1/5 Returns to I-Corps
4 February - 18 February, 2018
15 Days
Price: $3,595.00
Tour Reference: VN-18021
Ground Only Price is: $2,600.00 *
Deadline for registration is November 6, 2017
* Tour Registration Closed *
Marines against the wall of the Citadel,
Battle of Hue, February 1968
Daily Itinerary

Day 1 & 2: (Sunday - Monday, 4 - 5 February, 2018) – Enroute

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

Day 3: (Tuesday, 6 February, 2018) – Taipei to Ha Noi

After a short layover in Taipei where we endure the Big Speech, we depart for Vietnam.  We land 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 (in flight) /_/D

 
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Day 4: (Wednesday, 7 February, 2018) – Ho Noi to Tam Ky

This morning we visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh House, and One Pillar Pagoda.  Next is the fascinating War Museum with its Dien Bien Phu exhibit and American artifacts.  Early this evening we head back to Noi Bai to catch our flight to Da Nang Airfield.  Upon landing, we travel by motorcoach south on Highway 1 to Tam Ky.

Meals: B/L/D

 
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Day 5: (Thursday, 8 February, 2018) – Tam Ky

After a leisurely breakfast, we continue our journey south and stop first at Hill 54, followed by Hill 43 for a panoramic view of Chu Lai Air Base.  We then visit the airbase, Ky Ha Helicopter Base, and the Deep-Water Port area, after which we enjoy a seafood lunch on Crescent Beach.

Meals: B/L/D

 
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Day 6: (Friday, 9 February, 2018) – Tam Ky

This morning we head into Que Son Valley.  Our first stop is Nui Lac Son (Hill 185).  We also visit LZ Ross (Hill 51).  NOTE: Other Que Son Valley sites will be added to this day as per participant requests.

Meals: B/L/D

 
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Day 7: (Saturday, 10 February, 2018) – Tam Ky to Hoi An

This morning we travel west and parallel to the southern edge of Go Noi Island.  We stop for visits to Liberty Bridge (south), Phu Lac (6), and An Hoa Regimental Combat Base.  We also make a special visit to the My Son Holyland located deep in the northern 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.  We then cross the new bridge over the Song Thu Bon and stop at Liberty Bridge (north).  Heading west on Route 4 (Thunder Road), we cross the Song Vu Gia into the Arizona Territory for exploration.  Returning east on Thunder Road, 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 American War, and it was left essentially isolated and relatively untouched.

Meals: B/L/D

 
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Day 8: (Sunday, 11 February, 2018) – Hoi An

Today is a free day in Hoi An.  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 in the early 20th Century 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.  Today, lunch and dinner are on our own.  Be sure to sample some of the many local restaurants and night spots.

Meals: B/_/_

 
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Day 9: (Monday, 12 February, 2018) – Hoi An to Hue

Departing our Hoi An hotel, we travel east and stop to explore Tan Thanh (2) Village and 1/5's encampment area back in the day.  Heading north along the beach road, we visit a marble carving shop.  This area is famous for their stone-sculpture industries.  The Marble Mountains are visually-striking monoliths 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.  A little farther north we pass through the site of the Marble Mountain Air Facility, a U.S. helicopter base during the war, and 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' for U.S. troops.  Passing through Da Nang City, we stop at Red Beach II, where U.S. Marines made their first amphibious landing in Vietnam in March 1965.  We then head up the breathtaking Hai Van.  We stop at the Pass of the High Clouds to take in a parting view of Da Nang and her bay.  The Hai Van Pass had been a vital strategic military foothold for the Chinese for centuries, and 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.  Continuing down the Hai Van to sea level, we enter Lang Co fishing village, where we walk across the bridge separating Dam Lap An lagoon from the sea.  Our next stop is D/1/5's FSB at Phu Gia Pass.  We then pass by Dam Cau Hai, one of the largest lagoons in all Southeast Asia encompassing 112 square kilometers.  Continuing north, we stop at the Truoi River Bridge.  Passing Phu Bai Airfield and Camp Eagle, we arrive at our hotel in Hue City (the old Imperial Capital of Vietnam).

Meals: B/L/D

 
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Day 10: (Tuesday, 13 February, 2018) – Hue

Today we begin our study of the 1968 Tet Offensive battle for Hue.  The Battle of Hue was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the war, and we spend our first couple of hours visiting strategic sites around the southern city.  We follow the actions of 1/1 and 2/5 covering, among others, the football stadium, the former MACV Compound, Tran Cao Van Street, Joan of Arc Girl's High School, Hue University, Treasury, Public Health Building, Provincial Capital Building area, Church of the Redemptress, and Chuck Meadow's Gate.  Famous for its university, this "southern" town, known for open and radical thinking, is also home to the high school that graduated Ho Chi Minh, General Giap, and President Diem.  Next, we board a Dragon Boat and cruise to the northeast corner of the Citadel and disembark to enter the Citadel with its ramparts and towers, and visit sites specific to the "northern" battle.  With the Forbidden City to our west and the Citadel wall to our east, we follow, in trace, 1/5's epic two-week battle.  The Phase Lines and Dong Ba Gate will feature heavily in the narrative.  We finish at the Imperial Palace gate blown by 1/5, which allowed the ARVN to enter and lower the NVA flag that had flown from the main flagpole for 24 days.  After lunch in the Citadel, we visit the Forbidden City, home to the ancient emperors.

Meals: B/L/D

 
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Day 11: (Wednesday, 14 February, 2018) – Hue

This Valentine's Day morning we take a relaxing Dragon Boat cruise up the beautiful Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda.  It was from this pagoda that Monk Thich Quang Duc was driven in 1963 to Saigon where he immolated himself in protest to the government's oppressive treatment of the Buddhist people.  We re-board our boat and continue upstream.  Making an amphibious landing, we climb a hill to meet our motorcoach and drive to the Tu Duc Tombs.  After lunch, we are free to explore on our own, or shop, or relax.  Tonight, dinner is on our own.  You may want to grab a pizza or a burger at the DMZ Bar, just a short walk from our hotel.

Meals: B/L/_

 
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Day 12: (Thursday, 15 February, 2018) – Hue  - OR -  Hue to Dong Ha

     GROUP 1: Hue

Today is a free day to explore on our own, or shop, or relax.  Perhaps a cyclo ride back to the Citadel is in order.  Lunch and dinner are on your own.

Meals: B/_/_

 
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     GROUP 2: Hue to Dong Ha

This morning we head north on Highway 1.  We come upon the My Chanh River Bridge which was the farthest south the NVA got during the 1972 Easter Offensive.  It was from here that the ARVN held off the NVA onslaught and from which began their counterattack.  North of here is a stretch of road known as the 'Highway of Horror.' Thousands of local refugees - most of which were old people, women, and children trying to flee south - were mercilessly slaughtered by communist NVA troops and their artillery.  North of the Trung Phuoc Bridge, for 9km, to the Ben Da Bridge was where the worst of the massacre occurred.  Thousands of people were trapped, because these downed bridges prevented escape.  As we arrive in the Quang Tri City area, we visit La Vang Basilica (site of a 1798 appearance of the Blessed Virgin).  Returning to Highway 1 we stop at Long Hung Church, a Catholic Church in which ARVN troops sought refuge during the Easter Offensive invasion from the North and in which NVA troops sought refuge as they retreated during the ARVN counterattack.  The church has been left as it stood after the battle, with scars from grenades, rockets, and bullets.  We also visit Bo De School, which provides a shocking and violent reality of the 'Battle of 81 Days and Nights' for the city and its Citadel.  The battle is infamous for the huge amount of ordnance fired by both ARVN and NVA forces.  We turn north again and cross the Quang Tri Bridge and stop at the Ai Tu Airfield (Quang Tri Airbase).  After a visit to the Lew Puller School, we walk across the Dong Ha Bridge (destroyed by Marine Capt. John Ripley which stopped the initial NVA advance in 1972).  Re-boarding our motorcoach, we travel east on the north side of the Song Bo Dieu and Song Cua Viet, passing the village of Dai Do, the site of the Battle of Dong Ha fought by The Magnificent Bastards of 2/4 in May 1968.  We continue east, and then north on the new beach road north along the Tonkin Gulf.  We then cross the Song Ben Hai (this river was the only true physical demarcation between the North and the South).  Now in North Vietnam, we explore the tunnel complex in the artillery village of Vinh Moc.  The Vinh Moc Tunnels are an incredible complex of tunnels that were dug by local people to evade the constant U.S. counter-battery bombing of the area.  The tunnels include kitchens, wells, and a 'hospital,' as well as living quarters for roughly 60 families.  The tunnels, which are at a depth of 30m saved many villagers' lives, and are still in very good condition.  After lunch on a Tonkin Gulf beach, we head west and south, crossing the Hien Luong Bridge (also known as the Peace Bridge) on foot.  Back in South Vietnam, we proceed to FSB Gio Linh (Forward) which overlooks the DMZ from the Republic side.  We then pass through Alpha-3 and visit the U.S. Marine base at Alpha-4, better known as Con Thien (the Hill of Angels).  A-4 was the western anchor of the McNamara Line. Crossing 2/4's Bastard's Bridge (aka The Washout), we pass both Charlie-2 and Charlie-3 before stopping for photos at Cam Lo Bridge.  We then return on Route 9 to Dong Ha.  Today we have traversed the four quadrants of Leatherneck Square: Dong Ha, Gio Linh, Con Thien, and Cam Lo.

Meals: B/L/D

 
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Day 13: (Friday, 16 February, 2018) – Hue  - OR -  Dong Ha to Hue

     GROUP 1: Hue

Today is a free day to explore on our own, or shop, or relax.  Lunch is on your own, but tonight all hands are required at our very special Farewell Dinner.

Meals: B/_/D

 
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     GROUP 2: Dong Ha to Hue

This morning we head west on Route 9 (the main U.S. supply route from the coast to Khe Sanh).  Our first stop is Camp Carroll, (the joint-forces artillery plateau).  Crossing the Khe Gia Bridge, we stop at the Rockpile where we gear up and hike to the northeast side of the Razorback.  Back on Route 9 we come upon other sites that were of military importance during the war, including Vandergrift Combat Base (LZ Stud), where we hike to the airstrip.  Passing through Ca Lu and crossing the Hairpin we enter Khe Sanh Village, where we stop for lunch.  Next we venture north to Khe Sanh Combat Base where we spend ample time exploring.  Khe Sanh Combat Base was originally a U.S. jungle outpost close to the border with Laos.  It grew into a major military combat base and airstrip under LBJ and was the scene of a 77-day siege in 1968, as well as many vicious hill battles in 1967-68.  Our last stop is Lang Vei Special Forces Camp, overrun in the first-ever NVA tank assault.  Co Roc Mountain soars to the heavens just across the Laotian border.  We then return to Hue City via Route 9 and Highway 1.  Tonight, we enjoy our very special Farewell Dinner.

Meals: B/L/D

 
Class II Tour Day - Click for more information.

Day 14: (Saturday, 17 February, 2018) – Hue to Ha Noi

After a leisurely breakfast and a free morning, we bid Hue goodbye and head to Phu Bai Airfield for our early afternoon flight back to Ha Noi.  In Ha Noi, we prepare for the journey home, relax, or imbibe with last-minute shopping on our own.  Tonight, we enjoy a visit (mission permitting) to the Marine House, home of the U.S. Marine Corps Security Guard responsible for the protection of the U.S. Ambassador and the American Embassy.

Meals: B/_/D

 
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Day 15: (Sunday, 18 February, 2017) – Departure

For those opting for one of our fabulous post tours, your day begins as we bid our new friends a happy journey home.  After breakfast, those heading home transfer to Noi Bai Airfield for our flight to Taipei.  Departing from Taipei, we gain a day enroute to the continental United States by re-crossing the International Dateline, arriving in Houston at approximately 11:00 p.m. this same day.

Meals: B/L/D (in flight)

 
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Tour Pricing Information

Tour Price: $3,595.00 / Per Person is based upon Double Occupancy (2 people per room)
Single Supplement is $598.00

Ground Only Price: $2,600.00 / 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.

Why choose Vietnam Battlefield Tours?

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).

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