VIETNAM TO SIEM REAP 16 DAYS 15 NIGHTS

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi 
With food stalls on every corner, Hanoi is famous for its street food cuisine and Bia Hoi, a draft beer that is brewed daily and sold on street corners. Start your evening at ‘Bia Hoi corner’ and pull up a stool to taste the local brew and do a spot of people watching.  Then walk through the bustling streets of the Old Quarter as your guide introduces you to the various foods on offer.  Stop at one of the many pop up restaurants and try a Vietnamese barbeque of flame grilled meats, tofu and vegetables on skewers just like the locals. End the evening with a walk along Hoan Kiem Lake for dessert at Hanoi’s most famous ice-cream street. 

Day 2: Hanoi - Sapa 
Begin your Story of Hanoi with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. Here, you will hear about the man who led Vietnam’s campaign for independence from French colonial rule. Next, visit the Imperial Citadel, the apex of regional political power for more than a millennium, where research and excavation is still underway.  After a Vietnamese lunch, head to another 11th century relic, the Temple of Literature, which was built as an homage to the Chinese scholar Confucius. Then take a stroll across the iconic Long Bien Bridge. Constructed across Red River between 1899 and 1902, when Vietnam was still ruled by the French, it is now jammed with whizzing motorbikes and an occasional passenger train chugging into nearby Long Bien Station.

Travel by cyclo through Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter, a place where Hanoians buy everything from noodles to Buddha statues.  In the days of old, the quarter’s 36 streets were named after the products that were sold from their shops and today, vendors on Tin and Bamboo Streets still sell the same wares.  After exploring the old quarter’s shady alleyways, sip a strong Vietnamese coffee in a café overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake. Tonight board your train for Sapa.

Note:

Please be aware that the One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi is closed for renovation work until January 2015. Day tours will now visit Ho Chi Minh’s Museum as an alternative touring attraction.

Day 3: Sapa 
Arrive Lao Cai in the early morning, travel by road about an hour to reach the township of Sapa. This morning after breakfast, you discover the story of Sapa with the first stop being the museum where you will see a large display of traditional costumes, handicrafts and tools used by the ethnic minority groups that live within the area. You will also learn about the history of Sapa, its military past and the influence of the French. Next, take a short walk to the day market bustling with vendors selling fruit and vegetables, house-hold goods and clothing.

After visiting the market you will then travel a short distance by car to the village of Cat Cat, to start your two hour trek. Your adventure begins, as your guide takes you off the main path and along a track that clings to the mountainside.  Along the way you will see local H’mong villagers going about their daily life, planting rice and tending to their animals.  At the half-way point, stop for a snack break at the river’s edge and dip your toes in the refreshing cool water. Then continue on to Tien Sa waterfall for great photo opportunities. Return to Sapa for lunch where your tour ends.

Day 4: Sapa
Meet your guide this morning and travel about one hour by road to the village of Ta Giang Phin and the start of your adventure. Today you will trek for approximately four hours through terraced rice fields. Along the way you’ll see farmers working in the fields, buffalos soaking in mud pits and children scurrying home from school. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a scenic lookout and then meet a H’mong family who will welcome you into their home for a cup of tea and a chat. You’ll get a first-hand look into their lives and traditions, hear stories, and enjoy a great social interaction. Then continue your trek, walking through more rice terraces with spectacular mountain scenery before emerging on the main road to meet your driver. Return to Sapa late in the afternoon.

Day 5: Sapa – Hanoi
Relax and enjoy the cool mountain air as you have a free day to do as much or as little as you like!  Shop for handicrafts in the market, climb to the top of Ham Rong Mountain for impressive views over Sapa or get a well-earned foot massage!  This evening return to Lao Cai and board the overnight train to Hanoi.

Day 6: Hanoi – Halong Bay
Upon arrival in Hanoi, transfer directly to the hotel. Early check-in and early breakfast is included.
This morning you will be picked up from your centrally located hotel at around 08:00am to 8:30am and take four hours journey to Halong Bay and board your traditional wooden junk. Embark, meet the crew and settle in with plenty of time to unwind and enjoy lunch as you glide along the waters and through the surrounding limestone karsts. Spend the next couple of hours embracing the bay, visiting ancient limestone caves, swimming in the turquoise waters or exploring by kayak. End the day with a seafood dinner before retiring to your cabin for the night. 

Day 7: Halong Bay – Hanoi - Hoi An
Wake up refreshed from a good night’s sleep as the boat motors towards Surprise Cave, the biggest in Halong Bay. Board the tender for a short trip to the cave and be amazed - the entry to the cave is deceptively narrow but once through, the cave opens up to a large chamber with impressive limestone formations.  Surprise!  Then it’s back to the boat and cruise to Halong Port arriving around noon, where you will continue to Hanoi and the airport for your onward flight to Danang. From Danang its a short flight to the delightful town of Hoi An.
Note: The above itinerary may change with or without prior notice due to prevailing weather conditions.

Day 8: Hoi An 
With its stunning mix of architecture, that tells a story of days gone by, to the colourful boats bobbing in the harbour, Hoi An has a charm and style all of its own. Once a 15th century fishing village, the town is now a renowned for its tailors, galleries boutiques and of course its food!  This morning, explore the beautifully restored town starting with the Chua Ong Pagoda, dating back to 1653 and built in honour of the Chinese general Quan Cong, who is worshipped by many as a symbol of loyalty and justice.

Next, pop into Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, to see the Jinshang Temple which is dedicated to the goddess of the sea and the protector of sailors.  From there it’s a short walk to Tam Ky House, a 200 year old ancestral house and finally, stroll across the often photographed 17th century covered bridge built by Japanese craftsmen. The beautifully built bridge doubles as a temple and is a major landmark of Hoi An. After a Vietnamese lunch, take a short boat trip down the river and visit a craft village where local artisans make ceramics. Then visit a local boatyard full of traditional fishing boats and the unusual round basket boat that ply the water. You will then be driven back to your hotel by late afternoon - just in time for an early dinner or a sunset stroll along Hoi An’s sleepy Thu Bon River. 
 

Day 9: Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City
Drive to Danang and fly to Ho Chi Minh City formerly known as Saigon. Discover the story of Saigon, from a city of conflict to a modern metropolis on this fascinating half-day tour. Start with a visit to the War Remnants Museum, where your guide will tell you the story of the city’s darkest and most tragic hours during the Vietnam War. The museum contains displays of military aircraft, weaponry and many photographs - some that are quite graphic in nature. Although many of Vietnam’s 90 million people are now too young to remember the war, its legacy is still felt strongly across Vietnamese society.

Next, visit the Reunification Palace, once a symbol of the South Vietnamese Government. See the war room, the banquet hall and the presidential office with the unusual gifts which have been received. Next up is the Central Post Office, designed and constructed by the renowned architect Gustave Eiffel, and just behind the post office is the Notre Dame Cathedral, an iconic Saigon landmark built in neo-Romanesque style by the French between 1863 and 1880. Then, stroll down follow Dong Khoi Street, which figured prominently in Graham Greene’s famous Vietnam novel, The Quiet American, as Rue Catinat. The walk ends at the Saigon Opera House. From a bomb shelter to housing the parliamentary Lower House, the Opera House has had an interesting history. End your day with a speedboat trip along the city’s ancient canals where life carries on unchanged. Return to your hotel as the sun sets on this fascinating city.

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels 
Travel by speedboat along the Saigon River, taking in the scenery and river life as you leave the bustling city behind. The Cu Chi Tunnels were an underground city for Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War. The cramped tunnels were central to a few of the war’s strategic operations, including the famous 1968 Tet Offensive. The tunnels also have “mantraps” -  large camouflaged holes dug deep into the ground that ensnared enemy soldiers by bamboo spikes. But don’t worry, you won’t step in one!

Next, it’s a short drive through the countryside to visit a cricket farm. Some Vietnamese consider crickets a delicacy, and local lore says that hungry soldiers ate them to beef up their nutrient-poor diets. At the farm you’ll see crickets in various stages of growth. You’ll also have a chance to sample crickets wrapped up in tasty spring rolls. Make sure you snap a photograph so that your friends will believe your unusual tale! Stop for a traditional Vietnamese lunch - it won’t include cricket - en route to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving mid afternoon.

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City – Le Jarai Cruise - Can Tho 
This morning drive about two hours south of Ho Chi Minh City to the gateway of the Mekong Delta. Known also as the rice bowl of Vietnam because of its large rice production, the area has also diversified into activities related to aquaculture, rearing of animals, cash crops and fruit trees.  Board a small boat and meander through the canals and waterways and stop at a small home-based factory to see how coconuts have been turned into oil, candy and woven mats that are later sold in the market.

After the boat trip you will have a short walk to a local village to see mat weavers at work, before jumping on the Delta’s version of a tuk tuk and travelling down the country roads to the pier.  Board the beautiful teak boat Le Jarai and continue your cruise along the river. While onboard join in the demonstration of Vietnamese cooking before sitting down to a sumptuous three-course lunch of Mekong specialities. After lunch relax on the top deck and take in the scenery back to Ben Tre, then transfer by road to Can Tho.

Day 12: Can Tho – Chau Doc
Take a small boat to the township of Cai Rang to see the hustle and bustle of a floating market. The best time to go is very early in the morning when the boats a teeming with goods for sale. Afterwards drive for about three hours to the riverside town of Chau Doc, a colourful and sleepy town near the Vietnam-Cambodia border. 

The afternoon features a boat ride on Mekong waterways, where you’ll see fishermen hauling nets, wooden barges transporting rice and vendors gathering on riverbanks to sell their wares. Cruise the Vinh Te Canal, constructed in 1824 by more than 80,000 Vietnamese and Cambodian workers. Today the canal helps define the two countries’ mutual border. After the cruise, head to Nui Sam Mountain for breathtaking sunset views over a chequered patchwork of rice fields and earthen dikes.

Day 13: Chau Doc
This morning travel by xe loi - the delta’s version of a cyclo - through the countryside around Chau Doc. Keep your camera handy as you pass field after field of rice paddies and duck farms. Stop for a glass of sugar cane juice or iced coffee in a local café before returning to the city centre.  In the afternoon visit a small village of ethnic Cambodians who have made the area home. The centrepiece of the village is the temple where you will have the opportunity to have a chat with the monks. Then continue to Tra Su Forest, an ecological reserve spanning 850 hectares. Glide quietly by sampan, through the thick mangroves and keep an eye out for the myriad of bird life, bats and reptiles that call the area home.

Day 14: Chau Doc – Ho Chi Minh City - Fly to Siem Reap 
Today drive back to Ho Chi Minh City and the airport, roughly a six-hour drive with plenty of rest stops along the way. Then fly to Siem Reap and the magnificent temples of Ankgor. Explore the old market area of the town with its labyrinth of lanes filled with boutiques, galleries, cafes and small bars. It’s the place to be after dark!

Day 15: Angkor 
Start with a visit to the South Gate of Angkor Thom where statues of the gods of good and evil line the entrance. Your next stop is the Bayon, known for the hundreds of smiling faces that grace the towers. The bas reliefs are quite impressive and tell stories of daily life and the great battles that were fought between the Khmers and ancient Thais.  Move on to Phimeanakas, shaped a bit like a pyramid with two ponds that were once used for religious rituals but today serve as swimming pools for Khmer kids. See the rows of trunks that form the wall of the Terrace of the Elephants, a platform from which King Jayavarman surveyed his army. Close by is the Terrace of Leper Kings, which includes a statue depicting Yana, the Hindu god of death.

Then it’s a short drive to one of the most loved temples of all - Ta Prohm, this small crumbling temple is held together by giant tree roots giving it a magical feel.  Later in the afternoon explore the magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. This visually spectacular temple is a massive three-tiered pyramid, rising 65 metres from the ground and crowned by five lotus towers. It’s the national symbol of Cambodia and proudly appears on the country’s flag. End your day with sunset views over the jungle from the top of Pre Rup Temple before returning to Siem Reap 

Day 16: Siem Reap – Tonle Sap - Departure 
Not far from the Angkor Complex lies huge Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and the lifeblood of Cambodia. In the wet season, the Lake swells to 12,000 km² but during the dry season, it shrinks to a fraction of that size. Each year, millions of fish come to spawn in the seasonally flooded mangrove forest surrounding the lake, attracting a myriad of water birds. Three million people also depend upon it for their food and livelihoods. This valuable ecosystem was classified as an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1997.

A short drive south of Siem Reap is followed by a boat tour of the floating villages and surrounding wildlife. The rest of the day is free for leisure activities until you are transferred to the airport for your flight.

PRICE: USD/PERSON

Trip cost depends on your group size, travel period and your specific tour needs. Please send us enquiry for availabilities and the most up dated price.