Best of Vietnam and Cambodia

Upon arrival, meet our driver/tour guide and transfer to hotel.

Evening highlight today is Night Life Vespa Tour: from 18:00 to 22:00

• A chance to see many interesting landmarks in Saigon where almost tourists don’t know.
• Refreshing yourself while enjoying music and 1 beer or Cocktail on Rooftop Bar, you also have chance to admire the city at sunset around 30 minutes before heading to discover Ho Chi Minh City by Night.
• Stunning Flower Market, more of a wholesale market than a shopping experience
• Crossing China Town to explore the colorful shopping on street in Saigon
• Enjoying a dinner with local foods ( BBQ – Meat & Seafood, Spring roll, Fried Rice or Vietnamese Noodles) before exploring modern style architecture in Saigon such as The New City Town, Bitexco Building, and admiring sparkling Saigon River from the other side of the Center.

Pick-up at hotel and transfer to Tan Cang pier. We depart to Cu Chi tunnel by speedboat. When on board, enjoy a light breakfast of The Pat’a Chou cake with Lavie water & local fruit, enjoy the fresh air and understand the daily life of local citizens living
along the river banks.

Arrive in Cu Chi, located about 70 km from Saigon, where you will visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, the former stronghold of the Viet Cong with a network of tunnels three levels deep stretching over 200 km.

After exploration of Cu Chi tunnel, get on board and cruise back to Saigon center.

Afternoon is Saigon for half day city tour includes the Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office, and the Museum of History to see some interesting displays and photographs following the path of the revolution. Then visit the Reunification Palace for a glimpse into the lifestyle of the democratic regime of former South Vietnam.

Today, our tour brings you to Mekong Delta – the must see area in the south. Your private guide and driver will take you out of Ho Chi Minh City in a private vehicle and onto some beautiful country roads to Ben Tre Town, the heart of the Mekong Delta, popularly known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam, and is famous for its vast rice fields, numerous waterways and beautiful landscapes.

Arriving at Ben Tre town you will embark on a motorized boat trip around the scenic Bến Tre River, viewing various local industries along the way. During the boat ride you will stop to visit the local workshops to see how bricks & sleeping mats are made. You also take a motor cart (xe lôi) passing rice and vegetable fields.

Return to Ben Tre town for lunch, after which you will be transferred to Can Tho.

Early morning board to Cai Rang floating markets with stops at a Bun Tau noodle factory and a short trek before arriving at orchard garden to taste a variety of delicious fresh fruits. You can even try passing one of the many fragile monkey bridges along the canals photo shot. At the floating markets, you will discover a typical way of displaying and advertising farm products of local people gathering on the Mekong river to trade their goods. Drive back to Saigon with a lunch stop at local restaurant.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport to take morning flight to Hue. Upon arrival, welcome by our guide/driver and transfer to the hotel.

Afternoon, our car and experienced guide pick up you at the hotel depart for Tam Giang. Leave Hue for Thuan An. Approximately 12 km from the center of Hue city, lead to Thuan An Beach and to Tam Giang bridge with Ru Cha mangroves. This is a primeval forest with an area of about 4 hectares, existing more than 100 years ago.

Get on boat (sampan) and cruise to Sam, Chuon area to start your trip on Tam Giang Lagoon – the largest brackish water lagoon in Southeast Asia and have a chance to discover the biggest part of Tam Giang Lagoon. On the late afternoon, this is the wonderful moments to take your photos. Floating on the water, you will have time to see the changes of time and life as well as the local life of fishing village. An interesting to play kayaking on the lagoon and visit “Cho house”, nò, sáo…

Enjoy a seafood dinner at Chuon Lagoon with local specialties “Seafood pancake with “Kinh” and Chuon wine of soaked crab”. Boat takes you around the lagoon to see sunset. Finish the tour and transfer back to the hotel.

After breakfast, our tour guide will meet you at the hotel and start Hue discovery trip.

Firstly, we visit Hue Imperial Citadel, also called Forbidden Purple City, former home to the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 – 1945. And then, we visit Dong Ba market to know local normal life and shopping. Lunch today will be served at local restaurant with local special food.

Afternoon is for cruise trip along Perfume River (Huong River) – one of the most peaceful and beautiful river in Vietnam. First stop is Thien Mu pagoda – one of the best-loved pagodas in Vietnam and is considered by many to be the unofficial symbol of Hue. It is an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601.

We continue to hop on the boat and cruise to Tu Duc Mausoleum. Tour end by walking around 15 minutes to Vong Canh Hill for sunset view and photograph time. Finally, transfer back to the hotel.

After breakfast, we drive to Hoi An, we will cross Hai Van Pass where you will have magnificent view of the China Sea. Stop at Lang Co to have break. Stop to visit the fascinating Cham Museum, Marble Mountains en route to charming Hoi An.

Morning is for fishing village culture and basket boat tour.

– Pick up at hotel by mini- van
– Transfer you down to PHƯỚC HẢI- CỬA ĐẠI Fishing Village
– Learn about local daily fishing life when walking throughout the fishing village
– Board the boat and commence cruising on CỬA ĐẠI River
– Join local fisherman on the river and enjoy hands-on experience of round net and cast net fishing
– Enjoy learning and experiencing cultural folk music of Bả Trạo with local fishermen
– Keep arriving the BẢY MẪU 7 hectares water coconut forest at Cẩm Thanh Village. Hearing about the past war story before exploring the now tranquil coconut-palm flanked waterways of a past war and hear of the extreme conditions endured by soldiers of both sides
– Enjoy THUNG CHAI basket boat demonstration by crews.
– Learn to paddle the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boats and join in a basket boat racing for fun.
– Learn how to make an origami creations from reeds of palm leaves such as grasshopper, birds, ring, sunglasses, bracelets….etc
– Back on-board our boat, enjoy lunch and cold beer or soft drink before transfer back to Hoi An town.

Afternoon is Hoi An Ancient Town story. Known as Faifo to early Western traders, Hoi An was one of South East Asia’s major international ports and today it still retains that special old-world feel. Enjoy a walking tour through the Old Quarter and try some of the local specialties. Hoi An is also famous for its large number of tailor shops, so if you want to have a new wardrobe made up, this is the time to do it. Finally, enjoy one hour boat trip on Thu Bon river to see local villages life and sunset view.

Day at leisure for your own arrangement.

Suggested activities: Making Lantern tour, Vespa tour, My Son Sanctuary visit…

Day at leisure until to transfer to the airport to take flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, meet our guide/driver and transfer to the hotel.

Evening highlight today is Hanoi Street Food Tour – one of the best way to know Hanoi culture. Your walking tour begins in Hanoi’s colourful covered market, Hang Be. Breathe in the aromatic scents wafting from street hawker stalls selling everything from exotic fruit to local food. Led by a local guide, hear stories about the ingredients and history of Hanoi’s food culture and northern Vietnamese specialties.

And then take a wander down Hanoi’s atmospheric lanes of houses, shops and street stalls, stopping to sample flame-grilled meat snacks at a local barbecue stall.

To add something sweet to the menu, try the local specialty of fresh fruit served in a cup with crushed ice and condensed milk. Your evening walk ends with a visit to one of Hanoi’s best-kept secrets, a tucked-away cafe with amazing views over Hoan Kiem Lake. Here you can try the local favorite, egg coffee, or perhaps a chilled beer. Your tour ends here, so you can either continue exploring on your own, take a taxi or ask your guide for directions and suggestions.

08:30: Pick up guests in Hanoi (Applicable for guests using our transfer service). Our shuttle bus will pick you up at the hotel in the Old Quarter area and depart to Ha Long.
11:30: Arrive at the waiting lounge at Tuan Chau International Marina port, our staffs will welcome you at the waiting lounge.
12:00 – 12:30: Transfer by speed boat from Tuan Chau port to Gia Luan port to board the cruise. Guests are invited to drink and use cold / warm towels by season. The management will give you a short briefing about the cruise and disseminate safety regulations before you check in.
13:00 – 14:30: Lunch is ready to be served at Fish Net restaurant area and admire the beauty of the majestic limestone mountains emerging from the emerald blue sea while the cruise moves to Lan Ha bay.
15:00 – 17:00: Van Ta area is inclusive of Dark and Bright Cave, border of Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay. And we invite you to visit this cave by bamboo boat rowed by local people through some floating houses where they are feeding fishes, clams and oysters. You also can explore this area in your own way by kayaking (depending on weather conditions). After rowing boat trip, you have a chance to swim in the green emerald and cool water before cruising to the boat to sleeping area.
17:30: Back on the cruise, you can choose a relaxing massage service to rejuvenate the body, or take a dip in the Jacuzzi while watching the sunset fall on Ha Long Bay and enjoy 5-star-quality cocktails as the “Happy Hour” promotion program.
• Please contact our staffs if you want to use massage services. (surcharge if request)
• “Happy Hour” program: buy 1 get 1 drink free at Sky Bar on the 3rd floor in the hour from 17:30 to 19:00.
18:00: After a relaxing time, you are welcomed to our demonstration with Vietnamese tradition liquor tasting and learn how to make the tradition cuisines made by fishmen. With the guidance of the chef, you will make “Ca Thinh” rolls – fermented fish – using traditional vinegar made from distiller’s grains, rice powder, fresh herbs and rice paper. Then cheer up with a Vietnamese traditional liquor tasting. Drinking and having a great time in the local style will be unforgettable memories of your trip.
19:15: Enjoy a delicious dinner at the restaurant. You can freely choose your favorite dishes according to the menu available at the restaurant.
20:30: Enjoy the nightlife of Lan Ha Bay. Immersing yourself in music, enjoy a drink from the bar when relax at Navy Club, take part in karaoke activities with the good sound equipment quality. In addition, you can relax on the Sundeck and admire the view of Lan Ha bay at night or manually catch the fresh squid or simply take a rest and watch Ha Long bay from the balcony in your room.
22:30: Return to your room, you enjoy your private rest time, fall asleep and get ready for a new day with lots of exciting activities.

Note: the program might be little different according to the cruise

06:30: Welcome the energetic new day with Vietnamese Martial Class – Vovinam activity on the deck and watch the sunrise.
07:15: A light breakfast is available to serve you at the restaurant with tea, coffee and cakes.
08:00: You will join the tour of Cat Ba World Biosphere by transhipment. It takes 30 minutes for transferring from Gia Luan to Hospital Cave – the limestone cave playing a great important role to the people of Cat Ba, Vietnam. This is a historic destination which is a hospital hidden in the mountain during the war against the US in the 20th century.
10:00: You return to the cruise after the time of sightseeing. This is the time you return to the room and recheck your personal belongings before checking out. Enjoy a buffet brunch at the restaurant while the cruise goes back to the dock.
11:00 – 11:30: You leave the yacht to cano to return to the waiting house in Tuan Chau and return to Hanoi.

Today, we will visit Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh Complex that completed in 1975. The complex includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, House-on-Stilts, and the Ho Chi Minh Museum. After that we will visit the Temple of Literature that was originally built as a temple to Confucius, this is the site of Vietnam’s first University dating back to 1070. The temple highlights the importance that Vietnamese society place then and now on education. Have lunch at a nice restaurant.

After lunch, we continue our trip to visit Museum of Ethnology: This museum is widely acknowledged as the best in the country and has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic minority peoples. As well as the comprehensive array of exhibits inside, there are also traditional tribal houses reconstructed within the ground. Then, take a flight to Siem Reap. Upon your arrival at the airport, meet up your tour guide and driver then transfer to the hotel for check in. Rest of the days is free at your own leisure.

Early morning, we will visit the sunrise at Angkor Area – the idea is to view the reflection of amazing Angkor temple in the morning sun. Return to the hotel for breakfast. After that, Start your sightseeing tour of Angkor area we spend a full day exploring the wondrous ancient ruins with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone, the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the jungle covered temple of Ta Prohm is an incredible sight. There are enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers which embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure giving the impression of man’s creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature. Afternoon, we visit the largest as well as the most complete temple of Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. We stroll around this massive edifice, seeing the many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple.

Breakfast at hotel, Heading out of town we make our way by traveling on a newly paved road to the intricately carved and well preserved temple of Banteay Srei. Along the way we make stopover at the Preah Dark village and we follow these with a visit the Banteay Samre Temple adorned with impressive relief’s depicting scenes of Vishunu as well as Krishna legends. Afternoon we take short walk along the road in front of the King’s Residence to see the Main Shrine, where the local people usually worship, with its statue of Yeay Teap, Preah Ang Chek and Preah Ang Chorm. Buying jasmine and lotus flowers to worship is very important for the Cambodians.

We continue to one of the city’s lively open markets, Psar Chars, also called the “Old Market”, where anything and everything is for sale! Then continue to Wat Bo,a large, highly respected pagoda,founded in the 18th Century. Like the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh, the vihear of Wat Bo contains unique wall paintings of the Reamker that are said to be late 19th Century. Look for the daily-life market scenes such as an opium smoking Chinese merchant, the colonial era French officer at the market and the French soldiers attending a traditional dance performance. Also of interest is the large collection of Buddha statues located behind the main Buddha.

Free day for your own arrangement.

Suggested sites and activities: Angkor National Museum, Angkor Culture Village, Tonle Sap Lake and floating villages, Kulen Mountain.

After breakfast the hotel, our tour guide and driver will transfer you to Phnom Penh. The driver is normally taken 6 hours ride, you will have some stop along the way to visit Naga Bridge, the ancient Khmer ruins bridge since the Angkor Period. Then proceed our way to Phnom Penh, we will have the last stop at Skun District to see the fried spider and you can have a change to taste that too. Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, check in the hotel.

On the evening, we will enjoy the sunset boat cruise with BBQ dinner along the Mekong River to view the spectacular sunset view in front of the Royal Palace. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Note: you can choose shared bus or flight for Siem Reap – Phnom Penh route

We start to visit 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 so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. The treasures found inside include a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90 kilograms and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha, we continue to visit the National Museum, also called Musee des Beaux-Arts. A French archaeologist and painter, Georges Groslier, designed it in Khmer style in 1917. The museum contains a collection of Khmer art – notably sculptures – throughout the ages. Afternoon, we continue to visit TuolSleng Museum (S-21 prison). This former school was used as a prison by Pol Pot’s security forces. More than 17,000 people held at S-21 were taken to the extermination camp at Choeng Ek to be executed. Then drive to visit the “Killing Fields” of Choeng Ek (15 km south of Phnom Penh). Between 1975 and 1978 about 17,000 men, women, children and infants (including nine westerners) were detained and tortured at the S-21 prison and transported to extermination camp of Choeng Ek. We spend the rest of time at Phnom Penh’s PsarToul Tom Pong, known as the Russian Market, a great place to hunt for souvenirs, curios, and silks.

Day at leisure until to transfer to the airport to take departure flight.