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3 Week Conducted 
       
Vietnam Discovery Tour

For only $3,885
per person twin share

This price includes airport taxes & levies of $420

Tour departs Australia 7 September and returns 27 September, 2011

This is great value for a tour of Vietnam as all of the following are included:
 If you don't have a travel partner but wish to travel at twin share rates, we will do our best to match you up with someone else in the same position. If you require a single room, there will be an additional charge of $790.

Tour Itinerary

Terms and Conditions

Angkor Wat Extension

Booking Form

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   Itinerary for Vietnam Discovery Tour - September 2011
Note: Meals are included in the itinerary as B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner


07.09.11
 


Sydney passengers depart at 8.05am on SQ 212, arriving in Singapore at 2.30pm.
Brisbane passengers depart at 9.20am on SQ 256, arriving in Singapore at 3.30pm.
Melbourne passengers depart at 10.10am on SQ 238, arriving in Singapore at 4.10pm.
All passengers  depart Singapore at 5.35pm on SQ 186,arriving in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) at 6.40pm. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel in central Saigon.
Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel.
08.09.11
(B/L/D)		 Saigon
In the morning there is a short walking tour around downtown passing  the Opera House, City Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral & The Central Post Office. After that you visit the former Presidential Palace (Reunification Palace), the War Remnans Museum, China Town to visit Binh Tay, the biggest wholesale market in Vietnam, then to Thien Hau Temple which is the oldest Chinese temple dedicated to the Sea Goddess. Lunch is at Pho 2000 Restaurant where you will have Pho, a traditional Vietnamese noodles soup & spring rolls. The afternoon is at leisure. In the evening their will be a dinner cruise on the Saigon River.
Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel.
09.09.11
(B/L/D)		 Saigon - Cu Chi Tunnels - Cap Dao Temple
A full day tour to visit Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai religion in Tay Ninh. Leaving Saigon early morning you visit Cu Chi Tunnels (65km northwest of Saigon) an amazing complex of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War. Continue to Tay Ninh church central of the unusual Cao Dai religion, which combines Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism. See this spectacular church with worshipper' attending the noon service in their colourful tunics. Lunch is at a good restaurant in Tay Ninh.. Arrive Saigon late afternoon.
Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel.
10.09.11
(B/L)


 Saigon - My Tho (Mekong Delta)
Morning departure from hotel for coach trip to My Tho which is a two hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City. My Tho is a prosperous town of 200,000 inhabitants in the Mekong Delta. It is famous for its extensive orchards and immense rice fields. Enjoy a 4-5 hour boat ride on the Mekong River and visit an orchard on an island, coconut candy workshop, bee farm with lunch on the way.  Return to Saigon late afternoon.
Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel.
11.09.11
(B/L/D)





 Saigon - Dalat
Depart Saigon for Dalat, a cool mountain resort built by the French in the 1920's as a hill station. With  lakes, waterfall, evergreen forest and garden makes Dalat one of the most enjoyable places in Vietnam. Beautiful drive through rubber, coffee & tea plantations. A stopover at La Nga floating village, lunch is at Lien Do restaurant in Bao Loc. Arrive Dalat and  check  in at the hotel. Dinner is at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Hoang Anh Resort.
12.09.11
(B/L/D)




 Dalat
Morning city tour, driving to the Dalat cable car station for a 15 minute ride overlooking beautiful pine forests, flower and vegetable gardens. Then visit the Crazy House, Bao Dai's Summer Villa and a embroidery workshop in town. Lunch is at a local restaurant. In the afternoon visit the Valley of Love and Lat Village (12 kms from town) to see K'hor people, the original people to the area and enjoy a 1 hour interesting dance and Gong performance. Dinner is at a nice local restaurant.
Accommodation: Hoang Anh Resort. 
13.09.11
(B/L)




 Dalat - Nha Trang
Depart Dalat for Nha Trang, a very beach resort to Vietnamese and foreign tourists. Leaving the hotel, enjoy a 20 minute  train ride through vegetable gardens to Trai Mat then visit Long Phuoc Pagoda, a famous beer bottle and ceramic fragments pagoda in town and along the way stopover at Poklongiarai Cham Tower before a picnic lunch there. Arrive in Nha Trang mid afternoon and check in to your hotel.
Accommodation: Michelia Hotel.
14.09.11
(B/L)


 Nha Trang
Enjoy a morning boat trip to visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium and Mieu Island then Mun Island for swimming and snorkelling. Lunch will be at a nice restaurant in town.
Afternoon at leisure for own exploration of Nha Trang.
Accommodation:  Michelia Hotel.
15.09.11
(B/L)



 Nha Trang - Danang - Hoi An
Transfer to the airport for your early morning flight to Danang. Upon arrival into Danang take a drive through this famous city for the American's in the Vietnam War with a stop at the famous China Beach and the area of Five Marble Mountains.
You take a 40 minute drive to Hoi An, a guided walking tour of historic Hoi An town, which used to be a prosperous seaport city during the 16th to 18th centuries. Its sizeable community of foreign  merchants resulted in a unique architectural style with Vietnamese, Chinese and French influences.  
Hoi An has been known as the tailor capital of Vietnam with hundreds of tailor, art, souvenir shops near the hotel and in town. Lunch is at a nice local restaurant in Hoi An "Ly Cafe". The rest of the day is at leisure.
Accommodation: Hoi An Hotel
16.09.11
(B/D)


 Hoi An
Free time to shop and wander around Hoi An. A good place for shopping, especially tailoring, very laid back and only 4kms to the beach, a good place to relax. In mid afternoon you take a one hour cruise on the Thu Bon River before a beautiful dinner with a cooking class at "Morning Glory" Restaurant.
Accommodation:  Hoi An Hotel.
17.09.11
(B/L/D)







 Hoi An - Hue
Depart Hoi An for Hue, the homeland of Nguyen dynasty, the last dynasty of Vietnam which ruled the country from1802 to 1945, across the Hai Van Pass (Pass of the Oceans Clouds), passing through many pretty re-tiled villages with fruit orchards, enjoying spectacular views of sky and sea. Arrive in Hue and lunch is at a nice cafe in town  "Mandarin". Check into hotel. In the late afternoon you have a one hour cyclo ride around the citadel and the city. Dinner is at a nice local restaurant "Imperial Park".
Accommodation: Saigon Morin Hotel.
18.09.11
(B/D)






 Hue
Morning tour visiting the Citadel which was built from 1804 - 1833 then to Thien Mu Pagoda, a famous pagoda in Hue and Vietnam. Take a boat trip on the Perfume River and then back to the hotel.
Mid afternoon  there will be a tour to the tomb of Tu Duc, the 4th emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty which ruled the country from 1848 to 1883 and the tomb of Khai Dinh, the 12th emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty which ruled the country from 1916 to 1925, a beautiful mosaic building. Special Imperial Dinner is at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Saigon Morin Hotel.
19.09.11
(B/L/D)		 Hue - Hanoi
Transferred to the airport for morning flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival into Hanoi you will be transferred to the hotel. Lunch is at a local restaurant. In the afternoon you have a tour to visit the Museum of Ethnology and you take a one hour cyclo ride around the Old & French quarter of Hanoi. Dinner is at a local restaurant.
Accommodation:  Galaxy Hotel.
20.09.11
(B/L/D)		 Hanoi
Enjoy a full day city tour of Hanoi with visits to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, Museum and Residence, One Pillar Pagoda. Lunch is at KOTO. After lunch you visit the Temple of Literature built in the 11th century, which is known as Vietnam's first university. In the evening enjoy the Water Puppet Show. Dinner is at a nice local restaurant.
Accommodation: Galaxy Hotel.
21.09.11
(B/L/D)

 Hanoi- Halong Bay
Depart Hanoi for Halong Bay, listed as a world heritage area of outstanding natural beauty. "Dragon descending on the sea", as it is known in Vietnamese, picturesque Halong Bay has around 3,000 limestones islets rising from the clear emerald water, many of them containing beautiful grottoes. Upon arrival into Halong Bay you board Bai Tho Junk and check-in for registration. Lunch is on board. A fantastic cruise in Halong Bay with visits to Sung Sot Cave and a swim at Titov Beach. Enjoy dinner on board while watching the sunset. (It depends on the weather condition)
Accommodation: Bai Tho Junk
22.09.11
(B/L/D)		 Halong Bay
We have a few more hours on the junk, before heading back to Hanoi. In this time we will have a morning cruise to visit Man's Head Island, Tortoise Island, visit Luon Cave by a small bamboo boat, Bai Tu Long Bay, Toad Island, and Bai Tho Mountain. Early lunch is on board before disembarking. We then make our way back to Hanoi. On the way you stop at a ceramic village. Dinner is at a local restaurant before being transferred to the train station to board the Livitrans Train to Sapa at 8.35pm. This first class sleeper carriage train has 4 seats to a compartment which convert into 4 sleeping bunks (2upper/2lower) for the overnight portion of the journey. The bunks are provided with sheets, pillow and a blanket, though some people prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet.
Accommodation: Livitrans Train.
23.09.11
(B/L/D)		 Lao Cai - Sapa
Arrive to Lao Cai station at 5.00am and one hour drive to Sapa. Sapa is a hill station built in 1922. The whole area is spectacular, as Sapa lies in a valley surrounded by paddy fields in a variety of shades of green, but is overlooked by Vietnam's highest mountain, Mount Fansipan.You will see the local minority groups, the H'mong and the Dzao people, the largest and the most colourful ethnic groups in the region. Breakfast is at the hotel, you then take a short lake to orient the town. Then take a 4km drive by jeep to the rim of a deep valley. Along the road you'll see H'Mong, Dzay and Dzao minority people dressed in their traditional costumes. A two hour walk around Ta Van and Lao Chai, home to all three minorities. Observe their daily lives for a rare glimpse into their culture and costumes. The rest of the day is at leisure. Lunch and dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation:  Chau Long Hotel (mountain view)
24.09.11
(B/L/D)		 Sapa - Bac Ha
Morning is at leisure. In the afternoon you leave Sapa for Bac Ha, on the way stop at Taphin, a village of Red Dzao people and also have a stop at Lao Cai town for an opportunity to take photos at the border gate between Vietnam and China. Arrive in Bac Ha late afternoon. A tradition music show of Tay people whilst having dinner at the hotel.
Accommodation:  Confu or Sao Mai Hotel
25.09.11
(B/L/D)		 Bac Ha - Hanoi
Bac Ha is a regular market held every Sunday for ethnic minorities. Different ethnic groups carry their goods, animals from home in early morning to the market for exchanging, selling and buying what they need. At Bac Ha market, you'll see the gathering of thousands of people of H'Mong, Phu La, Dao, and Tay ethnic minorities wearing their colourful traditional costumes. It is a riot of colour and fun and an opportunity to explore the colourful market and meet the local tribal people to appreciate their culture and their own tradition. After the markets you visit a house of King H'mong, then take a nice drive back to Hanoi. Arrive Hanoi early evening. Farewell dinner at a nice local restaurant.
Accommodation:  Galaxy Hotel
26.09.11
(B)		 Hanoi - Singapore - Australia
Morning free in Hanoi. Depart Hanoi at 1.15pm on SQ 175, arriving in Singapore at 5.40pm.
Sydney passengers depart Singapore at 8.10pm on SQ 221, arriving in Sydney at 5.55am (27.09.11).
Melbourne passengers depart Singapore at 9.00pm on SQ 227, arriving in Melbourne at 6.20am (27.09.11)
Brisbane passengers depart Singapore at 9.15pm on SQ 235, arriving in Brisbane at 6.55am (27.09.11)
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   Itinerary for Angkor Wat Extension - September 2011
Included meals are indicated as B = Breakfast, L =Lunch, D = Dinner
26.09.11
(D)		 Hanoi - Siem Reap
Transfer to Hanoi Airport. Depart Hanoi at 3.10pm on VN843, arriving in Siem Reap at 5.05pm. You will be met and transferred to hotel to check in Dinner is at a local restauraunt.
Accommodation Tara Angkor Hotel or equivalent.
27.09.11
(B,L,D)		 After breakfast at the hotel, visit the unique brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan, the mountain-temple of Pre Rup, Mebon Priental, Ta Som, Neak Pean, a fountain (built in the middle of a pooland representing the paradisical  Himalayan mountain-lake). Then visit Preah Khan temple. Built by the King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of presevation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation.
Lunch at the hotel.
In the afternoon, drive to the typical Khmer countryside and visit Banteay Srei temple (10th century), regarded as the jewel in the crown of classical Khmer Art. Visit as well Takeo, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda and Srah Srang ('The Royal Baths'), undoubtedly used in the past for rit6ual bathing, until sunset.
Dinner at a local restaurant and accommodation at  hotel.
28.09.11
(B,L,D)		 Breakfast at hotel. 
Visit the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk), the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century), Bayon temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.
Lunch at the hotel
In the afternoon, visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historian to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat's five towers symbolize Meru's five peaks - the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond. Then visit Ta Prohm, one of the area's most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor temples appeared when European explorers Sunset at Angkor Wat.
Dinner at local restaurant and accommodation at hotel.
29.09.11
(B,L)		 Breakfast at the hotel. Today visit a floating village, take an excursion in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the 'Great Lake' of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia. Lunch at the hotel.
After lunch, visit to'Les Artisans d'Angkor - Chantiers Ecoles' of Siem Reap and spend time at leisure at a local market (if time permits).
30.09.11
(B)		 Free morning in Siem Reap.
Transfer to Siem Reap airport departing at 6.35pm on Silk Air flight MI 617, arriving in Singapore at 9.55pm.
01.10.11




 Brisbane passengers depart Singapore at 12.10am on SQ 255, arriving in Brisbane at 9.50am.
Melbourne passengers depart Singapore at 12.25am on SQ 237, arriving in Melbourne at 10.45am.
Sydney passengers depart Singapore at 12.35am on SQ 231, arriving in Sydney at 11.20am.
COST: The Angkor Wat extension is $885 per person twin share and $990 for a single room.
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Conditions for Macleay Valley Travel's Vietnam Discovery

Deposits and Payments - A non-refundable deposit of $200.00 per person is payable within 7 days of booking. This deposit is not refundable should you later cancel. The balance is payable in full 8 weeks prior to departure.

Refunds and Cancellations - Cancellations after final payment will result in a refund limited to whatever we can recoup from the airline.

Insurance - Adequate travel insurance is essential. We can arrange this for you if desired.

Passports - All travellers require a current passport with at least 6 months left on it at the end of the tour. Non-Australian passport holders require a re-entry visa for Australia.  Visas are required for all passport holders to Vietnam. Visa fee for an Australian passport holder is $72.00 and we charge $30.00 for processing.  Please note: Visa fees are subject to any increases imposed by the Vietnamese  Consulate.

Basic Tour Price and Taxes - Air taxes and fuel levies are included in the basic tour price, and as air taxes and fuel levies change regularly  the exact amount will be advised at time of invoicing. At present air taxes and fuel levies come to $420 for the standard tour. Total tour cost may therefore change.

Not  Included in the Cost -  Travel insurance, visas and all items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, drinks, excess baggage, tips, meals (except those specified in the itinerary), etc. are not included in the cost.
Similarly, credit card payments can only be accepted if 2% is added to the price to help defray the heavy merchant fees charged to us by the credit card companies.

Breakaway Fee
All fully inclusive prices are based on group travel and any deviation from the set itinerary will incur a breakaway fee.

Booking through other Agents - As we keep the cost of our tours as low as possible, there is insufficient margin for us to be able to pay commission to other travel agents, so some bookings can only be accepted if the client pays the other agent's commission. 
Macleay Valley Travel is a fully licensed travel agent and as such any monies paid to us are fully insured by the Travel Compensation Fund. We are happy for any prospective traveller with us to check us out with your local Consumer Affairs (fair trading) department.

Health and Fitness -Macleay Valley Travel recommends that the passenger is reasonably healthy and/or fit to participate in this tour.  Persons with a disability requiring special assistance must be accompanied by a companion. Macleay Valley Travel and their representatives cannot provide this service.  Macleay Valley Travel reserves the right to accept/decline or terminate a passenger's participation in the tour under certain circumstances.

Limitation of Liability - As Macleay Valley Travel acts only as agent for the Airlines, Hotels, Coach Companies etc., providing accommodation, transportation and other services, Macleay Valley Travel shall not be liable or responsible for death or injury to any person or loss or damage to any property including baggage arising out of or connection with any transportation, accommodation or other services, or resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, fire, breakdown in machinery or equipment, acts of Government or other authorities, de jure or defacto wars, whether declared or not, hostilities, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, epidemics, quarantines, medical or customs regulations, delays or cancellations caused by changes in schedules or itinerary, or over bookings or defaults or for any causes beyond Macleay Valley Travel's control or any loss or damage resulting from improper or insufficient passports, visas or other documents and neither Macleay Valley Travel, and its servants or employees shall be or become liable or responsible for any additional expenses or liability sustained or incurred by the tour member as a result of the foregoing causes.
Macleay Valley Travel reserves the right to modify the itinerary or the accommodation if circumstances make this necessary, provided that the amended itinerary is of equal value or greater value than that of the original program.    
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