Experience in Vietnam and Cambodia

After a greeting at Noi Bai airport, we transfer you to the hotel in Hanoi. We get together for welcome drinks and a tour briefing. To finish off the day we attend the performance of the special Vietnamese water puppetry show.

Hanoi is filled with greenery and style, and is renowned for its cultured atmosphere. Peaceful tree-lined boulevards, romantic lakes and beautiful French architecture allow us to step back in time to a quieter Vietnam. We visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the impressive house on stilts that was uncle Ho’s residence, and admire the One Pillar Pagoda. Later we visit the historical Temple of Literature, known as Vietnam’s first university.

Enjoy Pho for lunch, a famous Vietnamese noodle soup.

In the afternoon we visit the Ethnological Museum, one of the most interesting museums in Hanoi.

Return to the city centre, we continue to visit Hoa Lo (so-called Hanoi Hilton), a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for U.S. Prisoners of War.

Finish the day with a walking tour through Hanoi’s Old Quarter (in contrast to the French Quarter) to discover the street food scenes in Hanoi, where shows many kinds of local and traditional dishes. Here, you will have a chance to try Bun Cha (a type of noodle soup with pork BBQ).  All of the preparation and content are explained by the guide. The guide also tells the daily life of the common Vietnamese, experiencing something that the Vietnamese used a lot in cooking, dried foods, spices and fresh herbs. You also have chance to try a cup of Beer "Bia Hoi, a type of Vietnamese draft beer " on Ta Hien Street where you can see hundreds of people sitting on plastic stools with a pint of bia hoi in hand. You can find variety of best Hanoi street foods such as Nem chua, Vietnamese bread.

The tour ends with a cup of Egg Coffee at Nguyen Huu Huan Street.

This morning we leave Hanoi by road and head for Ha Long Bay, enjoying the beautiful scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and daily life of the countryside. Arrived at Ha Long, we board a traditional wooden junk. A seafood lunch will be served while we cruise between the hundreds of astonishing islets in the Bay. We visit Sung Sot Cave, one of the most attractive and interesting caves and witness a splendid sunset. Dinner and overnight on the boat.

Early morning coffee and tea will be served on the sundeck, followed by a Tai Chi class. We continue exploring the bay and change to a small motor or rowing boat to see the Luon Cave. Passing through the pretty entrance, we enter a quiet lake, surrounded by luxuriant trees and high stone walls. Then we return to the cruise and enjoy breakfast before checking out.

Transfer to Ninh Binh in the afternoon. Upon arrival, visit Mua Cave, one of the most alluring places to get the panorama view in Ninh Binh, hiking up to the peak of Ngoa Long Mountain to have your amazing views of the Tam Coc, Ninh Binh area.

The rest of time is free to relax at the hotel.

Overnight in Ninh Binh.

After breakfast, we spend one hour to visit the Dinh and Le temples of the Ancient Capital Hoa Lu, which are dedicated to King Dinh and King Le, the founders of the ancient capital during the 10th century.

Then we transfer to visit Trang An Eco-Tourism area. Trang An Eco-Tourism complex is a home of 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna, many of them are in the Red book of Vietnam. It is also a gathering of 31 valleys, 48 cross-water caves and we will visit 3 to 6 of them. On the rowing boat, we can enjoy the fresh air, clean and clear water with under water grass. Experience ourselves the feeling and emotion when we are on the water caves….

In the late afternoon, we drive to Pu Luong.

Overnight in Pu Luong.

Today is an easy walk around the most beautiful valley of rice terraces, just in front of our accommodation. You will walk around tumbling rice terraces and through small paths shrouded in vegetation.  We will reveal a picturesque Uoi village sitting at the base of a towering mountain. Your camera has work to do when you see the panorama view of the village from above.

Continue walk down hill to a local home, where you can take a rest. Then we go by car to Hieu Hamlet. After crossing over a suspension bridge and climbing a slope, you finally arrive at the place where two waterfalls rush noisily. From far, you can hear the rumbling sound of these waterfalls. Here, small branches of a stream run around the hamlet, through houses-on-stilts at the foot of staircases, to paddy fields and then merge into two grandiose waterfalls.

Start early to descend into the beautiful valley facing the accommodation where you walk around tumbling rice terraces. Trek through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque village sitting at the base of a towering mountain.

Continuing to the base of the valley, you weave between roads and farmland, villages and wild fields, ponds and rivers, mountains and open land. Savour the ever-changing scenery as you trek to a beautiful spot. Then you will drive back to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Hue.

Overnight in Hue.

Hue is one of Vietnam’s most cultural and historical cities. It was once ruled by the emperors of the Nguyen dynasty.

Your day starts with a visit to the Hue Royal Complex, former home to the Nguyen Dynasty, the last Monarchy of Vietnam from 1802 – 1945. You will explore the ancient and atmospheric walled Citadel, which contains the former Imperial Palace and the Forbidden Purple City.

Wind your way to visit Cat Tuong Quan Zen House. It’s a perfect combination of architecture, culture and people. Here we have a chance to learn about the Hue culture, experience Qigong and do meditation.

After noon, you will visit the final resting place:  the so called King tomb of Khai Dinh and then cruise on the Perfume River to see the Old Thien Mu Pagoda.

In the late afternoon, we drive to Hoi An.

Hoi An, an ancient town of meandering narrow streets dating back to the 16th century. During a morning walking tour, you’ll see the Japanese Bridge, Phuoc Kien Pagoda, the ancient house Tran Phu and the Hoi An Museum.

In the afternoon, we can shop for tailor made clothing, lanterns, shoes and food, or simply relax on the beach.

Today, we visit the controversial War Remnants Museum, the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Post office. In the afternoon, we will see Thien Hau Pagoda, Chinatown and the busy market of Cho Lon. Explore Dong Khoi Street, the city’s most upscale shopping boulevard with boutiques selling clothes and accessories by Vietnamese designers, hill tribe crafts, high quality linens and house wares. Don’t miss Ho Chi Minh City’s atmosphere by night. This city lives up to its exciting and often mischievous reputation.

Meet our guide and driver, then transfer to Ben Tre, a small town, hidden within the Mekong Delta, which has recently stepped out to be a destination in its own right. This peaceful retreat offers many charming surprises besides the lush vegetation, snaking canals, and enchanting smiles of the local people.

A day to Ben Tre is a day that you are no longer a tourist but a true resident embarking on a sensitive journey of discovery. Enjoy seeing how bricks and grass mats are made with age-old traditional techniques as well as how products are extracted from coconuts. Admire stunning panoramic countryside pictures made of green coconut palms, yellow river streams and colorful local products. Feel the warmth of the tropical breeze and the coolness of water currents while you explore the earthy trails. Taste and smell local exotic fruits, “garden-made” cuisine or stop to observe and satisfy your palate with just-made wet rice paper or coco candies married with green tea.

Complete your experience listening to the sounds of the boat, and certainly the banter and laughter of local people, modest yet hospitable. Enjoy traditional music songs. Then we depart for Can Tho.

The rest of the day is free time.

Overnight in Can Tho.

This morning we board our boat to visit the fascinating floating market at Cai Rang. See local farmers trading their products on the water as they have done for centuries. Continue to a fruit orchard where you can sample the tropical fruits grown in this region and try some local tea. In the afternoon, we drive deeper towards Chau Doc.

On arrival, visit Tra Su, going to the wild birds Sanctuary, cruising smoothly with small boats to discover the arrays of splendid canals deep into the forest, watching storks, cranes and other tropical birds.

Overnight in Chau Doc.

Check out at the hotel for the speed boat trip along the Mekong River to Cambodia. Upon arrival at Phnom Penh International port, you are met and transferred directly to the hotel for check in.

In the late afternoon, visit Russian market where you can find many special souvenirs for your family and friends. Back to the hotel and free time to walk along the river in the evening.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

In the morning, we visit the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda, located within the grounds of the Royal Palace. The Silver Pagoda is named like that because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. Then 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. In 1917, it was designed in Khmer style by famed French architect Georges Groslier & l’Ecole Des Arts Cambodgiens.

In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap.

Arrival at Siem Reap, meet and transfer to hotel for check in and free time at your own leisure.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Visit to Ta Prohm, one of the area’s most beautiful temples. 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. Preah Khan temple, Built by the King Jayavarman VII. Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, the temple of Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation.

Visit the unique interior brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan, Srah Srang ("The Royal Baths" was once used for ritual bathing), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), Ta Keo, constructed in late 10th early 11th century C.E, the first temple to be constructed wholly of sandstone.

Enjoy a dinner with Apsara Dance show at a local restaurant. For those travelers thirsting for cultural highlights of Cambodia, no visit to Cambodia is complete without attending at least one traditional Khmer dance performance, often referred to as 'Apsara Dance' after one of the most popular Classical dance pieces. Traditional Khmer dance better described as 'dance-drama' because the dances are not merely dance but also meant to convey a story or message.

After dinner, free time to enjoy the entertainment at the night walking street.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Drive to visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom (12 century): 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.

It is time to visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. 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. Enjoy a wonderful sunset from the top of Phnom Bakheng Hills

Overnight in Siem Reap

This morning we will enjoy a boat ride on the Tonle Sap lake. This is the largest permanent fresh-water lake in South East Asia and flows into Tonle Sap River, joining the Mekong in Phnom Penh. We will see a fishermen's "floating village" with floating schools, floating police station, etc. It is as a big village floating on the lake, and the "village" moves from place to place following the water levels and the currents.

Transfer to Siem Reap International airport for your flight home.