Sweetness of Cochinchina and Cambodia

Saigon arrival (-) Flight by yourself

Arrival at Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) airport.
Greeting by the driver and French-speaking guide for direct transfer to the hotel located in the heart of Saigon.

Rest and personal strolls or rest as you wish. Overnight in Saigon

Saigon / visits and strolls (B,L)

After breakfast,
Meet at 08:30 with the guide and driver for a day of discovery & visits in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), the economic center of the country: Cochinchine, numerous restaurants and high-end boutiques.
You begin your discovery of Saigon city with an immersion in the Chinese quarter. Discovery of its old quarters, its Binh Tay wholesale market (Cho Lon), the Thien Hau temple "the celestial lady". Built by Cantonese immigrants in the early 19th century, this pagoda honors the goddess of the sea and is considered the most beautiful pagoda in the city.
Lunch at a local restaurant, to be arranged with the help of the guide.
In the afternoon, you visit the Reunification Palace, one of the most important buildings in the city, former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975, the end of the war against the United States.
Visit it with Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior) as restoration work is not yet finished and the old Central Post Office (built between 1877 and 1883, it is one of the best examples of French colonial architecture). Every stone used for its construction was imported from France.
Visit Ben Thanh market – the central retail market. Transfer to the hotel for rest

Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel in Saigon

Saigon – Mekong - Cai Be (B,L,D)

After breakfast, meet at 8:00 AM with the guide and driver at your hotel.
Departure for Cai Be, a private sampan and walking tour to visit some local productions: rice paper, popcorn, coconut candies... and visit an ancient house.

Lunch with locals.
Board a small boat, depart towards An Binh island. An Binh is a small island in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, renowned for its vegetation and orchards. On the island, locals grow many fruits but also flowers to supply Saigon. The atmosphere on the island is very peaceful with fruit trees everywhere that are fed by the many small canals that cross the Mekong islands.
Disembark on An Binh island. Check in with the host family. Walk in the garden or cycle on country paths. Observe the authentic life of people in the Mekong Delta.
Dinner and overnight with locals on An Binh island, in Vinh Long.

Cai Be - Vinh Long - Sadec - Can Tho (B,L,D)

Breakfast with locals.
Meet at 08:30 and board the private small boat for the excursion to An Binh island and the islands located between Vinh Long and Cai Be.
Disembark in Binh Long city and then head to Sadec for lunch and visit the L'Amant house. Sa Dec is a small "Venice" with many narrow canals and famous for the love story between Marguerite Duras and Huynh Thuy Le.
A walking tour to visit the local market of Sa Dec.
Drive to Can Tho and direct transfer to the hotel for free time.
Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Can Tho.

Can Tho – Cai Rang – Soc Trang – Long Xuyen (B,L,D)

In the morning, private sampan for a visit to the Cai Rang floating market, the most authentic in this region. Cruising by boat you will see the different tropical fruit gardens (Ba Cong Garden) well known for some of the most delicious fruits in the country.
Continue the stroll to visit the ecological garden for exotic fruit trees and then taste these fruits on site.
Picked up by the driver and then drive to Soc Trang for a visit to the Bat Pagoda and the Khmer Soc Rom pagodas with the submerged Buddha statue, before returning to head for Long Xuyen.
Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Long Xuyen.

Long Xuyen – Tra Su Cajuput Forest – Chau Doc (B/L)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Disembark and continue the road to the Tra Su natural reserve (Tra Su cajuput forest), an ecological paradise that is home to bat colonies, over 100 species of seabirds, as well as endless waterways and abundant vegetation. You cross this isolated forest on foot and by boat, amidst half-submerged trees. This is the ideal opportunity to get closer to nature, during a peaceful afternoon in this protected reserve. An observatory allows you to have a panoramic view of the region. The Tra Su site is an ecological paradise that is home to bat colonies, over 100 species of seabirds, as well as endless waterways and abundant vegetation. You cross this isolated forest on foot and by boat, amidst half-submerged trees. This is the ideal opportunity to get closer to nature, during a peaceful afternoon in this protected reserve. An observatory allows you to have a panoramic view of the region.

Lunch at a local restaurant.
Continue the road to Chau Doc.
Arrival in Chau Doc, you take a beautiful boat trip to the magnificent floating villages along the Song Hau river that crosses Chau Doc city. In these villages, nestled by the well-known Cham ethnic group, who follow the Islamic religion.
A quick visit to Tay An pagoda and the temple of the goddess Ba Chua Xu, the mausoleum of Thoai Ngoc Hau, before checking into the hotel. Dinner at leisure and overnight in Chau Doc.

Chau Doc – Phnom Penh (B) Normal fast boat 07:30

Breakfast at the hotel
Then transfer to the pier for the shared fast boat to Phnom Penh departing from Chau Doc.
Fast boat departs around 07:30.
You pay for your Cambodia visa yourself, formalities are done on the boat
(You must prepare 2 photos of 4x6 and fill out the forms in advance at the hotel with the help of the guide to save time. Also prepare 35 USD / person and you only have to wait 30 minutes for your VISA to be affixed in the passport).

Arrival in Phnom Penh, welcome by the driver (without guide) to pick you up at the boat exit and take you to the hotel for free time.
Lunch and dinner at leisure and overnight in Phnom Penh at the hotel. 

Phnom Penh – discovery – Kompong Thom (B,L)

Breakfast
Meet with a guide, you will discover Phnom Penh, the languid Cambodian capital and visit: the National Museum, the Silver Pagoda, which is located within the Royal Palace grounds, and the Vat Phnom Pagoda…
In the afternoon, on the way to Kompong Thom, you will visit en route the Skun market, known as the tarantula market, then the Kuha Nokor temple, Phum Prasat, and stone carving workshops.
Dinner at leisure and overnight in Kompong Thom.

Kompong Thom - Tonle Sap - Siemreap (B)

Breakfast
You will visit Kompong Thom, one of the 5 provinces bordering Tonlé Sap lake.
Departure through villages to the pre-Angkorian temples of Sambo Prei Kuh, the ancient capital before Angkor. Lunch at leisure en route.
Continue the road through villages, rice plains, stop at Kompong Kdei to visit an ancient archaeological bridge dating from the Angkorian era and then the road for 60km to reach Siemreap.

Arrival in Siemreap, direct transfer to the hotel for free time.
Dinner at leisure and overnight in Siemreap - hotel booked by yourself.

Siemreap - Roluos Group - Angkor Wat (B,L)

In the morning, after breakfast, visit the Roluos group (Hariharalaya) which is located about 10 km from the center. The Roluos monuments, which served as the capital for Indravarman I (reign 877-89), are among the largest temples of the pre-Angkorian period, and mark the beginning of traditional Khmer art.
Visit Preah Ko, erected by Indravarman I at the end of the 9th century, and Bakong, the most important and interesting of the Roluos group, and Lolei, with its 4 brick towers, a replica of Preah Kho, built on an island – now covered by rice fields.
Lunch at a local restaurant during the visit.
In the afternoon, discovery of the marvelous Angkor Wat temple, a World Heritage site, and Phnom Bakheng (mountain temple). Dinner at leisure and overnight in Siemreap.

Siemreap - Bantey Srei - Angkor Thom (B,L)

In the morning, after breakfast, you will visit the temple of Banteay Srei (Citadel of Women), dedicated to Shiva, whose architecture and pink sandstone sculptures feature a series of beautiful carvings.
We will then discover Banteay Samre, completely restored before the war. This site gives a good idea of what Angkor might have looked like before.
Lunch at a local restaurant during the visit.
In the afternoon, a visit to Angkor Thom (Great City) starting with the South Gate, the famous Bayon of the 12th & 13th century, Baphuon (11th C.) dedicated to Brahmanism, the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King, Phimean Akas (celestial palace). Dinner at leisure and overnight in Siemreap.

Siemreap - Tonle Sap / floating village - Siemreap (B,L)

After breakfast
Meet at 08:30 and depart to Kompong Khleang village, located about 50 km from Siem Reap. The ten thousand inhabitants of the village live almost exclusively from fishing. You will explore the canals (in the rainy season) and streets (in the dry season) of this incredible floating city. During the wet season, the houses seem to rest on the lake, with water lapping at the doors of the dwellings, but in the dry season, the immense stilts appear and reveal a unique landscape of wooden skyscrapers.
You will visit a pagoda, built on the site of an ancient temple, and discover beautiful murals. Then you will continue your navigation and stop at one of the village houses to learn more about the life of the fishermen of Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake. 
Return to our local host, the owner of a traditional house, who offered us lunch. It is a simple but typically Khmer meal. Enjoy a peaceful village atmosphere in the hammock.

In the afternoon.
Opt for the tranquil pace of a bike ride to admire the beauty of the Cambodian countryside and discover along the paths seasonal agricultural activities and the lifestyle of the local population. Learn to recognize local plants and trees during your walk through the countryside. Meet villagers who will show you their homes, children leaving school, farmers walking cows, fishing…
Return to the hotel. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the same hotel.

Siemreap - free departure (B) Flight & return schedule?

Breakfast included.
Free time and check out around noon.
Meet with our sole driver (without guide) for the transfer to Siemreap airport for your return. You must be at the airport at least 03 hours before departure.