INSIDE VIETNAM & CAMBODIA 15 DAYS

Breakfast at hotel. Full day city tour starting with the Ho Chi Minh complex (Closed on Mondays and Fridays mornings and whole September and October for annual repairs). Visit One Pillar pagoda, founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049. This structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Our next stop will be the Temple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university. Constructed in 1070. The temple is dedicated to one of the world’s most famous scholars, Confucius. Inside the temple grounds huge stone stele rest on the backs of even larger stone turtles (in Vietnamese culture the turtle represents longevity).

After lunch at Cha ca street with “Cha Ca La Vong”, a favorite dish of Hanoian - Listed in 1000 places to visit before you die, we continue to visit Vietnam Museum of Ethnology - The museum has successfully recreated the daily life together with the religious rituals and the symbolic festivals of each ethnic group in Vietnam. Visitors have the opportunity to admire costumes, embroidery as well as outside stilt houses and habitats from the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam.

We will have a short walking to visit the oldest bridge of Hanoi “Long Bien bridge” to take photos and see the local life of Hanoi people before enjoying a cyclo ride through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as “36 streets.” This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities all around you. We will travel around the famous Hoan Kiem lake (Lake of the Restored Sword.) - The heart of Hanoi Capital.

Start your evening with a traditional water puppet performance (Roi Nuoc). The stage is actually a large container of water where the characters (carved wooden puppets} “act” out the story. Most of the stories are whimsical and fun, and the puppeteers stand in waist deep water behind a screen controlling the puppets with rods that mostly are under the water. Have your dinner at Wild Lotus restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi.

Breakfast at hotel. We depart for Ha Long city (170 km), approximately three hours away to visit Halong bay (a World Natural Heritage site and a New World’s Wonder). Halong bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes with 1969 islets. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves, other support floating villages of fishermen. You have chance of observing scenic country side of Vietnam dominated by enormous lush rice field.

Upon arrival in Halong. Check-in between 11:30 - 12:00 at the boat port. Enjoy a refreshing “Welcome cocktail” upon check-in on the sun deck. Enjoy your lunch as the vessel sails to Halong Bay passing the Fighting cocks islet, the Elephant leg islet, the Castle islet, the Soi Sim island. Arrive at Surprise grotto - one of the most famous grotto in the entire Halong, we will visit the cave by Tender. After taking a lot of photos and admire the beauty of the cave we will visit the fishing village by local rowing boat with the opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations then we return to the vessel for free time at your leisure. You can swim in the clear emerald waters, soak up the sun over a cool beer on the top deck sun lounge or try your hand at some kayaking (your account) amongst the huge limestone outcrops that surround us. We retire to the junk and relax on the top deck and enjoy a refreshing drink from the bar. Enjoy and learn the Vietnamese cooking demonstration on the sundeck. Your delicious seafood dinner will be served at the restaurant. Stay overnight on cruise for a more in-depth experience.

(The itinerary above may be changed depending on the cruise we choose and weather permitting).

We suggest 03 options for your cruise.

Greet the day with a morning Tai Chi exercise with an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. Sitting on the upper desk we can enjoy the breath - taking beauty of the rocky islands rising from the crystal-clear water of the bay. We can hear the birds singing, cicadas chirping ashore and the gentle lapping of the waves against our boat, the perfect soundtrack to accompany the fresh air and gentle breeze.

International brunch buffet served in the restaurant. Check-out on board and disembarkation at boat port, Halong city.

Our tour guide and driver will pick you up and transfer to Noi Bai airport to take a short domestic flight to Da Nang (01 hour). Upon arrival, you are welcome and then be transferred to Hoian ancient town (35km) - an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Hoian has 1,068 ancients houses, 19 pagodas, 43 temples, 23 communal houses, 38 family temples, 5 assembly halls, 11 old wells, one bridge, 44 ancient tombs. In old quarter, there are more than 1000 relic sites. Free your time at leisure. Overnight in Hoian.

We suggest 03 options for accommodation.

Breakfast at hotel. Visit Hoian’s colorful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and learn about all the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later.

Cruise on Thu Bon river to Tra Que village - a charming little village on the edge of Hoian, the village is famous for its sweet scented & green vegetables that spice up on the daily meals of Hoi An people: Cao Lau and Quang noodles. Come here, you will have a chance to discover the art of cultivating and water plants, tasting and doing a cooking class with local dishes…Walking through the market gardens where local farmers work their fields using the traditional methods of hundreds of years ago. Arriving at Tra Que’s Family House we have a chance to freshen up before beginning our class. Working together with our Family Chef we learn the traditional ways of preparing and cooking Vietnamese food from scratch. After the lesson, sit down and enjoy the dishes that you have created.

After your lunch, walking around the historic town soaking up the atmosphere, exploring the many Chinese assembly halls and fascinating ancestral homes, some of which have been occupied by the same family for fifteen generations. One of the most spectacular Assembly Halls is the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, built in 1690. The pagoda inside contains intricate statues and artwork, in part dedicated to Thien Hau Than Mau, the Goddess of the Sea and protector of fishermen.

Walking tour of the ancient town center takes us to the sites of former merchants’ homes, the 400-year old Japanese Covered bridge - The symbol of Hoian. The Japanese Covered bridge was the first bridge in Hoian and was constructed in 1593. It was built by the Japanese community of Hoian to link them with the Chinese quarters across the stream.

The town is also famous for its shops in particular it’s large number of tailors. If you wanted, you could have a whole new wardrobe made for you here. You can enjoy browsing and shopping in one of the most colorful local marketplaces in all of Southeast Asia. Free your time to relax or discover the hidden charm of Hoian town. Overnight in Hoian.

Breakfast at hotel. We leave Hoian to Hue (145km). On the way, you’ll have a brief look at the remarkable Hindu statuary in the Cham museum - One of the largest collection of Cham sculpture and artwork in the world. The museum is officially known as the Museum of Champa Sculpture. We will visit a nearby stone-cutting craft village before leaving for Hue.

P.m: We will visit the Hue Citadel complex including Royal Citadel and Forbidden Citadel - UNESCO World Heritage sites, set up by Nguyen Dynasty from 1805 to 1945, is now one amongst the relics of the Hue ancient capital.

The sightseeing continues with a walk to the bustling Dong Ba market - fantastic to wander boulevards, verdant parks and ochre buildings that retain an old-world around. It sells all manner of items and is a lively place to spend a couple charm, Dong Ba is also famous for the best conical hats in Vietnam.

Tonight you will have a chance to enjoy “Royal dinner” at Royal Park restaurant. Enjoy a delicious food while listening to melodious music and having a feeling of being the King and Queen. All wear traditional royal clothes. All the served food is royal including dishes reminding dragon, phoenix, or peacock...Overnight in Hue.

Start your day with a visit to the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. After exploring the ruins of this wonderful monument take a cyclo through the 'Old City' to Tinh Tam Lake where the Emperors used to come to relax. This afternoon, visit Thien Mu Pagoda overlooking the Perfume River End the day at Khai Dinh's Tomb which boasts a traditional Vietnamese design with a European touch, making it unique from the other tombs in Hue.

Then transfer to airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City

We suggest 03 options for accommodation.

Breakfast at hotel. We drive to Cu Chi district, 50 km to the northwest of Saigon city. The incredible underground network in Cu Chi stretched over 200 kilometers and became legendary during the American war. The extensive tunnels have been specially constructed with living areas, storage facilities, weapon factories, filed hospitals, command canter, plus accommodation. Upon arrival to the Cu Chi tunnels, watch a short introductory video showing how they were constructed, then spend the next hour exploring the maze of tunnels, you will even have a chance to crawl through the tunnels. Also on display are various mantraps, the remains of an American tank and numerous bomb craters made by 500 pound bombs dropped by B52 bombers. For those interested there's even the opportunity to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range. Have your lunch at Indochine restaurant.

The following program is a sightseeing of major sights in Ho Chi Minh city. First stop is Notre Dame Catholic cathedral and short visit to French built Post office nearby and then we will visit the War Remnants museum, which primarily contains exhibits relating to the American phase of the Vietnam war. We continue to visit the Reunification palace. Discover the history and fascinating street life of Saigon on a walking tour along Dong Khoi street, known as Rue Catinat in French-colonial times.

Tonight we transfer to Binh Quoi village, where you are welcomed by friendly country girls and boys in typically northern traditional clothes, appreciating rich traditional southern Vietnamese cuisine and enjoy a traditional Vietnamese wedding ceremony. The show will tell you the Southern Vietnamese traditional wedding with folk music and classic melodies, rites expressing Vietnamese humanity...Free your time to explore Saigon nightlife. Overnight in Saigon.

Breakfast at hotel. We’ll take a scenic early morning drive to Vinh Long (140 km), stop for photos at Tan An town over the flat rice fields. The program will start with the visit of Cai Be colorful floating market cruising among local barges full of fruits and vegetables. Then, an optional stop can be made at local workshops where you can see how to make rice paper, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn ...It is so interesting to visit the handicraft village where you can see how they make some special products: making rice-net for spring-rolls, fish sauce & Soya sauce, cooking salt, sewing coconut-leaves for cottage roof...

The rowing boat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals and to enjoy the peaceful time. It’s very interesting to see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves and see some activities of the local farmers with an opportunity to make contacts with them and see how they catch fish or pick up fruits by ancestral ways in Mekong delta. A Mekong delta lunch will be served under the shade of local orchards on An Binh island with the famous dish “Fried Mekong Elephant Ear Fish”. After your lunch, we can walk around and then we will enjoy some kinds of fruits when listening to the traditional music

One more thing to do in this trip is biking, it’s so peaceful to bike on village paths to see the local farms, houses, real life and the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong delta. Meet the driver in Vinh Long and transfer to Can Tho.

Have your dinner at Sao Hom restaurant. Free your time at leisure and overnight in Can Tho.

We suggest 03 options for accommodation.

Breakfast at hotel. Enjoy a short walk to Ninh Kieu pier for sampan to Cai Rang floating market - One of the most interesting sights in the delta. Every boat has a long upright pole at its bow on which samples of the goods for sale are hung. During the early morning market hours, larger sized boats anchor and create lanes that smaller boats weave in and out of. The waterway becomes a maze of hundreds of boats packed with mango, bananas, papaya, pineapple, and even smuggled goods like cigarettes

Each boat is loaded with plenty of seasonal goods. Activities at the market are also an occasion for tourists to study the cultural aspects of southerners. You can see the market in the distance, it does not look like much, just a mass of boats. The boats all display their wares on a mast so you can see what they have available.

Stops at a Bun Tau noodle factory and a short trek before arriving at a rice-husking mill. You can even try passing one of the many fragile monkey bridges along the canals photo shot...

Transfer to Chau Doc city. Upon arrival, check in hotel then take a boat to visit the unique farms where fish are bred in wooden cages suspended under floating houses on the river. Continue by boat to visit a village of stilt houses belonging to the Cham minority where colorful traditional textiles are woven on old wooden looms. Overnight in Chau Doc.

We suggest 02 options for accommodation.

Breakfast at hotel. Board the speed boat to Phnom Penh city. Take in the beautiful landscapes along the river and observe typical Mekong delta rural life as you cruise. Visa formalities take about 45 minutes at the border and Cambodian visas must be issued before hand, as they are not available on the border at the present time. Upon arrival (13:00hr), you are met by our guide, transfer to the hotel for check in. Have your lunch at Khmer Surin restaurant.

In the afternoon there will be visits to the Tuol Sleng museum of Genocide - an intense experience and sobering reminder of the recent and very horrific history of Cambodia. This will be followed by a visit to the Killing fields of Choeung Ek located about 10 km outside of the city. Time will also be set aside for personal exploration. We will spend the rest of day on exploring the bustling Toul Tompong market (Russian market). Overnight in Phnom Penh.

We suggest 03 options for accommodation.

Breakfast at hotel. We start the city tour which acquaints us with some major sights of Phnom Penh. We’ll visit the splendid Royal palace which was started by King Norodom (1834-1904), it is a combination of both Khmer style and French architecture. Continue on to the Silver pagoda, formerly a wooden building that was rebuilt in 1962 in concrete and marble. It is famous for its 90 kg solid gold Buddha made in 1907 and an emerald Buddha said to be made of baccarat crystal. The next stop will be the National museum which houses the world's foremost collection of ancient Khmer archaeological, religious and artistic artefacts from the 4th to the 13th centuries. There are over 5000 pieces and is the repository of the Kingdom's cultural wealth. Have your lunch at Le Rits restaurant.

We transfer to the Pochentong airport for a short flight to Siem Reap city. Upon arrival, you are welcome by our local guide and transferred to hotel for check in. Free your time at leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap.

We suggest 03 options for accommodation.

Breakfast at hotel. This morning we visit Banteay Kdei temple then drive through the countryside to reach the magnificent Banteay Srei temple also known as the Citadel of women. This Hindu temple, dating back to the 10^th century, has three central towers each decorated with superbly intricate carvings and reliefs of male and female divinities.

In the afternoon we visit the largest and most impressive temple - Angkor Wat - one of the most beautiful and fascinating places on the planet. Angkor Wat was built between 1112 and 1152 by King Suryavarman II. Angkor Wat with its five towers, perfect symmetry and exquisite bas-reliefs is one of the most inspired religious monuments ever built. The five towers that dominate the scene are said to represent the five peaks of Mount Meru, the mythical home of the omnipotent Hindu deity Shiva. Beautiful bas beliefs and carvings adorn the inner sanctuaries depicting various Hindu mythological epics, including the longest continuous bas relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls. As the end of the day approaches, we climb to the hilltop temple of Phnom Bakheng for a truly memorable sunset.

Enjoy your buffet dinner with Apsara dance show (Khmer show) at Tonle Mekong restaurant. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at hotel. We visit the fortified Royal city of Angkor Thom, constructed by King Jayavarman II at the end of the 12th century, not long after the completion of Angkor Wat. It is surrounded by a massive perimeter wall and a moat with five monumental gates and covers an area of more than ten square kilometers, indeed Angkor Thom means ‘Great city’. The most important monuments are located in the center of the city, namely the Bayon, Baphoun and the Terrace of Elephants. The Bayon in particular is a fascinating piece of architecture and one of the most photographed. It is a bizarre structure, with a total of 54 towers elaborately decorated with over 200 enigmatic smiling faces. From Angkor Thom we proceed to Ta Prohm temple, whose principal attraction is that it has not been rescued from the thick jungle, as the rest of the Angkor Complex. It looks much the same as it would have done when the French explorers came here 140 years ago, shrouded in undergrowth and the huge roots of old Banyan trees. Have your lunch at Champey restaurant.

In the afternoon we drive out to the Tonle Sap lake, Asia’s largest inland lake, which swells to ten times its normal size during the wet season. Here we have a boat trip observing how local people go about their daily lives. Have your dinner at Viroth's restaurant. Free your time at leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at hotel. Free your time at leisure unstill our guide and driver pick you up and transfer to the departure airport.