ANZAC DAY TOUR

ANZAC Memorial tour Vietnam April 24-8 May 2014. Special 14 day tour includes dawn ANZAC service at historic Long Tan A motorcycle adventure thru stunning Vietnam and the areas where Australian, New Zealand and American troops fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the 20th century. This is a fully catered tour including all meals, accommodation, motorcycles, fuels, tolls, museum entries, experienced guides, support vehicle and refreshments. Also includes domestic flights from HCMC to Nha Trang and from end point Hue to HCMC or Hanoi option. Guest Guide is TV host and motorcycle adventurer Benwah from Blokesworld ! All inclusive price just $3490 Contact Tour Consultant Ben asap for more details and bookings on +61 429909778 or email info@vietnammotorbiketours.com www.vietnammotorbiketours .com ----------------------------------------------------------------- April 24 day 1 Ho Chi Minh City to Long Tan We will be leaving old Saigon after lunch for the short private bus ride down to Long Tan, offering plenty of time in the morning to visit the famous Ben Tan markets and marvel at the crazy HCMC traffic! In the afternoon we check out the local way of life in Long Tan before relaxing in our hotel for the evening. April 25 day 2 Long Tan - HCMC - Nha Trang Up early for the Anzac dawn service at Long Tan, a long held tradition here as many Aussie / New Zealand regiments were stationed here and fought in the bloody battle of Long Tan in 1968. Back to the hotel for a hearty breakfast then a visit to the war museum. Afterwards we depart for our early evening flight to the gateway to the central highlands, Nha Trang. April 26 day 3 Coastal Nha Trang loop After a quick riders briefing you can familiarize yourself with the motorcycle and the Vietnamese

style of negotiating the traffic with a leisurely cruise along the beautiful coast of Nha trang down to a stunning stretch of sand called Long Beach. Here we stop for some swimming and even some surfing if your keen, before a cracker of a fresh seafood lunch Vietnam style! Then it's back to Nha trang for cold beers and a group dinner at the stylish 'sailing club' on the sublime Nha Trang coastline. April 27 day 4 NhaTrang to Dalat

     

 

Welcome to your first taste of the REAL Vietnam and the type of terrain upon which so many battles were fought. This mountainous region with it's cooler climate was a place of respite for commanders and war correspondents alike who were fortunate enough to escape the front lines. Whilst many strategies were devised here Dalat was largely untouched by fighting however it was home to the National Millitary Academy of Vietnam from 1950 to 1975. In 1970 a young Vietnamese graduate become the first to be accepted to the famous US Westpoint Academy. April 28 day 5 Dalat to Lak lake Through some astonishing countryside we make our way into the regions of the minority peoples and some of the 44 different ethnic tribes which inhabit the area in much the same way as they have always done. These peoples have long been subject to much persecution from the communist regime due to their willingness to assist the American and Australian troops during the conflict. Traditional fishing and crop growing continues in and around the beautiful shimmering lake upon which we will be staying in roomy and comfy bungalows. At night enjoy a traditional dance and story telling by the local Hmong tribe along with a little rice wine ! April 29 day 6 Lak lake to Buon Me Thout Here we head into the Dak Nong province which was the scene of many conflicts and heavy bombing by US Airforces. Due to it's close proximity to the Cambodian border it was used as a logistics and recruiting base by the VC, after stopping at the impressive Dray Sap waterfalls for a refreshing swim, we continue on the Ho Chi Minh road into Buon Me Thout. April 30 day 7 Buon Me Thout to Kontum Via Pleiku Leaving BMT via the Ho chi Minh road we make our way toward the unassuming town of Pleiku, whose significance is almost without parallel in Vietnam war annals . American forces were up until 1965 in , officially, a non combat role. After the VC shelled a compound here killing eight US soldiers the then president Johnston ordered a significant build up of troops and the green light to engage a mass bombing of North Vietnamese troops. On the nearby " road of tears" some 30 000 locals were killed as they tried to flee toward the coastline by the VC and VN armies. History started here. The Gia Lai museum contains a pictorial of events relating to the war and the local hill tribes. May 1 day 8 Kontum to Kam Duc Via Dak To Some truly incredible riding along the infamous Ho Chi Minh trail, history speaks to you with every bend you negotiate, every mountain you climb, every peak you crest. Not long out of Kontum we detour to a poignant war memorial in Dak To, an area where more bombs were dropped than in all of world war 2, on display are Russian and Chinese built tanks and a story of how the ethnic villagers were caught up in the bloody battles. May 2 day 9 Kam Duc to Hamburger Hill

     

 

Crossing over the awesome Bach Ma range en route to our accommodation in Aluoi this is very fine riding and well clear of the well worn tourist trails. Late in the day we will encounter the site of hill 937, better known as Hamburger Hill for the fact that American Airbourne troops who were ordered to make frontal assault on the mountain were chewed up like hamburgers. Dealing with unbearably thick scrub, bamboo, lousy weather and the fact this locale was of little strategic value, the public was outraged by the many US soldiers killed here at the hands of the Vietnamese Peoples army until on may 29, 1969, Airbourne troops took control. May 3 day 10 Hamburger Hill to Khe Sanh For anyone stationed at or near the Khe Sanh combat base in the years 1967-68 the threat of the PAVN was ever present and it still puts a shiver up your spine just to hear the name, Khe Sanh . There is a large monument in town which celebrates the bravery of the armies from the north, however their casualties were over 10 times that of the US FORCES in the battle to control route 9. A good spot to pay your respects to the men and women of both armies. May 5 day 11 Khe Sanh to Phong Na After visiting the war museum, the original site of the US combat base with visible evidence of runways, a chinook and C130 and other artifacts on display, just outside of Khe Sanh, we enter the seldom used Western Ho Chi Minh trail. This countryside will truly astonish you and the thought of having to fight amongst this terrain will truly humble you. The riding on this our longest stretch is the very best in Vietnam, maybe anywhere! Turn after turn, elevation changes,

temperature changes and breathtaking views, tiny viliages who rarely see any outsiders, you will never forget this day or the sheer ferocity and difficulty of the countryside our brothers fought in. May 6 day 12 Phong Nha caves These caves were another secret supply line for the northern forces, when the river is low enough small boats can travel 30km's under ground to beyond the Laos border. A recently discovered cave is so huge it will accommodate the empire

state building standing upright in it's confines! Paradise cave, officially the 2nd largest in the world is our next visit, it's interior would swallow the Sydney Opera house with room to spare! Truly amazing scenery here in Phong Na. Some cold beers and a hearty meal at our riverside hotel will round out a memorable day. May 7 day 13 Phong Na to Vinh Moc This area became the southern most border town in 1954 when in Geneva the french and vietnamese agreed to an armistice and declared a partition along the 17th parallel ( the DMZ ) and

     

 

saw heavy shelling as it was a staging area for the north Vietnamese forces. Also the site of an infamous battle in the gulf of Tonkin where MIG17's and torpedo boats engaged the US navy who were shelling the coastal transit routes to cut supplies from crossing the nearby DMZ. Riding down this same transit route, the eastern Ho Chi Minh road we visit the outdoor war museum before stopping at the legendary Vinh Moc tunnels. Here a whole village of around three hundred people went underground to live and work up to

20metres deep whilst the war raged above. May 8 day 14 Vinh Moc to Hue This area of Dong Ha was wiped off the map in 1972. Once a command centre for the Marine Corps it was defended many times before finally succumbing and blown into oblivion. As we roll on towards Hue we encounter the bullet riddled Long Hung church and what's left of the once great Quang Tri citadel, the sight of a bitter and explosive game of tug'o ' war between north and south. To conclude we arrive in the historical city of Hue,

the only major city in the south to have come under communist command. During this time some 3000 residents were shot or beaten to death for perceived links to the southern war machine and the city was almost flattened in an effort to reclaim it.The Imperial Palace suffered the indignity of being napalmed in an effort to dislodge the VC and northern troops. Hue is the conclusion of this epic adventure, but is itself a good place to spend a few more days visiting temples and royal palaces and such and then only a short flight to Hanoi or HCMC, which is included in your tour package ! For bookings and deposits contact Ben on 0429909778 or email benwah96@yahoo.com.au