ESSENCE OF VIETNAM & CAMBODIA (14 Days 13 Nights)

The post-colonial capital city of Hanoi is a unique Asian city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, numerous lakes, pagodas and temples. This full day tour takes you around Hanoi's most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and his Stilt House, the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda nearby, then the Temple of Literature. Keep going to visit Museum of Ethnologies, Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake), then head to the Old Quarter for one hour cyclo tour around Hanoi old quarter.  End the city tour with a show of Water Puppet. Meal: Breakfast, Lunch    -    Overnight: Ha Noi

Depart for Ha Long Bay; we go through the scenic countryside. The wondrous Ha Long Bay is truly one of Vietnam’s most impressive scenic sights. Heading out of the town we embark on a boat for an exploration of the legendary Ha Long Bay. This exciting five hour cruise will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. The limestone karsts formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. Stay overnight on the Junk Cruise. 
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner      -       Overnight: Junk Cruise 
 

Waking up and starting your day with Tai Chi on the Sundeck while complimentary tea & coffee are served. Having Breakfast served onboard. Continue cruising around the bay. Disembark to Ha Long city around noon and you will drive directly from Ha Long to Hanoi airport for your short flight to Hue. Upon arrival at Phu Bai Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay. 
Meal: Breakfast, Brunch    -      Overnight: Hue 
 

You will embark on a tour of the city, including the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City - The Grand Palace of the last dynasty of Nguyen, the Imperial Museum and Dong Ba market. Finish your day on a cruise along Perfume River to enjoy Hue traditional music.  
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch    -      O/N: Hue 
 

Rising up in the ancient land, enjoy your breakfast in the hotel. Then, board a private boat for cruising the romantic Perfume River, visit Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda), the ornate Minh Mang's tomb. Leave the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Hue for Hoi An. You will travel over the Hai Van pass, stop in Da Nang for a visit to the Cham Museum and handicraft villages on the foot of Marble Mountain before arriving in Hoi An. Once in Hoi An, you will check in our hotel and have some free time to explore the town. 
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch    -     Overnight: Hoi An  
 

AM: drive to My Son, a World Heritage, 40 kms southwest of Hoi An. My Son was a capital and religious center of Cham people, now remaining with red brick towers and sanctuaries. My Son, considered being in the same league as some of Southeast Asia's greatest archaeological sites, including Angkor in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. These towers and sanctuaries were built from the 7 to 13 centuries. 
PM: Back to Hoi An ancient town for a walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200- year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge. Following the tour there will be free time to shop or relax.  
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch    -    Overnight: Hoi An 
 

AM: Transfer to Da Nang International Airport for flight to HCM city. Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport, welcomed and transfer to Cu Chi Tunnels which consist of more than 200 km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life was like during the U.S.-Vietnam War.  
PM: transfer back to HCM for a short tour to all interesting sites and landmarks in this bustling city. First stop is Notre Dame Catholic Cathedral and short visit to French built Post Office nearby, and then we will proceed to see the Reunification Palace, formerly the Presidential Palace governed by the US-pro government of Republic of Vietnam. Touring the building and then we will visit the War Remnants Museum, which primarily contains exhibits relating to the American phase of the Vietnam War. 
Meal: Breakfast, Dinner -      Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City 
 

Leave HCMC to lush My Tho where we cruise on a private boat through the green vegetation of the canals to an orchard, where we are treated to a delicious lunch in a local restaurant in the heart of the Mekong, complete with tropical fruits. We also visit the snake farm Dong Tam that breeds snakes for, among other things, snake wine and visit Vinh Trang pagoda, a combination of Asian and European pagoda before heading Can Tho city, heart of the Mekong Delta. Overnight in Can Tho. 
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch    -    Overnight: Can Tho 
 

After breakfast, take a boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong River (Bassac River), and then visit the Cai Rang floating market, which are the best in the region. You will probably have tried Vietnamese vermicelli soup, so now go and see how it is made. Then wander around the village and talk with the local people. Learn how to cross a "monkey bridge" which is built from a single bamboo. Break for lunch. Proceed to Chau Doc, stopping off at Long Xuyen to visit the Thot Not Bird Sanctuary. From the summit of the Sam Mountain, admire the beautiful landscape around the Vietnamese-Cambodian border.   
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch    -    Overnight: Chau Doc 
 

AM:Transfer to a speed boat at 07.30 AM for the final part of the journey to Phnom Penh. Arrive at Sisowath tourist dock in Phnom Penh at around 12pm. 
PM: Start with Tuol Sleng, or S21, was initially a school in the centre of Phnom Penh which was later used by Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge to enslave, torture and kill all those suspected of treason or non-conformity to their ideology. Now it’s a museum which depicts this distressing period of history, where the cells, beds, torture equipment and photos that were used are still present today. We will finish the day at the Russian Market, named after the Russian influence over this market in the 1980s, with its endless selection of traditional and modern goods on sale.   
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch    -    Overnight: Phnompenh 
 

AM: After breakfast, visit to the Royal Palace. On the banks of the Mekong River, the Royal Palace was constructed in the 19th century when the capital moved from Oudong to Phnom Penh, and has been the home for the Kings of Cambodia since 1866.  The palace is a testament to Khmer architectural and aesthetic proficiency so prevalent in their royal and religious monuments. Within the royal palace is the Silver Pagoda, where Watt Preah Ko Royal Temple is located, housing Cambodia’s most revered national treasures such as gold Buddhas, a baccarat emerald Buddha, and even one Buddha statue decorated with a modest 9,584 diamonds.  
PM: Then transfer (public bus may be used for group under 10 pax or  you can take domestic flight) to go to Siem Reap City.Siem Reap Town is the gateway to Angkor, it is 300km northwest of Phnom Penh and 15 km north of Tonle Sap. Arrive in Siemreap, a modern day city which is a perfect complement to the ancient World Heritage city of Angkor Wat on its doorstep. Our car and guide will pick you up in Siem Reap before transferring you to your hotel for check in. 
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch        -         Overnight: Siemreap 
 

AM: We will start the day with the infamous and treasured legacy of Angkor Wat. The masterpiece and holy grail of the temples of Angkor, Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious building and an insurmountable legacy left by Suryavarman II. We shall continue our visit Ta Prohm. Of Tombraider fame, Ta Prohm is an Angkorian treasure, and it’s going to stay that way.  
PM: We commence our exploration of Angkor Thom. Known as the ‘Great City’, and we will enter through the Victory Gate, Elephant Terrace, Adjacently sits the Terrace of the Leper King. From here we will proceed through the forest to Preah Palilay. Afterwards we will proceed to Phimeanakas, and then to Bayon. Finally we will proceed to Bakheng Hill, an iconic temple setting where we will admire the sun set over this ancient land, with views across the great Tonle Sap Lake, the West Baray, and of course, Angkor Wat. 
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch        -         Overnight: Siemreap 
 

AM: Visit to the Great Tonle Sap Lake- Kompong Pluk, the largest lake in Southeast Asia. After travelling through beautiful countryside to reach the water’s edge, we will transfer to our boat and proceed to sail through mangroves, visit floating and stilted villages, and experience a fascinating, traditional and unique way of life. This lake with an area of 16000 square kilometers during the height of the wet season is an astonishing place, so significant to Cambodia and Southeast Asia as a whole, and it’s home to great number of rare species of wildlife and some of the most resourceful communities on this earth. On the way back stop at local temple where you will know how our monks are living.  
Afterwards we’ll visit Chantier Ecole-Artisan d’Angkor, a museum and vocational centre dedicated to the revival of Khmer art. Founded on the idea that Cambodia must endeavour to keep its heritage of skilled craftsmanship alive despite the loss of a large body of expertise during Cambodia’s recent history, Artisans d’Angkor was set up by CEFP (Chantiers-Ecoles de Formation Professionnelle) to provide instruction and employment to some of the poorest members of the community in such art. Visitors can observe modern day professionals employing ancient techniques in the production of metalwork, stonework, lacquer and silk.   
PM : Visit the Old Market and Siem town before transfer to the airport for onward flight.