Discover Vietnam and Cambodia – 17 days

DAY 1: HANOI ARRIVAL.

Pick you up at the airport then transfer to hotel in Old Quarter of Hanoi for your accommodation. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Stay overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 2: HANOI CITY TOUR (B,L)

After having breakfast the tour guide and shuttle bus will arrive to pick up you to join Hanoi city tour at 8.30am. 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.

(Read more about these attractions)

An hours cyclo tour around the bustling old quarter to experience ordinary life in Hanoi. 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.

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 3: MAI CHAU (B,L,D)

Mai Chau is a mountainous area of outstanding natural beauty, inhabited by a Thai and H’mong ethnic minority groups. This trip offers an easy trekking combined with homestay in villages of Thai , where you have experienced with the local lifestyle of these minority people.

Morning, at 08.00, pick up from your hotel and head west towards Hoa Binh to have refreshment. Leave Hoa Binh for Mai Chau Valley, about 2hrs away, stop for snapping pictures. Arrive in Mai Chau and have lunch in a family house in the local village around 12.00.

After lunch, riding bicycle around the surrounding villages of White Thai Ethnic people. Learn more about their lives and cultures as your guide can help answer any questions.

At 18.00, have dinner with the family, get a closer look into their real life. Drink “ruou can” (traditional alcohol) with your new family.

Sleep in the village, in the stilt house, the most interesting part of the trip. Stilt houses are unique to Mai Chau and you cannot find this experience in other tour. OR staying overnight in a bungalow by your choice.

DAY 4: MAI CHAU – HANOI (B, L)

The early morning is the most peaceful time to walk around the villages. Feeling the fresh air and seeing women prepare foods on the wooden fire while the sun is rising over the beautiful mountains which you can not feel in the crowed cities.

Breakfast in the village then walk to Mai Chau market. After breakfast, you will climb to 1000 Step Cave which is breathtaking and is the view of the area from the entrance of the cave. Have lunch in the village. The rest of time before getting back to Hanoi is your leisure. Going back to Hanoi at 17.00.

Arrival in Hanoi at 21.00 and stay overnight at Hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 5: HANOI – HALONG BAY (B,L,D)

Around 08.00, Our guide Pick you up at your hotel and go to Halong bay on a shuttle bus. Take a rest at Humanity center and enjoy local specialties. Arrival in Halong at 11.45. The captain and crew welcome you aboard. Savor the delicious lunch as boat pass through thousands of Islands and Islets with different shapes.

After 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 board and overnight on board.

DAY 6 : HALONG BAY (B,L,D)

Breakfast, tea and coffee will be served on boat. After breakfast, Start cruising to visit Van Gia floating village and passing by Halong Pearl Farm. Then take a local boat to Lan Ha bay and biking at Catba national park, to visit VietHai village, in the valley of the heart of Cat Ba National Park. Visit Nam Cat Island and having lunch.

In the afternoon, Swimming or kayaking activities to explore the untouched area in LanHa bay. Visit Monkey island. At 15:30, Check in the Deluxe Bungalow on Nam Cat island – Catba Sandy Beach resort. Free time for kayaking and swimming in private island. Your leisure time to relax & swimming.

Dinner and overnight in the bungalow on Nam Cat island.

ATERNATIVELY: Stay one more night on boat.

DAY 7: HALONG BAY – HUE (B,L)

Morning, breakfast with coffee or tea and photo hunting. After breakfast, our bus takes you to Cai Beo harbor, get on “Day Boat”, back 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.

At 11.45, Disembark and transfer back to Hanoi. Transfer straight to airport for flight to Hue.

Stay overnight at hotel in Hue.

DAY 8: HUE CITY TOUR (B,L)

AM: After breakfast at the hotel, 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 9: HOI AN CITY TOUR AND VISIT 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.

Stay overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

DAY 10:  HOI AN – HO CHI MINH CITY (B,D)

Morning, your leisure time to go around Hoi An for sight-seeing and shopping.

Afternoon, transfer to Danang Airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh city. Transfer to hotel. Checkin the room and take a rest before go out for street exploring and shopping in Ho Chi Minh city.

Evening, enjoy your dinner on Bon Sai Cruise, a restaurant boat, and listening to Vietnamese traditional music while dining.

Stay overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

DAY 11: HO CHI MINH CITY TOUR (B,L)

Morning, Ho Chi Minh City tour. We start the trip by visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office, followed by exploring the Reunification Palace, and the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum.

Afternoon, visit Cu Chi Tunnels. Located 60km from Ho Chi Minh city, Cu Chi is now a popular spot for both Vietnamese & foreign tourists – the network of over 200km of tunnels became legendary when they played a vital role in the War. In their heyday, the tunnels were functioning underground cities including numerous trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers & kitchens.

Stay overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

DAY 12: HO CHI MINH – MEKONG DELTA (B,L)

At 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 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 13: 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 (Alt: Visit Phong Dien floating market) 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 14: CHAU DOC, VIETNAM – PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (B,L)

After breakfast, take a rowing boat trip through the floating village and visit the fish farm to see how the Mekong Delta people raise fish from their floating houses. Visit the Cham minority in their traditional weaving village. Transfer to a speed boat for the final part of the 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 15: 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 16:  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 17: 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 Tour!