VN 02: The 1st Vietnam – Cambodia Combination (17 days)

Welcome you at Noi Bai international airport of Hanoi capital, morning flight around 07:00 A.M.. Drive through fertile Red River delta to reach the city. We visit Ho Chi Minh’s Quarter includes Mausoleum, House-on-stilts, Museum called by his name and One-pillar pagoda locating in the area – one of the oldest pagoda in Vietnam built in 11th century. Visit Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) – The first university in Vietnam. View the Gothic style of Central Catholic Church and Hanoi Opera under shadow trees. The image of new and old buildings interposing with high shadow trees is a feature easiest to recognize in Hanoi and in many cities of Vietnam. Mid afternoon you get on a cyclo to petrol around the exciting Old Quarter of Hanoi and Hoan Kiem Lake – The Heart of the city. Stop to visit Ngoc Son Temple. Enjoy Water Puppet Show – Vietnam traditional art in the evening. Night in Hanoi.

Morning transfer to Mai Chau – the land of the White Thai minority people in Hoa Binh province (150 km). Here we trek to visit home of the White Thai people in the village and study on tribal life. Evening enjoy can wine (precious wine of the local people) and special traditional music and dancing show by White Thai people. Overnight at house-on-stilts at Lac Village or some nice lodges in Mai Chau Valley.

Morning transfer to Ninh Binh town to visit unspoiled villages and immense rice fields in the center of the Red river’s Delta. We visit Bich Dong Temple and relics of Hoa Lu ancient Kingdom (Dinh dynasty in 10th century). Get on a small boat to row along the small canal in the rice field to visit Tam Coc Caves considered as “Halong Bay on land”. Pick up by car to visit Kenh Ga. Get on a small boat to travel along Kenh Ga canal to enjoy the beautiful landscape surround dings, and visit fish floating village. Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Moring drive to Halong city to visit one of Wonder of the world: Ha Long Bay. At noon, get on a nice junk cruise to take a Ha Long Bay cruise over 2,000 islands that just out of the sea to provide a spectacular natural environment. We cruise through the magnificent bay of Ha Long to explore some of the beautiful and awesome grottoes. Visit Sung Sot cave and a swim at Soi Sim beach or TiTov beach. In the evening, dinner will be served on boat, before settling into our comfortable cabins for the night. Stay overnight on board.

Enjoy our last morning on board to admire the spectacular view of the bay. A brunch is served on board as we cruise slowly back to the harbor, where we will check out and transferred to Hanoi. Continue to airport for evening flight to Hue. Free time and overnight Hue.

Today we visit one of World’s Heritage in Hue city – the former Kingdom of the 143 year Nguyen Dynasty. Boat trip on the Perfume river to visit Royal Thien Mu Pagoda and Minh Mang Mausoleum. Next we visit Imperial Citadel – The most important part of Hue city and Dong Ba Market. Evening enjoy Hue folk song program on boat along Perfume River (join group). Overnight in Hue.

A.M. Visit Tu Duc and Khai Dinh King’s Mausoleum, and a village making conical hats and incense-sticks.
P.M. Drive to Hoi An via the imposing Hai Van mountain pass, a part of Truong Son mountain range running down to the sea to cut in the high way. Stop-over at Marble Mountains, Non Nuoc beach in Danang city. Night in Hoi An.

Morning we bike to Tra Que, a famous vegetable village with a rich soil and a wide variety of vegetables and herbs (3km, within 15 minutes). The host welcomes you with a special soft drink or local tea . After, take a short walk around the vegetable garden to see farmers’ working. After that we begin to learn how to cook local delicacies including: Banh xeo (fried rice cake), Cha Gio Tam Huu (Tam Huu spring roll), Cha Gio Tra Que (Tra Que spring roll), etc. After cooking, enjoy the foods cooked by yourself. Afternoon we visit Hoi An ancient Town – another World’s Heritage of a forgotten seaport from 17th century well reserved until now. We visit a Chinese temple, Japanese bridge and an ancient house of mixing style from Vietnam, China and Japan. You can buy some small ancient ceramic gifts as souvenir here with surprising price. Overnight in Hoi An.

Transfer to Danang airport for morning flight to animated Hochiminh City. We visit the most typical places in the city: Notre Dame Cathedral, Central post office, the City Hall, Reunification Palace, War Museum, China town, Thien Hau Temple. Visit Tay Son Lacquerware enterprise to see the artists producing their masterpieces. Overnight in HCMC.

Drive to Tay Ninh province-100 km to the North West of HCMC to visit Holly Temple of The Cao Dai religion – An extraordinary religion in the South Vietnam. Admire the ceremony at noon then we drive to Cuchi to visit Cuchi Underground Tunnel – a famous battle field in Vietnam War with over 200 km tunnel system under the ground. Overnight in HCMC.

Morning we drive to Can Gio, a World’s Biosphere reserving area in the East of Hochiminh City. After crossing Binh Khanh Ferry we indult ourselves in an evergreen atmosphere of Mangrove Forest, small rivers and canals full of water coconut trees. Once we reach Can Gio Tourist area we admire the cheerful Monkey flock living wildly in the area. We have chance to feed and play with them. Next we take a boat cruise in Mangrove Forest to see Can Gio former Military base. Stroll along Cangio Beach and enjoy lunch at Carrot restaurant. Afternoon we take an excursion to Vam Sat ecological area by speed boat. Enjoy funny Crocodile fishing, passing typical bridges and discover a small part of the mangrove forest on foot. Overnight in HCMC.

Drive to the South of HCMC to get to Vinh Long – one of 12 fertile provinces of The Mekong Delta. Boat trip on great Mekong river to visit orchards and farmer’s house at An Binh island locating on the immense river. Continue to Can Tho city, visit Khmer pagoda. Overnight in Can Tho.

Boat trip in early morning on Lower Branch of Mekong River to visit Cai Rang floating market and enjoy life activities of local people on the river. Transfer to back to Hochiminh City for flight to Siem Reap in late afternoon. Pick up to hotel for check in. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Morning we visit Banteay Srei, the exquisite ‘Women’s Citadel’. Located 32 km from Siem Reap town, this was Cambodia’s last major Khmer temple to be re-discovered. Afternoon we visit the complex of Angkor Thom, including the sites Bayon, Elephants and Lépreux King Terrace, Tep Pranam, Prah Palilay, Phimeanakas, Baphuon. Drive to Bakheng mountain to admire the stunning sunset behind the temples of Angkor Wat. Dinner with Apsara dance show. Overnight in Siem Reap.

In the morning we visit the “Great Circuit”: Pre Rup, Mebon, Tasom, Neak Pean, Prah Khan. In the afternoon we visit the beautiful Ta Prohm temple which is embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees then the rest time is reserved for exploring the Angkor Wat temple. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Transfer to airport for your flight back home. End of the tour.