Undiscovered Vietnam & Cambodia 22 Days

Day 01: Hanoi Arrival

You will be warmly welcomed upon arrival in Hanoi airport and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meal: No

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 02: Hanoi Walking Tour

Free in the morning. In the afternoon you will take a private walking city tour to visit local markets and Hanoi’s Old Quarter, known for its 36 streets and former craft guilds. At 06 pm: you will Foodies Tour in the evening, you will have a great chance to enjoy special food on street of Hanoi old quarter, you have time to drink local Hanoi beer and wine. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 03: Hanoi City Tour

This full day tour will take you around Hanoi’s most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex,Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and his Stilts House, the Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda nearby and the Old Quarter, known for its maze of 36 streets and former craft guilds.

Also on the tour, you’ll visit the Temple of Literature, find the Lake of the Restored Sword, Ngoc Son Temple, and Ethnology Museum. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 04: Hanoi – Sapa by road

Our adventure starts with the drive to the mountain town of Sapa. The journey to Sapa will take the best part of the day. The drive is worthwhile though, as the scenery on your northward journey into the highlands is both dramatic and breathtaking. Arriving in Sapa late in the afternoon, you will check into your hotel. Free. At leisure or short walk around town. This evening you will dine at one of the local restaurants.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 05: Soft Trekking in Sapa

Following breakfast, you’ll set out on a 3-4 hour trek that will take you along buffalo paths and trails. We’ll also pass through the hill tribe villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van, home to the H’mong and Dzay people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery, inhabited by some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. In the afternoon, you will return for an overnight stay in Sapa.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 06: Sapa – Ta Phin Village – Back to Hanoi

Today, we will visit Ta Phin commune, 14km southeast of Sapa town. Located in a large valley, surrounded by high mountains, which covered by pine trees and forest, Ta Phin commune is home to the Red Dzao and Black H’mong ethnics. Although living closed to each other for decades, these two ethnic people are very different: The H’mong are cheerful and open minded while the Red Dzao are you will economical and reserved.

Taking a short drive to the center of the valley, enjoy an easy walk following village path around the valley, paying visit to H’mong hamlets scattering from the bottom of the valley to higher mountain slopes. From high elevation, great view of the valley stretching under your feet. Continue your walk to the Red Dzao village in which you will meet groups of women making handicrafts includes embroidered clothes, handbags…After that transferring back to Sapa.

Bidding farewell to Sapa and its friendly people you begin the journey back to the capital. Some short breaks on the way before you arrive in Hanoi by late afternoon.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 07: Hanoi – Halong Bay

Enjoy breakfast at hotel. You will then leave Hanoi for Halong Bay, arriving at the jetty around 12:30 p.m. Upon arrival, you will set out on a junk cruise on the bay while lunch is served. You will pass through the magical bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragons’ teeth. After lunch, you will take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay, swimming on a quiet beach or sunbathing on the sundeck. You will stay overnight onboard.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide on board

Day 08: Halong Bay

6h15: The day starts early onboard with Tai Chi session on the sundeck.

The breakfast is served in the restaurant with morning view of bay’s landscape, then continue our journey.

8h30: Transfer to visit Viet Hai village. You will take the bicycle trip along the village path and go through rain forests and dark tunnel.  Enjoy stunning scenery of rice fields on the way. Stop at the village to relax. Visit an ancient local house, made from straw, mud, bamboo…you will have chance to see the local life on a valley of local people. Optional electric car service is available (at an extra cost).

Back to day boat for visiting Lan Ha Bay. Lunch served on day boat.

13h30: Visiting Lan Ha Bay, taking a free breeze at area with the path less visited. You will use your imagination to name any beautiful islands in Lan Ha Bay or get the interesting introduction of our professional tour guide on Peony Day Boat

15h00: Return to PEONY CRUISE. Enjoying swimming at the untouched area.  Then, you will join a traditional cooking class. Our chef will instruct you in the making of some Vietnam dishes. Watch the magnificent sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin. In the early evening the boat has its Happy Hour deal

19h30: Deluxe Dinner is served. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served for you by our wonderful onboard catering staff. This is a delightful meal in an intimate romantic setting

21h30: Enjoy the landscape of the bay at night up on the top deck. Relax whilst enjoying drinks from the bar. Try your hand at night squid fishing, watching a movie in the restaurant. Overnight on board.

Option: Massage service available. Please book with Cruise Manager directly (please see massage menu)

23h00: End of Day Two program

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide on board

Day 09: Halong Bay – Hanoi Airport – Flight to Danang – Hoi An

06h15 Why not rise early to witness the bay at its very best whilst enjoying an invigorating Tai Chi session on the sundeck; after which we serve the breakfast. Upon completing breakfast continue our journey and head out to explore the bay.

7h45 We progress to Trung Trang cave by our bus on Cat Ba island which is located in the middle of Cat Ba National Park with Kim Giao forest around the cave.

Trung Trang Valley is the largest valley on Cat Ba Island. The valley covers an area of approximately 300 hectares, has a depth of 10m to 30m and is around 15km in the middle of Cat Ba National Park. Trung Trang Cave measures 300m lengthwise through the mountains. The cave was carved by nature for more than 2000 years. The cave has many stalactites that take on various shapes that will awe and inspire visitors to use their imagination..

9h45 welcomes you back on board and it is time for fixing the bill and checking out

10h00 Whilst cruising back you can enjoy a delightful brunch

10h30 Tea Ceremony is served at the restaurant. You will learn how to enjoy Vietnamese tea and Vietnamese culture at this ceremony. Joining Tea Ceremony with our crews team and have great fun with us!

12h00 We return to the quay side in the south of the bay, where our visitors disembark.

We bid farewell at Got ferry & you will drive directly from Halong to Hanoi airport for your short flight to Danang. Upon arrival at Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay in Hoian.

Meal: Brunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 10: Hoi An Ancient Town

From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port for Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab traders. These people came primarily to trade in the high grade silk, which is still produced in the area, as well as ceramics. Today, Hoi An is a quaint riverside town, popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailors shops, and numerous cafes. Some of the buildings in the narrow streets have remained unchanged for more than a century. You will enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200- year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge.  You will stay overnight in Hoi An.

Meal: Breakfast

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 11: My Son Holyland

Located 60 km. from Da Nang, 150 km. from Hue and 75km from Hoi An, My Son is the former capital of the ancient Cham civilization that ruled Central Vietnam from the second to the thirteenth century. Their religion was primarily derived from Indian Hinduism. My Son is considered to be one of the best-preserved Cham structures in Vietnam. The complex is comprised of seventy Hindu-like towers and temples dating from the second century. This site is a Must-See for those people who are interested in architecture and ancient civilizations and is now one of five UNESCO World Heritage sites in Vietnam.

Meal: Breakfast

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 12: Hoi An – Danang – Hue

You will leave Hoi An for another World Heritage site, Hue, via the Hai Van pass. You will stop to visit the Marble Mountains  before arriving in Hue, where you will tour sites including the Citadel, the Forbidden Purple City, the Imperial Museum and Dong Ba market.

Meal: Breakfast

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 13: Hue City Tour

After breakfast at the hotel, you will board a private boat and go cruising on the romantic Perfume River. Being the ancient capital, Hue is surrounded with many tombs of emperors past, and a visit to some of these tombs will be on the itinerary for today. The charming Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda) will be the first stop of the day, and from here you will cruise further to ornate Minh Mang’s Tomb. You will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to visit Tu Duc’s Tomb and Khai Dinh’s Tomb.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 14: Hoi An – Danang – Ho Chi Minh

Breakfast at hotel. Free until transfer to airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh.

Meal: Breakfast

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 15: Cu Chi Tunnel – Ho Chi Minh City Tour

After breakfast at hotel, you will drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which consist of more than 200 km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life was like during the U.S.-Vietnam War.

After lunch. you will embark on a city tour of Saigon, including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office, the War Remnants Museum and bustling Ben Thanh Market. And overnight in HCMC.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 16: Mekong Delta for a day to Ben Tre

Ben Tre is the best option for a day trip to the Mekong Delta from Saigon, since it is only around 2 hours away, and 15 minutes from My Tho. However, this wonderful destination retains an authenticity which has been somewhat lessened in nearby My Tho.

This picturesque and friendly Mekong Delta town has historically seen very few travelers, but the recent opening of a bridge connecting Ben Tre and My Tho has made it far easier for day trippers to visit from Saigon.

Our one day cruise excursion starts at 8:00 am from the lobby of your hotel in Saigon with a drive to Ben Tre. While there, you can take a walk along the waterfront, lined with French era shops and houses, and you’ll see plenty of coconuts being unloaded from boats for dispatch around the country. Then, jump on a boat for a couple of hours of cruising on the Mekong River. You will enjoy your delicious lunch at a local restaurant or on board. The excursion will end at around 4:00pm where the vehicle will await you for your transfer back to Saigon.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 17: Ho Chi Minh – Phnom Penh

Breakfast at the hotel. Free until transfer to airport for flight to Phnom Penh. Arrival in Phnom Penh and transfer to the hotel for check in, free at your leisure time. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Meal: Breakfast

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 18: Phnom Penh City Tour

Breakfast at hotel. Today we visit the Toul Sleng Prison Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek-both grim reminders of Cambodia’s bloody past under Pol Pot. It is almost inconceivable to confront the nature of true evil here in this gentle land, but the Buddhist memorial at Choeung Ek, commemorates the 1.7 million victims of the 1975-79 Pol Pot regime. This excursion may prove distressing for some. It is, however, an important piece of this country’s historical and cultural puzzle. We continue to visit the 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. We also visit Wat Phnom Temple, Phnom Penh’s namesake, from where you can enjoy views over the tree-lined avenues of Phnom Penh during sunset. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 19: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to airport for flight to Siem Reap, arrival in Siem Reap and transfer to visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. We take a boat trip in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia. We spend the rest of day visiting 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. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Meal: Breakfast

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 20: Siem Reap

Breakfast at hotel: Start your 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 columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple and the 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.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 21: Siem Reap

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 visit the Roluos Group.The monuments of Roluos, which served as the capital of Indravarman I (reigned 877-89. Preah KO erected by Indravarman I in the late 9th century dedicated by the King to his ancestors in 880. Bakong the largest and most interesting of the Roluos group temples, with his active Buddhist monastery just to the north of the east entrance. Lolei built on an islet in the center of a large reservoir (now rice fields) by Yasovarman I, the founder to the first city at Angkor. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 22: Siem Reap Departure

There is no activity planned for today so you are free to enjoy your free time for souvenir shopping until transfer to the airport for your onward flight. Thanks for joining us at Smart Asia Travel!