Vietnam and Cambodia in Depth

Hanoi arrival / rest (B)

Arrival in Hanoi. Greeted by the guide and driver, then transfer to the city center where we will check into the hotel.

The rest of the day is free for you to rest or have a first discovery of the city.

Welcome dinner at the restaurant accompanied by music. Overnight at the hotel.

Hanoi – city tour (B/L)

A day of in-depth discovery of the capital. We will start with a visit to the Ethnographic Museum which gathers costumes, tools, musical instruments and some houses of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups (closed every Monday).

Then we will visit the Temple of Literature, which was "Vietnam's first university", and Tran Quoc Pagoda, founded in the 5th century. Visit Ngoc Son Pagoda on the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake. A walking tour of Hanoi's Old Quarter allows you to fully grasp local life: women with carrying poles, mobile shops, cyclo-rickshaws, colorful neighborhood markets, old buildings with colonial architecture, small street restaurants….

In the evening: water puppet show. Overnight at the hotel.

Hanoi - Mai Chau (B/L/D)

Early departure for Mai Chau. Arrival at Van village inhabited by White Thais, who are the representative ethnic group of the region, and meeting with Madame Hien's family who will warmly welcome us.

After a break, you will take a walk around the village to get a panoramic view of local life. You can also learn to weave silk on an old loom.   

The entire afternoon is dedicated to discovering the daily life of the inhabitants.

You will participate in the family's agricultural production activities such as: preparing the land with a buffalo for nurseries, transplanting rice, harvesting corn or rice, planting vegetables... If time permits, you will then take a bicycle excursion to Nhot village. You will observe beautiful landscapes of rice fields surrounded by mountains. Stops along the way to meet local residents, visit their homes, and a brick kiln.

Dinner with the locals.

Folk dance and music show in the evening. Tasting of straw wine (called "Can") made from fermented rice!

Overnight with the locals in a stilt house in Van village.

Mai Chau - Van Long - Ninh Binh (B/L/D)

In the morning, after breakfast with the locals, you will take the road from Mai Chau to Ninh Binh passing through Nho Quan.

Arrival at the Van Long nature reserve in the late morning.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, departure to the pier, by buffalo-drawn cart or by bicycle (for 2 km) crossing typical small villages of the region. You will visit a traditional house. Then, embark on small rowing boats for a 2-hour ride through a spectacular landscape of karst mountains floating on waters where strange cat-tail shaped algae flourish. Continue the itinerary to visit 2 temples dating from the 11th century dedicated to Kings Dinh and Le. Overnight at the hotel.

Ninh Binh - Ha Long Bay (B/L/D)

Around 8:00 AM, we will take the road towards Ha Long Bay (Vinh Ha Long). This journey will reveal a countryside landscape where rice fields predominate.

Arrival in Halong and immediate boarding of our junk for an exploration of the Bay. We will visit caves during the cruise.

Seafood meal served by our excellent team.

Peaceful night aboard our comfortable junk in private cabins.

Ha Long Bay - Hanoi (B/L)

Visit the fishing village or Luon Cave, before resuming the cruise in Ha Long Bay amidst countless islets. Around 11:30 AM, return to the pier then drive to Hanoi.

On the way, visit the Phu Lang ceramic village in Bac Ninh.

Arrival in Hanoi in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi.

Hanoi - Saigon Flight (B/L)

Breakfast, then free time to rest or explore Hanoi on your own.

Transfer to Hanoi airport for the Hanoi/Saigon flight.

Arrival in Saigon, greeted by your guide and driver. Check into the hotel and free time for a first exploration. Overnight at the hotel in Saigon.

Saigon – visits (B/L)

The day is dedicated to a city orientation tour, departure for the Cho Lon district to discover its old quarters, its market, the Thien Hau temple and the Giac Lam pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in the city, its architecture, layout and decoration remain almost intact since its construction in 1744.

Return to the city center to visit the Cathedral, the Central Post Office.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Independence Palace and Ngoc Hoang Temple, then finish with Ben Thanh Market. Overnight at the hotel.

Saigon – Ben Tre – Long Xuyen (B/L/D)

We leave the bustling city of Saigon to reach the Mekong Delta. Upon arrival at Hung Vung pier (Ben Tre), we take a boat for a river cruise. We will have a front-row seat to witness the daily life scenes of the people living along the water (fishing…).

Visit a brick kiln with a very specialized and still artisanal production method, then it will be an opportunity to taste local honey and many tropical fruits. Return to the boat to visit the coconut candy production. Walk or cycle through the village, passing coconut gardens, rice fields, and dryland food crops. Lunch at a local restaurant.

The afternoon will be dedicated to a small rowing boat excursion that will take us through a maze of arroyos surrounded by two rows of nipa palms (a type of palm tree), the main navigation route for locals, to return to the pier. Disembarkation then drive to Long Xuyen via Sa Dec, where we visit Kien An Cung Pagoda and the Huynh Thuy Le house from Marguerite Duras' "The Lover" and Trung Vuong school, where her mother, Madame Donadieu, taught. The tour continues to Long Xuyen, where we arrive at the end of the day.

Overnight at the hotel in Long Xuyen.

Long Xuyen - Chau Doc (B/L/D)

Early in the morning, we embark on a sampan to visit the lively and authentic Long Xuyen floating market. We discover the daily activities of people living on the Mekong and its thousands of bustling boats.

Walk on the island of Cu Lao Ong Ho. Drive to Chau Doc, a border town with Cambodia.

Depart by boat to visit the fish farm in cages suspended under floating houses on the river.

Then we continue with a visit to the houses of the Cham minorities. Overnight at the hotel in Chau Doc.

Chau Doc – Phnom Penh (B/L)

Speedboat to Phnom Penh from Chau Doc. Arrive in Phnom Penh around noon.

It's time to have lunch and rest.

In the afternoon, we discover Phnom Penh, the languid capital of Cambodia, and we will visit the National Museum, then the Silver Pagoda, which is located within the Royal Palace grounds, and Wat Phnom Pagoda. Overnight at the hotel.

Phnom Penh - Kampong Thom (B/L)

Breakfast at the hotel.

We drive 168 km towards Kompong Thom, one of the 5 provinces bordering Tonle Sap Lake. Stop to visit Skun market known as the tarantula market. Visit Kuhak Nokor temple.

Arrive in Kampong Thom, check in at the hotel.

After a short rest, we depart for the Sambor Prei Kuk complex, built at the beginning of the 7th century, which was the ancient capital of Chenla. We return to the center of Kampong Thom after the visits. Overnight in Kampong Thom.

Kampong Thom – Siem Reap (B/L/D)

After breakfast, a 2.5-hour drive before arriving at the city of Siem Reap. Visit the ancient bridge of Kampong Kdei along the way.

Arrive in Siem Reap, time for your rest and personal discovery.

Apsara Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Siem Reap.

Siem Reap – Roluos Group - Angkor Wat – Siem Reap (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 era, 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.

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

Siem Reap - Banteay Srei - Angkor Thom - Siem Reap (B/L)

The morning begins with a visit to Banteay Srei temple (Citadel of Women), dedicated to Shiva, whose architecture and pink sandstone sculptures are remarkable. 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.

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). Overnight in Siem Reap.

Siem Reap - Petit Circuit - Grand Circuit - Siem Reap (B/L)

After breakfast: visit of the "Petit Circuit" group: Ta Prohm, where gigantic trees dominate the monastery, trapping the ruins with their impressive roots like giant octopuses with their tentacles to hold their prey.

Continue with a visit to Thommanon, Chau Say Teveda, Ta Keo, Banteay Kdei and Sras Srang terrace. Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the Eastern Baray sites "Grand Circuit": Pre Rup, Mebon, Tasom, Neak Pean, Prah Khan. Overnight at the hotel.

Siem Reap - Beng Mealea - Koh Keh – Siem Reap (B/L)

After breakfast at the hotel, you will visit Beng Mealea temple, located 60km east of the city (2 hours drive). It was built in the early 11th century, following the model of Angkor Wat, by Jayavarman VII. This area has only been accessible to the public since 2010! The road is bumpy through a beautiful countryside. Few tourists go to this temple, which provides a small moment of adventure.

Picnic lunch.

Afternoon: transfer to Koh Keh for visits. Return and overnight in Siem Reap.

Siem Reap - Tonlé Sap - Battambang (B/L)

The morning is entirely dedicated to an excursion on Tonlé Sap lake, which is connected to the Mekong by a 100 km long channel. We will take a boat on the lake's waters, to meet the fishermen and the stilt-house floating village of Chongneas. 

Afternoon: 3 hours drive towards Battambang.

Arrival in Battambang, check-in at the hotel and overnight in Battambang.

Battambang (B/L/D)

After breakfast, visit the traditional house of Phum Wat Kor and the temple of Wat Ek Phnom (11th century). On the way back, visit the pagoda of Wat Slaket, residence of a Buddhist patriarch, and Prahoc market, the fermented fish paste used in Cambodian cuisine.

In the afternoon, you will board a bamboo train and take a 20-minute ride through the countryside on this picturesque mode of transport using the railways once built by the French. Upon arrival, walk in the countryside and discover local life. Overnight in Battambang.

Battambang – Phnom Penh (B/L)

After breakfast, return to Phnom Penh. Stop in the Pusat region where you can admire the colonial architecture and visit a floating village.

In Kampong Chnang, visit the pottery village before arriving in Kandal where you will discover the abandoned royal city of Oudong, where you will find temples and beautiful statues.

Direct transfer to Phnom Penh where you will spend the night.

Phnom Penh - Departure (B)

Free time for your rest and personal discovery before the transfer to Phnom Penh airport for your departure.