21 DAYS. BEST OF VIETNAM, AND CAMBODIA – For Jayne

Day 1. Australia → Ho Chi Minh

Welcome you arrives at Ho Chi Minh airport . Our driver welcomes and transfers you to hotel.

• Overnight at Hotel in Sai Gon
• N/A

Day 2. Ho Chi Minh : City Tour

07:30 – 07:45AM, Our guide pick up you visit Ho Chi Minh. Take the morning trip to visit Independence Palace, also known at the Reunification palace, was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. Continue seeing the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office. Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of the both the Indochina wars.

Have lunch at local restaurant.

Return to Ho Chi Minh.

• Overnight at Hotel in Sai Gon
• B, L

Day 3. Ho Chi Minh → Mekong Delta

07:30 – 07:45AM, pick up at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh city and start the trip to My Tho. Upon arrival, visit Vinh Trang pagoda which sated back to the late 19th century. Then boarding the sampan and cruising down the river around the four beautiful islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Tortoise islands.

Stop over at Unicorn Island, go walking in the village paths to contemplate orchards, enjoy tropical fruits, and Vietnamese folk music performed by the local people. Visit the fruit plantation.

Be rowed in a small sampan through the Thoi Son canal and treat yourself to the beauty of the countryside, visit the family business & bee-keeping farm, enjoy honey tea and coconut candy workshop.

Have lunch at the local restaurant. Break time.

The afternoon is time for cycling around the Tan Thach village, meeting the local people to experience their daily life in the Mekong delta. Relaxing on hammocks to enjoy the cool breeze is for those do not want to join the cycling trip. Proceed to Can Tho.

• Overnight at Hotel in Can Tho
• B,L

Day 4.  Mekong Delta → Ho Chi Minh

06:30 – 06:45AM, take a leisure boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong River (Bassac River) then visit to Cai Rang floating market which is the liveliest one in the whole of region. Walking trip to visit the fruit plantation and local noodle factory. Have lunch in Local restaurant.

After that, our driver transfer you back to Ho Chi Minh

• Overnight at Hotel in Ho Chi Minh
• B,L

Day 5. Ho Chi Minh → Hoian

Breakfast at hotel. Your leisure time in Ho Chi Minh

After that our driver transfer you to airport for flight to Da Nang

Arrival airport in Danang, our driver pick up and transfer you to Hoi An.

• Overnight at Hotel in Hoian.
• B

Day 6: Hoian – My Son Sanctuary

07:30 – 08:00AM, Our guide picks you up at hotel and leave Hoi An for visiting My Son Holly Land – the ruins of Cham people and was an imperial city during Cham dynasty. Here you can have more chance to explore and understand of technique of Old Cham people in making red bricks to build Tower which still now a secret to everyone, you can see a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 65 architectural works. It also surprises for those who are curious with architectural art. In 1999, UNESCO labeled the Cham architecture in My Son as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

Spend a little leisure time in Hoi An.

• Overnight at Hotel in Hoian.
• B,L

Day 7: Hoian: leisure time

Breakfast at hotel. Your leisure time for walking around the Old Town for shopping and relax in Hoi An.

• Overnight at Silkotel Hoi An in Hoi An.
• B

Day 8. Hoian cooking class

• We start the day (8.15am) with a welcome drink at Hai Scout Café (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An Ancient
Town,
• Visit Hoi An’s colourful main market, and experience its amazing sights, sounds and aromas. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers, to see and taste the wonderful variety of foods on display.
• We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy.
• On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s best-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef’s, before we prepare the same dish ourselves.
Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration).
After the lesson, we sit down and eat exactly what we have cooked.

Recipes (our food contains no MSG):
*Vegetarians are provided with replacement ingredients.

1. Making fresh Rice paper
2. Fresh Rice Paper Rolls of Shrimp
3. Crispy Hoi An Pancakes with Shrimp, Herbs & a Peanut Sauce
4. Seafood Salad with mixed Vietnamese Herbs served in Half a Pineapple
5. Mi Quang Chicken Noodles
6. Food Decoration – Tomato Rose & Vietnamese Cucumber Hand Fan

Lunch includes the above meals as well as: Steamed Ocean Fish on a bed of Freshly Chopped Vegetables (not included in the demonstration)

Finish at approximately 12.30pm – transfer back to central Hoi An arriving approximately 1.00pm.

• Overnight at Hotel in Hoian.
• B,L

Day 9. Hoi An → Hue

Breakfast at hotel. Spend your leisure time in Hoi An

At 12:00PM, we transfer you to Hue. Your leisure time in Hue on your own.

• Overnight at Hotel in Hue
• B

Day 10. Hue: City tour

Your breakfast at hotel. Start a city tour in Hue.

8:00 am- 8:30 : our driver and guide pick you up and start the tour. Get on the dragon boat , go along the Huong river to enjoy the fresh atmosphere and peaceful beauty of Hue on the way to Thien Mu pagoda, the oldest pagoda here.
After visiting Thien Mu, we get on the car and go to the Citadel to see the living, working, worshiping and relaxing areas of Nguyen Kings’family, the last royal family in Viet Nam.
The last stop in the morning is Dong Ba market, before we head to the restaurant for lunch. Lunch time at My Home restaurant is a great time to savour the best Hue traditional foods and some royal tea while having your feet relax in herbal water after the meal.
In the afternoon, we will visit two royal tombs Minh Mang and Khai Dinh with traditional architecture and French-influenced style, respectively.
We will take a 10-min trip on car to Thuy Xuan conical hat village to visit a local family who produce the traditional hat and incent.
You can have many photos taken with creative decoration from colorful incent sticks made by people here.
4:30 pm : we get on car , come back to the hotel.

• Overnight at Hotel in Hue
• B,L

Day 11. Hue → Hanoi – Hanoi food tour

Breakfast at hotel

Your leisure time until get transferred to the airport for the flight to Hanoi. Get picked up from the airport in Hanoi for the transfer to the hotel in the city center.

Start the walkie-foodie night with Hanoi Street Food Tour

– Go for a walk inside Hanoi Old Quarter 

– Try some soup-based dainty like Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodles), Bun Thang (Rice Vermicelli Noodles With Chicken And Eggs), or Bun Bo Hue (Hue Spicy Beef And Pork Noodles),…

A Couple Enjoy Delectable Street Food

– Sample some delicious Banh Cuon (Steamed rice rolls), “Banh Mi” (Vietnamese Baguette),…

– Get a taste of some street snacks like Nom Bo Kho (Dried Beef Salad), Nem Chua Ran (Fried Fermented Pork Roll), etc…

– Have a cup of renowned local Ca Phe Trung (Egg Coffee) to round off our Hanoi street food discovery

• Overnight at Hotel in Hanoi
• B, D

Day 12. Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hanoi

At 08:30AM, our guide pick up you starts your Hoa Lu Tam Coc Day Tour.

Then get a 2-hour drive from Hanoi to Hoa Lu through the lush countryside.

Upon arrival, you will visit Hoa Lu – the ancient Capital of Vietnam, and the remaining two temples dedicated to King Dinh & King Le. You will learn more about the history of Vietnam dating back to a thousand years ago. It is also the must-do in Ninh Binh.

After lunch in a local restaurant, proceed to Tam Coc where you continue your trip with a relaxing sampan boat. The 1.5 hour boat ride offers you endless photo opportunities. On the rowing boat trip, you will go through the 3 Tam Coc Caves and pass the rice fields. There you get a chance to take the nice photos of nature and local people working on the riverside. This area used to be the shelter for Vietnamese people and national army in 13th century and during American war.

Take a short break after the boat for a fun cycling adventure for approximately 45 minutes along country lanes to enjoy the beautiful scenery of lush paddy fields and discover the real countryside of Vietnam to the fullest.

Get transfer back to Hanoi

• Overnight at Hotel in Hanoi.
• B,L

Day 13. Hanoi → Ha Long Bay

08:15 – 08:20AM, our guide Pick you up at your hotel and go to Halong bay on a shuttle bus. Take a rest at Humanity center and enjoy local specialties after 2h.

11.30 Welcome at TuanChau habour in Halong Bay.

11:30 – 12:00 You will be taken on our tender from the wharf and make your way out onto the bay to board our luxurious craft, Sapphire Cruise. You will be welcome aboard and greeted with a complimentary drink. Our Crew will conduct a compulsory safety procedures session and then you are free to check into your cabin and 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. 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 Cua Van area to Lan Ha Bay (as part of Halong Bay). The area is surrounding of a lot of extraordinary limestone karst landscapes. Guests can start their journey to explore the Lan Ha Bay by Kayaking and swimming in the crystal clear waters of the bay.

17:00: Back to the main boat, and cruising to a place for staying overnight

17:30 Join the sunset party on the sundeck in a warm and romantic atmosphere, making friends with other members in the group, enjoy fresh local fruit, listening soft, light music.

19:15 Relish special Dinner in restaurant.

20:45 – 00:00 Your free time to relax with an exotic cocktail or whatever takes your fancy. Our bar has a wide range of wines, beers, and liquors and is always a welcome sight for guests after a day on Bay. Order a Spa service or take any activities on boat cruise such as watching documentary movies, squid fishing or simply relax on our rooftop deck under the cover of a star filled sky

• Overnight on cruise
• B,L,D

Day 14. Halong bay → Hanoi

06:30 – The nicest time of the day on Lan Ha Bay is the morning. Head to the upper deck to participate in our daily 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.

07:00 – Light breakfast will be served in our restaurant (pastries, tea, coffee)

7:45 – 9:00 – 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.

10:15 Cooking class opened right on the Cruise, you will be guided how to prepare and make spring rolls.

10:45 Enjoy your brunch on the boat.

11:45 you will board our tender and head back to the wharf where you will be met by your return trip vehicle to transfer you to Hanoi.

15:00 – 15:30 drop off your hotel.

• Overnight at Hotel in Hanoi.
• B,L

Day 15. Hanoi – city tour

At 08:30AM, our guide pick up you start to explore Hanoi City.

Arrive at Tran Quoc Pagoda located on Golden Fish IsLand in West Lake

It is the oldest pagoda in Ha Noi built in the 6th century.

Visit Ho Chi Minh complex, you have a chance to see the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh then walk around the garden to see 2 houses where he lived & worked from 1954 to 1969. Then visit One Pillar Pagoda where worships the Godess of Mercy – It is the most unique padoga in the world

• Should dress modestly by covering from shoulders to knees when visiting Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, temples, pagodas…

• Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays.

• Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed at least 2 months (15thJune -15thAugust) for the annual maintaining but still can take picture Mausoleum and visit around that area

11.15: Visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum to learn about the culture of 54 ethnic groups living in the whole country of Vietnam.

Special Note: we will visit Women Museum instead of Ethnology Museum closed on Mondays

Have lunch at our restaurant. You have an opportunity to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine

Continue to visit Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam, established in the 11 century.

15.15: Leave for Hoa Lo Prison Museum which originally used by the French colonists in Indochina for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. During this later period, it was known to American POWs as the “Hanoi Hilton

Enjoy take a cyclo tour around the bustling old quarter to see the ordinary life of Vietnamese people in Hanoi.

After tour, drop you off at hotel. It’s your free time now to have dinner and a short while to explore the streets of Hanoi on your own.

• Overnight at Hotel in Hanoi.
• B,L

Day 16. Hanoi – Mai Chau

Morning

– After having breakfast at the hotel, get on the van for the drive to Mai Chau.

– Have a short break along the way, then arrive in Mai Chau around midday.

– Upon arrival, enjoy the Vietnamese traditional lunch in the village (vegetarian available).

Afternoon

– Join a bicycle tour with the local tour guide to witness the countryside life of Northern Vietnam.

– See the farmers working in the fields and local people weaving scarves. After that, guests will visit the surrounding peaceful villages.

– Have free time for shopping and walking around.

• Overnight at bungalow in Mai Chau.
• B,L

Day 17. Mai Chau – Hanoi

Morning

– Enjoy your breakfast before visiting more remote villages such as Na Meo and Na Mo villages, to admire the terraced fields and learn more about their traditional culture and customs.

– Around midday, back to the homestay for lunch and check out.

Afternoon

– Free time for shopping and relaxing.

– Around 15:30, leave Mai Chau on the bus to drive back to Hanoi (Travel time is around 4 hours).

– You will be dropped off at your hotel in the Hanoi Old Quarter. Stay overnight in Hanoi.

• Overnight at Hotel in Hanoi.
• B,L

Day 28. Hanoi → Siem Reap

Your leisure time in Hanoi before we tranfer you to the airport at for the flight departure to Siem Reap

• Overnight at Hotel in Siem Reap
• B

Day 19. Siem Reap ( Explore Angkor )

At 08:30AM, Our guide picks up you visit to the antique capital of Angkor Thom (literally: “Great City”), located in present day Cambodia, was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. Continue your visit at the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Continue your visit to Ta Prohm, one of the most beautiful temples in Angkor. Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool (representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), Ta Som, built in late 12th century C.E. the most distant temple on the grand circuit, small but classic.

In the afternoon, visit Angkor Wat the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace 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.

Before ending the tour today, enjoy a wonderful sunset scenery from the Top of Phnom Bakhen Hill.

In the evening, enjoy a delicous dinner at a nice local restaurant in Seam Reap. Watch a Apsara dance show while dining.

• Overnight at Hotel in Siem Reap
• B,L,D

Day 20. Siem Reap ( Explore Tonle Sap Lake )

Monring, your breakfast at hotel.

Start the tour by visiting the National Museum. Here, you can explore a collection of Khmer art, artifacts, and historical exhibits that provide insights into the culture and history of Cambodia.

After the museum, take a boat trip on Tonle Sap Lake, one of the largest lakes in Asia. This is an opportunity to enjoy stunning views of the lake and see some of the local fishing villages and floating communities that call it home.

After the lake tour, head to downtown to visit Artisan’s D’angkor, the carving art school, where you can witness the intricate art of stone carving and other traditional crafts. Next, continue your visit to Wat Thmei, a beautiful pagoda that is known for its memorial stupa that contains the skulls of Khmer Rouge victims.

• Overnight at Hotel in Siem Reap
• B,L

Day 21.  Siem Reap (departure)

Morning, enjoy breakfast at hotel.

After that, our driver transfers you to airport for flight out of Siem Reap

• NA
• B

End of service!