Vietnam - 6 Days Australia in Vietnam

DAY 1 (Arrive Ho Chi Minh City):

Arrive at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport, where you will meet your driver who will take you to your central city hotel. Check-in and the rest of the day is free.

Hotel: Eden Star Hotel (4 Star) (or similar)

DAY 2 (Ho Chi Minh City):

Full Day: City Tour (Private tour)

Depart hotel: 9:00am

Finish: 4:00pm approx.

Visit the Ben Thanh Markets before the sobering War Remnants Museum, a mixed display (sometimes confronting) that shows the Vietnam (American) War from the Vietnamese perspective. A short distance away is the Independence Palace. In 1975, when South Vietnam fell to the North, this was the Presidential Palace. It has been restored as it was in 1975 and provides an interesting snapshot of that time.

After lunch, drive-by the Rex Hotel, a meeting place for American military officials and foreign correspondents, during the Vietnam War and stop at 22 Gai Street, an apartment building that became famous as the last CIA evacuation point in the final days of the Vietnam War.

Visit the Pink Pagoda, a Chinese Buddhist pagoda which is an oasis amid the chaos of Ho Chi Minh City and of course, painted pink. Then, before returning to your hotel, visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and Saigon Post Office, located in the heart of the city, both built in the nineteenth century and noted for their architecture.

Evening: Street Food Tour (Private tour):

Depart hotel: 6:00pm

Finish: 8:30pm approx.

Tonight, you are in for a treat. Your guide will meet you and take you on a Street Food Tour. Walk between different food outlets noted for their own speciality, sampling a range of delicious Vietnamese food cooked in front of you.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Eden Star Hotel (4 Star) (or similar)

DAY 3 (Ho Chi Minh City):

Morning: Cu Chi Tunnels by Speedboat Tour (‘Join-in’ tour)

Depart hotel: 7:00am

Finish: 1:30pm approx.

This will be an enjoyable, exciting and interesting morning.

You will be picked up from your hotel and will board a 10-12 passenger speedboat for an exciting trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Along the way, your guide will point out life along the banks of the Saigon River with plenty of photo opportunities.

At the Cu Chi Tunnels, take an informative tour of this ‘underground’ village complex built by resourceful Vietnamese guerrilla fighters, during the Vietnam War. Different aspects of life in the tunnels such as meeting areas, workshops to make weapons and clothing, as well as kitchens and sleeping areas, have been recreated on the surface.

You will have the opportunity to go through a short section of tunnel and envisage what it was like back then.

Enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.

Your afternoon is free.

Evening: Saigon River Dinner Cruise (‘Join-in’ tour):

Depart hotel: 6:00pm

Finish: 9:30pm approx.

Tonight, you are in for another treat. Your driver will meet you and take you to the wharf area on the Saigon River to board your ship for a dinner cruise. Enjoy a range of food from a set menu dinner while you watch the lights of Ho Chi Minh City go by.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Eden Star Hotel (4 Star) (or similar)

DAY 4 (Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau):

Full day: Day 1 of a 2 Day Nui Dat, Long Tan and Vung Tau Tour (Private tour):

Depart hotel: 9:00am

Arrive: 5:00pm approx.

Travel out of Ho Chi Minh City to the east and what was Phuoc Tuy Province. Visit locations such as Binh Ba and Horseshoe. At the site of the Australian Task Force Base at Nui Dat, visit the site of the Australian, NZ and US artillery positions which played a vital role in the Battle of Long Tan. Nearby, is the base HQ. Here, the air raid shelter and the remnants of the command centre can be seen.

A short distance away is Kanga Pad (the helicopter pad) and SAS Hill, now a quarry. Also see Luscombe Airfield, now a roadway and drive down Canberra Avenue to the site of the 6RAR’s camp and the Nui Dat Memorial. Pause at the memorial for some time of personal reflection.

Visit the Long Tan Memorial which marks the site of the Battle of Long Tan in which Australian soldiers, heavily outnumbered, engaged the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). Sadly, 18 Australians and about 245 NVA soldiers died. Here, take part in a private ceremony to remember all those who died, both military and civilian, during the Vietnam War.

After leaving Long Tan, visit the Long Phuoc Tunnels. A tunnel complex used by the Viet Cong to move around within the Australian controlled area. Enjoy a walk through a small section of the tunnels.

Arrive at Vung Tau where your evening will be free.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel: Palace Hotel (4 Star) (or similar)

DAY 5 (Vung Tau to Ho Chi Minh City):

Full day: Day 2 of a 2 Day Nui Dat, Long Tan and Vung Tau Tour (Private tour):

Depart hotel: 9:00am

Arrive: 5:00pm approx.

Spend the morning In Vung Tau, and stop at the site of the Peter Badcoe Club (R&R Centre) and the VC Memorial, the site of the 1st Australian Logistics Support Group. Drive by the Front and Back Beaches and visit the Worldwide Arms Museum featuring a significant display of Australian military memorabilia.

Have lunch at the Grand Hotel, popular with Australian soldiers before starting your return journey to Ho Chi Minh City visiting the Long Hai Hills and Dat Do on the way.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel: Eden Star Hotel (4 Star) (or similar)

DAY 6 (Depart Ho Chi Minh City):

Your day is free as you wish until your driver picks you up from your hotel to take you to the airport in time for your outbound flight from Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast

• Airport transfers

• Hotel pick-ups/Drop-offs for tours

• Hotel (4 Star) accommodation

• Meals as indicated

• Experienced, English-speaking guide

• Comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle with driver

• All touring as per program

• Entrance fees as per program

• All travel to/from Ho Chi Minh City

• Passport & Visa expenses

• Meals and services not mentioned

• Comprehensive travel insurance

• Personal expenses (e.g. telephone, internet, laundry, drinks, souvenirs etc.)

• Tips to Guides and Drivers

If you find that you are unable to join a tour that has been booked, confirmed and paid in part or in full, the paid amount of that tour less any unrecoverable costs, may be converted to a voucher. The value of that voucher may be used towards the same tour with a later departure date or any other HWT tour.

If a refund is requested, the following cancellation fees may be deducted from the paid amount:

• Greater than 14 days prior to tour start date - 10% of total tour amount + any unrecoverable costs

• 14 Days or less but greater than 7 Days prior to tour start date – 50% of total tour amount + any

unrecoverable costs

• 7 Days or less (including 'no show') prior to tour start date - No refund

Day 2:

• City Tour:

— War Remnants Museum – Low-Moderate

— independence Palace - Low-Moderate

— Pink Pagoda – Moderate

— Notre Dame Cathedral - Low

— Saigon Post Office - Low

• Evening Street Food Tour – Moderate

Day 3:

• Cu Chi Tunnels by Speedboat - Moderate

• Evening Saigon River Dinner Cruise – Low-Moderate

Day 4:

• Binh Ba, Horseshoe - Moderate

• Nui Dat and locations - Moderate

• Long Tan Memorial – Low

• Long Phuoc Tunnels – Moderate

Day 5:

• Vung Tau and locations – Low-Moderate

• Long Hai Hills & Dat Do - Moderate