Day 1 & 2: (Sunday - Monday, 27 - 28 August, 2017)  -  LAX to Taipei

Report to the Los Angeles International Terminal by 9:00 a.m. and proceed to the EVA Airlines ticketing counter for our flight to Taipei.  Lose one day crossing the International Dateline.

Day 2: (Monday, 28 August, 2017)  -  Taipei

We arrive in Taipei at 5 p.m., we clear immigration and customs, drive to Miaoli, and check into our hotel for the evening.

Meals: B/L (in flight) /D

Day 3: (Tuesday, 29 August, 2017)  -  Taipei

This morning, we travel St. Mary Catholic Church in Miaoli where Father Capodanno lived for a year while learning the Taiwan language.  We see the room where he stayed and visit the humble church where he presented Mass.  We then drive to the mountain town of Thiankou where we visit the Capodanno Memorial Chapel, built in 1993 in Father's honor.  The chapel was recently renovated and the mountain people are very accommodating.  We then return to level ground and visit Da Hu and the church where Father ran a school for young Taiwanese and from where he trekked into the mountains to minister to the Hakka tribal people.  Our last visit of the day will be to the little chapel where Father worked with the aboriginal Chinese.  We then motor to Taipei to our overnight hotel.

Meals: B/L/D

Day 4: (Wednesday, 30 August, 2017)  -  Taipei to Ha Noi

Up very early this morning, we depart for the airport.  After enduring the Big Speech, we depart for Vietnam at 9:00 a.m.  Landing at Noi Bai Airfield (heavily bombed during the American War) and proceed through immigration, retrieve our bags, clear customs, and board our waiting motorcoach.  We then cross the Red River and its dikes to explore the Ha Noi environs.  We visit the Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton) and stop at the John McCain Monument.  Tonight we enjoy our Welcome Dinner.

Meals: B/L/D

Day 5: (Thursday, 31 August, 2017)  -  Ha Noi

This morning we visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Ho Chi Minh House, the One Pillar Pagoda, and the fascinating War Museum with its Dien Bien Phu exhibit and American artifacts.  We then savor a fabulous lunch at the Lotus Buffet Restaurant.  Tonight we enjoy a special presentation at Ha Noi's world-famous Water-Puppet Theater.

Meals: B/L/D

Day 6: (Friday, 1 September, 2017)  -  Ha Noi to Da Nang

After breakfast, we head back to Noi Bai Airfield to catch our morning flight to Da Nang.  We are met by Sister Catherine who provides us with a memorable visit with Catholic School children and the Da Nang Cathedral complex.

Meals: B/L/D

Day 7: (Saturday, 2 September, 2017)  -  Da Nang

Today we head up the breathtaking Hai Van to visit the Pass of the High Clouds and take in a view of Da Nang and her bay.  The Hai Van Pass had been a vital strategic military foothold for the Chinese for centuries, was used by the French during France's Indochina War, and by the U.S. in America's Vietnam War.  Bunkers and fortifications dot the hillsides here.  Coming back down the Hai Van to sea level, we visit Red Beach II, where U.S. Marines made their first amphibious landing in Vietnam in March 1965.  After lunch, we stop at My Khe Beach on the South China Sea.  My Khe was better known as "China Beach," which was used as an in-country 'R&R' by U.S. troops.  A little farther south we pass through the site of the Marble Mountain Air Facility, a U.S. helicopter base during the war.  We also stop at an interesting marble carving shop, as this area is famous for their stone-sculpture industries.  The Marble Mountains here are visually-striking hills that rise from the flat coastal region - these mountains are home to Buddhist shrines and numerous caves.  We climb to the top of the largest mountain and explore the VC hospital area located deep within.  Tonight, from our riverside hotel or from the adjacent promenade, we can watch fire belching from the Dragon Bridge spanning the Han River.

Meals: B/L/D

Day 8: (Sunday, 3 September, 2017)  -  Da Nang to Tam Ky

This morning, we attend the 9:00 a.m. English Mass at the Da Nang Cathedral.  After lunch, we drive south on Highway 1 to the town of Tam Ky and check into our hotel.

Meals: B/L/D

Day 9: (Monday, 4 September, 2017)  -  Tam Ky

Today we venture west into the Que Son Valley.  Our first stop will be at a reservoir that served as a reference point for aircraft and troops coming into the valley.  Here we trace Father Capodanno's progress from the initial enemy contact point and though the battle area, until the moment when he gave his last full measure of devotion.  We will have a memorial service for Father Capodanno at the place where he left this world to be with the Creator, 50-years ago to the day.  We will remember, too, all those Marines and Corpsmen who also died in the battle.  Following the memorial service we will visit Hill 63, Hill 48, and Hill 43 which were some of the hills that were so hotly contested during that time.  We then continue to Hill 51 near LZ Ross, the location where the Father Capodanno Chapel had been erected by his troops in his honor after he died.

Meals: B/L/D

Day 10: (Tuesday, 5 September, 2017)  -  Tam Ky

This morning we head south on Highway 1 to Hill 43 for a commanding view of the Chu Lai base.  Our next stop is the place where Father Capodanno held services in his modest chapel.  We then visit Chu Lai Air Base and Ky Ha Helicopter Base.  After a sumptuous seafood lunch on Crescent Beach, we return to our hotel in Tam Ky.

Meals: B/L/D

Day 11: (Wednesday, 6 September, 2017)  -  Tam Ky to Hoi An

Heading back north, we turn west and parallel to the southern edge of Go Noi Island.  We stop for a special visit at the My Son Holyland located deep in the foothills of the Que Son Mountains.  My Son is the site of Trakieu, the ancient capital of the Cham Kingdom, and contains ruins dating back to the 5th Century.  Our last stop is a wood-carving and silk shop as we arrive in Hoi An.  Hoi An, a beautiful well-preserved ancient trading port, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Its temples and architecture show the different cultural influences of its time, and its lovely Japanese covered bridge is unique.  Luckily for Hoi An, its importance waned long before the War, and it was left essentially isolated and relatively untouched.  Dinner is on our own this evening.

Meals: B/L/_

Day 12: (Thursday, 7 September, 2017)  -  Hoi An

Today is a well-deserved free day.  You can relax by the pool or you may want to roam by yourselves the streets and shops of this ancient port city, formerly known as Faifo, where Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese traders once walked.  The town ceased to be an important trade harbor when its inlet shoaled and the port was moved north to Da Nang.  Shopping is excellent here and is one of the best places for tailor-made clothing.  There are literally hundreds of amazing little shops in this town.  Lunch and dinner are on our own today.  Be sure to sample some of the many local restaurants and night spots.

Meals: B/_/_

Day 13: (Friday, 8 September, 2017)  -  Hoi An to Saigon

This morning we travel back to Da Nang Airfield for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City (still called Saigon by most Vietnamese).  After our short flight, we disembark at Tan Son Nhut Airfield and head into the center of the city.  We visit Reunification Hall (the old Presidential Palace), Notre Dame Cathedral, and pass by the former US Embassy location which now houses the new U.S. Consulate.  We also stop at Cha Tam Church (Saint Francis Xavier Church) where President Diem had fled and disguised himself as a priest during the 1963 coup.  It was from this place that Diem and his brother were captured, taken away, and assassinated.

Meals: B/L/D

Day 14: (Saturday, 9 September, 2017)  -  Saigon

Today is a free day for relaxing, for exploring on your own, or for last-minute shopping.  You can take a walk along old Tu Do Street (now Dong Khoi Street) to discover local restaurants as well as a myriad of little shops where you can find unusual gifts to bring home.  Lunch is on our own, but all hands are required at our very special Farewell Dinner this evening.

Meals: B/_/D

Day 15: (Sunday, 10 September, 2017)  -  Saigon to LAX

Early this morning we walk to the city center and attend Mass at Norte Dame Cathedral.  We then motor to Tan Son Nhut Airfield, where we bid Vietnam goodbye and depart on our 4:00pm flight for Taipei.  From Taipei, we gain a day enroute by re-crossing the International Dateline, arriving in the continental United States this same day at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Meals: B/L/D (in flight)

Tour Price: $3,795.00 / Per Person is based upon Double Occupancy (2 people per room)
Single Supplement is $598.00

Ground Only Price: $2,800.00 / Per Person is also based upon Double Occupancy (2 people per room)
Single Supplement is $598.00

Tour Price Includes:

1. International roundtrip airfare from our Houston, Texas gateway.
   • Ground Only Tours - International roundtrip airfare is not included.
2. Air-conditioned motorcoach transportation.
3. Vietnam airfare.
4. Vietnam Visa Processing and fees.
   • Ground Only Tours - Vietnam Visa Processing and fees may or may not be included.
5. Hotel Accommodations throughout tour.
6. Virtually all meals, as indicated in itinerary.
7. Historical Trip information packet, containing maps and other information pertaining to your tour.
8. Admission fees to all sites, museums and special attractions listed.
9. Services of our experienced Directors & English--speaking local guides.
10. Gratuities (NOTE: VBT American guides are prohibited from accepting tips.)
11. Bulk-baggage handling.
12. Emergency Medical, Evacuation, Repatriation and Hospitalization Insurance included in each tour.

Here's just a few reasons:

1. VBT - We use only highly-experienced U.S. Marine Corps & U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran guides.
2. VBT - Runs 15-day tours which ensures unrushed touring.
3. VBT - Has all-inclusive pricing. (Beware of hidden charges forced on you by other tour operators).
4. VBT - Gets you to places other companies cannot access.
5. VBT - Our tours are designed for customization based on participant's requests (no off-the-rack tours).