EDUCATIONAL and CULTURAL TOURS

TTA 183 WEA Travel T (08) 8223 1272 ● F (08) 8232 3690 ● E tours@wea-sa.com.au

www.wea-sa.com.au 223 Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000

E.&.O.E.

Day 13 Sunday 9th January In the morning you visit the Saigon Central Mosque. The mosque was built in 1935 on the site of an earlier structure and was constructed by South Indian Muslims for worship. It is an island of calm in the middle of the bustling Dong Khoi area of the city. You continue your tour with a visit to My Tho, a prosperous town on the Mekong Delta. My Tho received a terrible bombardment in the Vietnam War and today there is still evidence of the devastation wreaked by the war. You will cruise along the Mekong River to the Thoi Son Isles with their fruit gardens, banana plantations and fishing collectives based along the shores. A highlight of the day will be a visit to the Dong Tam snake farm. The snake farm produced anti-venom as well as snake skin and snake meat. Overnight Ho Chi Min City Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

Day 14 Monday 10th January

This will be your last day in Vietnam and you will have time to do some last minute sightseeing or perhaps a little bargain hunting in the shops and markets before the lunch time pick-up to take you to the airport for your flight back to Adelaide via Kuala Lumpar. Breakfast ● Meals in-flight Overnight in-flight

Day 15 Tuesday 11th January

Early morning arrival into Adelaide Inter-national Airport and end of the tour. Meals in-flight

...enriching lives through cultural exchange

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TTA183

Daryl-Davis

V ietnam really is the jewel of Asia. Observe the ancient influence and traditions of Buddhism with its strong ritualised belief systems, its reverence to the past all intertwined with the wonderful landscape. Be astounded at the natural

beauty of Ha Long Bay and its many islands, Cloud Pass—the highest pass in Vietnam and explore the Mekong Delta by boat. Discover the architectural beauty of temples, opulent palaces, Royal Tombs and stunning pagodas in this timeless land. Vietnam is a wonderful contrast of beautiful scenic countryside and bustling cities with colourful markets filled with cyclos rushing around with their myriad of cargoes. Join us on this fully escorted tour to one of Asia’s true gems. Tour Leader:

Clark Ross is an experienced Educator with a passion for the history, culture and way of life of people from other countries. He has lived and worked overseas and has travelled extensively. As a tour leader for the WEA he has experience with groups travelling to Vietnam. Tour Includes: Air transport Adelaide to Adelaide ● Hotel accommodation ● All meals ● Fully escorted visits ● Entrance fees to all attractions on tour ● Services of an expert local guide ● Boat cruise Ha Long Bay ● Dragon Boat cruise on Perfume River ● River boat cruise on Mekong Delta ● Water Puppet Theatre

$3670 Based on twin share + Airline taxes.

Single Supplement $420 Balance due: 25th October 2010

Hanoi ● Ha Long Bay ● Hue ● Hoi An Ho Chi Min City

Day 1 Tuesday 28th December

Depart Adelaide International Airport for your flight to Kuala Lumpar. Overnight stay in a hotel close to the airport. Meals in flight ● Breakfast Overnight Kuala Lumpar

Day 5 Saturday 1st January Day 4 Friday 31st December

Day 3 Thursday 30th December

Day 2 Wednesday 29th December

You take a morning flight to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Time to relax before an afternoon cyclo tour of the Old Quarter. You begin to explore this beautiful city with its French colonial building and engage with the hospitable and friendly people of Vietnam. Overnight Hanoi In flight meal ● Dinner

This morning you travel northeast to the beautiful Ha Long Bay, along the way stopping at Hai Pong, the third largest city and the first commercial seaport in Vietnam . Here you can see the 300 year old Du Hang Pagods and the Hong Ngoc workshop, fish and flower markets before continuing to Ha Long Bay. Overnight Ha Long Bay Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

Today will one of the highlights of your tour, a boat trip through Ha Long Bay cruising through some of the 1964 islets of this unique aquatic terrain. Vegetation is sparse and what manages to grow on the islets has twisted into odd and fascinating shapes. You will enjoy seeing the grottoes and beautiful little beaches of these volcanic islands. After lunch on board the boat you make your way back to the coach and head back to Hanoi stopping off at Dong Trieu pottery and ceramics village. In the evening you will be attending the famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, a traditional performance which depicts scenes from everyday life in Vietnam. Overnight Hanoi Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

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This morning you travel to Thay Pagoda , which is the home of the art of water puppetry. Here you can see a wonderful collection of Buddhist statues, some dating back to the 12th and 13th. We continue on to Hoa Binh and visit the Muong ethnic people in Giang Mo Village. On the return trip to Hanoi you will visit Van Phuc, a traditional silk weaving village. Overnight Hanoi Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

Day 6 Sunday 2nd January

Your tour today will take you to the main sites of Hanoi, including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum. His peaceful House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the beautiful Tran Quoc Pagoda on the shore of West Lake, Quan Thanh temple and the Van Mieu (Temple of Literature). Your tour will end at Ho Hoan Kiem (Restored Sword Lake), which is located in the heart of the old town of Hanoi and provides the city with quiet and peaceful places to relax under the lovely willows and brilliant flame trees. Northward of the Lake you can wander through the commercial area comprised

of the thirty six lanes of the Old Quarter and the crowded, covered Dong Xuan Market. Each street was traditionally dedicated to a particular craft or trade with temples to the patron saint of each Guild. South of the Lake is the Opera House and the Historical Museum, which contain ancient bronze objects and ceramics from the Ly and Tran Dynasties. Overnight Hanoi Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

Day 7 Monday 3rd January

An early morning flight from Hanoi to Hue, the capital of Vietnam from 1687 to 1945. Hue is noted for its magnificent architecture of citadels, palaces, royal tombs, pagodas and temples. Following a late lunch you visit the Royal Palace and the lively Dong Ba markets on the northern river bank. Overnight Hue Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

Day 8 Tuesday 4th January

Today you take a delightful Dragon Boat cruise along the Perfume River. You stop to see the pagoda of Thien Mu (Heavenly Lady or Elderly Goddess) with its seven tiers surrounded by beautiful lush gardens. You also visit the tomb of King Minh Mang, famous for the 500 wives he accumulated during his reign. In the afternoon you cross to the northern side of the river to the Royal Citadel, an enclosed city of two square miles. Within the walls is another small city and, almost like a Russian doll, within this Imperial city is the Forbidden Purple City and the living quarters of the Emperor’s family. In this complex lie the tombs of Emperor Tu Doc and Khai Dinh a unique combination of a Vietnamese and French style mausoleum. Overnight Hue Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

Day 12 Saturday 8th January

Day 9 Wednesday 5th January

This morning the coach takes you through some of the most scenic areas in Vietnam. If weather permits you will stop at Cloud Pass, one of the highest passes in the country, also visit Lang Co Beach as you

Day 10 Thursday 6th January

Another full day as you travel to the archaeological site of the holy centre of Cham culture, My Son, a sacred hollow encircled by rugged mountains. Unfortunately the site was damaged during the Vietnam (American) War. Following lunch you will explore the historic town of Hoi An on foot, visiting the Fujian Congregation Hall, the 400 year old Japanese covered bridge, the Hoi An Museum and one of the old houses-know as tunnel houses. There will be an opportunity to visit the colourful riverfront markets to find a bargain or two. Overnight Hoi An Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

Day 11 Friday 7th January An early start to the day as we make our way back to Da Nang for our flight to Ho Chi Min City (Saigon). This rapidly changing city of 7.5 million people is the home of the Historical Museum and Botanical Gardens. Built in 1928 the museum houses a wide range of and artefacts from pre-historic times up to the 1930’s and the formation of the

Communist Party. You will now visit the Presidential Reunification Palace which stands on the site of the earlier French Governor’s residence. The present building was re-built after being bombed by the Viet Cong in February 1962. You also visit the War Relics Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, historic Post Office building, Xa Lio Buddhist pagoda and Mariaman Hindu Temple. Overnight Ho Chi Min City Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

Today you drive to Tay Ninh in the centre of the Cao-Dai region. Tay Ninh combines elements of Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism. At noon you can see the worshipers in their long white tunics attending mass. You continue in to Cu Chi to see the amazing underground complex of tunnels used by the Communist Guerrillas for more than 10 years during the Vietnam War. There are over 200 kms of tunnels which comprise of a main axis system with many branches connected to underground hideouts, shelters and other tunnels. If you wish you may descend the tunnels to explore them for yourself. Overnight Ho Chi Min City Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

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journey on to Da Nang. Since the 19th century Da Nang has been an important port in central Vietnam, it is surrounded by mountains, rivers and beautiful beaches. The scenery is spectacular. Next we visit the Marble Mountains and the famed Non Nuoc stone carving pottery and village. Finally we arrive at Hoi An, a World Cultural Heritage site, famous for its complex of long standing architectural constructions and one of the most prosperous ports in the 15th century. Overnight Hoi An Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner