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Itinerary for Vietnam Overland Tour - 29 May 2009 |
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| Note: |
Meals are included in the itinerary as B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner |
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| 29.05.09 |
Depart Sydney at 10.00am on TG 994, arriving in Bangkok at 4.25pm.
Depart Bangkok at 5.50pm on TG 684, arriving in Hanoi at 7.40pm. Transfer to the Galaxy Hotel.
Depart Melbourne at 11.30pm on TG 980, arriving in Bangkok at 6.00am the next morning.
Depart Brisbane at 11.59pm on TG 992, arriving in Bangkok at 6.00am the next morning. |
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30.05.09
(D)
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Sydney passengers have a morning at leisure.
Melbourne and Brisbane passengers depart Bangkok at 8.25am on TG 682, arriving in Hanoi at 10.15am.
You will be met and transferred to your hotel. A tour briefing for the
whole group before an interesting cyclo ride around the Old and the
French quarter of Hanoi. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Galaxy Hotel.
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31.05.09
(B/L/D) |
Hanoi
Hanoi full day city tour with visits to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, Museum and
Residence, One Pillar Pagoda then to the Temple of Literature built in
the
11th century known as Vietnam's first university. Lunch at KOTO.
Afternoon at leisure. In the evening enjoy a water puppet show, the unique traditional art of
Vietnam from the11th century. Dinner at a nice local restaurant.
Accommodation: Galaxy Hotel. |
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01.06.09
(B/L) |
Hanoi
Morning tour with visits to the Army Museum and the National Fine Art
Museum then a short working tour around the Old Quarter of Hanoi.
Lunch at a local restaurant. The rest of the day at leisure to shop & wander around this interesting city.
Accommodation: Galaxy Hotel. |
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02.06.09
(B/L/D) |
Hanoi - Halong Bay
Morning departure from Hanoi to Halong Bay which is listed as a world
heritage area of outstanding beauty.'Dragon descending on the sea', as
it is known in Vietnamese, picturesque Halong Bay has around 1,969
limestone islets rising from the clear emerald water, many of them
containing beautiful grottoes. A five hour cruise in the afternoon
including a nice seafood lunch, a visit to a beautiful cave and an
opportunity for a swim in the sea.
Accommodation: Saigon Halong Hotel (Ocean View). |
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03.06.09
(B/L/D) |
Halong Bay - Vinh
Morning departure to Vinh, a city in the north damaged by the American
bombing which was rebuilt by East Germany. Vinh is the homeland of a very
famous person in Vietnam and the world HO CHI MINH.
En-route 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 on the way. Dinner at the hotel.
Accommodation: Saigon Kim Lien Hotel.
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04.06.09
(B/L/D) |
Vinh - Dong Hoi
A short drive to visit the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh and the village where he grew up before heading off to Dong
Hoi. Lunch on the way. Arrive at the hotel mid-afternoon, free time to
enjoy a nice new resort of the area. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Sun Spa Resort. |
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05.06.09
(B/L/D) |
Dong Hoi - Hue
Depart Dong Hoi for Hue, the homeland of the
Nguyen dynasty, the last
dynasty of Vietnam, which ruled the country from 1802 to 1945. On the
way stopover at Ben Hai River, known as DMZ demarcation line
between the north and the south in the Vietnam war and then a visit to
Vinh Moc Tunnels, which were built in the war for hiding and storing
ammunition to suplly Con Co Island. Lunch on the way. One hour cyclo
tour around to Citadel and the city of Hue in the afternoon. Dinner at a nice local restaurant.
Accommodation: Saigon Morin Hotel.
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06.06.09
(B/L) |
Hue
Morning tour visiting the Citadel which was built from
1804 -1833 by the emperors of Nguyen dynasty, then
to Thien Mu Pagoda, a famous pagoda in Hue and Vietnam, then a boat
trip on the Perfume River. Lunch at a nice cafe in town. 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.
Accommodation: Saigon Morin Hotel.
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07.06.09
(B/L) |
Hue - Hoi An
Depart Hue for the ancient town of Hoi An, the major trading port of Vietnam from the 16th to late18th
centuries. Beautiful drive on the way across the Hai Van
Pass (Pass of the Oceans Clouds), passing through many pretty red tiled
villages with fruit orchards, enjoying spectacular views of sky and
sea. Stop over China Beach, where
the Americans came for R & R during the Vietnam War, then at the five marble mountains. Lunch at the excellent "LY" cafe. In
the afternoon a short walking tour to discover the historical town of
Hoi An, which was a prosperous seaport city during the 16th to18th
centuries. Its community of foreign merchants resulted in a unique
architectural style with Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and French
influences.
Accommodation: Hoi An Hotel.
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08.06.09
(B/D) |
Hoi An
Day at leisure. A good place for shopping especially tailoring, Hoi An is a
very laid-back town, only 4kms to the beach is a good place to relax.
One
hour cruise on the river before a cooking demonstration at a nice local
restaurant.
Accommodation: Hoi An Hotel.
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09.06.09
(B/L/D)
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Hoi An - Qui Nhon
This morning we head off to Quang Ngai, a short drive to visit the My Lai memorial, where 504 villagers were
killed by the American soldiers in 1968, six weeks after Tet offensive.
Picnic lunch on the way, arrive Qui Nhon late afternoon. Dinner at hotel.
Accommodation: Hoang Anh Resort. |
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10.06.09
(B/L) |
Qui Nhon - Nha Trang
A beautiful drive through prawn and crab farms, sugar cane and rice paddies. Lunch on the way. arrive Nha Trang mid afternoon.
Accommodation: Nhatrang Lodge Hotel..
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11.06.09
(B/L) |
Nha Trang
Enjoy a morning 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 own exploration of Nha
Trang.
Accommodation: Nhatrang Lodge Hotel.
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12.06.09
(B/L/D) |
Nha Trang - Da Lat
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 and
stop for a picnic
lunch.
Dinner at a nice restaurant in town.
Accommodation: Hoang Anh Resort. |
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13.06.09
(B/D) |
Da Lat
This morning there will be a city orientation tour with
visits to the Crazy House, Bao Dai's Summer Palace, the Valley of
Love and an 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 at the city flower garden. Dinner at a nice local
restaurant.
Accommodation: Hoang Anh Resort.
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14.06.09
(B/L) |
Da Lat - Saigon
Depart Dalat for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a beautiful drive through
rubber, coffee &
tea plantations, with a stopover at Dalat cable car
station for a 15 minute ride overlooking beautiful pine forest,
flower
and vegetable gardens. Lunch at the Lien Do restaurant in Bao Loc. On
the way you pass La Nga floating village. Arrive Saigon late
afternoon. Check into the hotel
for a four night stay.
Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel. |
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15.06.09
(B/L) |
Saigon
Morning walking tour around Saigon downtown (known as
District 1) passing the opera house, city hall, the Notre Dame
Cathedral, and post office, then a 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. Enjoy a traditional lunch
of Pho Vietnamese noodle soup and springs rolls.
The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel.
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16.06.09
(B/L) |
Saigon - My Tho (Mekong Delta)
Morning departure from 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 4-5 hour boat ride on the Mekong River and
visit an orchard on an island, coconut candy workshop, bee farm with
lunch on the way. Back to Saigon late afternoon.
Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel. |
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17.06.09
(B/D) |
Saigon - Cu Chi Tunnels
Half day tour to visit the famous Cu Chi tunnel network (70km north
west of Saigon), an amazing complex of underground tunnels used during
the Vietnam war.
Free time this afternoon. Tonight there will be a farewell dinner cruise on the Saigon river.
Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel. |
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18.06.09
(B) |
Saigon departure
Sydney and Brisbane passengers depart Saigon at 11.35am on TG 681, arriving in Bangkok at 1.00pm.
Brisbane passengers will be transferred to the Manhattan Hotel in central Bangkok for an overnight stay.
Sydney passengers depart Bangkok at 7.15pm on TG 993, arriving in Sydney at 7.15am on 19.06.09.
Melbourne passengers have a free day in Saigon with late 6.00pm
check-out from their hotel. They depart Saigon at 8.50pm on TG 687,
arriving in Bangkok at 10.15pm.
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| 19.06.09 |
Melbourne passengers depart Bangkok at 12.15am on TG 981, arriving in Melbourne at 12.05pm.
Brisbane passengers will be transferred back to Bangkok airport, departing at 8.00am on TG 991, arriving in Brisbane at 10.45pm. |
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Note:
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If
they wish, Sydney passengers can also overnight in Bangkok on 18th
June, as the Brisbane flight TG 991 goes via Sydney. They can also take
this flight arriving in Sydney at 8.00pm. The extra cost for this for
Sydney passengers will be $75 twin share or $110 single room for
accommodation, breakfast and return transfers. |
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Also Note:
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Airport taxes and levies at present total an additional
amouont of approximately $650 for the standard tour. We have no control
over this price and it is subject to change. |