VB314: PARADISE OF VIETNAM & CAMBODIA (18 Days/17 Nights)

Day 1 :   Arrival Hanoi –  Good morning Vietnam

 Welcome to Vietnam, transfer of 45 min to your hotel in town. Discover  Hanoi history and culture & people and get some more shocks of the culture. This tour draws to: the Ho Chi Minh complex, Temple of literature, one of the Museums (Ethnology, Fine Art, Army) with lunch at your own,  then back to the Old Quarter for some more exploration. Dinner at your own . and Water puppet show at night. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi  – Hoa Lu ( Ninh Binh) (B,L)

Have breakfast .we have a 2 hour drive to the Ninh Binh province , also known as the Island Halong and the Ancient Capital. It will be an exciting day highlighted, by a 2 hour boat ride in a hand woven bamboo row boat down the Tam Coc streams enjoying spectacular scenery surrounded by rice paddies and towering limestone mountain peaks. After lunch served at a local riverside restaurant we make a short transfer (4 km) down a peaceful country road to Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s ancient capital eleven centuries ago. Here, there are two temples dedicated to King Dinh and King Le, the founders of the ancient capital during the 10th century. Return to Hanoi and  Dinner at your own. Overnight in Hanoi. Night  train at  9.30 to Lao Cai

Day 3 :   Hanoi – Lao Cai – Sapa  (B.L)

Pick up at Lao Cai train station to Sapa by private car. Arrive in Sapa  around 7.30 am, and then check in  and have breakfast at local restaurant , relaxing  and then discovering the first site called Dragon Mountain . Lunch at local restaurant. Early afternoon, the guide takes you to visit Cat Cat village of Black H’mong people, a waterfall and you have a chance to see the hydroelectric power station built by the French , Back to Sapa. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at Sa Pa

Day 4 :   Sapa Discovery  (B.L)

After breakfast, the guide takes you to the Lao Chai village of the H’mong and Ta Van Village of Dzay and Giang Ta Chai village of Xa Pho people.  Having Picnic lunch on the way.   Return to  Hotel . ( the guide will explain you more details about daily customs , funeral or wedding ceremorny ) Dinner at your own. In the evening, your are free to visit Sapa town and daily Market of about ten ethnic minorities. Especially enjoying Love Market in front of Old Church on Saturday night. Overnight at Sa Pa

Day 5 :   Sapa – Bac Ha Market – Lao Cai – Ha Noi  (B)

After breakfast and saying good bye to Sapa , you are collected by private car and driven nearly three  hours to Bac Ha Market – the most colourful and the biggest market of Ethnic minorities in remote and mountainous area. Coming here, tourists have golden chances to talk and exchange culture , handicrafts … with Flower H’Mong people . After Lunch at your own  , the guide takes you to Old Castle of King of H’Mong and  Pho village of Flower H’mong people.Then going back to Lao Cai train station , if time permitted, you can enjoy Chinese market and Border gate before catching a night train back to Hanoi . Dinner at your own

Day 6 : Ha noi – Ha long (B,L,D)

Breakfast at local restaurant. Driving 3 hours to Halong Bay .12h30: Board Huong Hai Junk, check-in registration13h00: Have lunch on board13h30: A fantastic cruise in Ha Long bay, visit Dinh Huong island, Ga Choi island, Dog island ,Sail island, visit Sung Sot  cave. Paddle from Titop beach to Luon Cave . Enjoy dinner on board. Optional night paddle. Fishing, drinking Vietnamese wine, and spending a night on board.

Day 7 : Ha Long Bay (B,L,D)

7h00: Have breakfast 7h30: Continue kayak exploration. Paddle from Luon Cave toward islets in shape of Mans head island, Tortoise island, Cua Van fishing village. Have lunch on board.Paddle to Three Tunnels lake (selected according to the tides). Have dinner on board. Optional night paddle. Overnight on board.

Day 8  : Ha Long – Ha Noi ( B,L,)

7h00:    Have breakfast7h30: Paddle to Con Vit islet, Ba Hang area.10h00: Arrange luggage and check-out10h30: Have lunch on board. Transfer back to Ha Noi  with short stop at a ceramic workshop in Dong Trieu.  Transfer to Noi Bai airport for domestic flight to Phu Bai in  the afternoon . Upon arriving in Hue. Dinner at your own. Overnight in Hue

Day 9:  Hue – Sightseeing tour (B)

Have breakfast. Enjoy an early morning  boat ride on Perfume River to visit the Royal Tomb of Tu Duc King. Start visiting The Imperial Citadel – World Cultural Heritage and Thien Mu Pagoda , Dong ba market .Have lunch & dinner at your own. Overnight in Hue

Day 10 : Hue – Da Nang – Hoi An. (B)

Transfer to Hue  (the views from top of Hai Van Pass are excellent – you’ll be able to see Lang Co beach and the lagoon far below, and Da Nang spread out before you to the south). You’ll have a brief look at the remarkable Hindu statuary in the Cham Museum before leaving for Hoi An. then walk with your tour guide to visit around Hoi An: the old Tan Ky House, Covered Bridge, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall. Lunch &Dinner at your own and Overnight in Hoi An

Day 11:  Hoi An ( Free Day)

After Breakfast . you are free swimming and exploring Cua Dai beach in Hoi An .Lunch & Dinner at your own. Overnight in Hoi An

Day 12 : Hoi An – Da Nang – Saigon. (B)

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the airport for domestic flight to Sai Gon in the morning. Welcome at the airport on arrival in Saigon and transfer to the hotel for check-in. Sightseeing around the city including History Museum, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, Ben Thanh market. Photo stops at famous tourist sites such as City Hall, Grand Theatre, Notre Dame Cathedral and Center Post Office. Lunch & Dinner at your own. Overnight in Saigon

Day 13 : Saigon – Cu Chi – Saigon (B)

Breakfast at hotel. Morning excursion to visit the famous Cu Chi Underground Tunnel which have become well-known worldwide as the symbol of Vietnamese bravery during wartime. Return to the city for discovering Sai Gon city…Dinner &Lunch at your own. Overnight in Saigon

Day 14  : Ho Chi Minh – Vinh long – Can Tho (B)

Have breakfast  at the hotel. Leave Saigon for Vinh Long. Visit farming activities and the riverine life of the Mekong Delta can be seen en route.. Take a boat ride to the Cai Be floating market and then to Binh Hoa Phuoc Islet to discover the secrets of bonsai & orchard gardening. Onwards to Can Tho (40km). Lunch &Dinner at your own. O/N in Can Tho.

Day 15 : Can Tho – Sai Gon (B)

Have breakfast  at the hotel . Enjoy an early morning boat ride on the Mekong River to the bustling Cai Rang floating markets thronged with buyers and sellers moving around in boats laden with farm products. Taste seasonal fruit at a verdant orchard. Return to the city for discovering Sai Gon city…Dinner &Lunch at your own. Overnight in Saigon

Day 16  : Siem Reap – Angkor (B)

Have breakfast  at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for domestic flight to Sai Gon . After arrival Siem Reap international airport, warmest welcome by tour guide and transfer to the hotel for check in and to get welcome drink at the hotel. Then transfer by A/C vehicle to excursion by boat to visit the Tonle Sap lake: visit fishing villages to discover the standard of living of the people on the water and mangrove forest. Dinner &Lunch at your own. Overnight in Siem Riep

Day 17  : Siem Reap – Angkor (B )

After have nice breakfast at the hotel, Visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom, the famous Bayon Temple – built by Jayavarman VII at the end of the 12th, in the exact center of the city of Angkor Thom, Baphuon , Phimean Akas, Elephants and Leper King Terraces. Afternoon to Banteay Srei (Citadel of Women) about 30 km from Siem Reap town, a magnificent jewel of a temple of pink sandstone and it very finely sculpted with a luxuriance of details then come back to discover Angkor Wat that is visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking it is a massive three tiered pyramid crowned by five beehive-like tower rising 65 meter from ground level. Have a moat and exterior wall measuring 1300 x 1500 meters surround Angkor Wat. The temple it self is 1km square and consists of their levels surmounted by a central towel. The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carving. Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered Apsara carving adorn the walls. Then re-take to Phnom Bakheng view sunset. Dinner & Lunch at your own. Overnight in Siem Riep

Day 18 : Siem Reap – Small & Main Circuit (B) 

Breakfast at the hotel then transfer by A/C vehicle to visit small Circuit: Thommanun with some very nice walled-doors and stylized devata, Chau Say Tevoda, Takeo one of the first to be build out of sandstone, Ta Prohm invaded by the roots of giant baniyan,  Banteay Kdei (Citadel of the Cells) used to be a religious monastery, Prasat Kravan with a unique bas-reliefs of bricks and Sras Srang used for ceremonies and royal baths. Afternoon visit Main circuit: Eastern Mebon used to be in the middle the waters of the large Oriental Baray that is presently filled with rice-fields, Neak Poan was supposed to be a symbol of the Universe, and Preah Khan built in 1191 according to the tradition on a spot where the king fought a crucial battle against the Cham and transfer to airport for flight departure to country by safety and happy.