After all the preparation your departure day has arrived! Depart Sydney on Vietnam Airlines VN772 at 1015 and arrive into Ho Chi Minh at 16:10. On arrival you are greeted by your guide and driver at Tan Son Nhat International airport for your transfer to the hotel. Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city of Vietnam. It is the bustling economic capital and cultural trendsetter of the country, yet holds the timeless traditions of an ancient culture. If time permits, we will visit Ben Thanh Market, an icon of the city. Stands in the center of District 1, packed to the rafters with everything from fruits to nuts, from tourist kitsch to true bargains, it is a definite must-see. Overnight in Saigon.

Meals:  D

After breakfast you depart Saigon with our first stop en route to the Cu Chi Tunnels will be to visit a family producing rice paper. You share time with the family and then continue to Cu Chi Tunnels. On arrival around mid-morning, your guide will take you first through an introductory video before visiting the relics. During your visit you will see an American tank and numerous bomb craters. The next hour is dedicated to exploring the maze of tunnels and to understand better how the Viet Cong survived in this underground network. We return to Saigon for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the War Remnants Museum, which was previously known as the “Museum of American War Crimes” and contains countless artifacts and photographs documenting said crimes - the killing of civilians, spreading of chemicals, torturing of prisoners, and the effects of the war on the north. Planes, tanks, bombs, and helicopters are displayed. The remainder of the day is at leisure before dinner. Overnight hotel

Meals:  B,L,D

From Saigon head South to Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta, a region famous for its coconut production. We board our motorised boat and travel on the river to see traditional brickwork and how the locals make bricks by hand. We continue to Cai Son canal winding through the coconut jungle where we'll visit a coconut workshop and have a look stages of coconut processing. We'll continue on a small waterway and stop at coconut candy workshop, and witness how local coconut candies are made. We'll get to try some of the sweets, enjoy some fruits and listen to local music as well. We'll alight from our boat and take a short walk to a local farmer's house and see some of the processes of making sleeping mats. We'll hop on a tuktuk through coconut grove, Nhon Thanh – Thuan Dien village, the final stage of our journey will be by rowing boat on shady palm tree canal in Cai Tac pier. Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant by river. We'll return to Chet Say pier and return by bus to Ho Chi Minh. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

Meals:  B,L,D

Option 1: Long Tan Nui Dat in Vung Tau (L) - for History students Today, we leave Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) at 0800 and head to the battle fields of Long Tan. Our first visit is to the Long Phuoc Tunnel, which was the Viet Cong’s base within the area. The tunnel was secretly developed over 27 years, and served as a stronghold from the Resistance war against French colonialists as well as the anti-American Resistance war. After exploring the tunnel of Long Phuoc, we head to the Nui Dat base – which was the base of the 1st Australian Task Force. Take a walk around the Nui Dat base to visit former military landmarks such as, SAS hill, “Luscombe Field” air strip, Luscombe Bowl, the “Kangaroo South Pad” as well as the area known as Pearly gates. After having visited these historic war sites, we continue to the Long Tan Cross – the mark of Long Tan Battle, where we will pay tribute to the martyrs with fresh flowers and listen to stories of this epic battle. The bus will take us back to Saigon in the late afternoon. Option 2: Saigon city tour (L) for French students Today you will explore an alternative path to discover impact of French culture on Saigonese life. You will have a stop to Tan Dinh church, or Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Which has a bright pink tone and was built in a Romanian architectural style. Nestled near the church, you will have an immersion into a pure local market where you will discover several fruits, fishes and vegetables coming from all over Mekong Delta. You will then reach a hidden place… A secret weapon cellar, used during war against French and Americans. Indeed, several civilians used their home to organize the resistance. Into a tiny house, you will learn about the daily life of Saigonese and enjoy a refreshing drink in the home nearby. The cellar and the café are linked by a tunnel, also dug during war. Several devices and furniture from this period are still into the café. For lunch, you will enjoy some tasty specialties from Saigon and Mekong Delta into a restaurant based in a former opium factory used during French occupation to export drugs to Europe. In the afternoon, you will visit the Dragon House Wharf. The harbour is well-known for its unique architecture which combines Vietnamese and French styles. In 1862, the French built this harbour to meet the demand of transportation between the colonized Vietnam and the world. Finally you head to the Fine Art Museum of Ho Chi Minh City. The construction was built in 1929 and completed in 1934. It was designed by Mr. Rivera, a French architect, featuring a harmonious combination of Asian and European architecture. Initially it was a villa for the Hua (Hui Bon Hoa) family – the wealthiest traders in South Vietnam by that time, and the museum moved there in 1987. Groups join together back at the hotel to freshen up before dinner. Overnight hotel, Saigon.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning you visit the Reunification Palace, the former residence of the President of South Vietnam. You visit the “War Room” from where the South Vietnamese forces were controlled, and the room where the North Vietnamese army finally took control in the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. In the late morning you will transfer to the airport for your flight to Phnom Penh (VN920 departing at 15:45, arrive PNH at 16:40) Sua s’dei! Welcome to Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia which was once called "Paris of the East". You are greeted by your guide and driver at Phnom Penh International airport for your transfer to the hotel. Afternoon orientation walk with your Guide and join together for dinner. Overnight 3 star hotel, Phnom Penh.

Meals:  B,L,D

Among the city's prime attractions, you will gain insight into Cambodia's recent history on a visit to the remarkable Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, housed in a former school that was taken over by the Khmer Rouge and used as its main detention and torture centre, named 'S-21'. A grim but important visit that will help you to understand Cambodia better. Then, make this stop to learn more about a dark page in Cambodia’s history, at the Killing Fields memorial site, you can listen to the stories of survivors and pay respects to the countless victims of the Khmer Rouge. Overnight hotel, Phnom Penh

Meals:  B,L,D

Morning at leisure in Phnom Penh for exploring and some last minute shopping. Late morning transfer to the airport for your onwards flight, VN921, departing at 13:50, arrive Ho Chi Minh at around 15:00, Depart Ho Chi Minh on VN773 at 20:45.

Meals:  B

You will arrive in Sydney today at around 08:15 where a warm welcome awaits!

Meals:  Nil