Best of Vietnam & Cambodia 18 days

Soussarye! Welcome to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Your guide and driver will be waiting for you at Siem Reap Airport with a sign with your name on it. They will then take you straight to your hotel.

After you check-in, you'll have time to settle in and get used to Siem Reap's pace. If you have time, you should go to the great Angkor National Museum. Before going to the temples, the visit is a great way to learn about the best parts of Angkor. The museum has a collection of Angkorian artifacts, texts, and audiovisual presentations that could be very large. If you know even a little bit about the history and meaning of the architecture, visiting the temples will be a much richer and more interesting experience.

Note: To get into Cambodia, you need both a passport and a visa. Your passport must also be valid for at least six months after the date you enter Cambodia. You can get a visa on arrival in Cambodia. Make sure you have two photos that fit the size of a passport.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Today, with the assistance of your guide and driver, you will spend an entire day touring the 400-square-kilometer Angkor Archaeological Park, which includes forested areas. The park features the beautiful ruins of five Khmer capitals from the ninth to the fifteenth century.

Morning

Avoid the crowds by beginning your day with a visit to the 13th-century Ta Prohm, a hauntingly beautiful temple where the roots of giant banyans and strangler figs entwine much of the stonework, creating scenes that have changed little since the French explorer Henri Mouhot rediscovered Angkor in 1863. This temple makes the 'Tomb Raider Temple' one of the most memorable and magnificent Angkor monuments.

Continue your explorations by visiting Angkor Thom, the ancient capital of the Great Khmer Empire, which once dominated a large portion of Southeast Asia. This city is enclosed by an 8-meter-tall wall that forms a perfect square. You will enter the city through the old South Gate, a colossal stone gate engraved with four enormous faces and elephants. A row of 54 gods or demons holds the sacred Naga serpent on each side of the entranceway.

Return to the hotel for a break from the midday heat at the hotel.

Afternoon

Your adventures will continue when you visit the late 12th-century Buddhist monastery Banteay Kdei ("Citadel of Chambers") and Sra Srang, also known as the "pool of ablutions." The Bayon Temple is located in the precise center of the historic city. This majestic masterpiece from the 12th century is famous for its 54 towers with mysterious faces representing the 54 provinces of the Great Khmer Empire.

Both the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King are noted for their exquisite bas-reliefs, therefore you will also see them. On your stroll through the grounds of the ancient Royal Palace, you will see a number of little-visited, secret temples.

Take a leisurely gondola boat ride across the moats of Angkor Thom to end your day of touring. Imagine the royal metropolis when it controlled over two million people nearly 800 years ago in peaceful isolation. As the sun approaches the horizon, make your way to Prasat Chrung, a modest temple built in the manner of Bayon, and ascend an iron staircase to a secluded spot for spectacular views of the ruins at sunset.

Evening

Let's enjoy your free time.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Today, you will continue to explore the temple treasures, but in a way that will make you feel as though you've escaped the 20th century and traveled a thousand years back in time to a time when life was simple and nature was dreamlike.

Morning

As dawn breaks, you will be at the most significant religious structure in the country, enjoying the spectacular Temple of Angkor Wat across a pond.

When the sun rises behind the three towers, the crowds will begin to disperse as the majority of individuals return to their beds or hotel breakfasts. Utilizing the chilly temperatures and gentle early light, we will explore Angkor Wat in a more tranquil environment.

After having a breakfast-to-go (provided by your guide) near the temple, you will begin exploring Angkor Wat, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. You have undoubtedly caught glimpses of the towers above the treetops and the gates in front of you at this time. Now, though, you will finally be able to satisfy your growing curiosity of the past few days.

Explore Angkor Wat and discover the legends and incredible architecture that have left archaeologists with more puzzles than solutions. Angkor Wat contains some of the world's most intricate and extensive stone carvings. This complex is four times larger than Vatican City, making it the world's largest religious site. Spend the remainder of the morning wandering through the many corridors, levels, and rooms that previously housed an ancient world treasure. This will be an unforgettable experience.

You will leave Angkor Wat behind and journey to the countryside to visit the "jewel" of the Angkor region, the lovely Banteay Srey temple. The so-called "Citadel of the Women" is Cambodia's most well-preserved temple. This little temple features some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art, as its bas-reliefs are amazing. Banteay Srey is unique in Angkor for its construction of pink sandstone, which is not found anywhere else.

Continue the day by traveling north to Kbal Spean, one of Cambodia's first Hindu pilgrimage sites. Upon arrival, you will make a short ascent through the deep jungle to a vantage point overlooking the lowlands and Kulen hills. Incredible stone carvings of Hindu deities, animals, and other symbols can be found in the riverbed of the "River of 1000 Lingas" at the summit.

Afternoon

After eating a picnic lunch, you may take a refreshing dip in the nearby waterfall, which is a favorite with local families. Make a quick stop at the Land Mine Museum, which promotes mine awareness, on the way back to Siem Reap. The founder of the museum, Mr. Aki Ra, was trained as a child soldier under the Khmer Rouge rule and now works as a de-miner. The museum also functions as a rescue center for a number of land mine amputee youngsters whom Aki Ra has rescued from the streets of Phnom Penh or from destitute rural areas.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning

After breakfast and check out. You will be picked up by your guide and driver and transported to one of the largest and least-visited fishing towns on the Tonle Sap Lake, Kompong Khleang, some 55km southeast of Siem Reap. On the way, you'll stop for sticky rice and then take a diversion into the countryside. During the wet season, you will see families cultivating rice paddies as you travel along dirt roads.

Board a private motorized boat upon arrival to tour Kompong Khleang, the other two floating towns, and the Great Lake. Explore the city's canals (during the wet season) or streets (during the dry season). During the rainy season, the houses appear to be floating, as water laps at the verandas; but, during the dry season, the buildings' towering stilts are visible, making them like wooden skyscrapers.

During the boat journey, you will stop to see where the Bridge of Life is located, as well as to visit a Cambodian pagoda and a village home built on stilts to learn more about village life. Explore the lake's open water to witness a small floating community and learn more about this magnificent natural flood barrier.

Your tour will conclude with a boat journey back to the harbor, where your driver will be ready to transport you to Siem Reap airport for a short flight to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

Afternoon

A new driver will meet you at the Phnom Penh airport and transport you to your hotel in the city center upon your arrival.

After settling into your hotel room and taking a little break. Take a guided tour to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21), a former school that served as a Khmer Rouge torture facility. It is estimated that around 20,000 individuals were detained and tortured here. You will also visit the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, where a stupa composed of 8,000 human skulls marks the execution site of Tuol Sleng's torture victims. Afterward, you may choose to visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda to learn about a brighter moment in Cambodian history. Myth-shrouded Wat Phnom is as worthy of a visit as the National Museum's outstanding Khmer collection. The Central Market, US Embassy, Wat Phnom, Mekong river front, Independence Monument, and Royal Palace are typically included in city tours by bicycle, which is an excellent alternative to walking.

Overnight in Phnom Penh

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning

After breakfast, Let's check out your hotel. You'll meet up with your guide again and ride around Phnom Penh in a Cyclo, a three-wheeled bicycle taxi that is a Phnom Penh original and a fun way to see this busy city.

Start by going to the Royal Palace Compound, which was built in 1866 by the kings who came before King Norodom. It is the most famous part of the city and one of the most beautiful and colorful Khmer-style palaces. The Silver Pagoda also called "The Emerald Buddha Temple" is close to the Royal Palace. It has a lot of Buddha statues made of diamond, emerald, gold, and silver.

Next, go see the Independence Monument, which was built in 1954 after Cambodians took their country back from the French. Continue to visit the National Museum. It was built in 1917 and is a beautiful red building with Khmer architecture. It has more than 5,000 works of art made of sandstone, bronze, silver, copper, wood, and other materials. Pass through the River Front Park, which has a lot of beautiful scenery.

Lunch will be served at the local restaurant.

Afternoon

You'll be taken to the docks for a 5-hour speed boat ride from the Cambodian border to Chau Doc along the Mekong Delta. After you clear customs at Chau Doc, your driver will pick you up and take you to the hotel.

Overnight in Chau Doc

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning

A pickup will take you to Tra Su Forest & Bird Sanctuary, around 25 kilometers outside of Chau Doc, once you've had breakfast and checked out. When you get there, get on a motorboat and head deep into the Tra Su Forest. Soon after, hop on a sampan for a scenic 15-minute ride across the surrounding area, and stop by the duckweed-covered wild bird sanctuary. Make your way to the lookout and take in the breathtaking panorama of the surrounding forest and mountains.

Afternoon

After lunch at a forest-area restaurant, you'll travel the three hours to Can Tho, the largest city in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, home of the region's illustrious floating marketplaces. Can Tho, the capital of a region characterized by winding rivers and verdant fruit orchards, stands proudly above the Mekong Delta.

You are free to do whatever you like for the rest of the day. During your leisure time, you can go to the Can Tho night market and sample some of the local cuisines. Street vendors hawk grilled meats and tofu on skewers and grilled rice-paper Banh Trang Nuong ('Vietnamese pizza,' etc.) in the crowded market streets.

Can Tho Overnight

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Let's get up early to explore a unique market. The Cai Rang floating market is the largest wholesale floating market in the Mekong region. Hundreds of small boats speed through the water as vendors peddle their items at the market. Float through the network of boats to observe how the locals trade fruits and vegetables and to learn more about the floating marketing culture and boat life. Following that, you will be served a delicious local breakfast (rice noodle soup) on the boat, just as the locals do. You will also get the opportunity to stop at a local boat to sample some of the season's luscious fruit.

Upon leaving the market, continue your boat ride along tiny canals to a traditional rice noodle factory where you can observe how the locals create rice noodles and have a "rice noodle pizza" made from scratch.

After lunch, get in a car to head to Ho Chi Minh City.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning

After breakfast, you will be greeted by your guide and driven to Cu Chi, a small village located northwest of Ho Chi Minh City known for its network of subterranean tunnels that served as a safe haven and successful infiltration route for the Viet Cong during the closing stages of the Vietnam War.

Upon arrival, you will view a brief instructional movie before visiting the tunnels, the most renowned battlegrounds of the period. It is thought that the concealed network of Viet Cong tunnels spanned "hundreds of miles" in total length and contained living quarters, storage areas, temporary hospitals, kitchens, etc. Although the system was initially somewhat narrow, some sections have been enlarged for tourists, and you have the option to explore them.

Please note that these tunnels will be hot and claustrophobic, so if you want to watch from above ground, that is an option.

Cassava, the staple diet of the Viet Cong soldiers, is served alongside a tart tea. After exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels, return to the city with lunch at the local restaurant on the way.

Afternoon

Spend the remainder of the day touring Ho Chi Minh City's major attractions. The Notre Dame Cathedral, the ornate City Hall (Hotel De Ville), the old Opera House, the historic Rex Hotel, the Central Post Office, renowned for its architecture, and Ben Thanh Market, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts, appealing to every taste, are particularly recommended.

Later, visit the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum for a somber and enlightening look at Vietnam's military history and violent past.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning

Morning breakfast followed by hotel check-out and a short flight to Da Nang in central Vietnam.

Your driver will be waiting for you at Da Nang International Airport, ready to take you to your accommodation in the Hoi An area. UNESCO has recognized the historic district of Hoi An, a thriving commercial port in the 16th and 17th centuries, as a World Heritage Site, making it one of Vietnam's most prized tourist attractions. It is currently a charming little market town, famous throughout the area for its historically significant architecture, pedestrian-friendly streets, and world-class cuisine.

Afternoon

Your guide will pick you up and transport you to Hoi An's Ancient Quarter, where you'll go on a walking tour of the area's top sights, including the Chua Ong Pagoda, Tan Ky Ancient House, Fujian Assembly Hall, and Japanese Covered Bridge.

Keep on touring the Precious Heritage Museum, which houses Réhahn's Precious Heritage Collection on a permanent display. You'll be whisked away to remote regions of Vietnam as the collection reveals the diverse cultural heritage of the country's ethnic minorities.

Visit the Reaching Out Tea House, owned and operated by mute and deaf people, for the highlight of the day. You'll get relaxing here, along with wonderful Eastern-style sweets and tea.

Next, continue on to the lantern maker's home. There, you may watch skilled lantern makers at work, then try your hand at their trade under the watchful eye of the enthusiastic artisans themselves, from bending the metal into the frame to cutting the fabric and gluing it in place to completing the lanterns. When this journey is through, you will have made your own lantern.

The time has come to begin your exploration of the Hoi An street food scene. You'll get to eat among the locals at stalls you'd never find on your own, and you'll be able to navigate the maze of narrow alleys with ease thanks to your guide. At 4 o'clock every day, vendors along the streets of Hoi An begin setting up their mobile restaurants. The street food tour is a terrific way to get a taste of some of the local specialties, meet the people who prepare them, and see how the natives of Hoi An organize their condiment trays.

Overnight in Hoi An

Meals included: Breakfast, a street food tour

Let’s have a close-up and intimate exposure to both the local cooking and fishing communities. After picking you up at your hotel in Hoi An, you will start to visit the local market and shop for your ingredients of the day. Following the guide to go to Cam Thanh village to get organic vegetables to prepare for cooking class later. But before this class begin, let’s board our boat for a river cruise to meet and engage with local fishermen and enjoy a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. You will also experience paddling the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat while the waterways of coconut palm paradise. This tour provides you with a cultural window into the ways of life of both our farming and fishing communities. A cooking class will be open after that, you will learn to make deep-fried spring rolls, papaya salad with shrimp crackers, pork or fish in a clay pot with steamed rice, and Banh Xeo (rice pancake with fresh salad) with seasonal fruit for dessert.

Overnight in Hoi An

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Morning

After a leisurely morning in Hoi An, you will be driven to the airport for your short trip to Hanoi, Vietnam's capital.

Afternoon

A new private driver will be waiting to welcome you when you land in Hanoi, and they will transport you directly to your hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. When that's done, take the rest of the afternoon off to do anything you want before joining the Hanoi street food and walking tour in the late afternoon.

A culinary adventure takes you to taste sampling street food in the Old Quarter. It’s a great opportunity to try all those weird and wonderful foods you see but just aren’t sure what they are! The local brew is a plus point for this short trip. Find an open seat, do as the locals do: pull up a stool and enjoy a drink while watching the world go by at Bia Hoi Corner. Continue to wander in the old quarter’s narrow streets as your guide points out a range of tasty noodles, bread, and snacks. Don't forget to bring a camera to take some beautiful shots of the local nightlife. The pavement in Vietnam is really a street food haven, not only for walking. End the night with a great drink from Hanoi’s best-known egg coffee parlor before heading back to your hotel.

Overnight in Hanoi

Meals included: Breakfast, street food tour

Morning

After your breakfast at the hotel. You will be greeted by our guide and driver in the lobby of your hotel and talk about a safety briefing before we embark on our journey!

The first half of our Hanoi Vespa Tour exposes you to the REAL HANOI during a day in the life of a local, taking you through the maze of backstreets, tiny alleys, local homes, schools, odd markets, and the black market, where you will see how the locals live, work, and play. Other travel agencies only show you the good and encourage you to avoid the bad and strange aspects of your destinations. On Hanoi trip excursions, not only do we reveal the positive aspects of your places, but we also expose the negative and bizarre aspects. For us, common tourist spots are merely the tip of the iceberg; the vast majority of your destinations remain undiscovered.

In the second part of our Hanoi Vespa Tour, we pass by and stop at the MUST-SEE places of our beautiful city, such as Ho Chi Minh mausoleum-the Mecca of Vietnamese, The thousand-year-old Buddhist and Taoist temples of Tran Quoc, Temple of Literature, In the In historical In training track, the enchanting French Quarter, The hustling and bustling Old Quarter, the romantic lakes of Hoan Kiem, West lake, Hanoi Opera House; famous Long

On the final leg of our Hanoi Vespa Tour, you will stop at various ORIGINAL restaurants, cafes, and food stalls. So that you can enjoy the most delectable of Hanoi's delicious cuisine, including family heirlooms and secret recipe dishes, local delicacies, and specialties.

Afternoon

You have the rest of the day at your leisure. Relax and enjoy the hotel's amenities, or take another stroll around the Old Quarter's hidden alleys.

Overnight in Hanoi

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning

You'll be picked up from the hotel in the morning after breakfast and driven the 5.5 hours to Sapa. Originally founded by the French in 1922 as a hill station, Sapa has now evolved into a premier travel destination in the Northwest of Vietnam. Hikers can launch themselves into the surrounding countryside of cascading rice terraces and little hill-tribe communities that seem to be in another world from this prime trekking base in northern Vietnam. People from the H'Mong, Dzao, and Tay ethnic groups.

Arrive in Sapa Town, take a rest in a restaurant for a welcome drink and itinerary briefing, and enjoy lunch with local Vietnamese dishes.

Afternoon

After settling in at your accommodation, you'll take a quick drive to Y Linh Ho, where you'll begin your hike through the rice paddies and down Muong Hoa Stream to the Black Hmong community of Lao Chai and the breathtaking scenery of Hoang Lien Son Mountain. In the late afternoon, you arrive in Ta Van, a settlement inhabited by Dzay people.

It takes roughly 3.5 hours to hike the 9 kilometers.

Overnight in Sapa

Meals included: Breakfast, and lunch.

Morning

After breakfast, you'll meet up with your tour guide again and start the day with a 4-kilometer hike through the village's beautiful scenery. Keep walking until you reach the rice paddies, where you can take photos of the beautiful scenery. You can also hike through the bamboo forest and stop to see a panoramic view of Giang Ta Chai village, where the Red Dzao lives. Stop by a Red Dzao family and have a cup of tea with them. Talk to them about their way of life while you're there. Family members will cook and serve you a delicious lunch.

Afternoon

Let's go to a Sapa Batik Workshop in the afternoon. Our master of batik invites travelers into her small, clean home. She doesn't speak much English, but a big, ready smile breaks down all language barriers, and soon we're talking with bits of English, Vietnamese, and a lot of hand gestures.

The beautiful art of batik has been around for hundreds of years. It uses wax and dye to make patterns on cloth. The Egyptians wrapped their mummies in a type of batik more than 2,400 years ago, and the practice quickly spread to China, India, Japan, and Indonesia.

Batik starts with a piece of fabric. The Vietnamese H'mong prefer hemp and a handloom that looks hard to use shows how good they are at weaving.

Hemp fibers look like straw, so it's hard to believe that they can be spun into a fabric that is so strong, durable, and feels like linen.

The wax-resist method is used to make patterns in the art of batik. Dee puts a pot of beeswax over hot coals so that they will melt. Indigo paste is added to the beeswax to make it stand out against the off-white hemp fabric.

Nearby is a basket of tools. Inside are bamboo tools with metal tips that look like pens. There are also metal stamps with all kinds of shapes and patterns that come from nature and everyday life. This is a traditional way for the H'mong to show how they live.

When class is over, go to your hotel.

Overnight in Sapa

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Morning

After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, you'll be picked up and driven three hours to Bac Ha for the colorful Sunday Market. Bac Ha town is deep in the mountains. From Monday to Saturday, it's a quiet backwater, but on Sunday, people from thousands of nearby villages come to town to trade at the market.

When you get there, your guide will take you around the market. The market is a kaleidoscope of colors, sounds, and cultures. People dressed in traditional clothes trade cows and show off intricately embroidered and beaded designs. Wander around with your camera and enjoy the busy atmosphere while avoiding the persistent sellers. Between the tents, you can smell fresh herbs and strong, fragrant tobacco, and the smell of animals from the live market above is very strong.

Afternoon
After refueling at a nearby eatery, you'll make a short trip downhill to Trung Do Village, where the indigenous Tay people live. Here you will tour a traditional Tay house and then ride by boat through this wonderful scenery to Bao Nhai Village. After your boat ride, you'll head to Lao Cai to catch a train back to Hanoi. Before boarding the train, you can leave your bags at a nearby restaurant and have dinner by yourself before heading out for the evening. Travelers will be provided with shared accommodations in a soft slumber compartment with four berths and air conditioning. The departure time of 20:00, and the train will get you to Hanoi at 05:30 the following morning.

Overnight on the air-conditioned train.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Morning

Your car will pick you up at Hanoi Train Station and transport you to a local hotel, where you can rest, take a shower, and have breakfast.

Your tour guide will then pick you up at 8:00 am to take you to Quang Ninh Province and Halong Bay. Take 15 to 20 minutes to relax before getting ready for one of your life's greatest adventures.

Afternoon

At 12:30, we will arrive at the harbor, where you can board the boat and begin your voyage with our amiable, knowledgeable, and skilled crew.

The lunch will be served to you as the boat travels on to our destination, passing by an almost unlimited number of islands and islets. Unquestionably a genuinely wonderful encounter.

You can head to the upper deck after your excellent meal to take in Halong Bay's grandeur in all of its natural, pure, magical, and beautiful manifestations.

Are you all set to join the activity? Let's kayak for an hour around the region of the floating community. If you don't like kayaking, don't worry, you can also swim.

When the time is up, you'll head back to the boat for a fun sundown party on the sundeck. Here, you may mingle with other tourists while listening to relaxing music and taking in the breathtaking splendor of Halong Bay.

Yes, this day has been great. There is no better way to cap it off than by indulging in a sumptuous dinner prepared by our chef. After that, you are free to do whatever you wish with your time, such as sing or just unwind.

Overnight on the boat on Halong Bay

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Morning

With a light breakfast of crisp toast, flavorful eggs, and a cup of enticing coffee or tea, you can start your day off right. When you're finished, you'll be prepared to embark on the day's main adventure: exploring the Cave.

Because it is the most stunning and alluring cave in Halong Bay, it is a remarkable destination. Your knowledgeable tour guide will talk you everything there is to know about it.

After then, the boat will continue crashing into numerous islands and islets, giving you a good perspective of Halong Bay's breathtaking splendor. Vietnam is the only country in the world where such a site exists!

Do you want to attend a cooking class? One of the regional specialties, delectable deep-fried spring rolls, will be one of the recipes you learn to make from our chef. You must do it to really appreciate it!

Later, as you have a delicious lunch, we'll cruise back to the pier. After that, it will be time to disembark and bid the boat crew farewell.

Afternoon

We'll bus you to Hanoi. The bus will drop you off at your hotel.

Overnight in Hanoi

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Start your day with a tasty breakfast at your hotel.

Free time to do some shopping and explore around before departing to the airport.

And this is how the tour ends!

The tour may be over, but the memories you have collected during these last 18 days will stay in your mind for the rest of your life. This is what we want to offer you: a tour that brings you memories that last a lifetime and make you smile each time you think of them!