Cambodia and North Vietnam Package - 11 Days

Welcome to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s vibrant and bustling capital city. Despite its recent turbulent history, Phnom Penh’s wide tree-lined boulevards and faded colonial mansions hold an undeniable charm. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by our tour guide and transferred to the hotel for check in. Time for relaxation.
Meals: None.
Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh.

After having breakfast at the hotel, start the day learning about the Cambodia’s past tragedy with a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the notorious Choeung Ek “Killing Fields.” Next, enjoy the introduction of the ancient Khmer art and civilization when browsing in the National Museum.
Continue to the Royal Palace overlooking the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Rivers. Built in 1866 by King Norodom, the palace is now home to the royal family. Within the palace grounds, you will find the Silver Pagoda, its floor covered by 5,000 silver tiles that give the pagoda its name.
Enjoy a short break to freshen up before driving to the dock where you will embark a sunset boat to cruise along the Mekong River. Savor a welcome dinner on board as you watch the sunset over the shimmering lights of Phnom Penh.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh.

Today we travel by car to Battambang, Cambodia’s second largest city. Get a taste for Cambodia’s rural life and stop en route at Kompong Chnang to visit the floating village in Kompong Luong. We arrive in Battambang in the late afternoon.
End of the day trip by visiting Phnom Sampov – an important religious site known throughout all Cambodia. During the Khmer Rouge period the mountain was used as a place to kill “enemies” of the regime and in what are known as the “killing caves” there is a memorial to these victims. Every evening at nightfall, thousands of bats make their way out of caves in the hillside to feed before returning at dawn.
Return to your hotel to relax at your own leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Batambang.

Spend the day exploring Battambang and its surrounding countryside. Start the morning with the visit to Wat Kor Village with a cluster of Khmer heritage houses that the village is known for. Built of now-rare hardwoods almost a century ago and surrounded by orchard gardens, they have wide verandahs and exude the ambience of another era.
Take a slow 30-minute ride on the Bamboo Train before going to town center and enjoy a walking tour through the city’s bustling boulevards lined with quaint French colonial buildings and central market and end up with lunch time in town.
Then drive 13km to north of Battambang to visit Wat Ek Phnom – an ancient Hindu temple that was built in the 11th century during the Angkor Wat era by King Suryavarman II. In front of the ruins of Wat Ek Phnom stands the multi-colored, modern-day pagoda of Wat Ek Phnom with a majestic white-stoned Buddha, surrounded by 18 Bodhi trees.
Later of the day, spend around 3 hours driving toward Siem Reap. Pass by Cambodia’s charming countryside, past stretches of rice paddies and exotic hamlets. Arrive at Siem Reap in late afternoon and check in at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap.

Rise up early for a transfer by tuk tuk to the magnificent Angkor Wat. The trip is designed for you to see “the spiritual Temple reflex on the water” at dawn- the haunting, cooler and less crowded moment. As the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Angkor Wat where the Hindu God Vishnu is dedicated was constructed by Suryavarman II who reigned Cambodia from 1113 to 1152. The plan of the pyramidal conception of the temple combined with spaces, alleys and ditches is an ancient masterpiece of architectural design and construction.
After enjoying your breakfast box on site of the temple, continue to the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its majestic doors and artifacts. Next, visit the monumental temple of Bayon, the heart of Angkor Thom and known for the hundreds of smiling faces that grace its towers. Move to the Terrace of the Elephants, a platform where King Jayavarman once surveyed his army. Close by is the Terrace of Leper Kings, which includes a statue depicting Yana, the Hindu god of death. Leaving Angkor Thom by its North Gate for Preah Khan (Sacred Sword), one of Angkor’s largest temples, constructed in the 12th century by Jayavarman VII. Then it’s a short drive to one of the most loved temples of all – Ta Prohm, a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty with its giant trees that have grown there for centuries.
Later this afternoon you will return to your hotel where you spend the rest of time at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap.

Kbal Spean was the refuge of 11th – 13th century religious hermits and over the centuries they carved lingas stands, animals and sacral friezes into the surrounding rocks and riverbeds. Today, challenge yourself with a 45 minute walk- up path before being rewarded for your efforts by a stunning waterfall and rock pools in which to bath and cool off. This is also where the most of carvings are.
After lunch drive further to the countryside to see the “gem” of the Angkor area: Banteay Srei Temple. Banteay Srei, also known as “Citadel of the Women”, remains the best preserved temple in Cambodia. It displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer Art as this small temple is noted for its truly remarkable fine bas-reliefs.
Later of the day, our driver takes you to the airport for your flight to Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital. Arriving at the Noi Bai airport, another assigned local driver and guide will meet you outside the baggage claim and take you to hotel in the city center.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodations: Hotel in Hanoi.

This morning, depart your hotel for the visit to the Temple of Literature, dedicating to Confucius and known as Vietnam’s first university. Established In 1076, this center had educated Vietnam’s royalty, generations of mandarins and members of the elite. Your next visit will be the iconic One Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049 under the rule of King Ly Thai To. Close by is the mausoleum of the historic father figure of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, and his modest house on stilts where he lived from 1958 to 1969.
In the afternoon, continue your exploration to the fascinating Ethnology Museum to see the rich collection of artifacts about the 54 ethnic groups all over Vietnam. As an alternative to the Ethnology Museum, visit the highly acclaimed Vietnam Women’s Museum, offering wonderful insight into the significant role Vietnamese women play in Vietnamese society.
Later of the day, stroll along the historic Hanoi Old Quarter – a series of guild streets where the locals still trade the old way. This refined area of Hanoi provides a wonderful shopping experience and has a choice of many excellent restaurants. Conclude the day with the enjoyment of the traditional Water Puppet Performance, a traditional unique art form created by farmers in the Red River Delta.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Wake early and enjoy breakfast at the hotel, before setting off on your drive to Mai Chau – a yawning valley, cradling picturesque rice paddies and boarded by looming karst rock formations. Enjoy picturesque views of the scenic landscape, sown with pagodas and rural villages. Stop along the way at Thung Khe Pass for a spectacular view of Mai Chau Valley. After lunch, spend the afternoon trekking off the typical tourist tracks. Trek through terraced rice paddies and small villages, discovering the natural beauty of the valley and encountering the culture of the White Thai people, living in the region. Stop at a Thai village for the night, having dinner with a local family and enjoying a homestay in their long house.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Accommodation: Homestay in Mai Chau.

Enjoy breakfast at homestay before journeying to Ninh Binh and proceed to Hoa Lu to visit the temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh Dynasty (968-80), and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le Dynasty (980-1009). The ancient Hoa Lu Citadel (most of which has since been ruined) once covered an area of three square kilometres.
After lunch time at a local restaurant, you will leave for the Trang An Grottoes, an outstanding 20 square kilometer majestic limestone massif, which rises dramatically out from the rice paddy fields. Embark on a traditional sampan gently rowed down the exquisite river through numerous caves: “Hang Toi” (Dark Cave), “Hang Sang (Light Cave) and “Hang Nau Ruou” (Cooking Wine Cave). Every passage brings a new hidden inside isolated valleys of tranquility, which perhaps transformed to another world and time. 
Check in hotel in Ninh Binh and spend rest of the day at your own leisure. 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Ninh Binh.

* Notes: The below itinerary is a sample and it will be different between cruises. Our travel consultants will provide the exact schedule and program for specific cruise by the time of booking. 
After breakfast, check out hotel and your driver will take you on a 4-hour drive passing the countryside of the Red River Delta to Halong Bay. Discovery of Halong Bay’s best of different formulas on a junk will take you to a ride amidst the magic archipelago; and depending on the length of the cruise, you’ll enjoy a global overview of different wonders that this UNESCO World Heritage site has to offer.
Spend 24 hours on a traditional Junk Cruise in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around noon and board your junk. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as we sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands, including Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. Along the way visit one of the bay’s 3 largest caves (Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot). Stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach and take a dip in the warm waters of the Tonkin Gulf (weather permitting). Pass the night on your junk, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: on cruise.

Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay as we navigate back to Halong City. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to the pier.
Your driver will meet you at the dock and take you to Noi Bai Airport of Hanoi for your departure flight. Goodbye & Safe Travels!
Meals: Brunch.
Accommodation: N/A.

Today we drive to Phnom Penh International Airport for your flight home. Goodbye & Safe Travels!
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: N/A.