VIETNAM & CAMBODIA IN DEPTH

After breakfast, our guide pick up at hotel at 8.00AM. Sightseeing today includes explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, start a 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 including the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda; and one of the city’s museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum). End the day’s explorations; watch a traditional puppet show on water that shows off an ancient art form.

Our guide and shuttle bus will pick you up at lobby of hotel at 8.00 - 8.20AM and start journey east to Halong Bay, through picturesque rice-farming villages of the Red River Delta, where we see every day Vietnamese village life. On arrival, we board a beautiful traditional junk and spend a full day and night cruising the bay’s 3000 magnificent limestone islets. In the evening when the boat is anchored in the middle of the stunning lagoon, we enjoy a wonderful seafood meal and later there is opportunity for an evening swim from the side of the boat. Spend the night on our luxurious boat.

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 Halong. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to Halong pier to get back Hanoi airport for flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival, our driver will pick you up and transfer to hotel in Hoi An for check in.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Today, it is time for you to explore art and handicraft galleries, try on clothes tailor-made, relax at the riverside restaurants or take the short journey to the nearby beach.

*In the evening, Hoi An offers a charming atmosphere with various attractions to explore. Here are my recommendations for places to visit in the evening:

1. Hoi An Ancient Town: Take a leisurely stroll through the beautifully lit streets of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire the lantern-filled alleys, ancient buildings, and vibrant riverside. Don't miss the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge and the bustling Night Market.
2. Riverside Restaurants: Enjoy a delightful dining experience at one of the many riverside restaurants. Indulge in delicious Vietnamese cuisine while enjoying the scenic views of the Thu Bon River. The riverside area becomes even more magical in the evening with lanterns reflecting on the water.
3. Night Market: Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the Hoi An Night Market. Browse through a wide range of stalls selling handicrafts, souvenirs, clothing, and local street food. It's a great place to shop for unique gifts and immerse yourself in the local culture.
4. Traditional Cultural Performances (Ky Uc Hoi An): Catch a traditional performance at one of the cultural centers in Hoi An. Experience captivating shows featuring traditional music, dance, and storytelling that showcase the rich heritage of the region.
5. Boat Ride on the Thu Bon River: Embark on a relaxing boat ride along the Thu Bon River. Enjoy the peaceful ambiance and admire the illuminated lanterns along the riverbanks. It's a wonderful way to take in the beauty of Hoi An at night.

Enjoy your evening exploration of Hoi An!

Overnight in Hoi An.

OPTIONAL 1: Ba Na Hills – Golden Hand Bridge (B/L)

7:45am: Enjoy breakfast at hotel.

After your breakfast, the guide and car will pick you up from your hotel and tranfer to Ba Na Hills, you will visit the Golden Bridge that has recently gone viral, a France wine cellar, Le Jardin D’amour (consists of 9 gardens) and Linh Ung pagoda.

Then visit the French Village Campanile, Nine Floor Goddess Shrine, Tombstone Temple, Linh Phong Monastery, Linh Chua Linh Tu Temple & Tru Vu Tea Shop. Watch Carnival Performance Show, Square Du Dome

Lunch at the buffet restaurant.

You can join in the game at Fantasy Park before take the Cable Car to leave Ba Na Hills at 15.30.

Meet our guide at the meeting point the get on car transfer back to Da Nang to visit local Han Market and browse the stalls of this sprawling compound, seeing fresh produce and dried goods unique to the area. This is also a great place to get a glimpse of local life, watching the shoppers and vendors as they negotiate deals.

OPTIONAL 2: COOKING CLASS: RED BRIDGE HALF DAY COOKING TOUR (8.15am to 1.00pm)

• We start the day (8.15am) with a welcome drink at Hai Scout Café (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An Ancient Town, Tel: 0235 3863210) – our meeting point.
• Visit Hoi An’s colourful main market, and experience its amazing sights, sounds and aromas. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers, to see and taste the wonderful variety of foods on display.
• We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy.
• On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s best-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef’s, before we prepare the same dish ourselves.

Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration).

After the lesson, we sit down and eat exactly what we have cooked.

Recipes (our food contains no MSG):

*Vegetarians are provided with replacement ingredients.

Experience an unconventional 'close-up' cycling adventure around Hoi An., discover the true Vietnam, well off the beaten path of the regular 'tourist itineraries'. You are invited to explore the less known attractions that have been able to maintain their charm and authenticity. Each tours is limited in size to ensure maximum comfort, service and quality. And, rather than offering a run-of-the-mill tour, we organize custom-tailored excursions designed to suit your personal interests. We also personally accompany you on your cycling tour, answering all of your questions so like that you will discover and share our love for this marvelous country.

08:30 Depart from your hotel , Your guide will meet you in your hotel lobby, than you will cycle around Hoi An towards the Tra Que vegetable village - About 150 farmers and 400 owners live on there and cultivate about 20 types of vegetables and herbs such as mint, lettuce, basil, cilantro, broccoli and many more. From the more than 40 hectares of land 8 tons of Village Tra vegetables are sold every year. The vegetable growers do not use pesticides or GMOs, using natural fertilizers instead, including seaweed found in the river and harvested by gardeners every morning.

10:00 During the walk, you will cross vast rice fields in the countryside and quiet road, far away from the tourist trails. You will see the activities of the inhabitants through the villages of Hoi An.

11:00 Walk in Tra Que vegetable village and meet local people working in the garden.

The local farmer will teach you all about cultivation methods and how to protect developing vegetable from the insects as well as join the farmers in preparing gardening activities such as raking the ground, sowing, watering greens, transplanting and tending greens.

12:00 Continue riding through paddy field, Ba Le market, kindergarten ... until reaching Van Lang fisherman village and Bay Mau coconut water forest - about 7 hectares, surrounded by mangrove forests, canals, houses covered by coconut water leaf . This place had ever been the refuge for people and local soldiers during the Vietnam War. Nowadays, it is famous for providing the most seafood products.

You will be warmly welcomed at Mr.Han – a 3 generations family, taste of green tea and stroll through the village. You will row a basket boat within the hands of skillful locals and discover their techniques of traditional fishery in water coconut forest.

13:30 Back to Mr.Han’s family where you will enjoy a foot bath with medicinal herbs, traditional therapeutic practice before getting ready to prepare lunch with a local family. Lunch will feature many local delicacies, such as Tam Huu spring rolls, Banh Xeo local pancakes, grilled fish in banana leaf and others.

14:30 After lunch, free time and short rest before returning to your hotel about 16h00

Notes: if you cant cycle, we will have a car/electric car to support with additional charge

• 1. Making fresh Rice paper
• 2. Fresh Rice Paper Rolls of Shrimp
• 3. Crispy Hoi An Pancakes with Shrimp, Herbs & a Peanut Sauce
• 4. Seafood Salad with Tra Que Organic Herbs
• 5. Mi Quang Chicken Noodles
• 6. Food Decoration – Tomato Rose & Vietnamese Cucumber Hand Fan
• * Lunch includes the above meals as well as:
BBQ Lemongrass Beef (not included in the demonstration)
• • Finish at approximately 12.30pm – transfer back to central Hoi An arriving approximately 1.00pm.

Today, transfer to Hue from Hoi An via Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Bay. Upon arrival, start a sight-seeing the ancient capital of Vietnam. You will board on the boat for a cruise on the romantic Perfume River heading out for the countryside; stop to visit the charming Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda). Thien Mu Pagoda is considered the symbol of Hue, and of Buddhism in Vietnam. From here you will rejoin your car and visit King Minh Mang’s Tomb OR King Tu Duc’s Tomb. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to visit Hue Citadel at afternoon and Dong Ba Market before back to hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight in Hue.

After breakfast, transfer to airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh. Upon arrival Ho Chi Minh, you will be welcomed by our tour guide/ driver and transfer to hotel for check in. Rest of the day is free at your leisure.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Breakfast at hotel, meet our guide at 8.00 & start visiting to the most attractive places in Ho Chi Minh City including Reunification Palace - a special national relic for its historical and architectural values of Vietnam, and the War Remnants Museum. Next, we will explore a little bit about Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office – the French building in Ho Chi Minh City.

Have a lunch at local restaurant before leaving the city for a tour to Cu Chi Tunnels - a man-made maze with the length of almost 250 kilometers. Also, the tunnels were used to serve as communication routes, storage facilities, hospitals and living quarters for Vietnamese fighters in the long period of war. If you are interested in, you can go into the tunnels to discover the harsh living conditions of those whose were used to live there.

After that, taste the typical boiled tapioca and hot tea before you come back to Saigon.

After breakfast, 08.00 meet our guide and driver at hotel lobby.

Take A smooth one-and-half-hour bus ride through rice field scenery along National Highway 1 brings you to the beautiful rural district of Trung Luong.

On arrival at My Tho, take a leisurely cruise on the Tien River to view the four beautiful islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Tortoise islands.

Enjoy lunch at the local restaurant, then visit the coconut candy mill and take an amazing rowing boat trip along the small canal on a hand-rowed sampan under the shadow of the water coconut trees along natural canals. Then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of "Southern Vietnamese folk music", performed by locals.

Meet at the private car and return to Ho Chi Minh City. This trip provides a fascinating insight into daily life in the Mekong Delta and you are guaranteed to take home your own private collection of beautiful memories.

Free at leisure until transfer to airport for flight to Siem Reap.

Free at leisure until transfer to airport for flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival at Siem Reap International Airport, meets and transfer our local guide to the hotel for check-in (Early check-in is NOT included and subject to the hotel’s availability). Today you will start with a short drive to the Roulous temple group. The ruins of Roulous are among the oldest Khmer monuments in the area, dating back to the 9th-century reign of King Indravarman I. Witness the evolution of these magnificent temples from the early days of the Khmer empire up to its peak with the Angkor temples in the 13th century. There are three key Hindu structures that remain at Roulous; Lolei, Bakong, and Preah Ko, which were all part of the ancient city of Hariharalaya. You will peacefully explore the temples and soak up the local atmosphere away from the crowds. Walk a total distance of 3km from one temple to another and meet local friendly villagers on the way. Dinner with Apsara Dance Show at the local restaurant

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Banteay Srei temple this morning. This red sandstone temple is one of Angkor’s most significant structures as its walls are decorated with elaborate carvings which have been preserved remarkably well. They provide an excellent into the Angkor civilization and their beliefs. It was built in the 10th century and was dedicated to the Hindu god – Shiva. Continue on a pleasant drive through the countryside to Beng Mealea, a sprawling jungle temple constructed in a distinctly Angkor Wat style by King Jayavarman II in the early 12th century. It preceded and may have served as a prototype for Angkor Wat. Contrary to Angkor, few carvings or bas-reliefs are evident. Today the temple is largely overrun by vegetation and the stone walls are crumbling which adds to its charm in a unique way. Accessibility has improved as elevated walkways have been set up throughout most of the temple, although to see all corners does require a sense of adventure as you will need to climb over stone blocks or walk through narrow passageways. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the shady surrounds of the temple before transferring back to Siem Reap for 1.5 hours. (It is advisable to wear sturdy, walking shoes with a decent grip)

Early morning at about 5.00 am, you will be transferred to visit sunrise at Angkor Wat – After sunrise, we continue to visit Angkor Wat, 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. 08.00 am, return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, 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. Enjoy the homemade lunch at the local house, then continue to visit Neak Pean, East Mebon temples, and end the day with Ta Prohm temple. 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.

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 (Mychreay Floating Village), also known as the Great Lake of Cambodia. Find out how communities live and work on the lake; see the floating schools, markets, and police stations, among others; observe their daily lives. Drive back to Siem Reap, and visit the old market and artisans Dángkor before transferring to the airport for departure.