Vietnam & Cambodia Tours

Day 1 : Hanoi Arrival
Welcome to Hanoi! A transfer is included from Noi Bai International Airport to the landmark Hotel  Hanoi, your home for the next two nights, close to the historic Old Quarter and other notable attractions in Vietnam's capital city.

Day 2: Ha Noi Sightseeing
Begin your Vietnam tour with a memorable ride by cyclo through the back streets of Old Hanoi; stop at the infamous Hoa Lo Prison, known as the "Hanoi Hilton" during the Vietnam War. See the colonial Presidential Palace that Ho Chi Minh refused to live in, along with his "house on stilts" and his final resting place; and take in Hanoi’s famous One-Pillar Pagoda, constructed in 1049 to resemble a lotus blossom. Sample Vietnamese specialties for lunch, and then spend the afternoon as you wish. A 1,000-year-old art form entertains you this evening during an enchanting water puppet performance, followed by an à la carte dinner in a restored French colonial landmark.

Day 3: Hanoi - Hue
No Vietnam tour would be complete without a visit to Hué, Vietnam’s most beautiful city, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which you'll fly to this morning. As you sightsee by cyclo, relive the imperial grandeur of the Citadel, which housed the Imperial City for the emperor’s official functions and the Forbidden Purple City for his personal time. Admire Thien Mu Pagoda, a seven-story octagonal tower built in 1844, and cruise along the Perfume River, also the setting for your riverfront accommodations.

Day 4: Hue - Da Nang / China Beach
After a visit to the tomb of 19th-century emperor Tu Duc in Hué, take in the scenery along the Vietnamese coast and Hai Van Mountain during a drive to Da Nang and the 18-mile-long Da Nang Beach (“China Beach”) – made famous by the 1980s TV show of the same name and now a popular Vietnam tour destination. You’ll spend the next two nights at the one of the most prestigious beachfront resorts in Vietnam, the Beach Resort Da Nang, set right on the shores of the East Vietnam Sea.

Day 5: Da Nang & Hoi An Tour Around
Pay a delightful visit to the students of a local kindergarten in Da Nang this morning, then continue your Vietnam tour by journeying to historic Hoi An, a key East Vietnam sea trading port in the 15th through 19th centuries, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore its shop-lined streets via cyclo; view the red-painted Japanese Covered Bridge – the three Chinese characters over the door mean "bridge for passers-by from afar" – and tour the 200-year-old "Phung Hung" house, noted for its unique architecture. What you’ll see there will reveal much about the lives of Hoi An merchants long ago. Enjoy some time on your own in the afternoon, and have dinner at your leisure tonight

Day 6: Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City & Cu Chi Tunnels
Take a morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon), Vietnam’s second-largest city; set off to the battlefield memorial site of Ben Duoc, northwest of the city, where you'll explore an underground world of tunnels and chambers three stories deep at Cu Chi Tunnels with your local guides. Used during the Vietnam War, the 120-mile tunnel network housed kitchens, dormitories, munitions factories, hospitals, and schoolrooms. Following a picnic lunch, see more of Ho Chi Minh City as you wish for the remainder of the day, and have dinner on your own tonight.

Day 7: Ho Chi Minh Sightseeing

Explore Ho Chi Minh City with your local expert today, visiting the former Presidential Palace, now called Reunification Hall; see the former U.S. Embassy, the Saigon River,19th-century Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral and the stately Post Office. Later, Enjoy a taste of Vietnam's diverse culinary heritage tonight with an elegant à la carte dinner at La Camargue, offering French, Vietnamese, and international specialties within a sumptuously restored villa setting.

Day 8: Ho Chi Minh - Siem Reap /Angkor Wat

This morning, your Vietnam tour continues on to Cambodia as you fly to Siem Reap (9.15-10.35) for a two-night stay at the Central City, the closest hotel to the treasures of the fabled archaeological site at Angkor, covering an area twice the size of Manhattan. You’ll be dazzled by what you see this afternoon at the vast, 12th-century Angkor Wat temple; the bas-reliefs and many devatas (guardian spirits) that cover its walls inspire awe and admiration. This example of classical Khmer architecture has been a significant religious center for Hindus and then Buddhists through the ages.

On arrival meet and transfer to your hotel for checking in.

In the afternoon, to the famous temple: Angkor Wat (to see). Angkor Wat is a World Heritage Site since 1992, famous for its beauty and splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology, visit Bakheng Temple and enjoy a romantic sun set view form Bakheng Hills.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 9: Angkor Way Tour Around & Lake Cruise
Enveloped by jungle roots, fascinating Ta Prohm Temple almost seems to be a part of the dense rainforest that surrounds it. A legacy of Cambodia's Khmer civilization dating from 1186, it was originally built as a Buddhist university and monastery and continues to captivate today, as you'll see on your visit. The last capital of the Khmer empire, the walled city of Angkor Thom is home to the richly decorated Bayon Temple, known for its carved faces. When you see the Elephant Terrace in Angkor Thom, which was the foundation of the pavilion in which the king held audiences, you’ll understand how it got its name – and you can get some great pictures, because your day includes tips from a professional photographer! Later, you may wish to join us for a cruise on Tonle Sap Lake, revealing fascinating floating villages.

 Day 10 : Siem Reap Departure

A complimentary transfer to the airport is included for your onward travel. (end of your services)