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Help me plan my trip

Vietnam Veteran Return 14 Days

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Tour code:

Duration: 14 days

Destination: Hanoi - Ha Long bay - Hue - DMZ - Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta - Vung Tau

US$ 1,585 US$ 1,219 per person

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This tour has been carefully intended to appeal to the interests of most veterans, regardless of unit or service period. The route includes several key locations and noteworthy landmarks, such as the famed Cu Chi Tunnels, the aquatic world of the Mekong River, the unknown central highlands, and the terrible war grounds of Khe Sanh.

trip highlight

• Spend time talking with both US and Vietnamese war veterans about their experiences during the Vietnam War.

• 
Exploration of the Demilitarized Zone in depth, including visits to historic fighting sites such as Khe Sanh military base and “Hamburger Hill.”

Explore the intriguing Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City.

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Day 1: Arrival Hanoi

Meals provided: No meal
 
Welcome to Vietnam. Upon arrival at Hanoi Airport, obtain your Vietnam visa, and then clear Immigration and Customs. After collecting your baggage, exit the airport to meet outside a local Guide.

Bring you to the hotel for check-in.

Stay overnight in Hanoi.

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Day 2: Hanoi Full Day City Tour (B)

Meals provided: Breakfast

Start a new day by visiting Ho Chi Minh Complex, an important place of pilgrimage. A traffic-free area of botanical gardens, monuments, memorials, and pagodas, it’s usually crowded with groups of all ages, from all over the nation, who has come to pay their respects. Within the complex, you can visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, and Ho Chi Minh Museum.

Closed by, the famous One Pillar Pagoda which is built of wood on a single stone pillar 1.25 m in diameter. It is designed to resemble a lotus blossom, which is a Buddhist symbol of purity, since a lotus blossoms in a muddy pond.


After that, continue to visit the Temple of Literature (Vietnamese name is Quoc Tu Giam) – Vietnam’s first University, which was built in 1070 in honor of Confucius, his followers, and Chu Van An, a moral figure in Vietnamese education.


In the afternoon, you are transferred to visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. Almost no foreign tourists to Hanoi refuse to visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, where they can look into a vivid picture of the miniaturized Vietnamese ethnic community’s life.


Take a cyclo in Hanoi’s Old Quarter – 36 streets and guilds
to discover the ancient feature of Hanoi and daily life. Stop to visit Ngoc Son Temple which is located at the northern end of Sword Lake (aka Hoan Kiem Lake). From the shore, walking on the Welcoming Morning Sunlight Bridge leads to the island.

 
* Please note: The city tour program is flexible. Your guide will be more than happy to adjust the tour itinerary to suit you. You can skip one site or add another if you so wish. 

Stay overnight in Hanoi.

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Day 3: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay by Shuttle bus (B/L)

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

08:30: A luxury van picks you up at your hotel in Hanoi Center. Enjoy the landscape of the Red River Delta on the way to Halong Bay.

11:00: Arriving at Tuan Chau Marina, have check-in procedures at the waiting lounge.

12:00: Embark your boat and enjoy a welcome drink while being given a short briefing. Check in to your room and get ready for lunch.

12:30: Enjoy Vietnamese and international lunch and the picturesque scenery of the bay, pass by the most beautiful areas: Incense Burner, Dog Stone Islet, Fighting Cock Islet, and Three Coconuts Island.

15:00: Visit Tung Sau – the largest pearl farm in Ha Long Bay, learn the process of manual pearl culture, and practice some techniques. This is also an ideal place for kayaking, getting up and close to the timeless beauty of Ha Long.

17:00: Visit Ti Top Island. Ti Top is a small limestone island with one of the best sandy beaches in Ha Long Bay. You can immerse yourself in the emerald water and hike to the top for stunning panoramic views of the Bay.

17:45: Back to the boat and anchor at the Lom Bo area. 
Option: Massage service available. Please book with Cruise Manager directly

19:30: Deluxe Dinner is served. Enjoy our traditional and fusion dishes prepared by our talented chefs.

21:00: After dinner, it’s your time to enjoy at our bar and spa, fish squid or watch a movie in the cabin, play cards, and chess, or relax on the sundeck.

Stay overnight on board.

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Day 4: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi by Shuttle bus – fly to Hue

Meals provided: Breakfast, Brunch

06:15: Seeing the bay in the morning is a wonderful experience, awaken all your senses with a Tai Chi session on the sundeck while gathering vitamin sea to refresh yourself before enjoying breakfast.

07:00: Coffee, tea, and pastries for breakfast are served in the restaurant.

07:30: Visit Sung Sot Cave – a magnificent and largest limestone cave as its original name: Grotte des Surprising. The beautiful stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years are the reward after the steep climb on Bo Hon Island. Proper shoes are highly recommended when it’s wet.

09:30: Back to the cruise. Check out and settle your bill at the reception.

10:00: Have brunch while cruising back. Relax on the sundeck or in the restaurant.

11:30: Disembark Pelican Classic at the pier, say best wishes, and end your cruise with us.

14:30: Back to your drop-off point in Hanoi.

Transfer to Hanoi airport by private car. Take the flight to Hue.
Arriving in Hue, you will have welcome by a local tour guide and driver. Transfer to hotel.

Stay overnight in Hue.

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Day 5: Hue City Tour (B)

Meals provided: Breakfast

Enjoy a private boat trip along Hue city in Perfume River, you’ll deeply immerse in Hue’s pure nature & famous cultural places. The boat will take you to Thien Mu Pagoda, an ancient pagoda in Hue city, that can’t be missed while being in Hue. Its pagoda has seven stories and is the tallest one in Vietnam. The temple is often the subject of folk rhymes about Hue, such as its iconic status and association with the city.

Then transfer to visit the Royal Palace which has three perimeters of rampart, namely from outside to inside:

Capital Citadel: This construction started in 1805 under the reign of Emperor Gia Long and was completed in 1832 under the reign of Emperor Ming Mang
Royal Citadel: The Imperial City is located in the center of the Citadel where established highest offices of Viet Nam’s feudalism and sanctums honoring the cult of decreased Emperors.
Forbidden Citadel: Located inside the Imperial City, behind the Throne Palace, the Forbidden Purple City is reserved for Emperor and his family.
Then enjoy a visit to the two tombs of the Kings of the Nguyen Dynasty. Each tomb has a specific style and architecture.
King Tu Duc’s tomb is located in a narrow valley in Duong Xuan Thuong village (currently Thuong Ba village, Thuy Xuan Commune, Hue City). It is one of the most beautiful works of royal architecture of the Nguyen dynasty.
The tomb of King Khai Dinh is located on Chau Chu Mountain near Hue in Vietnam. It was built from 1920 to 1931 taking 11 years to complete. In comparison with those of the preceding emperors, Khai Dinh’s tomb is much smaller on the surface but it is very elaborate. It is the result of the intermingling of many architectural trends: European and Asian, as well as ancient and modern.

Stay overnight in Hue.

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Day 6: Hue - DMZ - Hue (B/L)

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, we depart from Hue and ride along Highway 1A to Quang Tri town.

First, we will visit “The high way of Horror’’ where in the summer of 1972 a host of Southern soldiers lost a battle, retreated to Hue, and were shoot to death there. Along this road are the most military Cemeteries in the country.

Then, we will visit Long Hung Church and Quang Tri Old Citadel which was a battlefield in 1972 between North and South Vietnam for 81 days and nights.

We also stop at the Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River (as known the 17th Parallel and also the border line between South and North Vietnam during the American war). The place that divided the border of South and North Vietnam during the 20 years of the Civil War.

Continue to visit the Doc Mieu Firebase and stop for lunch and relax at Cua Tung Queen Beach.

After that, we will visit The Vinh Moc Tunnel and have a short stop at the Cemetery of the military to pay respects to the soldiers who fought and died on the trail during the American War. In the late afternoon, we come back to Hue City.

Stay overnight in Hue.

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Day 7: Hue – A Luoi – Hue (B/L)

Meals provided: Breakfast & Lunch

This morning we start our guided tour and drive for the township of A luoi. Exactly to A shah valley on the Laos border south of A luoi. In May 1969 around 700 lives were lost in 9 days on the slopes of Apia hill (70 American and about 633 NVA troops died) – better known to cinema audiences as HAMBURGER HILL. Next will be visited Hong Bac tunnels and the village of Ta Oil people in A Shau before returning back to Hue for one more night.

Stay overnight in Hue.

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Day 8: Hue – Hoi An via Da Nang (B)

Meals provided: Breakfast

The road journey from Hue to Hoian:
After breakfast, you’ll be driven south along Highway 1 to Hoi An, a journey of approximately 3 hours.

On arrival in Hoi An, we’ll discover how the traditions of the past are treasured in the present in Hoi An on the Thu Bon River, a key international trading port between the 15th and 19th centuries – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved, centuries-old streets, dwellings, temples and pagodas, touring Hoi An’s historic highlights, explore its shop-lined streets, view the red-painted Japanese Covered Bridge – the three Chinese characters over the door means “bridge for passers-by from afar” and tour the 200-year-old “Phung Hung” house, noted for its unique architecture. What you’ll see there will reveal much about the lives of Hoi An merchants long ago.

After that, we return to the center and visit Hoi An Silk Village where you’ll learn about the entire production of silk from silkworm to dress. We also have a spacious restaurant serving up local delights and a high-end silk showroom where you can have custom garments designed
Hoi An, the cobblestone streets in the old French Quarter are a delight to roam with many cafes, art galleries, and handicraft shops. Hoi An is especially well known for its local artists and tailor-made clothing, with over sixty shops providing this service in town. The remainder of the day is free for leisure.

Stay overnight in Hoi An.

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Day 9: Hoi An – My Lai – Hoi An (B/L)

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch

Today we will have a full day of visiting the former Chu Lai base or Cam doi base in Quang Ngai province. Next to visit the MYLAI where was happened the massacre of civilians on March 16th, 1968. End of this day, we return back to Hoi An.

Stay overnight in Hoi An.

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Day 10: Hoi An – Da Nang – Fly to Ho Chi Minh – City Tour (B)

Meals provided: Breakfast

Drop off at the airport (only driver, no tour guide) for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh.

Upon arrival at HCMC Airport, after collecting your baggage, exit the airport to meet outside your driver. He will be holding a sign with your names on it. From the airport, you will be privately transferred to your hotel.

Afterward, we’ll discover Saigon’s historic landmarks including the War Remnants Museum, established in September 1975 in Ho Chi Minh City, it contains countless artifacts, photographs, and pictures documenting some of the less heroic activities carried out by the US Army in Vietnam. Planes, tanks, bombs, and helicopters are also on display.

Our next stop will be the Reunification Palace formerly known as Independence Palace, built on the site of the former Norodom Palace, a landmark of Saigon.
Continue visiting the 1880s General Post Office and the late 19th century Notre Dame cathedral, located in a peaceful part of the city.
Ending at Ben Thanh Market or House of Saigon for shopping and café. Please note: The city tour program is flexible. Your guide will be more than happy to adjust the tour itinerary to suit you. You can skip one site or add another if you so wish.
Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

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Day 11: Ho Chi Minh – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Ho Chi Minh (B/L)

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch

Road journey through the Mekong Delta to Vinh Long, via Cai Be: Leave the city and drive south to Cai Be in the Mekong Delta, a journey of approximately 2 hours.

The Mekong Delta is Vietnam’s ‘rice bowl’ – a fertile region of flat farmland interlaced with thousands of waterways and tributaries of the Mekong. The delta’s waters are interspersed with rice fields, colorful floating markets, and isolated villages accessible only by boat. The boat trip will start with a visit to Cai Be colorful floating market. We will proceed by the visit of some local home factories such as rice paste making, rice popcorn, coco candies, and longans drying processing. You will then return on board to proceed with the excursion to Dong Hoa Hiep island located between Vinh Long and Cai Be during a 40 minutes cruise to discover beautiful landscapes along the river and observe the typical Mekong delta rural life.

Stops on the way can be made upon request for particular visits or photo-making. These evergreen islands among the Mekong River still remain unknown to many people. After a short walk along a beautiful canal, the excursion will end at Vinh Long Market. Return back to Ho Chi Minh City for a night.

Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

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Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City - Long Tan cross - Nui Dat Battle site - Vung Tau (B/L)

Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch

At 7:30 am, you will be picked up at the hotel and transferred to Ba Ria town to get a Travel permit to the Long Tan site. Our first stop is the sight of the former Nui Dat Task Force Base in Hoa Long village. Little remains of this camp except for the columns of the main gate. The former runway is now a wide street in the local village and the old helipad is now a soccer field.

Next visit Nui Dat Kindergarten which is built by Australian Veterans for children in the village. We drive past the location of the Horseshoe (access not permitted these days due to mining activity) to the Discourtesy Rubber Plantation.

Continue to Long Tan village to visit the Long Tan Cross Memorial, which was re-built by Australian veterans for soldiers in the battle of Long Tan in 1966; then travel to The Horseshoe- fire support base; Long Phuoc Tunnel, Minh Dam hill (no longer the ‘Secret Zone’) called Long Hai hill. Later on, we transfer to Ba Ria town for our lunch at a local restaurant (your own payment) and then keep driving to Vung Tau city to visit Radar Hill Vung Tau by cable car, you will have a very nice view of the whole city from the top of the hill, enjoy the beautiful scenery on the hill with a nice lake, flower garden.

Travel to the Back Beach – the site of an Australian logistics group and the Peter Badcoe Club and Harold Holt Pool (nothing remains at all). The area is now dominated by a massive war memorial, the airport area (many will remember as the home of ‘Wallaby Airlines’ and our ‘hues’), the ever-bustling town center, and the market area.

Stay overnight in Vung Tau.

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Day 13: Vung Tau – Ho Chi Minh (B)

Meals provided: Breakfast

Morning is free at leisure. We can also hire a double bicycle to see around Vung Tau city or soak up the sun at the beautiful Vung Tau Beach. After afternoon lunch at a local restaurant, we will visit The White Palace, also named Villa Blanche which was built in 1897 for the Indochina governor.

Next, we visit the Statue of Jesus Christ on the top of Small Mountain. The statue is 32 meters high, standing on a 4 meters high platform, for a 36 meters total monument height with two outstretched arms spanning 18.3 meters, there is a 133-step staircase inside the statue. Continue visiting The Old Vung Tau Lighthouse and Nirvana Temple which is also known as the Pagoda of the Lying Buddha.

We then transferred back & arrive in Ho Chi Minh City around 17:00.

Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

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Day 14: Ho Chi Minh – Cu Chi Tunnel - Departure (B)

Meals provided: Breakfast

At 7.00, pick up at the hotel & enjoy a scenic drive through the countryside as people work on their rice paddies and thatched hut villages scattered along the way.

Visit a local village making rice paper, a well-known product used to make delicious spring rolls. Arriving at the Cu Chi Tunnels to explore part of the 151-mile underground network that zigzagged from the southern tip of the Ho Chi Minh Trail near Cambodia to the Saigon River. Cu Chi is a must for anyone interested in understanding a vital aspect of guerrilla warfare fought by the Vietnamese against both the French and the Americans. These crisscrossing tunnels were begun in the late 1940s by local resistance fighters looking for a place to hide their weapons from the French. Discover secret trapdoors, field hospitals, command posts, underground kitchens, living areas, and meeting rooms. Afternoon tour of HCMC:

Enjoy your leisure till being transferred out by private car with driver only for flight back home.

End of tour.

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Tour prices shown are 'per person', based on a travelling party of 4 adults, and sharing double or twin rooms.

** If you travel in group of 2, 3 and so on. Please feel free to contact us for specific offer.

** If you intend to travel alone, the cost might be much higher. However, you also earn money by using the Share Button above to invite your friends and family to book this tour with you.

Note: Amendments CAN be made to this tour to suite your requirements, but may incur price changes


What's Included:
• 12 nights base in double/twin sharing rooms at centrally located & well selected Superior hotels (4 star-hotel). 
[ Comfort (3-star hotel), Luxury (5-star hotel), High-end (best of the best hotel) properties are also available upon request] 
• 01 night on board cruise in Ha Long Bay 
• Daily buffet or set breakfast at hotel and all hotels taxes and service charges. 
• Pick-ups and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle as specified in the itinerary. 
• Travel by air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced, safe driver as specified in the itinerary. 
• Sightseeing with local, English-speaking guides as indicated in the itinerary. 
• Meals included as indicated as in program: B: Breakfast, L: Lunch & D: Dinner. 
• Entrance fees according the above program
• Local bottled water while sightseeing and transfers 
• VAT and all taxes and service charge. 

What's Excluded:
• International flight tickets and Visas stamp 
• Domestic and regional flights in the tour
• Any items of purely personal nature such as laundry and telephone calls 
• Personal, travel and health insurance
• Early check in and late check out 
• Single room supplement if request 
• Drinks during meals
• Meals that are not specified
• Gratuities/tipping to tour guide, driver and hotel staff and restaurant’s staff 
• Surcharge for peak season & compulsory dinner on X’mas and New Year’s Eve 

Remarks

1. All of our itineraries can be tailor-made to suit your requirements, allowing us to create the perfect holiday just for you. Please click on the “Tailor this trip" button and complete the requested information for us. Upon receipt, our travel consultant will customize the best value vacation for your kind consideration. Please note: Changes CAN be made to the itinerary after our initial quote, but may result in a price change also!

2. We are aware that a good tour must have good hotels. In Indochina in particular (Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos) hotel prices make up the major expense of your holiday. Therefore, we would like to clarify how we define these charges:
• Boutique & character hotels: from $50-$80 USD per room/ per night
• Comfort = 3 star hotels from US$ 40 - US$ 60 per room/ per night
• Superior = 4 star hotels from US$ 80 - US$ 110 per room/ per night
• Deluxe = 5 star hotels from US$120 - US$ 190++ per room/ per night
• High-end = Best of the best hotels from US$ 250++ per room/ per night

3. Child policy: 
• Ages 0-2: free of charge for tour. Airfares depend on Airlines's policy at booking time
• Ages 2-5: 50% of adult price. Airfares depend on Airlines's policy at booking time
• Ages 6-10: 85% of adult price & airfare fully charges
• 11 years and older: 100% (charged as an adult)

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Service Details During The Trip

We’ll immerse you in the diverse cultures of Vietnam by showcasing the unique local flavors. And with the perfect balance of included sightseeing and free time, you can customize your dream vacation with the things you have always wanted to do.


  • Private Local Tour Guide You will have legally licensed local tour guide in each destination, from welcome and farewell you at the airport. Your guide will guide, help, assist and taking care of you in order to make your tour worry-free. The good guide for you means we arrange the right guide. Asianwaytravel.com will arrange tour guide base on the feature of the itinerary and consists of the group, to maximize your experiences in traveling.

  • Private Drivers & Vehicle Safety is first priority for transportation. A well maintained good condition car with legal business licensed and an experienced driver to make sure you are in safe hands. To maximize your comfort and joyful experience with driving service, cold drinking water, cold towel and soft drink are provided in the car.

private

  • Local Flavor Meals Don’t worry about meals; we select both restaurants and menus for you. Asianwaytravel.com will select clean and good environment restaurants for our customer. Menu is also carefully selected by us to ensure you try different food every meal.
    We will recommend and arrange local cuisine since it is part of the cultural experience while traveling. We also recommend dinners are free on your own so you can choose your favorite food by yourself under necessary assistance of your local guide.

  • Well-Selected Hotels Comfort and good value is our priority for choosing hotels for our customers. Comfort of mattress and bedding, joyful decoration style, user friendly facilities, good service and good breakfast!

meals

Travel Visa

Most countries in South East Asia require you to obtain a visa. Please check carefully with your travel specialist regarding specific visa requirements for each country you plan to visit as the legislation does change frequently. Thailand offers a free visa on arrival to most nationalities. Other countries including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar offer a “visa-on-arrival” service which requires you to pay a fee at the airport, or you may prefer to obtain this in advance through the relevant embassy or a visa agent. For visa-on-arrival in Vietnam, you must submit some paperwork before you arrive.

This is an option to get your visa for Vietnam instead of getting visa at the Vietnam consulate in your country.


  • Step 1: Provide us your application details
     • Your full name (as exactly seen on your passport)
     • Your gender
     • Your date of birth
     • Your nationality
     • Your passport number
     • Your passport expiration dates ( with at least 3 vacats pagess and valid for at least 6 months)
     • Date of arrival ( dd/mm/yy)
     • Date of exit (dd/mm/yy)
     • Arrival airport
  • Step 2: Process your visa information into a visa application
    We will contact you for reviewing your visa information and then submit your application on your behalf to Vietnam Immigration department and follow other procedures pursuant to the regulations of Immigration department to get Visa approval letter granted by Immigration department.

visa

We will send the visa approval letter via email to you after 7 working days.
After we obtain the visa approval letter from the Immigration department for you, we will forward you a scanned copy of it by email (Your visa information then have been recorded to the Visa system of the Vietnam Immigration department).


  • Step 3: Get your visa stamp on your arrival
    Just print the approval letter out, prepare 2 passport sized photos and an amount of USD for stamping fee ($25 for single entry visa; $50 for 1 month multiple entry visa ). Put all above mentioned things along with your passport in a package, then show them to Immigration officer at Vietnam arrival airports.

    Upon arrival at Vietnam’s airport, expect a simple form to fill in (or you can download here to fill beforehand), present the visa approval letter, passport, photos to the Immigration officer inside the counter and look for a place to hear your name be called to get the passport back and pay for the stamping fee. The actual process takes around 15 minutes without hassle or trouble.

  • For those who is applicable for E-visa, our travel experts will consult case by case.

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