This must be the best value conducted tour to Vietnam as the price covers all of the following:

• Return Air fares from Sydney and Brisbane into Saigon and out of Hanoi with China Airlines.   

• A 19-day coach tour of Vietnam from south to north, visiting all the interesting places in this fascinating and beautiful country. It goes into several areas not often visited by tourists. 

• Many meals as stated in the itinerary.

• All transport and transfers in Vietnam.  

• Quality 3 to 4 star accommodation.

• Services of an experienced Australian tour leader and local Vietanmese tour guide.

• Entrance fees to many attractions.

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 - May 2009
Note:	Meals are included in the itinerary as B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
07.05.09	Depart Sydney at 12.55pm on CI 52, arriving in Taipei at 7.10pm. Transfer to hotel in the airport district.
08.05.09	Sydney passengers are transferred back to the airport. Departing Taipei at 1.45pm, arriving in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) at 4.15pm. Transfer to the Huong Sen Hotel in Central Saigon. Brisbane passengers depart Brisbane at 10.00am on CI 54, arriving in Taipei at 5.00pm. Transfer to a hotel in the airport district.
09.05.09 (B/D)	Brisbane passengers are transferred back to Taipei Airport. Departing at 7.30am on CI 781, arriving in Saigon at 10.05am. You will be met and transferred to the hotel. Morning at leisure for Sydney passengers. In the afternoon there is a half day Saigon tour including a short walking tour around down town to the Opera House, City Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral & The Central Post Office. Visits to the former Presidential Palace (Reunification Palace) and the War Remnants Museum. Dinner at a local restaurant. Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel.
10.05.09 (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.
11.05.09 (B/L)	Saigon - Cu Chi Tunnels In the morning visit to the famous Cu Chi tunnel network (70km north west of Saigon), an amazing complex of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam war. Pho (Traditional Vietnamese noodle soup) & spring rolls for lunch. The rest of the day at leisure. Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel.
12.05.09 (B/L/D)	Saigon - Dalat  Depart Saigon for Dalat a cool mountain holiday resort established by the French in 1920's as a hill station. Its lakes, waterfalls, forest and gardens make Dalat one of the most enjoyable places in Vietnam. A beautiful drive through rubber, coffee & tea plantations, with a stopover at La Nga floating village. Lunch at Lien Do Restaurant in Bao Loc. Arrive in Dalat for check-in. Dinner at local restaurant. Accommodation:  Hoang Anh Resort
13.05.09 (B/D)	Dalat 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. Dinner at a nice local restaurant. Accommodation: Hoang Anh Resort.
14.05.09 (B/L)	Dalat - Nha Trang Depart Dalat for Nha Trang, a very popular beach resort to Vietnamese and foreign tourists, on the way stop at Dalat Cable Car Station for a 15 minute ride overlooking beautiful Pine Forest, flower and vegetable gardens and then Poklongiarai Cham Tower before a picnic lunch. Arrive Nha Trang mid afternoon and check in to your hotel. Accommodation: Nha Trang Lodge Hotel.
15.05.09 (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: Nha Trang Lodge Hotel.
16.05.09 (B/L/D)	Nha Trang - Qui Nhon A long beautiful drive through prawn, crab farms, sugar cane & rice paddies. Lunch on the way.  Arrive in Qui Nhon mid-afternoon. Accommodation: Hoan Anh Resort.
17.05.09 (B/L/D)	Qui Nhon - Hoi An A long 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 then continue on to Hoi An. Check in at hotel. Dinner at an excellent cafe in town "LY". Accommodation: Hoi An Hotel.
18.05.09 (B/L)	Hoi An A short walking tour to discover the historical town of Hoi An, which was a prosperous seaport city during the 16th to18 centuries. Its community of foreign merchants resulted in a unique architectural style with Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and French influences. 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 at a nice local restaurant. Accommodation: Ho An Hotel.
19.05.09 (B/L)	Hoi An - Hue Depart Hoi An, the homeland of Nguyen dynasty, the last dynasty of Vietnam which ruled the country from 1802 to 1945, 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 the 5 marble mountains and China Beach where the Americans came for R & R during the Vietnam War. Arrive in Hue in the afternoon. Lunch at a nice cafe in town "Mandarin". One hour cyclo ride around the citadel of Hue in the afternoon. Accommodation: Saigon Morin Hotel.
20.05.09 (B/D)	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 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. Dinner at a nice local restaurant. Accommodation: Saigon Morin Hotel.
21.05.09 (B/L/D)	Hue - Dong Hoi Depart Hue for Dong Hoi, stopover at Ben Hai River, known as DMZ demarcation line between the north and the south in the Vietnam War. After lunch drive up north to Phong Nha. We take a boat trip from a critical point of the Ho Chi Minh trail to go inside and visit Phong Nha Cave, known as the longest and most beautiful harst cave in the world. Return to Dong Hoi, check into the hotel. Accommodation: Sun Spa Resort.
22.05.09 (B/L/D)	Dong Hoi - Vinh Depart Dong Hoi for 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. Arrive in Vinh early afternoon, then a tour to visit the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh (known as BAC HO = UNCLE HO), and the village where he grew up after lunch. Dinner at the hotel. Accommodation: Saigon Kim Lien Hotel.
23.05.09 (B/L/D)	Vinh - Halong Bay Depart Vinh for Halong Bay, on the way stop over at Tam Coc - Bich Dong known as Dry Halong Bay. An hour on a sampan ride before lunch. Arrive in Halong Bay late afternoon. Check in to your hotel. Dinner at hotel. Accommodation:  Saigon Halong Hotel (Ocean View Room).
24.05.09 (B/L/D)	Halong Bay Halong Bay is listed as a world heritage area out of outstanding beauty.  'Dragon descending to the sea' as it is known by the Vietnamese, picturesque Halong Bay has around 1,969 limestone islets rising from the clear emerald water, many of them containing beautiful grottos. A 7 hour boat cruise on the bay in the morning, with a visit to a beautiful cave & an opportunity for a swim. Seafood lunch is served on board. Dinner at a local restaurant. Accommodation: Saigon Halong Hotel (Ocean View).
25.05.09 (B/L/D)	Halong Bay - Hanoi Depart Halong Bay for Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, stopping at a pottery village on the way. Lunch at a local restaurant in Hanoi. An interesting cyclo tour around the French and Old Quarter of Hanoi before dinner at a nice local restaurant. Accommodation: Hao Binh Hotel.
26.05.09 (B/L/D)	Hanoi This morning you take a half day city tour with visits to the Ethnology Museum and the Temple of Literature built in the 11th century known as Vietnam's first university. Lunch at a KOTO. Afternoon is at leisure to shop & wander around this interesting city. In the evening enjoy a water puppet show, the unique traditional art of Vietnam from the 11th century. Dinner at a nice local restaurant. Accommodation: Hao Binh Hotel.
27.05.09 (B/L)	Hanoi In the morning visit to the Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, Museum and Residence, One Pillar Pagoda. Farewell lunch at a nice local restaurant. Afternoon at leisure for Brisbane passengers. Sydney passengers are transferring to Hanoi Airport, departing at 5.25pm on CI 9024 (flight operates by Vietnam Airlines) and arriving in Taipei at 9.05pm. They depart Taipei at 10.20pm on CI 51, arriving in Sydney at 10.40am (28.05.09).
28.05.09	Brisbane passengers depart Hanoi at 11.35am on CI 792, arriving in Taipei at 3.15pm. Then depart Taipei at 9.45pm on CI 53 and arriving in Brisbane at 8.20am 29.05.09)
Note:	Airport taxes and levies at present total an additional amount of approximately $475. We have no control over this price and it is subject to change.

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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 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 Australian passport holders to Vietnam. Visa fee for Vietnam is $72.00 and we charge $20.00 for processing.
Not  Included in the Cost - All items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, drinks, excess baggage, tips, meals, (except those specified in the itinerary), etc.
Also travel insurance and departure taxes. Australian airport tax must now be paid with your ticket, and comes to $475 at present.
****Please note that these taxes are subject to change.****
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.
Booking through other Agents - As we keep the cost of out 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 Affiars (fair trading) department.
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.
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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