Vietnam

Land of the Dragon People

4 November to 21 November 2010

Leaders: Uthai Treesucon and Richard Coomber

Maximum of 10 clients (two leaders with more than five clients).

Cost £3,699 single room supplement £350

Vietnam lies in South-eastern Asia, bordering Cambodia, Laos and China and has a large coastline of over 2,100 miles (3,400 kms). It has a well-known and chequered history. It was ruled by the French from 1884, until defeated by the communist forces under Ho Chi Minh in 1954, when the Geneva Accords split the country into a pro-communist north and an anti-communist south. In 1975 the country was reunited and over the following 30 years it has finally opened up to tourism. The hotel infrastructure, cuisine and road systems now make it suitable for us to visit. Habitat and bird-wise the country is diverse. Vietnam has recorded over 800 bird species and holds 10 endemic species as well as many fascinating and colourful families. The moist evergreen forests of Cuc Phuong are home to pheasants, pittas, fulvettas, barbets, minivets, malkohas, bulbuls and ioras. We shall search both the north and the south of the country for specialities such as Germain's Peacock-Pheasant, Green Peafowl, Bar-bellied Pitta, White-winged Magpie and many other mouth-watering species. This tour sees us reunited with an old friend, Uthai Treesucon who has led many of our holidays to Thailand and Vietnam. This will be Ornitholidays third tour to Vietnam.