Cambodia and Vietnam combined

Welcome to Vietnam 😊

Today is arrival day so your day is free to settle in, until 18:00 when we’ll meet up for a pre-trip info meeting and for everyone to meet each other. Afterwards we can head out for a bite to eat to get the tour off to a great start.

Hanoi offers a beguiling combination of tranquility and chaos, from the elegance of its crumbling colonial architecture and tree-lined boulevards, to the boisterous cacophony of street vendors and motorcycles. Much can be absorbed of daily life by wandering the streets of the old quarter, wandering through the local markets, and people-watching. For the culture buffs, there are museums, temples, and tombs which offer insight into a city rich in history and character.

Our first full day in Hanoi offers the opportunity to explore the City on the included city highlights tour.

We start at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, paying our respects to Vietnam’s famous leader. Afterward, we enjoy the peaceful Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, and have a delicious vegan Vietnamese lunch featuring authentic Vietnamese dishes.

In the afternoon, we visit West Lake and the historic Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of Hanoi’s oldest temples. Our final destination is the Ethnology Museum, where we learn about the cultures of Vietnam’s various ethnic groups.

This tour is a wonderful mix of history, culture, and local cuisine, offering a great overview of Hanoi’s main attractions.

Today we depart Hanoi for the mystical Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the highlights of Vietnam. The towering limestone islands and beautiful waters are an amazing sight and something that every visitor to Vietnam must behold. Our accommodation for the night is an incredible, traditional junk boat.

Halong translates to Bay of the Descending Dragons and local legend describes a great dragon soaring down from the mountains, gouging out the valleys and spitting jewels which transformed into the various islands. Staying on the boat in the heart of the bay means we have time to explore the caves, go swimming, and soak up the beauty and tranquility of the area.

Tonight we are treated to a local dinner aboard the boat followed by time to relax on deck.

This morning we will do some final exploring of Halong Bay before returning to Hanoi. Take the morning to get in some more swimming or relaxing on the boat, and enjoy lunch on board before we get a private minibus back to our hotel.

Tonight you are free to take in the sounds and smells of the Old Quarter, join your tour leaders for a group meal, and have a drink in one of the many bars dotted around the area.

Today is our final day in Hanoi and after a few busy days we feel you need a well-earned rest, so you’re free to enjoy the day as you please. You can visit “coffee street” in the old quarter for a caffeine fix, grab some hearty vegan bowls of Pho from your tour leader’s restaurant recommendations, or cross the red Huc Bridge to visit Jade Island where the Ngoc Son Temple (Temple of Jade Mountain) stands.

During free days, your tour leaders are always around to assist or advise in any way at all and we’re always around the hotel ready and happy to help.

Of course, we also need to eat so most nights we’ll be inviting everyone out to eat with us. No obligation to join but we feel it’s nice to have the choice.

Today we take a short flight to Hoi An.

Hoi An is widely considered one of the most colourful and beautiful towns in Vietnam. Largely spared of any major damage during the Vietnamese conflict, the old trading port of Hoi An is a UNESCO Heritage town offering an amazing central old town with small friendly streets dotted with an abundance of family-run shops, restaurants, and coffee shops. Whether you want to stop for a nice cheap Bia hơi (fresh beer) while watching the sun set over the river or simply wander the quaint streets of this picturesque town, Hoi An has it all within a short walking distance.

Today we’ll enjoy a slow-paced bike tour through the rice paddy fields, ending up at the beach.

One of the biggest highlights of Hoi An are the many tailors found around every corner. If you love clothes or shoes and want something special or unique, Hoi An is the perfect place. Take a photo to show the tailors or pick an outfit from the brochures and have it ready the next day.

Hoi An is also known for offering some incredible local cooking classes. So today we’ll visit the local markets tour and learn the secrets behind the classic Vietnamese spring roll or one of the many other delicacies, before trying our hand at cooking some wonderful Vietnamese vegan dishes ourselves.

Today we leave Hoi An to fly South to the incredible city of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, Vietnam’s largest city and former capital of South Vietnam.

Still known as Saigon to many locals, Ho Chi Minh is a large city and with much to do. We head into our hotel in the Old Quarter to be located right in the middle of the action.

Time permitting, we’ll spend the afternoon enjoying a local City Walking Tour, exploring Ben Thanh Market, the Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral & Post Office, the Independence Palace, and the War Remnants Museum.

In the early evening, we’ll head to one of our tour leaders recommended restaurants for an optional group meal and maybe a glass or two of the local Beer Saigon.

Today we will visit the famous, or infamous Cu Chi Tunnels.

This network of tunnels was home to around 10,000 people who lived underground for several years during the war. It has living rooms, kitchens, hospitals, weapon factories, storage facilities, and command centres. At its largest, the tunnel system stretched over 250 kilometers from Saigon to the Cambodian border and was three levels deep. Today the remaining tunnels have been preserved, giving visitors a unique experience and a feel of what underground life during the Vietnam/American war must have been like.

Today is a full-day trip and overnight stay to the Mekong Delta.

The Delta is a central part of life in southern Vietnam, with agriculture, trading, and markets all everyday practices. The unique ecosystems and communities here make it unlike anywhere else in the world. We will enjoy a cruise along the river, stopping off at markets to enjoy the local produce and soak up the atmosphere. After our day exploring the Delta, we make our way to our home for the night by the river where a local family will cook dinner and tell us their stories of life in Vietnam both past and present.

Wake up to the sounds of the river coming to life and enjoy a basic home-cooked breakfast before we make our way back along the Mekong, stopping at a few more places to meet the local people and learn about their life on the river.

We then make our way back to Ho Chi Minh City for our final night here in this amazing country.

Today is our final day in Vietnam, so take the day at your own pace, either relaxing, exploring, or seeking out those last-minute souvenirs.

During free days, your tour leaders are always around to assist or advise in any way at all, and we’re always around the hotel ready and happy to help.

Of course, we also need to eat, so most nights we’ll be inviting everyone out to eat with us. No obligation to join, but we feel it’s nice to have the choice.

We bid a fond farewell to Vietnam today and take a short flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s bustling capital city with a very turbulent past.

Sitting on the juncture of the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap river, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonised Cambodia during the 19th century. The city has grown from a small fishing village to what is now the industrial, commercial, cultural, and historical centre of Cambodia.

Phnom Penh is a welcoming and friendly city, abundant with culture, arts, and music, far removed from the darker chapters in the country’s history.

At night, after a short tuk-tuk city tour, our group will head down to the riverside to experience the international and local cuisine scene and a slow cold Cambodian beer.

Today we visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former school which was transformed into one of the Khmer Rouge’s most feared prison and torture camps during the Pol Pot regime. The building is now a haunting tribute to the thousands who died here and at the other 150 similar camps throughout the country in the late 1970s.

Those who were detained at the camp were later taken and executed at the Choeung Ek extermination Centre, more commonly known as “The Killing Fields”, a site we also visit to learn more of and try to understand this wonderful country’s turbulent past.

Whilst the aforementioned visits are included in the tour, they are also entirely optional should anybody prefer not to visit, in which case you will be free to further explore other activities and landmarks in the city.

Today we travel overland through rural Cambodia to the small but vibrant and historically important city of Siem Reap. Not only is Siem Reap the gateway to the ancient temples of Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat (of Lara Croft movie fame!), but it’s also a modern traveller’s nirvana, with culinary delights ranging from tasty and downright unusual street food to mouth-watering high-end restaurants.

This evening our group will head out to the famous Pub Street with the tour leaders to sample a local beer or to catch a local apsara dance show.

Today we explore Angkor Wat, the most famous temple in Cambodia. There are over one thousand temples here which attract over one million visitors annually. The temples range from small ruins to the famous Angkor Wat, and the site is said to be the world’s largest single religious monument.

Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage site, pays homage to the Hindu god Vishnu and has a dazzling array of beautiful ornate carvings. The many ceremonial structures and temples here were built between the 9th and 13th centuries by the Khmer Empire that spanned a period of approximately 600 years. These temples are some of the most famous in the world and take up an area of approximately 160 square kilometers.

One option is to wake early to enjoy the sunrise with wonderful photo opportunities. Capture the sunrise reflection of Angkor Wat in the surrounding lakes and ponds or the less busy but no less spectacular views from atop Angkor Hill, looking down into the Angkor complex through the early morning haze.

Tonight, we check out the Phare Acrobat Circus in Siem Reap. It’s an exciting mix of acrobatics, juggling, and aerial performances, all done by incredibly talented artists. What’s great is that this circus doesn’t use any animals, so there are no acts involving animals or any cruelty.

The performers tell fascinating stories about Cambodian culture and everyday life through their amazing stunts and routines. The energy and enthusiasm they bring to the stage make the show really fun and engaging.

This evening at the Phare Circus is a fantastic way to experience Cambodia’s vibrant arts scene and a highlight of our trip to Siem Reap.

Today marks the end of our incredible journey through Vietnam and Cambodia. It’s time to bid farewell to new friends and this amazing region, filled with unforgettable memories.