who did the most tours in vietnam

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Did Any Soldiers Serve Throughout the Vietnam War?

I’ve been reading the fictional series Vietnam: Ground Zero written by two Vietnam veterans under the pen name of Eric Helm.

I know in reality, some soldiers served as many as 3 tours in Vietnam. Did any serve the entire war?

Dear Arrow,

Apparently the longest-serving American in the Vietnam War was Robert Lewis Howard, who started his first tour in 1965 with the 101st Airborne Division, and went on to serve with the Special Forces and Military Assistance Command Vietnam/Studies and Observation Group (MACV/SOG), doing a record five tours of duty and becoming one of the most decorated American service men (including the Medal of Honor, after having been nominated for it three times).

http://rlhtribute.com/

There is also a sizeable proportion of soldiers who served longer in Vietnam than Howard, however. Having nowhere else to go, and being lucky enough to survive more than a mere decade of (or more) of combat, these veterans had served in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, the National Liberation Front and the People’s Army of Vietnam.

Jon Guttman Research Director World History www.historynet.com

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Vietnam – The Men With Green Faces

Platoons from SEAL Team ONE and SEAL Team TWO were assigned to a specific operating area in Vietnam, and for the most part operated autonomously. Each SEAL platoon had a mobile support team (MST) boat element assigned. The MSTs were small groups of men specially trained to support SEAL operations. MSTs operated a variety of boats that included the light, medium, and heavy SEAL support craft (LSSC, MSSC, and HSSC, respectively).

By mid-1968 the SEAL Teams were fielding 12-man platoons, each comprising two squads of six men each, and most missions Vietnam were squad-sized operations. Generally four or five platoons at any given time were deployed to South Vietnam. SEAL platoons were never assigned permanently to Vietnam, but were sent on temporary duty assignments; generally for period of about six months time. Many of the men made several tours.

While the majority of SEAL operations were conducted after inserting from boats, it was in Vietnam that SEALs first began developing hit-and-run air-assault tactics using Army and Navy helicopters. Operations involved helicopters in “slick” or passenger configurations, but were also lightly armed with door guns.

The last SEAL platoon departed Vietnam on 7 December 1971. The last SEAL advisors left Vietnam in March 1973. Between 1965 and 1972 there were 46 SEALs killed in Vietnam. They are forever remembered on the Navy SEAL Memorial at the Museum.

Note: Three U.S. Navy SEALs were recipients of the Medal of Honor during Vietnam. They were: Lieutenant Bob Kerrey, Lieutenant Tom Norris, and EM2 Mike Thornton. Mike Thornton was awarded the Medal of Honor for the rescue and exfiltration of Lieutenant Norris under withering fire on the night of 31 October 1972. There is no other recorded instance where two Medal of Honor recipients are known to have been involved in the same combat operation.

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How Colin Powell’s Service in Vietnam Shaped His Leadership

By: Dave Roos

Updated: January 22, 2024 | Original: October 20, 2021

On November 16, 1968, Major Colin Luther Powell was serving his second tour of duty in Vietnam , this time as the assistant Chief of Staff to the commander of the U.S. Army’s 23rd Infantry Division (also called the Americal Division). It was mostly a desk job, but that day Powell was traveling by helicopter with his commanding officer, Major General Charles M. Gettys, to inspect a captured North Vietnamese camp when their chopper clipped a tree during landing and crashed.

Powell broke his ankle in the violent crash, but the injury didn’t prevent him from rushing back into the wreckage again and again to save the lives of Gettys, his chief of staff and one of the pilots. At one point, Powell tore away parts of the flaming wreckage with his bare hands to free a trapped comrade, knowing that the wrecked chopper could explode at any second.

Powell received the Soldier’s Medal for his bravery that day, which added to the Bronze Star and Purple Heart that he also earned during his two tours in Vietnam.

Decades later, Colin Powell would become America’s first Black national security advisor, the nation’s youngest chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first Black Secretary of State. During the Persian Gulf War of 1991, Powell resolved not to repeat the costly mistakes of America’s failed war in Vietnam and executed an overwhelming show of force now known as the Powell Doctrine.

The qualities that later made Powell such an effective military advisor first “blossomed” during his Vietnam service, says Jeffrey J. Matthews, a professor of business and leadership at University of Puget Sound and author of the biography Colin Powell: Imperfect Patriot .

“Powell’s commanders commented consistently about his extreme dedication, his hard work, his commitment, and his competence as both an officer in the field and as a member of a staff,” says Matthews. “If you want to understand Powell’s ultimate prominence, it was because he used those qualities to become a great supporter, subordinate and advisor to very powerful military and civilian leaders.”

Powell's First Tour Advising South Vietnamese Generals

Powell arrived in Vietnam on Christmas Day 1962. It was the early days of U.S. military involvement in the ongoing conflict that pitted the communist North Vietnamese against the pro-Western government of the South.

In an effort to strengthen the South Vietnamese army’s response to the North’s guerilla attacks, President John F. Kennedy sent thousands of “military advisors” to Vietnam from 1961 to 1963. Powell, a 25-year-old Army captain, was among them.

During his year-long tour, Powell was a tactical advisor to three different South Vietnamese army commanders, and he adapted his supporting role to fit each man’s personality, writes Matthews. When the commander was effective, Powell stepped back into soldier mode, often personally leading dangerous counterinsurgency raids. But when one Vietnamese commander lacked rapport with his men, young Powell stepped in to win the confidence of his 400 troops.

“I was supposed to be an advisor, not the leader,” Powell wrote in his 1995 memoir My American Journey . “Nevertheless, the two of us were in quiet collusion. Leadership, like nature, abhors a vacuum. And I had been drawn in to fill the void.”

A loyal and unquestioning soldier, Powell didn’t hesitate to participate alongside the South Vietnamese when they torched enemy villages, killed livestock and burned fields, but he drew the line at corpse mutilation, writes Matthews, banning the practice of cutting off the enemy’s body parts as trophies.

Powell’s first tour was cut short when he stepped on a North Vietnamese booby trap called a punji spike. The sharpened stick was smeared with buffalo excrement to increase the odds of a deadly infection.

“The Special Forces medics cut my boot off, and they could see my foot was purple by then,” Powell later said in an interview. “The spike had gone all the way through, from the bottom to the top, and then come right back out, totally infecting the wound.”

Second Tour and the My Lai Massacre Cover-Up

In between Powell’s first and second tours in Vietnam, the career soldier enrolled in a series of prestigious officer training programs and repeatedly graduated at the top of his class. Powell redeployed to Vietnam in 1968 as a battalion staff officer with the Americal Division stationed in Duc Pho, a Viet Cong stronghold where American soldiers suffered heavy casualties.

Powell quickly impressed his superiors, including Maj. Gen. Gettys. After only three months on the job, Powell was promoted from mostly bureaucratic duties to become Gettys’ interim operations and planning officer, a job typically reserved for the most experienced officers.

“Overnight,” Powell wrote in his memoir, “I went from looking after eight hundred men to planning warfare for nearly eighteen thousand troops, artillery units, aviation battalions, and a fleet of 450 helicopters.”

Powell exhibited bravery and sense of duty during the helicopter rescue in November 1968, but he also showed some rare character flaws during his second tour in Vietnam, says Matthews.

Months before Powell was assigned to the Americal Division, members of the same infantry brigade perpetrated perhaps the most horrific crime against Vietnamese civilians during the entire war. What became known as the My Lai massacre  entailed the murder of more than 500 unarmed civilians—including women, children and infants—in the captured village of My Lai. When rumors began to spread of a possible atrocity committed by U.S. soldiers, the army called for an internal investigation and Powell was one of the officers tasked with looking into the charges.

“This was still early in the Army’s cover up of what happened, but Powell wrote a pretty simple, glossy overview saying that there was no evidence of any kind of massacre,” says Matthews. “He literally said that relations between the American forces and the South Vietnamese people were ‘excellent,’ which was hardly the truth.”

Matthews says that Powell later admitted that his career ambitions and a desire to preserve his reputation as a loyal officer likely influenced his thinking during the war, but he also blamed the atrocities committed by all sides to the awful realities of war.

From 'Vietnam Syndrome' to the Powell Doctrine

More than 58,000 U.S. servicemen died during the decade-long war in Vietnam. Following the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 1973, U.S. military leadership was forced to reassess its decision to intervene in other countries’ civil wars. The consensus that emerged became known as “Vietnam Syndrome,” says Christopher O’Sullivan, a history professor at the University of San Francisco and author of Colin Powell: A Political Biography .

“After Vietnam, the fear was that every deployment would become another Vietnam,” says O’Sullivan. “This had a powerful influence on Caspar Weinberger, Reagan’s Secretary of Defense, who wanted to make the criteria for deploying troops much steeper.”

In a 1984 speech , Weinberger laid out what became known as the “Weinberger doctrine,” a six-part criteria for using military force to resolve an international conflict. Powell worked under Weinberger and the two had a “father-son relationship,” says Matthews. They came to share the same conviction about the use of military force as a last resort. But once military force was required, it should be overwhelming and decisive.

“We couldn’t fight another war like Vietnam that had unclear objectives,” says Matthews, “that didn’t have the full support of the American people, and that didn’t send a decisive overwhelming force when the war broke out.”

When Powell was chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush , he polished Weinberger’s principles into the “Powell Doctrine” and deployed it with spectacular efficiency, first in toppling Manuel Noriega ’s regime in Panama in 1990 and then swiftly defeating Saddam Hussein’s forces in the first Persian Gulf War.

One of the most important lessons that Powell learned from Vietnam, says Matthews, was that senior military advisors needed to stand up and disagree with the president, “which the chair of the Joint Chiefs did not do during the Vietnam War.”

In the planning of the Persian Gulf War, President Bush and his Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney wanted to attack almost exclusively with air power, but Powell strongly disagreed.

“Powell said this would be another missed lesson from Vietnam,” says Matthews. “We need to go in with a decisive overwhelming force of ground troops, which they ultimately did. And after the Persian Gulf War, President Bush declared that the Vietnam Syndrome was over.”

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Sgt. Robert Bales and multiple tours of duty: How many is too many?

Twenty percent of active-duty Army troops are on at least their third tour of duty to a war zone. Sgt. Robert Bales, suspected of slaying 17 Afghan civilians, was one. Here's what's known about the dangers of repeated deployments.

• By Anna Mulrine Staff writer

March 23, 2012 | Washington

The tremendous burden that battle places on soldiers – and the notion that it can push some to their breaking point – has long been one of the fatalistically accepted miseries of war.

During the Civil War, this breaking point was called, alternately, “soldier’s heart” and “exhausted heart.” In World War I, it was “war neurosis,” “gas hysteria,” and “shell shock.” Sigmund Freud had his own theory about the “inner conflict” between a soldier’s “peace ego” and its “parasitic double,” the “war ego.”

But the case surrounding Staff Sgt. Robert Bales , who stands suspected of gunning down 17 Afghan civilians – including nine children – in a murderous March rampage, is likely to spotlight the unique toll that repeated deployments to decade-long conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken on America ’s soldiers. 

Bales’s lawyer, John Henry Browne, has hinted that he will argue post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) played a role in his client’s alleged crime. “He doesn’t remember everything the evening in question – that doesn’t mean he has amnesia,” Mr. Browne told reporters. “There are lots of other options.”

Browne might argue, too, that it is the US military ’s fault for not properly treating the mental wounds of war of his client, who had deployed to Iraq three times before being sent – against his will, Browne has said – to Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has carefully disavowed Bales’s alleged crime as the lone action of a lone gunman, for which the Pentagon may well seek the death penalty.

But the Pentagon acknowledges, too, the stresses put on its force by repeated deployments. Some 107,000 Army soldiers have been deployed to war three or more times since 2001, or some 20 percent of the active-duty force. More than 50,000 of those currently in uniform have completed four or more combat tours, Army figures indicate.

America’s current conflicts “represent not only the longest wars fought by our Army, but also the longest fought by an all-volunteer force,” placing “tremendous and unique burdens on our soldiers and families as compared to the previous conflicts,” notes a wide-ranging study of soldiers’ mental health released by the Army earlier this year.

The study was particularly adamant that any attempt to view "soldier misconduct in isolation" necessarily "fails to capture the real likelihood that the misconduct was associated with an untreated physical or behavioral health condition, such as increased aggression associated with PTSD." 

That's because in some cases the burdens of repeated deployments have been greater than those troops had endured in World War II, the study warns. The average infantryman in the South Pacific “saw about 40 days of combat in four years” in contrast to a “persistently high” level of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has offered “very few opportunities for individuals to rest, either physically or mentally.”

The Pentagon has grappled with just how many deployments is too many. A 2010 study known as the “Red Book” discovered in those who had completed multiple tours “a growing high-risk population of soldiers engaging in criminal and high-risk behavior with increasingly more severe outcomes including violent crime.”

Precursors of this behavior, the study noted, were “combat-related wounds, injuries and illnesses; repetitive and lengthy separations, and broader economic conditions.” Bales’s lawyer might point out that his client struggled with all three.

Many troops wrestle with the strains of repeated trips to war zones. Tech Sgt. Bob Roberts has completed 15 deployments in 17 years since joining the Air Force’s elite pararescuers, who were most recently serving as a quick-reaction force for the final troops pulling out of Iraq. During the past four years, Roberts estimates he has been away from home more than 300 days a year. A former professional snowboarder, Roberts says the key to doing the job he loves is learning how “to keep your personal freakout at bay” amid violent chaos that sometimes requires “picking up pieces of people.”

He is quick to acknowledge that war has taken its toll. Roberts is on his fourth marriage. “I’ve chosen this over relationships – over everything else,” he says. The majority of pararescuers he began serving with, he adds, have turned violence inward and are now either “in jail, have a bullet in their head, or are drug abusers.”

Wary of painting a picture of every soldier who returns from war as wrestling with deep pathology, military officials stress that the majority of those who have served multiple tours have done so without committing crimes against civilians.

But they grapple with the simple soldierly reality that going into battle and all it entails necessarily cultivates aggressive behavior. What troops “have been through in the past 10 years requires more attention, more understanding – and it requires ways to channel that energy that we’ve encouraged them to have and bring to the fight – so that when they come back to the States, they don’t self-destruct,” says Lt. Col. Thomas Hanson, of the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq (OSC-I).

Some try to create ad-hoc therapies. Lt. Col. Jonathan Downing, chief of doctrine and education at the OSC-I, witnessed the risk-taking behaviors that troops in his 800-person squadron would engage in upon their return from war. “We saw a lot of guys coming home, getting on sports bikes, and going crazy,” he says.

He and his colleagues decided to pay for motorcycle track days for those who seemed to “need that adrenaline” they had become accustomed to in combat. Risk-taking is “obviously a legitimate concern,” Downing says, “so we’re trying to use our influence to channel it.”

Just how the US military has chosen to cope with its war-sick has varied throughout history. Gen. George Patton , in one of the more notorious leadership moments of World War II, felt compelled to slap a crying 18-year-old soldier in a field hospital for being a “coward.”

Less remembered is the general outpouring of compassion that act prompted. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower sent a letter of reprimand to Patton, who had hit crying soldiers on more than one occasion, writes F. Don Nidiffer and Spencer Leach in a 2010 article published in Developments in Mental Health Law.

“I am well aware of the necessity for hardness and toughness on the battlefield,” Eisenhower admonished. “But this does not excuse ... abuse of the ‘sick.’ ” Congress concurred, stepping in to delay a command promotion for Patton.

Attempts have increased to understand war trauma and to use psychiatry to pinpoint which troops will suffer inordinately from what they have seen and done, but they remain primitive, military officials say. “There’s going to be lots of soul-searching and teeth-gnashing, but the reality is that we can’t tell when somebody is going to snap,” says Ronald Smith , director of psychiatry at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda , Md.

Dr. Smith recalls doing screenings for Antarctica missions. “I’m supposed to be pretty good at this, but you’d say that somebody’s going to have a terrible time, and they’d do great. Another guy you’d think would cruise through it would come apart,” he adds.

The bottom line is that war is a gruesomely powerful and ultimately unwieldy force that has the capacity to change the people who fight it in ways large, small, or negligible – but nearly always unpredictable. “Horrible, wretched tragedies that brook no understanding can in fact happen at war because you threaten people’s survival,” Smith, a Navy captain, says. The solution for preventing such tragedies, he adds, “is that our appetite for war should go away – and we should only do it when everything else fails.”

In the meantime, psychiatrists must often grapple in cases like Bales’s with “that sickening feeling [that] we don’t know and we can’t explain it,” he adds. “That will be up to a jury of his peers. But there’s not to my knowledge a neuropsychologist in the world who can say this was predictable.”

It is a frustration echoed by Gen. Peter Chiarelli , who, as the Army’s second-ranking officer, spearheaded the service’s mental-health outreach efforts until he retired this year. “We have no reliable diagnostics,” he says. “That was the frustrating thing for me for 3-1/2 years.”

Chiarelli, now chief executive officer for One Mind for Research, is pushing for collaborative research that he hopes will ultimately help troops who have been fighting the longest wars in American history. For now, however, the tools remain limited.

“The military is the only organization I know of that screens its people when they enter the service, before they deploy, while they are deployed, when they return, and six months after they return,” Chiarelli says. “If we had reliable tools, don’t people think we’d use them?”    

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In pictures battling the afghan insurgency, second prior assault cases surfaces against robert bales, afghan villagers say shootings were revenge, bales may not remember shooting, lawyer says, share this article.

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Home » Kent State University » Who Did The Most Combat Tours In Vietnam?

Who Did The Most Combat Tours In Vietnam?

Table of Contents

He earned 38 military decorations during his career, and has been called the most decorated U.S. soldier of the Vietnam War.

What unit saw the most combat in Vietnam?

# 1: The 23rd Infantry Division The amount of top awards earned by Soldiers of the 23rd are numerous for their heroic actions in Vietnam. The Americal Division (23rd Infantry Division) was formed from elements of Task Force Oregon in Chu Lai, Southern First Corps, Republic of South Vietnam on 26 September 1967.

Did people serve multiple tours in Vietnam?

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army used a personnel rotation policy that at first blush defies military logic. The Army rotated soldiers through Vietnam on one-year tours . Officers also spent a year in country, but only six of those months were in a troop command.

Who is the most decorated soldier in Vietnam?

His name is Staff Sergeant Joe Ronnie Hooper , and not only was he a hero in the Vietnam War; he is also the most decorated soldier in American international combat, even eclipsing both York and Murphy. Joe Ronnie Hooper was born on August 8th, 1938 in Piedmont, South Carolina.

Who served the most tours?

Kristoffer Bryan Domeij (October 5, 1982 – October 22, 2011) was a United States Army soldier who is recognized as the U.S. soldier with the most deployments to be killed in action; before his death he had fourteen deployments over ten years.

What was the most elite unit in Vietnam?

MACV-SOG MACV-SOG—Military Assistance Command, Vietnam—Special Operations Group (later renamed Studies and Observations Group) —was the elite military unit of the Vietnam War, so secret that its existence was denied by the U.S. government.

What was the toughest unit in Vietnam?

Who served the longest tour in vietnam, how long was a marine tour of duty in vietnam.

A tour of duty in Vietnam for most ground forces lasted one year .

How long was the average deployment in Vietnam?

“The strain on military and their families, it is enormous. During World War II the average deployment in the combat theater, it was six months. Korean War, nine months. Vietnam, 13 months .

Has anyone won 2 medals of honor?

Perhaps the most notable two-time Medal of Honor recipients are Smedley Butler and Dan Daly , both Marines who began their careers in the late-19th century before serving in World War I. Butler received his first medal for guiding his men through a firefight during U.S. involvement in the Mexican Revolution in 1914.

Is Audie Murphy still the most decorated soldier?

Audie Murphy (1924–1971) was the most decorated soldier in US history , winning 24 medals from the Congressional Medal of Honor down. His exploits were the subject of To Hell and Back (USA, 1956), in which he starred as himself.

Who is the most famous veteran?

Top 10 Celebrity Veterans

• Elvis Presley. “The Army teaches boys to think like men.”
• Clint Eastwood. “I was drafted during the Korean War.
• Johnny Cash. “That was the big thing when I was growing up, singing on the radio.
• Chuck Norris.
• Morgan Freeman.
• Humphrey Bogart.

Who is the most decorated Marine?

Chesty Puller Let’s take a moment to discuss Chesty Puller : the most decorated Marine in United States history. Chesty Puller is the only Marine to ever win the Navy Cross five times. During his 37 year career, Chesty was overseas for all but a decade, partaking in some of the most famous wars of all time.

Did any American soldiers stay in Vietnam after the war?

It’s estimated that tens of thousands of veterans have returned to Vietnam since the 1990s , mostly for short visits to the places where they once served. Decades after the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) many former soldiers still wonder why they were fighting.

Who is the most decorated active duty soldier?

Top 50 Most Decorated Vets

What was the last combat unit in Vietnam?

The last U.S. ground combat unit in South Vietnam, the Third Battalion, Twenty-First Infantry , departs for the United States. The unit had been guarding the U.S. air base at Da Nang. This left only 43,500 advisors, airmen, and support troops left in-country.

What was the lifespan of a door gunner in Vietnam?

two weeks Over 10% of Vietnam casualties were helicopter crew members, and most of those were the door gunners that protected the helicopter, its crew, and its transports, from their exposed position. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks .

How many Green Beret died in Vietnam?

17 Green Berets Because of the top-secret nature of the MACV-SOG, no official memorial service was held in Vietnam for the fallen Green Berets. The 17 Green Berets who were killed on that fateful day are: SSG Talmadge Horton Alphin, Jr. PFC William Henry Bric III.

What was the bloodiest battle in Vietnam?

The 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh The 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh was the longest, deadliest and most controversial of the Vietnam War, pitting the U.S. Marines and their allies against the North Vietnamese Army.

Where was the most Agent Orange sprayed in Vietnam?

Phu Cat Airbase Phu Cat Airbase Over 3.5 million liters of Agent Orange were located on the Phu Cat base during the American war in Vietnam. Several areas of the Phu Cat base were found to have elevated levels of dioxin requiring remediation (above 1000 ppt in soil or 150 ppt in sediment).

By Cary Hardy

Hi there! I'm Cary Hardy, an education expert and consultant. I've worked with students of all ages and backgrounds, and I love helping them unlock their full potential. I'm also a big believer in lifelong learning- there's always something new to learn!

I got my start in education as a teacher, working with students in grades K-12. After several years of teaching, I transitioned into the world of educational consulting. I've since worked with schools and districts all over the country, helping them improve their curriculums and instruction methods.

I'm passionate about helping people achieve their dreams, and I believe that education is the key to unlocking everyone's potential. Thanks for reading!

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Is it hard to get into kent state university, is kent state a liberal school, what major is kent state university known for.

Top Ten War Sites

Top ten historical vietnam war sites you can visit.

While we in the team that run this site have spent years discovering this beautiful country and countless of hours doing research on the war and those who fought it, we hope that we have created a top 10 list of Vietnam War Sites you can visit that will appeal not only to history buffs but travelers seeking to discover the country and its history.

Being passionate about history also means we want as many as possible to learn more about it and discover where and how the war was really fought.

Some say that the Vietnam War was not one war, but actually a thousand different wars fought in a thousand different places. Veterans’ stories will vary depending on where they were, which unit they were in and when they were there, so it’s hard to pick a definitive list of must-see sites.

For our list we have selected some of the most relevant places that we think represents a good variety of locations and periods in the war that will ultimately help the visitor understand how diverse and complex it was.

So in alphabetical order they are:

Ap Bac Battlefield

The battle at Ap Bac took place early in the conflict and was fought mainly between the Viet Cong and the Saigon Army (ARVN). More than anything, the battle can be described as the Viet Cong outsmarting the RVN forces and achieving a significant win.

Ashau Valley with Hamburger Hill

The Ashau Valley, stretching some 45 kilometers along the Laotian border west of Hue, is today well traveled by both tourists and locals. For the many people visiting Khe Sanh Combat Base along the DMZ tours, this is a small detour on the way back to Hue and a visit here will give a deeper understanding of how the war was fought.

More or less the whole valley was a battlefield at some point in time. It was a very important logistics lifeline for the North Vietnamese Army as they made their way towards the coastal lowlands including Hue and Da Nang.

Of course the battle of Hamburger Hill also took place here. If you want to visit, then take some time to read more on this website about some of the most significant places of interest to visit in the valley. Click here>>>

Ben Het Special Forces Camp

Located just off the main Ho Chi Minh Highway that stretches through the Central Highlands. Ben Het Special Forces Base makes a great visit for the traveler who wants to see the sites of some of the most intense battles fought during the war as well as getting the first hand understanding of how remote these bases were.

Take a walk down the old runway or hike up on the hills where the camp was located. Just make sure to stay on the trails to avoid any unexploded ordnance. Read more on Ben Het Special Forces Camp here>>>

Cu Chi Tunnels

Yes, we do recommend a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Visiting the tunnels will give a first hand understanding of how the Viet Cong soldiers lived sometimes for months under ground. It’s not only the site itself, while going to and from the tunnels, make sure to look out the window of the car or bus you are traveling with. The landscape has changed over the years but the general flat terrain is the same giving you an idea of what the infantry soldiers faced. Driving to Cu Chi Tunnels you will also pass several large or medium former bases on the way, Cu Chi being the largest.

In between, and sometimes on, those bases, the war was fought intensely. Places like the Ho Bo Woods and the Iron Triangle are within kilometers. You will also come to realize how close this huge tunnel complex was to Saigon and how relatively easy V.C. infiltrators could enter the town itself. Read more on Cu Chi Tunnels here>>>

DMZ – Quang Tri province

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was the area north and south of the 17th parallel which divided North and South Vietnam. The DMZ is today a very popular destination for all kinds of tourists coming to Vietnam — and for good reasons. During the war years some of the most intense fighting took place here. Along Route 9, the main road on the southern side of the DMZ there were several military bases, a few of them still offering the visitors an idea of what it was like then.

A tour here is probably the most popular activity together with the Cu Chi tunnels for tourists who wants to visit a war site. Read more about the DMZ  here>>>

Hue Citadel

Hue City has over the years become one of the most visited tourist sites in Vietnam, especially along the central coast. Some of the country’s most compelling and significant historical events has taken place here over the last few centuries and then during the war, this beautiful ancient city was the site of one of the fiercest battles of the war.

As the NVA and VC launched the 1968 Tet offensive, one of their main focuses was Hue as they sent thousands of their men to take over the city. It took weeks of door to door fighting by the U.S. Marines and ARVN forces to push them out.

Unfortunately most of the old citadel was destroyed during the battle but there is still much to see and discover in this historical town. Read more about Hue City and the Citadel here>>>

Khe Sanh Combat Base

Starting out as a small Special Forces Camp, Khe Sanh was later turned over to the U.S. Marines and became the scene of one of the most significant battles during the war as the North Vietnamese army laid siege to the camp during the 1968 Tet-offensive. The siege lasted 77 days and was reported in the news all over the world. It also served as one of the major launch points during the 1971 Lam Son 719 offensive in to Laos.

Apart from its historical significance, the base also has a very interesting museum on the site as well as several vehicles and aircraft on display. Read more about visiting the Khe Sanh Combat Base here>>>

Lai Khe Base Camp

Once known as Prey Nokor, then Saigon and now Ho Chi Minh City, the former capital of South Vietnam is a must for any tourist coming to Vietnam. In terms of historical war sites it will leave few disappointed.

Not only are there many places of historical interest but just walking around the old downtown areas can give visitors a chance to soak up the atmosphere and get an idea what this bustling metropolis was like 50 years ago.

We do recommend a visit to the War Remnants Museum and other sites that we mention in our Saigon article on this website, read more here>>>

Vinh Long Army Airfield

A major part of  the Vietnam War was the fighting in the Mekong Delta, both on the rivers and canals and the flat often swampy land. Vinh Long Army Airfield was one of the larger bases along the Mekong River, where thousands of troops were stationed. In the small town there was also a dock for the so-called Brown Water Navy

This is the best place to get an understanding of what the delta bases looked like. Although nothing is really left of the base, one can drive on the runway and the taxi ways as well as the old base area. Vinh Long Army Airfield was very typical for the American presence in the delta. Other bases were located in Soc Trang, Dong Tam and Can Tho.

We recommend a stay over in this often overlooked town. Combining an early morning boat tour on the Mekong with a visit to the old base makes for a very nice and interesting day. Read more about visiting Vinh Long Army Airfield here>>>

11 thoughts on “Top Ten War Sites”

MY BROTHERS NAME EDDIE WAYNE GRAHAM. HE DID COME HOME ALIVE. I WAS VERY YOUNG WHEN HE LEFT AND MY MOTHER REALLY DIDNT TALK ABOUT THE WAR BECAUSE IT UPSET HER SO MUCH THAT HE WAS THERE. I KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT IT. IT JUST WASNT TALKED ABOUT. I REMEMBER I WOULD JUST ASK MOM, IS ED OK? HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING? I WOULD JUST GET A LIMITED REPLY. MY FAMILY HAS NOW PASSED ON SO IM TRYING TO LEARN WHAT I CAN. THANK YOU. SINCERELY, BEVERLEEUSTICE@GMAIL,COM

I had served most of my tour at An Hoa as a Forward Observer with 2nd Bn., 5th Marines. In 1968 we moved our base of operations to Phu Bai on January 16th. I was short with only 34 days before I left for the World. On 31 January TET broke out and I ended up in Hue City with Hotel 2/5. I would leave Hue on 13 February after getting hit for my third time in Country. On 22 January I left DaNang for home.

I wish someone would visit sites like Dak To and LZ Hereford.

Hi. Thank you for your comment. We have an article on Dak To. Hereford is definitely on our list, but it might be a difficult location to reach.

I convoyed to Dong Tam several times in our near year based at Long Binh ’68-’69. Scary place. I wrote a book about the tour: “Vietnam Convoy Trucker.” Vets who served in Vietnam may find it interesting, 201 pages with 90 photos written by this enlisted truck driver. Contact me for more info. Thanks brothers.

God Bless you sir, thank you for your service and welcome home.

Bill, thank you for serving our country over there, and for coming home alive. I was drafted in ’65 but the refused me on medical grounds. Both my feet were operated on at 5 years old or I would have been there in ’65. Bless you. Lew Russo

I graduated high school in 63 and was on my way to USMC Boot Camp in San Diego then onto Vietnam. Sometimes I wonder what it’s like there now. But I don’t want to go and relive those memories. My time there was no vacation. Seeing the picture of that tunnel brings back horrible memories. But I’m glad the people there welcome Americans with open arms. But those history sites posted are nothing but horror sites.

God bless you sir, thank you for your service in Vietnam and welcome home.

I have a question? How do i get a message to a brother on the LaiKhe area. I found 7 members that may know a brother from times past in LaiKhe.

Hi Len. There are a number of Facebook groups where veterans are discussing the war. One is the Vietnam Veterans Photo Club with 80 000 members and then there is a Facebook group called Vietnam War Buddy Finder or something. Perhaps try there.

You can also write a comment on the Lai Khe page here on this website, perhaps one of the guys will see it.

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The 199th Infantry Brigade

Written By: Patrick Feng

The 199th Infantry Brigade is most notable for its participation in combat operations during the Vietnam War.  However, the brigade’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company traces its lineage to its initial activation on 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves and its assignment to the 100th Division at Huntington, West Virginia.  Converted and redesignated as the 100th Reconnaissance Troop, 100th Infantry Division, on 23 February 1942, it was reorganized as the 100th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and entered active service on 15 November 1942.

As part of the 100th Infantry Division, the 100th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop arrived in Marseilles, France, on 20 October 1944 where it took part in the Rhineland campaign, in the Vosges Mountains region of France, from November through December 1944.  It also saw action during the German Ardennes counteroffensive near the French town of Bitche in Lorraine from December 1944 through January 1945.  Renewing the offensive toward Germany, the division took Bitche on 16 March 1945.  Capturing the towns of Neustadt and Ludwigshafen, the division reached the Rhine River on 24 March.  Crossing the Rhine on the 31st, the 100th moved toward Stuttgart, where it mopped up the last remnants of German resistance in the area along the Neckar River throughout April 1945.

The brigade was activated on 1 June 1966 at Fort Benning, Georgia, as the 199th Infantry Brigade (Light), with emphasis on counterinsurgency operations and mobility.  The 199th later became known as the “Redcatchers” for its mission objective—to seek out and destroy Communist cadres in Vietnam.  The brigade was comprised of 2d Battalion, 3d Infantry; 3d Battalion, 7th Infantry; and 4th and 5th Battalions, 12th Infantry, which formed the backbone of the brigade.  Artillery, cavalry, and support units included 2d Battalion, 40th Artillery (105mm howitzer); Troop D, 17th Cavalry (Armored); 87th Engineer Company; Company F, 51st Infantry (Long Range Patrol), and Company M, 75th Infantry (Ranger); 7th Support Battalion; and 313th Signal Company.

After six months of intensive training at Fort Benning and Camp Shelby, Mississippi, the brigade arrived in Vietnam on 10 December 1966 and primarily operated from the vicinity of Long Binh, north of Saigon, in III Corps Tactical Zone.  In January 1967, the 199th took part in Operation FAIRFAX with elements of the 5th Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Ranger Group in Gia Dinh province, the region around Saigon, with the objective of enhancing security and clearing Viet Cong (VC) resistance and strongholds in the area.  The brigade saw its first casualties in the initial month of the operation when a company from 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, was caught in an ambush in the Thu Duc district of Saigon.  During an operation in August, the commander of the 199th, Brigadier General John F. Freund, who had just replaced Brigadier General Charles W. Ryder, Jr., in March, was wounded and replaced by Brigadier General Robert C. Forbes, who had been chief of staff of II Field Force.

When Operation FAIRFAX concluded in December 1967, General William C. Westmoreland, commanding general of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), ordered the 199th deployed to Bien Hoa to support Operation UNIONTOWN in War Zones C and D in Dong Nai province.  Supported by elements of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the brigade was tasked with clearing all VC and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) elements in the area.  However, on the evening of 30 January 1968 and into the early morning hours of 31 January, the VC and NVA launched the Tet Offensive against allied bases and outposts throughout South Vietnam. Enemy mortar and rocket barrages hit the 199th and II Field Force headquarters at 0300 at Long Binh and Bien Hoa Air Base.  Colonel Frederic E. Davidson, the deputy brigade commander, a veteran officer who saw combat in Italy during World War II, organized the defense of the compound in place of Brigadier General Forbes, who was on leave.  For his coolness under fire and attention to his men, Davidson was affectionately known as “the old man” by the soldiers of the brigade.

Immediately following the barrage, elements of the 274th and 275th VC Regiments launched a number of assaults along the entire II Field Force/199th perimeter.  In the first fourteen hours of the attack, the 199th accounted for over 500 enemy casualties.  Elements of the 199th, including 2d Battalion, 3d Infantry; 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry; Troop D, 17th Cavalry; and 2d Battalion, 40th Artillery, as well as elements from the 11th Armored Cavalry, launched a counteroffensive to dislodge enemy fighters from the village of Ho Nai, which was adjacent to the 199th’s main base at Camp Frenzell-Jones.  With the support of air strikes, artillery fire, and helicopter gunships, the 199th managed to wipe out enemy resistance from the village in three days of heavy fighting.  In the Long Binh/Bien Hoa complex, the 199th inflicted approximately 900 VC casualties, at the cost of nineteen killed and 158 wounded.  The brigade also captured a large cache of Russian and Chinese-made weapons.

As the fighting intensified around the Saigon/Long Binh/Bien Hoa area on 31 January, the brigade’s 3d Battalion, 7th Infantry, was flown into Saigon’s Cholon district to retake Phu Tho Racetrack from VC units that had infiltrated the capital.  The VC were dug in and used the racetrack’s structures as a command post during the fighting.  Arriving in Cholon at 0800, Company A, 3d Battalion, 7th Infantry, was ambushed six blocks from the racetrack and had to clear enemy resistance block-by-block as they proceeded to the racetrack.  After the initial assault was repulsed, the battalion renewed its attack at 1630 with support from helicopter gunships.  After eight hours of intense fighting, the track was retaken.  For the next several days following its recapture of the racetrack, the battalion proceeded to clear remaining VC guerrillas from Cholon.  Contrary to the jungle warfare that the brigade had experienced prior to the Tet Offensive, the fighting in Cholon resembled the urban fighting in Germany in the final months of World War II as the soldiers of 3-7 Infantry were engaged in bitter close-quarter, house-to-house fighting.  Cholon was finally cleared of VC resistance by 7 March, but sporadic fighting in Saigon continued for the rest of the month.

In the months following the Tet Offensive, the 199th continued to clear enemy forces throughout III Corps Tactical Zone, including the Saigon area and the southern part of War Zone D.  The brigade also saw action at the Cambodian border, west of Tay Ninh.  The brigade was again deployed to defend Saigon when the NVA launched a new offensive on the South Vietnamese capital in May 1968.  For several days, the units of the 199th were engaged in some of the heaviest fighting of the year against NVA regulars of the 271st, 272d, and 273d NVA Regiments, and VC guerrillas of the 8th Local Force Battalion.  By the time NVA and VC units withdrew in the early hours of 14 May, the 199th accounted for approximately 550 enemy casualties and seventy-one detained, while losing nineteen in the entire brigade.

Following the May offensive, the 199th focused on securing the area to the south and west of Saigon for the remainder of the year, encountering sporadic enemy resistance from elements of the 5th and 7th VC Divisions during what the brigade called the “Pineapple and Rice Paddy War,” named for the large pineapple plantation and surrounding rice fields that stretched from the western edge of the Saigon area to the Cambodian border.  During this phase of its deployment, the brigade conducted reconnaissance-in-force operations, destroying enemy bunkers and supply caches as well as interdicting VC and NVA soldiers trying to infiltrate the area. In one operation on 18 September 1968, the brigade uncovered a large enemy supply depot containing fifty-five gallon drums of weapons and ammunition, 2,600 pounds of rice, and three fully equipped hospitals.  Subsequent patrols also resulted in the destruction of over 200 enemy bunkers and outposts in the area.

The 199th continued its operations in the “Pineapple” region into the early 1969, rooting out NVA/VC units and supplies.  In January, the brigade managed to capture and destroy several large caches that were crucial to thwarting a renewed NVA offensive during the Tet holiday.  Also in February, through the “Chieu Hoi” program, the brigade’s 179th Military Intelligence Detachment, in conjunction with the civil affairs office and South Vietnamese local forces, accounted for the defection and apprehension of over 250 suspected VC, including several high ranking VC officials, from the Saigon region.  In March 1969, 5th Battalion, 12th Infantry, managed to kill a senior VC leader in the region, who had been operating in the brigade’s area of operations for over ten years.

In mid-June 1969, the 199th was deployed to the northeast of Saigon, with its major operations centering in Long Khanh province, a sparsely populated region dominated by rubber plantations and areas of heavy jungle.  NVA units were known to use the area’s terrain as cover for infiltration routes and resupply on their way to Saigon.  Operating in conjunction with the 11th Armored Cavalry and the 18th ARVN Division, elements of the 199th focused on building and occupying outposts in the thick jungle to interdict and engage NVA units, mainly the veteran 33d NVA Regiment as well as the 274th VC Regiment.  Their main missions in the province were pacification, elimination, and neutralization of enemy forces, as well as augmenting the fighting capabilities of ARVN units as part of the Vietnamization program, which was well underway in 1969.  As a result, combined operations with the 18th ARVN Division, along with Regional and Popular Forces, became the emphasis of the brigade’s deployment in Long Khanh.

Through the summer and fall of 1969, the units of the 199th continued to locate enemy base camps in the dense jungles of Long Khanh.  On 5 July, 4-12 Infantry located and destroyed eighty-one bunkers and twenty enemy strongpoints north of Xuan Loc, the provincial capital. 5-12 Infantry located and destroyed an enemy complex of ninety bunkers to the east of Xuan Loc, and also captured a large cache of munitions.  In early August, 2d Battalion, 3d Infantry, with the support of elements of the 48th ARVN Regiment, engaged and destroyed a base camp belonging to the 33d NVA Regiment, accounting for the destruction of 133 bunkers and the capture of weapons, ammunition, and food supplies.  Another company of 2-3 Infantry, destroyed 123 bunkers to the west of Xuan Loc.  Although contact against enemy elements was light and scattered with few casualties, the brigade’s pressure on NVA operational capacity in Long Khanh resulted in the disruption of NVA and VC units in the area and relieved the immediate threat to Saigon.

As enemy activity and movement of troops and materiel along the Ho Chi Minh Trail increased through the spring, in late April 1970, President Richard M. Nixon authorized the joint invasion of Cambodia to destroy NVA/VC supply bases and sanctuaries in the country.  The 199th’s 5-12 Infantry; Battery D, 2-40 Artillery; and elements of the brigade’s “Fireball” aviation unit, were attached to 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, in preparation for the Cambodian incursion.  On 12-13 May, two companies of 5-12 Infantry were involved in heavy fighting against the veteran 174th NVA Regiment at Fire Support Base (FSB) Brown, a few miles over the border in Cambodia, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy.  Several days later, on 21 May, another company of 5-12 Infantry became embroiled in a firefight on Hill 428, several miles northwest of FSB Brown.  After several hours of fighting, both sides broke off contact and the company withdrew to FSB Brown.  By the end of June, 5-12 Infantry and 2-40 Artillery returned to the brigade at Camp Frenzell-Jones.  The invasion of Cambodia was the last major operation for the 199th as the brigade was withdrawn from Vietnam as part of Operation KEYSTONE ROBIN, Increment IV, in late September 1970.  After four years of combat in Vietnam, the 199th was inactivated at Fort Benning on 15 October.  During the Vietnam War, the brigade took part in eleven campaigns, received five unit decorations, including a Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, two Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Crosses of Gallantry with Palm, and an RVN Civil Action Honor Medal First Class.  Company D, 4-12 Infantry, received a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the May Offensive in 1968.  Four soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor and fifteen earned the Distinguished Service Cross.  Overall casualties were 755 killed, 4,679 wounded, and nine missing.

When the 9th Infantry Division was inactivated at Fort Lewis, Washington, in 1991, a brigade of the 9th was redesignated the 199th Infantry Brigade (Separate) and remained at Fort Lewis until it was inactivated on 16 July 1992.  The brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company was transferred to the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command on 9 November 2006 and reactivated on 27 June 2007.  The 199th currently serves as a combined arms leadership development formation for new Army officers and noncommissioned officers at the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia.  It is composed of the 2d and 3d Battalions, 11th Infantry; 2d Battalion 16th Cavalry; 3d Battalion, 81st Armor; the Noncommissioned Officer Academy; and the Directorate of Training.

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The evolution of tourism after the Vietnam War: challenges and opportunities in a booming industry

Created by Dang Xuan Son, one of the initiators of the responsible tourism movement in Vietnam, Hanoi-based tour operator Footprint Travel started in 2001, and since then has always focused on making the journey meaningful. I met with Dang Xuan in his office, to learn how Vietnam opened for tourism after the war and what are the main challenges and solutions to achieve a more sustainable industry in the country.

Angela: How has tourism developed in Vietnam?

Dang: The country opened for tourism  right after the Vietnam War in 1976. However, back then there were only few visitors coming as the country was in a real estate and tourism infrastructure was almost non-existent. It was not until ten years later, from 1986 and into the early 90s that tourism became significant in Vietnam’s economy. In 1993 we experienced a key milestone in tourism arrivals – so it was then when we can properly say that the country opened to the world. This was due in part to a Government change to the visa entry requirements which eased the arrival process for international visitors.

I joined tourism in 1999 in Hanoi, and at that time there was quite a lot of tourists coming, but until 2007-2010 the tourism infrastructure was still very poor: transportation, services, quality standards… we could not compete with other destinations or provide a good experience for international travellers. However, the picture started to change by learning from other countries’ success and tourist feedback. I remember in 2004 for example, we had to provide every traveller going to Sapa their own travel mattress so that they could sleep a bit more comfortably on the train – the beds in the train were rock hard!

This ongoing improvement has been maintained right until today, where we have services created to improve the tourism experience but that also benefit the local population, like walking streets, health services, business opening hours, rules and regulations… in general we have more and better standards.

Angela: Has the Government played a key role in developing tourism in the country?

Dang: The Government has in part supported the changes but only from very recently. It has helped by easing the visa process that allows for shorter stay travellers to come, as well as imposing the rules and regulations to standardise processes, but I believe they could still support further – with promotion for example.

We do  not yet have a good budget for marketing and promotion at a destination level. Two years ago, however, the government joined TAP (Tourism Advisory Board) in an effort to create a better destination image in international market positioning.

Angela: So the current actions are mainly focussed on numbers. What about the impacts of development? Are these being taken into account?

Dang: You are right, however there are two things we need to look at. One is to grow the number of travellers, because Vietnam has many more tourism assets when compared to certain other neighbouring countries, but the number of arrivals is still very low compared to these countries. For example, the percentage growth in the number of arrivals in Cambodia or Laos is much higher than in Vietnam, which means that we could do better in destination marketing.

The first thing is about inviting people to come and the second is about sustainable development, which is a very different story… Here the Government is not doing much yet. We do have a lot of discussion going on about it, but we do not have enforcement or regulation yet. For example, some companies need to have environmental certifications, however they tend to get these at the start as it is quite easy when everything is new, but after a while, nobody really checks that maintenance is done to infrastructure that could be harming the environment.

Angela: What do you think are the 3 key challenges for sustainable tourism in Vietnam?

Dang: Vietnam still is a developing country, so I would say that the first challenge is that the knowledge of what sustainability really means is not established, and people are not well aware of the impacts of their current habits. For example, people still chop down the trees for their own use and they think they need that more than having living trees. We are living under a short term money making mindset where sustainability is almost nonexistent in people’s and business’ objectives.

The second thing is, like I said before and linking to the first challenge, to do with government communications. Our country needs a lot of communication with the local population about how to adopt sustainability practices. The information about this is really small and could be greatly improved.

The third thing would be the travel industry, generally speaking they don’t have an interest in creating regulations. We are working in an industry that is not understood as heavy, but we are using a lot of resources and have an impact on the environment. However, these impacts are not understood by the companies in the sector. We must have standardised regulations and law enforcement to regulate different activities and current developments, and creating this demand should be coming from us.

Angela: I guess a similar story is also happening with plastic and waste…

Dang: Exactly. As you can see, trash in tourism is big. We are not a heavy industry but we are dumping a lot of waste in the environment and we must assume our responsibility to do something about. In Vietnam, with the weather like this, a traveller can easily drink 4 to 6 bottles a day, which get thrown away just after one use. If you measure the impactof travellers by the amount of bottles getting burned and going into landfill, rivers and seas, the number is huge.

Angela: How do you think a tour operator can provide solutions to tackle this issue?

Dang: I have been thinking about this for a while, but for me, to take action against this global issue alone with Footprint seemed almost impossible. I decided to partner with the Responsible Travel Club in Hanoi and I got in touch with other tour operators from the south of Vietnam to join forces. Together, we identified some solutions and got in touch with other international partners to draw specific actions.

I also joined Impact Vietnam and through them the global movement Refill My Bottle, to build a network of refill stations and customise their App for Vietnam. However, success in encouraging travellers to refill their bottle willnot come overnight and we are aware that one of the biggest challenges is to get the message across to our clients.

At Footprint, we already offer travellers a reusable bottle, but only 6 out of 10 bring their bottle to Vietnam and up to 40% really use it whilst they are here. I think there are many barriers to entice travellers to use their reusable water bottle and having somewhere to refill it is indeed one of them, but also other factors like water quality worries, the preference for sealed bottles, water brand loyalty and trust or just the fact that they want to drink cold water in a specific moment.

We must accept that some people are not comfortable with the idea of refilling their bottle, but we must focus on the ones that are happy to do so and that would probably inspire others to do the same and would help us spread the message.

Angela: You work with many community-based tourism projects in Vietnam. Is this type of tourism successful?  

Dang: Many of them are successful. We work with plenty in the North that are really successful whereas in the central highlands and the south are a bit less. Most CBT projects in Vietnam have developed by themselves or through external help from mainly NGOs and private tourism business. The Government in this case has not helped them set up, as happens in other countries.

However, there are still a certain number of projects that fail for various reasons… It might be insufficient investment, size, location chosen or even gaps in capacity building in terms of hospitality standards to make travellers feel comfortable, provide a good service, etc.

One positive example is the nature reserve of Pu Luong, where a group of villages received help from a US NGO to set up several CBTs and train villagers in tourism. They have managed to receive visitors and to keep their lifestyle and traditions, whilst sharing the benefits from tourism by involving entire families into different roles than work together as a engine.

Angela: How do you think sustainable tourism can be normalised?

Dang: I think is very important to get more and more media involved into highlighting the need to develop more sustainable tourism, because it’s been a non-stop movement from people like me, but it is still not a big change yet and we need everyone to get involved and play a part.

We must be able to get the message across and give people the feeling that sustainability is about balancing our business model and make something meaningful out of it. It is not all about focussing on work and profit and that is the hardest message to send across to inspire people to make a change.

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10 Best Vietnam Tour Operators 2024 [Unbiased & With Reviews]

10 best vietnam tour operators 2024.

Are you planning to visit Vietnam, but unsure which tour provider to select? Now, you no longer have to waste time searching the internet and filling out dozens of contact forms. Simply fill out ONE form, we’ll send it off to multiple tour providers and they’ll contact YOU! You’ll be able to compare rates and find the lowest cost tour for the most affordable trip abroad.

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Are you currently thinking about traveling to Vietnam ? Are you searching for the best tours of Vietnam? Do you want to know the highest rated and safest Vietnam tour companies?

Despite a troubled history marked by violent war stories, Vietnam has emerged in recent years as a premier destination in Southeast Asia. The captivating countryside, vibrant cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, and the pristine beaches of Phu Quoc entice visitors to explore a nation adorned with emerald green pastures, picturesque paddy fields, and powdery white shores. From Chinese temples and Christian churches to Buddhist pagodas, Vietnam boasts a wealth of religious sites waiting to be discovered.

Although travelling to the Vietnam would be deemed as an incredible experience, in the planning phases of your trip it can get daunting the minute you start looking for the best tours in Vietnam. Hundreds of companies will pop up in your search, all saying how amazing they are. But how can you know? And if you end up choosing the wrong tour company in Vietnam, this could have terrible consequences for your Vietnam holiday.

That’s why we’re here to help. We spent thousands of hours researching, and found the safest and best Vietnam tour operators for you.

In this article, we’ll present to you an unbiased selection of the 10 best Vietnam tour operators of the world.

Table update Jan 8, 2024

Le Family Rider

Le Family Riders , with nearly a decade of expertise in Vietnam travel industry, is the best travel and tour operator of Vietnam. Committed to providing the best service, their devoted and enthusiastic team ensures that your trip is not only safe but also exceptionally comfortable and fun. At Le Family Riders, they consider their customers as part of the family, creating an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness throughout every expedition. Having been rated Excellent by over 8000 travelers, Le Family Rider delivers outstanding service and memorable journeys.

Le Family Rider Best Vietnam Tour Packages

Le Family Rider has several fun packages to explore the breathtaking landscapes of Vietnam.

The “ Hue-P’rao-Hoi An Tour ” is a full-day private motorcycle journey over the Hai Van Pass, featuring stops at Suoi Voi (Elephant Springs), Lang Co Beach, and the Marble Mountains. Enjoy a seafood lunch on a floating restaurant at Lang Co and immerse yourself in the beauty of Hai Van Pass. The adventure continues through Da Nang before concluding in the UNESCO-listed Hoi An Ancient Town.

For those seeking a historic adventure, the “ Hue-DMZ-Ho Chi Minh Trail-Khe Sanh-Phong Nha Caves-Dong Hoi Tour ” spans three days. Explore the DMZ, Khe Sanh combat base, and the majestic Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, discovering the wonders of Vietnam’s rich history and natural beauty.

Le Family Rider Reviews

Le Family Rider is a renowned travel and tour operator in Vietnam with high client feedbacks and positive reviews. The company has 8,497 reviews on TripAdvisor with 5-star ratings. Le Family Rider has earned numerous awards and recognition since its inception, including the latest Traveler’s Choice Award of 2023.

A brilliant way to see the beauty of Vietnam whilst also travelling on to your next destination point!… Paige M

Read all reviews of Le Family Rider on TripAdvisor.

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Saigon Adventure

Saigon Adventure , founded by Trung in 2014, is a leading tour operator in Vietnam with a distinctive focus on showcasing the vibrant Vietnamese culture. Beginning as a motorbike tourism company, the team’s dedication to understanding customer needs led them to officially offer travel services in July 2015. Over the years, Saigon Adventure has garnered recognition, earning the “Best choice” award and securing Top 2 positions on TripAdvisor for Sightseeing tours and Street Food Tours in Ho Chi Minh City. Beyond their success in the travel industry, the company actively engages in meaningful community initiatives.

Saigon Adventure Best Tour Packages

Saigon Adventure offers several exciting packages to explore the vibrant city of Saigon.

The best seller Motorbike City Tour provides two convenient departures at 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM. The tour lasts 3-4 hours with small group sizes and private licensed drivers. Explore the French Quarter and the intriguing Secret Weapon Bunker in District 3, with entrance tickets included.

For an evening adventure, the Beers, Music & Foods Tour is a 4-hour journey starting at 5:30 PM. The tour offers a unique cultural experience with 4 beers, 2 authentic Saigon dishes and live music at local spots.

Additionally, the Ho Chi Minh City Motorbike Tour with Student ensures an intimate exploration of the city in a small group. On this tour, you will explore the key attractions and historical sites of the city.

Saigon Adventure Reviews

Saigon Adventure is a top-rated tour provider company in Vietnam. The company has an impressive 9507 reviews on TripAdvisor, maximum of which contain 5-star ratings. Likewise, the company also gained the Traveler’s Choice award of 2023.

This is a fantastic way to get an insight into the city. Our guides Andy, Vivi, and Duc were lovely, fun and knowledgeable. They went out of their way to make sure we were safe… Bec C

Read all reviews of Saigon Adventure on TripAdvisor. Planning a trip to Cambodia? Uncover the finest tour agencies in the country with our list of the 10 Best Tour Operators in Cambodia.

Kim Travel , a best-rated tour operator in Vietnam, offers unforgettable tours and top-rated services. With over 20 years of experience in the Vietnam’s travel industry, Kim Travel has honed its expertise in providing exceptional services to its diverse clients. They specializes in journeys to iconic destinations such as the Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta, and key historical and cultural sites in Ho Chi Minh City.

Whether it’s a Large Group tour, Small Group tour, Luxury Group tour, or a more intimate Private tour, Kim Travel caters to various preferences. They prioritize customer satisfaction, offering 24/7 customer support, flexible booking options, competitive pricing with no hidden fees, secure payment methods and the added assurance of travel insurance.

Kim Travel Best Vietnam Tour Packages

Kim Travel offers several packages to explore the rich history of Vietnam. The Cu Chi Tunnels Luxury Group Tour provides a comprehensive morning or afternoon experience. You will explore the intricate tunnel network crafted by Viet Cong guerrilla troops during the French and American Wars. With 250 km of preserved tunnels, this tour uncovers the resilience of the Vietnamese people.

For a unique adventure, the Cu Chi Tunnels tour by Luxury Speed Boat allows you to cruise along the Saigon River, enjoying picturesque landscapes before exploring the historic tunnels. An English-speaking guide shares war stories, and for the adventurous, there’s an option to experience the underground passages.

You can also combine history with nature on the full-day Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta tour . Discover the war-torn Cu Chi region in the morning and enjoy a peaceful afternoon in the Mekong Delta, complete with a river cruise, traditional music, and glimpses into local agriculture.

Kim Travel Reviews

Kim Travel, a top-ranked tour operator in Vietnam, has garnered numerous rankings and accolades since its inception in 2002. The company has over 18,000 reviews on TripAdvisor with 5-star ratings. Similarly, Kim Travel also obtained TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice award for 2023.

We had a fantastic and jam packed day trip. But we covered so much ground. I learnt a lot about Vietnamese history, culture and about the Vietnam war… strawberriesandkreme

Read all reviews of Kim Travel on TripAdvisor.

Asiana Link Travel

Asiana Link Travel is a top local Vietnamese travel company that focuses on giving you real and memorable experiences. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in Ho Chi Minh City. They know a lot about both Ho Chi Minh City and the beautiful Mekong Delta. They offer different services like regular tours and trips designed just for you. Their team members are experienced, helpful, born and raised in Vietnam, and they love sharing special insights and making your trip unforgettable.

Asiana Link Travel Best Vietnam Tour Packages

Asiana Link has entertaining packages to explore the vibrant beauty of Vietnam and its surroundings.

Experience the enchanting Saigon River with the Dinner Cruise , featuring a one-hour scenic cruise, traditional performances, and a delightful five-course set-menu dinner.

If you are foodie, you can dive into the street food culture with the Street Food Lover tour . On this tour, you will be riding on motorbikes through the bustling streets, tasting diverse dishes, and exploring local markets.

For a serene escape, the Mekong Delta Cái Bè Village tour provides a glimpse of traditional river life, floating markets, and hands-on experiences like sampan rowing and Vietnamese cooking.

Asiana Link Travel Reviews

Asiana Link Travel is reputed tour company in Vietnam. They have over 8,200 reviews on TripAdvisor with 5-star rating. Asiana Link Travel has also obtained the Traveler’s Choice Award in 2023.

Our family holiday to Vietnam was so stress-free because of Asian Link Travel. Both Sam & Kelvin helped us organise a trip itinerary that suited both our families… ryangarson

Read all reviews of Asiana Link Travel on TripAdvisor.

Saigon On Motorbike

Saigon On Motorbike is a one of the best-rated travel service providers in Vietnam. The company was established by Vietnam Street Foods Co., Ltd in 2014. Their mission is to immerse travelers in Vietnamese cultures through thrilling bike tours. They are committed to providing a safe, enjoyable experience as they have comfy and well maintained bikes and experienced guides.

Saigon On Motorbike Best Tour Packages

Saigon On Motorbike offers several exciting packages to explore the vibrant city. Begin your day in Vietnam with the Saigon Unexplored Suburban Land Tour , visiting Buu Long Buddhist Temple, the Ao Dai museum, and Lotus Lake for a serene experience.

They have the Saigon Local Street Food Tour that takes you on a night adventure, from rooftop bars to flower markets, indulging in local delicacies and craft beer.

For a delightful afternoon, you can opt for the Saigon Morning Adventure and Street Food Tour, discovering famous street food areas, flower markets, and cultural highlights.

Saigon On Motorbike Reviews

Saigon On Motorbike is one of the highly recognized tour operators in Vietnam. The company has garnered thousands of reviews and awards. They have over 6,165 reviews on TripAdvisor and rated #2 of 921 Tours & Activities providers in Ho Chi Minh City. The company also gained Traveler’s Choice Award in 2023.

We had an amazing time with Nhi and Thu riding around Ho Chi Minh City! We got to try lots of great food and we’re shown some cool parts of the city… Janine L

Read all reviews of Saigon On Motorbike on TripAdvisor. Navigate through the vibrant city-state of Singapore with ease by choosing from the 10 Best Tour Companies . Your ideal adventure awaits.

Hanoi Street Food Tour

Hanoi Street Food Tour , located in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, stands out as a premier local street food travel company in Vietnam. The company was established in 2013 by Nguyen, a tourism graduate. Nguyen and his team boast a rich array of services, including walking and motorbike tours, group and solo tours, cycle tours and more.

Hanoi Street Food Tour Best Vietnam Tour Packages

Hanoi Street Food Tour provides diverse packages to explore the vibrant culinary scene of the city.

The Street Food Walking Tour begins at 7 AM at Tran Nhat Duat Street, guiding you through bustling markets and hidden alleyways. Sample local delights, such as Bun Cha and Banh Cuon and enjoy a cyclo tour of the Old Quarter.

The Hanoi Street Food Tour + Water Puppet Show By Walking combines a 3-hour street food exploration with a mesmerizing Water Puppet Show. Stroll through the charming old quarter, indulge in local specialties, and take in the night view of Hoan Kiem Lake.

The  Cyclo + Street Food Tour By Walking package offers a unique experience with a cycle tour through ancient streets and a street food adventure.

Hanoi Street Food Tour Reviews

Hanoi Street Food Tour is a top-rated culinary experience provider in Vietnam. The company has impressive 5-star ratings and 8,241 reviews on TripAdvisor. Hanoi Street Food ensures total customer satisfaction, and thus has obtained the Traveler’s Choice Award in 2023.

Amazing tour, worth the money! Great way to try local food and see a bif of the city. Even riding the motorbike is quite an experience!…Pedro Z

Read all reviews of Hanoi Street Food Tour on TripAdvisor.

XO Tours , established in 2010, is a reputed tour company in Vietnam. The company specializes in motorbike adventures and authentic culinary experiences. They offer visitors a thrilling motorbike tours on the less crowded areas to provide a more unique perspective on Vietnamese culture and cuisine. What sets XO Tours apart is its choice of all-female guides, known as the “XO Girls,” who bring invaluable insight into daily Vietnamese life.

With a commitment to customer service and English proficiency, these guides play a pivotal role in the company’s success. XO Tours has garnered international acclaim, featured on major networks and recognized by Forbes Magazine and USA Today. With over 100,000 travelers choosing XO Tours for their Vietnam experience, the company stands as a symbol of unique, safe, and highly-rated tour operator.

XO Tours Best Vietnam Tour Packages

XO Tours offers several adventurous packages to explore the vibrant city of Saigon. The Sights of Saigon tour takes you on a 3.5-hour adventure, covering iconic landmarks such as the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Burning Monk Memorial, all led by knowledgeable guides.

For food enthusiasts, the XO Foodie Tour is a must, voted among the top 9 food tours globally by Forbes. Indulge in at least 10 authentic Vietnamese dishes, including seafood, in the bustling streets of Saigon.

As night falls, the Saigon By Night tour uncovers a different side of the city, exploring districts rarely seen by tourists, accompanied by delicious street food.

XO Tours Reviews

XO Tours is a renowned tour operator of Vietnam that has thousands of reviews and positive feedbacks from the travelers who savored their thrilling packages. The company has over 6,600 reviews on TripAdvisor, most of which comprising 5-star ratings. They are ranked top 4 out of 921 tours and activities in Ho Chi Minh City on TripAdvisor.

I did the Saigon by Night tour and it was absolutely amazing and well thought through. We went through different districts of Saigon… Sarvesh T

Read all reviews of XO Tours on TripAdvisor.

Vietnam Travel Group

Vietnam Travel Group is a distinguished tour operator in Vietnam that offers immersive experiences to its travelers. They’re recognized as one of the top 5 tour operators in Vietnam and have received awards from the Vietnam Tourism Department. The team at Vietnam Travel Group is skilled and has a lot of experience. They’re experts at creating personalized tours in Indochina, making sure each traveler’s unique preferences are met.

They focus on providing high-quality and luxurious travel experiences, catering to different travel styles while keeping things affordable. They offer 24/7 travel help, services for hotels and airports, bookings for flights, trains, and buses, as well as both luxury group and private tours.

Vietnam Travel Group Best Tour Packages

Vietnam Travel Group offers several exciting packages to explore the diverse beauty of Vietnam.

The 10-day Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc – Ha Long Bay Package Tour takes you from the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City to the serene landscapes of Phu Quoc Island and the stunning Ha Long Bay. With included flights, boat transfers, and accommodation, it’s a seamless journey filled with cultural experiences and natural wonders.

For a more intimate experience, the Private 2-Day Glimpse Of Mekong Delta immerses you in the tranquility of the Mekong Delta’s countryside. Explore brown canals, orchard gardens, and floating markets, enjoying boat trips and local delicacies.

The comprehensive 14-Days Vietnam Relax Package Tour covers famous landmarks from the Mekong Delta to Ha Long Bay, combining nature, history, and cultural richness in a comfortable and well-guided itinerary.

Vietnam Travel Group Reviews

Vietnam Travel Group, a highly acclaimed local Vietnamese tour company, has garnered 6,821 reviews on TripAdvisor, most of them having 5-star ratings. Vietnam Travel Group also obtained the recent Traveler’s Choice Award in 2023.

Great tour!! Jack is a legend and is A very knowledgeable tour guide with loaded information. I Highly recommend this tour to anyone… Michael De Lacy

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Vega Travel

Vega Travel is a premier local Vietnamese tours and travel company. They offer reliable and immersive gateways to unforgettable experiences in Vietnam. The company’s staffs and guides are well-trained in sustainable eco-tourism practices and are dedicated to making your holiday once in a lifetime. Vega Travel prides itself on its ability to understand the expectations of a diverse range of tourists, regardless of their age and preferences.  Since the beginning, the company has set a three-dimensional goal to create their itineraries. These include peaceful vacations, rewarding incentive trips, and creative short and comprehensive discovery tours.

Vega Travel Best Vietnam Tour Packages

Vega Travel offers several exciting packages to explore the stunning beauty of Vietnam. The 2-day tour on Vega Traditional Junk provides an intimate experience, cruising lesser-traveled Bai Tu Long Bay. Highlights include kayaking through secluded areas, a cooking class, and a tranquil night on the boat.

The Ha Long – Lan Ha Bay 2-day/1-night package on Vega Luxury Cruise adds a touch of luxury, with a unique route to Lan Ha Bay, kayaking, a cooking class, and a peaceful overnight stay.

For a quick adventure, the Ha Long Bay 1-day tour includes a visit to the Surprising Cave, kayaking in narrow lanes, and a refreshing swim.

Vega Travel Reviews

Vega Travel is a reputed tour provider in Vietnam. The company has over 5,800 reviews on TripAdvisor with 5-star ratings. They are ranked top and also received multiple Travellers choice award by TripAdvisor.  

We just finished an amazing private tour (2 days/1 night) to Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay! Dem is a wonderful tour guide and I cannot say enough great things about him… Jess

Read all reviews of Vega Travel on TripAdvisor.

Cat Ba Ventures

Cat Ba Ventures is a top-rated tour operator in Vietnam that offer specialized packages for thrilling Vietnam vacation. They have two decades of experience in providing exceptional tours and cruises. Led by Nguyen Viet Tung, they specialize in offering diverse experiences, including island exploration, cave visits, and activities such as kayaking, trekking, and swimming. They are based in Ha Long Bay and are dedicated to promoting and sharing the beauty of Ha Long Bay globally since its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.

Cat Ba Ventures Best Vietnam Tour Packages

Cat Ba Ventures offers several exciting packages to explore the stunning beauty of Vietnam. The 3-day, 2-night Boat Trip and Kayaking package takes you on a journey through mesmerizing landscapes, hidden lagoons, and secluded beaches, providing an unforgettable experience.

For nature enthusiasts, the Cat Ba National Park Half Day Trek offers a 4-hour adventure through Kim Giao forest, with panoramic views from Ngu Lam mountain and a visit to the historical Hospital Cave.

For a comprehensive experience, the 3-day, 2-night Cruising, Kayaking, Cycling, and Trekking package combines the best of Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba National Park, Viet Hai Village, and Ha Long Bay.

Cat Ba Ventures Reviews

Cat Ba Ventures is a top-notch travel and tour service provider in Vietnam. The company has over 5,600 reviews on TripAdvisor and ranks top on tours and activities in Cat Ba. Most of the reviews have 5-star ratings. Cat Ba Ventures also obtained Traveler’s Choice Award in 2023.

Had a great trip, Jack and Bee were great guides that really explained a lot and made the trip awesome! Highly recommend doing the one day trip with them.. Rüdiger Groß

Read all reviews of Cat Ba Ventures on TripAdvisor.

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The cost of a trip to Vietnam can vary depending on several factors such as the duration of your stay, the type of accommodation you choose, and your activities. On average, a budget traveler might spend around $30 to $50 per day, while mid-range tourists might spend around $50 and $130 per day.

The best time to visit Vietnam depends on the region you plan to explore. Generally, the months of November to April are considered ideal for the north, while the south is best visited from November to March. However, Vietnam has diverse climates, so it’s good to check the specific regions you plan to visit.

Yes, compared to many other travel destinations, Vietnam is known for being relatively inexpensive. Accommodations, food, and local transportation are often budget-friendly, making it a great choice for travelers on various budgets.

Vietnam is famous for its rich history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culture. It’s renowned for the Mekong Delta, Halong Bay, historical sites like the Cu Chi Tunnels, and vibrant cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnamese cuisine, with its delicious pho and banh mi, is also widely celebrated. Additionally, the country has a significant historical legacy, particularly related to the Vietnam War.

The title of the “best” tour operator can vary based on personal preferences. However, some well-regarded options for Vietnam include Kim Travel, Cat Ba Ventures, Le Family Rider. We advise you to read their client reviews, consider your travel preferences, and compare itineraries to find the operator that suits you best.

The duration of a typical tour in Vietnam can vary widely. Short tours may last around 7-10 days, covering major highlights, while longer ones can extend to 15 days or more, allowing for a more in-depth exploration of the country’s diverse regions, culture, and attractions.

It’s advisable to book Vietnam tours well in advance, especially during peak travel seasons (typically from November to April). Booking 3-6 months ahead ensures availability and may also provide early booking discounts with certain tour operators.

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Fully Guided Tours & Trips in Vietnam

• Sapa Fully Guided

250+ Fully Guided tour packages in Vietnam with 6,796 reviews

• In-depth Cultural

Vietnam Intro 9 Day

"The tour was amazing!! She is caring and made sure everyone on the tour was comfortable." Anna, traveled in May 2024

• Christmas & New Year

Hello Vietnam package tour in 11 Days - Hanoi / Halong Bay / Hue / Hoi an / Ho Chi Minh City

"It's so amazing to spend your all holidays in Vietnam, join with local's new year eve here." Sanouva, traveled in February 2023

• Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

Best of Vietnam from Saigon to Hanoi 7 Days - Super Save

"I especially like the fact that with the local agencies we seem to pick up different people on different tour schedules each day." Dorothy, traveled in March 2024

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

• Sightseeing

Vietnam - 10 Days. Departure every Monday from Hanoi

"This tour exceeded my expectations in several ways and gave me many wonderful memories." SITESH, traveled in March 2024

Highlights of Vietnam - 8 Days

"Vietnam is a must-see destination in South East Asia, there're too much things to do." Kamikawa, traveled in November 2023

Vietnam Intro 12 Day

"I felt like I really had the opportunity to experience authentic Vietnam. The way the trip is organised in general is brilliant, as you fit some much in, in a short period of time." Rhian, traveled in May 2024

Vietnam Express Northbound

"All the accommodation was comfortable and clean, the overnight train is exactly as described, an experience I wouldn't have missed for the world." BevHealey, traveled in May 2019

Vietnam Experience (12 Days)

"Vietnam was amazing! I'll never forget the street food, Halong bay, mud fishing, riding around Hoi An." BrockFisher, traveled in May 2018

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Essential Vietnam

"The tour was well planned and I always felt safe and comfortable while having fun." Francesca, traveled in August 2018

• Coach / Bus

Vietnam Highlights (10 Days)

"Rhi was the best trip manager I have ever had. She covers everything from being professional, organised, knowledgeable as well as being fun."

What people love about Fully Guided Tours in Vietnam

The tour was amazing!! I had Lorna as a guide, she is lovely. She is caring and made sure everyone on the tour was comfortable. Despite being really nice, she could also tell us everything about Vietnam!!

The LVP travel company is absolutely faultless. this 11 day vietnam tour involved lots of hotel bookings, tours, airport pick ups drop offs, and there was never a missed time or booking error. Airport pick ups can be stressful time but the driver always there with quality cars. The holiday is packed with tours that cover all the main destinations and experiences. The standard of accomodation is excellent with wide quality vietnamese and internationsl breakfasts included. I only wish I could have stayed longer. I will be using LVP travel company for future holiday plans in Asia. Well done Jenny for such perfect service. Jenny was available before and during the holiday always with speedy reponse. Including easily making changes mid holiday that I asked for.

I had a great time on the Saigon to Hanoi tour! T was a great guide and quite funny too. I found his stories informational and humorous. The only downside is there is a lot of travel time between locations and some waiting time prior to the boat cruise, but everything else was top notch! I would also note that it is going to be hot and some accommodations are older so don't expect anything fancy, but all I care about is it being clean, friendly, helpful and food (breakfast) was included so it met all my requirements. I had a short amount of time but felt like I saw a good bit of the country. I also like that the driver pick up and drop off and travel within Vietnam was very smooth and organized. I would recommend!

Top operators

"Great trip. Lam was a fantastic leader!

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"An amazing adventure in such a beautiful place !!

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"The tour was brilliant, it hit all the main attractions as well as some off the beaten track

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Regions in Vietnam

• Southern Vietnam (324)
• Northern Vietnam (267)
• Northeast Vietnam (165)
• Halong Bay (89)
• Mekong Delta (66)
• Northwest Vietnam (66)
• South Central Coast Vietnam (41)
• Red River Delta (33)
• Ba Be National Park (10)
• Vietnam Central Highlands (8)
• North Central Coast Vietnam (7)

Travel Styles

• Fully Guided
• Vietnam Travel Guide | All You Need to Know
• What is the best time to visit Vietnam in 2024/2025?
• Weather in Vietnam in 2024/2025

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How to Plan a First Vietnam Tour

V ietnam is a stunning nation in Southeast Asia and rich in culture and natural beauty. Every kind of tourist may find something to enjoy in Vietnam, from the vibrant capitals of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to the serene countryside and beautiful coastline. It might be difficult to choose where to go and what to do if you're organizing your first trip to Vietnam. This article, My Way Travel will provide a detailed overview of how to plan a first Vietnam tour, including advice on setting a budget, creating an itinerary, understanding local customs, and more. Your trip to Vietnam may be a life-changing event with proper planning and preparation, one you will remember and value for years.

Step 1: Set a time limit for your journey

Choosing the length of your trip is the first step in organizing your Vietnam vacation. Considering how big and diverse Vietnam is, knowing exactly how long you want to spend it is crucial. Itineraries for first-timers typically last 10 to 14 days. However, you may modify your Vietnam Tour itineraries according to your tastes and time limits.

Step 2: Choose the Vietnam Tour destinations you want to visit

Researching and choosing the most alluring destinations among Vietnam's breathtaking locales is crucial. You may ask Vietnam to take you to places like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Halong Bay , Sapa, Hoi An, Hue, Phu Quoc, and Da Nang, among other well-known destinations. Prioritizing the places you are most interested in seeing is essential since each place has a certain attraction and charm. 

Step 3: Determine your budget

After selecting the duration of your trip and the places you wish to see, choose your budget. Vietnam is an inexpensive destination where you may easily discover affordable food, housing, and transportation options. However, setting a sensible budget guarantees you can enjoy your vacation without financial trouble.

Step 4: Book your flights and accommodation

The next stage in organizing your Vietnam trip is making travel and lodging reservations. Most major cities in the globe have flights to Vietnam, and several internet travel services provide cheap airline alternatives. Vietnam offers a variety of lodging choices, including inexpensive hostels, moderately priced hotels, and opulent resorts. To guarantee that you have a pleasant place to stay during your vacation, you must make hotel reservations in advance.

Step 5: Plan your Vietnam tour itinerary

Plan your itinerary now that you have your flights and lodging secured. Consider your travel alternatives, the time you want to spend in each location, and the distance between your locations when creating your itinerary. Planning for some leisure throughout your vacation to rest and unwind is crucial.

Step 6: Pack smartly

Packaging for your Vietnam vacation might be challenging, but doing so will help ensure you have everything you need. Pack clothes appropriate for the season after considering the local temperature and environment. It's also a good idea to bring any necessary medications, comfy shoes, a hat, sunscreen, and bug repellent.

Step 7: Learn some basic Vietnamese phrases

While English is often spoken in tourist regions, Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam. Thus, it's always beneficial to learn some fundamental Vietnamese phrases. Learning a few words and phrases, such as “hello,” “thank you,” and “how much does it cost?” might improve your vacation.

Step 8: Be mindful of cultural differences

While visiting Vietnam, it's crucial to remember that the country has a rich cultural heritage. While Vietnamese are kind and inviting, respecting their traditions and customs is crucial. For instance, it's necessary to dress modestly and remove your shoes before entering temples or pagodas.

Step 9: Try the local cuisine

Vietnamese cuisine is renowned for being delectable, making it a must-do activity on every trip there. Vietnamese cuisine is varied and contains elements from China, France, and other nearby nations. Pho (noodle soup), banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich), banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake), egg coffee, and fresh seafood are some of the must-try meals. Be daring, experiment with various foods, and don't skip street food!

Step 10: Stay safe and healthy

Traveling anywhere, especially Vietnam, demands cautious thought for your safety and well-being. While one of the safest destinations in the world for visitors is Vietnam, it never hurts to be ready. To avoid being unwell from drinking tap water:

• Consume bottled or boiled water.
• For sun and mosquito protection, apply sunscreen and insect repellent.
• Watch for approaching traffic, especially in populated cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Step 11: Experience the Vietnam local culture

A trip to Vietnam must include seeing the local culture since the nation has a rich cultural heritage. Visit the Imperial Castle of Hue, take in a traditional water puppet play in Hanoi, or wander around Hoi An's historic district. Learn how to prepare traditional Vietnamese delicacies by taking a cooking lesson or experiencing rural life by going on a bike trip.

Step 12: Shop for Vietnam souvenirs

A wonderful way to remember your trip to Vietnam is to go souvenir shopping. Vietnamese handicrafts, silk items, lacquerware, handicrafts, and traditional clothes like the ao dai are just a few of the country's many distinctive mementos. If you're looking for souvenirs, the local markets are a terrific location but be ready to haggle for the best deal.

Step 13: Leave a positive impact

It's crucial to have a good influence on the locations you visit as a responsible tourist. By avoiding littering and by supporting eco-friendly projects, you can respect the environment. By utilizing local services and purchasing local goods, you can help the neighborhood economy. Ask for permission before photographing individuals or religious locations to show respect for the local culture and traditions.

In conclusion, organizing a first-time trip to Vietnam might be difficult, but with careful planning and preparation, it can be a memorable adventure. Choose your destinations, set a budget, book your flights and lodging, make an itinerary, pack wisely, learn some basic Vietnamese phrases, be aware of cultural differences, try the local cuisine, stay safe and healthy, experience the local culture, browse the local markets, and make a positive impact. These methods will help you have a fun, secure, and culturally enlightening trip to Vietnam.

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