CAMBODIA, VIETNAM AND LAOS TOUR 18 DAYS

Destination: Siem Reap/Phnom Penh/Ho Chi Minh/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi/Mekong Delta/Hanoi/Perfume Pagoda/Tam Coc/Van Long/Ha Long/Vientiane/Nam Ngum Lake

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner, G=Guide

Day 1: Siem Reap arrival (D, G)

Upon arrival at Siem Reap Airport – Cambodia, meet with your guide and transfer to the hotel. Free. Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap. Dinner at local restaurant and accommodation at hotel.

Day 2: Siem Reap (B, L, G)

After breakfast, start your tour with visit to the South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphoun, Terrace of Elephants & Terrace of the Leper King. Afternoon, tour to the magnificent Angkor Wat, and see the beautiful sunset at Phnom Bakheng. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 3: Angkor Wat – Small & Grand Circuit (B, L, G)

Early morning, watch the picturesque sunrise at Angkor Wat before returning to the hotel for breakfast. Carry on to see the Small Circuit including Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei, Srah Srang, Ta Keo, Thommanon, and Chausay Tevoda in the morning, and to the Grand Circuit including Prasat Kravan, East Mebon, Pre Rup and Preah Khan in the afternoon. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 4: Angkor Wat/Roluos Group/Boat Trip on Tonle Sap (B, L, G)

Today travel to Roluos Group to see Prasat Preah Ko, Bakong, and Lo Lei. In the afternoon, enjoy a scenic boat trip on the Tonle Sap to see the Floating Villages. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 5: Angkor Wat/Banteay Srei (B, L, G)

In the morning, take a sightseeing to the renowned Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre (30 km from Siem Reap) and in the afternoon, to Ta Som, Krol Ko and Neak Poan. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 6: Siem Reap/Phnom Penh (B, L, G)

Morning experience an exciting speed-boat trip to Phnom Penh, and get scenic views of the Cambodian rural life along the riverbank (optional by air). Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel and take a city tour to the Silver Pagoda, the Royal Palace and the National Museum of Khmer Arts. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 7: Phnom Penh/Killing Fields (B, L, G)

Witness the relics of Khmer Rouge Regime during the Reign of Terror – visit to Choeung Ek Killing Fields and the Toul Sleng Museum of Genocidal Crime. In the afternoon, take a city tour for shopping at Russian Market or Central Market. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 8: Phnom Penh/Ho Chi Minh City (B, G)

You are free at leisure or if time allowed – Additional sightseeing. Arriving at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey. Your overnight stay will be in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 9: Ho Chi Minh city tour 1 day (B, L, G)

After breakfast, you’ll start your city tour including the History Museum (special exhibition of the 5thC “Oc Eo” civilisation), the Museum of War Remnants (very partial, but riveting, recollections of the “American War”: not for the squeamish), the huge Ben Thanh market (one of the liveliest areas of Ho Chi Minh City), the Jade Emperor Temple (superb effigies, remarkable carved panels of the descent to Hell and incongruous terrapin and tortoise sanctuaries) and a lacquer workshop. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi (B, L, G)

Drive to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See (in time to watch the mid-day ceremony), Cu Chi (intricate network of underground passages and bunkers that became legendary during the 1960′s for their role in the war of liberation). Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Cao Dai is a “new” religion unique to Viet Nam with around a million followers. Both its creed and its architecture are remarkable and exotic.

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh/My Tho/Hanoi (B, L, G)

At 8:00 you’ll be picked up at our hotel to travel to My Tho. On arrival, boat cruise on Mekong river to the Thoi Son island: rowing through small canals and walking along small village road to visit fruit gardens, elementary school, spirits distilling house, and see the daily life of villagers. On your visit you’ll have chance to enjoy some of tropical fruits and traditional music show. After lunch at a local restaurant on island, you’ll continue to cruise to visit a coconut candy workshop. In the afternoon, return to Ho Chi Minh for your flight to Hanoi. On arrival, you will be picked up and transferred to the hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 12: Hanoi “Back Street art” and museums 1 day (B, L, G)

Intangible heritage: Visit to the Ethnology Museum and Fine Art Museum. After lunch at a colonial building, you’ll have an “Back Street Art” tour including a serial of visits to homes, which are also the studios and workshops, of some of the talented artists in the city, tucked away down tiny alleys and back streets. Overnight in Hanoi.

Another option for the afternoon is our walking tour though Hanoi’s streets and boulevards with an expert guide to discover its hidden architectural wealth of colonial villas, commune buildings, tube houses, traditional homes, temples, and pagodas

Day 13: Hanoi/Perfume Pagoda (B, L, G)

In the morning you’ll be picked up to travel to the Perfume Pagoda. On arrival you’ll be rowed through rice fields on a scenic waterway to the complex of pagodas and shrines built into the limestone cliffs of the Mountain of Fragrant Traces. Your picnic will be taken from Hanoi. In afternoon you’ll drive back to the city.

Day 14: Tam Coc/Van Long 1 day (B, L, G)

In the morning you’ll be picked up to travel to Van Long. On arrival you’ll ride an ox cart to visit the Old House and the Old Pagoda and then board a boat to visit the Van Long Natural Reserve. After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll visit Tam Coc – being rowed through paddies and into three caves in a peaceful valley. In the afternoon you’ll return to Hanoi.

Day 15: Ha Long 1 day on boat (B, L, G)

At about 8:00 you’ll be driven to Ha Long Bay (one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas – the world’s largest marine “karst” landscape). Then you’ll board a traditional-style boat for 5 hour cruise on the bay and visit some of the less well-known grottoes and caves. Includes swimming and hill (not mountain) climbing for Bay overviews. Your seafood lunch will be on the boat. In the late afternoon, you’ll return to Hanoi.

Day 16: Hanoi/Vientiane (B, G)

After breakfast, you’ll be free until transfer to airport for your flight to Vientiane. On arrival in the Laos capital of Vientiane, you will be met and transferred to your centrally located hotel. Vientiane is a charming and fascinating capital, with an interesting mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American influences. After a short rest, we start visiting the major sights of the capital; including the Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. Enroute to Laos national icon, the precious and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, you will have the opportunity to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. The Mekong river side is the perfect place to end the day and admire the sunset. Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 17: Vientiane/Nam Ngum lake (B, G)

After breakfast, we head out of the city and make our way to Nam Ngum, a huge reservoir created by damming the Nam Ngum River. We stop over at Ban Keun, which is famous for its salt extraction plant and a village that distills the local Lao whiskey. On arrival at Nam Ngum Lake, we embark on a long tail boat visiting fishing villages in the various islets. We take a short walk to explore the lifestyle of the local fisher. On return, [if time permits], perhaps you might want to experience gambling at the legal Lao casino located in the valley where you can also enjoy a beautiful view of the lake. We return to Vientiane by late evening. Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 18: Vientiane departure (B, G)

You are free at leisure or if time allowed – Additional sightseeing until transfer to the airport for your departure flight.