VT7: Absolute of Vietnam Veteran tour 16 days 15 nights

Itinerary in Brief:

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D)
Day 2: Hanoi city tour (B, L)
Day 3: Hanoi - Hue city tour (B, L)
Day 4: Hue – Aluoi valley – Khe sanh (B, L, D)
Day 5: Khe sanh sightseeing the battle fiel – Hue (B, L)
Day 6: Hue – Danang – Hoian ancient town (B, L)
Day 7: Hoian – Danang – Pleiku (B, L, D)
Day 8: Pleiku – Kontum – Pleiku (B, L)
Day 9: Pleiku – Quy nhon (B)
Day 10: Quy nhon – Nha trang (B, L)
Day 11: Nha trang island tour (B, L)
Day 12: Nha trang – Phan Thiet (B)
Day 13: Phan Thiet – Saigon (B, L)
Day 14: Saigon – Cuchi (B, L)
Day 15: Saigon – My tho – Mekong delta (B, L)
Day 16: Saigon departure (B)

Itinerary in Details;

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D)
Arrival at Noi Bai Airport. Welcome and transfer to hotel by Asia View Travel guides with signboard, check in, relax. This evening, your guide will take you out to sample some of Hanoi’s superb cuisine. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi city tour (B, L)
This morning we start city tour with the Ho Chi Minh Complex. This famous site contains the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh (Close on Monday, friday & November), the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city, continue to the Army Museum, nearby Flag Tower Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam, the Restored Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake) and Ngoc Son Temple. Take a cyclo tour  around the 36 streets of the Hanoi old quarter to learn more about simple life of Hanoian. Enjoy water puppet show - a remarkable Vietnamese art form that combines traditional music, fireworks, underwater puppeteers, and elaborate puppets floating gracefully over water. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi - Hue city tour (B, L)
Early morning transfer to airport for flight to Hue. Pick up and transfer to hotel for breakfast and freshen up. We then set out for the exploration of Hue's famous highlights, including the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City. Built in the 19th century by the Nguyen dynasty, the City was home to the former Emperors of Vietnam from 1802 until 1945. In the surrounding countryside there is the picturesque Thiem Mu, or Heavenly Lady Pagoda. One of the most poignant displays here is a car belonging to a former monk, who in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime and its treatment of Buddhists. Disembark the board for a visit the elaborate mausoleum of former emperor Tu Duc, Emperor Khai Dinh.

Day 4: Hue – Aluoi valley – Khe sanh (B, L, D)
After breakfast and We check out the hotel, this morning we will head to the north of Hue. Some 140km way from Hue, exactly to Ashau valley. Along the way will stop over at some former battlefields such as camp eagles, fire–bases Birmingham, a luoi and Specially the hamburger hill. On this trip you will be able to meet and exchange talks with some local Vietnamese war veterans. Tour ends, drive for 2more hours to Khe Sanh, another former battel field for Overnight.

Day 5: Khe sanh sightseeing the battle fiel – Hue (B, L)
This morning we will visit some former battlefields likes Rockpile, DMZ, Vinh moc tunnels and the ruin of Quang tri citadel after the bombing year in 1972. End of this day returning back to hue for overnight

Day 6: Hue – Danang – Hoian ancient town (B, L)
We will drive for about 90km to Danang. On march 8th 1965, the US 9th marine brigade landed red beach 2 in Danang, officially marked the American war. Stop over at Non Nuoc beach, Da Nang beach, and The Cham museum. Once arrival to Hoian ancient town, check in hotel then start our waking tour for sightseeing this  ASIA’ major port in the 17century, including the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200 years old Tamky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda, the vibrant market. Passing many low tiled houses scattered along the small streets and assembly halls which reflect the town's multi-cultural past. The town is also famous for it's shops in particular it's large number of tailors. If you wanted, you could  have a whole new wardrobe made for you here! Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 7: Hoian – Danang – Pleiku (B, L, D)
We check out the hotel in hoi an for transferring to Danang for our flight to central highlands of Pleiku. Upon arrival in pleiku, transfer to hotel for check in. next is to visit IA DRANG valley. It was here the US army had constituted one of the US war’s major combat theatres. In 1965 it was an NVA attack on pleiku that elicited the “rolling thunder” campaign. Eight months later. Hundreds of Americans died at Iadrang, but many times more the NVA troops perished. We continue our trip to visit the former AN KHUE base and DEKTU village. Overnight in Pleiku.

Day 8: Pleiku – Kontum – Pleiku (B, L)
This morning we drive for Kon Tum, about 50km from Peiku. Upon arrival, drive straight to visit the Dakto, a memorable former battlefield in 1967, next is to visit Charlie hill, Phuong hoang airfield. Have lunch in a local restaurant. We continue our visit to Dakto, was a major battle of the 1st brigade in June 1966-1967. Late afternoon will drive back to pleiku for the night.

Day 9: Pleiku – Quy nhon (B)
we will travel by road No.19 to the coastal of Qui Nhon. Stop over along the way for visiting camp Radcliff and the 4th infantry division headquater. Overnight in Qui Nhon.

Day 10: Quy nhon – Nha trang (B, L)
We drive on the national road No.1 along the coastal. Lunch at Tuy Hoa, next is to visit a former airbase and other named Tuy an, Trung luong and Dong tre. At late afternoon will be arrival to Nha Trang beach city for overnight.

Day 11: Nha trang island tour (B, L)
Start from your hotel to Cau Da port. Tri Nguyen Aquarium on Mieu Island is the first place to visit, many sea species of Nha Trang/Khanh Hoa province make a small ocean world there. Mun Island is the best island for snorkeling where you can see lots of lives colorful corals and fish. Visit a fishing village and taking a fresh lunch at the island. On the way back you will be able to see caves in which the sea swallows make their nest.

Day 12: Nha trang – Phan Thiet (B)
There will be plenty of opportunities to photograph the scenery, rice paddies and people along the way today. Our first stop is Phan rang to visit Poklong Cham Gia rai towers, from here. The former 1st brigade base camp and airbase can be viewed. Next stop will be at Song Mao and Tuy phong to visit the former American adviser compound. Once arrival at Phan Thiet, check in hotel then you will be free for exploration the city. Overnight in Phan Thiet.

Day 13: Phan Thiet – Saigon (B, L)
After breakfast, we will check out the hotel. Visit former Phan Thiet airbase before driving for Xuan Loc. Xuan Loc was the last major battle for South Vietnam, some 40 odd miles to the northeast of Saigon. The NVA attack fell on the ARVN No.18th Division. On 17 Mar 75 the NVA Sixth and Seventh Divisions attacked Xuan Loc but were repulsed by the ARVN 18th. On 9 Apr 75 the NVA 341st Division joined the attack. After a four thousand round artillery bombardment, these three divisions massed, and Spearheaded by Soviet tanks, assaulted Xuan Loc; but again the ARVN 18th held its ground. The NVA reinforced with their 325th Division and began moving their 10th and 304th Divisions into position. Eventually, in a classic example of the military art of ’Mass and Maneuver’ the NVA massed 40,000 men and overran Xuan Loc. During this fight, the ARVN 18th had 5,000 soldiers at Xuan Loc. If the time permits, will make our further stops at Long Binh and Bien Hoa former bases before arriving Saigon. Check in hotel and you are free. Overnight in Saigon.

Day 14: Saigon – Cuchi (B, L)
After breakfast, we drive to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. At the height of the Vietnam war, the tunnel system stretched from the outskirts of Saigon  all the way to the Cambodian border of over 250 kilometers of tunnels. The tunnel system, built over 25 years starting in the 1940s,  let the Viet Minh  and, later, the Viet Cong, control a huge rural area. It was an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers. In places, it was several stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people who virtually lived underground for years.... getting married, giving birth, going to school. The ground here is hard clay, which made this whole thing possible. But even so, the planning and construction was incredible. People dug all this with hand tools, filling reed baskets and dumping the dirt into bomb craters. They installed large vents so they could hear approaching helicopters, smaller vents for air and baffled vents to dissipate cooking smoke. There were also hidden  trap doors and gruesomely effective bamboo-stake booby traps. Today, the trees and bushes have grown back. And since 1988, two sections of tunnels have been open for visitors. Drive back to Saigon.

Day 15: Saigon – My tho – Mekong delta (B, L)
Heading out of the town, we travel by roads to the Mekong Delta, Vietnam's largest rice bowl. On arrival in My Tho we embark on a boat navigating around the intricate small canals in the delta region, which is a great way to observe the local lifestyle close-up and catch a view dotted by many islands. The exciting excursion will pass the lush green vegetation before arriving at the famous Unicorn Island. Here we have opportunities to stroll around an orchard, taste many seasonal fruits and enjoy wonderful traditional music. The next stop of our trip is Ben Tre Province to visit some fascinating local industries. After feasting on a huge lunch we return to Ho Chi Minh, stopping off along the way to see the beautiful Ving Trang Pagoda and the Cho Lon, Saigon’s Chinatown, which is crammed with sacred temples and mysterious, narrow lanes.

Day 16: Saigon departure (B)

Free at leisure until transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Say goodbye Vietnam.

Thank you for travelling with Asia View Travel

Accommodation Options

Tour includes:
• All accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels
•  All tours & transfers in private air-conditioned vehicle
• Private English or French  speaking guide
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary at local restaurant with local foods (B = breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
• Boat cruise as stated
• Domestic arifare & airport taxes: Hanoi – Hue, Danang – Pleiku
• Entrance fees and permits for all sights visited
• Mineral water & towel
• Government taxes & Service charges

Tour excludes:
• International flights to and from Vietnam
• Vietnam visa arrangement (upon request visa on arrival at 15 USD, not including stamping fee at 25 USD)
• Meals not indicated in the itinerary
• All other services which are not mentioned above
• Personal travel insurance (Compulsory)
• Personal expenses such as  Telephone and Laundry bills
• Tips and gratuities