Angkor & Vietnam Discovery 16 days

Our local guide will welcome you at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi upon arrival. Transfer to the city (approximately 30 km, with a driving time of 45 minutes to 1 hour) and check in at your hotel. Your room will be available from 2:00 PM. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Meals are at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: N/A

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Enjoy a full-day tour exploring Vietnam’s capital city. Visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (closed on Monday and Friday mornings, as well as throughout October), his traditional stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda, and the thousand-year-old Temple of Literature, also known as Vietnam’s first university.

In the afternoon, visit the Ethnology Museum (closed every Monday), where you can learn about the costumes, people, and daily lives of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. Continue to explore the streets of the Old Quarter and the area around Hoan Kiem Lake.

In the evening, enjoy a traditional water puppet show, a unique Vietnamese art form originating from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture.

Meals are at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Remark: Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed for annual maintenance from 8 September to 8 November.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Leave Hanoi this morning and head straight to Ha Long Bay, a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring 3,000 towering limestone islands scattered across the bay and the Gulf of Tonkin. The journey covers approximately 180 km and takes 3.5 to 4 hours by road.

Upon arrival around noon, board a beautiful boat for an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay and enjoy an excellent menu featuring fresh seafood. Lunch and dinner will be served on board. Overnight on board.

Meals: B, L, D

Accommodation: Cruise

Wake up early in the morning to enjoy the bay’s aquamarine waters at their best. After a tea break, the boat continues to cruise quietly through the spectacular limestone formations of Ha Long Bay. Admire the spectacular and unique islands of this more secluded part of the bay.

After brunch, return to Ha Long Harbour and transfer to Hanoi Railway Station to board your overnight train to Hue.

Train: Local train, shared four-berth cabin with soft sleepers.

Meals: B, D

Accommodation: Train

Upon arrival at Hue Railway Station, meet your local guide and drive to your hotel for a short rest. Your room will be available from 1:30 PM.

Have breakfast at a local restaurant, then start exploring Hue by visiting the Imperial Citadel of Hue and the traditional Thien Mu Pagoda, located on the banks of the Perfume River.

In the afternoon, visit Tu Duc Tomb, one of the most beautiful tombs in Hue. If time permits, visit a garden house to learn more about Hue’s culture.

Meals are at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Depart by car from Hue for Hoi An (145 km, approximately 3.5 hours), travelling via the scenic Hai Van Pass. From the summit, enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the central coastline. Stop at Lang Co Beach to stretch your legs and enjoy the white sands of this peaceful beach.

Upon arrival in Hoi An, check in at your hotel and enjoy free time at your leisure. Meals are at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

In the morning, hop on your bike and cycle through the countryside to Tra Que Village (approximately 20 minutes by bike). Alternatively, you can travel by cyclo or private vehicle. The village is renowned for its aromatic herbs, particularly mint and basil. The leaves of these plants are smaller than usual, yet they have a distinctive aroma. Join local people in their daily activities and learn how to plant and water vegetables.

Next, learn to cook some local specialities, such as “Tam Huu”, a dish made with shrimp, pork, and aromatic herbs. Of course, you will have the opportunity to enjoy your own creations after cooking. Then, relax with a traditional local foot massage.

In the afternoon, take a stroll around Hoi An Ancient Town, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its exceptionally well-preserved ancient streets and houses. Explore the town’s charming cobblestone streets and Chinese houses that are more than two centuries old. Highlights include the Japanese Bridge, the Chinese Temple, and Phung Hung Old House.

At the end of the day, enjoy a memorable cup of tea or coffee at Reaching Out Tea House, a unique establishment housed in an ancient building. It offers not only delicious drinks and snacks but also a special atmosphere that reflects the soul of Hoi An.

Dinner is at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Enjoy a free morning at your leisure.

In the afternoon, transfer to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and transfer to your hotel for check-in.

Meals are at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Accompanied by your local guide, set out on a city tour of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon and once the capital of French Indochina. Explore historic landmarks, including the Old Saigon Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Opera House, and the War Remnants Museum.

In the afternoon, visit Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City’s ethnic Chinese district, including Binh Tay Market and Thien Hau Pagoda.

Meals are at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

This morning, leave the city by private vehicle to visit the remarkable Cu Chi Tunnels. This incredible underground network, stretching almost 250 km, provided shelter for more than 16,000 Viet Cong guerrillas during the wars. Initially constructed in 1948 to provide shelter from French air and ground sweeps, the network later served as communication routes, storage facilities, hospitals, and living quarters for Vietnamese fighters throughout the American War.

If you are interested and feel adventurous, you can even descend into the tunnels to learn more about the harsh conditions faced by the Viet Cong guerrillas who lived there.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afterwards, transfer to the Vietnam–Cambodia border and cross into Cambodia. Continue by road to Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. Once known as the “Pearl of Asia”, Phnom Penh offers a bustling blend of Asian heritage and modern city life, with excellent restaurants and a variety of attractions.

Dinner is at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh

Discover Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, located at the confluence of four branches of the Mekong River, known as “Chaktomuk”. It has been Cambodia’s historical capital for more than 600 years since the fall of Angkor.

Visit Wat Phnom, an ancient pagoda standing on a hill, built in 1372 by a wealthy Khmer woman named Penh to house sacred relics. Continue to the National Museum, built in 1917–1918 and dedicated exclusively to Khmer art. The museum displays numerous artefacts from both the Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian periods, made from sandstone, bronze, silver, copper, wood, ceramic, and other materials.

Next, visit the Royal Palace, built in 1866, and the Silver Pagoda, located within the Royal Palace compound. Many of the treasures on display were presented to the Cambodian King as gifts from various countries. Among them are a solid gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds and weighing 90 kilograms, as well as a small 17th-century Buddha made of emerald and Baccarat crystal.

In the afternoon, visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former school that was used as a prison during the Khmer Rouge regime. Then, stroll around the Russian Market, built in 1937, where you can admire its splendid colonial-style architecture.

Meals are at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh

In the morning, depart Phnom Penh for Kampong Thom. Along the way, pass through several villages and visit the temples of Sambor Prei Kuk, one of the earliest capitals of the Khmer Empire.

After lunch, continue exploring the pre-Angkorian temples, which provide an ideal introduction to Angkorian architecture and history. After the visit, transfer to Kampong Thom, arriving in the afternoon.

Dinner is at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel

In the morning, depart for Kompong Khleang. Here, houses built on stilts create a unique village landscape, offering breathtaking views of the floodplains, rice fields, and waterways stretching as far as the eye can see.

Take a walk through the village, meet the local people, and interact with their lovely children. Afterwards, travel by boat along the canals to a large lake, where Vietnamese communities live in floating homes, adapting to seasonal changes in water levels.

Return to the village and enjoy a picnic lunch at a villager’s home.

In the afternoon, continue to Siem Reap and transfer to your hotel.

Dinner is at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

Begin your day with a visit to Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring soaring towers and extraordinary bas-reliefs. It is one of the world's most remarkable man-made monuments, built in the 12th century in honour of Vishnu.

In the afternoon, transfer to Banteay Srei, home to one of the finest masterpieces of Khmer art. Built in the 10th century, this small pink sandstone temple is known as the “Citadel of Women”.

On the way back, visit the ancient Ta Prohm temple, where enormous tree roots have taken hold among the stone structures, earning it the nickname “Jungle Temple”. Admire the splendid carved Devatas and experience the unique atmosphere of this remarkable site.

Meals are at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B

Accommodation: Hotel

In the morning, depart by tuk-tuk for the northern gate of Angkor. Begin your visit with Preah Khan Temple, built by Jayavarman VII in 1191 in honour of his father. This monument served as both a city and a centre for Buddhist studies.

Contemporary with Preah Khan, Neak Pean is the only island temple in Angkor and is also known as the “Entwined Nagas”. The large central basin is connected to four smaller basins, representing the four great rivers flowing from the earth’s four cardinal points. One of the most interesting features of this site is the superb statue of Balaha, depicting the legendary saviour of shipwrecked sailors.

Continue exploring Angkor by heading further south to visit two beautiful temples, Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda. Dating from the 12th century, both were built during the reign of Suryavarman II. They are notable for their beautiful sculpted images honouring Shiva and Vishnu.

In the afternoon, visit Angkor Thom (the Great City), entering through the South Gate, and explore the famous Bayon Temple, dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. Dedicated to Buddhism, the temple features 54 gigantic towers adorned with 216 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara.

Next, visit the Elephant Terrace, which served as a grandstand for public ceremonies and as a base for the king’s grand audience hall. Continue to the raised Terrace of the Leper King, built in the 12th century and featuring many beautifully sculpted Apsaras.

Meals are at your own expense. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: B

Accommodation: Hotel

Enjoy free time at your leisure until your transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Your hotel room is available until 12:00 noon.

Meals are at your own expense.

End of services.

Meals: B

Accommodation: N/A