Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival
Ho Chi Minh city
On arrival at Tan San Nhat Airport, you are met and transferred to hotel.
Ho Chi Minh City
, still called Saigon by many locals, is a center of commerce, finance, culture and tourism in
Vietnam
. This bustling metropolis ,contradiction of its northern counterpart, is crowded with bikes and motorbikes, excited by numerous shopping area and sidewalk cafes. If time permits, WE stroll around the down town to explore the different local ways of life. O/N in Ho Chi Minh.
DAY 2:
Ho Chi Minh city
[B/L/-]
Today we enjoy a full day sightseeing tour taking us to some major sights of Ho Chi Minh. We pass the now-demolished wartime American Embassy on our way to the
Reunification
Palace
. This famous edifice was the former residence of the President of Southern Vietnam until end of April 1975. Close to the palace are some striking French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. The following sights are the
History
Museum
and the Jade Emperor Pagoda. We also visit the
War
Remnant
Museum
before continuing to the bustling Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sales! The remainder of the day will be free for you to further explore the town or simply to relax. O/N in Ho Chi Minh.
Day 3 : Ho Chi Minh - Cu Chi Tunnels -
Tay
Ninh - Ba Den [B/L/-]
The famous famous tunnels of Cu Chi were constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence. This incredible underground network contained hospitals, plus accommodation and schools, and were used as a military base for the Vietcong in the American war. We head out of town today to see this war site before continuing to Tay Ninh, the head quarter of Cao Dai sect. A next stop of our trip will be Ba Den Mountain which was a base for the US Army's 25th Infantry Division. Our drive passes by the former Michelin rubber plantations before delivering us to Ba Den Mountain. Here is a chance to take cable to the summit for an impressive view of the surrounding areas. O/N in Ho Chi Minh.
Day 4 :
Ho Chi Minh city
-
Mekong
Delta - Dong Tam [B/L/-]
Upon leaving the town we travel by roads to Vinh long with stop over at Dong Tam snake farm, which was the former base of the 9th US Division and Riverine Units, then visit Ap Bac village , the former site of the ground battle between the VC and ARVN. On arrival at Cai Be we embark on a boat for a leisurely trip around the tributaries of the mighty
Mekong
River
, stopping at Cai Be floating market where each boat usually sells one particular item, whether it be pumpkins, pineapples, sugar canes. Along the way we also visit the many fascinating local cottages industries including rice paper makers, sweet factory, bonsai nurseries. A huge lunch followed with many seasonal fruits at an orchard is some enjoyment of the trip. We then weave our way through the intricate network of canals which are the lifeblood of the Mekong Delta before we meet up with our vehicle for return trip. O/N in Ho Chi Minh.
Day 5 :
Ho Chi Minh city
- Bien Hoa - Long Binh - Xuan Loc - HCMC [B/L/-]
An early morning start to drive along the highway No 1 towards Bien Hoa and Long Binh, the former USARV head quarters. This area now is transformed into industrial parks developed by foreign investment. Along the way we also have a chance to make stop over Di An and Bear Cat. Turning southeast we are using slightly different route passing by the 11th Armored Cav's former headquarters and Xuan Loc, the site of the last fierce ARVN/NVA battle in 1975 before the fall of
Saigon
. O/N in Ho Chi Minh.
Day 6 :
Ho Chi Minh city
- Pleiku [B/L-]
The impressive journey begins as we depart Ho Chi Minh and board a short flight, taking us over the mountainous regions to Pleiku, the most strategically important position during the Vietnam war. After checking into hotel we set off on a drive southward highway No 14 to visit
Ham
Rong
Pass
and
Camp
Enari
, which was the former headquarter of the 4th Infantry Division. The following war sites are Cacteka plantation, Pleime, and Ban Can. This village is the former operational areas of the 4th Division. O/N in Pleiku.
Day 7 : Pleiku - Kontum - Dakto - Pleiku
[B/L/-]
Heading out of town we travel by roads to Komtum with a look of the former US DZ site where some French barracks are still standing. This rough mountainous area was once a violent battle field between the NVA units and the 4th Division along the Ho Chi Minh and Sihanouk trails. On arrival we explore areas of Dakto including the former airbase and the Chalie hill. We return to the town for lunch and visit the old wooden church and several hill tribe villages. O/N in Pleiku.
Day 8 : Pleiku - AN Khe - Quy Nhon [B/L/-]
The sightseeing tour continues with a visit to
Camp
Halloway
and some nearby hill tribe villages, home to the Jarai people. They are very poor but have an interesting culture and colorful history. Afterwards we depart for
Quy
Nhon
Town
, which was a supply depot of the first Log Command. We cross over the
Mang
Yang
Pass
before arriving at An Khe , a major military area where we could find the First Air Cavalry among other units. After checking into hotel, we spend the remainder of the day to relax at one of
Vietnam
best beaches. O/N in Quy Nhon.
Day 9: Quy Nhon - Quang Ngai - Son My - Hoi An [B/L/-]
An early morning start to drive north up the highway No 1, passing by Phu Cat Airbase which is now managed by Vietnamese Army therefore no picture is allowed . We traverse the
Tra
Bon
River
valley, seeing Bong Son, Mo Duc, Phuoc Loc and Duc Pho. Upon leaving this area we make our way past the rugged
Animate
Mountains
, sarcastically referred to as "The Street without joy" by French soldiers. Along the way we make stop over at Son My District, sense of infamous
My Lai
incident before continuing on coastal plain to Chu Lai airbase. Here we have a chance to see the work of the Sky hawks. O/N in Hoian.
Day 10 : Hoi An -
Hue
[B/L/-]
The ancient architecture of Hoian is a fascinating combination of Vietnamese traditional characters with Chinese and Japanese influence. There are plenty to see in this delightful and tranquil town, some of which are the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200 years old Tam Ky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda, the vibrant market. We visit these on our morning walking tour. Heading out of Hoian we drive north to
Hue
, stopping en route to visit the sensational
Marble
Mountains
and the
China
Beach
, which was the former R&R ground for the US Marines. The winding roads begin as we make our way up the spectacular Hai Van Pass. At the top of the pass we stop to admire a fantastic view south to Danang and north to Lang Co. We pass by
Camp
Eagle
before arriving in
Hue
,
Vietnam's the last imperial capital. O/N in
Hue
.
Day 11 :
Hue
- DMZ - Khe Sanh -
Hue
[B/L/-]
Upon leaving
Hue
we set off on our drive along the highway 1 northwards passing by
Camp
Evans
and Fire Support Base Nancy. Along the way we catch a look of Ai Tu Combat Base and Airfield before arriving in Dong Ha , which is well known as Leatherneck Square bounded by Con Thien, Gio Linh, and Cam Lo. The journey continues across the
Hien
Luong
Bridge
over the
Ben
Hai
River
which demarcated North and
South Vietnam
. Here is a chance to visit the Doc Mieu Base in the DMZ and the infamous Vinh Moc Tunnels. We travel up the route No 9 to Khe Sanh and pass a series of fire support bases including Rockpile,
Camp
Carol
and Da Krong Bridge. On arrival at Khe Sanh Base we have time to stroll around to visit some of the many battle sites and military camps. There were all but partly cleared by villagers. O/N in
Hue
.
Day 12 :
Hue
-
Hanoi
[B/L/-]
The exploration of
Hue
would be not complete without a visit to the Imperial Citadel and the Purple Forbidden City. This royal residence was all but destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, however it is still fascinating to walk among the ruins. In the late morning we board a short flight to
Hanoi
. After checking into hotel we visit the beautiful
lake
of
Hoan Kiem
with its sacred temple and the vibrant Dong Xuan Market, which boasts
Hanoi
's oldest and largest market. A perfect way to finish the day is to enjoy a short cyclo excursion through the bustling old quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. O/N in Ha Noi.
Day 13 :
Hanoi
- Ha Long [B/L/D
Today we enjoy a half day city tour starting with the Ho Chi Minh Complex, containing the mausoleum of the nation's founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts. The complex also comprises the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of
Hanoi
. We follow this with a trip to the
Temple
of
Literature
, well known as
Vietnam's first university, and the
History
Museum
which displays an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the Vietnamese history. The peaceful
lake
of
Hoan Kiem
and the bustling Dong Xuan Market are also visited before we depart for
Halong
Bay
through the scenic countryside. Along the way we make stop over at Dong Trieu pottery village to observe many craft man at work. O/N in Ha Long.
Day 14 : Halong - Ha Noi [B/L/-]
The wondrous
Halong
Bay
is truly one of
Vietnam's most impressive scenic sights. Heading out of the town we embark on a boat for an exploration of the legendary
Halong
Bay
. This exciting five hour cruise will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. The limestone karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. After a seafood lunch on board we return to Ha Noi, stopping en route at Dong Trieu pottery village. We arrive in time to see an evening performance of
Hanoi
's famous water puppets. O/N in Ha Noi.
Day 15 :
Hanoi
- Departure
There is a free time to relax or further explore Ha Noi City. The tour ends after your transfer to
Noi
Bai
Airport
for departure.
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