Vietnam & Cambodia Discovery - 16 Days

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival.
Welcome to Hanoi: Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital. Your guide and driver will meet you outside the baggage claim of Noi Bai International Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center. In the afternoon, enjoy an orientation walk, visiting some of Hanoi’s main attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple.
Meals: N/A.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour.
Today you have a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide treelined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will take you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and stilt house); the Presidential Palace; the nearby One Pillar Pagoda; the Temple of Literature; West Lake; the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda & Quan Thanh Temple; and one of the city's museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum).
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi – Drive to Sapa.
Leave Hanoi for around 6hour scenic drive to Sapa, home for the ethnic minority people and famous for its breathtaking views of cloudwoven mountaintops and gaping valleys. On arrival, keep driving to Sau Chau Village, which is located on the highest point of the mountain from where you will interact with the ethnic Hmong people, and enjoy the stunning panorama view of Sapa at sunset. Transfer to Sapa town and spend rest of the day at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 4: Sapa Trekking Tour.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before setting out on a full day’s trek to explore Sapa’s cultural diversity and haunting natural beauty. Take a guided hike through yawning valleys decorated with terraced rice fields and pass through remote hill tribe villages. You have three trekking options to choose from: Soft trek (~ 3 km), medium trek (~ 6km) and long trek (~12km). Trekking is an excellent way to explore the daily life and familiarize yourself with the cultures of the H’mong, Dzao and Dzay people who populate the region. Transfer back to Sapa town in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 5: Sapa – Hanoi.
You are free to explore the town yourselves or take part in some optional tours of Sapa.
In the afternoon, your driver will transfer you back to Hanoi. On arrival, check in to the hotel and relax.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 6: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
(The itinerary is a sample, depends on weather and it will be different between cruises. Our travel consultants will provide the exact schedule and program if you book other cruise such as Hera Cruise, Halong President Cruise, Emperor Cruise, Halong Violet, Halong Jasmine, Paradise Luxury Cruises, Ginger Cruise, Orchid Cruise, Indochina Sails, Au Co Cruise, Starlight Cruise, Sealife Cruise, Oriental Sails etc.)
Halong Bay is one of the most loved spots in Vietnam for a reason  it's gorgeous. On this Halong Bay tour, we take you away from the hectic pace of life in Hanoi and introduce you to the tranquil, beautiful Halong Bay... Following breakfast, journey east through the rich farmland of the Red River Delta to Halong Bay, truly one of Vietnam's most scenic impressive sights. On arrival you are welcomed onboard a traditional junk. Settle into a private comfortable cabin and unpack for a twoday cruise around Halong Bay. Along the way, enjoy a huge lunch served on board and admire the picturesque scenery of islands. These limestone karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. You will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to Sung Sot cave, one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. The remainder of day is for your own pleasure; observing the bay, lazing around the deck or simply soaking up the sunshine.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: on cruise on Halong Bay.

Day 7: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Fly to Danang – Hoian.
Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of the bay as you navigate back to Halong City. Savor a fresh seafood lunch, served on board before sailing back to Halong City, where your car will be waiting to take you to Hanoi's airport for your flight to Danang. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel in Hoian, a peaceful riverside town in the centre of Vietnam.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian.

Day 8: Hoian Walking Tour.
Immerse yourself in the tranquility and charm of this sleepy riverside town. From the 16th to 18th centuries Hoian was a thriving international port frequented by Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab traders, who came to trade in the high quality silk still produced in the region. Today, Hoian is a relaxing resort popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, skilled tailors and numerous cafes. Take a halfday walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the ancient town centre, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200year old Tan Ky ancestral house and the famous Japanese Bridge.
You are free in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian.

Day 9: Hoian – Free at leisure.
Spend your day to kick back at the beach or exploring the city sights yourselves.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian.

Day 10: Hoian – Danang – Fly to Saigon.
Have breakfast at the hotel then drive to the airport to catch your flight to Vietnam’s modern metropolis: Saigon. Arrive in the late morning and enjoy an orientation tour through Ho Chi Minh City’s bustling streets en route to the hotel. Have lunch at a downtown restaurant of your choosing then set out on a guided city tour. The rest of this afternoon, you will visit such sites as the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the City Post Office and Ben Thanh Market.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon.

Day 11: Saigon – Mekong Delta – Can Tho.
Get an indepth look at the Delta discovering local lifestyles, delving into Cham culture and admiring the region’s colourful canvas... Today you leave Saigon and travel to the Mekong River Delta. Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before driving to the riverside town, Cai Be. Along the way, stop at a candy factory and orchard garden, where you have an opportunity to listen to traditional music. Enjoy a relaxing lunch at a riverside restaurant, then cross the Mekong’s calm waters on a rustic rowboat to visit an island in the middle of the river delta. Spend time exploring the small islands and rural way of life. Your driver will be waiting for you on the other side of the river to take you to the largest city in the Mekong Delta: Can Tho. Rest of the day, you may like to walking along Ninh Kieu Park and on a pedestrian bridge of Can Tho City.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Can Tho.

Day 12: Can Tho – Chau Doc.
Wake early and leave the hotel to visit the famous Cai Rang floating market by motor boat. Experience the daily life of the Mekong River Delta as vendors from around the region gather to sell fresh fruits, local delicacies and handmade goods. Following the visit to Cai Rang and the city of Can Tho, depart for the approximate 3hour drive to Chau Doc. En route there is an optional stop at one of the Mekong Delta’s best stork sanctuaries, Bang Lang Stork Garden, with thousands of birds wheeling, swooping and squabbling over nesting places at dusk. Later in the afternoon, visit Sam Mountain, an important pilgrimage site that is frequently visited by pilgrims from all over the Mekong Delta. There are dozens of pagodas and temples around Sam Mountain; reaching the peak is the highlight of the visit. Check in to your hotel and relax.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Chau Doc.

Day 13: Chau Doc – Phnom Penh (by speedboat).
After breakfast, checkout the hotel then travel by speedboat up the Mekong to Cambodia’s capital: Phnom Penh. The total trip takes about four and a half hours (including visa formalities). Visas are easily obtained at the border between Vietnam and Cambodia and cost (including the processing fee). Your guide will meet you at the dock in Phnom Penh and take you to the hotel. Despite its recent turbulent history, Phnom Penh’s wide treelined boulevards and faded colonial mansions hold an undeniable charm. After lunch at a downtown restaurant, visit the notorious ‘Killing Fields’ of Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum where you have a chance to hear the moving stories of the prisoners. A visit to these sights provides a deep insight into the painful bloody rule of the Khmer Rouge.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh.

Day 14: Phnom Penh City Tour – Fly to Siem Reap.
After breakfast, take a leisurely tour to visit National Museum, the Royal Palace – home to the royal family, and Silver Pagoda. Then your driver will transfer you to the airport to take a short flight to Siem Reap, the gateway into the ancient Angkor temples. In the late afternoon, you may like to wander the Old Market area of the town with its labyrinth of lanes filled with boutiques, galleries, cafes and small bars and discover the city yourselves.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap.

Day 15: Siem Reap – Angkor Temples.
Enjoy an entire day dedicated to discovering the mysterious Angkor temples. Wake before dawn and take a “tuktuk” ride to visit the magnificent Angkor Wat  the largest Khmer temple and finest example of Angkorian art and architecture. For your most convenience, a table with hot tea or coffee and breakfast box are arranged and served right on site of Angkor Wat. After breakfast, you will visit Angkor Thom’s imposing South Gate, topped with the four serenely smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara. Next, venture to Bayon to become hypnotized by the smiling stone faces of the temple. Gain fascinating insight into the temple’s ancient origin from your guide, hearing of vicious battles and attempting to decipher the intricate basreliefs that detail scenes of cockfighting and childbirth. Later, you will visit the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and finally Ta Phrom Temple. Back to your hotel and remain day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap.

Day 16: Siem Reap Departure.
Today is free at your leisure for last minute shopping or sightseeing before driving to the airport to catch your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: N/A.