Day No. | Day Brief |
Day 1 | Arrival Hanoi (Vietnam) |
Day 2 | Hanoi – Learn about History & Culture |
Day 3 | Hanoi – Halong overnight cruise |
Day 4 | Halong – Hanoi > Fly to Saigon |
Day 5 | Saigon city visit & Cu Chi Tunnels |
Day 6 | Saigon – Mekong delta – Cai Be |
Day 7 | Cai Be – Chau Doc visit |
Day 8 | Chau Doc – Phnom Penh & City visit |
Day 9 | Phnom Penh visit |
Day 10 | Phnom Penh – Drive to Siem Reap |
Day 11 | Siem Reap visit |
Day 12 | Siem Reap visit & Departure |
Day 1
ARRIVAL HANOI (VIETNAM)
On arrival Hanoi in the morning, you will meet your guide at airport, then transfer to your hotel for luggage deposit. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Hanoi, answer any questions you have.
Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital city and home to seven million people. Traditional and refined, with French colonial architecture, tree-lined boulevards, scenic lakes and a bustling Old Quarter, Hanoi has a sophisticated charm. Observe elderly people practicing Tai Chi by the lake, with barbers and food vendors plying their sidewalk trade.
Explore some initial oriental visit of the capital city. Head to Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple, located in heart of Hanoi, which contains an islet with the tiny TORTOISE PAGODA. Have time to experience the daily life of Hanoi in the morning. You can sit down at a coffee shop near the street and enjoy some coffee and snack (own account of coffee & snack).
Visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university. Constructed in 1070, the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past.
Lunch at local restaurant KOTO – Know One Teach One
Enjoy a one-hour tour by cyclo, a chauffeur-pedalled tricycle, through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as “36 streets”. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s a great place to explore, especially by cyclo, with plenty of photo opportunities all around you.
Transfer to the theatre for a Water Puppet performance. The art of water puppetry began approximately a thousand years ago, possibly in the flooded rice fields of Vietnam. Puppeteers stand in waist-high water and manipulate their charges in such a way that you can’t help but be swept up in the legend being told. Each short skit in the performance relates to the daily life of the people.
Have include dinner and getting back to hotel for overnight.
Included meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in HANOI
Day 2
HANOI – LEARN ABOUT HISTORY AND CULTURE
With ochre-coloured colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and scenic lakes, Hanoi is full of charm.
After breakfast at hotel, meet your guide at your hotel and depart on tour to visit Hanoi with the following highlights:
Visit the Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest of all pagodas in Hanoi – located beside the dazzling West Lake.
The historic Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, an imposing monument lavishly built using marble and granite, and where the preserved body of “Uncle Ho” resides. (Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed every Monday & Friday, all afternoons and from late September until December). Behind the Mausoleum, you can see Ho Chi Minh’s House. The simple house where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from 1954 until 1969 is made of wood and enjoyed a tranquil setting, with a view of a lotus pond. Ho Chi Minh’s belongings are on display and you can walk up the steps of his house to see his bedroom.
Visit The Vietnamese Women’s Museum is one of the most popular museums in Hanoi and well worth a visit for anyone interested in women’s studies or simply the culture of Vietnam. This gender museum gives a broad insight into Vietnam’s population, including its 54 ethnic groups, addressed through the lens of women’s issues.
After lunch at local restaurant, we then drive to Bat Trang to see firsthand the ancient art of ceramic making at a workshop. It is famous for the quality of the blue and white pottery it produces. In addition to traditional designs for tableware and pots, some craftsmen are now introducing the more avant-garde designs of Hanoian painters and artists. Many of the families producing these fine works of art have been doing so for at least 400 years.
Return to Hanoi late in afternoon, make a quick stop enroute at Long Bien Market under the historic Long Bien Bridge to get to explore the local life of Hanoi.
Dinner at local restaurant.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in HANOI
Day 3
HANOI – HALONG OVERNIGHT CRUISE
Breakfast at hotel
Leave Hanoi. The drive to Halong Bay takes you on a journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta. Observe everyday life of Vietnamese Villages as you see the villagers work the local rice fields, take live pigs to market on bicycles and plough the fields with their large water buffaloes.
Arrive in Halong and board a traditional sailing junk. As the vessel sets sails, you will be greeted by the Crew Team who will aim throughout your stay at providing you with the highest standards of service for a pure pleasure and utmost comfort onboard. Discover some of the treasures disseminated across the Bay of the Descending Dragon during the afternoon: fascinating caves, pristine beaches, picturesque floating villages, fantastic rock formations rising up out of emerald water. While onboard, you can take advantage at leisure of the cruise services; surrounded by a stunning setting in motion, you could attend our chef’s cooking demonstration and try your skills in the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking.
Defined to be one of the highlights of your stay, a highly refined, innovative and varied cuisine will be presented for Lunch and Dinner in the elegant dining-room, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages (with extra charge applied) for drink).
In the evening enjoy the entertainment activities as movie night, squid fishing or just enjoying a cocktail surrounded by limestone rocks majestically springing out from silent waters in the night.
NOTE: This tour is subject to change depending on weather conditions.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in HALONG
Day 4
HALONG – HANOI > FLY TO SAIGON
Early birds can attend a Tai Chi demonstration on the sundeck at the break of dawn. Start the day enjoying some delights with a light breakfast and follow by a colorful brunch. . Continue exploring Halong Bay sailing across its 2000 islets and visiting some of its major highlights. Your cruise will come to an end at the pier in Halong late morning.
You will be transferred to airport in Hanoi for short flight to Saigon.
Upon arrival Saigon, have included light dinner and you will be transferred to hotel for check and overnight.
Included meals: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner
Accommodation in SAIGON
Day 5
SAIGON CITY VISIT & CU CHI TUNNELS
Breakfast at hotel
Drive from Saigon to Cu Chi. Today’s half day tour takes you to visit the world famous Cu Chi Tunnels. The incredible underground tunnel network was constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters (Viet Cong) during their long struggle for independence. The tunnels are evidence of the tremendous ingenuity and resourcefulness that are characteristic of the Vietnamese. You’ll see the secret trapdoors, underground kitchens, living areas and meeting rooms. The more adventurous may explore the deeper second, and even third level tunnels. If you prefer to remain above ground, there is ample opportunity to view excavated areas from above. Our guide will advise us of the length and level of difficulty of each tunnel before entering – some are easily accessed by stairs.
Return to Saigon around noon and enjoy light lunch with traditional PHO (Vietnamese noodle soup or Com Tam (broken rice).
Then visit the landmark Reunification Hall, formerly known as the Presidential Palace. It was towards this modern building that North Vietnamese resistance fighters tanks (Viet Cong) rolled on the morning of April 30, 1975 as Saigon fell. This fascinating building is filled with history still fresh in the minds of many.
War Remnants Museum, this museum was formerly known as the Exhibition House of American War Crimes. The museums exhibitions include some disturbing photographs of the Vietnam War, a real guillotine, a simulated “tiger cage” prison and jars of deformed fetuses blamed on Agent Orange.
Transfer to Dong Khoi street, or Rue Catinat as it was known in the time of the French occupation, to discover some of the beautiful French colonial buildings built in the late 19th and early 20th century. Appreciate the splendidly restored exteriors of the Opera House and the former Hotel de Ville which are still two of the finest buildings in Saigon. Wander up to the Notre Dame Cathedral, a red brick edifice with twin spires based on the original construction from Paris. (It is only possible to visit inside when no service is being performed) Then head across the square to the Central Post Office, designed by the French architect, Gustav Eiffel, before he had risen to fame for the Eiffel Tower.
In the city centre, visit Ben Thanh Market where an incredible display of fresh produce is offered. Simply stroll through the market seeing and enjoying the variety of goods for sale.
Dinner at local restaurant in early evening and overnight.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in SAIGON
Day 6
SAIGON – MEKONG DELTA – CAI BE
After breakfast at hotel, depart your hotel this morning for a 2 hour drive heading south Ben Tre where referred locally as one of the biggest coconut tree orchards in Vietnam. Take in the lush surroundings of rice paddies and fruit farms alongside the highway as you leave behind the busy city.
Arrive at the waterfront pier and embark on an enjoyable motor boat excursion, take a glimpse at the Delta scenery, houses built on stilts.
Stop at a typical local fish farm to learn about the producing procedure as well as the agriculture business of the Delta.
Cruising among river and the small canals and arroyos lined with palm and coconut trees. Take some time enjoy a leisurely walking & Cycling through the village observing tropical gardens along the way; discovering how Vietnamese farmers work their rice fields and observe daily life of the villagers in the Mekong Delta.
Have a chance visit some local home factories, observe lively activities of coconut processing and trading as well as enjoy tropical fruit & coconut juice.
Lunch will be served at a local family, taste some local delicacies before getting back to pier and continue driving south about 1.5 hours to Cai Be.
Check in the rest on arrival and enjoy the rest afternoon at leisure.
Evening enjoy the included dinner at the resort.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in CAI BE
Day 7
CAI BE VISIT – DRIVE TO CHAU DOC
Enjoy leisurely breakfast at resort.
Check out the resort & Embark on your private charming wooden boat visit the small Cai Be floating market, experience how people exchanging goods, fruit and many other commodities on their boats.
You will have opportunity to visit some local home factories that produce rice paste, rice popcorn and coconut candy.
Geting back to the pier and leave Cai Be for Chau Doc.
Visit the 130-years-old ancient house of Huynh Thuy Le, forever immortalized as the home of the protagonist in French writer Marguerite Duras’s novel “The Lover”. The house faces the biggest fruit wholesale market in the area- a great chance to buy some seasonal fruit for your trip. And have chance to visit a local flower garden in Sa Dec.
Close to Chau Doc, you will visit the flooded forest of Tra Su Bird Sanctuary. Take a rowboat between the narrow green canals for a remarkable atmosphere and spot an array of birdlife along the way. If time allows, you can climb up onto the fire observation stand from where you have an incredible panorama view of the forest. Arrive in Chau Doc in late afternoon, check in to your hotel and overnight.
Dinner at the hotel restaurant.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation in CHAU DOC
Day 8
CHAU DOC – PHNOM PENH & CITY VISIT
After breakfast board the speedboat to the Cambodian border and after clearing custom and immigration formalities with the Cambodian authorities, cruise along the Mekong River to Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia.
Speedboat Chau Doc – Phnom Penh: Depart Chau Doc around 07:00 & arrive Phnom Penh around 12:30
Upon arrival pier in Phnom Penh, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Time to have light snack at a café before starting to visit the city.
Visit Phnom Penh including the Royal Palace complex. This palace dates from 1866 and was the last one built during the French colonial period. The same complex houses the Silver Pagoda, named for the over 5000 silver tiles that cover its floors. Its original name is Wat Prakeo, meaning Temple of the Emerald Buddha. In this temple you will view a collection of Buddhas in gold, silver, crystal, and bronze.
Continue to National Museum, built in 1917. Housed there are over 5000 statues, lingas and others artifacts arranged according to pre- Angkor and post –Angkor periods of Cambodia history.
After that, visit Wat Phnom is situated near the northern boundary of the city. The original temple was built in 1372 by a rich Khmer lady named “Penh” who found a collection of statues of the Buddha washed up on the river bank and decided to house them on a nearby hill (“Phnom”).
Dinner at nice local restaurant.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation in PHNOM PENH
Day 9
PHNOM PENH VISIT
Breakfast at the hotel.
Depart the hotel to visit Choeung Ek (Killing Field) the site of a former orchard and mass grave of victims of the Khmer Rouge – killed between 1975 and 1979 – about 15 km south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is the best-known of the sites known as The Killing Fields, where the Khmer Rouge regime executed over one million people between 1975 and 1979. Mass graves containing 8,895 bodies were discovered at Choeung Ek after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime. Many of the dead were former political prisoners who were kept by the Khmer Rouge in their Tuol Sleng detention center. Here, was the place where victims transported from Toul Sleng or S21 and other places in the country were detained.
Continue to travel to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre (PTWRC), is a wildlife centre located roughly 25 miles (40 km) by road south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The centre was established in 1995 and with an area of over 6,000 acres of protected regenerating forest, this is the largest zoo in Cambodia. Since 2001, PTWRC has been run by the government institution of Cambodian Forestry Administration in partnership with an environmental non-profit organization called Wildlife Alliance. Wildlife Alliance animal husbandry specialists, veterinarians, and care takers assist in the feeding and care of animals and operations. PTWRC currently houses over 1,200 rescued animals from 102 species including endangered Asian elephants, tigers, Pileated gibbon, Siamese crocodile, Malayan sun bears, among many others. Many of the species are listed as Endangered or Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Return to hotel in late afternoon to refresh and then have included dinner at nice local restaurant.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in PHNOM PENH
Day 10
PHNOM PENH – DRIVE TO SIEM REAP
Early breakfast at hotel. Departure Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by private bus escort by your tour guide. This trip takes about 6-7 hours drive including technical toilet stop enroute.
Along the way, you’ll make several stops which are great opportunities to see the real Cambodia.
You’ll have the rare chance to sample a deep-fried spider in the town of Skuon. Visit the cottage industry of Santuk Silk Farm a fair-trade organisation that provides a valuable source of employment in a poor rural community.
Make a stop at Sambor Prei Kuk, one of the most important pre-Angkorian sites in the country that is enlisted to potentially become Cambodia’s next UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sambor Prey Kuk was built in the Chenla period between the 6th and 7th century and there are over 100 well preserved temples scattered in the forest. The three main sites are linked by small and shady tracks. Enjoy a beautiful walk through the jungle with breathtaking views. Your visit supports a community-based tourism project.
Have time to stop at Kampong Thom for lunch at local restaurant before continuing the journey to Siem Reap.
Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province. This small town is the gateway to the Angkor Archeological Park, which is over 40 km2 and is home to more than 100 temples dating from the 9th to the 13th centuries.
Check in the hotel on arrival and refresh.
Have a short walk to night Market & Pub Street then proceed to local restaurant for included dinner before return to hotel for overnight.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in SIEM REAP
Day 11
SIEM REAP – VISIT FAMOUS ANGKOR TEMPLES
Breakfast at the hotel.
Depart to visit the ancient city of Angkor Thom by Remork (Tuk Tuk). A short stop at South Gate. Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This city is surrounded by an 8 m high wall, drawing a perfect square. Enter the city through the ancient South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with Elephants and four giant faces. On each side of the entrance path a row of 54 gods or demons is holding the sacred Naga snake.
From here, continue to Bayon Temple in the exact center of the city. This 12th century masterpiece is a study in grandeur and is well-known for its 54 towers with enigmatic faces representing the 54 provinces of the Great Khmer Empire. Baphuon Temple, Phimean Akas Temple, Elephants Terrace & Leper King Terrace, Royal Palace, Woman and Man Pond) are also must-visits as they are both known for their intricate bas-reliefs.
Proceed to visit Ta-Prom Temple ~ built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. It has been left in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination massive fig and silk cotton trees grow from the towers and corridors, offering some of the best ‘tree-in temple’.
After that, you will visit the famous Angkor Wat. Built during the reign of King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, it is constructed following the model of the temple mountain symbolizing the Mount Meru, home of the gods. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with stone carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. Moreover, Angkor Wat is well known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple. Construction is thought to have taken around thirty years of intensive labor. Today, Angkor Wat is figured on Cambodia’s national flag as the temple symbolizes the soul of the Khmer people.
Farewell dinner at nice local restaurant with traditional Apsara performance.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation in SIEM REAP
Day 12
SIEM REAP VISIT & DEPARTURE
Breakfast at hotel.
Drive to Tonle Sap Lake where you will have the opportunity to learn about life on the lake. Tonle Sap is South East Asia’s largest freshwater lake with its size varying greatly depending on the season. During the dry season it is roughly 2,500 km2, swelling to about 4 times it size in during the wet season: 10,000 km2! We will board a boat and visit the Chong Kneah village where we’ll see floating houses, farms and even a floating hospital.
On the way to Tonle Sap Lake we will pass by Phnom Krom, so we can stop and visit it. Phnom Krom, A hill top temple with the same layout as Phnom Bok, also built by Yashovarman I, Phnom Krom’s temple may be less spectacular today due to its more ruinous state, but the vantage point overlooking the Tonle Sap Lake provides a good reason to visit.
Phnom Krom sits within a 50-metre-square enclosure, upon which are three ruined sandstone towers on a north-south axis. Running from north to south the towers are dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma.
We return to hotel to refresh & check out the hotel by 12:00.
Enjoy included lunch at nice restaurant. Visit Psah Chas (Old Market) also commonly spelt as Phsar Chas, Psar Chas or Psar Chaa, a market in the city of Siem Reap in northern Cambodia. Not to be confused with the similarly named Psah Chas in Phnom Penh that is geared toward locals, this open air market in the south of the city caters to locals and tourists alike. The market is popular with tourists in the city and sells souvenirs, including T-shirts, silverware, silk, wood and stone carvings, Buddhas, and other items. It is also known for its variety of Cambodian cuisine, and has a number of food stalls which sell a variety of rices, dried fish and pork sausages, vegetables and fruits, and a Cambodian specialty Prahok, a type of fermented fish paste. Some stalls sell baguettes and spiced frogs, which is believed to be a relic of French colonialism in the area. Other stalls cook up various Khmer soups and red chili slices and peanuts.
In time, your guide and private car will transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Standard 3*: from US $ To Be Updated
* Prices are based on twin/ double share for group of at least 15 passengers travelling together and depend on availability and season.
All our itineraries can be customised. For questions or further information, Enquire Now!
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SENSES JOURNEYS
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