ITINERARY

Day 1 – 7 Dec:  Today we depart Hanoi for Vientiane, Laos. You will be staying at the Don Chan Palace Hotel situated on the banks of the legendary Mekong River. After lunch, we visit to the Wat Si Sakat Temple, which is the oldest temple in the city. One of the many legacies remaining from the French colonial days is the cuisine and tonight we will be treated to a memorable sunset dinner on the Mekong River. Hotel Don Chan Palace: (B/L/D)

Day 2 – 8 Dec: The morning will be devoted to touring Vientiane. One of the more curious monuments in Vientiane is the Patuxai Victory Gate, a Lao Arc de Triomphe. Lunch today is at the Koa Lao restaurant (Lao cuisine) and the remainder of the afternoon will be free to explore the city. Dinner will be at Le Nadao restaurant, which is considered as the city’s best, combining Lao and French tastes. (B/L/D)

Day 3 – 9 Dec: After breakfast, we board our bus for the drive south on Route 13 to Phou Khuon and turn east onto scenic route 7 towards the Xieng Khouang Plateau visiting landing sites as we go.  Along the way visit both LS20 at Sam Thong and LS20A at Long Tieng. Check into our hotel in Phonsavan and then dinner at Duang Keomani restaurant in the city.
Hotel: Phou Phadeng (B/L/D)

Day 4 – 10 Dec: Today we tour Xieng Khouang and the ancient Plane Des Jarres (PDJ) with its mysterious large stone containers amongst large amounts of unexploded U.S. ordnance, bomb craters and shrapnel that was dropped by planes returning from missions over Laos and Vietnam. The area changed hands numerous times during the conflict.  We return to Vientiane by air and transfer to our hotel after our day on the Plain of Jars.  Hotel: Don Chan Palace Hotel (B/L/D)

Day 5—11 Dec: Hanoi—Siem Reap – Arrival. Pick up from hotel in and transfer to airport for flight. Upon arrival in Siem Reap, meet and transfer to hotel for check in. Visit to the unique interior brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan, Srah Srang ("The Royal Baths"), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), Ta Prohm, one of the area’s most beautiful temples. Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool (representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake) and Preah Khan Temple. Hotel: Tara Angkor (L/D)

Day 6—12 Dec: Siem Reap Tour. In the morning, visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom (12 century), the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.  Lunch at local restaurant followed by visits to the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat, this huge temple complex which is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Then we continue to visit some of the Khmer Rouge Genocide sites: minefield, the Killing Fields, and Arms Museum. We then continue to view a wonderful sunset from Pre Rup Temple. Dinner at local restaurant before returning to our hotel. Hotel: Tara Angkor (B/L/D)

Day 7—13 Dec: Siem Reap – Hanoi Today we board a boat in Tonle Sap Lake, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia. We enjoy a brief cruise past floating villages complete with schools, restaurants, markets & hospitals. Lunch at local restaurant. Then transfer to Siem Reap Airport for flight to Hanoi. Hotel: Silk Path (B/L)

Day 8—14 Dec: Departure. Transfer from hotel to airport for flight to take connecting flight to US from Hanoi. (B)

ITINERARY

2 Dec Tue - (Day 1) Depart for Vietnam. 

3 Dec Wed - (Day 2) Arrive in Saigon. After hotel check-in and check into our hotel. Hotel: Le Méridien

4 Dec Thur - (Day 3) This morning we head for the famous Cu Chi Tunnel system. We will have lunch in a local restaurant and end the day back in Saigon where we see the local site including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the old Post Office, the Presidential Palace, the Army Museum & the former location of the US Embassy. Hotel: Le Méridien (B/L/D) 

5 Dec Fri - (Day 4) Morning departure for the Mekong Delta to board a boat in the quaint provincial town of My Tho and then wind our way through the labyrinth of small canals bordered by tiny villages. After viewing the endless fields of rice paddies tended by peasants in their traditional conical-shaped hats we transfer to a sampan for a tour of scenic Thoison Island. We will have lunch on the island and view the unique pottery produced on the island. We finish the day by returning to Saigon for some exploration of Saigon’s markets before dinner. Hotel: Le Méridien (B/L/D)

6 Dec Sat - (Day 5) After breakfast, we fly from Saigon to Da Nang. We commence our tour with a stop at China Beach before heading for Marble Mountain and for the adventurous, we will climb to the top to see where the VC maintained a secret hospital throughout the war. We will also visit a marble carving shop before touring the ancient cultural city of Hoi An with its Japanese Bridge and the many shops including the famed Silk & Embroidery Guild. Hotel: Alamity (B/L/D) 

7 Dec Sun - (Day 6) Today we visit the 1st Marine Division sites around Da Nang to include Dog Patch and Hill 327, (Camp Reasoner/Freedom Hill) plus Hills 55 & 65, Liberty Bridge and An Hoa. Hotel: Alamity (B/L/D)

8 Dec Mon - (Day 7) After an early breakfast we depart Da Nang for Hue with stops at Red Beach, the Hai Van Pass, Lang Co and Phu Bai Airfield. We will commence a short city tour south of the Perfume River starting at the Phu Cam Canal and ending at the Hue University. Hotel: Huong Giang (B/L/D) 

9 Dec Tue - (Day 8) Today we do a full tour of Hue to include the Imperial Palace, tomb of King Tu Duc and visit the Thien Mu pagoda. We will also discuss Tet and the 1968 Battle for Hue. We will also have the opportunity to visit the market before having the evening to enjoy the Hue nightlife. Hotel: Huong Giang (B/L/Dinner on own) 

10 Dec Wed - (Day 9) Morning departure for our drive north to the DMZ with stops in Dong Ha to see the site of Col John Ripley’s heroics and then continue west along Route 9 seeing Camp Carroll, Khe Gia Bridge, the Rockpile, and the Khe Sanh Combat Base (site of the epic siege.) Hotel: Huong Giang (B/L/D) 

11 Dec Thur - (Day 10) Morning flight to Hanoi  Upon arrival visit the Ethnology Museum, Cultural Museum and Hoa Lo prison (the infamous Hanoi Hilton.) Hotel: Silk Path (B/L/D) 

12 Dec Fri - (Day 11) Today we will see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and house, the one Pillar pagoda, the Tran Quoc pagoda, the Temple of Literature and the      McCain Monument. Return to hotel. Hotel: Silk Path (B/L)

13 Dec Sat—(Day 12) Depart for airport for our flights home arriving in the U.S. the same day.