A Glimpse of Vietnam & Cambodia Tour

You will be greeted by our guide upon arrival at the airport before traveling to the hotel. The rest of the day free at leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

You will begin your full day discovery of the capital with Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - a tribute to the architecture of Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow, his traditional stilt house and the One-Pillar Pagoda - built in the 11th century. Later on, you will visit the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu in Vietnamese), situated in the place once known as the first university of Vietnam. Built in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, the university was first opened for princes and mandarins exclusively. With its ancient courtyards, altars and roofs, Van Mieu is a very fine example of Vietnamese architecture.

Backstreet adventure by Soviet Jeep

Your Soviet jeep and driver will be ready for you right outside of the hotel. Sitting on a Soviet-era jeep, you will travel via backstreets to some virtually unknown parts of Hanoi, ride through the maze of narrow, zigzagging alleyways, have random opportunities to interact with local people and experience the good, the bad and even the quite weird aspects of the city, just as it is. You will make a stop and go through the black market section of Hanoi, visit a local market in a remote area of the city and then continue around all of the must-see highlights of the capital before stopping at West Lake to experience the local food. You will return to your starting point and have time to take some pictures. During the tour, you will try traditional Vietnamese dishes from finger foods to the legendary egg coffee or some other traditional drinks.

Meal included: Breakfast, Lunch and snacks
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Remarks:
- The Mausoleum is closed on Monday and Friday, you can visit outside.
- To be allowed to enter the mausoleum, you must cover your legs, stand in pairs in silence without crossing your arms, or putting your hands in your pockets

In the morning, you will travel by private vehicle to Halong and arrive around noon. There, you will embark on a cruise in the must-see Lan Ha Bay, a part of Halong Bay. This world-famous bay is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Vietnam, with its giant rock islets covered in luxuriant vegetation overlooking the waters. Halong Bay includes some 1,900 islands and islets of rocky peaks, often uninhabited and unvisited. This scene creates a spectacular marine landscape, which earned it UNESCO World Heritage status in 1994. You will be served lunch and dinner on board.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Overnight on the boat
Distance : 170 kilometers – 2h 30min to 2h45min

You can begin the day with an early morning Tai Chi class before enjoying your breakfast. After that, you will explore the Ao Ech area kayaking. Then, back at the cruise boat, it will be time to enjoy a tea ceremony and a tasteful brunch while cruising back to the pier. You will disembark at the end of the morning and head back to the airport for a flight to DaNang. Upon arrival in DaNang City, you will be greeted by your guide upon arrival at the airport before traveling to the hotel. The rest of the day free at leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

In the morning, you will visit Hoi An Ancient Town. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it offers you a glimpse into what a Southeast Asian trade center looked like hundreds of years ago. Meander down narrow lanes framed by many old houses and see local people trading at the market, visit the famous Japanese Bridge, the Chinese Temple and Tan Ky Trading House. Discover the harmony of Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese and French architectural elements in this fascinating town.
Then, you will travel through the rural scenery of Hoi An to Tra Que herb village, known for its aromatic herbs. Join in with the local farmers and observe their daily work of planting and picking vegetables. After a warm welcome and a local mocktail, you will have a foot bath and massage and take part in a Banh xeo cooking demonstration. Then enjoy a lunch of village specialties: tam huu (small skewers of pork and prawns), various kinds of shrimps, pork and herbs, as well as other delicacies.

The rest of day is free at your leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Today is free at your leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Option: Fishing in all its forms

Setting off in the early morning, you will ride your bicycles for 1 hour into the Cam Thanh countryside. Travel across plains of flooded rice fields and enjoy the opportunity to observe picturesque scenes of the local daily life with the beautiful background of verdant nature. After arriving at the local boat pier, you will board a boat that will transport you for 30 to 45 minutes to the seaport of Cua Dai, at the mouth of the Thu Bon River, which runs through Hoi An. At this point, two very different activities will be waiting for you to enjoy.
First of all, you will be initiated to a method of fishing using huge nets raised by special pulleys, the catch, accessed only by paddling out in “basket boats”. After this first fun activity, a bamboo basket boat will take you into the mangrove forest. This amazing round basket boat will carry you along while you watch and take part in scenes of crab fishing. At this point, you’ll no doubt be invited to try and paddle your boat for yourself, but it’s not an easy task making circular paddle movements while trying to keep your balance! But it's certainly a lot of fun. As a reward for your morning's efforts, you will be accompanied to a local family’s house to enjoy a lunch consisting of local dishes, carefully prepared by the fishermen.

Duration: 5 hours including lunch
Boat transportation: 30-45 minutes to the seaport of Cua Dai
Duration cycling tour: 1 hour

Today is free at your leisure until transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, welcomed by your local guide and transfer to your hotel for check in your hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

This morning, you will travel on a road flanked by huge century-old trees before all of a sudden, a majestic stone doorway will appear as you enter Angkor Thom, “the big city”. Magically emerging from within, admire the massive smiling faces of the Bayon temple carved in stone. Built around the 12th and 13th centuries, this amazing edifice is surrounded by 54 towers, each of them adorned with 4 faces. After visiting Bayon you will travel to the Baphuon, a temple mountain built in the 11th century, whose restoration, led by French architects ended not so long ago. Then, walk along the Terrace of the Elephants, which with its length of 350 meters was used for royal audiences and public ceremonies. Continue your visit at the Terrace of the Leper King, built in the 12th century and adorned with magnificent Apsara sculptures.

In the afternoon, visit the most famous temple: Angkor Wat. Starting at the central avenue, you will soon realize just how huge it is. This wonderous architectural achievement, will impress you not just by its structural elements but also by its artistic detail. Finish the day by visiting Ta Prohm, a temple which seems almost consumed by the tropical nature that surrounds it.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

Follow the Kulen Elephant Forest

The Kulen Elephant Forest is a new retreat where 14 retired elephants who used to carry tourists in Angkor Park can now interact freely with the most excellent care and attention. Today, spend time learning about the elephants as you follow them through their habitat, observing their relationship and behaviors. The visit showcases the wild's awakening, the elephants walking out onto the field, and the forest coming to life. This incredible experience to meet the elephants and feed, walk with and learn about them from energetic and knowledgeable guides.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap
Level: 0
Terrain: Clear trail
Distance & duration of hiking: 2 kilometers – 30 to 45 minutes
Tour starts:
• A Morning Session: 8:00 and return at around 14:00
• The Afternoon Session: noon and return at around 18:15

Free day

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

Option: Visit a floating village on the Tonlé Sap Lake, KompongKleang

From KompongKleang you will board a local boat led by a captain from the village. The craft will criss-cross Tonlé Sap at a leisurely pace, giving you the opportunity to observe some of the small floating villages.
The small local boat is equipped with an engine, which allows you to move easily from the village and along the various canals leading to the Great Lake. Once you reach the end of the canal, you will realize the immensity of this lake, where the horizon stretches as far as the eye can see. During the dry season, a walk to meet the locals is offered before you set out for the cruise.
You will have the unique opportunity of visiting one of the most beautiful houses in the village for lunchtime. Here you will enjoy a scrumptious picnic while taking in the exceptional scenery and atmosphere. Traditional Cambodian high-stilted houses are quite common all over the country, but the floating village and the high-stilted house village in KompongKleang are particularly special places to visit. Here travellers can witness the daily life of the fishermen who have been living there, untouched by modernization, for generations.

Meals included: Picnic lunch in a traditional stilted house
Distance: Siem Reap / Kompong Khleang - 52 kilometers (1 hour 30 minute drive), each way

After checking out, you will meet your driver and travel to Siem Reap Airport for your outbound flight.

Meals included: Breakfast
Note: Check-out at the hotel will be 12:00 at latest