21 DAYS VIETNAM & CAMBODIA WITH 8 DAYS MEKONG CRUISE

Day 1 – Arrival – Ha Noi – Overnight in Ha Noi 

Our driver will meet you in Ha Noi and transfer you to your hotel in the old quarter of Hanoi. After check in you will have free time to take a rest or start exploring the area around the hotel and take a walk around the famous Hoan Kiem Lake.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2 – Ha Noi – Relaxing Day  – Overnight in Ha Noi ( B)

Relaxing day and overnight in Ha Noi .

Day 3 – Hanoi City Tour – Overnight in Ha Noi  (B/L)

0800h – Our English speaking guide will meet you at your hotel & together you will depart to discover Hanoi.

First stop will be to visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex which was completed in 1975. The complex contains Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, his former stilt house residence, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh museum.

Next stop is the Temple of Literature: Originally built as a temple to Confucius, this is the site of Vietnam’s first university which dates back to 1070

1200h – A delicious set menu lunch will be provided for you in a local restaurant.

1300h – Your tour recommences with a visit to the Museum of Ethnology which is widely acknowledged as the best in Vietnam and has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic minority peoples.

Then it is on to the Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake: The Ngoc Son temple is set on a tiny island on Hoan Kiem Lake and was erected in 18th century. The temple is reached by crossing the Huc Bridge which literally means “Place Touched by Morning Sunbeams”.

The Old Quarter, also known as the 36 streets, is a bustling area of narrow streets home to literally thousands of small businesses and street vendors, selling a wide variety of goods. Originally each of the 36 streets names’ were related to the products being sold there. Hence you can walk from Fish Street to Tin Street to Bamboo Street and you will enjoy exploring the area while riding in a traditional cyclo.

1730h – Back to your hotel

Overnight In Hanoi

Day 4 – Ha Noi – Ha Long Bay – Overnight on Cruise (B/L/D)

0800h – 0830h: Your transport will pick you up at your hotel and you will depart for |Ha Long Bay. You will stop for a short break at the Humanity center situated approximately half way on to the bay and enjoy local specialties.

1200h: Arrive Ha Long Bay and transfer by tender to your luxury Junk where the captain will welcome you on board the boat.

A delicious lunch will be served for you as the boat passes through many of the thousands of islands and islets within Ha Long Bay.

1530h: You will have the opportunity to explore what is commonly thought to be the biggest and most amazing cave in Halong Bay, the Surprise Cave.

1700h: Kayaking for an hour around the fishing village and observe the daily life of the local community there. Then back to boat for Sunset Party.

1930h: Enjoy a dinner of local or western food and spend a romantic night on board the Junk.

Day 5 – Ha Long Bay – Ha Noi – Flight to Da Nang – Hoi An  – Overnight in Hoi An (B/L)

Rising to the sound of lapping bay waters, we have time for an early morning dip followed by breakfast. Sitting on the upper deck, you can relax while taking in the breath-taking beauty of the rocky islands rising from the emerald water of the bay. After breakfast, explore Sung Sot cave, swim and relax. Cruises back to the jetty while brunch is served while you are cruising through the bay, along the way seeing more of the fascinating formations.

Cruise check-out and transfer to Hanoi

1700h: Arrive Hanoi and transfer to Hanoi airport to board flight to Da Nang

Arrive Da Nang airport and transfer to your hotel in Hoi An .

Overnight in Hoi An .

Day 6 – Hoi An – My Son – City Tour – Overnight in Hoi An (B /L )

0800h-Start from your hotel and travel 50km from Hoi An to My Son holy land in a private air conditioned vehicle with your English speaking guide.

The Champa King lived in the political capital of Tra Kieu (whose commercial capital was the port of Hoi An) and so the My Son complex became the most important temples of the Champa Kingdom. Bricks were used to build the temples without the aid of mortar and sculptures of gods, priests, animals, and scenes of mythical battles adorned the walls. The temples were places of worship to the Hindu God Vishnu.

My Son was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

After exploring the ruins and history of My Son and viewing a short traditional Champa Peoples music concert, you will start your journey back to Hoi An .

Lunch in town .

After lunch Your English speaking guide will take you on a two hour walking tour of Hoi An Old Town. Famous for its quant mixture of Chinese, Japanese and European architecture, the old town was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. You will visit, the Japanese bridge built in the 16th century and famous for being the only covered bridge known to incorporate a Buddhist pagoda, the 200 year old Tan Ky house, museum of trade ceramics and several other historical sites.

Over night in Hoi An

Day 7 – Hoi An – Cooking Class – Overnight in Hoi An ( B/L)

0830h – Your guide will meet you at your hotel ready for you to start your tour.

You will walk to the local market to see and select the fresh produce.

Next you will take a covered boat to Cam Thanh Village where you will arrive to a local house in Cam Thanh.

After arriving to the coconut groves you will transfer to the cooking class by a cart drawn by water buffalo.

On arriving to the cooking class you will receive a relaxing foot massage and complimentary drink prior to the cooking class.

At the cooking class you will prepare and make dishes selected from the menu. After the class we sit down and enjoy all the dishes you cooked.

Afterwards you will have free time to participate in some fun activities such as sailing the basket boats around the pond, learn how to make rice paper and decoration vegetable and fruit flowers.

1430h- Back to your hotel.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 8 – Hoi An – Marble Mountains – Hai Van Pass – Hue – Overnight in Hue (B/L)

0830h: Your guide will meet you at the hotel and travel with you in an air conditioned private vehicle from Hue to Hoi An driving over Hai Van pass. The scenery from the top of Hai Van pass is spectacular and offers some great photo opportunities.

The pass, which once formed the boundary between the kingdoms of Dai Viet and Champa, also forms a boundary between the climates of northern and southern Vietnam, sheltering the city of Da Nang from the winds that blow in from the northwest.

You will arrive in Da Nang at approximately 1130h and after having lunch at a local restaurant you will visit the Cham Sculpture Museum. Next stop will be at the Marble Mountains and Non Nuoc village where you will ride the new twin glass elevators to the main area for a visit before continuing onto Hoi An.

1600h: After checking into your hotel and Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 9 – Hue City – Overnight in Hue (B/L)

0800h – Your day of discovering the wonders of Hue will begin when your English speaking meets you at the Hotel.

As part of your Hue city tour you will visit the impressive complex of the Imperial Citadel. Built in the 19th Century and surrounded by high stone walls and moat, the Citadel was once the exclusive home of the Nguyen Imperial Family. It is similar to the famous Forbidden City in Beijing and is not to be missed.

1200h: A delicious set menu lunch will be served at a local restaurant and after lunch you will take a cruise on the famous Perfume River and visit Tu Duc and Minh Mang tombs.

Tu Duc Tomb is one of the most beautifully designed tombs of the Nguyen dynasty. Embedded in a lush pine forest, the tomb is the final resting place of Emperor Tu Duc (1848-83) who had the longest reign of all emperors of the Nguyen dynasty.

Return to your hotel at approximately 1500h.

Relax Time untill the driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer to the airport ready to board your flight to Ho Chi Minh .

Arrive to Ho Chi Minh where our driver will be waiting to meet you and transfer you to your hotel.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh .

Day 10 – Cu Chi Tunnels – HCM City Tour – Overnight in Ho Chi Minh  (B/L)

0800h: Pick up at your hotel and depart for Cu Chi and the famous system of tunnels. Hidden deep underground, the 3 floors of tunnels is a intricate labyrinth of winding ways with a total length of approximately 250 kms.

On arrival you will watch a presentation video and get to see the tunnels. It is very interesting to discover how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived.

For the adventurous, you can have the opportunity to try firing an AK-47 assault rifle which was the weapon of choice for the North Vietnamese Army during the American war. (fees not included)

On arriving back in HCMC, your city tour takes you to the major attraction sites including the Re-Unification Palace, Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the War Remnants Museum.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Day 11 – HCMC – My Tho – Overnight on Cruise (L/D)

0830h – Transport will arrive to your hotel and you wil start off on your 70km journey from HCMC to My Tho. Along the way you will stop briefly at Cho Lon market and the Lacquer factory before reaching My Tho.

1200h – Arrive to My Tho where you will be welcomed aboard your cruise and receive a safety briefing. While the crew gets the boat underway, you will be served a delicious Vietnamese lunch to enjoy while you watch the scenery from the restaurant.

In the evening, a beautiful welcome dinner will be served while you are entertained by a traditional Vietnamese music show.

Overnight on board

Day 12 – Cai Be – Sa Dec – Overnight on Cruise (B/L/D)

Cai Be is the busiest floating market in the Mekong Delta where more than 400 sampans gather every day. The action starts in earnest from about 5am and as each boat arrives, the owner will raise a bamboo stick on the front to display the product they have for sale. Products range from; fish sauce, rice paper for dumplings, colorful sweet confectionery and often many more.

After enjoying a buffet breakfast on board, you will take a morning trip by Junk boat around the Cai Be floating market and visit the well known French Gothic Cathedral.

You will have the opportunity to take a slow walk along the river bank and visit a local manufacturer producing rice paper and coconut candies and others before returning to the main boat for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will cruise to Vinh Long Province and have a tour in Sa Dec Town. You will visit the former home of French writer Marguerite Duras. She spent parts of her childhood in Sa Dec, which is a sprawling busy town on the Mekong Delta. Both the school where Duras’ mother taught and the small house behind it where the family lived still stand. You will also have the opportunity to see the house of Marguerite’s Chinese Lover. The house is a small museum of “The Lover” in Sadec.

Next you will visit a Cao Dai Temple and stroll through the beautiful local market before returning to your cruise boat.

Overnight on board

Day 13 – Tan Chau – Border Crossing (B/L/D)

Enjoy your breakfast on board, before your new day of discovery starts. You will have the opportunity to observe the busy life of Vietnamese people along the Mekong River and visit a fishing farm in Tan Chau on the Ban Sac River.

Then continue walking slowly to handicraft villages where they make woven mats and raw silk before enjoying a fun Cyclo ride around the beautiful town on your way back to pier for lunch.

Next will be the formalities involved to cross Cambodia border before continuing to sail up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh.

Overnight on board

Day 14 – Phnom Penh Sightseeing Tour – Overnight on Cruise (B/L/D)

After breakfast, you will be captivated by a comprehensive talk about Cambodia’s modern history before starting your tour of the dynamic and historical capital city of Cambodia.

In the morning your visit will include the dazzling white and gold edifice of the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, and view the exceptionally beautiful Khmer craft at the National Museum.

Back to the boat for lunch.

In the afternoon you will take a short excursion to visit the former High School “S21” which was converted to a detention centre under the Red Khmer’s rule between 1975 and 1979. Before returning to your boat, you will visit Wat Phnom after which the city was named.

In the evening, take a rest on your cabin balcony or in the lounge and get prepared for an exciting evening event.

The evening starts with a variety of cocktails served on the sun deck while you take a seat to enjoy an Apsara dance performance. Experience the brilliance and richness of the culture and the soothing sounds of traditional music while enjoying a barbeque dinner on the sun deck.

Overnight on board

Day 15 – Koh Chong – Kampong Tralach – Overnight on Cruise (B/L/D)

Relaxing after breakfast as your cruise ship sails up to Oudong. Along the way you can enjoy the stunning views along the River bank.

Lunch will be served on board before arriving to Oudong in the early afternoon which is 40 kilometers from Phnom Penh. Between 1618 and 1866, Oudong was the capital city of Cambodia. Erected on a hilltop this place houses numerous Stupas dating back to the last Khmer Kings.

Take a tourist bus to Kampong Tralach to visit the very charming Vihara of the Wat Kampong Leu Pagoda dating back to the last century to see the beautiful wall paintings.

Return to the ship by ox-drawn carriage.

Overnight on board

Day 16 – Oudong – Wat Kampong Leu  -Overnight on Cruise(B/L/D)

You will see the Vipassana Dhura Pagoda which is a place of meditation for Buddhist Monks and after depart by buses for Kampong Tralach to visit the very charming Vihara of the Wat Kampong Leu Pagoda. The pagoda dates back to the last century and you will have the opportunity to see the beautiful wall paintings.

Overnight on board

Day 17 – Wat Kampong Leu – Kampong Chnang – Overnight on Cruise(B/L/D)

After your buffet breakfast on board, you will sail on the Tonle Sap River which connects the Mekong River to the famous Tonle Lake which is the biggest fresh water lake in Asia. Arrive at the busy rural port and bustling markets of Kampong Chhnang, located approximately 90 km from Phnom Penh.

Travel by motor boat to visit real Khmer villagers where the life of the entire population is connected to the river. Local people use the canal system which criss-cross the town to transport a wide range of goods which you will have the opportunity to see as you go ashore to stroll through the scenic market.

Overnight on board

Day 18 – Kampong Leoung- Tonle Sap lake – Siem Reap – Overnight in Siem Reap(B)

Water levels permitting, you will cross Tonle lake early in the morning

The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 km in length, with interesting and varied bird life resulting from the varied the water levels in the lake and river depending on the time of year and rainfall.

Disembark after breakfast and transfer to hotel in Siem Reap

Day 19- Siem Reap – Angkor Wat Temple – Angkor Thom – Overnight in Siem Reap (B/L)

0800h – After breakfast your English speaking guide will meet you at your hotel and you will leave to visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor, Angkor Wat.

The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the ImperialPalace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians, to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture.

Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks and the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world. The surrounding moat is to represent the ocean beyond.

Lunch at local restaurant and in the afternoon visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara).

Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 20 – Siem Reap – Relaxing Day – Overnight in Siem Reap (B)

Relaxing in Siem Reap and Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 21 – Siem Reap – Departure (B)

Enjoy some relaxing time before you transfer to the airport to board your flight.

Tour The end