Vietnam & Cambodia 16 Days Trip

Morning pick up at your hotel then visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to explore the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-place. Just next door is Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts and lying to one side of the Mausoleum is the One Pillar Pagoda, which was founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049 - the structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Then continue on to the Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda at West lake (One of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam.Afternoon proceed to visit the Literature Temple see Vietnam’s first university, constructed in 1070 -  it’s gardens and well-preserved architecture will offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past. The next ones is Hoa Lo Prison -the prison was constructed in 1896 by the French colonists as a central prison for both the Central and the Northern part of Vietnam.. Take you past Hoan Kiem Lake to see the peaceful waters, and the beauty of Ngoc Son temple. At the end, journey through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, where you’ll then have a chance for some shopping and exploration. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Pick-up at your hotel at 8:30 a:m. Transfer to Mai Chau on a 4 hour drive. Short break half way at the local market of the Muong Ethnic Minority to learn about their daily life and customs or enjoy the panoramic scenery at top of Thung Khe Pass known as one of the 10 most beautiful passes in Vietnam. Reach Mai Chau Valley at lunchtime.

After lunch, chance for you to visit the real local Thai traditional stilt house before cycling to villages of the Thai Ethnic Minority to learn about their daily lives and culture. Stop by a local village to learn about cloth weaving as a traditional handicraft. Get picked up by car and move to hidden Buoc Village (20km away from main tourist Lac Village). Check-in the local lodge there, enjoy your sunset by the swimming pool, or cycle and walk around the village. Dinner at the lodge with the local people.

After a local breakfast, start an easy 7 km trek off the beaten path to visit the beautiful surrounding villages with lush rice terraces, hanging bridge across wild stream. Back to lodge for lunch before moving to Pu Luong Nature Reserve on a 2 hour drive.

Start your next 6 km trek winding through the green terrace rice fields and crossing the stream to visit remote rural villages of Black Thai minorities. Dinner at the lodge along with some rice wine “locally called happy water” made by local family. Enjoy a quiet night in the middle of the Reserve.

After breakfast, move by car to Cham stream. On the way, visit Ba village and cross the hanging bridge to discover the giant waterwheels, duck farm to learn about local agriculture system. Get on bamboo raft for a relaxing boating along Cham stream. Back to lodge for lunch. After lunch, walk around the village to enjoy last moments before saying goodbye to this wonderland to go back to Hanoi.

8:00 - Depart from Hanoi for 3.5 hours drive to Ha Long City through the Red River Delta. Upon arrival, get on board of the 5 stars cruise and start the cruise to the boundaries of Halong bay while lunch with fresh seafood is served (vegetarian and kid’s menus available).After lunch, just make yourself at ease and relax. Limestone rock formations will parade all around us for about 2 hours before our first stop. We reach the perfect spot, where the waters of Halong and Bai Tu Long hit and wave together. Let's get ready for a closer look at the water and explore the bay in-depth with your own kayak & paddle.We’ll get back on the cruise before sunset refresh and an aperitif on the sundeck. The boat cruises to its anchorage area. Dinner is served either inside or outside depending on weather conditions. Overnight on board in a private cozy air-conditioned cabin.

Morning coffee, tea, and cakes will be served. Wake up smoothly while witnessing the silence of the beautiful misty bay. A 30-minute Tai Chi session will be organized, energize your body and soul or just allow yourself some Barrientes time on a sunbath with a cup of coffee.At about 7.45 am, we hop on bamboo boats to go visiting a secluded floating village surrounded by the mountains. We trace our way between numerous floating houses and small rowing boats that serve everyday life as vehicle, itinerant shops, fishing utility, sometimes overnight shelter.

Back on the cruise before 9a:m, we start cruising back to the pier. From 9.30 am, a brunch will be served. Take a last glance at the rocks, standing still as the eternal guardians of a kingdom, we are about to reach the pier.11:30 – Transfer from Ha Long directly to Hanoi airport for late afternoon flight to Da Nang then spend 30’ driving to Hoi An. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

Freetime in Hoi An to relax on beach or swimming pool. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An

Day 9 : Cooking class in Hoi An (Breakfast , Lunch )

7:30 Pick up at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City followed by a quick transfer to Cai Lay, approximately 90minutes (75km). We are off riding through stunning sites on paved rural roads. On the way, you will get the opportunity to travel through locally grown vegetable and exotic fruit farms such as star apple and sapodilla plantations.The Mekong is Vietnam’s richest agricultural region. The area offers a profusion of fresh fruits but not only! ‘Vietnam’s rice bowl’ is also home to many handicrafts workers that you will be able to meet along the way.As we head further south along concrete canal paths, the vegetation grows denser and the streams start to look more like the larger branches of the Mekong River. Aiming to provide you with the most authentic experience possible of the region, we will visit a busy typical-Vietnamese marketplace as well as many other surprise stops on the way!

Lunch will be served by a lovely family in a village, with foods obtained from the nearby marketplace. After lunch we will board on a boat to An Binh island where we will spend our night at a homestay. Our host family lives in a typical Mekong delta Vietnamese house, with airy rooms and an outdoor kitchen. The rest of the afternoon you will be free to walk around the homestay or help preparing a Vietnamese dinner with your host family.

After breakfast at the homestay, we’ll have a short boat trip to one of the famous coconut towns and nursery gardens in the Mekong, Ben Tre. Then, our driver will meet you on the other side of the Mekong river for a short transfer (1h) to Cho Lach district of Ben Tre. Back on your bikes, you will witness colorful scenes along the riverside while pedaling past charming delta homes and villages. We will cross narrow canals on a local sampan (traditional boat), before boarding on a ferry for a refreshing boat trip across the wide Co Chien River. Lunch at local restaurant. Transfer back to Saigon (2h), get back to your hotel around 5 – 6 pm.

Morning check –out and take flight from Ho Chi Minh city to Siemriep,Cambodia . Arrival Siem Reap International airport, you are met and transfer direct to hotel for check in.Afternoon visitting the ancient Khmer civilization site of Hariharalaya, which flourished in the late 9th and early 10th Centuries. These are the earliest temples in the Angkor area and are referred as the Roluos group. The three Roluos temples are Bakong Temple Mountain with wonderful carvings on the false doors and lintels, the funerary temple of Preah Ko, Lolei Temple with the Roluos group's most exquisite carvings and inscriptions. Overnight in the hotel in Siem Reap

Visit to Ta Prohm, one of the area’s most beautiful temples. Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool (representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), Ta Som, built in late 12th century C.E. the most distant temple on the grand circuit, small but classic. Preah Khan temple, Built by the King Jayavarman VII. Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, the temple of Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation. Visit to the unique interior brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan, Srah Srang ("The Royal Baths" was once used for ritual bathing), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), Ta Keo, constructed in late 10th early 11th century C.E, the first temple to be constructed wholly of sandstone. Overnight in the hotel in Siem Reap

We drive to Visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom (12 century): the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. It is time to visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Enjoy wonderful sunset from the top of Phnom Bakheng Hills. Overnight in the hotel in Siem Reap

Go to Siemriep airport for flight to Bankor then back home.