Vietnam the War Memory 13 Days / 12 Nights

Tour Code: VWM

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Meet on arrival at Noi Bai International Airport of Hanoi and transfer to hotel for check in. The rest of the day free at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi (B)
Begin your exploration of the capital with the city center, comprised of traditional pagodas and temples, colonial villas, and lakes set along tree-lined streets which move at pace much more congenial than Saigon. Visit the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and the One Pillar Pagoda. Continue to the Army museum, near by flag tower, and finish with a taste of classical Vietnamese culture at the Fine Art museum and the Temple of Literature. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi - Hue (B)
In the morning at leisure until transfer to Hanoi domestic airport for flight to Hue, where is the former Royal city of the 13 ruling Nguyen dynasties. Visit the Imperial Citadel and recall the battle of Hue during the Tet Offensive, when the NVA held the city for 3 weeks. Overnight in Hue.

Day 4: Hue - Khe Sanh - Vinh Moc - Hue (B)
Drive to visit the other sites of the former fierce battle fields on the DMZ including the former American bases as Rock Piles, Camp Carol and Khe Sanh, take a short walk on the Ho Chi Minh trail (now under process to be the second trans-Vietnam traffic line). Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue to view the war-torn ruins of the Quang Tri church and the wreckage of an American tank then visit the Vinh Moc tunnels, dug to accommodate an underground village safe from American air raids in the north of the DMZ. Continue to take a short photo stop at the Hien Luong bridge crossing Ben Hai River - the former borderline between the north and south Vietnam - and the site of the former Doc Mieu artillery base on the way to Dong Ha. Proceed south to Hue and transfer to hotel. Overnight in Hue.

Day 5: Hue - Da nang (B)
Leave Hue for Da Nang, the fourth largest city of Vietnam. City tour, recalling the chaos of march 1975, when the Saigon government abandoned Da Nang and countless refugees fled the city. Also visit the beach where the US marines first came ashore, beginning major American involvement in Indochina. Arrival & check-in at hotel. Overnight in Da Nang.

Day 6: Da Nang - Qui Nhon via Chu Lai (B)
Morning visit to Hoi An. During the 16th century traders stopped at this port when traveling en route to Malacca in Malaysia. Continue on the coastal plain to Chu Lai Air Base and see the work of the Sky hawks. Stop at the Son My district, scene of My Lai Incident. Travel along the rugged Animate mountains down to Route 1. Sarcastically referred to as "the street with joy" by French soldiers. Evening arrives in Qui Nhon, a major port and supply deports that kept Route 1 open during the war. Overnight in Qui Nhon.

Day 7: Qui Nhon - Nha Trang (B)
Leave Qui Nhon for Nha Trang, once the headquarters of the US Fifth Special Forces group in the second Corps. Arrival Nha Trang and enjoy the turquoise water and fine sand beach. Take a boat to nearby Bamboo island for snorkeling, to the Mieu Island for a visit to a fish breeding farm and to the Cham tower of Ponagar, a fine example of 2nd century Cham architecture. The rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 8: Nha Trang - Da Lat (B)
Depart Nha Trang for Da Lat, a cool mountain resort. It's lakes, waterfalls, evergreen forest and gardens make Da Lat one of the most enjoyable places in Vietnam. Arrival & visit the Lover's Lane, central market, the Lake of Sights. Overnight in Da Lat.

Day 9: Dalat - Ho Chi Minh city (B)
Depart Da Lat for Ho Chi Minh city, stop over to visit a silk farm and mulberry plantations. In the evening arrive in Sai Gon, the former capital of South Vietnam, which retains much flavor from the war era. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh city (B)
Among the sights of graceful women in Ao Dai and bustling streets, visit the busy riverfront, the former Presidential Palace, photo stop at the former US Embassy, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the central market. In the afternoon visit some of the war remnants such as the site where a Buddhist monk immolated himself in protest of the war and the church where President Diem was assassinated. Drive back to hotel. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh city - Iron Triangle Cu Chi (B)
This morning travel on National Route 13 past the town of Phu Cuong. Visit Phu Loi base used to relocate villagers. Trough the Cau Dinh jungle, pass a staging area of the 503rd Airborne Brigade. At Ben Cat, see the site of the bases of the 173rd Airborne and the 11th Armored Cavalry. Arrive in Ben Suc, the Northern tip of iron Triangle, and continue to Dau Tieng Reservoir and the esoteric Cao Dai temple at Tay Ninh. Visit the restored tunnels at Cu Chi before returning to Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh city (B)
Day free at leisure day in Ho Chi Minh city and overnight.

Day 13: Ho Chi Minh City Departure (B)
Breakfast at hotel and at free at your leisure until transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your next destination flight.

Vietnam the War Memory 13 Days / 12 Nights
Validity: November 1, 2005 - October 31, 2006
All Rates are in US Dollar per person

Validity: November 1, 2006 - October 31, 2007
All Rates are in US Dollar per person

Tour Cost Include the following Services:
Accommodation at hotels in twin sharing with daily breakfast,
Land transportation with stationed English/German/French speaking guide,
Entrance fees and boat fees,
Water puppet show,
Meals as mentioned in the program,
Local train and domestic air ticket and airport tax.

Tour Cost Exclude the following:
International airport taxes,
Beverage (beer, wine and other soft drinks) and personal expenses,
International air ticket,
Visa upon arrival including visa stamp fee at airport: 35 USD per person,
Supplement for Spanish/Japanese/Italian speaking guide.