Best of Vietnam and Cambodia – 13 days

DAY 01: HANOI – ARRIVAL:

Arrival in Hanoi. We welcome you at the airport and transfer you to hotel. After check in the hotel, our guide takes you to visit some famous places in Hanoi.

You will start the tour by visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ho Chi Minh Museum. Enjoy the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-palace. Just next door is Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where he used to live in the past. Lying to one side of the Mausoleum is the One Pillar Pagoda, built by King Ly Thai To in 1049 the structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Continue to visit the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam) – Vietnam’s first University constructed in 1070. Its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past.

Have lunch at local restaurants. Proceed to visit the Ethnology Museum. After that we will take you to Hoan Kiem Lake, see the peaceful water, and visit Ngoc Son Temple. Take an hour cyclo tour around the bustling old quarter to see the ordinary life in Hanoi.

(Read more about these attractions)

At 18.00, Back to your hotel. It’s your free time now to have dinner and a short while to explore the streets of Hanoi. Stay overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 02: HANOI – HALONG BAY (B,L,D)

Around 8.00am, our guide picks you up at hotel and transfer to Halong bay. Arrive in Halong at 11.45am. The captain and crew welcome you aboard. Savor the delicious lunch as boat pass through thousands of Islands and Islets with different shapes.

After the lunch, explore the biggest and the most amazing cave in Halong Bay –Surprise Cave. Then Kayaking for an hour around the fishing village and discover the life of community there. Then back to boat for Sunset Party, get to calm, clean water place for swimming. Enjoy delicious and romantic dinner with some barbecue courses.

In the evening, free time for entertainment with the funny plays such as squid fishing, karaoke program, stars watching on sundeck… Spend romantic night on boar. stay overnight on boat in Halong bay.

DAY 03: HALONG BAY – HANOI – HUE (B,L)

Early morning, start your new day on Halong bay by a morning Taichi exercise or photo hunting. Breakfast with coffee or tea. After breakfast, our bus takes you to Cai Beo harbor, get on “Day Boat”. Then visit Ba Hang Fishing Village by tender to experience the lifestyle of local people. Back to boat restaurant to join cooking class and enjoy lunch.

Around 11.45 AM, Disembark and transfer back to Hanoi. Transfer you directly to Noi Bai airport (in Hanoi) for the flight to Hue.

Arrival in Hue. Check-in room at hotel and stay overnight at hotel in Hue city.

DAY 04:  HUE – CITY TOUR (B,L)

AM: After breakfast, at 08.00, Our guide and driver pick up you at your hotel and then take a full day to discover Hue: visit Emperor Minh Mang’s Mausoleum, Emperor Khai Dinh’s Mausoleum, Performing Programs Of VO KINH VAN AN – Vietnam Traditional Kungfu and Emperor Tu Duc ’s Mausoleums. Stop on the way to see how conical hats and incense sticks are made. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

PM: Visit Imperial capital during Nguyen Dynasty and the seven – storey Thien Mu Pagoda on the riverbank. Return by boat on the gentle Perfume River and do not miss the sunset on the river. You will come back your hotel at 17.30pm to pick up your luguage.

Transfer to Hoi An and stay overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

DAY 05: HOI AN – MY SON SANCTUARY (B,L)

Morning, at 8.00, Our guide picks you up at hotel and leave Hoi An for visiting My Son Holly Land – the ruins of Cham people and was an imperial city during Cham dynasty. Here you can have more chance to explore and understand of technique of Old Cham people in making red bricks to build Tower which still now a secret to everyone, you can see a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 65 architectural works. It also surprises for those who are curious with architectural art. In 1999, UNESCO labeled the Cham architecture in My Son as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Moreover, you have chance to enjoy traditional music performed by Cham girls in their colorful uniforms.

Afternoon, we will discover the city of Hoi An by foot. The historic town which used to be a prosperous seaport city from the 16th to 18th centuries is now a beautiful city that can’t be missed while touring the South East Asian region. While walking through the city, we will visit Hoi An’s Colorful Local Market, Tan Ky Old House, Fu Jian Assembly Hall, and the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge. Travelers can also see local residents raise silkworms and produce silk for Hoi An’s burgeoning textile industry.

Transfer to airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh city. Stay overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

DAY 06: HOI AN – HO CHI MINH CITY (B)

Breakfast at hotel. Your leisure until we transfer you to Danang Airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh city. Transfer you to hotel in Ho Chi Minh. Stay overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh.

DAY 07: HO CHI MINH – CITY TOUR (B,L)

Morning, around 8.00am, our guide picks you up at hotel. Visit to the Re-Unification Palace, the former palace of President Thieu and his predecessors. Today this building is a museum and venue for Government official receptions. Inside you can visit the President’s room. Nearby is the Central Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877- 1883 and is one of the city’s major landmarks. Neo-Romanesque in form, the Cathedral is the major seat of the Catholic religion in modern Vietnam. Continue to visit the War Remains Museum, where you can learn a lot about the Vietnam War. After lunch in local restaurant, you will visit toJade Emperor Temple, one of the oldest Chinese temples in Ho Chi Minh city. Continue to Binh Tay market in China Town and the last sight we will visit today is Ben Thanh market, where all kind of local goods are offered.

Afternoon, heading to Cu Chi for visiting Cu Chi tunnel. The tunnel network of Cu Chi became legendary during the 1960s for its role in facilitating VietCong control of a large rural area only 30km to 40km from Ho Chi Minh city. After lunch at a local restaurant in Cu Chi, go back to Ho Chi Minh city.

Stay overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

DAY 08: HO CHI MINH – MEKONG DELTA: MY THO – BEN TRE – CAN THO (B,L)

8.00, Leave Ho Chi Minh city, enjoy the scenic journey along the National Highway bordered by green rice fields. On arrival at My Tho, visit Vinh Trang pagoda, take a leisurely boat ride along the river, view stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages along the river bank. Proceed to Tortoise islet, have lunch in the orchard garden. Then a boat ride to An Khanh – a less touristy attraction in Ben Tre, enjoy cruising on a hand-rowed sampan under the shade of water coconut trees along natural canals. Have a short cycling tour (applied for private tour/if time permitted) then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of “Southern Vietnamese folk music”, performed by the locals. Visit a family business which epitomizes the idyllic rural lifestyle, taste delicious coconut candy & observe the pastoral life as you roam through the fruit plantations and villages. Proceed to Can Tho. Free time to visit the bustling Can Tho market.

Overnight at hotel in Can Tho.

DAY 09: MEKONG DELTA: CAN THO – LONG XUYEN – CHAU DOC (B,L)

Take a leisurely boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong river (Bassac River), then proceed to Cai Rang floating markets (& Phong Dien is optional), which are the liveliest in the whole religion.

Have you ever tasted Vietnamese vermicelli soup? Well, now go and see how it is made. Then wander around the village and meet the friendly local people and experience how to pass a “Monkey bridge” which is built by only o­ne stem of bamboo. Visit the orchard garden. Stop for lunch. Proceed to Chau Doc via Long Xuyen to visit the crocodile farm. Check in o­n arriving in Chau Doc. Admire the landscape from the Sam Mountain summit down the Vietnamese – Cambodian border, visit the Caved pagoda.

Overnight at hotel in Chau Doc.

DAY 10: CHAU DOC, VIETNAM – PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (B)

After breakfast, transfer to a speed boat for a journey to Phnom Penh. Arrive at Sisowath tourist dock in Phnom Penh around 02.00pm.

After your rest, visit to the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town. Visit the Silver Pagoda, located within the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles.

Continue your visit at the National Museum. This is one of Phnom Penh’s true architectural gems. The Museum is instantly recognizable with its warm red terracotta and its gracefully cured roof topped by dozens of guardian nagas. It was designed in Khmer style in 1917 by famed French architect Georges Groslier & Ecole Des Arts Cambodgiens.

Overnight at hotel in Phnom Penh.

DAY 11: PHNOM PENH – SIEM REAP (B,L)

Morning, transfer to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, check-in the hotel and have lunch.

Afternoon, visit Ta Prohm, one of the most beautiful temples in Angkor. Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool (representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), Ta Som, built in late 12th century C.E. the most distant temple on the grand circuit, small but classic.

Continue your visit to Preah Khan temple, built by the King Jayavarman VII. Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder hugging corridors. However, the temple of Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation.

Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.

DAY 12: SIEM REAP – ANGKOR THOM – ANGKOR WAT (B,L)

In the morning, visit Angkor Wat the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Continue to view a wonderful sunset from the Top of Phnom Bakhen Hill.

In the afternoon, visit to the antique capital of Angkor Thom (literally: “Great City”), located in present day Cambodia, was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. Continue your visit at the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.

DAY 13: SIEM REAP – TONLE SAP LAKE – DEPARTURE (B,L)

After breakfast at hotel, take a boat trip for sight-seeing on Tonle Sap Lake, the Great Lake of Cambodia. It is one of the largest lakes in Asia. Here, enjoy a brief cruise past floating villages complete with schools, restaurants, and hospitals.

Transfer to Siem Reap airport for your departure flight.

End Of The Journey!