THE EXPEDITION OF VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA
Day1 Arrival in Hanoi
Arriving at Noi Bai Airport, welcomed by Hanoi tour guide and escorted to the city. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day2 Hanoi - Thay Pagoda-Tay Phuong Pagoda - Ethnic Villages - Hoa Binh
Breakfast at the hotel.
The morning tour starts with a countryside tour to visit Thay Pagoda and Tay Phuong Pagoda which were built in the 17th century with traditional architecture expressing the Buddhist philosophy. Then continue our journey to Hoa Binh Town.
Our lunch is served at a local restaurant in Hoa Binh Town.
After lunch, we’ll have a tour of the mountain villages inhabited by the Muong and the Zao Peoples which offer some glimpses into the multi-cultural facets of the Vietnamese Culture.
Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight in Hoa Binh Town on a house-on-stilts hotel.
Day3 Hoa Binh - Kenh Ga - Cuc Phuong
Breakfast at the hotel.
We travel down the mountainous region of North West to the Red River Delta of Ninh Binh which is the combination of rice paddies and towering mountain cliffs. We’ll make our way to Kenh Ga where we embark on a motor boat to discover the authentic countryside life of the farmers along the river flanked by ranges of rock mountains and rice paddies. After the boat trip, we’ll rejoin our car and travel further into the ranges of mountains which were declared a national park of Cuc Phuong. We’ll check into our guest house in the middle of the rain forest and enjoy free time at leisure.
Lunch at a local restaurant and dinner at the guest house.
Overnight in the centre of Cuc Phuong National Park.
Day4 Cuc Phuong - Hai Phong
Breakfast at the guest house
Morning tour starts with the Primate Rescue Center where the endangered species of monkey family are rescued, protected and developed to be released back to their home habitat. Then we’ll move onto visit the Cave of Prehistoric Man.
After lunch in the jungle, we’ll travel through the heart of the flat Red River Delta littered with white conical hats of the Vietnamese ladies tilling the rice to Hai Phong Colonial City. Arriving in Hai Phong, we’ll have an oriented walking tour around the Colonial Quarter and the flower market before checking into the hotel.
Overnight in Hai Phong.
Day5 Hai Phong - Cat Ba - Ha Long Bay - Hanoi. Night Train for Lao Cai
Breakfast at the hotel.
Embark the speed boat for the trip to Cat Ba Island. Arriving on Cat Ba Island, we’ll be transferred to our private boat for a boat trip on the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay. We’ll have fresh local seafood for lunch and adore the Sung Sot Cave before docking at Ha Long City where we join our car for the trip back to Hanoi.
We have some time on our own in Hanoi then we board the overnight train for Lao Cai. Overnight on board the train.
Day6 Arrival in Lao Cai. Transfer to Sapa
Arriving at Lao Cai in the early morning, you can sip the hot coffee and enjoy the view of China on the other se of the Red River. From Lao Cai the road winds up the terraced hillses to Sapa, which offers the stunning mountain views of the North Wesst of Vietnam. We make our way to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the morning free at leisure. In the afternoon, we'll walk down the Cat Cat Waterfall and Cat Cat Village which is home to the Black H'Mong people. Overnight in Sapa Town.
Day7 Sapa Trekking Tour
Breakfast at the hotel.
We start our trekking tour in the morning taking the buffalo paths down the Sapa Valley through Lao Chai and Ta Van.
Our picnic lunch is amid the Muong Hoa Valley.
Then the path is more challenging with steep mountain slopes and thick bamboo forests. We’ll make our way to a fresh waterfall where we climb up the road and join our jeep for the trip back to town. Overnight in Sapa.
Day8 Sapa Night Train for Hanoi
Breakfast at the hotel.
Our morning tour is to climb up the Ham Rong Mountain where we’ll be awarded with the panoramic view of Sapa and the surrounding nature including the Peak of Fansipan, the Summit of Indochina. On the Ham Rong Mountain, we’ll visit the wild orchid gardens and enjoy traditional music performance by the local girls and boys.
In the afternoon, we’ll travel on the brim of Sapa Valley by car to the Silver Waterfall and the Gateway to Heaven. At Tran Ton Pass, we’ll feel small gazing 360 degrees of the unreal nature beauty like the meeting of Heaven and Earth. In late afternoon, we’ll travel back to Lao Cai Train Station for the overnight train journey bound for Hanoi.
Overnight on board the train.
Day9 Arrival in Hanoi. Free day at leisure
Arriving at Hanoi early in the morning, we’ll be transferred to our hotel and enjoy free time at leisure for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hanoi.
Note: Please kindly be informed that your early check-in accommodation with breakfast is included at the hotel.
Day10 Hanoi City Tour (1/2 Day). Night Train for Hue
Breakfast at the hotel.
This morning, we’ll start our exploration of Hanoi, a charming city with perfect combination of the Orient and the West resulted from the Vietnamese interesting history. We’ll visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace where lots of Vietnamese history and culture can be learned. Then we’ll visit the Temple of Literature which was the First University of Vietnam dated back to the 11th century. We’ll enjoy a walking tour around the West Lake, then back to the hotel.
You enjoy free time at leisure until our tour guide comes back and see you off to the Train Station for the overnight train bound for Hue.
Overnight on board the train.
Note: Please kindly be informed that our room today is kept until 15:30.
Day11 Arrival in Hue. River Cruise Tour
Arriving at Hue Train Station in the morning, you’ll be welcomed by our local tour guide and transferred to a local restaurant for breakfast.
Then we’ll enjoy a boat cruise on the Perfume River to the legendary Thien Mu Pagoda. We continue our tour of Hue to the Imperial Citadel where we learn about the royal family and Vietnam back in the 19th century. We’ll also tour the exotic Dong Ba Market right on Hue River to learn about the local life.
We check into our hotel and enjoy free time at leisure for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hue.
Hue is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Vietnam. The Perfume River flows through the middle of Hue dividing the city into 2 parts: the ancient citadel area to the north and the new town to the south. While the Citadel boasts its weathered gates and kilometer-length walls surrounded by moats filled up with lotus flowers in the summer, the towering flag towers, the old rustic cannons, wide tree-lined roads and the vast green lawns, the southern area is where the hotels, restaurants, bars and riversides cafes are found. The western side of the city is where the royal tombs are located amid trees-covered hills. Also Hue is famous for hundreds of century old pagodas, temples and tombs. For the Vietnamese, Hue royal cuisines seem to be the finest of the country. Always check with the restaurants before tasting the food here, since the spices may make someone remember Hue for the rest of their life!
Day12 Hue
Breakfast at the hotel.
We’ll have a discovery tour to the Tombs of King Tu Duc, King Khai Dinh and King Minh Mang. Then we’ll enjoy free time for self-exploring this charming Imperial City. Overnight in Hue.
Day13 Hue - Hoi An
Breakfast at the hotel.
Our tour brings us through the scenic countryside of the Central Region of Vietnam to Hoi An. We’ll stop at the Lang Co Beach with fine white sand against the green mountain backdrop and on the Hai Van Pass which offers 360 degrees of breathtaking mountain and sea view. Descending the mountains, we’ll make our way to Da Nang where we tour the Cham Museum. At this museum we can adore the artifacts from the Cham Cultures which thrived in the Central Region of Vietnam from the 2nd through the 15th century. Then we have time for mid day break in Da Nang.
In the afternoon, we’ll drive out of Da Nang City to the Marble Mountains. There are 5 mountains which represent 5 elements on earth: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. There are caves and pagodas built into caves visited by the local pilgrims. Right close to the Marble Mountains are the Stone-Carving Village and the famous China Beach which served as an R&R base for US Servicemen and war reporters in the past.
Arriving in Hoi An, we’ll have an oriented walking tour of Hoi An Ancient Town. Then we check into our hotel and enjoy free time at leisure. Overnight in Hoi An.
Hoian was once a major international port trading in silk, ceramics, and spices. Hoi An has the blend of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese culture which has been retained in parts of Hoi An architecture. If you look for some cultural discovery, or for fine silk clothing, or just simply some easy time hanging around the beach, then Hoi An is the place! Hoi An is a World Heritage site and has always been one of our tourists’ highlights.
Day14 Hoi An Free Day at Leisure
You enjoy full day free at leisure. Only accommodation with breakfast is provided by Paradissa Travel. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day15 Hoi An – Da Nang - Nha Trang
Breakfast at the hotel.
Today we’ll board the day train bound for the beach city of Nha Trang. The train trip offers you chances to experience Vietnam from a different angle; the opportunity to chat with the locals and learn about their life.
Arriving at Nha Trang in the evening, meet our local tour guide and have a transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Nha Trang.
NhaTrang possesses the most outstanding beaches in Vietnam. With turquoise transparent water, many white sand beaches and the superb coral reefs around the magnificent offshore islands, NhaTrang is no doubt a paradise for snorkeling and scuba-diving. Also around NhaTrang city, there are the Po Nagar Cham tower, the ThapBa hotspring, a very interesting Oceanographic Institute and Yersin Museum. During your stay those may be the places to visit.
Day16 Nha Trang Free Day at Leisure
Breakfast at the hotel.
You enjoy full day free at leisure. Only accommodation with breakfast is provided by Paradissa Travel.
Overnight in Nha Trang.
Day17 Nha Trang - Da Lat
Breakfast at the hotel.
We continue our journey along the blue ocean through the arid south central area of Vietnam. Drive 4 hours (205 km) from Nha Trang to Da Lat. We’ll visit Po Klong Giarai Cham tower, Chicken village and Prenn waterfall on the way. We’ll also stop the take a 360 degree view of the stunning natural beauty around Ngoan Muc Pass. Upon arrival, we check into our hotel and go out for the tour of this romantic “Honeymoon” city. We’ll visit the Valley of Love and the central market, the famous Crazy house and former king Bao Dai’s summer villa. Overnight in Dalat.
Located at the elevation of 1500 m above the sea level, Dalat is cool all year round. The city is surrounded by pine forest-covered hills which are dotted with numerous waterfalls and lakes. Da Lat boasts thousands of French colonial style villas preserved from the 19th century amid trees and flower gardens. In the morning and late afternoon, Da Lat is very tranquil and fresh. At midday when the school is off, thousands of young girls in Vietnamese traditional “ao dai” fly on the streets among flower gardens just like angels in fairy tales...
With its nice settings and climate, Dalat is the ideal travel destination for lovers and honeymooners, that’s why the city has the nickname “Honeymoon City”, or “the City of Love”.
Day18 Da Lat
Breakfast at the hotel.
We’ll start our today tour with a sightseeing and soft adventure trip to Lang Biang Mountain from where we’ll adore the panoramic view of chaste beauty around Da Lat which is the perfect combination of pine hill forest, waterfall, lakes, flower fields and colonial architecture.
Travelling down the Lang Biang Mountain, we’ll continue our tour to the Old Da Lat Train Station, Trai Mat, Lam Ti Ni, Linh Phuoc Pagoda and Tuyen Lam Lake. We enjoy our evening free at leisure. Overnight in Da Lat.
Day19 Da Lat – Saigon
Breakfast at the hotel.
Our trip today brings us down the Central Highland through myriad rubber, coffee and tea plantations to Ho Chi Minh City formerly known as Saigon. Upon arrival, we’ll have a city tour of Saigon. We’ll visit the Cathedral, the General Post Office, the Re-unification Palace (from outside), the former US Embassy, the Municipal Theater and the Ben Thanh Market. Then we check into our hotel and enjoy free time at leisure. Overnight in Saigon.
Day20 Saigon - Cai Be - Vinh Long
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning, we drive 136 km(4 hours) from Ho Chi Minh city to Vinh Long Town. Upon arrival, we'll board our boat and start an adventure tour of the islands of the Mekong Delta. We'll visit: a temple or a community house, brick-making, pottery factories, a bean-curd making family, a blacksmith, rice-peeling process...and learn about the real local life.
Lunch is served in a family on an island.
In the afternoon, we cruise to discover more about the local culture, visit a bonsai garden, then anchor at a family for the night. We stay overnight with a local family on one island.
Day21 Vinh Long – Saigon
After breakfast at the house, we'll have a walking tour around the village; visit a family with century-old traditions and tools for doing farm work, an orchard with seasonal fruits. Then, we'll cruise on some Mekong river tributaries to Cai Be floating market. We'll visit families making popcorn and rice paper before docking and joining our car for the trip back to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day22 Saigon - Cu Chi Tunnel - Phnom Penh
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning, we’ll drive 70 km to Cu Chi once famous for the legendary tunnel system which at the height stretched over 250 km. In Cu Chi, you'll have to check out these tunnels of 3 levels ourselves and find out how life of the local people was during the war.
Cuchi tunnel was built from 1948 and gradually turned into system of tunnels which sheltered the VC during the war. In the tunnel, there are dormitories, toilets, meeting rooms, dining rooms, water wells and even rudimentary hospitals which made it possible for the fighters to stay underground for weeks.
Then we continue our road trip to Moc Bai Border Port for entering the Kingdom of Cambodia. You complete the visa formalities then meet our tour guide and driver for a trip through the countryside of Cambodia to Phnom Penh. Arriving at our hotel in Phnom Penh in the afternoon, we’ll check into our hotel and enjoy free time at leisure. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Day23 Phnom Penh
Breakfast at the hotel.
We’ll visit the Toul Sleng Museum where the Khmer Rouge questioned and tortured the victims before they were brought to the Killing Field; Wat Phnom where the story of Phnompenh started; the Silver Pagoda and the Royal Palace. Overnight in Phnompenh.
Day24 Phnom Penh - Kampong Cham
Breakfast at hotel.
We travel through the scenic countryside of Cambodia to Kampong Cham. This province is located 120 kms, north of Phnom Penh. The road condition is good. We’ll have a short tour of Kampong Cham to view the samples of colonial architecture. Then we’ll continue our tour to Wat Nokor with its ancient temple and modern style pagoda (12th century). Arriving at Kampong Cham, check into the hotel.
In the afternoon, drive to Chup, a rubber plantation in the region established by the French tire maker, Michelin. Overnight in Kampong Cham.
Day25 Kampong Cham - Kampong Thom
Breakfast at a local restaurant.
Our road trip brings us through the countryside again to Kampong Thom. We’ll tour Wat Kohear Nokor (11th Century) en route. Then continues to Phum Prasat with its single ancient temple. Arriving at Kampong Thom, we check into our hotel.
In the afternoon, tour of Sambo Prei Kuk temples, known as the ancient capital of Chenla with its 100 temples dating from the Pre-Angkorian period. Overnight in Kampong Thom.
Day26 Kampong Thom - Siem Reap
Breakfast at local restaurant
Today we travel to Beng Mealea, 60 km from Siem Reap and 3 hours drive from Kampong Thom. This is a sprawling jungle temple covering one square kilometer, it’s almost overrun by vegetation, constructed in a distinctly Angkor Wat style. Then we’ll travel further to the legendary temples of Angkor at Siem Reap. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day27 Siem Reap
Breakfast at hotel
Our morning tour is for the Roluos Group. The monuments of Roluos, which served as the capital of Indravarman I (reigned from A.D 877-89), are among the earliest permanent temples built by the Khmers and mark the beginning of Khmer classical art. See the temples of Preah Ko (erected by Indravarman I in the late 9th century and dedicated by the King to his ancestors), Bakong (the largest and most interesting of the Roluos group temples, it has an active Buddhist monastery) and Lolei (built on an islet in the center of a large reservoir by Yasovarman I, the founder of the first city at Angkor). Travel back to the hotel for mid day break.
In the afternoon, you will continue our tour of the temples in Siem Reap. We’ll tour the Prasat Kravan (with its unique brick sculptures), Srah Srang ("The Royal Boths" was once used for ritual bathing), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by four concentric walls), Eastern Mebon (guarded at its corner by stone figures of harnessed elephants, some of which are still in a reasonable state of preservation) and the "Mountain Temple" of Pre Rup until sunset. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day28 Siem Reap
Breakfast at hotel.
Our morning tour for the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). We’ll tour the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk), Bayon Temple(unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.
In the afternoon, we’ll treasure every minute with a tour of the fabled world at the most famous of all the temples on the Angkor plain: Angkor Wat. The Angkor Wat complex covers 81 hectares. 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 arts and architecture. Angkor Wat's five tower symbolize Meru's five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat symbolizes the ocean.
In late afternoon, we’ll mesmerized by watching sunset from Phnom Bakheng, one of two hills dominating the plain of Angkor, from where you will have a spectacular view of the Western Baray and Angkor Wat. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day29 Departure
You have free time until we transfer you back for your departure flight.
Note: An optional tour of Tonle Sap Lake can be included if the departure flight is in the afternoon.
