Vietnam Battlefield Tours (#113)

Return to Vietnam and express your respect to those who lost their lives in the war, about 58,000 Americans and more than 1.5 million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians. Vietnam nowadays has been relatively developed for more than 40 years with good support from Americans.

This trip is designed for the Veterans and their family members that are interested in traveling back to the battlefields and landscapes where both Americans and Vietnamese soldiers were killed. The program covers some highlight battlegrounds in combination with relaxation in central beaches or it can be modified following your interests. This trip will definitely meet the demands of those who are interested in Vietnam Battlefield Tours.

 

Day 1: Saigon – Arrival (no meals)

Upon arrival, you meet your tour guide and go to your hotel in the city center.

Rest of time is free depending on your arrival flight.
April 30, 1975 – a mark ended the Vietnam war when the whole country was reunified. Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh city accordingly. In this largest city, you will see the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life everywhere, and there is something invigorating about it all. Contrasting images of the exotic and mundane abound. There are the street markets, where bargains are struck and deals are done; the pavement cafes, where stereo speakers fill the surrounding streets with a melodious thumping beat; and the sleek new cafes and pubs, where tourists chat over beer, pretzels, coffee and croissants. A young office worker manoeuvres her Honda Dream through rush-hour traffic, long hair flowing, high heel working the break pedal. The sweating Chinese businessman chats on his cellular phone, cursing his necktie in the tropical heat.
Overnight at hotel in Saigon

 

Day 2: Saigon – full day city (B)

Breakfast at your hotel.

08.00 am: starting your full day to visit the city inclusive: War Remnants Museum where the heroic remnants of Vietnamese people in the struggle against the invading forces are saved. Then you visit the Reunification Palace renamed by the victory in 1975 (formerly known as Independence Palace) and Jade Emperor pagoda – the oldest pagoda of the city where the U.S President visited in May 2016

In the afternoon, we continue to visit Ben Thanh market – the large marketplace in city center then Thien Hau temple, the most beautiful one dedicated to the Lady of the Sea. If time permits, you can visit Cho Lon market nearby.

Drive back to your hotel and overnight in Saigon.

 

Day 3: Saigon – Veterans’ family talk – Cu Chi tunnels (B)

Breakfast at your hotel.
08.00 am: drive to Hoc Mon District to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, 70 kilometers North West to down town of Saigon. Have a short talk with the local veterans’ family before visiting the tunnels.
The Cu Chi tunnel system had been created long time back, from 1948 to assist Viet Minh in the combat with French; and it was continuing built over 25 years later. It was an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapon factories, field hospitals, command centers. It was housed up to 10,000 people who virtually lived underground for years…. getting married, giving births. During the American war, the entire area of Cu Chi was designated a free fire zone and was heavily bombarded. From 1988, two sections of tunnels have been opened for visitors.

Drive back to your hotel and overnight in Saigon.

 

Day 4: Saigon – secret cellar B – fly to Da Nang – Hoian (B)

Breakfast at your hotel.
08.00 am: transfer to visit the secret cellar B in district 10, the so-called “printing office of the patriotic support association” was dug under the darkness from February to May 1952 by the team leader Hà Minh Lân, who set up a shrine-making business as daytime cover for the operation. Highly sophisticated in both design and construction, the cellar housed a covert printing press that functioned for over five years, publishing in leaflet form the latest news transcribed from northern radio broadcasts.

The cellar was abandoned in December 1957 for security reasons and decommissioned in 1959 by stuffing it with soil-filled containers that preserved the structure intact until after Reunification.
After that, you go directly to Saigon airport for the flight to Danang. Upon arrival, your tour guide welcome you then drive to your hotel and overnight in Hoian. Free time at leisure.
In Hoian:  we recommend you to go to a tailor shop for getting very nice Ao Dai (charming Vietnamese traditional dress) or other silk products made in 24 hours.

 

Day 5: Boat trip to Duy Vinh island – Hoian ancient town (B)

Breakfast  at your hotel.

08.00 am: take an hour boat ride along Thu Bon river to Duy Vinh sleeping mat village, meet and talk with the artisans about how to make the colorful Vietnamese woven straw sleeping mats, see wooden boats are still being made according to century-old tradition structure, observe the farmers working on the rice fields.

You will have the chance to experience the local ride through the authentic countryside village.

In the afternoon, explore Hoian charming town on foot. Overnight in Hoian.

 

Optional tour: take a full day trip to Son My Sanctuary, revisit the My Lai massacre ( Pinkville incident). Son My memorial is located in Quang Ngai province, 130 km from Hoian for a 3 hours one-way drive.

 

Day 6: Hoian – drive to Hue (B)

Breakfast  at your hotel.

08.00 am: we continue to depart 3,5 hour ride from Hoian to Hue. Along the way we will travel over the Hai Van pass, stop at the top to take in the stunning views north over Lang Co beach and south over Danang city. Our second stop will be Lang Co beach, for refreshments, then continuing on our way to Hue.
In the afternoon: Take a scenic boat trip on Perfume River to visit Thien Mu pagoda then Imperial Citadel of Hue. Drive to your hotel and overnight in Hue.

 

Day 7: Hue – Demilitarized Zone – Khe Sanh Combat base (B, L)

Breakfast at hotel

07.00 am: we drive along Ho Chi Minh trail to reach A Luoi then A Shau valley, one of the strategic focal points of the war in Vietnam. Today we visit A Shau Special Forces Camp (set up by the North Vietnamese Army in 1966) then the battlefield Hamburger Hill.

Have lunch at A Luoi. We continue to drive along the Road 14 to reach Khe Sanh combat base, Lang Vay special forces camp. Drive to Sepon hotel near Lao Bao border and overnight there.

 

Day 8: Khe Sanh combat base – Vinh Moc tunnels – Hue (B, L)

Breakfast at hotel

07.00 am: we drive to visit the “Road 9 campaign” – Khe Sanh battleground. Then we head to the old Demilitarized Zone to Vinh Moc tunnels, stop by the northernmost firebase of the U.S marine corps in Southern Vietnam at Gio Linh. We move forward to Hien Luong bridge crossing the Ben Hai river. This meaningful bridge symbolized for the everlasting desire for peace, national independence and reunification of Vietnam, located in 17th parallel, it was divided into  the South and North of Vietnam
Stop at Cua Tung beach for lunch. We will complete our historical trip with Vinh Moc tunnels, shelter the Vietnamese refuges

Drive all the way back to your hotel and overnight in Hue

 

Day 9: Hue – flight to back to Saigon (B)

Breakfast at hotel

Today is free at leisure until the flight back to Saigon.

End of trip.

 

 

Price inclusive

• Breakfast and accommodation sharing a double room
• Pick-ups and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle as specified in the itinerary above (Please note: pick-ups will be by a guide and driver or, where a guide is not necessary, a driver only. All unaccompanied drivers will be briefed in advance, and will carry a mobile phone to ensure smooth transfer arrangements)
• Travel in an appropriate private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced safe driver.
• The services of experienced English- speaking guides as indicated in the itinerary
• Meals as indicated
• Where necessary, entry fees for all visits as mentioned in the program.
• Domestic flight tickets: Saigon – Danang, Hue – Saigon including domestic airport taxes.
• VAT and other taxes

 

Price exclusive

• International flight tickets and airport tax.
• Visas
• Meals are not indicated in the program
• Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.
• Camera fees (if any)

Please email us for detail costing

 

Designed for:
Veterans and their family members, friends or anyone who is  interested in Vietnam Battlefield Tours.

Post Tours

If you want to have some more days for relaxing at beaches like Nha Trang, Mui Ne, Phu Quoc beaches or Halong Bay… or any other trips in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar…Please feel free to let us know, we are willing to help you extend your holiday.

 

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