9 days 8 nights VIETNAM & CAMBODIA

Hanoi – ho chi minh – siem reap

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL IN HANOI – HALF DAY CITY TOUR IN HANOI

Welcome to Hanoi – Vietnam!

Upon arrival flight, the local driver will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport; it takes us 35 minutes driving to the center of Hanoi then check-in at hotel. (check-in time is 14:00)

In the afternoon, we will start our city tour from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his simple house-on-stilts and the One-Pillar pagoda near Ba Dinh Square, where the most solemn ceremonies of Hanoi take place. Go on to the Temple of Literature, the very first high school of Vietnam Scholars and a temple dedicated Confucius.

Continue the trip to picturesque West Lake to visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi built from 6th Century.

Meal: NA

Overnight in Hanoi

Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam is an ancient educational relic that exists until today.

DAY 2 – HANOI – HALONG BAY – OVERNIGHT ON CRUISE (B/L/D)

Upon arrival in Hanoi, we will be picked-up at the Station and arrive in a mini hotel for Breakfast and a short relax before transferring to Halong Bay. At 9am, head east for 3 hours to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994 and 2006. The road will pass by the Red River delta with green paddyfields and rural villages, where hard-work farmers are busy with their farming jobs, ploughing buffaloes or planting seedling. Upon arrival in Halong, check in the overnight cruise to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch on board, we can visit the Grottos, stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating houses and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the cruise, enjoy cooking demonstration before having dinner. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the cruise.

Please note the program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose.

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Overnight on cruise

Cruise in Ha Long

DAY 3 – HALONG – HANOI – FLIGHT TO HO CHI MINH CITY (B/L)

You should wake up early to enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning. The Vietnamese call the "East Sea" by a point-oriented name "Eastern Sea", so you may guess how miraculous seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. After breakfast our boat will continue to cruise in marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent like Sail Island, Fisherman’s head rock, Butterfly rock or Turtle islet etc. Check out your room and have brunch on board while the cruise coming back the pier. Disembark the cruise and get transferred back to Hanoi. Upon arrival in Saigon, transfer to hotel and check-in.

Meal: breakfast, lunch

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

DAY 4 – SAIGON - DELTA MEKONG – SAIGON (B/L)

After breakfast at hotel. Picked by at hotel and drive heading to My Tho the homeland of coconut and family factories with local products like coconut candy, rice paper,… Upon arrival, embark on the boat cruising on the mighty Mekong River viewing the life to the local people live along the banks. We stop at one of 4 island in the area for sightseeing. Enjoy the fresh tropical fruits served in the heart of the garden accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music at the plantation. After that you will embark on the small boats rowed the the local people thru the small cannels with water coconut tree to visit the local factories. There you will taste the honey tea and see the local people produce the coconut candy milk and of course you also can try it or stroll in the garden where the locals feed honeybee. After that enjoy the horse-cart trip through the tranquil road of the village. We continue getting on the big boat to visit the vast area. Afternoon, drive back to Saigon with stop to visit Vinh Trang pagoda, a famous pagoda in the area that its architecture is a mix of Chinese, Cambodian, and French culture. Overnight at hotel in Saigon.

Meal: breakfast

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

DAY 5 – CU CHI TUNNEL – HALF DAY CITY TOUR (B)

Breakfast at hotel.

Morning visit Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few remaining monuments to the Vietnam War. Beneath the ground lie 200 km of tunnels, dug by hand and inhabited by the forces of the Vietnamese guerillas during the conflict. At its peak, prior to the Tet Offensive in 1968, the tunnel complex was base to almost 10,000 troops. To this day, it remains one of the most impressive examples of how fierce the war used to be.  You even can try to crawl some dozens of m on the tunnel underground to have the real experience.

Afternoon, we start the city tour at the Reunification Palace, the witness of the fierce Vietnam War ended in 1975. The grand building today is a Museum and Hall of official receptions. Nearby the Palace are the colonial-styled Central Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883 and one of the city’s major landmarks.  Have a walking tour on Nguyen Hue street to take the photos of the Opera House and the Ho Chi Minh Committee (outside). From here, walking to Ben Thanh Market one of the most typical symbol of Saigon to experience the daily life of the locals and do shopping the hand-made goods there.

Meal: breakfast

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

DAY 6 – HO CHI MINH CITY - FLIGHT TO SIEM REAP (B)

After breakfast, check-out and transfer from hotel in Saigon to airport. Flight to Siem Reap.

Upon your arrival, you will be welcomed by escort tour guide and driver then transfer directly to hotel for check in. Simply have your own free time after check in.

Meal: breakfast

Overnight in Siem Reap

DAY 7 – Full Day Angkor Discovery (B)

Breakfast is at hotel. Our tour guide and driver will be meeting you at your hotel’s lobby at 8.00am then we’re heading out to visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom, was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer Empire. The gate is atop 4 giant smiling faces then particularly visit Bayon temple consisting of more than 200 smiling faces in stone and admired by interesting surroundings such as the terrace of elephants, the terrace of the leper King, Baphuon and Phimeanakas. Continue to reveal the intertwined Ta Prohm jungle temple adorned by the stunning tree roots, and where Lara Croft – Tomb Raider was filmed.

Enjoy Khmer set lunch at a local restaurant near temples.

Afternoon, we visit the magnificent Angkor Wat – the largest religious monument, also well-known as the 7th Wonder of the World’s. This incredible complex was originally constructed as a Hindu temple of god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire, gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple toward the end of the 12th century. We unlock the greatest history, observe the unique architecture, styles, decoration and so on. Resume visit beautiful sunset at Phnom Bakheng (limited allowance & touristy) or skip it if you feel tired.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Meal: breakfast

Overnight in Siem Reap

South Gate of Angkor Thom, was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer Empire

DAY 8 – Rolous Group & Banteay Srei Temple (B)

Breakfast is at hotel. We leave at 8.30am to visit at the Rolous Group of temples, are some of the earliest permanent structures built by Khmer’s ancestors during the power of Khmer Empire dating from the late 9th century. These three major temples: Bakong, Lolei, and Preah Ko. At both Bakong and Lolei there are contemporary Theravada Buddhist monasteries, while the area of Bakong temple connecting to a tragic Khmer Rouge History which processed hundreds of lives during Khmer Rouge seized the power from 1975-1979.

Enjoy lunch at a selected local restaurant.

Afternoon, we drive beyond Preah Dak village to explore the intricately carved, beautiful pink sandstone temple of Banteay Srei – considered to be a Jewel of Khmer art which features elaborate decorations and fine details. These factors have made the temple extremely popular with tourists, and have led to its being widely praised as a “precious gem”. On the way back, we have a short visit at palm sugar village and other various local handicrafts before visiting the serenity of Banteay Samre temple.

Return hotel for refreshment then we leave at 6.00pm for buffet dinner followed by traditional Apsara dance show.

Meal: breakfast

Overnight in Siem Reap

Rolous Group of temples, are some of the earliest permanent structures built by Khmer’s ancestors during the power of Khmer Empire dating from the late 9th century.

DAY 9 – SIEM REAP DEPARTURE (B)

Breakfast is at hotel. Enjoy the rest of free time in Siem Reap before our team transfers you to airport for your flight to the next destinations.

Meal: breakfast