Travel to Vietnam & Cambodia - 16 Days - VNS-04

 Arrival in Noi Bai airport , you will be picked up then transferred to the hotel in city center. The check-in is available at 2 pm.

 At 8:00am we will depart from Hanoi to Mai Chau, a picturesque valley, home to many hill tribes including the Dzao, Muong and Thai. We will arrive in Mai Chau around noon and check into the Mister Cuong’s ethnic homestay, a house on stilts in Van village. A village of the ‘White Thai’, who predominantly inhabit this area. A typical Thai meal will be served for lunch at the homestay. In the afternoon, you can take a short walk around the village where you will encounter friendly local people, and get the chance to communicate with them and get to know their traditional lifestyle. The rest of the day you will have the chance to join in some agricultural chores like planting, harvesting or land preparation, depending on the season. Enjoy a traditional dance show at night then tasting Ruou Can, the local rice wine. Overnight at homestay.

After breakfast, we will drive 170km to Tam Coc also known as «Dry Halong Bay». On the way, you will pass some of the most picturesque scenery in Vietnam. Arrive at Tam Coc, check into hotel and have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we will embark a small rowing boat to discover the outstanding karst waterscape on Ngo Dong River. Tam Coc literally translates to « three caves» and is adorned with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes shaped like gemstones. Continuing the cruise along the river, you will see spectacular scenery of rice paddies and limestone peaks reflected in the emerald water. Row back to the harbor from where you will be brought to the hotel. The rest of day we will cycle along winding roads passing lotus ponds, temples and cottages, typical of Vietnamese countryside to visit Bich Dong Pagoda situated on a hillside. Overnight at hotel in Tam Coc. 

After breakfast depart to Halong Bay via Thai Binh and Nam Dinh, passing a peaceful countryside typical of Red River Delta with endless rice fields and winding rivers. 

11.30 - 12.15 Arrival at Hon Gai International Harbour.

12.30 - 13.00 Transfer by tender to boat, enjoy Welcome Drink, Depart to Bai Tu long Bay.

13.00 - 14.30 Enjoy Lunch while cruising to magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay, admire the fascinating formations on the way.

15.30 - 16.30 Transfer from boat to rowing boat to visit Vung Vieng Fishing Village.  Rowers are local people wearing traditional costume. It’s the opportunity to see the fisher’s daily life with the primary features in the charming nature.

17.30  Return to boat - Continue cruising through the bay.

18.30 Anchor for overnight at Cong Do area.

18.30 - 19.00 Cooking Demonstration in restaurant.

19.30 - 21.00 Savor a delicious Set Dinner in dinning room.

21.00 - 22.30 Activities: Relax on deck, Beauty Spa services, drink service available or night time fishing.

23.00 Relax, enjoy fresh air & overnight on board.

Please note the program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose & weather condition on that day

06.30 Enjoy sunrise over the Bay or take part in our morning Tai Chi session.

06.45 - 07.45 Coffee, tea and breakfast pastries served in dining room.

08.00 - 08.30 Explore the well- hidden Thien Canh Son cave.

09.00 - 09.30 Check-out cabins and settle bills – Luggage collection

09.30 - 10.30 Having international Buffet Brunch served in dining room.

10.30 - 11.00 Arrival at the pier. A 3-hour drive will take you to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Hue where you will be picked up to hotel in for check in & overnight.

Start the day with a visit to Hue Imperial City, the remaining vestiges of Hue's citadel, including: Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace and the Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh), Then, we will take a boat trip on poetic Perfume River. Stop to visit Thien Mu Pagoda (Celestial Lady Pagoda) built in 1601 - the symbol of Hue city. Cruise toward Thuy Bieu eco-village, an old laid back village situated on the bank of Perfume River known for its green tea fruit orchards. Arrive in the village, and join our cooking class to prepare Hue’s signature dishes with our chef’s instruction, then enjoy your creations in the open air riverside restaurant surrounded by lush trees. The afternoon is reserved for cycling through the peaceful village, visiting several communal houses, ancient temples and the garden-house, a typical and unique feature of Hue. Soaking your feet in medicinal herb water followed by an excellent blind massage will refresh them after a day of sightseeing. Back to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Hue.

In the morning drive along the Mandarin road, a scenic journey from Hue to Hoi An, which allows you to see a picturesque Vietnam with stunning beaches and lush tropical forest. Take some photos en route before visiting the Museum of Cham Sculptures, with many precious antique artifacts of the former Cham Kingdom on display & stunning Marble Mountain. You then continue our drive to Hoi An’s ancient town, once an important international trading port and now a charming riverside town. Hoi An features a fantastic combination of Chinese, Dutch, Japanese and Portuguese culture. Check in hotel for refreshment.

08:00 Guide pick guests up at hotel, take bicycles along De Vong River to Cam An wharf.

Have breakfast at your hotel before transfer to the airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, check into hotel. 

Leaving the bustling city of Saigon behind, you depart to the Mekong Delta considered Vietnam’s biggest rice basket. Arrive at Hung Vuong pier in Ben Tre and embark your boat to cruise along Bến Tre River, a tributary of the great Mekong, to explore the local lifestyle and the daily hustle and bustle. Stop at the brickfield belonging to Mr. Tu Lo to see how bricks are made by hand in Vietnam and a coconut candy home factory located along the canal to witness the process of making this local candy and other souvenirs. You will then have the opportunity to taste bee honey tea at a local honey farm and a variety of tropical fruit that grow amply in the orchards of the Mekong Delta. You can then walk or go by tuk-tuk through the coconut groves and green rice paddies to soak up and relax in the tranquil countryside atmosphere. Lunch at a local restaurant.

We will rise at 5 a.m to take a boat trip through the winding waterways of Cai Rang floating market, the biggest and busiest floating market in the Mekong Delta. Here the waterways become a labyrinth of hundreds of motor sampans filled with fruit, vegetables, plants and food, all jostling for a space. This is an opportunity to take photos, communicate with the locals and taste delicious fresh fruit. After disembarking we will drive to Chau Doc, the closet town to the Vietnam Cambodian border in An Giang province. Continue the tour to visit Tra Su, getting 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. Back to the Town, hotel check in. Overnight in Chau Doc.

In the morning we will take a speed boat to Phnom Penh and arrive in the capital city of Cambodia around noon. Time to rest and have lunch by your own. The afternoon will be spent exploring Phnom Penh. We commence our tour with a visit to the National Museum, then on to the Silver Pagoda situated inside the Royal Palace complex and lastly stop at Russian market for shopping. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast we will be transfered to the airport for flight to Siem Reap. On arrival, check in hotel for refreshment. 

In the afternoon, explore Tonle Sap lake - the largest natural lake in Indochina, cruising for 1 or 2 hours to visit its floating villages and discover the waterfront life. Disembark and drive back to Siemreap through the peaceful countryside and quaint villages with lush rice fields and rows of palm. Visit the Artisans d’Angkor established in 1992 with the purpose of  trainning young Cambodians in reestablishing the arts of their ancestral heritage and help increasing job opportunities. Drop by some workshops to know about the process of stone and wood carving. 

Back to hotel for overnight 

We will visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom also referred to as "Great City", the famous Bayon Temple built in the late 12th century and the Baphoun Temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and Phimean Akas known as "Heavenly Palace". In the afternoon, we will tour the World Heritage site "Angkor Wat", the world's largest religious building. We continue our day with a visit to Bakheng Hill Temple and watch the sunset from the top of the hill. Back to the hotel. Dinner with special Aspara dance show.

We will start our day trip by visiting Kbal Spean referred to as “The river of a Thousand Lingas” which is situated 30km north of Angkor Wat, roughly a one hour drive. It closes at 3pm. We will take a forest walk and then return for lunch. We will continue from there straight to Banteay Srei, "The Citadel of Women" built at a time when the Khmer Empire was gaining significant power. Like numerous others, it is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It is a masterpiece of Khmer art with its intricate, pink sandstone construction and ornate design. Overnight in Siem Reap

Freetime before the transfer to the airport for your flight off. Your room is available until 12h00.