CULTURAL TRAILS OF VIETNAM & CAMBODIA TOUR - 11 Days

THE DETAILED ITINERARY OF 11 DAY VIETNAM & COMBODIA CULTURAL TRAIL TOUR.

DAY 1: SIEM REAP ARRIVAL.OVERNIGHT IN SIEM RIEP

Welcome to Siem Reap, you will meet our tour guide and driver to transfer to the hotel to check-in. Siem Reap is an area located in the northwest part of Cambodia. Once the seat of power for the great Khmer Empire, this location is home to the most ornate temples and as such is the most popular tourist site for those taking a tour of Cambodia. The balance of the day will be free at your leisure. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 2 : ANGKOR SIGHTSEEING DAY TRIP.OVERNIGHT IN SIEM RIEP (B,L)

08:00: After meeting our tour guide, then we drive to Angkor Thom that was the masterpiece of King Jayavarman VII. Following the occupation of Angkor by the Chams from 1177 to 1181, the new king decided to build an impregnable fortress at the heart of his empire.

• We begin to visit Bayon Temple. At the exact center of Angkor Thom, this is an eccentric expression of the creative genius and inflated ego of Cambodia’s most celebrated king. Its 54 towers are each topped off with the four faces of Avalokiteshvara (Buddha of Compassion), which bear more than a passing resemblance to the king himself.
• We continue to visit Terrace of the Leper King. This intricately carved platform was the royal crematorium and the statue that was originally thought to be the leper king is now believed to be Yama, the god of death.
• We continue along the Terrace of Elephants, originally used as a viewing gallery for the king to preside over parades, performances and traditional sports. At the southern end lies the Baphuon, once of the most beautiful temples at Angkor, dating from the reign of Uditayavarman 1 in the 11th century.
• We visit Ta Prohm “Tomb Raider” fame. Ta Prohm has been abandoned to the elements, a reminder that while empires rise and fall, the riotous power of nature marches on, oblivious to the dramas of human history. Left as it was ‘discovered’ by French explorer Henri Mouhout in 1860, the tentacle-like tree roots here are slowly strangling the surviving stones, man first conquering nature to create, nature later conquering man to destroy.
• We journey out to the Mother of all temples, Angkor Wat. Believed to be the world’s largest religious building, this temple is the perfect fusion of symbolism and symmetry and a source of pride and strength to all Khmers. Built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, this is most famous temple at Angkor.

Transfer to your hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 3 : SIEM REAP – FLY TO HO CHI MINH CITY.OVERNIGHT IN HCMC(B)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport (without tour guide) for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh – the largest city of Vietnam.

Upon your arrival at the airport, our guide and driver will meet and transfer you to the hotel for check-in.

Meals on your own. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

DAY 4 : DAY TRIP TO MEKONG DELTA.OVERNIGHT IN HCMC (B, L)

08:30 – 09:00 AM Depart from your hotel for My Tho, the town lies on the left side of the Mekong River.

• Boarding the sampan and cruising down the river around the four beautiful islands: Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Tortoise islands.
• Stopover at Unicorn Island, go walking around country lane and seeing orchards, enjoy tropical fruits, folk song music.
• Visit the fruit plantation.
• Riding a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal
• Visit the family business, visit honey-bee farm, enjoy honey tea and coconut candy workshop. Have lunch at a local restaurant.
• Cycling around Tan Thach village, meet the local villagers to experience the local daily life in the Mekong delta.

05:00-05:30 PM Drop off at your hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 5 : HO CHI MINH CITY TOUR- FLIGHT TO DA NANG CITY.OVERNIGHT IN HOI AN (B, L)

08:00-08:30 am Pick up at your hotel and start the city tour included:

• Independence Palace (the Reunification Palace) was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace.
• War Remnants Museum which has a vast display of the both the Indochina wars.
• Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times
• Jade Emperor Pagoda with the peaceful atmosphere &o many stories behind each detail of the pagoda.

12:30 am Lunch time with a famous Phở restaurant (Vietnamese noodle soup).

Then, be relaxed at leisure till getting transferred without a guide to the airport for a short flight to Danang airport. Once arrival, you will be taken to the hotel in Hoian for check-in.

Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel in Hoi An.

DAY 6 : HOI AN – HALF DAY SIGHTSEEING.OVERNIGHT IN HOI AN (B)

8:00: you will be picked up at the hotel to transfer to Hoi An Center.

As the national trading center in the 16th century, Hoi An is home to the diversity of ancient streets and homes. Stroll around the unusual cobblestone streets to admire the hundred-century old Chinese houses.

The leisurely trip offers you a great chance to see the ancient houses built in Chinese, Japanese, French and European architectures. There are some incredible places that you should not miss when visiting Hoi An including the hundred- year – old Japanese Bridge, the Phuc Kien Hall, Hoi An Museum, Art Craft Manufacturing Workshop.

The tour will end at around 11.30. Back to the hotel. Lunch on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 7 : DAY TRIP TO VISIT BANA HILLS & GOLDEN BRIDGE – FLIGHT TO HANOI.OVERNIGHT IN HANOI (B,L)

07:15-7h:30 AM, you will be picked up at the lobby. Transfer to Ba Na hills and take Cable Car which gains 5 world scores to Ba Na hills station. Stop at By Night station to visit Vong Nguyet hills, Linh Ung pagoda, The Old Villas of French, the Golden bridge…

Continue moving up by cable car to the Nui Chua Mountain – the top of Ba Na range, visiting Nghinh Phong top, Le Nim Villas, Orchid Garden… Experience hill climbing train (first and unique funicular in Vietnam) and visit an old French cellar (Debay Ancient Wine Cellar), flower garden Le Jardin D’amour.

Buffet lunch will be severed at the restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will be free for joining games in Fantasy Park – the third biggest indoor games zone in Vietnam with series of interesting games: 4 – 5D film, skiver, The death race, dinosaur park… (2 hours). Or discover Ba Na hills on your own.

Around 15:00, Return to the Cable Car for leaving Ba Na Hills

15h30: Our driver will take you to Da Nang airport for your short flight to Hanoi – the capital city of Vietnam.

Upon your arrival at the airport, our driver will meet and transfer you to the hotel for check-in. Dinner is on your own account.Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 8 : HANOI – HA LONG BAY.OVERNIGHT ON HALONG BAY CRUISE (B, L, D

After breakfast, we will leave Hanoi without the guide for a journey to Halong Bay, one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites with its 2000 islands located in a background of limestone in the Gulf of Tonkin. Coming to Halong, visitors will be impressed with the beauty of natural achievement and many wonderful types of scenery.

You will enjoy an overnight cruise to admire Halong bay’s beauty and savor a special menu of fresh seafood that will absolutely bring you the best moment you have ever had.

You will be served with lunch and dinner on the boat. Overnight onboard.

Note: Meals on the boat with local/Asian food. Vegetarian good is available upon request.

DAY 9 : HA LONG BAY – HANOI.OVERNIGHT IN HANOI (B, L)

After breakfast, enjoy your time to sunbathe and relax in the fascinating background of the bay. After brunch on board – around 11.30 am, transfer back to Hanoi to check in the hotel.

Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 10 : HANOI CITY TOUR .OVERNIGHT IN HANOI (B,L)

08.15 – 08.30 AM: Meet your tour guide at your suggested places around Hanoi Old Quarter including:

• Tran Quoc pagoda, a Buddhist relic and national heritage lying on the West Lake.
• Ho Chi Minh complex, the final resting place of Viet Nam’s greatest father; his house-on-stilt and One pillar pagoda – modeled after a lotus flower, a symbol of Hanoi.
• Temple of Literature constructed in 1070 dedicating to Confucius, sages, and scholars. It was also the first university of Viet Nam once

Relax and have lunch at a local restaurant in Hanoi Old Quarter. In the afternoon, spend time to explore:

• The traditional ceramics village of Bat Trang. Visit showrooms and see how they model the products.
• Ngoc Son Temple dedicated to Tran Hung Dao – General Commander for his struggle against Mongolians.

After Hanoi city tour, transfer you to your hotel & be relaxed at leisure.

Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 11 : HANOI DEPARTURE (B)

At a good time in the morning, you will be picked up from the hotel (without guide) to the airport for your departure flight. The room will be at your disposal until noon time only. Meals on your own.