South & Central Highlands Memorial Sites 9 days

Morning /Afternoon

Having reported to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, a friendly tour guide will be waiting to greet you. From there, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in. 

NOTE: 

• The standard check-in time is 14:00, but if you wish to settle in earlier, an early check-in option is available for a surcharge. Please contact your travel consultant for arrangements.
• If, for any reason, you cannot locate the tour leader, do not hesitate to reach out to your travel consultant for assistance.

For your first night out, you can gather with your companions for a delightful rooftop dinner, the best-looking spot, where you can enjoy fabulous views of the city skyline. This is also an opportunity to get to know your fellow travelers, and cheers for new adventures ahead.

Morning

At 07:30, your tour guide will meet you at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City to begin a full-day exploration. Your journey starts with a visit to Nui Dat Task Force Base, once the strategic headquarters for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during the Vietnam War.

At its height, this base housed 5,000 Australian troops, playing a crucial role in military operations. As you explore the remnants of the base, you will gain deeper insights into its significance, and there may even be opportunities to chat with Vietnam veterans who were part of this chapter in history.

Later, you will drive past the site of Horseshoe Fire Support Base, a former artillery position, before continuing to Discourtesy Rubber Plantation. The rustic countryside is revealed en route, offering a glimpse into the natural beauty while your guide shares information about the area's wartime history. This route was a critical battlefield before, and learning about the events that took place here adds to the depth of your experience.

The trip most solemn moment happens at Long Tan Cross Memorial, erected by Australian forces in August 1969 to honor the soldiers who fought in the Long Tan Battle on August 18, 1966. This location remains one of the most well-known engagements involving the Australian Army. Standing in front of the memorial, you will have time to reflect on the sacrifices made and pay your respects to those who lost their lives.

Afternoon 

After this moving visit, you will stop in Ba Ria Town, where a delicious Vietnamese lunch awaits at a local restaurant. This break allows you to relax before heading into the countryside, where you can observe rural life and get a deeper appreciation for local customs and traditions.

The tour ends, and you will then retire to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, carrying with you not just historical knowledge but also a profound understanding of the events that occurred in these places.

After breakfast today, you will set out on an exciting excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels, a symbolic underground network stretching more than 200 km. These tunnels were of great importance during the Vietnam War, helping the Viet Cong control a large rural area just 30 - 40 km from Saigon, all the way to the Cambodian border.

Get ready to discover different layers of passageways, which include nooks for sleeping, working, cooking, and even a hospital. You will also learn about clever survival strategies used by guerrilla fighters and even be able to experience what it was like to move via them yourself.

Leaving the destination, you will depart for Tay Ninh, the headquarters of Caodaism. This religious system blends three elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, with patron saints such as Joan of Arc, Victor Hugo, and Winston Churchill.

After stopping in Tay Ninh for a while, our driver will deliver you to Ba Den Mountain. On the way, you will pass by the former Michelin Rubber plantations, the largest in the country at 12,400 hectares. It was here that, in the early 1900s, the French came to plant and exploit rubber trees. 

Ba Den Mountain, also called Black Virgin Mountain, is 3,000 feet tall and surrounded by myths and spiritual stories. If you wish for amazing views, you have the oppotunity to take a cable car to the top and admire a 360-degree view of the sun setting upon the land. 

Following that, you will come back to your hotel to spend the night in.

The following day, you will travel by road down the mighty Mekong, making the first stop at Dong Tam Snake Farm in Vinh Long. Established on October 27, 1979, it sits in an area littered with mines and barbed wire left by the US Army in the past.

At the farm, you will find yourself lost in a kingdom of hundreds of snake species. Many of them wind their way around branches. Besides learning about their characteristics and physiology, you can also take in the peaceful atmosphere of the nearby fruit gardens, which will remind you of the calm countryside.

Next, you will proceed to Ap Bac village, the location of a historic ground battle between the Vietnamese soldiers and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. You will then turn to Cai Be, where you will get on a boat for a relaxing cruise along the tributaries of the Mekong River.

The boat trip takes you to the Cai Be floating market, where each boat usually sells a specific item, from pumpkins and pineapples to sugar canes. Along the way, there is a perfect opportunity to explore fascinating local cottage industries such as rice paper makers, sweet factories, and bonsai nurseries. 

For lunch, a huge, tasty meal is prepared at a local orchard, complete with a variety of seasonal fruits. Once finished, it is time to weave your way across the intricate network of canals, the lifeblood of the delta, before returning to the vehicle for the trip back.

The journey goes on as you move out of Ho Chi Minh City and take a short flight to Pleiku, a region of great historical significance. When the plane soars over Central Highlands, you can see the breathtaking landscape of green forests and rolling mountains before landing in this once-strategic stronghold of the Vietnam War.

Upon arrival, the atmosphere shifts, immersing you in a land deeply connected to wartime history, where stories of resilience and sacrifice come to life. Apart from that, the area captivates with its rugged beauty, presenting a balance between remembrance and appreciation of nature.

You start the morning by traveling to Komtum, where you will have a look at the former US DZ site, which still holds some remnants of French barracks. 

The day trip keeps up along a scenic road onto Pleime, and from Pleime Hill, you will delight in a gorgeous 2-hour view of the infamous la Drang Valley. This site is historically significant as the location of the first major battle between the Vietnam People Army and the US Army.

It was from this place that both forces had their first direct confrontation, introducing new strategies and tactics that would influence not only the rest of the war but also military conflicts worldwide. Moreover, our knowledgeable tour guide will provide an in-depth analysis of the battle and its lasting impact.

The next attraction you will get to reach is Ham Rong Mountain (Dragon Mouth) to visit Camp Enari, the former headquarters of the 4th US Infantry Division. You will also stop over at Catecka plantation, which was once the base of the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. 

You will celebrate the end of this amazing journey by getting settled into your hotel room to relax.

On this day, you will be driven deep into the casualty sites of Dak To and Tan Canh. The tour starts off with a transfer to Phoenix Airstrip, originally a key airbase for the 4th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army.

It was selected to be the place for supplying troops and conducting operations in the Central Highlands. From there, you will venture out to Skull Hill (Hill 601), a strategically significant location that controlled access to both Kon Tum and Dak To in the past. 

Continuing further, you will be dropped off at Ben Het, a former U.S. artillery base that was heavily contested during the war. While Hill 875, the site of the intense Battle of Dak To in 1967, remains off-limits, its historical significance will be shared when you travel through the area. By midday, be ready to return to Kon Tum.

• Stop at Pleiku Lake, the largest natural one in the region, featuring a contrast to the morning’s battlefield tour. This lake, also known as Bien Ho, was formed from a volcanic crater and is an important water source for the local community.

• Come to see Kon Tum Bishopric, an architectural masterpiece that mixes French colonial and indigenous Bahnar styles well. Built in 1935, it serves as a reminder of the missionary influence here.
• Visit Plei Don Communal House, a traditional stilt house of the Bahnar people, where you will get a personal and close idea of their unique culture and way of life.

After having breakfast, you will take a morning flight from Pleiku to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, our driver will transfer you to your hotel in the city center. 

Once you have checked in and settled, the rest of the day is yours to explore at your own pace. You may want to stroll bustling streets, visit famous landmarks like Ben Thanh Market or Notre Dame Cathedral, or relax and soak in the vibrant energy of the largest city. At night, you will catch up on a sleep in your hotel here.

Now, it is time to say goodbye to the beautiful memories you have created throughout the tour. Following breakfast, let take in the vibe of Ho Chi Minh City for one last time before heading to the airport for your flight home. Wishing you a safe flight and hope to see you again soon.