Douceur Vietnam Cambodge

Hanoi arrival / visits and walks (L)

Welcome by the guide and driver at Noi Bai International Airport. Transfer to the city center for light walks and visits in Hanoi's Old Quarter.

Visits to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex which dominates Ba Dinh Square, and his stilt house to better understand the life of a great man whose life was very modest.

The One Pillar Pagoda is famous for its original construction born from a legend dating back to the 11th century.

Then visit the Temple of Literature dedicated to Confucius and his disciples. This complex was the first Vietnamese University.

Welcome lunch at a restaurant with local specialties.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda (Buddhism) and Quan Thanh Temple (Taoism) where you can participate in the Buddhist ceremony and/or make contact with the monk (bronze) of the pagoda.

And a look at the "Train Street" corner before returning to the hotel for rest.

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Hanoi.

Hanoi - Halong Bay / cruise and visits (B,L,D) Overnight on Junk

08:00 AM: Meeting with the team

On the way to Halong Bay, we will cross the traditional Vietnamese countryside, with its villages, markets, rice fields, all animated by the daily life of the peasants.

Arrival in Halong around noon, embarkation on a boat for a 24-hour cruise in Halong Bay.

Lunch on board the boat. An extraordinary landscape, "one of the wonders of the world", nearly three thousand islets and limestone peaks with fantastic shapes: turtles, sampan sails, etc... scattered in the emerald water over an area of more than 1,500 km².

Stop to visit the natural cave, we are projected into a mysterious atmosphere amidst thousands of stalagmites and stalactites. Relaxation at the end of the day enjoying the sunset on board. Dinner and overnight on board.

Note that the boat program you follow closely for activities and visits depends on the tide and weather for these two days.

Halong Bay / cruise - Hanoi / visits (B,L) Night train to Lao Cai

For those who wish, you can practice Tai Chi or Meditation on the upper deck of the boat early in the morning, with a traditional and local teacher.

Breakfast, then continuation of the cruise in the bay, passing through very beautiful places before lunch.

After lunch on board, we disembark around 11:30 AM and are picked up by the driver and guide for the return to Hanoi.

Arrival in Hanoi, a walk to Long Bien Bridge (or called Paul Doumer Bridge during the French era).

And then the water puppet show, a typical Vietnamese folk art.

Dinner at a local restaurant and then transfer to the station for the night train to Lao Cai. – towards the mountains. – 4-berth sleeper cabin – tourist comfort.

Lao Cai arrival - Ethnic market – Sapa (B,L)

Early arrival (around 06:00 AM) at Lao Cai station, welcome and then breakfast in a local restaurant in front of the station.

Transfer to the ethnic market (the fair takes place once a week) and depending on the day of the week, you will visit: either Bien Phiet on Monday morning, or Coc Ly on Tuesday morning, or Lung Khau Nhin on Wednesday morning, or Cao Son on Thursday morning, or Cho Dau on Friday morning, or Can Cau on Saturday morning, or Bac Ha on Sunday morning.

Visit the very colorful and lively market and lunch in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, head to Sapa, via beautiful terraced rice fields hidden behind the clouds and stop-visits along the road to tea hills (the cultivation is quite important in this region), visit the Chinese border gate.

Arrival in Sapa, visit the local central market for first impressions of this high-altitude town, a pretty resort town chosen by the French at the time.

Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel in Sapa.

Sapa - Mount Fansipan / visits and walks (B,L)

Breakfast at the hotel

Meeting for a day of discovery of Mount Fansipan 3,143m altitude with the help of cable car (round trip).

The panoramic and fantastic view from the summit.

Lunch at the restaurant at the foot of the mountain before taking a beautiful walk in the village Lao Cai – Ta Van with the beautiful terraced rice fields.

Visit an ethnic school where you can exchange and give them gifts.

Return to Sapa town for rest and personal discovery.

Dinner at leisure and overnight at the same hotel.

Sapa - Hanoi and flight to Siem Reap (B,L) International flight around 5:30 PM

This flight allows 10 kg hand luggage and 23 kg checked luggage.

Breakfast at the hotel

You check out of the rooms, and take a beautiful walk to Ma Tra village and then the highway to Hanoi and the airport for the flight to Siem Reap.

A quick lunch (fast-food) in the middle of the road and then continuation on the highway directly to the airport for the flight to Siem Reap.

Arrival in Siem Reap, welcome by the French-speaking guide + driver from Siem Reap and then direct transfer to the hotel. Dinner at leisure at a local restaurant. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Siem Reap - Roluos Group / Angkor Wat (B,L)

In the morning, visit the Roluos group (Hariharalaya) which is located about 10 km from the center. The monuments of Roluos, 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 of Preah Ko, erected by Indravarman I at the end of the 9th century, and of Bakong, the most important and interesting of the Roluos group, of 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.

The afternoon is dedicated to discovering the wonderful Angkor Wat temple, a World Heritage site, and Phnom Bakheng (mountain temple).

Free dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Siemreap.

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

Morning: visit of the Banteay Srei temple (Citadel of Women), dedicated to Civa, whose architecture and pink sandstone sculptures feature a series of beautiful carvings.

We will then discover Banteay Samrè, completely restored before the war. This site gives a good idea of what Angkor might have looked like before.

Lunch at a local restaurant and then visit Angkor Thom (Great City) starting with the South Gate, the famous Bayon from 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).

Return to Siemreap city for rest and then free dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight in Siemreap.

Siemreap - Tonle Sapa - Phnom Penh (B,L)

Day of travel on the road through beautiful villages and markets, a stop at Tonle Sap lake, the largest lake connected to the Mekong.

Visit of a floating school on the lake

Photo stops and visits to the villages along the road with lunch at a local restaurant.

Arrival in Pnom Penh, direct transfer to the hotel. Free dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Pnom Penh.

Phnom Penh / Visits - Chau Doc (B,L) Fast boat around 12:30 PM

Morning, early departure for visits: the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and then the National Museum.

Early lunch at the restaurant and then embark on the regular fast boat at 12:30 PM to go down the Mekong towards Chau Doc in Vietnam.

Arrival in Chau Doc, welcome by the French-speaking guide + driver and then direct transfer to the hotel. Free dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Chau Doc.

Chau Doc / Visits - Long Xuyen - Can Tho (B,L)

Morning, private sampan to visit the floating houses and then the road to visit the Pagoda of Ba Chua Xu, Thoai Ngoc Hau tomb and ascent of Sam mountain for those who wish.

Road to Long Xuyen with photo stops and lunch at a local restaurant.

And continuation of the road to Can Tho.

Arrival in Can Tho, transfer to My Thanh district for a stroll on the islands to visit the orchards and ecological gardens of Mr. Bay Cong for exotic fruit trees.

Tasting of these fruits on site in his garden. Free dinner and overnight in Can Tho

Can Tho / Cai Rang floating market - Sadec - Cai Be (Mekong) (B,L,D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Early in the morning, you take the boat to visit the Cai Rang floating market - the most authentic in the region.

Visit of the ecological garden with exotic fruit trees and tasting of its fruits on site.

Disembarkation and then on the road to return to Saigon with a stop in Sa Dec city in the province of Dong Thap. You visit the old house of Huynh Thuy Le. The house was the residence of the family of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, the first lover of the French writer Marguerite Duras. This love later became the memoirs on which Marguerite Duras wrote the famous novel "The Lover" published in 1984 (translated into 40 languages). Visit of Mr. Quach's pagoda and the local market. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit of a school of Madame Margueritte DURAS

Road to Vinh Long and then embark on a boat to reach Homestay. Dinner and overnight at Homestay in Cai Be

Mekong / walks and visits - Saigon/ Visits (B,L)

Morning, you leave by sampan to cross a market in Cai Be and then visit local factories: puffed rice candy, caramel candy, rice alcohol distillation

Walk in the orchards and lunch with locals with the local specialty Elephant Ear Fish

Disembarkation and then the road to My Tho where you visit the Vinh Trang pagoda, the largest pagoda in South Vietnam. The road to Saigon by highway.

Arrival in Saigon, you visit the Chinese quarter (Cho Lon). 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. Visit of the lacquer factory if you are interested

Transfer to the hotel for rest and personal discovery.

Free dinner and overnight in Saigon.

Saigon / visits – departure (B,L) Return flight around 11:00 PM

After breakfast,

Free time and check-out from the room

Meeting at 11:30 AM with the guide and driver for lunch and then a half-day of discovery & visits in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon):

Photos in front of 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 the Notre Dame Cathedral 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.

Return to the hotel to collect your belongings and then transfer to the airport for your return flight.