Vietnam and Cambodia Tour

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, you will be greeted by our driver and transferred to your hotel.

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 Stilts House, the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda and, nearby, the Old Quarter also known as the 36 streets and guilds. Also on the tour, the Lake of the Restored Sword and Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, peaceful West Lake (with lovers street Thanh Nien), the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple and one of the city's museums, either the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum. In the evening, you will enjoy the for The Quintessence of Tonkin show - an outdoor spectacle that reaffirms Hanoi's position as the cultural capital of Vietnam. Showcasing traditional elements of Vietnamese culture in a contemporary and innovative way, the Quintessence of Tonkin delivers audiences a unique and memorable exploration of the Red River Delta — the beating heart of northern Vietnam. Overnight in Hanoi.

Please note that the HCM Mausoleum is closed on Fridays and Mondays and most museums are closed on Mondays.

After pick-up from your hotel, you will leave Hanoi by private car/van at 7:30 am, arriving at the jetty around 12:30 pm. You will be welcomed aboard and set sail through the bay while lunch is served. You will pass through the magical bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragons' teeth. After lunch, you will take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay dotted with golden sails, and then go swimming on a quiet beach or sunbathing on the sundeck. Later in the afternoon, you will visit an interesting fishing village with the opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. Back on board, you can enjoy cocktails while watching the sunset. Later, you will unwind ata lavish dinner before an overnight stay on the deluxe junk.

Greet the day with a morning tai chi session, with an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. After breakfast, you will visit a beautiful limestone grotto and then go back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. Checkout is at 11:45 am and the boat arrives at the harbor by noon for the drive back to Hanoi airport for flight to Danang.
Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to hotel. Overnight in Hoi An
Flight Hanoi – Danang @ 18.30 – 19.50

Over view:

On this tour you will have fun and adventures as you paddle to explore Cam Thanh eco-system area as well as local life along Thu Bon River. The paddle will finish in the old town where you will get a unique view of the town from the water. A beautiful way to see the ancient town of Hoi An away from the busy streets

Highlights:

Paddle through the mangrove forest of Nipa palms See life on the river and how the Thu Bon River is an important part of life in Hoi An Unique view of the Ancient Town from water level away from the crowded streets

Tour program:08.30/14.30 - Pick up from your hotel and have a quick transfer to our kayak station in Cam Thanh. After a briefing on paddle safety and the area you will be kayaking, we’ll set off to the mangrove forest where the most well grown Nipa palms (locally known as cocopalm) are found. It is a unique mangrove ecosystem to Hoi An and the scenery is spectacular.
We then paddle along the Thu Bon River to the heart of Ancient Town. It’s a unique experience to catch the reflection of old houses from water level perspective. After 2.5 hours, we’ll embark at a local pier opposite the Ancient Town, there’s time for refreshment at a riverside café before get a transfer back to your hotel. Trip ends.

Itinerary:08.30/14.30 – Pick up from hotel, transfer to Cam Thanh. Kayak paddle to cocopalm forest and then head to Ancient town.
11.30/17.30 – Disembark at a local pier (near Ancient town), back to hotel by taxi or private car

What to bring:
Sun protection (brimmed-hat recommended) Insect repellent

Free at leisure to explore the ancient town on your own. Overnight in Hoi An

After leaving Hoi An, you will drive to Danang Airport. From Danang, you will take the one-hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon), where you will transfer directly to your centrally located hotel. Free at leisure and overnight in Saigon.

This morning you will drive to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. At its height, the tunnel system stretched over 250 kilometers, from Saigon to the Cambodian border, and was three levels deep. 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 during the U.S.-Vietnam War must have been like. You will stay overnight in HCMC.

Afternoon, you will embark on a city tour of Saigon, including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office, Jade Emperor Pagoda, the War Remnants Museum and bustling Ben Thanh Market. You will stay overnight in HCMC.

Our one day cruise excursion starts at 8:00 am from the lobby of your hotel in Saigon with a drive to Ben Tre. While there, you can take a walk along the waterfront, lined with French era shops and houses, and you'll see plenty of coconuts being unloaded from boats for dispatch around the country. Then, jump on a boat for a couple of hours of cruising on the Mekong River. You will enjoy your delicious lunch at a local restaurant or on board. The excursion will end at around 4:00pm where the vehicle will await you for your transfer back to Saigon. Overnight in Saigon

Free at leisure until transfer to airport for flight to Phnom Penh. You will be welcomed on arrival at Phnom Penh Airport and transferred to your hotel. Overnight stay in Phnom Penh.

In the morning you will visit the National Museum, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, which is located within the palace grounds. Then you will continue your visit to the riverfront for a view of the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers. Next, you will visit Wat Phnom and Yeay Penh’s statue (southwest of the hills) before lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will visit the Victory Monument (the symbol of Cambodian independence from French colonialism in 1953). Then, you will visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (aka “S21 prison”) and the Cheung Ek Killing Field. You will have time to enjoy shopping at the Russian Market before an overnight stay in Phnom Penh.

Today, you will take a flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. Upon arrival in Siem Reap, you will visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century), the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean), Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon, you will visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor, Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. You will enjoy a wonderful sunset from the Phnom Bakheng Hills. Overnight stay in Seam Reap.

Today, you will visit Banteay Srei Temple (10th century), regarded as one of the crown jewels of classical Khmer Art. Then, you will continue your visit to Banteay Samre, which was built in the third quarter of the 12th century. In the afternoon, you will visit the unique interior brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan, then see Srah Srang ("The Royal Baths") which was once used for ritual bathing. Then it’s off to Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), Ta Keo (constructed in the late 10th and early 11th century) and Ta Prohm (one of the area’s most beautiful temples). You will have an overnight stay in Seam Reap.

There are no activities planned for today, so you are free to enjoy your free time as you wish until being transferred to the airport for your onward flight.