Discovery Tour In Vietnam & Cambodia

Arrive Hanoi and check-in at the hotel. Vietnam’s bustling capital is architecturally styled like a French provincial town, with tree-lined boulevards and low-rise buildings. Hanoi is a wonderfully nostalgic city to explore and this afternoon we have some free time to explore. You may choose to take a walk around the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake.

Overnight Standard Hotel

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, Confucious 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 2-storied stilt-house specially built for him in the grounds. In the afternoon we visit the Old Quarter, through the city’s bustling street markets. The streets are named after various crafts or specialities: Paper Street, Silk street, Basket Street etc. The shops themselves have very narrow frontages but are actually quite deep; they are known locally as ‘tube’ shops, while on the pavement food sellers sell noodles, snacks and stir-fries from shoulder panniers.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

We have some free time in Hanoi this morning so you may choose to visit some of the many museums or Ho Chi Minh’s austere mausoleum which resembles Lenin’s in Moscow. Afterwards we drive out towards the magnificent Halong Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin. Thousands of jagged limestone islands rise out of the jade green waters like the hairy scales of a submerged dragon. In fact Halong means ‘where the dragon descends to the sea’as legend tells that the rugged seascape was created by the pounding tail of a dragon as he ran from the mountains into the sea, carving islands in his wake.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we will enjoy the romantic scenery cruising amongst the islands. We’ll have the chance to stop at a grotto beneath towering cliffs and perhaps pull into a beach. It is also interesting to see the curious assortment of boats, junks and wooden sampans, their sails hoisted, gliding through Halong Bay. We enjoy an included seafood lunch on board the boat, then return to the hotel in Hanoi to freshen up before boarding the ‘Reunification Express’ to Hué.

Overnight Basic Train Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We arrive in Hué, one of the great cultural and religious centres of Vietnam, a quietly impressive place and a major highlight of our trip. The Perfume River divides the city in two and it has been the inspiration for poets and painters for many centuries. In the afternoon we plan to take a trip by boat on the Perfume River from Hué to the Thien Mu Pagoda. This lovely monastery is the oldest in Hué.

Overnight Standard Hotel

On the left bank is the Old Citadel, the palace built by the Nguyen dynasty (Vietnam’s ruling emperors from the early 1800s to1945). The Citadel has formal moats and impressive ramparts which were constructed by 20 000 men and was an exact copy of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Although most of the Inner City was totally destroyed during the month-long Tet Offensive (1968), the vast outer walls and the West Wing remain and are an eloquent reminder of the palace’s former glory. To appreciate Hué’s fascinating history we’ll tour the citadel in the morning with the rest of the day free for personal exploration. You may choose to do so on a hired bike (optional).

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

We enjoy a scenic drive across the spectacular Col des Nuages(the Pass of Ocean Clouds), passing rural scenes of thatched, wooden houses and lime-green rice paddies. Pausing at Danang, the one-time centre of the important Kingdom of Champa (2ndcentury AD – 1720) we visit the Cham Museum, which houses a fine collection of Cham sculptures. We then visit the nearby five peaks of the Marble Mountains, originally islands, said to represent the five elements (water, wood, fire, gold and earth). The naturally formed grottoes have been transformed into heavily carved buddhist sanctuaries. A torch is useful to explore the caves and grottos. About 1km from the mountains are the white sands of ‘China’ Beach – an ideal spot to rest a while. Finally we continue to the ancient town of Hoi An, first colonised by the Portuguese in the 16th century.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

The historic, merchant town of Hoi An had become one of the busiest international trading ports of southeast Asia by the 17th and 18thcenturies, and it still retains its medieval charm today, with many of its old buildings superbly preserved. The day is free to explore at leisure. You may choose to visit the Japanese Bridge; or visit some of the many wooden houses and Chinese temples that line the streets. There are many markets in town which are an ideal place to pick up silk paintings and tailored silk clothing. You may wish to take an optional excursion to Quang Ngai, the site of the My Lai massacre memorial. The massacre was a significant turning point in the Vietnam War and the horrific story is told through a photo- presentation – quite an emotional experience.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

A further day is spent based in this popular historic town. This morning we take an excursion to the holiest and most evocative of Vietnam’s Cham sites, My Son. The Chams were dynastic lords who rejected the authority of China in 2AD and established their own kingdom. Although they benefited from strong sea links with the rest of southeast Asia, the kingdom’s interior could not supply sufficient food for a strong military force. For 1000 years they managed to stave off attacks by the Vietnamese and Chinese, before being overcome by the Vietnamese in the 15thcentury. 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. Nowhere are the fine masonary skills of the Chams more evident than at My Son, despite the fact that much of the site was bombed in the 1960s. We should be back in Hoi An by this afternoon; the rest of the day being left free.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

After a short drive to Danang Airport we fly to Saigon. Upon arrival we drive to Ben Tre. The picturesque province of Ben Tre comprises of several large islands in the mouth of the mighty Mekong river. Surrounded with lush and fertile Mekong Delta land this province is home to swaying coconut palms and floating markets. We get on a local ferry to take us to a nearby village where we get on a trishaw to explore this area. Later we get on Sampans which are small Chinese boats and cruise along the narrow canals of the delta. Enjoying the stunning views and lunch at a local house, gets us up and close this to rural side of Vietnam. After lunch there is some free time to explore this area further. Finally we get on a boat to bring us back to Ben Tre where we spend the night.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We spend the morning exploring the Nuoc Trong Canal in Mekong Delta, meeting some hard working locals, perhaps with time to see coconut processing and trading. We will also have options to walk or cycle along the canal to explore further. We then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we plan a walking tour of the central sights. Our programme will include such interesting places as the Independence Palace (renamed Reunification Hall) GPO building and the War Crimes Museum. This afternoon is free for you to enjoy the city at your leisure.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we'll take a short drive out of the city to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, which formed an amazing underground command base for 10, 000 Viet Cong troops. After visiting the Cu Chi tunnels, we continue on to our destination of Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. We cross the border at the Moc Bai (Vietnam) and Bavet (Cambodia) crossing point.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Phnom Penh took over from Angkor as Cambodia’s capital city in the 1440s. It is now a pleasant and surprisingly quiet city with many French colonial buildings and plenty to see. Our city tour includes the National Museum of Arts, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (a High School which became the Khmer Rouge’s main torture and interrogation centre), and the ‘Killing Fields’ of Choeung Ek (the memorial stupa is a huge glass tower filled with human skulls – a sombre reminder of the scale of Pol Pot’s atrocities). You should be aware that many people do find Tuol Sleng and the ‘Killing Fields’ quite distressing. This afternoon we make our way to the Royal Palace where we visit the Silver Pagoda (also called the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha). We will also see Wat Phnom before having some free time in the city.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

You are free to spend the day at leisure in thriving Phnom Penh. Optional excursions close to the city include a trip to Silk Island, Chiso Mountain or the abandoned Royal City of Oudong. Each of these excursions are half a day in duration and may be combined, your tour leader will discuss in more detail. Silk Island or Koh Dach is reached by a short boat journey along the Mekong and the majority of villagers on the island earn a living through producing handicrafts. It is a great opportunity to learn more about traditional ways of life and interact with locals as you learn about silk-weaving, wood-carving, pottery, painting, and jewellery making. Chiso Mountain (380m),located in Sia village about 62 kilometers south of Phnom Penh , is topped by the ruins of an 11th century Khmer Brahmanic Temple with fine views of the surrounding paddy fields. Oudong is about 1hour north of the capital and offers the opportunity to explore attractive historic temples and stupas.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we drive to Siem Reap. On arrival we journey to the nearby Tonle Sap Lake where we board our chartered boat for a cruise through the fascinating floating village of Chong Kneas.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Our exact programme may change slightly at the tour leaders discretion (to avoid crowds, coincide with sunsets, etc.). Today we plan to visit this amazing ruined city (actually a series of cities), built between the 9thand the 13th centuries by the Khmer kings would have had (it is estimated) a population of over 750,000 at its peak. Situated deep in the Cambodian jungle it is spread out over some 155 square kilometres, scattered with magnificent carved stone temples, elegant sculptures and incredible bas reliefs. In the afternoon we visit the stunning Temples of Banteay Srei and East Mebon, ending our day with a visit to Pre Rup temple for sunset.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

We continue our exploration with a visit to 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 12thCentury is enclosed by a square wall 8 metres high with five 20 metre high monumental gates decorated with stone elephant trunks. Originally the moat was inhabited by crocodiles and each gate was protected by huge statues of 54 different gods. The city contains another of Angkor’s true gems – The Bayon. Although not nearly 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. Also included in our itinerary is the 2nd Angkor capital which includes the temples of Kravan, East Mebon, Srah Srang, Takeo and Pre Rup. We will also see Ta Phrom, lying half consumed by the jungle, and the best known and most breathtaking of all the sights, Angkor Wat. Originally built as a funerary temple for Suryavarman ll in honour of Vishnu, the temple is unique in that it faces west – symbolically the direction of death.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Tour ends after breakfast. If you have time you may choose to browse the Old Market for some last minute bargains.

Included meals: Breakfast