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Three Week Conducted 
       
Vietnam Overland Tour

For only $3,765
per person twin share

This price includes airport taxes & levies of $370

Tour departs Australia March 11 and returns April 1, 2010
This must be the best value conducted tour to Vietnam as the price covers all of the following:

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 another person. If you wish to have a single room, there will be an additional charge of $985.

 Tour Itinerary

Terms and Conditions

Booking Form

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   Itinerary for Vietnam Overland Tour - March 2010
Included meals are indicated as B = Breakfast, L =Lunch, D = Dinner
11.03.10 Depart Sydney at 9:45pm on TG 452, arriving in Bangkok at 3:05am.
12.03.10
(D)		 Depart Melbourne at 12:20am on TG 462, arriving in Bangkok at 5:30am.
All passengers depart Bangkok at 7:50am on TG 560, arriving in Hanoi at 9:35am. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel.  A tour briefing before a one hour cyclo ride around the French Quarter and the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation:  Galaxy Hotel or similar.
Depart Brisbane at 2:20pm on TG 474, arriving in Bangkok at 8:30pm. Transfer to a hotel in the airport area.
13.03.10
(B/L/D)		 Hanoi
Brisbane passengers are transferred back to Bangkok Airport, departing at 7:50am on TG 560 and arriving in Hanoi at 9:35am.
All passengers will have a city tour with visits to the Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, Museum and Residence, One Pillar Pagoda then to the Temple of Literature which was built in the 11th  century known as Vietnam's first university. Lunch will be at KOTO.  
Afternoon is at leisure.  In the evening you will see a Water Puppet Show, followed by dinner at a nice local restaurant.
Accommodation:  Galaxy Hotel.
14.03.10
(B/L/D)

Hanoi
Morning tour where you will visit the Army Museum & the Ethnology Museum then a short walking tour around the Old Quarter of Hanoi.  Lunch is at a local restaurant. 
The rest of the day is at leisure to shop & wander around this interesting city.
Accommodation: Galaxy Hotel.
15.03.10
(B/L/D)

Hanoi - Halong Bay 
Morning is at leisure.

In the afternoon, a 4 hour drive to Halong Bay. Upon arrival in Halong Bay you check into the hotel. Dinner at the hotel.
Accommodation: Saigon Halong Hotel (Ocean View). 
16.03.10
(B/L/D)		 Halong Bay
Today you have a 7 hour cruise on Halong Bay and have a seafood lunch on board. 
Halong  Bay is listed as world heritage, the area of outstanding beauty. "Dragon descending on the sea", as it is known in Vietnamese. Picturesque Halong Bay has around 1,969 limestones islets rising from the clear emerald water, many of them containing beautiful grottoes. A visit to a beautiful cave and  an opportunity for a swim during the cruise. Dinner is at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Saigon Halong Hotel (Ocean View). 
17.03.10
(B/L/D)		 Halong Bay - Vinh
This morning we depart for Vinh, a city in the north damaged by the American bombing, which was rebuilt by East Germany. Vinh is the homeland of Ho Chi Minh. En-route you stop at Tam Coc - Bich Dong, known as Dry Halong Bay. Enjoy a one hour boat ride in a sampan on a small stream winding between rice fields and limestone cliffs rising almost vertically out of the paddy fields. A spectacular sight! Lunch is on the way.  Dinner will be at the hotel.
Accommodation:  Phuong Dong Hotel.
18.03.10
(B/L)		 Vinh - Hue
Depart  Vinh for Hue, the homeland of the Nguyen dynasty, the last dynasty of Vietnam, which ruled the country from 1802 to 1945. You take a short drive to visit Ho Chi Minh's birthplace and the village where he grew up. Lunch will be in Dong Hoi. On the way you stop-over at Ben Hai River, known as DMZ. Arrive in Hue early evening. 
Accommodation: Saigon Morin Hotel.
19.03.10
(B/D)		 Hue
This morning you  visit  the Citadel, which was built from 1804 to 1833 by the Emperors of Nguyen dynasty, then to Thien Mu Pagoda. This is followed by a boat trip on the Perfume River.  Mid-afternoon you 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. Dinner is at a nice local restaurant.
Accommodation: Saigon Morin Hotel.
20.03.10
(B/L)		 Hue - Hoi An
Depart Hue for the ancient town of Hoi An, the major trading port of Vietnam from the 16th to late 18th century. A beautiful drive on the way across the Hai Van Pass (Pass of the Ocean Clouds), passing through many pretty red-tiled villages with fruit orchards, enjoying spectacular views of sky and sea. Stop over at  China Beach where the Americans came for R & R during the Vietnam War then Five Marble Mountains. Lunch is at the excellent "LY" café.

In the afternoon a short walking tour to discover the historic town of Hoi An , which was a prosperous seaport city during the 16th to 18th centuries. It's community of foreign merchants resulted in a unique architectural style with Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and French influences. 
Accommodation:  Hoi An Hotel.
21.03.10
(B/D)		 Hoi An
The day at leisure. A good place for shopping especially tailoring, a very laid  back town, only 4kms to the beach, a good place to relax.
One hour cruise on the river before a cooking demonstration and dinner at a nice local restaurant 'Morning Glory'.
Accommodation:  Hoi An Hotel. 
22.03.10
(B/L/D)		 Hoi An - Qui Nhon
This morning we head off to Quang Ngai,  a short drive to visit the My Lai Memorial on the way where 504 villagers were killed by the American soldiers in 1968, six weeks after the TET offensive. Picnic lunch on the way, arrive in Qui Nhon late afternoon. Dinner is at the hotel.
Accommodation:  Hoang Anh Resort. 
23.03.10
(B/L)		 Qui Nhon - Nha Trang
A beautiful drive through prawn and crab farms, sugar cane and rice paddies. Lunch is on the way. Arrive Nha Trang mid – afternoon.
Accommodation:  Nha Trang Lodge Hotel.
24.03.10
(B/L)		 Nha Trang
In the morning, enjoy a boat trip to visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium and Mieu Island with an interesting coracle ride then time for swimming and snorkelling. Lunch will be at Bao Dai’s Summer Palace. Afternoon at leisure for your own exploration of Nha Trang.
Accommodation:  Nha Trang Lodge Hotel.
25.03.10
(B/L/D)		 Nha Trang - Dalat
Depart Nha Trang for Dalat, a honeymoon capital of Vietnam, the cool mountain holiday resort established by the French. Its lakes, waterfalls, forest and gardens make Dalat one of the most enjoyable places in Vietnam. On the way visit the Po Kong Garai Cham Towers where we stop for a picnic lunch.  Dinner at a nice restaurant in town.
Accommodation:  Hoang Anh Resort. 
26.03.10
(B/D)		 Dalat
This morning you take a Dalat city orientation tour, you will  visit to the Crazy House, Bao Dai's Summer Palace, The Valley of Love and the embroidery workshop. In the afternoon enjoy a train ride through vegetable gardens to Trai Mat then visit Long Phuoc Pagoda, a famous beer bottle and ceramic fragments pagoda in town, on the way back stop over at the city flower garden. Dinner is at a nice local restaurant.
Accommodation:  Hoang Anh Resort.
27.03.10
(B/L)		 Dalat - Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Depart Dalat for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a beautiful drive through rubber, coffee, and tea plantations, with a stopover at Dalat Cable Car station for a 15 minute ride overlooking beautiful pine forest and vegetable gardens. Lunch is at the Lien Do Restaurant in Bao Loc. On the way you pass La Nga Floating Village. Arrive late afternoon and check into the hotel.
Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel.
28.03.10
(B/L)		 Saigon
This morning you take a walking tour around Saigon downtown (known as District 1) passing the Opera House, City Hall, the Notre Dame Cathedral, and Post Office, then you visit by bus to the former Presidential Palace (Reunification Palace), War Remnants Museum, Chinatown with a tour driving around Cho Lon and a visit to Thien Hau Temple, which is dedicated to a sea goddess. Pho traditional Vietnamese noodle soup & spring rolls for lunch.
The rest of the day is at leisure.
Accommodation:  Huong Sen Hotel.
29.03.10
(B/L)		 Saigon - My Tho (Mekong Delta)
This morning you  depart the hotel for a coach trip to My Tho which is a two hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City. My Tho is a prosperous town of 170,000 inhabitants in the Mekong Delta. It is famous for its extensive orchards and immense rice fields. Enjoy a 4 to 5 hour boat ride on the Mekong River and then visit an orchard on an island, coconut candy workshop, bee farm with lunch en route, arrive back to Saigon late afternoon.
Accommodation:  Huong Sen Hotel. 
30.03.10
(B/D)		 Saigon - Cu Chi Tunnels
Half day tour to visit the famous Cu Chi tunnel network. Then you will have  Pho
(traditional noodle soup) & spring rolls for lunch. Free time this afternoon.
Farewell dinner is at a nice local restaurant.
Accommodation:  Huong Sen Hotel.
Brisbane passengers will transfer to Saigon Airport, departing at 8:55pm on TG 557, arriving in Bangkok at 10:20pm. They then depart Bangkok at 11:59pm on TG 473, arriving in Brisbane at 12:05pm the following day (31.03.09).
31.03.10
(B)		 Saigon - Bangkok - Australia for Sydney passengers only.
Transfer to Saigon Airport, departing at 11:25am on TG 551, arriving in Bangkok at 12:50pm.
Melbourne passengers will be transferred to the Manhattan Hotel in central Bangkok for an overnight stay.
Sydney passengers depart Bangkok at 6:00pm on TG 455, arriving in Sydney at 7:10am (01.04.10). 
01.04.10
(B)		 Bangkok - Australia
Melbourne passengers are transferred back to Bangkok Airport. 
Melbourne passengers depart at 8.10am on TG 461, arriving in Melbourne at 9.20pm.

NOTE:  For Melbourne passengers there will be an extra charge of $70 per person twin share or $110 per person for single room for the night's accommodation and return transfers.

ALSO NOTE: For Brisbane passengers there will be a reduction of $50 per person twin share or $80 single room for one night less in Saigon.
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Conditions for Macleay Valley Travel's Vietnam

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 $435 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.

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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