Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours | Tours - Vietnam Remembrance Tour

Vietnam Comemmoration Tour
8 Nights 14-22 August 2009 $2250*

Commemorate Vietnam Veteran's Day by visiting the Australian battlefields of the Vietnam War. Highlight of the tour is a moving remembrance service at the Long Tan Memorial Cross on the 43rd anniversary of that famous battle. Escorted by Gary McKay, a Vietnam veteran who was badly wounded and decorated for bravery during Australia's last major battle of the war.

DAY 1 14 AUGUST (HO CHI MINH CITY)

After checking in to your hotel and freshening up, meet your war historian, Gary McKay, and a local guide for a short orientation walk of the area around your mid-city hotel. This evening will be a group welcome dinner in a local restaurant. (D)

DAY 2 15 AUGUST(SAIGON CITY TOUR)

Visit the former Presidential Palace where you will receive a briefing on the Australian headquarters system and liaison with Vietnamese and American headquarters during the war, then off to the War Remnants Museum, the Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Binh Tay market area of Cholon. Visit Father Tam's Catholic Church where President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother hid themselves in 1963 before being taken and executed, and finish the day at the renowned Ben Thanh markets. (B)

DAY 3 16 AUGUST (SAIGON-CHU CHI TUNNELS)

Today we travel to Cu Chi to visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels where Australians first operated in the Iron Triangle in 1965. A battlefield brief will be given on the bus enroute to Cu Chi and cover Operation Crimp that Australians were involved in 1965. After visiting the Dien Ben Duoc temple at Cu Chi we have lunch at a nearby floating restaurant. (If you wish to enter the temple, please wear long shirts and long trousers.) The return trip from Cu Chi will be by boat down the Saigon River to the city. (B, L, D)

DAY 4 17 AUGUST (SAIGON-VUNG TAU)

After checking out of our hotel we will travel down the Saigon River by hydrofoil to the seaside resort town of Vung Tau and the former site of the 1st Australian Logistic Support Group (1 ALSG). After booking into our hotel and freshening up we will enjoy an orientation tour of the town including the former 1 ALSG base area, and former Peter Badcoe Club site and the 'Flags' area. Visit the Front and Back beach areas and take a dip in the South China Sea (weather permitting). During this orientation tour a brief will be delivered on the area and its relevance to Australian operations and the role of 9 and 35 Squadron RAAF and the RAN clearance diver teams. After dinner you will receive a detailed battle brief on the battle of Long Tan. (B, L)

DAY 5 18 AUGUST VIETNAM VETERAN'S DAY (VUNG TAU-BARIA-NUI DAT-LONG TAN-HORSESHOE)

A very special day! Today we travel to the former Phuoc Tuy Province and area of operations for the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) via Baria and visit the former task force base area. The area is still a military reserve in parts and some areas may be restricted to visitors. Gary will give a brief on 1 ATF operations that were conducted from the base and how it was developed and protected. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed at Long Phuoc tunnels. After lunch, we drive to the battlefield at Long Tan and conduct a Remembrance Service at the Long Tan Cross memorial site at approximately 3pm, the hour the battle began 43 years ago. After the service we return to Vung Tau via the Horseshoe fire support base site, which unfortunately is off limits due to commercial quarrying. Our afternoon is free after returning to Vung Tau. This evening after dinner Gary will deliver a brief on the battle of Binh Ba. (B, L)

DAY 6 19 AUGUST (VUNG TAU-LONG HAIS-VUNG TAU)

This morning we travel around the South China Sea coast to visit the former Minh Dam Secret Zone and meet a former Viet Cong officer. We climb to the apex of the Long Hai Hills and take in spectacular views of the area and visit the local museum in the former Viet Cong sanctuary. Returning to Vung Tau we travel through the former area of operations, visit the site of the battle of Ap My An near Lang Phuoc Hai that occurred during Operation Bribie in February 1967. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 20 AUGUST (VUNG TAU-BINH BA-NUI LE-BIEN HOA)

After checking out of our hotel we visit the scene of the battle of Binh Ba. After a picnic lunch we travel north to the area of the Courtenay rubber plantation and the scene of the Battle of Nui Le, Australia's last major action of the war. Gary will give a battle site briefing at Nui Le, the action where he was wounded and was awarded the Military Cross. We then travel to the city of Bien Hoa northeast of Saigon, where the first Australian battalion lived in 1965-66. (B, L)

DAY 8 21 AUGUST (BIEN-HOA-FSB CORAL AND BALMORAL-SAIGON)

After breakfast we visit the Dong Nai Museum in Bien Hoa and see the original Long Tan memorial cross. We travel west from Bien Hoa to visit the site of Australia's largest battles during 1968 at Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral during Operation Toan Thang in May 1968. Battle briefings will be given enroute in the bus. Lunch will be in a local cafe. Following the battle site visit at Coral/Balmoral we return to Ho Chi Minh City and check into our hotel. This evening we enjoy a farewell dinner. (B, L, D)

DAY 9 22 AUGUST (HO CHI MINH CITY)

Sadly our tour ends this morning after breakfast. (B)

* Per person, twin share, land only