Vietnam Veteran
Tour 21 days
Destination: Ho Chi Minh City - Tay Ninh - Cu Chi – Vinh
Long - Can Tho - Nha Trang – Quy Nhon - Pleiku - Kontum -
Hoi An - Danang - Hue – DMZ - Hanoi – Ha Long
Code:
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, G = Guide
This tour is designed for
US soldiers living in Vietnam during the American War. You
are not only take a chance to return the former battle sites
but also fancy your visit at famous cities and beaches at
your own leisure. Our guides will show you some war vestiges
– a bit difficult to recognize the old things as they have
been partly changed after 30 years and more. Moreover, let’s
enjoy the alluring charms of Vietnam from North to South
such as visiting the distinctive places of culture and
heritage, relaxing in pristine white sand beaches,
communicating with the ethnic minorities and boating to get
a glimpse of local life along the Mekong River.
Code: B = Breakfast, L =
Lunch, D = Dinner, G = Guide
Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City
(D, G)
Arriving at Tan Son Nhat
airport, our guide will be awaiting to greet and take you to
your hotel. Rest of the day, you'll be free to stroll around
the city as you wish. You'll enjoy a welcome dinner at one
of a famous restaurant. Your overnight stay will be in Ho
Chi Minh City.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City
Tour (B, L, G)
A full day tour of the city
begins with a visit to Museum of War Remnants will provide
you a very partial, but riveting, perspective of the
American War. Our guide will then take you to visit the site
where a Buddhist monk immolated himself in protest of the
war and the church where Diem was assassinated.
In the afternoon, you’ll
visit Reunification Conference Hall (formerly the South
Vietnamese Presidential Palace), US Embassy grounds and the
Notre Dame Cathedral. Enjoy your time shopping at the lively
Ben Thanh market, which is so closely tied to the city's
life that the clock tower at its main gate has long been
considered a symbol of the city. You'll spend the night in
Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City/Tay
Ninh/Cu Chi (B, L, G)
In the early morning, our
guide will meet and pick you up at your hotel. You will
depart for Nui Ba Den (Black Lady Mountain) which was used
as a staging area by both the Viet Minh and the VC as well
as the scene of fierce fighting during the French and
American Wars.You’ll ride a cable car to the top to witness
this majestic vista of the former III Corps area.
Afterwards, you will continue your drive to visit Cao Dai
Holy See, the fulcrum of Cao Daism religion, which took root
in southern Việt Nam during the 1920s. You are also welcome
to attend the midday ceremony here. Lunch at a good local
restaurant.
In the afternoon, our car
will take you to visit Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible
cobweb-like tunnel complex with underground dug-outs of over
200-kilometer length, which was a shelter for the Viet Cong
guerillas and their sympathizers during the American war.
From this underground village, the revolutionary forces
staged the 1968 general offensive and the Ho Chi Minh
campaign in April 1975 to liberate South Vietnam. You'll
then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City for overnight stay.
Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City/Vinh
Long/Can Tho (B, L, G)
After breakfast, you will be
transfered to Vinh Long, a peaceful province on Co Chien
river, which branches out from the Mekong. On the way, you
will have a brief visit at Dong Tam snake farm, the former
base of the US 9th Division and Riverine units, then visit
Ap Bac village - site of a ground battle between the
independence guerillas and ARVN (Army of Republic of
Vietnam). Upon arrival at Cai Be floating market, you’ll
take a boat trip to enjoy “a beautiful river painting” and
get a close-up to a local life along the waterway. Proceed
to visit some fruit orchards and local cottage industries.
Lunch will await you at a local house. You will also have a
chance to listen to the traditional folk music "Don Ca Tai
Tu" which is is operated by the local people. You’ll then
stroll on the village paths to visit the local markets and
enjoy some kind of famous tropical fruit such as banana,
pomelo, dragon fruit and so on. Return to Vinh Long by boat
and then continue driving to Can Tho. Overnight stay in Can
Tho.
Day 5: Can Tho/Ho Chi Minh
City (B, L, G)
After breakfast, you will
board an early morning cruise to visit the colourful Cai
Rang and Phong Dien floating markets (the nicest one with
heaps of rowing boats). Take in the picturesque scenery and
enjoy the fascinating Mekong rural lifestyle. Return to Ho
Chi Minh City and have a break at My Tho for lunch. You will
spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day
6: Ho Chi Minh City/Nha Trang (B, G)
Your
time will be your own until you'll escorted to Tan Son Nhat
airport for your flight to Nha Trang, one of the
headquarters of the US’s fifth Special Forces group in the
Second Corps. On arrival, you'll driven to your hotel to
check in at the hotel overlooking the bay. The rest day will
be free on the beach. You'll spend the night in Nha Trang.
Day 7: Nha Trang boat tour
(B, L, G)
After breakfast at your
hotel, your vehicle will pick you up and transfer you to the
harbour where you will have a “fun” sharing boat trip to
experience the charm of Nha Trang’s Coast. Your first stop
will be Mun Island where you you'll anchor off for swimming
and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters. From here, we’ll
head out to Mot Island for lunch aboard. You'll then have an
entertainment such as dancing and singing together with
other passengers on the boat. A floating mini bar will
served some of Vietnamese wine with fruit. You'll continue
cruising to Tam Island for relaxing on the beach and playing
water sports. You'll have a fruit party on the boat on the
way to Mieu Island. You'll be rowed in a circular
bamboo-basket boat to visit a fishing village on Mieu
Island. You'll return to Nha Trang to spend the night.
Day 8: Nha Trang/Quy Nhon
(B, L, G)
After breakfast, you will be
driven to Quy Nhon, a major port and supply depot that kept
Route 1 open during the war.You will have lots of chances to
enjoy the natural beauty and Vietnamese people’s life along
the coast. Up on arrival, you will check in your hotel which
conveniently overlooks the beach. You will spend the night
in Quy Nhon.
Day 9: Quy Nhon/Phu
Cat/Bong Son (B, L, G)
After breakfast, you will
travel northwest of Quy Nhon City to Phu Cat District where
you will visit the former Phu Cat airbase which is now
managed by Vietnamese Army therefore no picture is allowed.
You’ll traverse the Tra Bon River valley and visit Bong Son
Town in Hoai Nhon District, the second major battle for the
1st cavalry devision (airmobile). Later on, you’ll return to
your hotel. The rest of time will be free. You will spend
the night in Quy Nhon.
Day 10: Quy Nhon/Pleiku
(B, L, G)
After breakfast at your
hotel, you will depart for Pleiku. You will stop over to
visit several magnificent Cham Towers under restoration on a
hilltop overlooking the coastal plain en route and then
continue your drive towards Pleiku. Your overnight stay will
be in Pleiku.
Day 11: Pleiku (B, L, G)
Visit Camp Enari – the former
headquarter of 4th US Infantry Division, Hanzel Airstrip at
Dragon Mountain. Then drive to visit Camp Pleime – the
former US Special Forces. On the way, stop off at Catecka
Tea Plantation that used to be the US Operational Area. You
will spend the night in Pleiku.
Day 12: Pleiku/Kon Tum (B,
L, G)
After breakfast, you will
travel to PleiPhun village for sightseeing and the
exploration of the Jarai’s culture especially the wooden
statues of the graveyard, watering spring place where people
get water or freshen up.
In the afternoon, you will
leave for Kon Tum, stopping off at T’nung Lake which is on
the mouth of a volcano of million years of ages. Our guide
and driver will take you to visit Pleiku Airbase on the way.
Upon arrival, you will check in your hotel and relax. You’ll
spend the night in Kon Tum.
Day 13: Kon Tum (B, L, G)
In the morning, you will be
transfered to DakTo and BenHet (69 km) by car to visit the
tri-border area VietNam-Lao-Cambodia. You’ll visit Ho Chi
Minh trail (East Truong Son meets West Truong Son). Back to
DakTo, crossing hanging bridge to visit the village (SeDang
people); visit Phuong Hoang Airfield (Phoenix Airfield),
from where you’ll have a view of Charlie Hill then visit
Hill 42. Lunch at DakTo.
In the afternoon, you’ll
visit Victory monument. Back to KonTum for visiting Wooden
church, Seminary and KonKlor suspension bridge. You will
spend the night in Kon Tum.
Day
14: Kon Tum/Hoi An (B, L, G)
After breakfast, you will be
picked up to visit a cluster of the Bahnar villages:
KonTumKoNam, KonTumKoPong and KonRoWang. You will then drive
to Hoi An. Upon arrival, you will check in your hotel and
have free evening to discover this ancient town. Your
overnight stay will be in Hoi An.
Day
15: Hoi An (B, G)
In the morning, you will take
a tour of the ancient town where the mix of Japanese and
Chinese architecture reflects Hoi An’s significance in the
past as an important trading port. Free time for swimming at
Cua Dai beach or leisurely cycling to enjoy the idyllic
atmosphere. Your overnight stay will be in Hoi An.
Day
16: Hoi An/Danang/Hue (B, L, G)
In the morning, our car will
arrive and transfer you to Hue. On the way, you will stop at
Danang to visit the grounds of former US Consulate, and Cham
Museum, which holds the finest collection of Champa
sculptures in different art styles from the 7th to the 15th
centuries. Heading to Hue and have a visit at the Imperial
Citadel, site of a bloody street battle between the NVA
(North Vietnamese Army) and the US Marine Corps during the
Tet Offensive of 1968. You will spend the nigt in Hue.
Day
17: Hue/DMZ/Dong Ha (B, L, D, G)
In the morning, you will
depart for the former D. M. Z (Demilitarized Zone, places of
military significance in Quang Tri province. On the way,
you’ll stop to visit the Old Citadel of Quang Tri, site of a
violent battle during the NVA Easter offensive of 1972, and
La Vang church. You will have lunch at Dong Ha town.
In the afternoon, you’ll
visit the Doc Mieu Base, Hien Luong Bridge and the Ben Hai
river battle sites. You’ll also visit the Vinh Moc Tunnels
which lies north of the Ben Hai River. You’ll spend the
night in Dong Ha town.
Day 18: Dong Ha/DMZ/Hue
(B, L, G)
After breakfast, our car will
take you to what was once the Con Tien firebase, and to
Truong Son national cemetery, Camp Carroll, the Rock pile,
Dakrong Bridge, the Ho Chi Minh trail, and the ethnic
minority village of Bru Van Kieu.
After lunch at Khe Sanh town,
you’ll visit the Khe Sanh combat base, Lang Vay Special
Forces Camp and the Laos/Vietnam border before returning to
Hue. Overnight in Hue.
Day 19: Hue/Hanoi (D, G)
Your time will be on your own
until our car and driver arrives to transfer you to the
airport where you will board the morning flight to Hanoi.
Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport, our guide will accompany
you to your hotel.
In the
afternoon, you will visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology,
an excellent instruction to the cultural heritages of
Vietnam's 54 distinct ethnic groups. You will then visit the
beautiful Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake - a striking
blue gem in the city centre. The tour ends with 1 –hour
walking tour around the Old Quarters to enjoy its warmth and
coziness, looking up to contemplate centuries-old and
weather-beaten houses, both familiar and exotic, etc. Last
but not least, you’ll enjoy your time watching water
puppet performance, a traditional art form closely connected
with the long-standing spiritual life of the Vietnamese
people. Your overnight stay will be in Hanoi.
Day 20: Hanoi/Ha
Long/Hanoi (B, L, G)
After breakfast, our guide
will meet and take you to Ha Long Bay. Enjoy a 3 hour drive
with a stopover at Hong Ngoc Embroidery workshop for
refreshment and see different kinds of handicrafts
skillfully made by disable people.
Upon arrival, you will board a
private junk for a 5-hour cruise on Ha Long Bay. Declared as
a World Natural Heritage Area by UNESCO, Halong Bay is not
only famous for its exceptional scenic beauty but also
outstanding geological and geomorphic values. After lunch
with fresh seafood, you will visit the
Amazing cave and a beach. Weather permitting, you'll be able
to swim, and climb hills for an overview of the Bay's
remarkable seascape. Back to the habour for a return drive
to Hanoi. Your overnight stay will be in Hanoi.
Day 21: Hanoi departure
(B, G)
You'll be free to shop at
some of the local market before being driven to the airport
for your international departure flight.
Prices per person in US$:
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