Cambodia Vietnam Tour 11 days: Cultural and Natural Journey

Upon arrival at Siem Reap International Airport, meet and transfer by the local guide to the hotel for check-in (Early check-in is NOT included and is subject to the hotel’s availability).

Welcome to Siem Reap. Siem Reap is a sleepy backwater serving as a gateway to the ancient capital of Angkor. It is hard to believe that at its peak in the 12th century, this was one of the most advanced civilizations in the world and home to more than 1 million inhabitants

Take a Siem Reap Orientation Tour, starting with Preah Ang Check Preah Ang Chom which is the biggest local shrine in the city center. Locals throng here to pray for luck, especially newlyweds, and it is an atmospheric place to visit in the late morning or late afternoon, as the incense smoke swirls around. Then we continue to walk along the Siem Reap riverside to visit the Wat Preah Prom Rath, it is a functioning Buddhist monastery featuring a typical Khmer-style pagoda, a courtyard with statues depicting different Buddhist beliefs, and a hall surrounded by hand-painted picture walls containing a giant statue of seated Buddha and a reclining Buddha. Return to hotel for refreshment

Late afternoon, our guide and driver will meet you again to take you on to walk through the street foot hall where all the locals come for a picnic and drinks after work. You are invited to taste some snacks, drinks, and fruits as much as you can before we go to one of the local restaurants for dinner along with the Khmer Classic Live Band (black forest).

Meals included: Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

Start to tour to visit Angkor Wat Temple, one of the modern wonders of the world. Be amazed by the sheer size of the temple and learn how the Khmer Empire prospered between the 9th and 13th centuries, around the time when Angkor Wat was built. Stroll through the intricately carved hallways that show hundreds of fine carvings and discover small shrines still in use today by the local people. And then, continue to the picturesque Ta Prohm. This beautiful temple is overgrown with fig trees, giving a haunting yet exotic atmosphere. The magnificent roots of the trees have merged over the centuries with the temple’s huge stone blocks, emphasizing a ‘forgotten city’ feeling. Return to hotel for relaxation

Lunch at the local restaurant

After lunch, we will visit Angkor Thom, the ancient royal city of the Khmer Empire with its centerpiece; the Bayon temple. As you approach, you will notice the enigmatic faces of former King Jayavarman VII looking in every direction. Your guide will take you to the Terrace of the Elephants, which served as a platform from where the King could welcome back his victorious army, and the Terrace of the Leper King, which holds detailed carvings winding along a narrow passageway that leads to the Baphuon complex. Next, we drive to West Baray to get the nicest spot to view the sunset over this manmade lake, and enjoy the snacks and drinks (local beers and snacks) while the sunset is setting down.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check-out from the hotel, our guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel and drive about 45 minutes to the countryside, stopping en route to visit a local village. Arrive at the quay and board a local boat for a 1.5-hour ride on the Tonle Sap Lake (Kampong Phluk Stilt House Village), also known as the Great Lake of Cambodia. Find out how communities live and work on the lake; see the schools, markets, pagodas, and police stations, among others; and observe their daily lives. Ride the boat back to the pier and proceed to Phnom Pen, we will stop for lunch at the local restaurant on the way, also making a few more stops to visit the ancient bridge and spider market. On arrival at Phnom Penh Hotel, check-in and free at leisure. Meet the local guide in Phnom Penh, he/she will ride you by tuk-tuk to discover Phnom Penh after dark through the riverfront where the walking area is, and the main road of Norodom Boulevard (Around the Independent Monument) before having dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh

After breakfast at the hotel, visits Toul Sleng, which was a high school prior to 1975, an interrogation prison known as S-21 during the Khmer Rouge era, and today it is a genocide museum. It tells the sad story of the thousands of innocent Cambodian people who were tortured on its grounds. Walking through the narrow corridors and former classrooms of the buildings will give you an eerie feeling of being part of Cambodia’s turbulent past. The stories of the victims are documented and some torture devices are on display for visitors to learn about the suffering the people endured. Photographs were taken of each prisoner passing through the prison and hundreds of the haunting black and white photos are now on display in the museum. While this experience may be depressing, it is recommended to visit in order to truly understand the cruel methods of control the Khmer Rouge implemented over the country, and visit the Russian Market. Enjoy the buffet lunch at Tonle Basak Restaurant, or the Khmer Set Menu at another local restaurant, or walk the central market and eat as locals in the foot hall area (you can taste any kind of food, fruits, drinks, and snacks as your lunch).

Afternoon, visit The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda two of the most striking buildings in the capital and are considered some of the finest examples of Khmer architecture. They were initially constructed in 1866 by the French. The Royal Palace is home to the current King Sihamoni. The neighboring Silver Pagoda stands out in its own distinctive way. The floor consists of 5,329 solid silver tiles to which the building owes its name. The building houses many golds and jeweled Buddha statues including the highly prized 17th-century baccarat crystal Buddha. Other important buildings that can be found within the compound include Wat Preah Keo Morokat, where Royal ceremonies are performed, and stupas such as King Ang Doung Stupa – the burial site of former King Norodom.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh

Breakfast at the hotel. Free time until transfer to the airport for your next flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, get transfer to hotel in Hanoi.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accomodation: Hotel in Hanoi

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up and show you around Hanoi, Vietnam’s gracious capital. We enjoy a full day city tour starting with the Ho Chi Minh Complex, home to his mausoleum, garden, house on stilts and a museum which traces his life and work.

Our first stop is to visit the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh. Located in the center of Ba Dinh Square, this is the most important monument of Vietnam in which Ho Chi Minh’s body is preserved. This site only opens on Tuesday to Thursday and weekends from 08:00 – 11:00.

The next destination is the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. The Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house was completed on May 19th, 1958 as a birthday present for uncle Ho and becomes a symbol of his simple life.

Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda. The pagoda looks like a lotus blossoming from the square pond. It was constructed in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong based on his dream of Goddess of Mercy seating on a lotus flower and giving him a boy. In 1954, it was destroyed by the French and then restored in 1955.

We follow this with the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam. This temple provides an opportunity to learn more about education in Vietnam since 1000 years ago until recent history.

In the afternoon, visit the impressive Ethnologic Museum that is dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. This museum has both indoor and outdoor exhibition area with the most popular architectural styles of house’s ethnic people. The museum closes on every Monday.

To round off the day tour around the city's Old Quarter by a bicycle rickshaw, called a cyclo. In this part of town, each colorful street is devoted to a particular craft or ware. You will be pedaled amongst the quaint French buildings along Shoe Street, Silk Street and Banner Street (to name just a few), ending at the historic Hoan Kiem Lake - the social center of Hanoi.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Breakfast served at hotel and then starts a 3-hour drive through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta to Ha Long City.

Declared as a World Heritage site by the UNESCO in 1994, Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most spectacular natural attractions. Nearly 200 km far from Hanoi, the bay is dotted with 1600 limestone islands, capturing visitors’ attention.

Arrive in Halong ad board a luxury wooden sailing junk for a cruise through the limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Ha Long Bay, giving us the chance to take in the stunning scenery of this World Heritage Site. While on board we will be served a sumptuous fresh, local seafood lunch followed by a swim and exploring some of the limestone caves in this area. When the sun comes down we drop anchor for the night nearby a remote island.  Dinner served on board. Overnight on Junk

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Onboard on Halong bay cruise

Rising to the tranquil beauty of the bay we have time for an early morning dip with joys and emotions for watching sunrise on sea followed by breakfast. This morning we continue to move around the bay to find more secluded areas. The junk will be near us at all times serving as a back-up vessel for those that require it. At around midday we will return to the main harbor where our private vehicle waiting for you for a 3-hour journey to the airport for your flight to Saigon. Upon arrival, warmly welcomed by our guide and driver, then get transfer to your hotel in Saigon.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Morning we departure for the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground network constructed by Vietnamese soldiers in the American war. Nowadays, the tunnels have become a popular tourist attraction of Vietnam.

Return to HCM for lunch. Afternoon we will visit some major sights of the city. We pass the now-demolished wartime American Embassy before we visit the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975, and some French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Saigon Post Office.

After seeing the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum, we continue our trip on to the bustling Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sale! Overnight at the hotel in Saigon

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Pick up at your hotel in Saigon and depart for Ben Tre. On arrival in Hàm Luông pier. Cruise on BenTre river exploring the lively activities along river as fishing, water transferring...see  brick making in  handy traditional style by printing and baking. Visit one of plenty of coconut processing workshops located along canal. Turn on natural scissors creeks where they look smaller and smaller to go to village. Take a walk to family workshop making sleep mats and enjoying some fruits and tea.

 Riding a motor cart (xe lôi) or bike on shady paths, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to touch on realy life and find out about tropical culture from Peasants. Lunch at Hai Hồ house.

Afternoon - riding a sampan along canal, before boat back to Ham Luông pier. Transfer back to Saigon for your overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Morning free until time to transfer to airport for flight back home.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: None