Travel Style
Essentials Tours
Destinations
Siem Reap, Ho Chi Minh City, Sa Pa, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Hanoi
Highlights Itinerary Accommodation Inclusions/Exclusions
Traverse the most highlighted places in Cambodia & Vietnam in 15 days. Start with exploring Angkor Temples in Siem Reap, then fly to Ho Chi Minh City and move up to the northern region of Vietnam.
Welcome to Siem Reap, an ideal starting point for your exploration of Cambodia. Siem Reap is known for its magnificent Angkor Temples. Located in the northwest of the country, this city is also a great base to discover Tonlé Sap Lake - the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, the genuine Cambodian countryside, or some remote temples like Beng Mealea, Phnom Kulen, and Kbal Spean.
Upon your arrival, you will be picked up by your local tour guide and transferred to your hotel. Spend the evening enjoying a flavorful dinner while watching a mesmerizing Cambodian traditional show - a classical Khmer performance art inspired by the water and cloud spirits of Hindu and Buddhist mythology.
Included meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap
Set off your adventure today by traveling on a road surrounded by hundred-year-old trees. At the end of the road, you’ll find a majestic stone door leading to Angkor Thom - the last capital of the Khmer Empire. Also known as the “Great City”, Angkor Thom showcases the grandeur and ingenuity of Khmer architecture, engineering, and artistry. The centerpiece of Angkor Thom is Bayon Temple, built around the 12th - 13th century and features 216 mysterious smiling stone faces that seem like emerging from nowhere. This amazing temple comprises 54 towers, each impressively carved with smiling 4 faces.
After exploring the Bayon Temple, you will travel to the adjacent Baphuon, a temple mountain built in the 11th century which has been restored by French architects not so long ago. Subsequently, let’s admire the Terrace of the Elephants, which stretches approximately 350 m in length and was used for royal audiences and public ceremonies. Continue your visit to the Terrace of the Leper King, a 12th century construction covered by stunning sculpting of Apsara.
The following period is time to uncover the most renowned temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park - Angkor Wat. Spanning over 162 ha, it is the world’s largest religious structure and a symbol of the pinnacle of Khmer architecture and engineering. Starting at the central aisle, you will soon realize how huge is it. Finish the day by visiting Ta Prohm, a temple that has been severely damaged by the tropical nature. Unlike other temples at Angkor, Ta Prohm has been left in a largely unrestored state, providing a dramatic view of how nature and architecture have intertwined over centuries.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap
This morning, you will visit the Kampong Khleang by private local boat which located on the northern lake-edge about 55 km east of Siem Reap town, more remote. Visitors to Kampong Khleang during the dry season are universally awestruck by the forest of stilted houses rising up to 10 meters in the air. In wet season the waters rise up to one or two meters of the buildings. Kompong Khleang is a permanent community within the flood plain of the Lake, with an economy based in fishing and surrounded by flooded forest. After a lunch at a local homestay, you will travel to Siem Reap airport for an evening flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
Upon arrival at the Tan Son Nhat Airport, you will be welcomed by your driver and local guide before getting transferred by private car to your hotel.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
Spend this day to venture Cu Chi Tunnels and unveil Ho Chi Minh City. Drive for around 2 hours, you will reach the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the most significant historical sites in Vietnam. This immense network of underground tunnels was initially hand-dug by the Viet Minh in the late 1940s during the French-Indochina War, then expanded and used massively by the Viet Cong during the subsequent Vietnam War. Afterward, get on the way to return to Ho Chi Minh City.
In the afternoon, set off to uncover a few prominent attractions of the city: the French colonial Saigon Central Post Office, the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, and Dong Khoi Street - a wide avenue lined with luxurious shops and hotels. Next, spend some time roaming the insightful War Remnants Museum – exhibits US weapons and vehicles used during the Vietnam War. This museum also displays photographs showcasing the war’s effects on Vietnamese civilians, including the consequences of chemical weapons.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
This morning, depart from Ho Chi Minh City and head west to explore Ben Tre Province in the Mekong Delta region. You will board the boat sailing along a Mekong’s tributary. Make stops to discover several local workshops to gain a deeper insight into some local specialties such as the coconut candies and a brick factory to learn about the local way of making handmade bricks, etc. During your adventure in Mekong Delta, you will ride a local motorized rickshaw called xe loi to wander around the village and catch some fascinating sights of traditional farms, rice fields, and vegetable plants.
At noon, move toward a humble local restaurant for a delicious and hearty lunch. In the afternoon, hop on a bicycle to traverse the village roads with lush landscape, visit a local workshop specializing in carpet weaving, enjoy a leisurely sampan ride along the zigzag canals, then travel back to Ho Chi Minh City by car.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
This morning, move to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your flight to Da Nang City, which typically takes about 1.5 hours. Upon your arrival at Da Nang Airport, you will be picked up by your enthusiastic tour guide and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An.
This afternoon, you will get to explore Hoi An Ancient Town, a charming place recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The well-preserved ancient streets and houses showcase a harmonious blend of Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, and French architectural elements can be seen via outstanding structures like the renowned Japanese Covered Bridge, the marvelous Fujian Assembly Hall, and the 200-year-old house of Tan Ky.
Late afternoon is the time for a lovely sunset cruise on the Thu Bon River. Reaching the dock, you will get on a wooden boat to sail along the major branch of the Thu Bon River’s lower section.
Included meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
Today, you will set off for a bike ride around the villages in the neighborhood along the Thu Bon River.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
After checking out, you will be transferred to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Hanoi’s Noi Bai Aiport, where your local guide awaits to pick you up and take you to your hotel.
Late afternoon, get ready for an amusing water puppet show - a captivating art form born over a thousand years ago in the rice fields of the Red River Delta. Once cherished as royal entertainment during the Ly and Tran dynasties, this extraordinary performance brings to life vivid scenes of rural life and legendary tales, all set against the stirring melodies of traditional Vietnamese music.
In the evening, let’s delve into a flavourful walking food tour that features a variety of mouthwatering street food delights like grilled skewers, pho, banh cuon, or banh mi...
Included meals: Breakfast, evening food tour
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Begin your full-day discovery of the capital with Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - the final resting place of Vietnam’s greatest leader, his traditional stilt house, and the architecturally striking One-Pillar Pagoda nearby. Later on, you will explore the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. Created in November 1997 at the Francophonie Summit, it is both a research center and a public museum that showcases the rich diversity of the country’s 54 ethnic groups.
In the afternoon, pay a visit to the Temple of Literature (or Van Mieu in Vietnamese), a temple dedicated to Confucius and also the site of Vietnam’s first university. This complex is like a peaceful oasis amid the bustling city with ornate gates, pretty water lily ponds, traditional-style pavilions, and well-manicured gardens.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Notes: The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is closed on Monday. You can opt for an alternative to visit the Hoa Lo Prison or the Vietnamese Woman Museum.
Leave Hanoi early this morning, travel to Sapa by a comfortable limousine bus in 5.5 hours. In the afternoon, you will travel to Ta Phin Village for a trek through this village where mainly living by the Dao and Hmong ethnic people. Rest of the day will be at leisure.
Included meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa
Kickstart this morning with a thrilling hike to the heart of the Hoang Lien Mountain Range. As you reach Tram Ton Pass, begin a leisurely walk into the jungle and cool down by the plunging 100m-high Love Waterfall, then continue to trek to some hill-tribe villages. En route, you will get a glimpse of vast rice terraces embraced by winding rivers - an illustrious feature of the area. The trekking route starts at Y Linh Ho village, giving you a great opportunity to meet up, observe, or even communicate with ethnic locals in this region. Next, walk along the idyllic trails while admiring the meticulously sculpted rice fields that stretch across the hillsides of Muong Hoa Valley. You will head to Lao Chai Village before ending the trek at Ta Van Village.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Remark: trekking route can be flexibly adjusted to match to your physical situation.
The following day in Sapa, you will get to know an authentic hill tribe market - a traditional market of the ethnic groups in Northern Vietnam. Here, the minority inhabitants in multi-colored clothes will welcome you with bright smiles while presenting their customs and products, typically fabrics, bags, meat, fruits, and local dishes. After lunch at a local house, you will head to Lao Cai City. Make a stop en route for a scenic boat ride along the emerald Chay River to the enchanting Tien Cave, which offers a pleasant escape into the unspoiled beauty of Northern Vietnam’s countryside. Later, you will head to Lao Cai station and have a rest at a hotel nearby in a few hours before embarking on your overnight train back to Hanoi.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Overnight train (4-berth sharing cabin)
Notes: The ethnic markets are open once a week and you will have chances to visit different markets depending on the date.
- Tuesday: Coc Ly Market (89 km from Sapa town) - A small yet high-spirited market located along the placid Chay River. This is where Hmong, Black Dao, and Nung people gather for not only good trading, but also socializing and culture exchange.
- Wednesday: Cao Son Market (78 km from Sapa town) - A market of Hmong, Phu La, Dao, and Black Han ethnic groups in Muong Khuong District. Placed amidst beautiful mountains near the Chinese border, this market offers a less crowded, more intimate experience.
- Thursday: Lung Khau Nhin Market (76 km from Sapa town) - A smaller market that boasts a peaceful atmosphere and stunning mountain background. The market’s compact size makes it perfect for cultural immersion.
- Saturday: Can Cau Market (116 km from Sapa town) - The most remote weekly market in the area, located along a dirt road that leads to the border town Si Ma Cai. This is the largest buffalo market in Northwest Vietnam with hundreds of buffaloes traded in each market session.
- Sunday: Bac ha Market (97 km from Sapa town) - The largest and most well-known ethnic market in the Sapa region. It is a restless event where many ethnic groups such as the Hmong, Tay, and Nung… gather to trade goods, livestock, handmade crafts, and local delicacies.
After reaching the Hanoi railway station early this morning, you will check in at a hotel nearby for breakfast and a short rest before continuing to venture to Halong Bay - a fabulous natural wonder that’s approximately 2.5 hours of driving from Hanoi. This world-famous bay is one of the most stunning landscapes in Vietnam with over 1,900 limestone islands and islets, mostly uninhabited and unvisited. These towering formations rise majestically from the emerald waters, creating a breathtaking panorama that helped the bay earn its UNESCO World Heritage status in 1994. Upon arrival, you will soon embark on an inclusive cruise trip through the most splendid attractions of Halong Bay. The trip includes delectable meals with freshly caught seafood, and fun activities onboard after the night falls.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Halong Bay overnight cruise
On the next day on Halong Bay, let’s get up at dawn to admire the gorgeous sunrise over the turquoise waters of the bay. The cruise will continue to glide around the bay until it finally docks at the end of the morning. After that, you will return to Hanoi. Have free time at your leisure to explore further of Hanoi City and go shopping around the Hanoi Old Quarter.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
After checking out of the hotel, meet your driver and guide at the lobby. They will accompany you on the way to Noi Bai Airport, where the flight to your next destination awaits.
Included meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
INCLUSION
- Accommodations with daily breakfast
- Private transfer with air conditioning
- Professional local English-speaking guide
- Overnight train Hanoi – Sapa (round way) – 4 berth sharing cabin
- Private cabin on non-private cruise on Ha Long Bay
- Meals mentioned in the program
- Boat trip as indicated in the program
- Entrance fees
- 02 bottles of water per person for full day tour
INCLUSION
- Accommodations with daily breakfast
- Private transfer with air conditioning
- Professional local English-speaking guide
- Overnight train Hanoi – Sapa (round way) – 4 berth sharing cabin
- Private cabin on non-private cruise on Ha Long Bay
- Meals mentioned in the program
- Boat trip as indicated in the program
- Entrance fees
- 02 bottles of water per person for full-day tour
EXCLUSION
- Food/drinks not mentioned in the program
- International and Domestic Airfares (flights are priced separately as the airfares are subject to change depending on ticket availability)
- Tips and Gratuities
- Services not mentioned in the program
BOOK THIS TRIP
12 days 11 nights
12 days 11 nights
14 days 13 nights
10 days 9 nights
18 days 17 nights
10 days 9 nights
8 days 7 nights
4 days 3 nights
4 days 3 nights
10 days 9 nights
7 days 6 nights
4 days 3 nights
5 days 4 nights
3 days 2 nights
