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In this unique and extraordinary way of Vietnam and Cambodia vacation, you immerse the diverse cultures and ancient sightseeing as well as spend time with locals along the mighty Mekong River. Firstly, start the tour in Siem Reap – a region that holds the most marvelous remains of the capitals of the Khmer Empire. Afterward, transfer to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s current capital, and tour the National Museum and Royal Palace with its striking Silver Pagoda. Next, boating on the Mekong River to the South of Vietnam. Also, exploring local lives and underground networks in Cu Chi Tunnels. Lastly, step into the old-time with Hoi An ancient town, and see the tranquil Hanoi as the final destination of this tour. Vacations to Vietnam and Cambodia end.
Arrival in Siem Reap airport and transfer to the hotel for check in, free at your leisure time.
Overnight in Siem Reap.
Have breakfast at the hotel and after our guide will pick you up for vacation explore Angkor Temple in Cambodia. You will spend a full day in the Angkor area exploring 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. We stroll around this massive edifice, seeing the many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards, and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple and the jungle-covered temple of Ta Prohm is an incredible sight. 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.
Overnight in Siem Reap.
Have breakfast at the hotel and later transfer you for your next vacation to Phnom Penh – the capital of Cambodia. En route, we will stop for a quick visit to the spider market. Then continue to Phnom Penh where you will have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon you have vacations to the Royal Palace, where His Majesty, the King of Cambodia, and the royal families lived. Continue to Silver Pagoda, which serves less as a functioning temple than a repository for cultural treasures such as a 90 kg golden Buddha encrusted with 2086 diamonds. Finally visit Wat Phnom Temple, one of the most important pagodas in Phnom Penh which was built in 1373 on an artificial hill by the wealthy widow Daun Chi Penh.
Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 prison). This former school was used as a prison by Pol Pot’s security forces. More than 17,000 people held at S-21 were taken to the extermination camp at Choeng Ek to be executed. Then drive your vacations to the “Killing Fields” of Choeng Ek (15 km south of Phnom Penh), between 1975 and 1978 about 17,000 men, women, children, and infants (including nine westerners) were detained and tortured at the S-21 prison and transported to the extermination camp of Choeng Ek, Cambodia. Then visit Russian Market (Toul Tumpong Market), the Market has gained a reputation for cheap clothing, a large selection of Buddha images and woodcarvings, betel-nut boxes, silk, silver jewelry, and classic musical instrument.
Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Have breakfast at the hotel, and around 11 am our driver transfers you to the port where your boat departs.
At 12:00 PM the speed boat will depart from Sisowath Quay – Kh Daun Penh – Phnompenh – Cambodia (International floating port) to Chau Doc. Your vacation crosses the border between Cambodia and Vietnam.
05:30 PM the speed boat arrives at Chau Doc and transfers to Chau Doc hotel.
Overnight in Chau Doc.
06:00 AM Have breakfast at the hotel and check out the room. You will take a bus to Cai Be where you will board your cruise boat and have some rest in your cabin. The boat will cruise through branches and canals of the Mekong river, you could enjoy the amazing view of the surrounding landscapes and the diverse life of local people in the Mekong Delta. Have lunch on the boat.
In the afternoon you will have guided land excursions around small villages surrounded by rice fields and orchards. You could watch the locals build their boats or how food is processed in local family workshops. Then you will get back on the boat and have free time, to enjoy the sunset on the top deck. Dinner on boat
Overnight on boat.
Get up early as the cruise starts with the sunrise, just when the Delta comes back to life, and you have breakfast at 6:30 AM. Check out your cabin and get to your next destination – Cai Rang where you will get by sampan.
Cai Rang Floating Market is the biggest and most colorful floating market in the Mekong Delta region. In the very early morning, the river becomes a busy commercial site where hundreds of boats packed with fruits, vegetables, and plants line the river and are ready for trading. Sellers will hang samples of what they are selling on the top of a long pole on their boats so the buyers can see their products from a distance. Enjoy your shopping and then visit the workshop where a local family produces noodles.
Afterward, we transfer you to Ho Chi Minh, check-in at the hotel, and have some free time for rest.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
Today our experienced English-speaking guide picks you up at Cu Chi Tunnels, located in the countryside near Ho Chi Minh City. The approximate travel time is one hour and 30 minutes. The residents of Cu Chi took the war underground into a highly developed network of tunnels that at its height stretched as far as Cambodia and included meeting rooms, kitchens, and triage areas. Imperceptible from the ground, opposing armies could roll their tanks over the bunkers without causing damage to the tunnels below.
Living conditions were harsh – in addition to fighting the war, resident’s battled food and oxygen scarcity, venomous insects, and cramped living quarters. Gain important insight into the prolonged struggle against invading armies, and appreciation for the resilience and spirit of the Vietnamese people. After that, travelers can try the delicious manioc which was the main food for guerilla warriors in Cu Chi during the war. Visitors can try to fire off an AK47 or MK16 or machine gun at the nearby shooting range.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
Breakfast at the hotel then transfers to the airport to fly to Da Nang. Upon arrival at Danang, our driver will meet you and transfer you to Hoi An. Check in to the hotel, and have some free time to explore the surrounding area.
Overnight in Hoi An.
Enjoy your free day in a UNESCO World heritage town.
Once known as Fairo Hoi An was an influential port along the Silk Road, for over 500 years, merchants from China, Japan, France, and Portugal settled in the prosperous town resulting in a distinctive blend of culture, cuisine, religions, and architecture.
We recommend you to visit a former trading port, Chua Ong Pagoda, a stunning Chinese-style structure built in 1653, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, famous for the Jinshan Temple dedicated to the goddess of the sea, and the Japanese Covered Bridge. You also could visit one of the tailor shops (tailoring is a big industry in Hoi An) and get clothes, shoes, and bags done within a day.
After the dark, the Old Town in Hoi An transforms into a mystical row of lights and lanterns. Hoi An is a big center for paper lantern manufacturers and merchants. Every shop or establishment will have a few lanterns outside, but the real sight is the lantern market. Here you’ll be able to see how these lanterns are made and will have a plethora of choices should you wish to take some home with you.
After a stroll through the market, check out the outdoor traditional theatre. You will have a chance to see Vietnamese folk dancers and musicians perform traditional pieces. The theatre runs from 9 pm to 10 pm at the square on Nguyen Thai Hoc street. It is completely free and open to the public so it’s interesting to see, even if it’s just for a few minutes as you pass by. Before you retire to your hotel, be sure to light a candle box and set it in the water. Many kids sit along the banks of the channel and offer candles to you – remember to make a wish.
Overnight in Hoi An.
Free in your leisure time in Hoi An.
Afternoon, transfer to Da Nang airport to fly to Hanoi. Upon arrival, a private vehicle will transfer to you your hotel.
Overnight at Hanoi.
Our driver picks you up from the hotel at 07:30 and transfers you to Ba Vi. You will visit 3 villages, and at each village, the local host will show you Vietnamese countryside life. Our house owner– a veteran, listens to his stories about his life during and after Vietnam War. He also is an expert in handling raw tea leaves and making them into products to sell on the market.
Then you will visit a tea village with 30-year-old tea trees. There besides walking and helping local people to harvest the tea leaves, you will know how to pick the best part of the tea tree to make the most wonderful beverage in the world. Then heading to Mrs. Chin’s house for a cooking lesson and have lunch in the garden.
After lunch has some rest and your host will take you around her village and you will visit the local workshops. You will learn how to make tofu, and unshell the rice, and will see the workshop of a local hammerer who is working there for 70 years. Cycling through the rice fields then you will arrive at the house of your next host Mr. Chau, and have your feet soaking in warm water with herb leaves following the recipes of Muong ethnic minorities. Continue the boat trip along the Da river and view the stunning scenery and discover the life of local people alongside the river.
Drive back to Hanoi in the evening, and end your Bavi Eco Tour at the hotel around 18:30.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Note: In the case of bad weather, we will have that replacement for the boat trip & tea fields by:
* Morning: Visiting the local market, farming at Chau’s house, and cooking class
* Afternoon: Visiting K9 – K9 was a venue where President Ho Chi Minh, Politburo, and Party Central Committee members decided the country’s crucial issues during the anti-American war. It was also chosen to preserve the body of the late President from 1969-1975.
Please note that the HCM Mausoleum is closed on Fridays and Mondays and most museums are closed on Mondays.
09:00 – 09:30: Your air-conditioned transfer vehicle will collect you from your hotel in Hanoi and convey you to Hai Phong.
12:00: Welcomes and greets you with a complimentary drink. The Crew will conduct a compulsory safety procedures session and then you are free to check into your cabin to freshen up. Take some time to have a look around the vessel or watch the magical landscape go by.
13:15: A special lunch of fresh seafood and an assortment of appetizing favorites will be served. Dining on a luxury junk with fine food and drinks doesn’t come much better than this. We set sail for Lan Ha Bay passing to Da Chong islet where you can see a lighthouse built by the French over 100 years ago.
15:00: When lunch is about to finish, it is just nice that the Cruise completes its entry through the Cua Van area to Lan Ha Bay (as part of Halong Bay). The area is surrounded by a lot of extraordinary limestone karst landscapes. Guests can start their journey to explore Ba Trai Dao beach, the kayak to immersed in the crystal clear waters of the bay, and/or enjoy swimming.
17:30 – 18:30: Happy hour with a special drink menu (Buy one get another one for free).
18:00: Vietnamese cooking demonstration is a great way to learn how to prepare delicious appetizers.
19:15: You can spoil yourself with a unique Signature Dinner in a distinctive restaurant.
20:45 – 22:00: Your free time to relax with an exotic cocktail or whatever takes your fancy. Order a Spa service or take any activities on the boat cruise such as watching movies, squid fishing, or simply relaxing on our rooftop deck under the cover of a star filled sky.
Overnight on boat.
06:30: The nicest time of the day on Lan Ha Bay is the morning. Head to the upper deck to participate in Tai Chi sessions. Relax with an early morning cup of tea, coffee, or juice anywhere you wish on the boat and watch the never-ending miraculous scenery unfold before you.
7:30 – 9:15: Enjoy the last stage of your trip to Dark & Bright cave and islets by local rowing boats which is a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the World Heritage. Back to our main board afterward.
09:30: Check out of your cabin as we draw closer to the mainland. After a final early brunch and a last goodbye from the crew at 11:30, you will board the tender and head back to the wharf where you will be met by your return trip vehicle to transfer you to Hanoi.
12:10-12:30: Get on the luxury van and get back to Hanoi.
Arrive at the hotel in Hanoi around 3:30 pm.
Overnight in Hanoi.
(Meals: breakfast, lunch)
Depending on your flight time, you will have leisure time for the last waking, cycling around, shopping for souvenirs or handicraft products, or having local coffee for the last time before we take you to the airport for your flight.
End of Vietnam and Cambodia vacations.
Goodbye and safe flight!
Fantastic itinerary, great organization for picking up and transfer.
Cambodia is magnificent and temples are wonderful site to be hold and Vietnam is such a lovely country. I visited Tra Su Cajuput forest which I found really fascinating
We have an amazing trip! Thank you Irina and Vietnam Tour Fun Team!
Vietnam was a revelation, and so was Vietnam Tour Fun! Hannah, who handled the itinerary and the travel plans for our family of 6, was an absolute delight to communicate with and the organization was inch-perfect. I would recommend Vietnam Tour Fun to anyone traveling to South east Asia.
