Ancient Routes through Vietnam and Cambodia 11 Days

When arriving at the airport, you will be picked up and move to the hotel for your check-in. You are at your leisure for the rest of the day. Meals at your own expense. Overnight stay at the hotel in Hanoi.

Be ready as this day is for you to get to know the most genuine spots in Hanoi. Our first stop is the important architect in the heart of Vietnamese people - Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. You will hear great stories about President Ho Chi Minh’s former life as well as his legacies at the Stilt House and the Presidential Palace from our tour guide. Up next, we will be heading to the Temple of Literature, which is known as the first university to be found in Vietnam.

Savor your lunch at your own expense at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, spend some time visiting Hanoi's Museum of Ethnology, where to observe a number of collections of artifacts from 54 distinct ethnic communities in Vietnam. Then, join in reproducing activities at the museum.

After that, make an exploration to the vibrant Old Quarter with hundreds of stores selling street food, clothings, furniture, souvenirs and more.

We will head back to the hotel in the late afternoon. Stay overnight at your hotel.
 

Breakfast at the hotel before traveling to another wonderful location today. The UNESCO-nominated Ha Long Bay is famous for its magnificent beauty with breathtaking natural scenes. 

En - route, enjoy the beautiful scenery of the vast rice paddies and great mountain ranges of Red River Delta. Then, you will get on board the Junk boat for an unforgettable cruise on the bay. Lunch will be served on board.

Afternoon is the time to visit some of the most interesting caves in Halong as they feature stunning stalactites and stalagmites. The ship will stop along the way for you to take a swim. Also you can choose kayaking to enjoy the view of this tropical paradise.

Our ship will dock on the Bay. Dinner will be served on board followed by many interesting activities.
 

Early risers can enjoy the tranquility of the morning and gentle sun beam lighting up the Bay. Savor your breakfast on board as the ship continues to sail to other lesser - known areas. After having your lunch served, you will be transferred on a shuttle bus to Hanoi. Then, a private care will take you to Noi Bai Airport for your upcoming flight to Danang (without guide).

When you arrive to Danang, continue moving to Hoi An ancient town. Dinner at your own expense. Overnight staying at the hotel in Hoi An.
 

Breakfast is served at the hotel. Get ready for an exciting market exploration this morning. Our guide will lead you to a local market in Hoian where many people and local stuffs gathers. This is a great opportunity for you to meet up with the natives and learn some useful tips to bargain.

Our next stop will be Bay Mau Nipa Palm Forest. Coracle will be our wonderful vehicle for this trip. As we glide through the luxuriant mangrove forest to contemplate its beauty, you can also see some worthy souvenirs made from palm leaves such as hats, rings and watches offered by the locals.

Next, we invite you to join in an interesting folk game called “bit mat dap nieu". Then, while waiting for the preparation of a cooking class, enjoy the relaxation with a nice cup of local tea. Moreover, the Chefs will present to you the culture of Vietnamese cuisine during his demonstration of cooking. You should make meals yourself and savor it as your own lunch.

Up next, a relaxing boat ride on Thu Bon river watching the routine of life and fishing movements of the locals in the countryside is waiting for you.

Come back to the hotel and the rest of the day is on your own. Dinner is at your expense. Overnight staying at the hotel in Hoian.

Head back to Danang for your flight to Ho Chi Minh (without guide). When you arrive, your local guide will be waiting and ready to take you to the hotel.

Meals are at your own expense. One night is spent at the hotel.

In the morning, transfer by car to Cu Chi Tunnels - the massive network of 250 km in length tunnels. This is one of the most important shelters of the Vietnamese soldiers during the Vietnam War with living areas, communication routes and even hospitals and bunkers that have weapons and food inside. Visitors can also try to get into the tunnels to experience the harsh life that the people in the past have to face during the hard time.

Move back to Ho Chi Minh city center for lunch (at your own expense)

In the afternoon, join in an amazing tour around HCMC exploring the magnificent French architecture. Our visit will contains the Old Saigon post office, Notre Dame Cathedral, Opera House, Reunification Palace and Chinatown Cholon.

Dinner at your own expense. stay overnight at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh
 

The whole day is for the visiting to the boisterous Mekong Delta. A trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Ben Tre will take us about 2.5 - 3 hours. For a cruise on a tributary of Mekong river, Chet Say river, we embark the boat at Phong Nam wharf. During the trip, feast your eyes with the vibrant local life and the people’s traditional handicrafts such as coconut activated charcoal making, coconut processing for production, as well as mat weaving.

A nearby peaceful village can be explored as you choose to get in on “xe loi" (a special motorized tricycle) or hiring a bike to move around the village through the luxuriant trees and magnificent paddy fields. We will have lunch at a local house where tasty Vietnamese cuisine is served.

Before heading back to the wharf for your return to Ho Chi Minh City, enjoy a wonderful boat trip along a narrow canal. You will be transferred (without guided) to the airport for your upcoming flight to Siem Reap. When arriving at the airport, you will be picked up and move to the hotel for your check-in. Dinner at your expense and overnight is spent in the hotel.
 

Today is the day for us to explore the biggest and most incredible temple of Angkor Archaeological Zone - Angkor Wat. It was built in the 12th century (from 1112 to 1152) to worship Vishnu during the ruling time of the King Suryavarman II. Now, it is a national landmark of Cambodia, which also appears on the flag of the country. The area is also declared as UNESCO world heritage that needs protecting.

Angkor Wat tells us the stories about Hindu deities and eternal life through a lot of intricate bas - relief. Via the splendid structure of the complex, you can imagine how great the kingdom was during the Angkor period. Despite being abandoned since the 15th century, it still remains a vital Buddhist site and home to many Buddha images.

Our trip will continue to the smallest temple in Angkor complex - Banteay Srei. Although having a small size, the temple still draws great interest from tourists with the stunning pink sandstone sculptures and Ramayana carvings.

Next, we head to the old monastery of Ta Prohm. The structure was built to dedicate the mother of King Jayavarman VII in 1186. However, this temple turned out to be a temporary home for 12,500 people including 18 priests and 80,000 Khmer people. After the fallen of Khmer Kingdom, the temple was sadly surrounded by lush forests.

Don’t miss a chance to admire the outstanding carvings of the temple as well as enjoy it peaceful ambience here. Afterwards, back to the hotel

Meals are on your own. Stay overnight at the hotel.

The first destination of our trip today is Preah Khan - the biggest complexes in Angkor. King Jayavarman VII ordered to build this place as a temporary place for him to stay while Angkor Thom was being built.

Then, we will have an opportunity to visit the one-of-a-kind island temple of Angkor - Neak Pan. The statue of Balaha - a legendary saviour of many wrecked ships, was built like a horse and placed opposite the temple.

We proceed to visit Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda - 2 other impressive temples of Angkor. Both were constructed during the reign of King Jayavarman II featuring splendid carvings dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.

In the afternoon, we will visit the most magnificent structure of the 12th and the last capital of Khmer Kingdom - Angkor Thom a.k.a “Great City". It has a scale of 9 square kilometers and includes many temples built in the time of King Jayavarman II and his following generations.

You can also find the National Temple of Jayavarman, called the Bayon Temple and many prominent vestiges around the Victory Plaza, along with a number of old sculptures.

Back to the hotel with meals on your own. Overnight staying at the hotel.
 

Spend the rest of your time seeking for some cool souvenirs for your loved ones before transferred without guided to the airport for your upcoming flight.