Best of Vietnam and Cambodia

Enjoy breakfast at hotel then start a guided city tour of Hanoi. Having celebrated its 1000- year anniversary in 2010, the city has a rich and fascinating history. Your city tour will take you to the main attractions of Hanoi, including 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, Tran Quoc pagoda, Quan Thanh temple and of the city’s museum (History Museum or Ethnology Museum). Late afternoon, enjoy Water puppet show and cyclo visiting the Old Quarter of Hanoi.  In the evening, board an overnight sleeper train to Lao Cai.

The train arrives at Lao Cai train station very early. There will be a vehicle waiting to transfer you to Sapa. The drive to Sapa is only 33 km but it takes around 1.5 hours.

Once to Sapa, enjoy the breakfast at the hotel. Then start your day tour by walking down to the South-west of Sapa (around 4 km) to visit Cat Cat village of the Black H’mong. Relax at the foot of the stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam. Trekking next 6 km to Sin Chai, the village located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, “the roof of Vietnam and Indochina”.

In the afternoon, continue to visit Taphin village. You will have the opportunity to visit and explore the village where the Red Dao and Black H’Mong ethnic minority hill tribes live. Walking around the village to explore the custom, daily life and weaving technique of the local people. Back to the town. Check in hotel. Overnight in Sapa.

In this area there are some fair markets which can't be missed (Can Cau on Saturday, Bac Ha on Sunday, Coc Ly on Tuesday, Xin Cheng on Wednesday).

You will check out hotel early and leave Sapa for about 3 hours driving to the market. Join in the colorful market of the tribal people in this region. On the fair market the H'mong, Dzao, Phu La people in their best traditional costumes go to the market for shopping and meeting friends and relatives.

Late afternoon, drive to the Chinese border gate for a short visit before driving to the railways station for night train to Hanoi.

Arrive in Hanoi at around 5 am. A day room will be available, so you can have shower and freshen up before breakfast. At around 8 am, your driver will pick you up for the journey to Halong Bay and arrive at around midday to board a traditional junk for an overnight cruise. Halong Bay is widely considered to be one of the natural wonders of the world. Thousands of towering pillars of sea and wind-carved limestone karst make the bay an unforgettable sight. After lunch, explore some of the huge limestone caves dotted around the bay and visit a floating fishing village. Then the captain will find a secluded spot where you can swim, soak up the sun on the top deck, or try your hand at kayaking. In the evening enjoy a seafood feast for dinner.

There are many activities around the city and surrounding area for you to do and see on these days. Swimming in cool water or snorkel and dive among the coral reefs in crystal blue waters, hike nature trails…

You also have fun at Vinpearl Amusement park or experience some interesting places like the ancient Po Ngar Cham towers or the French built Nha Tho Nui Cathedral. Other sites of interest include the Long Son Pagoda and the National Oceanographic Museum of Vietnam...

Also make time to take advantage of the massage and spa facilities in the resort, to enjoy the sea breeze through your room window or go for a swim at either the resort pool or the adjacent beach.

The tour will provide your family a close-up and intimate exposure to both the local farming and fishing communities. Accompanied by your tour guide, you commence the day leisurely cycling along country roads witnessing local Vietnamese rural life first hand, discovering all manner of photo opportunities.

Stop at Tra Que village, which is famous for its sweet scented green vegetables that spice up Hoi An’s famous delicacies.  Join them in the fields and learn about their planting and harvesting techniques. You and your family can try ride a water buffalo in a rice paddy field, see duck swimming along the rice farm… The photo opportunities are endless. As well you will experience the friendliness of the local people greeting you along the way.

Later you will board the Hoi An Eco-tour 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 the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat through the waterways of coconut palm paradise. This tour provides you a unique cultural window into the Vietnamese way of life.

Today is your free time in Hoi An. You might like to consider the following activities for your day:

• Visit Hoi An Old Quarter with ancient households, and touches of Japanese, Chinese and Thai styles in the building designs. Historic sites of Phuc Kien Communal House, Tan Ky ancient commercial house, the iconic Japanese Bridge (featured on the 20,000 Vietnam Dong note) or Phung Hung Ancient Trading House.
• Take a bike tour or leisurely stroll along Cua Dai beach, located about 5km from the town centre.
  

This morning, you leave Hoi An for Hue. On the way, you will have chance to the fascinating Cham Museum and Marble Mountain en route to charming Hoi An. Upon arrival, you will visit the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City. You also visit Tu Hieu pagoda and Imperial museum before free time for shopping at the vibrant Dong Ba market.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and then board a private boat for a cruise on Perfume river. You will visit Thien Mu pagoda and then take a drive to visit Minh Mang tomb before transferring to the airport for flight to Saigon, Vietnam’s largest city has an exciting buzz as millions of people rush around on their daily business. The tour guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer to hotel. After a short rest, you will have a half day tour Saigon including The Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office, Remnant War Museum and Ben Thanh market.

This morning, you will visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels, an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the long struggle for independence.

The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens.

After that, drive to Tay Ninh province to visit Cao Dai great temple - one of the most striking structures in Asia. This temple is the holy land of Cai Dai religion - a mixture of Buddhism, Confucius, Taoism, Hinduism, Christianity…). You will have chance to attend the daily noon prayer. Come back Saigon in the late afternoon.

Today you will catch flight to Siem Reap. Pick up from the airport and transfer to the city centre. After a short break, start your tour to the incredible temple Ta Prohm. There are enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers which embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure giving the impression of man's creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature. You also explore the grand circuit with Preah Khan, Kravan, Neak Pean, Krol Ko, Ta Som, East Mebon and Pre Rup Temples, where you can enjoy the sunset. Enjoy dinner with Apsara dance show at the local restaurant.

Following the breakfast at your hotel, you have a full day to explore the wondrous ancient ruins with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone, the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the largest as well as the most complete temple of Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. You stroll around this massive edifice, seeing the many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple.

Breakfast at the hotel and then drive to Choueng Kneas village, where you will take the boat to visit the way of Cambodian poor people life along with schools, restaurants, hospitals and much more floating on the great lake of Tonle sap. Transfer to the airport for the flight departure.