Tour Vietnam And Angkor In Comfort | Visit Viet Nam, Cambodia

Transport

Bus, Boat, Flight

Accommodation

1 nights premium boat 12 nights premium hotel

Others

All accommodation, activities and meals that are shown in the itinerary are included in the total cost of your trip You will also receive a complimentary transfer to and from the airport if you arrive on day 1 of the trip and depart on the last day and have provided your international flight information.

Optional

The following excursions and/or activities are usually available and may be arranged locally. Estimated costs are provided below for guidance only, are on a per person basis unless shown otherwise, and may depend on the number of participants. Prices quoted are correct as of the date these tour notes were originally issued but may change at any time due to currency fluctuations. Please note: These activities are booked and paid for direct with the supplier and do not form part of your Explore holiday contract. Hanoi - Water Puppets Show from US$6 Hoi An - Half day trip to My Son from US$35 Hue - Cruise along Perfume River visiting Thien Mu Pagoda and the Royal Tombs from US$20 Siem Reap - Blessing ceremony at local monastery US$33; Scenic helicopter flight over Angkor temples from US$202; Sunrise visit to Angkor US$12 The prices stated are based on a minimum number of participants (usually 5-6). Please be aware that the optional excursions can run with fewer people but the price may be higher. Likewise, a slightly reduced price may be applicable where the participation greater. The prices listed are generally only entrance fees and do not include the price of transport to and from the excursion, Your Explore Leader will quote this when you are on tour, as the price for transport will depend on the number of participants. These excursions are generally run via our agent in the country. Local companies may offer similar excursions at a cheaper price. Should you want to use these companies please be aware that a lower price may mean that not all costs are included (entrance fees etc.) or services will not operate at the same safety and quality standards.

Meals

A key facet of our responsible approach to tourism is that we encourage our groups to eat in local restaurants that prepare locally grown food. We give customers choice as to their meals and do not use rather bland and impersonal hotel restaurants or all- inclusive options 13 Breakfasts 3 Lunches 1 Dinners

Guide

Tour Leaders are quite simply the glue that holds our tours together. They are chosen for their travel experience and people skills and are thoroughly trained by Explore, widely acknowledged as some of the best training in the industry. A Tour Leader’s ultimate aim is to ensure everyone is well looked after and have a fantastic trip. They are there to ensure that the tour logistics run smoothly, that health and safety is adhered to and provide comprehensive briefings at the beginning and throughout the tour.

Not included:

Flights

International flights not included in the tour cost

Others

Any visa costs, spending money and tips are not included in the trip price. You can also book extra nights’ accommodation at the beginning and end of the trip and the cost of this accommodation along with any transfers would be quoted separately.

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Join Tour In Hanoi
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Join Tour In Hanoi

Arrive in Vietnam’s capital which is famous for its rich culture, bustling life and colonial influences on their centuries-old architecture. Little lakes dotted around the city are encased by busy streets and secret alleyways, which are waiting to be explored. For those arriving on time our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Hanoi at any time. If you would like to receive an airport transfer today, you’ll need to arrive into Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), which is only a 45 minute drive to the hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will leave a note at the front desk, and call you in your room with details. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose to walk around the peaceful shores of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Day 2 Day 2: Discover The Sights Of Hanoi Including The Old Quarter
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Discover The Sights Of Hanoi Including The Old Quarter

This morning we make a tour of the main sights of Hanoi. Architecturally styled like a French provincial town with tree-lined boulevards and substantial low-built houses the city is wonderfully nostalgic. Among the interesting sights are the charming One-Pillar Pagoda, Confucius Temple and the Presidential Palace. Ho Chi Minh himself, a spartan-living and scholarly man, chose not to live in the Presidential Palace; he preferred instead a simple teak stilt-house specially built for him in the grounds. This walk through the narrow lanes of the fascinating Old Quarter, where the streets are named after various crafts or specialties: Paper Street, Silk Street, Basket Street and so on. The shops themselves have very narrow frontages but are actually quite deep; they are known locally as tube shops. On the pavements food sellers sell noodles, snacks and stir-fries from shoulder panniers. The smell of food mixes with the smell of incense from small temples dotted around.
Day 3 Day 3: Drive To Halong Bay; Board Junk For Overnight Cruise
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Drive To Halong Bay; Board Junk For Overnight Cruise

Departing the city early this morning we head east, towards the Gulf of Tonkin and the spectacular scenery of Halong Bay. One of Southeast Asia’s most spectacular settings, Halong Bay presents a breathtaking vista of thousands of limestone islands that rise from the jade green waters of the bay like the scales of some great submerged dragon. Indeed Halong means ’where the dragon descends to the sea’ and local legend tells of a time when this rugged landscape was created by the pounding tail of a mighty dragon as he ran from the mountains into the sea. Boarding our junk around midday we set sail, threading our way through a flotilla of boats, junks and wooden sampans as they ply their way across the gentle waters of the bay; a timeless image of a way of life unchanged for generations. We will overnight on board the junk where we are comfortably accommodated in en suite twin share cabins, all with picture windows and air conditioning.
Day 4 Day 4: Cruise Halong Bay; Fly To Danang And Drive To Hoi An
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Cruise Halong Bay; Fly To Danang And Drive To Hoi An

We cruise back to land this morning and drive back to Hanoi in time to catch the late afternoon flight to Danang. It is just a short drive from here to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An, a former merchant port and our base for the next three nights.
Day 5 Day 5: In Hoi An; Cooking Lesson And Walking Tour Of Old Town
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: In Hoi An; Cooking Lesson And Walking Tour Of Old Town

Hoi An had become one of the busiest international trading ports of Southeast Asia by the 17th and 18th centuries, and it still retains its medieval charm today, with many of its old buildings superbly preserved. We take a leisurely cruise along the river to one of the town’s restaurants where we will be taught the flavoursome secrets of Vietnamese cuisine during a dedicated cookery lesson. We also take a walking tour of the Old Town including such sights as the Japanese Bridge and some of the Chinese temples and meeting halls.
Day 6 Day 6: Free Day In Hoi An; Optional Visit To Ancient My Son
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Free Day In Hoi An; Optional Visit To Ancient My Son

Today is left free for you to enjoy Hoi An. There are many shops, bars and restaurants in this charming town and is a great place to buy souvenirs, have clothing tailored or simply watch the world go by in a riverside café. The beach is only a short drive by taxi, alternatively a boat trip on the river as the late afternoon sun lights up the riverfront is a treat. There are also excursions that may be taken further afield such as to My Son one of the holiest and most evocative of Vietnam’s Cham sites. The Chams were dynastic lords who rejected the authority of China in 2AD and established their own kingdom. Travel along the track that leads to the site is slow, as we bump through wooded hills southwest of Hoi An. But the site is certainly impressive with several groupings of Cham temples to be visited. Alternatively you may wish to take an optional excursion out the site of the My Lai village massacre memorial. The massacre was a significant turning point in the American War and the horrific story is told through a very emotive exhibition of photography. Another option would be to take a fishing trip out to the Thu Bon River Delta, where we learn how to fish using a traditional cast net. We travel out by boat where we meet local fisherman and try our hand at cast net fishing as well as trying the bamboo winches used to haul in the huge drop nets from the river. We also have a chance to go out in a Vietnamese ’basket boat’ - a circular boat constructed from bamboo that takes some practice to row!
Day 7 Day 7: Scenic Drive Via Danang To Hue
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Scenic Drive Via Danang To Hue

Today we head north along the coast to Hue with several interesting stops along the way. Our first stop is at the nearby five peaks of the Marble Mountains, said to represent the five elements of water, wood, fire, gold and earth. Naturally formed grottoes have been transformed into heavily carved Buddhist sanctuaries. A torch is useful to explore some of the caves and grottos. A short distance from the mountains we find the white sands of My Khe Beach (nicknamed China Beach by American troops - an ideal spot for a brief rest. Pausing in Danang, once the centre of the Kingdom of Champa (2nd century AD - 1720) we visit the Cham Museum, home to a fine collection of Cham sculptures. We enjoy a scenic drive across the spectacular Col des Nuages, otherwise known as the Hai Van Pass en route observing rural scenes of thatched, wooden houses and lime-green rice paddies as well as enjoying panoramic sea views as we make our way to Hue.
Day 8 Day 8: In Hué, Visit The Imperial Citadel; Free Afternoon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: In Hué, Visit The Imperial Citadel; Free Afternoon

Today we have time to appreciate Hué’s fascinating history with a visit to the Imperial Citadel. Located on the left bank is the river, this palace was built by the Nguyen dynasty, Vietnam’s ruling emperors from the early 1800s to 1945. The Citadel has formal moats and impressive ramparts that were constructed by 20,000 men and was a copy of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Although most of the inner part of the city was totally destroyed during the month-long Tet Offensive in 1968, the vast outer walls and the west wing remain an eloquent reminder of the palace’s former glory. The remainder of the day is free to perhaps explore some of the outlying Tombs of the Emperors by bicycle.
Day 9 Day 9: Fly To Ho Chi Minh City; Explore Old Saigon And The City
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Fly To Ho Chi Minh City; Explore Old Saigon And The City

This morning we fly to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest city and former capital of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). In the afternoon we walk around the central sights of Old Saigon, now District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. We see the Notre Dame Cathedral and the GPO building as well as some of the old French Colonial hotels such as The Rex. We then walk to the Independence Palace (renamed the Reunification Hall) and the graphic War Remnants Museum.
Day 10 Day 10: Cruise Mekong Delta, Then Return To Ho Chi Minh City
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Cruise Mekong Delta, Then Return To Ho Chi Minh City

Today we drive to Cai Be in the lush surroundings of the Mekong Delta and take a boat to its colourful floating market. We continue along the river and visit local family houses where rice paper, coconut products and local Mekong whisky are produced. We enjoy a lunch of fresh local produce and specialities within a lush tropical garden by the river among pomelo, longan, mango, coconut and banana trees. After lunch our cruise continues into the countryside, where local houses are still made of wood and palm tree leaves and pass under several small traditional wooden and bamboo bridges. We then return to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 11 Day 11: Visit Cu Chi Tunnels; Fly To Siem Reap
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Visit Cu Chi Tunnels; Fly To Siem Reap

We drive out early this morning to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels. This morning we take a short drive out of the city to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, which formed an incredible underground command base for 10,000 Viet Cong troops and were a major part of the 1968 Tet Offensive. The site is a fascinating insight into the resourcefulness of the Vietnamese. There is the opportunity to crawl through a small, specially adapted section of the tunnels should you wish to sample the claustrophobic conditions the Viet Cong lived in. Later we fly to Siem Reap in Cambodia; our base for an exploration of the fascinating temples of Angkor.
Day 12 Day 12: From Siem Reap, Explore Angkor Thom
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12: From Siem Reap, Explore Angkor Thom

Our exact programme over the 2 days at Angkor will be organised at the guide’s discretion to avoid crowds, coincide with sunsets, etc. Angkor was actually a series of cities, built between the 9th and the 13th centuries by the Khmer kings, with a population of 750,000 in its heyday. The Angkor complex is spread out over some 155 square kilometres, scattered with magnificent carved stone temples, elegant sculptures and incredible bas reliefs. We visit the temples of King Jayavarman Vll, reputedly Angkor’s greatest king. The fortified city of Angkor Thom, which he had built at the end of the 12th century, is enclosed by a square wall 8 metres high with five 20 metre high monumental gates decorated with stone elephant trunks. Originally, crocodiles inhabited the moat and huge statues of 54 different gods protected each gate. The city contains another of Angkor’s true gems - The Bayon. Although not as impressive as Angkor Wat from a distance, The Bayon is nevertheless incredible for its maze of corridors, gothic style towers and magical central temples. We’ll explore The Terrace of the Elephants and the Leper King, the Baphuon and Phimeanakas and some of the surrounding temples such as Preah Khan.
Day 13 Day 13: From Siem Reap, Explore Ta Prohm And Angkor Wat
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 13: From Siem Reap, Explore Ta Prohm And Angkor Wat

On our final day we make a visit to the 2nd Angkor capital which includes the temples of Prasat Kravan, Banteay Kdei and Takeo. A highlight for many is a visit to the atmospheric temple of Ta Prohm, where the film Tomb Raider was filmed, lying half consumed by the jungle. We leave the best known and most breathtaking of all the sights, Angkor Wat, to the end - where we stay until the sun sets on the last night of our adventure.
Day 14 Day 14: Tour Ends In Siem Reap
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 14: Tour Ends In Siem Reap

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Siem Reap. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Siem Reap at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive a airport transfer today, you need to depart from Siem Reap International Airport (SIA), which is approximately 60-80 minutes from the hotel. If you have time you may choose to browse the old market for some last minute bargains, visit a fish spa or enjoy afternoon tea at The Foreign Correspondent’s Club.

+11

14 days tour

Vietnam And Angkor In Comfort

This tour includes:

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Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Vietnam And Angkor In Comfort

Day 1: Join Tour In Hanoi

Day 2: Discover The Sights Of Hanoi Including The Old Quarter

Day 3: Drive To Halong Bay; Board Junk For Overnight Cruise

Day 4: Cruise Halong Bay; Fly To Danang And Drive To Hoi An

Day 5: In Hoi An; Cooking Lesson And Walking Tour Of Old Town

Day 6: Free Day In Hoi An; Optional Visit To Ancient My Son

Day 7: Scenic Drive Via Danang To Hue

Day 8: In Hué, Visit The Imperial Citadel; Free Afternoon

Day 9: Fly To Ho Chi Minh City; Explore Old Saigon And The City

Day 10: Cruise Mekong Delta, Then Return To Ho Chi Minh City

Day 11: Visit Cu Chi Tunnels; Fly To Siem Reap

Day 12: From Siem Reap, Explore Angkor Thom

Day 13: From Siem Reap, Explore Ta Prohm And Angkor Wat

Day 14: Tour Ends In Siem Reap

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