights $1,495 per person, double occupancy
Single supplement: $325
Included in Extension Price: Air transportation Ho Chi Minh/Siem Reap; Siem Reap/Phnom Penh, inclusive of airline taxes and fees; 3 nights accommodations: 2 nights in Siem Reap at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra (Deluxe); 1 night in Phnom Penh at Sofitel Phnom Penh (Deluxe); rooms reserved for late check-out in Phnom Penh; 6 meals: 3 breakfasts, 3 dinners; three days’ sightseeing of Angkor complex (UNESCO World Heritage Site), including all entrance fees; Phnom Penh sightseeing; services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director; private motorcoach transportation; gratuities for dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers.
- InterContinental Hanoi Westlake – Hanoi – 3 nights
- Hyatt Regency Danang – Danang – 3 nights
- Silk Path Grand Hue Hotel – Hue City – 2 nights
- Victoria Can Tho Resort – Can Tho (Mekong Delta) – 2 nights
- Sofitel Saigon Plaza – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – 3 nights
- 25 meals: 13 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners
Price:
$4,995 per person, double occupancy, with economy class round-trip airfare from Washington, DC, plus $402 airline taxes and fees, which are subject to change until final payment is made.
$4,595 per person, double occupancy, with economy class round-trip airfare from Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Seattle, plus taxes and fees
$3,995 per person, double occupancy, land only
$5,245 per person, double occupancy, with economy class round-trip airfare from Charlottesville, VA, plus $402 airline taxes and fees
Other Gateway Cities Are Available
A limited number of single rooms will be available for a supplement of $1,495 to the per person, double occupancy rates.
Business Class upgrade on round-trip international flight: $4,995 per person from JFK, LAX, SFO, SEA; $6,595 from other cities, in addition to the above costs (upgrade is subject to availability and pricing is subject to change).
Price includes: Round-trip air transportation from specific cities; all flights within Vietnam; 13 nights’ accommodations in Deluxe and Superior First Class hotels; extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees; services of an professional Tour Director; private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip; luggage handling for one bag per person; gratuities for local guides, dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers.
Does not include: Airfare and airport transfers when purchasing a Land Only package; airfare from your hometown to your departure city; costs of passports and visas; immunizations, inoculations, and COVID-19 testing; personal expenses such as beverages, laundry, room service, and meals not specified; communication charges; optional sightseeing; gratuities to your Tour Director, which are at your discretion (suggested gratuities: $10–$15 per traveler, per day); and travel protection insurance. Additional baggage fees may apply and are subject to change at any time. You should confirm directly with your airline(s) prior to departure. Anything not specifically listed as included.
Ready to register? The best way to do this is by phone so that we can ensure we are meeting all of your needs. Please call us at 866-765-2646 or e-mail cavaliertravels@virginia.edu with your contact information and the best time to reach you.
A refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to reserve your spot. Final invoicing will be done approximately 110 days prior to departure. Final payment is due 95 days prior to departure (July 30, 2023).
Your reservation is not confirmed until your deposit is paid and processed. Payment may be made by American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or VISA, or by personal check. If paying by check, please make check payable to our tour operator, Odysseys Unlimited, Inc.
Odysseys Unlimited, Inc., reserves the right to cancel any reservations that are not paid in full at any time after final payment is due. If you make your reservation after the final payment date, payment in full will be required upon reservation.
Early registration is encouraged as space is limited.
Please read this information carefully, as payment of a refundable $500 deposit per person represents your acceptance of the following Terms and Conditions.
Cavalier Travels reserves the right to use photos that might include you in marketing materials and for other purposes unless you specify otherwise.
Payment Schedule: A refundable deposit of $500 per person confirms your reservation. The balance of your invoice is due 95 days (July 30, 2023) before departure.
Cancellation, Refunds, and Changes: If you must cancel your trip, the effective date of cancellation will be upon the University of Virginia’s receipt of your notification. Refunds for cancellations are subject to the following per person charges: cancel 95 days or more before departure: full refund; cancel 94-65 days before departure: 50% of tour price; cancel 64-30 days before departure: 75% of tour price; cancel 29-0 days before departure: no refund. If you make any changes to your reservation from 94 to 30 days prior to departure, Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. will apply a $100 per person administrative fee, in addition to any fees or penalties imposed by third parties. Changes are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. If your reservation changes from double occupancy to single occupancy for any reason, you will be charged the single supplement. No changes are allowed within 30 days of departure.
Upon reservation, you must provide your full legal name as it appears on your passport, as well as your date of birth and gender. In the event an airline ticket is issued with incorrect information you have provided, you will be responsible for charges associated with the ticket’s reissue.
Responsibility: The liability of the University of Virginia, as sponsor, and Odysseys Unlimited, Inc., as tour operator, is strictly limited. Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. purchases transportation, hotel accommodations, and restaurant and other services from independent suppliers not under our control. We serve only as agents for these suppliers in securing tour arrangements, and therefore will not accept responsibility for wrongful, negligent, or arbitrary acts or omissions of these independent contractors, or of their employees, agents, servants, or representatives. The University of Virginia and Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. are not liable for injury, damage, loss, accident, or delay that may be caused by events not within our control, including, without limitation, acts of terrorism, war, strikes, the defect of any vehicle, or the negligence or default of any third party. All coupons, receipts, and tickets issued are subject to the terms and conditions specified by the air carriers, cruise lines, and other independent suppliers. We will make every effort to operate our tours as planned, but we reserve the right to make itinerary changes as necessary. If unforeseen circumstances require us to change a hotel, we will select alternative accommodations of the same or better quality.
Health and Medical Issues: We request that you be in good health to participate in this University of Virginia tour. There is a considerable amount of walking, and you must be able to get on and off motorcoaches on your own. We regret that we cannot offer individual assistance; in such cases you must be accompanied by a companion who will assist you. Please note that many of our itineraries, for reasons beyond our control, cannot accommodate wheelchairs. Please call or e-mail us to inquire and we will do our best to answer any questions you may have. We reserve the right to remove anyone whose physical or mental condition, in our opinion, compromises the operation of the tour or detracts from the enjoyment or safety of the other passengers. In that event, Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. and the University of Virginia assume no financial responsibility for any unused portion of the tour.
Air Transportation – Important Information: Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. includes in its tour price round-trip economy air from designated gateway cities, and contracts with those airlines the company feels provide the level of service, routings, and value necessary for your entire trip. While another airline may offer a more direct connection, it may be at a price unavailable at the lower group rates. You will receive your preliminary air schedule approximately 2½ months prior to departure. Please note that seat assignment on your international flight is usually done at airport check-in. Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. is unable to guarantee any seat assignments. Due to the nature of tour operator tickets, other restrictions apply, including, but not limited to, frequent flyer mileage accrual, stopovers, alternate travel dates, upgrades, and airline taxes and fees. If you prefer to make your own travel arrangements, Land Only is available on most tours. Since international and domestic air schedules are subject to change at any time, we recommend that if you choose to make your own airline reservations, you do not purchase non-refundable tickets or those with high penalties for changes. If you choose to make your own air arrangements, Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. shall not have any liability for any loss resulting from cancellation of this tour or changes in this tour.
COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols: The well-being of our guests and staff members on tour will continue to be our highest priorities. To maintain a healthy environment for travel, we will be establishing and adhering to a detailed set of health and safety protocols for all facets of your tour. We are committed to following the guidelines of the State Department, CDC, WHO, and authorities of respective countries regarding travel to a particular destination. Detailed protocols for this tour, based on conditions at the time, will be provided prior to your departure.