Day 1: Arrive Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon)
Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, where you may well have landed before 1975, you will be met by your guide and welcome signboard (flowers are given to the group) and transferred to your hotel. After checking in, begin a city tour visiting Saigon historical landmarks including the Old Saigon Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, former Presidential Palace, War Remnant Museum. Evening welcome dinner is at Indochine restaurant
Overnight in Saigon (D)
Day 2: Mekong Delta
Depart Saigon at 7 am for Vinh Long with stop en route to visit Dong Tam snake farm, which was the former base of the 9th US Division and Riverine Units, then visit Ap Bac village – the site of the ground battle between the VC and ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam). Upon arriving at Cai Be, take a motorized sampan to cruise and see the floating market with sellers and buyers busily bartering and exchanging goods on their colourful boats, a visit to the puffed rice and rice papermaking village. Continue the boat trip through small village canals to experience the lazy fishing traps, visit the village making thatch roof from the palm-water coconut leave. We enjoy our lunch with the Mekong Delta specialties at Mr. Sau Giaos bonsai garden house. We end the boat trip by a visit at the brick and pottery village. Return to Saigon late afternoon via Vinh Long town for a quick overview.
Overnight in Saigon (B, L)
Day 3: Saigon/Hue (Air)
Transfer to the airport for early morning flight to Hue, the old capital of Vietnam under the reign of the Nguyen Dynasty. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Take a boat trip upstream to visit Thien Mu pagoda. Drive to visit the Imperial citadel, which was the site of the most bloody street-to-street battle between the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) and the Marine Corps during the Tet Offensive in 1968. Continue further down to the Phu Cat quarter to visit some of the sites where 3000 Hue people (working for the Southern government) were buried alive during the Tet Offensive 1968. Lunch is at the home of the Hue historian, Mr. Phan Thuan An, formerly the home of the Princess of the Emperor Dong Khanh. In the afternoon, visit the Tu Duc royal tomb and Dong Ba market. Dinner is at a restored Royal home with Royal cuisine
Overnight in Hue (B, L, D)
Day 4: DMZ
Early morning depart for the DMZ zone. Places of military significance in the area include the former American military base of Khe Sanh, and other operational sites: Rock Pile, Camp Carol, Dakrong suspension bridge, Tacon airfields, Lang Vay special forces camp. Lunch is at a local Khe Sanh restaurant. Continue to visit the Truong Son cemetery, the McNamara wall, and the Ben Hai River, on the 17th parallel, which divided the North and the South. Drive back to Hue for the night.
Overnight in Hue (B, L)
Day 5: Hue – Danang
Morning leave Hue for Danang with a stop at the side of Camp Eagle near Phu Bai, the former US special force base to the Southwest of Hue. After a 1-hour drive, we start climbing the Hai Van pass – Pass of the Ocean Clouds - where one has a spectacular panoramic view of the central coastline from the summit. Upon descending the mountain towards Danang, we can view the famed US Marines landing beach from 1965. On arriving in Danang, visit the Marble Mountains, where we see the cave, which once was the ideal sanctuary of VC during the war. Continue to visit China Beach, the former R&R ground for the US Marines. Transfer to the hotel with a stop at the former US airbase and depot on the way. The remainder of the day is free for R&R on the beach.
Overnight in Danang (B)
Day 6: Danang/Pleiku (Air)
Transfer to the airport for mid-morning flight to Pleiku. Pleiku was considered the most strategically important position of the US Military in the central highlands during the Vietnam war. After checking in to the hotel, drive southward on Highway 14 to visit Ham Rong pass and drive by Camp Enari - the former Headquarters of the 4th infantry (Ivy) Division. Lunch is at a local restaurant. Continue driving to Cacteka plantation, and Bau Can, the former operational areas of the 4th Division. Drive back to the hotel for dinner.
Overnight in Pleiku (B, L, D)
Day 7: Pleiku
Morning drive to Dak To to visit former airbase of the 4th Division, Charlie hill. Dak To was the site of the heavy conflicts between the NVA units and the 4th Division along the Ho Chi Minh and Sihanouk trails. After lunch at a local restaurant then visit the Montegnard in Condom, wooden church. Drive back to Pleiku, with a visit to Camp Halloway Dinner is at a local restaurant.
Overnight in Pleiku (B, L, D)
Day 8: Pleiku/Saigon (Air)
Transfer to Pleiku airport for the late morning flight to Saigon. Pick up at the airport and proceed directly to the famous Cu Chi tunnels, to explore the amazing underground tunnel system built by Vietnamese guerilla fighters during the war. On the way to the Cu Chi complex, we will pass the former Cu Chi base, the former Headquarters of the 25th Infantry Division (Tropic Lightning). Tonight Dinner is at a former home of the former US Ambassador to Vietnam.
Overnight in Saigon (B, D)
Day 9: Departure
Free until transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
End of services. (B)