Finding Vietnam & The Lost Temples of Angkor

You will be welcomed by a local guide and transferred to the city center for hotel check-in. The balance of the day is free at leisure to stretch out your legs after a long flight.

In the morning, you will pay a visit to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum from outside and see his traditional stilt house - now the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the revered One-Pillar Pagoda. After that, you will explore the Temple of Literature - the first university of Vietnam. Then, continue your visit to Hoa Lo Prison Museum.

Lunch on your own account. Back to your hotel for a short rest before the street food tour. 

Your street food tour will start early in the evening in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, you will now learn what makes this place the most captivating spot in the city. You're going to try many iconic Vietnamese specialties, then stop at a beer club on Ta Hien Street to experience the famous "bia hoi" that is very popular for both locals and travelers. After that, you will head to a Pho restaurant and finish your food tour with a tasty ice cream on your way back along Hoan Kiem Lake. 

In the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel and leave for Ha Long Bay, a stunning UNESCO World Heritage site with1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. After arriving at noon, you will board a beautiful boat for an overnight. Cruise on Ha Long Bay with an excellent menu of fresh seafood. Meals are included.

Wake up early in the morning to enjoy the aquamarine water of the bay at its best. After breakfast, the junk continues to cruise quietly through the spectacular limestone formations of Ha Long Bay. Enjoy the peacefulness of sailing amongst the unique islands of the bay. Have a brunch during your returning back to Got ferry for transfer back to Hanoi for your flight to Hue.

Upon your arrival at Hue airport, a local driver will escort you to the hotel for check-in. Lunch and dinner on your own account. Overnight at the hotel.

This morning, hop on a cyclo and ride on a winding path along the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu pagoda. On the way, you will stop at a typical garden house of Hue city, which was built according to precise rules of geomancy. The peacefulness of the home will offer you a chance to experience the true serenity of such a place. Lunch at Hue Inn Side Out garden.

In the afternoon, you will be driven to the countryside to visit the Tomb of Minh Mang, which was constructed in 1840 during the reign of Minh Mang and was completed by Emperor Thieu Tri. Take time to admire its significant architecture in a charming landscape, with 40 buildings arranged along a 700-meter long axis surrounded by hills, fragrant pines and lakes. Then, you will explore Tu Hieu pagoda nearby, nestled in a vast pine forest. In the garden, you will be able to see the tombs of some royal mandarins. Return in the late afternoon to Hue. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.                               

After checking out the hotel, you will meet your driver to transfer to Hoi An. Before arriving in Hoi An, you will reach the top of Hai Van Pass, which was declared by Top Gear of the BBC as the most beautiful coastal mountain road in the world. Here you can enjoy the breathtaking view and take a rest in a small cafe at the top of the hill. 
Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel in Hoi An.

In the morning, you will take a walk to explore Hoi An ancient town, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site for its well-preserved century old streets and houses. Then you will go on a bicycle ride through the rural scenery of Hoi An to Tra Que herb village, known for its aromatic herbs. Join in with the local farmers and observe their daily work of planting and picking vegetables. Enjoy a traditional massage. At lunch, you will have a chance to enjoy the village specialties. You will return to Hoi An in the early afternoon and have the rest of the day at your leisure to further discover the old streets. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Today, you are free at your leisure in the morning. After checking out you will meet your driver (without guide) and travel to Da Nang airport for your flight to Siem Reap. Your room in Hoi An is available until noon.

Upon your arrival, your guide and driver will take you to the hotel for check-in. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
 

Your day starts with a visit to Angkor Wat, a world heritage site with soaring towers and extraordinary bas reliefs. In the afternoon, leave for Banteay Srei - known as the Citadel of Women where the most impressive jewel of Khmer art exists. On the way back, visit the ancient Ta Prohm Monastery (the Jungle Temple) where immense branches have taken root in the stones. 

In the morning, leave for Kompong Khleang, a village located 40 kilometers from Siem Reap. All the houses are on stilts offering an exceptional natural environment with breathtaking views. Travel by boat over the canals to a large lake where people live on the water, their houses moving with the rhythm of the seasons.
After lunch you will return to Siem Reap. Free in the afternoon. Dinner on your own. Overnight at hotel.

After checking out, you will meet your driver (without guide) and travel to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh city

Upon your arrival, your driver and local guide will take you to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free at your leisure. Lunch and dinner on your own account. Overnight at the hotel.
 

You will set off early in the morning for a discovery tour on a Vespa and see the city from the moment it wakes up until the rush hour takes hold. On this journey, you will visit three distinct areas of the city, where the main landmarks and tourist sites are located. First, you will be driven downtown for a stop at a park so you can witness morning routine of the locals, perhaps even try some morning exercise or tai chi with them. The tour will continue by taking you to admire the main sights of the city and then, depending on your wishes, you can also stop by to discover Phu My Hung, one of the most luxurious new districts of Ho Chi Minh City. You will also stop on the way for a local breakfast - Saigon style pho with its typical soup but also very different from that of Hanoi, followed by a delicious cup of coffee. 

Later, you will join a trip exploring Cu Chi Tunnels with totally new experiences: accessing into Cu Chi by boat instead of car, exploring local life outside Saigon. Embark on your speed boat from Ho Chi Minh City’s pier; your guide will introduce you to the local life along the banks of the Saigon River as your boat gracefully slips through knots of floating water hyacinths on this scenic one-hour boat trip. After a short documentary, your guide will lead you through the historic Cu Chi Tunnels, dug by resourceful guerrilla fighters to provide communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters during numerous conflicts. A traditional Vietnamese lunch of local specialties like lemongrass chicken and caramelized clay pot pork will be served after your visit to the tunnels. 

Return back Saigon and free for the balance of the day. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
 

In the morning you will depart from Ho Chi Minh City to explore Ben Tre in the Mekong delta, also known as the “Green Venice” of Vietnam. After visiting a brick factory in Phong Nam where bricks are still hand-made, step onto a boat for a cruise along the Chet Say river. You will make several stops along the way to discover different local workshops, allowing you to understand better the specialities of the local economy. The boat will then cross a small canal and stop at a small village, where you will continue your discovery of the delta by visiting a workshop specializing in carpet-weaving. You will even be able to try this activity yourself, before hopping in a xe loi (a kind of motorized rickshaw) or on a bicycle to wander around the village. You will see traditional farms, rice fields and vegetable plants, before stopping at a small local restaurant to taste a delicious lunch.
In the afternoon you will get back on the sampan for some leisure time along the narrow canals. You will travel back to Ho Chi Minh City by car.
Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
 

At the right time, you will be transferred with guide to the airport for your departure flight back home. Your hotel room in Ho Chi Minh City is at disposal till noon time. Lunch and dinner on your own.