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Vietnam Tour September 2013

This moving tour through the former battlefields of Vietnam gives us the unique opportunity to pay our respects to the more than 500 Australians who were killed during the . Our tour visits the key Australian battlefield sites as well as Singapore, , and more. Our historian on this important journey is author and Vietnam veteran Gary McKay.

DAY 1 SATURDAY, 29 JUNE ʹ SYDNEY TO SINGAPORE Welcome to our tour of the Australian battlefields of the Vietnam War. This afternoon we will board our Singapore Airlines flight to Singapore. We will arrive late evening into Singapore and be met and transferred to our hotel.

DAY 2 SUNDAY, 30 JUNE ʹ SINGAPORE Today we will explore sites associated with the bitter fighting in Singapore in 1942, and the horrendous ordeal of prisoners of war who were captured here. We begin by paying our respects to the Anzacs when we visit Kranji War Cemetery, the burial place of more than 1100 Australian soldiers. Next we will visit the Johore Battery, a gun emplacement that consists of a labyrinth of tunnels used to store ammunition to support three monster guns that could fire 15-inch shells. We will then visit the Changi Museum, dedicated to the memory of thousands of Allied prisoners who died at the hands of the Japanese in this notorious prison camp. Tonight we will enjoy dinner at the Singapore Food Trail, an exciting concept dining attraction which brings back the nostalgic feel and charm of Singapore in the 1960s. (B, L, D)

DAY 3 MONDAY, 1 JULY ʹ SINGAPORE Today we will explore sites from the Battle of Singapore, the heroic but futile defense of the island by vastly outnumbered Allied forces in the Second World War. We will begin our tour with a visit to Reflections at Bukit Chandu, an interpretive centre dedicated to the memory of the Malay who valiantly tried to hold back the Japanese during the 1942 invasion. We will then visit the Battle Box, the former British Command bunker which is now a museum which brings to life the Invasion of Singapore. After lunch we will visit Labrador Park, well known for its WWII relics and bunkers. Next, we will travel to Sentosa Island and visit Fort Siloso. Today, Fort Siloso is SingaƉŽƌĞ͛ƐůĂƌŐĞƐƚŵŝůŝƚĂƌLJ-themed attraction. The original barracks and casemate of the fort still exist. Tonight we will enjoy dinner in our hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 4 TUESDAY, 2 JULY ʹ SINGAPORE After breakfast this morning we will travel along the Upper Changi Road North to Selarang Camp, formerly known as Selarang Barracks. More than 15,000 prisoners-of-ǁĂƌǁĞƌĞƐƋƵĞĞnjĞĚŝŶƚŽƚŚĞĐĂŵƉ͛ƐƉĂƌĂĚĞƐƋƵĂƌĞĂŶĚďĂƌƌĂĐŬƐ͘ We will also visit local schools today. (B, L, D)

DAY 5 WEDNESDAY, 3 JULY ʹ SINGAPORE TO HO CHI MINH CITY This morning we will board our Singapore Airlines flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, we will be met at the airport by our local guide and begin our tour with an orientation of Ho Chi Minh City. A city that never sleeps is home to over eight million inhabitants and four million motor bikes. Despite the well-documented hustle and bustle, Ho Chi Minh retains its connections with the past. After lunch we will head to our hotel to check in and relax before dinner. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 THURSDAY, 4 JULY ʹ HO CHI MINH CITY Today we will enjoy a tour around the city which was formerly known as Saigon. We will visit the former Presidential Palace, War Remnants Museum, Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, Binh Tay market, Father dĂŵ͛Ɛ ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ ŚƵƌĐŚ ;ǁŚĞƌĞ President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother hid themselves before being executed in 1963), and the Ben Thanh markets. Our historian, Gary McKay, will also give us a briefing on the Australian headquarters system and liaison with Vietnamese and American headquarters during the war. Lunch and dinner at local restaurants have been included today. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 FRIDAY, 5 JULY ʹ CU CHI TUNNELS We travel to Cu Chi this morning to visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels where Australians first operated in the in 1965. A battlefield brief will be given on the bus enroute to Cu Chi and cover ϭϵϲϱ͛Ɛ, an action in which Australians played a vital role. After visiting the Dien Ben Duoc temple at Cu Chi we will have lunch at a nearby floating restaurant. The return trip from Cu Chi will be by boat down the Saigon River to the city. Lunch and dinner at local restaurants have been included today. (B, L, D)

DAY 8 SATURDAY, 6 JULY ʹ HO CHI MINH CITY TO VUNG TAU After breakfast this morning depart the hotel and travel by hydrofoil down the Saigon River to the site of the former Australian Logistics Base in Vung Tau. After checking in we will visit the former 1ALSG Base and return to the hotel for lunch. After lunch we will drive north to visit the Task Force base. Little remains of the vast camp except the columns of the main gate. The former runway is now a wide street in the local village and what was the heli-pad is now a soccer field. We will then drive to the battlefield at Long Tan and conduct a Remembrance Service at the Long Tan Cross Memorial site where our service will coincide with the same time of this battle. Your dinner will be served at a local restaurant this evening. (B, L, D)

DAY 9 SUNDAY, 7 JULY ʹ VUNG TAU ʹ LONG HAIS - AP MY AN Today we will drive north through the Australian area of operations and visit the infamous Long Hai Hills where 8 RAR fought and were awarded the Minh Dam streamer as a . Later we will drive along the coast to Ap My An the site of the ferociously fought battle during where the Australians came the closest to being defeated on the field of battle. After lunch we will return to Vung Tau via the coastal townships and see how local fish are prepared. (B, L, D)

DAY 10 MONDAY, 8 JULY ʹ VUNG TAU ʹ HO CHI MINH CITY After an early breakfast we will depart our hotel in Vung Tau and travel through the former area of operations and visit the scene of the . We will travel north to the area of the Courtenay rubber plantation and the area of ƵƐƚƌĂůŝĂ͛Ɛ last major battle at Nui Le (the action in which Gary McKay was wounded and awarded the Military Cross). Lunch will be taken enroute to Ho Chi Minh City and enjoy dinner on arrival. (B, L, D)

DAY 11 TUESDAY, 9 JULY ʹ HO CHI MINH TO HANOI After checking out of our hotel we transfer back to the airport for our flight to Hanoi arriving at midday. After lunch at a local restaurant we will take a cyclo ride around the Old Quarter of Hanoi. After checking into our hotel we will visit the Army Museum and Hoa Lo prison that became known as the Hanoi Hilton during the American War. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

DAY 12 WEDNESDAY, 10 JULY ʹ HANOI We start our day with a visit to the stilt house of Ho Chi Minh, the former Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda, and Hoan Kiem Lake. If time permits we will visit the Ho Chi Minh Museum. During this busy day we will take lunch as a group at the Lotus restaurant in the West Lake district. In the afternoon we will visit a local school. Our farewell dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

DAY 13 THURSDAY, 11 JULY ʹ DEPART HANOI Late checkout has been included today. The day will be at your leisure before we transfer to the airport late afternoon for our overnight Singapore Airlines flight at 6:30pm back to Sydney via Singapore. (B)

DAY 14 FRIDAY, 12 JULY ʹ ARRIVE SYDNEY We arrive back into Sydney at 10:25am. Our journey maybe over but the memories will last a lifetime.