Promotion Vietnam and Cambodia Tour 18 days

Vietnam and Cambodia Tour 18 days

Destination: Hanoi/Sapa/Ha Long Bay/Hue/Danang/Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi/Mekong Delta/Phnom Penh/Siem Reap 

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D, G)

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey before a welcome dinner at a colonial building. In the evening, you’ll have tickets for a performance of traditional Water Puppetry (an art form unique to northern Viet Nam, and a good, light-hearted introduction to its rural culture). Your overnight stay will be in Ha Noi.

Day 2: Hanoi City tour/Lao Cai (B, L, G)

An all day city tour, possibly including the Temple of Literature, (the first university in Viet Nam dating back to the 11th C), the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Ethnology Museum and the centre of Ha Noi, including the Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ngoc Son temple and the bustling Old Quarter with a complex of architecture - traditional tube houses, religious buildings and the colonial houses.

In the late afternoon, you’ll take a refreshment at a 2-star hotel. Then, you’ll be free until the driver and guide come and take you to the station to take the night train to Sapa. You’ll spend the night on train.

Day 3: Lao Cai/Sapa (B,  L, G)

You’ll be met at the Lao Cai station and taken by a Jeep or a Land Cruiser to visit an ethnic market. After a picnic lunch, you’ll return to Lao Cai and continue your journey into the mountains to Sa Pa, a small town perched on the mountainside opposite Mt. Fan Si Pan, Vietnam’s highest peak.

The trips to ethnic markets are a fascinating experience but must be on Tuesday (Coc Ly Market), Saturday (Can Cau) or Sunday (Bac Ha or Muong Hum Markets). Picnic lunch will be prepared in the morning from Sa Pa. You’ll arrive in Sa Pa in the late afternoon, with time to relax before dinner

Day 4: Sapa/Lao Cai/Hanoi (B, L, G)

Morning stroll to the town busy market and then easy trek to ethnic villages of H’mong in a scenic valley. After stream-side picnic lunch, you’ll be picked up to visit other ethnic villages of the  H’mong, Day and Red Dao people. Return to Sa Pa and then back to Lao Cai station for an overnight train to Ha Noi.

Day 5: Hanoi/Ha Long (B, L, D, G)

Arrive Hanoi in the early morning, met and transferred to a 2-star hotel for refreshment and breakfast. Then, you’ll drive to Ha Long Bay, (one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas - the world’s largest marine ‘karst’ landscape). Travel by traditional-style boat to some of the less well-known grottoes and caves. Includes swimming, fishing, hill (not mountain) climbing for Bay overviews, exploring sea level caves in a small sampan, etc. All meals will be provided on board and your accommodation will be on the boat in a twin room with en suite toilet and shower.

Day 6: Ha Long/Hanoi/Hue (B, L, G)

Morning cruising Ha Long Bay, followed by lunch and then return to Ha Noi and transfer to the airport for your flight to Hue.

Day 7: Hue (B, L,  G)

Morning visit to the Imperial Citadel of Hue and the Antiquity Museum. Afternoon drive to visit King Tu Duc’s Tomb (the poet King, the simplest Royal tomb set in a beautiful garden) and visit to Garden Houses - (a cultural characteristic in Hue). In the evening you’ll be picked up to enjoy a Hue musical show on a boat in the Perfume River for about one hour. Overnight in Hue.

Day 8: Hue/Hoi An (B, L, G)

Morning drive to Da Nang (excellent views from high mountain pass). On arrival in Da Nang, you’ll have a brief visit to Cham Museum, then continue to travel to Hoi An. After lunch, a guided visit to the Ancient Town. Overnight stay in Hoi An.

The town is an ancient trading port, once the largest in Indochina and a meeting point for many cultures that left their mark in the different architectural features of its wooden buildings

Day 9: Hoi An/My Son (B, L, G)

Morning drive to My Son Sanctuary - World Heritage Area. Free afternoon and overnight in Hoi An.

Once the My Son Sanctuary was the spiritual capital of the Cham Kingdom that dominated SE Asia for nearly a thousand years. Its remarkable brick towers were badly bombed by the Americans, but are still impressive as is its remote valley setting

Day 10: Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City tour (B, L, G)

You’ll be free until the driver and guide come and take you to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check in.

In the afternoon, you’ll start your city tour including the History Museum (special exhibition of the 5thC ‘Oc Eo’ civilisation), the Museum of War Remnants (very partial, but riveting, recollections of the ‘American War’: not for the squeamish). You will spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi (B, L, G)

Drive to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See (in time to watch the mid-day ceremony), Cu Chi (intricate network of underground passages and bunkers that became legendary during the 1960’s for their role in the war of liberation). Farewell dinner and overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Cao Dai is a ‘new’ religion unique to Viet Nam with around a million followers. Both its creed and its architecture are remarkable and exotic

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City/My Tho/Can Tho (B, L, G)

At 8:00 you’ll be picked up at our hotel to travel to My Tho. On arrival, boat cruise on Mekong river to the Thoi Son island: rowing through small canals and walking along small village road to visit fruit gardens, elementary school, spirits distilling house, and see the daily life of villagers. On your visit you’ll have chance to enjoy some of tropical fruits and traditional music show. After lunch at a local restaurant on island, you’ll continue to cruise to visit a coconut candy workshop. In the afternoon, you’ll drive to Can Tho for your overnight stay.

Day 13: Can Tho/Chau Doc (B, L, G)

Boat cruise to Cai Rang floating market on the Mekong Delta (views of rural lifestyle). Lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon, drive to Chau Doc where you’ll board a small sailing boat to visit floating houses farming Basa fish, Cham ethnic minority villages and a mosque. Overnight stay in Chau Doc

Day 14: Chau Doc/Phnom Penh (B, D, G)

After breakfast, you’ll take a hydrofoil trip to Phnom Penh.

On arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to the hotel for check in. The same afternoon, visit Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda. Located within the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. The treasures found inside include a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90kilograms and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha and the genocidal museum of Toulsleng (also know as S21). Overnight in Phnom Penh

Day 15: Phnom Penh/Siem Reap (B,  L, G) by Mekong Express bus

Breakfast at hotel: Transfer to the bus station to take the bus for journey to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to the hotel for check in. The same afternoon, take the boat to Kompung Pluk, where you will also visit the house on still and the flooded forest. By the end of the day, your car will be expecting. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 16: Siem Reap tour (B, L, G)

Breakfast at hotel: We start the sightseeing tour of Angkor area we spend a full day exploring the wondrous ancient ruins with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone, the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the largest as well as the most complete temple of Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. We stroll around this massive edifice, seeing the many galleries with colums, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple. We visit jungle covered temple of Ta Prohm is an incredible sight. There are enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers which embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure giving the impression of man's creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 17: Siem Reap tour (B, L, G)

Breakfast at hotel, Heading out of town we make our way by traveling on a newly paved road to the intricately carved and well preserved temple of Banteay Srei. Along the way we make stopover at the Preah Dark village and we follow these with a visit the Banteay Samre Temple adorned with impressive relief’s depicting scenes of Vishunu as well as Krishna legends. Afternoon, we spend the rest of the visiting at the "Chantiers Ecoles - Les Artisans d'Angkor" which provides training to young Cambodians in an effort to revive the ancient Khmer traditions of stone carving and wood sculpting and continue to one of the city’s lively open markets, Psar Chars, also called the “Old Market”, surrounded by elegant French Colonial colonnades. Then continue to Wat Bo, a large, highly respected pagoda, founded in the 18th Century. Like the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh, the vihear of Wat Bo contains unique wall paintings of the Reamker that are said to be late 19th Century. Look for the daily-life market scenes such as an opium smoking Chinese merchant, the colonial era French officer at the market and the French soldiers attending a traditional dance performance. Also of interest is the large collection of Buddha statues located behind the main Buddha. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 18: Siem Reap departure (B, G)

Breakfast at hotel: Transfer to the airport for the flight departure. Overnight in Siem Reap

Price in US$ per person:

 Validity until: September 30, 2011               

Our price includes:

*        Breakfast and accommodation sharing a twin or double room.

*        Pick-ups and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle as specified in the itinerary above

*        One way domestic flight tickets: Hanoi – Hue, Danang – Ho Chi Minh City, including domestic airport taxes.

*        Return train tickets: Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi, air-conditioned soft four-berth cabin, good local standard four-berth cabin.

*        Boats cruise as programme. For Ha Long Bay, you’ll join other passengers on a high quality wooden boat.

*        Hydrofoil tickets: Chau Doc – Phnom Penh

*        Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced, safe driver.

*        The services of experienced English-speaking guides as indicated in the itinerary

*        Where necessary, entry fees for all visits as mentioned in the programme.

*        Lunches and dinners, as specified, in the best local restaurants and full board on the boat in Ha Long Bay.

*        VAT and other taxes

Our price does not include:

*        International flight tickets and airport tax.

*        Bus ticket: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap

*        Visas

*        Dinners, except as specified above.

*        Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.

*        Insurance.    

Hotel list for Three Stars standard:

*        Hanoi: Thang Long Opera Hotel (*** city centre, Innova Superior Room) or similar

*        Sapa: Holiday Sapa Hotel (*** good location, Standard Room) or similar

*        Ha Long Bay: Ha Long sails boat

*        Hue: Ideal Hotel (*** city centre, Ideal Superior Room) or similar

*        Hoi An: Lotus Hotel (*** with swimming pool, 2km from town centre, Standard Room) or similar

*        Ho Chi Minh City: Saigon Hotel (*** city centre,  Superior Room) or similar

*        Can Tho: Saigon Can Tho Hotel (*** comfortable local hotel, conveniently located, Superior Room) or similar

*        Chau Doc: Chau Pho Hotel (*** well located, Standard Room) or similar

*        Phnom Penh: Cardamom Hotel (*** good location, Deluxe Room) or similar

*        Siem Reap: Casa Angkor Hotel (*** city centre, Standard Room) or similar

Hotel list for Four Stars standard:

*        Hanoi: Sunway Hotel (**** comfortable boutique hotel 15 minute’s walk from the city centre, Superior Room) or similar

*        Sapa: Chau Long Hotel (**** the best hotel in Sapa, indoor swimming pool/fitness centre in separate building) or similar

*        Ha Long Bay: Ha Long sails boat

*        Hue: Huong Giang Hotel (**** on the bank of the Perfume River, Deluxe ROH room)

*        Hoi An: Hoi An Trails Resort (**** near Cua Dai Beach, Superior Room) or similar

*        Ho Chi Minh City: Oscar Hotel (**** good location, Oscar Cosy Room) or similar

*        Can Tho: Golf Hotel (**** high-rise building in the city centre on the banks of Hau River, Deluxe River View Room) or similar

*        Chau Doc: Victoria Chau Doc Hotel (**** French Colonial architecture, on the banks of the Bassac River, Superior Room)

*        Phnom Penh: Hotel Castle (**** situated very close to the Mekong River, Deluxe Room) or similar

*        Siem Reap: Tara Angkor Hotel (**** conveniently located on the road to Angkor, Superior Room) or similar