Endless Beauty of Vietnam and Cambodia – 18 Days

Ha Noi is filled with modern energetic neighborhoods while also maintaining a connection to its traditions. Its streets surge with scooters vying for right of way amid the din of constantly blaring horns, and all around layers of history reveal periods of French and Chinese occupation – offering a glimpse into the resilience of ambitious, proud Hanoians. Dine on the wild and wonderful at every corner, sample market wares, uncover an evolving arts scene, then sleep soundly in luxury for very little cost. Meet the people, delve into the past and witness the awakening of a Ha Noi on the move.

Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide who will escort you to a waiting vehicle for your transfer to downtown with a brief introduction en route. Your guide will be holding a welcome signboard with the ASIA TOUR ADVISOR LOGO & your name. Settle down at the hotel and relax.

The capital of Vietnam, a city that celebrated 1.000 years in 2010 has countless fascinating cultural and historic sites and our days' tour will visit the highlights. See the grand and solemn mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh (viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Oct-Nov), the 'icon of Ha Noi' - The One Pillar Pagoda, the beautiful Temple of Literature, West Lake's Tran Quoc temple and Quan Thanh pagoda as well as the bustling Old Quarter and at the end of the day - a water puppet performance. Evening free at leisure.

Set in an idyllic valley, hemmed in by hills, the Mai Chau area is a world away from Ha Noi's hustle. Outside the patchwork of rice fields rolls out, you will be able to visit tiny Thai villages, emerald green paddies, idyllic rural scene.

In the morning you will depart from Ha Noi to Mai Chau, passing along charming little roads. En route you will find the road ascends gradually until you find yourself in the middle of a landscape of mountains set at a medium altitude. Upon arrival in Mai Chau you will be served a welcome lunch prepared by a local family. This will be a privileged moment to exchange ideas with them and learn more about their daily life.
In the afternoon you will visit a neighboring village inhabited by one of the ethnic Thai minorities of North Vietnam, the white Thai. In these mountainous regions you will discover local crafts and the customs of the inhabitants. You will have the rest of the day to bike or walk around the village. You will get back to your hotel/lodge by the end of the day. Dinner is on your own account. In the evening, For evening enjoyment, you may choose to take part in a traditional dance show with Ruou Can (a local wine), a cooking class, a weaving class or all. Overnight at Mai Chau.

Distance: 150 kilometers - 4 hours

In the morning you will depart from the lodge and discover the interesting surroundings as well as witness the daily lives of the ethnic minorities. The day excursion can be either on foot or by bike

Trekking Around The Village

Your hike starts at 09:00 with a walk through Kha local village and along the dirt trail through forest with tropical trees which covers Pu Poc sacred mountain of Thai ethnic minority in Mai Chau. The spectacular scenery gradually appears before you. You continue to visit Te – a small charming village is beside the forest and rarely visited by tourists. The local lunch will be served at local home stay. After your lunch, the walk between the Thai ethnic minority villages Pu and Khoe follows the concrete trail. Along the way, you can meet the local child at their house’s yard and enjoy peaceful scenery of mountain and paddy terraces. From Khoe village, you will take a transfer to Mai Chau.

Biking Around The Village

After breakfast, you will join the day excursion on the bike. The travel can be either on an easy, flat surface in the middle of this great "green stadium" via roads that lie among rice fields, passing from one village to another or try a more adventurous route following a large loop that stretches 16 kilometers between the valley and the hill. Then enjoy lunch with the locals before returning to Mai Chau by car.

You will depart from Mai Chau to the site of Hoa Lu by taking a road that crosses picturesque landscapes. You will arrive at noon in Nho Quan village and have lunch with the locals there. At the beginning of the afternoon, you will return to Gia Hung village, and take a pleasant bike ride on the dam levee along Boi river to discover the villages and their inhabitants. Arriving in the Van Long Nature Reserve, you will step aboard a small rowboat for a slow journey through the flooded rice fields and the spectacular landscape of rocky peaks, canals and vegetation. You will then make the trip to the hotel.

Distance: 150 kilometers - 4 hours

You will set off for a day trip to you will spend time cycling to Bich Dong Pagoda, also known as the "Jade Cave". By taking a small staircase, which was dug into landscape on the occasion of emperor Minh Mang’s visit in 1821, you will be offered a stunning panorama of the surrounding valley between archaeological remains and centuries-old trees.

Lunch will be served in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will step onto a sampan for a boat ride to admire the protected site of Trang An with its natural caves, aquatic landscapes and fresh air. Late in the afternoon, you will get back to your lodge in Ninh Binh.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ha Long Bay is scattered with more than 2000 floating islands of karstic rock. Legend has it that these floating islands were created by a family of dragons who were invoked by the Emperor to protect Vietnam against Chinese invaders. The dragons flew across the bay, spitting out jewels and jade, which magically turned into scattered islands. Together, these islands linked to create a protective barrier, which can still be admired to this day.

In the morning, you will leave Ninh Binh to make our way to the famous UNESCO World Heritage site, Ha Long Bay. You'll board a luxury junk ship for an overnight cruise-- while you relax on-board you can marvel at the incredible limestone karsts that jut out of the sea and the thousands of jungle-covered islands that seem to float on the waves. The turquoise waters of the Gulf of Tonkin swirl around hidden grottoes and ancient caves to create an enchanting, timeless world. We'll serve you a fresh seafood lunch while you sit back and relax as you enjoy the incredible view with a drink in your hand. We'll take you to a traditional fishing village where the locals have created an entire town on the decks of their boats, then you can explore Tien Ong Cave before returning to the cruise for cocktails, canapés, and a spectacular sunset. End your day with a romantic, candlelit dinner.

The morning stretches over the bay and makes the karsts glint in the light. In the early daylight hours, you can enjoy the view of the bay from the ship’s deck while partaking in a Tai Chi demonstration. Each movement is slow and controlled to help soothe the body and the mind. Then the cruise will tour around the bay until you disembark at the end of the morning. Your driver will meet you when you disembark and transfer you to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Da Nang. When you arrive at the airport, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An downtown.

In the morning, you will start this morning with a 45-minute boat trip to the seaport of Cua Dai, at the mouth of the Thu Bon River. Then, jump into special boat named thung chai (“basket boat”) - a small round boat made of bamboo, often used by the local fishermen in the central regions of Vietnam and can carry up to 5 people. The reason for its unusual name is because of its resemblance to an inverted walnut shell. The small size of this boat will allow you to explore the less accessible canals of the flooded forest and discover the surrounding countryside while staying eco-friendly. You will be invited to take control of the boat by making circular paddle movements while trying to make sure you keep your balance! This is not an easy task but will certainly be a lot of fun!

Then you will go on a bicycle ride through the rural scenery of Hoi An to Tra Que herb village. Have lunch in local house. You will have a chance to enjoy the village specialities: tam huu (small skewers of pork and prawns), various kinds of shrimps, pork and herbs, as well as six other dishes of the region. In the afternoon, you and your family will join in with the local farmers and observe their daily work of planting and picking vegetables. After the tour, you will return to Hoi An and have the rest of the day at your leisure to further discover the old streets or relax on the beach. Dinner on your own account. Overnight in hotel in Hoi An.

• The day is spent at your leisure. Overnight in your hotel in Hoi An.

Siem Reap has been always destined for great things. You come here to see the temples, of course, but there is plenty to do in and around the city when you're templed out. Siem Reap has reinvented itself as the epicenter of chic Cambodia, with everything from party pads, world-class wining and dining across a range of cuisines, sumptuous spas, great shopping, local tours to suit both foodies and adventurers, and a creative cultural scene that includes Cambodia's leading contemporary circus

You'll have the morning for a leisurely breakfast before we come to collect you and take you to the airport to catch a flight to Siem Reap/ Cambodia. When you arrive at the airport, you will be met and transferred directly to your hotel. Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure.

The temples of Angkor are a source of inspiration and national pride to all Khmers as they struggle to rebuild their lives after the years of terror and trauma. Today, the temples are a point of pilgrimage for all Cambodians, and no traveller to the region will want to miss their extravagant beauty. Angkor is one of the world’s foremost ancient sites, with the epic proportions of the Great Wall of China, the detail and intricacy of the Taj Mahal, and the symbolism and symmetry of the pyramids, all rolled into one.

Breakfast at your hotel, you will then be picked up by your guide to visit the ancient Khmer civilization site of Hariharalaya which flourished in the late 9th and earlier 10th centuries. These are the earliest temples in the Angkor area and are referred to the Rolous group (Lo Lei, Preah Koh, and Bakhong Temples). Lunch with the local family and then we will continue to drive to the rural outskirt 35km from Angkor area to visit the smallest, but magnificent, Banteay Srei built in the 10th Century and dedicated to Shiva. The temple was the birthplace of Khmer classical style architecture and the bas-relief work is the best example of Khmer classical art remaining. The pink sandstone structure bears a series of striking and beautiful sculptures, lintels, pediments and friezes.Khmers say the temple must have been carved by women for the details are too fine for the hands of a man. On the way back to Siem Reap we will visit the Banteay Samre Temple adorned with impressive reliefs depicting scenes of Vishnu as well as Krishna legends.

Have an early breakfast at hotel. At 07h30, departing the hotel for visit to the picturesque Ta Prohm that had nearly disappeared into the jungle and remains overgrown, an oddly haunting and exotic scene. The magnificent roots of a tree, pushing between the huge stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, evoke feelings that you may remember forever. And continue to visit the intricately carved Khmer ruins at Angkor Wat - one of the world’s most impressive ruins. The temple still owns fine Apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. And continue exploring the mysterious Royal city Angkor Thom. City & Bayon Its 54-tower temple is an awesome sight. At first glance it seems a shapeless mass of stone, but further scrutiny reveals a face, and then another and another until suddenly you are engulfed by the silent, heavy, enigmatic and silent gaze through half-closed eyes, staring out from a primitive and remote time. Further, visit to the surroundings of the complex including the Baphou, Elephant Terraces, Lipper King Terrace and Royal Palace . Enclosure area and visit one more ruin in Angkor Area of Preah Khan temple, built in 12th century by King Jayavarman VII and it is the same style to Ta Prom Temple.

Welcome to the once southern capital of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, where the streets are lively and the scents are enticing, from chili to garlic, ginger to coriander. You arrive at the airport and are met by your private transfer who will soon have you relaxing in the comforts of your hotel centrally located within the city. Vietnam’s center of commerce, the modern metropolis, wraps around the Saigon River bringing a vibrant skyline to the soothing waterway. Through a blend of tradition, modernity, colonial history, and reunification, the wonder of Vietnam has begun.

You'll have the morning for a leisurely breakfast before we come to collect you and take you to catch a flight to Saigon/ Ho Chi Minh city. When you arrive at the airport, you will be met and heading to your hotel in the town center. The rest of the day is spent at your leisure. Overnight in hotel in Ho Chi Minh.

You will leave early in the morning heading towards the Cu Chi Tunnels, located one hour from Ho Chi Minh City. Originally dug by hand by the Viet Minh (Resistance force) during the French Indochina War, this network of underground tunnels was expanded during the Vietnam War. At its peak, it was 200-kilometers long, 3-to-4-meters deep and was very well equipped, including meeting rooms and medical and sanitary posts. Today it is one of the largest historical sites of the Vietnam War.

You will begin the visit by watching a documentary on the tunnels and the war in the 60s-70s, then you can pass through various narrow underground ducts in order to discover the rooms: offices, kitchens, meeting rooms, weapons stores and even hospitals. At the end of the tour you will have the chance to taste the specialty of Cu Chi, the khoai my luoc (boiled cassava), a Vietnamese dish eaten daily during the war. After your visit, you will return to Ho Chi Minh City for lunch.

After lunch, you will explore the tumultuous urban of the south. You will notice that the architecture in the centre of Ho Chi Minh City is still representative of the colonial era and Chinese influence. Your discovery of the capital of the South would not be complete without a visit to the city’s main historical sites: the central post office, whose metal structure was designed by Gustave Eiffel; Notre-Dame Cathedral, constructed from red bricks and resembling Notre-Dame in Paris; the Reunification Palace and Dong Khoi Street.

Leave your hotel this morning, heading to visit Mekong Delta. Arrive at Ham Luong dock, you will take a boat and then cruise along Ham Luong River, a tributary to the Mekong River. The cool breeze from the river and lush tropical islands along its banks will immediately get you excited to explore all the great things ahead.

Arrive and visit various local workplaces to find many wonderful examples of how local people use ageless techniques to create their crafts, including activated charcoal, dried coconut, handy coconut husk brooms, and many family businesses using coir, or coconut fiber, to create amazing art. Cruise around the village roads by “Xe Lôi”, the local vehicle, which is a kind of motorized rickshaw. You will also take sampan through the local canals to get a unique experience of the peaceful beauty of the Mekong River as well as the rural life there. Having lunch by the river in a local restaurant. After lunch, you will have some time for relaxing before continuing with more activities- cycling around the village, or treating yourself to relaxing time to relish the beautiful countryside. In the midafternoon, we will leave for Can Tho. Dinner is on your own account. Overnight in hotel in Can Tho.

Get up early; then have breakfast before taking a motor-boat along the river to Cai Rang floating market, the largest its kind, where colorful boats carrying juicy fruits and vegetables gather for daily exchanging. We continue the cruise and walk on a quite country road to take in the magnificent scenery and get close to the residents as they go about their daily routines. Visit a flea market, a noodle factory, and tropical fruit gardens like papaya, mango, pineapple… Spend a short time for cycling around the village will give you a fantastic way to experience local life. Lunch is served at a local restaurant in Can Tho or on the way back to Sai Gon.

Your time will be your own until your private car and driver arrives to take you to the airport for your flight to next destination.

We thank you for joining us on this incredible experience to explore all the wonders of Vietnam. Goodbye, and we hope to see you again next time! Asia Tour Advisor can also arrange additional customized trips for you if the above itinerary does not match your expectations.