NORTHERN VIETNAM & CAMBODIA TOUR - 8 Days

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.

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.

Have a local breakfast at your hotel.On this day, you are free at your leisure until being picked up and transferred without guide to the airport for the flight to Hanoi.

Upon arriving in Hanoi, our driver will pick you up to transfer to hotel for check-in. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.Back to the hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

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.

03:30 PM: Drop you off at your hotel.

Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.

Have a local breakfast at your hotel.

07.45 – 08.30AM: Depart to Bai Dinh pagoda and Trang An eco-tourism site. Have short break en-route to free your legs.

10.30 – 11.00AM: Visit Bai Dinh pagoda – Southeast Asia’s largest Buddhist complex which consists of several temples and over 500 intricately carved statues of Buddha

12.30PM: Then, you will have lunch in a restaurant with local special dishes.

13.30PM: We will visit Trang An by a boat trip through cave chains and an exciting “Kong – Skull Island” film studio.

18.30 – 19.00PM: You will be dropped at your hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Have a local breakfast at your hotel.

08.00 – 08.30: Pick-up at hotel and start the 3 hour-and-a-half drive to Hong Gai Tourist Wharf, check in Oriental Sails JSC’s private waiting hall – The OS Lounge.

12.15 – 12.45: Embark on main cruises by a transfer boat. Listen to cruise briefing and receive room key.

13.00 – 15.30: Savor a delectable lunch on Oriental Sails cruises’ restaurants further along the limestone islands of Bai Tu Long Bay, heading to the first place for activities.

You have 2 options to choose:

• Option 1: Discovery local daily life: Take a bamboo rowing boat trip around Vung Vieng Fishing Village
• Option 2: Take kayak at by yourself with the help and instruction of our tour guides around the Village.

17.30 – 18.00: Return to overnight cruises and have bath then relax as the sun starts to set. Enjoy the Happy Hour at the bar and on the sun deck while joining the cooking class with our chefs.

19.00: Dinner is served. Socialize with other guests, night squid fishing or just laze around. Singing and dancing activities are available till 22h00.

Overnight on board at Cong Do Area.

Note: We recommend that you bring an overnight bag with you to pack for your trip to Halong Bay so that you don’t have to lug all your bags with you. You will be returned to the same hotel in Hanoi after your trip and can safely store your luggage there.
Lunch, dinner, and overnight on board.

06.30 – 07.00: Start your day with Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck.

07.00 – 09.00: Catch morning view of seascapes with a cup of tea or coffee, have breakfast while cruising toward Thien Canh Son Cave. Visit Thien Canh Son Cave – the medium size and less visited cave in Bai Tu Long Bay

09.30: Check-out room. Luggage can be delivered to the reception area.

09.30 – 11.00: Head back to the Harbor. Have early lunch on board. Disembark the main cruise at around 12h00.

12.00 – 16.30: Transfer back to Hanoi and trip finishes at the hotel around 16h30

Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

You are free to relax until being transferred to the airport (without tour guide) for your departure flight. The room is at your disposal until noontime. Meals on your own. End of service.