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, the revered One-Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature - the first university of Vietnam. Your last stop will be Hoa Lo Prison Museum.

A 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 by trying many iconic Vietnamese specialties. 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. 

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. 

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 a beautiful garden house in the countryside.

In the afternoon, you will be driven to the countryside to visit the Tomb of Minh Mang. 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. 

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. 

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 and delicious lunch.

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 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. Have a picnic lunch at local house.
 

After checking out, you will meet your driver 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. 

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. 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 by speedboat. From the boat, you'll explore the local life along the banks of the Saigon River. Uppon arrival, you'll learn about Chu Chi Tunnels that was dugged 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 will be served after your visit. 

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. Hopping in a xe loi (a kind of motorized rickshaw) or on a bicycle to wander around a 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. Then, travel back to Ho Chi Minh City.

 

At the right time, you will be transferred with guide to the airport for your departure flight back home.