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TOP trip participants await their flight
and
big adventure in the Los Angeles International Terminal.
The following itineraries are typical of many trips. Each trip is different, due to the unique needs of each group and individual participants. Some trips are more advanced than others, based on trip member's past travel experience with TOP. However, the itineraries illustrate the concept of what trips may be like.
We refer to your first TOP trip as "101" or Vietnam 101–like college level courses, such as English 101. Those who are repeat traveler's with TOP are eligible to apply for more advanced trips for past-participants. Advanced trips are called "202 trips," "303" for a third trip, etc. As with college courses, each trip changes and in some ways becomes a little rougher, and in other ways easier. Most experiences and geographic locales on advanced trips are different from 101 trips; however, the TOP mission remains the same.
Title: 101 Sample Trip Itinerary
HO CHI MINH CITY – DALAT – NHA TRANG – PLEIKU – QUI NHON --
QUANG NGAI – HOI AN – LANG CO – HUE – HO CHI MINH CITYDay 1, ARRIVE HO CHI MINH CITY
Airport pick-up and transfer to hotel.
· Lunch at local restaurant.
· Afternoon humanitarian project at a children’s school for the visually impaired,
and massage from students.
· Dinner at a local Vietnamese Restaurant.
· Group.
· Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
· E-mail opportunity (may be brief; best use e-mail in the hotel restaurant).
· Laundry opportunity.Day 2, HO CHI MINH CITY
Early morning visit to the wartime guerrilla stronghold of Cu Chi tunnels.
· Drive to Tay Ninh province to visit Nui Ba Den Mountain battlefield site.
· Lunch at a local restaurant in Tay Ninh province.
· Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.
· Group.
· Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
· E-mail opportunity (may be brief—long day).
· Laundry opportunity.Day 3, HO CHI MINH CITY TO DALAT
This morning travel by bus across the Central Highlands to Dalat.
· On the way, stop for humanitarian project at the Leprosy village.
· Pass La Nga Lake’s fish farm & tea / coffee plantations enroute.
· After dinner—local tribe performs dancing and music.
· Group.
· Overnight in Dalat.
· E-mail opportunity in and near hotel.
· Best buy location: Coffee and tea (near Bao Loc); embroidery, ethnic goods
(fabric, purses and clothing).Day 4, DALAT TO NHA TRANG
Visit a mentally challenged children’s school and administer humanitarian work.
· Travel down the Ngoan Muc Pass and along Highway 1 to Nha Trang.
· Explore The Centuries Old Poklong Giarai Cham Tower enroute.
· Picnic Lunch at Cham Towers.
· Late afternoon beach relaxation before discovering Nha Trang’s lively restaurant
and nightlife scene.
· Dinner at local barbecue seafood restaurant.
· Group.
· E-mail opportunity in hotel and throughout Nha Trang.Day 5, NHA TRANG
· Free day to explore one of the most beautiful seaside cities in Viet Nam.
(Including white Buddha, Dam market, Ponagar Cham Towers.)
· Optional tour to cruise around Nha Trang’s offshore islands and snorkel, visit
the Chinese doctor, or enjoy a TOP
favorite—the mud baths.
· Lunch at a local restaurant on the beach.
· Two humanitarian projects to help street children’s shelters.
· Dinner at restaurant with music performance.
· Group.
· Overnight in Nha Trang.
· E-mail opportunity in hotel and throughout Nha Trang.
· Laundry opportunity.Day 6, Nha Trang TO PLEIKU
· Early morning start to Central Highlands of Vietnam.
· Stop to visit an ethnic village for a humanitarian project.
· Lunch on the way.
· Group.
· Overnight in Pleiku.Day 7, PLEIKU TO QUI NHON VIA DAK TO
· Drive to battlefield sites near Kontum, and Dak To. Stop at the village of
Tanh Canh on the way.
· Make our way to coastal Qui Nhon via An Khe and the An Khe Pass.
· Group.
· Overnight near the beach at Qui Nhon.
· E-mail opportunity.Day 8, QUI NHON TO QUANG NGAI VIA BONG SON
· Early morning start for the drive to Binh Dinh to visit a battlefield site near Bong Son.
· Lunch at a local restaurant along the way.
· Drive north to Quang Ngai.
· Group.
· Overnight in Quang Ngai.Day 9, QUANG NGAI TO HOI AN
· Morning to visit My Lai massacre. Visit with My Lai survivors.
· Lunch along the way.
· Arrive Hoi An after lunch.
· Conduct a humanitarian project at a nursing home.
· Cooking class followed by dinner with former NVA soldier as dinner guest.
· Group.
· Overnight in Hoi An.
· E-mail opportunity.
· Laundry opportunity.
· Best buy location: Tailored clothes, silks and art.Day 10, HOI AN TO LANG CO
· A late start to Lang Co, with battlefield visits enroute, via Marble Mountain, China beach,
Red Beach and Hai Van pass.
· A picnic lunch at China beach.
· Afternoon free at leisure.
· Dinner at Lang Co.
· Group on beach.
· Overnight in Lang Co.
· E-mail opportunity.
· Best buy location at Marble Mountain: Marble products.Day 11, LANG CO TO HUE
· After breakfast depart for the former Imperial capital of Vietnam - Hue.
· Serve lunch for Hue street children charity project.
· Vegetarian lunch at a pagoda.
· Visit the city's imposing Citadel and Forbidden Purple Palace.
· Dinner at a local restaurant.
· Group.
· Overnight in Hue.
· E-mail opportunity.
· Laundry opportunity.
· Best buy location: Silk paintings and conical hats.Day 12, HUE – DMZ – A SHAU
· Early start for the drive to the former DMZ to visit Quang Tri, the Rockpile,
Dakrong Bridge, Khe Sanh, Ho Chi Minh Trail, and A Shau Valley.
· Picnic lunch will be served on the way.
· Conduct humanitarian project in village near Khe Sanh.
· Humanitarian project, and special meal served by TOP at an orphanage.
· Dinner on a boat with traditional Royal music performance.
· Group.
· Overnight in Hue.
· E-mail opportunity.
· Laundry opportunity.Day 13, HUE - FLY TO HO CHI MINH CITY
· Transfer to the airport for the flight to Saigon. On arrival, transfer to hotel.
· Visit lacquerware factory for souvenirs.
· Lunch at restaurant famous for specializing in Pho noodle soup.
· Dinner in a local Vietnamese home followed by singing at a local karaoke.
· No group.
· E-mail opportunity.
· Best buy location: Lacquerware and wood products.Day 14, DEPART HO CHI MINH CITY
· This morning transfer to the airport in time to catch flight at 12:45 PM.
101st Airborne Veteran and former Viet Cong.Title: 202 Sample Trip Itinerary
HANOI – HALONG BAY – MAI CHAU – HUE – LANG CO – HOI AN –
QUI NHON – NHA TRANG – DALAT – HO CHI MINH CITY
Day 1, ARRIVE HANOI
· Airport pick-up @ 10.00 am and transfer to hotel.
· Lunch at a restaurant where disadvantaged youth are trained
for placement in the hospitality industry.
· Optional--Afternoon city tour.
· Dinner at a local Vietnamese Restaurant.
· Group.
· Overnight in Hanoi.Day 2, HANOI TO HALONG BAY
· Depart Hanoi for the drive to the bayside town of Bai Chay.
· Board your boat, put your bags in your cabin and begin a memorable
cruise through the remarkable limestone formations of Halong Bay.
· Local seafood lunch served on board.
· Opportunities for swimming and visiting one of Halong Bay’s many limestone grottoes.
· Watch the sunset over Halong Bay whilst your crew prepare tonight’s dinner.
· Group.
· Overnight on boat.
Showers are communal.Day 3, HALONG BAY TO HANOI
· After breakfast, continue sightseeing and cruising Halong Bay before returning to port and driving back to Hanoi.
· This evening enjoy a performance of Hanoi’s famed water puppets.
· Group.
· Overnight in Hanoi.Day 4, HANOI TO MAI CHAU
· Early departure for Hoa Binh province where we will trek through H’mong & Thai villages
seeing the way of life for the local hilltribe minorities before continuing on to Mai Chau.
· Overnight in a Thai minority long house*.
· Group.
*Mattress, blanket and mosquito net supplied.Day 5, MAI CHAU TO HUE
· We awaken early with the hilltribe family for breakfast before returning to Hanoi in
time to catch the overnight sleeper train to Hue.
· Overnight on train.Day 6, HUE
· On arrival at Hue railway station transfer to our hotel to freshen up before beginning
an optional city tour of this former Imperial capital of Vietnam.
· Optional--Tour of the city’s imposing Citadel inside which is the Forbidden Purple Palace.
· Lunch with the street children of Hue.
· Wheelchair humanitarian project: This afternoon meet with vocational school for the
disabled and orphans. Ceremony presentation of wheelchairs specially made for disabled
young people by TOP, as well as administer medical care to those who need it.
· Dinner at restaurant.
· Group.
· Overnight in Hue.Day 7, HUE TO LANG CO BEACH
· This morning drive to Lang Co Beach where you will have a day of leisure.
· Night group meeting.
· Overnight at Lang Co Beach.Day 8, LANG CO BEACH TO HOI AN
· This morning drive over the spectacular Hai Van Pass to Danang before
continuing to Hoi An.
· This afternoon we visit a nursing home, provide medical assistance and care, as
well as distribute necessities.
· Group.
· Overnight in Hoi An.Day 9, HOI AN TO QUI NHON
· This morning we begin our drive south along Highway 1 to Quang Ngai, then on
to Qui Nhon to visit an orphanage. Provide humanitarian necessities and medical help.
· Group.
· Overnight in Qui Nhon.Day 10, QUI NHON TO NHA TRANG
· We continue our drive south on Highway 1 to Nha Trang. Former battlefield
stop at Tuy Hoa enroute.
· Afternoon at leisure.
· Group.
· Overnight in Nha Trang.Day 11, NHA TRANG TO DALAT
· This morning we drive past Cam Ranh Bay to Phan Rang where we stretch, take
a break, and visit the centuries old Po Klong Garai Cham Towers en route to Dalat.
· Optional--Mud baths.
· Afternoon at leisure.
· Overnight in Dalat.
· Group.
· Ethnic mountain villagers join TOP and perform their ceremonies, music and dancing.Day 12, DALAT
· This morning we conduct charity work and provide medical aid at a disabled orphanage.
The remainder of the day is free to enjoy the sights of this cooler central highland city.
· Optional—Motor-scooter the streets and back areas of Dalat.
· Group.
· Overnight in Dalat.Day 13, DALAT TO HO CHI MINH CITY
· This morning leave behind the cool climate of the central highlands for a drive past
tea & coffee plantations to Bao Loc. Continue past rubber plantations and stop to
photograph the Lake La Nga houseboat fish farms before arriving at Ho Chi Minh City
late afternoon.
· Special dinner at a Vietnamese home, and a little karaoke—then you’re on your own for
a night on the town.
· Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.Day 14, DEPART HO CHI MINH CITY
· This morning we will be transferred to the airport in time to catch our flight.
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Veterans
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Phone: 520-326-0901
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