Essential Cambodia and Vietnam 12D11N

• Tour style: private
• Duration: 12 days 11nights
• Tour route: Cambodia – Phnom Penh – Siem Reap – Sai Gon – My Tho – Ben Tre – Da Nang – Hoi An – Hue – Ha Noi – Ha Long

PRICE FROM: 1.350USD/PAX

DAY 1 – ARRIVE IN PHNOM PENH

Phnom Penh Airport – Phnom Penh (11 km): 20 mins

On arrival in Phnom Penh, be welcomed by an English-speaking guide and then transferred to the hotel for check-in.

After a relaxing break, set out to discover the most remarkable sights of Phnom Penh in a cyclo, an original Phnom Penh means of transportation and a very fun way to explore this lively city. First, head to the Royal Palace. This palace dates back to 1866 and was the last palace built during the French colonial period.

The same complex houses the Silver Pagoda, named for the over 5000 heavy silver tiles that cover its floors. Its original name is Wat Prakeo, meaning Temple of the Emerald Buddha. In this temple view a collection of Buddhas in gold, silver, crystal, and bronze.

Continue to the National Museum, which was built in traditional Khmer style. It houses the world’s foremost collection of ancient Khmer artistic, archaeological, and religious artifacts from the 4th to the 13th centuries. Over 5,000 pieces are on display, constituting the repository of the Kingdom’s cultural wealth. In addition, the roof space is home to a large bat colony!

Sightseeing concludes with a visit to Wat Phnom Temple, the founding place of the city on a small hilltop and a great place to people watch as the locals come to pray for good luck.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

DAY 2 – PHNOM PENH – SIEM REAP [BREAKFAST]

Phnom Penh – Siem Reap (320 km): 7 hrs

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. On arrival in Siem Reap, be greeted by the local English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel for check in.

This afternoon, start the visits to Angkor by visiting the ancient city of Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII.

From here, continue to Bayon Temple in the exact center of the city. The particularity of this monument is the 52 towers with four faces of the Buddha, looking out over the vast provinces of the once great Khmer Empire. The nearby Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King are also must-visits as they are both known for their intricate relief carvings. Return to the hotel.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

DAY 3 – SIEM REAP TOUR [BREAKFAST]

After breakfast this morning, explore the temples of the Small Circuit by remork (similar to the Thai ‘tuk tuk’). Start the tour with a visit to Ta Prohm temple. Built between the late-12th to early 13th centuries, Ta Prohm is unique in that it has been left largely overgrown by jungle trees and vines, with many parts of the temple crumbling to the ground. As this temple has become increasingly popular, it’s best to visit at 7:30am, just as it opens, enter from the East, the direction the temple faces and, conveniently the opposite side from the tour bus parking lot. The visit will also include Banteay Kdei, a Buddhist monastery from the late 12th Century, and Srah Srang, also known as the “pool of ablutions”.

Alternatively, visit Preah Khan, a larger temple built by the same king in honour of his father (Ta Prohm was built for his mother). Less well known and therefore less frequently visited, Preah Khan is more grand in scale and yet provides a more intimate (more “Tomb Raider”) experience because of fewer visitors and it’s many collapsing and crumbling corridors. (Note: Speak to the guide on the morning of the visit. Depending on the season there is a chance to visit a different temple to avoid the crowds as Ta Prohm is very crowded during peak months.)

Return to the hotel for a relaxing break during the midday heat.

After a rest at the hotel, depart on a very special sightseeing tour of the famous Angkor Wat. Built during the reign of King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat is constructed following the model of the temple mountain symbolizing the Mount Meru, home of the gods. The divine residence of Vishnu, the King himself was to reside here after his death. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with stone carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. Moreover, Angkor Wat is well known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple. Construction is thought to have taken around thirty years of intensive labor. Today, Angkor Wat is figured on Cambodia’s national flag as the temple symbolizes the soul of the Khmer people. Return to the hotel.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

DAY 4 – SIEM REAP – HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON) [BREAKFAST]

Siem Reap Town – Siem Reap Airport (10 km): 15 mins Tan Son Nhat International Airport to the chosen hotel in town (8km): 25mins

After breakfast, free till transfer to the airport for departure flight from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon).

Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 5 – HO CHI MINH CITY – FULL DAY CITY TOUR [BREAKFAST|LUNCH]

From the chosen hotel in town to Cho Lon (12km):25mins

Depart the hotel for a full day Ho Chi Minh City tour. Head to Cholon, the Chinatown district, to discover the area’s markets, shops and the Cantonese Thien Hau Pagoda – dedicated to the goddess of the Sea. Visit Vietnam’s first traditional medicine museum, the FITO Museum, with an amazing collection of 3,000 items relevant to the development of traditional Vietnamese medicine. Implements used to prepare indigenous herbs and objects commonly found in traditional pharmacies can be seen in the galleries as well as ancient books and documents on traditional Vietnamese medicine.

Head back to the city centre to visit Ben Thanh Market where an incredible display of fresh produce is offered. Simply stroll through the market exploring the variety of goods for sale.

This afternoon visit the War Remnants or History Museum (choose the preferred location to see) and the former Presidential Palace. Stroll (the vehicle will be available at all times) to the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City: the Old Saigon Post Office, Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Continental Hotel, Opera House and City Hall. At the end of the afternoon head back to the hotel.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Note: History Museum is closed on Mondays.

DAY 6 – HO CHI MINH CITY – MEKONG DELTA – HO CHI MINH CITY [BREAKFAST|LUNCH]

HCMC to Cai Be (100km): 2hrs

This tour begins at 08:00. Leave the busy streets of Ho Chi Minh City and drive deep into the Mekong Delta on this Cai Be day tour. Upon arriving in Cai Be, disembark the boat when reaching Tan Phong Island and start a very interesting cycling tour surrounded by nature through small villages and narrow roads.

Enjoy lunch with specialties of the Mekong Delta in the ambience of an ancient house. After lunch, walk through narrow lanes of a local market to enjoy the hustle and bustle before getting on board and continue cruising on the Mekong River, witness everyday life in the watery world passing by while sampling local fresh fruits. Leave the boat for a while to visit local businesses such as family-run rice wine making and rice mill factory and interact with the host learning about their daily lives. At the end of the tour, drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 7 – HO CHI MINH CITY – DANANG – HOI AN – HALF DAY CITY TOUR [BREAKFAST]

Danang Airport to Hoi An (25km):30mins

After breakfast transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for the short flight to the central port city of Danang. On arrival in Danang transfer to Hoi An, a major Asian trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries whose architecture and relaxed lifestyle has changed little over the years. Take a walking tour of the ancient town centre to visit the former merchants’ homes, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge and the colorful market.

Rest of the afternoon at leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An

DAY 8 – HOI AN – HUE – HALF DAY CITY TOUR [BREAKFAST]

Hoi An to Hue (120km):3hrs

Leave Hoi An for Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Its mesmerizing tombs and mausoleums of the last emperors of Vietnam reveal fascinating insights into the lives of the imperial families and their subjects. The ancient citadel reflects the pomp and ceremony of the dynastic rulers as well as the scars of many years of turmoil, both ancient and modern (the Royal Citadel was badly damaged in the latter stages of the war) but retains a sense of grace and majesty even today.

Drive through Danang and visit the Cham Museum, which contains the finest collection of Cham sculptures in the world before climbing over the Pass of Ocean Clouds and dropping down to the wonderfully photogenic fishing village of Lang Co.

In Hue visit the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945.

After exploring the ruins of this wonderful monument depart for Thien Mu (Celestial Lady) Pagoda overlooking the Perfume River. Constructed in 1601, the 21-meter tower is the centerpiece of the pagoda and represents seven reincarnations of Buddha. On the pagoda grounds is the famous Austin car a resident monk drove to Saigon in 1963 to protest against the southern regime. The photo of his self immortalization is one of the most well known images of the war.

Overnight in Hue.

DAY 9 – HUE – HALF DAY CITY TOUR – HANOI [BREAKFAST]

Noi Bai Airport to the chosen hotel in town (35km): 40 mins

Start the day with a visit to the city’s vibrant Dong Ba Market to see it’s abundance of fresh produce.  After exploring the market take a cyclo through the ‘Old City’ to Tinh Tam Lake where the Emperors used to come to relax, full of lotus flowers in summer there are many local style coffee shops around the lake where university students come to study.

Continue to former emperor Minh Mang’s tomb located in a tranquil setting of gardens and ponds.

Journey on to Khai Dinh’s Tomb designed in traditional Vietnamese style with a European touch making it unique from the other tombs in Hue.

From here transfer 30-minutes to Hue Airport for the 1-hour flight to Hanoi. On arrival transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 10 – HANOI – HALONG BAY [BREAKFAST|LUNCH|DINNER]

Hanoi to Halong (135km): 3.5hrs

Following breakfast leave Hanoi for a 4hour drive to Halong Bay including a 20-minutes stop on the way. Arrive at the jetty in Halong City towards noon and proceed with check-in formalities. After the welcome onboard, lunch will be served while cruising towards the bay itself. In the afternoon, enjoy some visits and/or activities (depending on each boat’s itinerary) or just spend some time relaxing on board. Towards the end of the day the boat sets anchor for the night among the karst formations. Dinner is served on board.

Overnight on Halong Bay.

DAY 11 – HALONG BAY – HANOI – HALF DAY CITY TOUR [BREAKFAST LUNCH]

Halong to Hanoi (135km): 3.5hrs

Enjoy a fresh morning in the middle of the bay, the sun rises on Halong in the morning and breakfast is served (brunch on some boats) while the vessels cruises slowly through the magnificent rock formations and back towards port. Disembark and transfer back to Hanoi.

In Hanoi, in the afternoon, visit the fascinating Ethnology Museum (closed Mondays), a research centre and public museum exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam.

Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 12 – HANOI – HALF DAY CITY TOUR – DEPART HANOI [BREAKFAST]

Hanoi to Noi Bai Airport (35km): 40 mins

This morning depart the hotel for the Temple of Literature. In 1076, Vietnam’s first university Quoc Tu Giam, was established within a temple to educate Vietnam’s royalty, mandarins and members of the elite. The university functioned for an incredible 700 years and its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a fascinating glimpse into Vietnam’s past.

Visit The One Pillar Pagoda, founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049, next. This structure is one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples. Close by is the mausoleum of the historic father figure of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, and the former presidents house on stilts where he lived from 1958 to 1969. His former home illustrates the modesty of this Vietnamese revolutionary (closed Mon and Fri and from Jun – Aug)

Continue to walk through Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter. This area of 36 narrow streets is a lively place to walk around while seeing and learning about Vietnam’s traditional ways of life. Visit the busy Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake. Snap photos and chat with the locals on the way.

Spend the rest of the day at leisure for shopping until the transfer to Noi Bai Airport for the onward flight.

RESTOUR – Let’s travel with love and responsibility!