Day 1
Phnom Penh
The tour starts with a transfer from Phnom Penh airport and a chance to rest or get a first taste of Phnom Penh before the 6pm welcome meeting. You’ll enjoy dinner at a riverside local restaurant, where you can chat with fellow travellers over delicious Cambodian cuisine.
Dinner included.
Day 2
Phnom Penh
Today you’ll really get to grips with Phnom Penh on a full city tour. Wander the grounds of the Royal Palace, home to King Sihamoni, with its sacred Silver Pagoda. Cambodia bears the scars of Pol Pot’s genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, which was responsible for the estimated deaths of three million Cambodian people just over forty years ago. To learn about this history, you’ll be taken to visit the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum, a former school that was used as a prison for up to 20,000 people.
The tour also includes a trip to Choeung Ek Killing Fields, where many of the prisoners from Tuol Sleng were taken and executed. The peaceful countryside setting is home to a memorial stupa for the victims, made of around 8,000 human skulls. These are important Cambodian experiences, but please notify your tour leader if you’d prefer not to take part. Alternative activities include visiting the National Museum, taking a cyclo tour or visiting Wat Phnom, a 15th century temple.
Breakfast included.
Day 3
Siem Reap
After breakfast, you’ll take a one-hour flight to Siem Reap, a lively city that’s famous as the jumping-off point for visiting Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. Spend the day exploring the city independently and take a trip to the old market, which is full of local fabrics, arts and crafts. Don’t miss the Cambodian street food and catch a shadow puppet show to round off your evening.
Breakfast included.
Day 4
Siem Reap – Angkor Wat
Spend the whole day exploring the Angkor Archeological Park, a series of incredible temples that are recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Angkor Wat is the star attraction and the largest and most complete temple, which stretches across 400 square kilometres and is full of 12th century sculptures. You’ll also visit Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple, which features 200 faces carved into stone.
Enjoy lunch at Sala Bai Hotel School, which employs and trains young people from the local area. Spend the afternoon at Ta Prohm, a temple intertwined with the jungle and famously used as a setting for the film Tomb Raider. End the day by watching the sunset over the spectacular temple tops. Note that Sala Bai is closed on public and school holidays, in which case you’ll visit another restaurant.
Breakfast and lunch included.
Day 5
Siem Reap – Angkor Wat
You can choose to get up early and watch the majestic sunrise over Angkor Wat. Next up is a visit to the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), where you’ll see animals that were rescued from wildlife trafficking. The centre also runs a breeding program for endangered animals like gibbons and pangolins. From there, you head onward to Banteay Srei Temple and then choose to either relax at your hotel, or carry on exploring.
If you continue temple hopping, you may visit quieter gems like Preah Khan, another crumbling jungle temple with a maze of corridors. Other optional activities include visiting Tonle Sap Lake and its floating villages, taking a trip to the Landmine Museum, enjoying a Khmer cooking class or indulging in a traditional massage.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 6
Ho Chi Minh City
It’s time to say goodbye to Cambodia and fly to Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam. You’ll fly unescorted and be picked up from the airport for a transfer to your hotel. Since this is a combination trip, your group leader and fellow travelers may change at this point, so there’s another welcome meeting in the evening followed by a group meal.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 7
Ho Chi Minh City
Today, you’ll tour the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, which lie a few hours outside of HCMC. Learn about how the Viet Cong used the 120-kilometre network of underground tunnels, as well as booby traps, against American soldiers and get an insight into what life was like during the war. Afterwards, you'll head back to the city to visit the War Remnants Museum to see old military equipment including a UH1-Huey Helicopter. The afternoon is free for your leisure.
Breakfast included.
Day 8
Mekong Delta
Today you will wake early for a private bus transfer to Ben Tre, the gateway to the lush Mekong Delta, known as Vietnam’s Rice Bowl. Take a boat trip along the canals in the midst of rice paddies, sample tropical fruit and visit orchards. Then, you'll enjoy a taste of Vietnamese hospitality with a traditional lunch at a local family home. Around sunset, you'll head to a guesthouse for another delicious meal with locals.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 9
Ho Chi Minh City
Take a dawn boat trip to a Mekong Delta market, to watch the locals trade and barter before returning to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest metropolis. The evning is yours to enjoy at your own pace.
Breakfast included.
Day 10
Ho Chi Minh City - Hoi An
Fly to Danang and travel by minibus to the picturesque town of Hoi An. Upon arrival, you'll enjoy a fabulous Vietnamese lunch - we recommend trying mi quang or cao lau noodles that Central Vietnam is renowned for. After a quick walking tour of the old town, you’ll have the rest of the day to wander the historic port city, which is UNESCO-listed for its well-preserved mix of European, Vietnamese and Chinese architecture dating back to the 15th century. Shop for hand-made outfits at one of Hoi An’s famous silk tailors, who provide an express service and can ship clothes straight to your home country. Dine by the riverside and take in the pretty, lantern and tree-lined streets.
Breakfast and lunch included.
Day 11
Hoi An
Today you’re free to relax or take optional bike tours through the nearby countryside to beaches, cruise along the Thu Bon River or take a street food tour by night.
Breakfast included
Day 12
Hoi An
Make the most of your final day in Hoi An by rising early and heading out to the local morning market, where locals buy and sell fish and produce. The day is yours to relax or enjoy an additional activity. Options include discovering My Son, a UNESCO site filled with ruins of the Cham civilisation and set in a beautiful valley with views of Cat’s Tooth Mountain.
Breakfast included.
Day 13
Hue
Travel by bus up the coast to Hue along one of the most scenic roads in the country, Hai Van Pass. You’ll make a stop at Lang Co before arriving in Hue, the former capital of Vietnam and seat of the powerful Nguyen Dynasty until 1945. Spend the rest of the day touring this UNESCO site, which is packed with history. You’ll be taken to the Imperial City and Forbidden Purple City, a walled area surrounded by a moat. This 19th century complex was home to ancient emperors and is filled with gardens, palaces and shrines.
Breakfast included.
Day 14
Hue
Start the day with a bowl of Bon Bo Hue, traditional beef noodle soup, before you set sail for a cruise along the Perfume River. Along the way you’ll stop to explore a Buddhist monastery that dates back to 1601 and features the 21-metre tall Thien Mu Pagoda. Have lunch at a Buddhist monastery or nunnery, where you can taste local dishes. Afterwards, you’ll visit the royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, which lies in gardens with a lake and frangipani trees. Note that during festival season, boats may not be available and you’ll visit the attractions by car instead.
Breakfast and lunch included.
Day 15
Hanoi
Fly to Hanoi, Vietnam’s charming capital. Once there, you'll enjoy a lunch at KOTO restaurant, an Intrepid Foundation supported program that teaches hospitality skills to disadvantaged youth.
An afternoon walking tour will give you a taste of the city’s 1,000-year history, which is visible in its traditional Vietnamese shops and crumbling colonial buildings. Highlights include the historic Old Quarter, peaceful Hoan Kiem Lake and the Chinese-inspired Temple of Literature. You’ll get to see the ornate One Pillar Pagoda and the humble wooden stilt house where Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s famous revolutionary leader, once lived.
Breakfast and lunch included.
Day 16
Ninh Binh
Today you will head to the UNESCO protected Ninh Binh. This is a naturally beautiful area. Once there, you'll head to the Dinh and Le Temples, which was dedicated to two of the kings of Vietnam when built in the 10th century. Afterwards, you'll visit a local home for a traditional Vietnamese lunch, including grilled beef wrapped with guise leaves and fried fish with tomato sauce. Once you've eaten, you'll finish the day with a rowboat cruise along the wetland of Van Long to see the stunning limestone mountains and paddy fields.
Breakfast and lunch included.
Day 17
Ninh Binh
The morning is free for you to explore the area at your own pace. Next up is a trip to the Thung Nham ecotourism zone, where you'll enjoy a traditional rowboat cruise to see the natural bird garden - the largest in the north of Vietnam. Afterwards, you'll explore the cave system that includes But Cave, Tien Ca Cave and Vai Gioi Cave. After seeing the spiritual sights of a thousand-year-old banyan tree, Linh Than Mieu and Gii Dai Temple. Lastly, you'll explore the plant nursery and vegetable garden.
Breakfast included.
Day 18
Halong Bay
Make a private minibus trip to Vietnam’s most-visited destination, Halong Bay, where you’ll board a traditional junk boat for an overnight cruise. Take in views of the UNESCO-listed bay and its unique limestone karst formations as you sail across the calm waters and past floating villages. Stop at magical caves, kayak around the bay and in the summer, you’ll have a chance to go swimming.
We recommend packing an overnight bag for the cruise and storing the rest of your luggage in Hanoi. You’ll be staying in twin cabins with air con and private bathrooms. There’s a dining room where you’ll be served meals, including a seafood buffet lunch. Due to restrictions on the amount of boats in the bay, you may be on a larger vessel with another group.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 19
Hanoi
Drive back to Hanoi via a stop at the Dong Trieu Factory, which produces ceramic art. Back in the city you’ll be taken to a water puppet show, which is a traditional art form that originated in the Red River Delta region. Spend the rest of your time sightseeing in Hanoi. Popular museums include the Hoa Lo Prison, where American soldiers were famously held during the war, and the Museum of Ethnology.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 20
Hanoi
Depart your accommodation at any time. There are no activities planned for the final day, but if you have time, you can do some shopping in the Old Quarter, sample some local street food or take a bicycle tour of the city.
Breakfast included.
