This 14-day tour will give you excellent insight into both Cambodia and Vietnam, letting you get to know the many facets of each country. While you will see the highlights there are some amazing off the beaten track moments like visiting some of the more remote Angkor Wat temples and traveling from Cambodia to Vietnam on the Mekong River.
You start your trip exploring Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument, as well as the many temples surrounding it. In Siem Reap, you will be staying at Journeys Within Boutique Hotel, just minutes from the Angkor Wat park complex. Your hosts Andrea and Brandon Ross will be available to spend time with you answering your questions and giving you an insight into the many facets of Cambodian life, past and present.
After Angkor Wat, journey beyond the temples to Phnom Penh and explore the more recent Khmer Rouge history and see the Cambodia of today. Stay at the Amanjaya Hotel, a gorgeous hotel overlooking the Mekong River.
Next journey down the mighty Mekong River itself, saying goodbye to Cambodia and checking into Vietnam. Here you will start your tour up the length of Vietnam seeing the highlights as you go and staying in properties that will help you relax at the end of a long day. Starting in the south explore fascinating Saigon, to Central Vietnam with historical Hue, charming Hoi An and well known Danang and then up to Hanoi with its busy streets and unique Old Quarter. This tour is a great way to get to know these two countries and enjoy some of the nicer hotels they each offer.
Day 1 Siem Reap – Arrival
Catch your flight to Siem Reap.
You will be met by a Journeys Within representative and taken to Unique Boutique Hotel.
Head into town to enjoy a traditional buffet dinner and dance show in the evening.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at Unique Boutique Hotel
Day 2 Siem Reap – Angkor Wat
This morning head to Angkor Wat in an air conditioned car, or if you choose by bike, with your guide. Explore this majestic temple throughout the morning while it is still cool and has fewer tourists.
Return to Journeys Within for lunch and a nap or refresh with a swim. In the afternoon head to Angkor Thom, the famous walled city and see the many temples within its borders, including the fascinating Bayon temple with its many magnificent faces smiling out. There are several beautiful spots from which to watch the sunset. Discuss with your guide where you would like to be and then relax and enjoy a memorable end to your day at the temples.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Unique Boutique Hotel
Day 3 Siem Reap – Banteay Srei and Tonle Sap
This morning set off with your guide to Banteay Srei, the intricately carved temple just 30 km beyond Angkor Wat, followed by a stop at the Land Mine Museum, a rather humble look at the land mine problem, past and present, in Cambodia.
After a rest or swim drive through rural Cambodia to the Tonle Sap Lake where you will take a boat ride to visit the floating village and a Cambodian fish farm. As the day ends choose to climb Phnom Krom and see the ancient ruins high on the hill and watch the sun set over the lake and rice fields below or relax and watch the sun disappear below the horizon from your boat on the lake.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Unique Boutique Hotel
Day 4 Phnom Penh – The Killing Fields
Transfer to the airport in time to catch your flight.
Arrive in Phnom Penh where you will be met by an air conditioned car and driver. Transfer to your hotel for check in.
Head to the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum where your guide will explain the history of the Khmer Rouge and walk you through the different museum displays. After watching the movie they show every day, head out to the Killing Fields, where a memorial stupa and shallow pits remind visitors of the thousands killed under the Pol Pot Regime.
Return to your hotel and relax before dinner at a riverside restaurant serving traditional Khmer or Western food.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Amanjaya Hotel – Junior Suite Room
Day 5 Phnom Penh – City Tour
Your guide will meet you at your hotel and take you on a tour of the Royal Palace, still the royal residence. See the amazing royal collection and the beautiful architecture before heading to the National Museum where pre-Angkorean pieces, as well as special pieces from the temples are housed. Take a tour of the museum with a trained museum guide.
Enjoy lunch at Friends, a restaurant benefiting at-risk street children. After lunch your guide will take you to central market, reported to be the biggest domed market in the world, and to the famous Russian Market where everything from souvenirs to car parts is on sale. Enjoy a shopping spree or just browse along with the locals out doing their shopping.
On the way back stop at a local organization that takes at-risk and orphaned children and provides them with education and dance training, sit in on a traditional dance class and be amazed at the grace and persistence of these students.
Enjoy dinner at the FCC on the banks of the Mekong.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Amanjaya Hotel – Junior Suite Room
Day 6 Phnom Penh to Chou Doc
Have the morning free and then transfer to the dock to catch the Victoria Boat at 13:30 arriving at 17:00 at the beautiful Victoria Hotel, Chou Doc.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at Victoria Chau Doc
Day 7 Chou Doc – Can Tho
Your guide will meet you at your hotel and take you to visit Chau Doc, including the temple of Lady Chua Xu and the Tay An pagoda.Continue on to visit a Cham village. And enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Chau Doc. In the afternoon, you will continue by boat to Can Tho (about 3 hours), enjoying the landscape of the Mekong Delta. Have dinner at a local restaurant in Can Tho.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Victoria Can Tho
Day 8 Can Tho – Saigon
The private car and guide will take you to visit Cai Be with a stop at a bonsai garden for tea. From Cai Be, take a motorized sampan for a cruise to the floating market, and visit nearby popcorn cake and rice paper making workshops. Have a delicious lunch in a garden restaurant including dessert of an astonishing variety of fruit. Visit brick and pottery villages on the way to Saigon.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Majestic Saigon Hotel – Colonial Room
Day 9 Saigon – City Tour
Our guides are the experts so we leave you in their hands to decide what you want to see and do today. There are some great markets if you are in the mood to shop or you can visit some of the museums like the History Museum, or some pagodas, like Thien Hau Pagoda and Jade Emperor Pagoda. A more somber attraction is the War Remnants Museum, a very powerful look at the Vietnam War. Chat with your guide and decide what suits you!
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Majestic Saigon Hotel – Colonial Room
Day 10 Saigon – Cu Chi – Tay Ninh
Take a full day excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels. On the way to the tunnels, visit a rice paper making village. Descend into the Cu Chi tunnels where the guerilla fighters constructed an amazing underground base! Enjoy lunch at a restaurant in Cu Chi. In the afternoon, continue to drive another half an hour to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Great Temple, a unique religion worshiping Jesus, Confucius and Buddha. Return to Saigon with an en-route visit to a country market.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Majestic Saigon Hotel – Colonial Room
Day 11 Hanoi – Arrival
You will be picked up and taken to the airport for your flight.
Arrive at Noibai airport Hanoi, where you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.
Enjoy a one-hour tour of this charming capital city through the scenic Colonial Quarter, the Restored Sword Lake and the Old Quarter of “36 streets of 36 wares.” Attend a Water Puppet Show to experience a truly traditional Vietnamese evening. Your guide will take you to a local restaurant for dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight at Majestic Salute – Deluxe Room
Day 12 Hanoi to Sapa
Have the day free to explore Hanoi on your own and then the private car and guide will take you to have dinner and then transfer to the train station for a 10pm departure to Sapa.
Overnight on the train.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13 Trip to Sapa – Day 1
You will arrive at LaoCai train station at 6am where you will be met and driven to Sapa. Visit the Sapa Market and TaPhin Village, famous for its famous brocade weaving done by Hmong and Dzao women. Have lunch at a local restaurant and in the afternoon visit Ham Rong Mountain and the Sapa Rose Garden. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant where you can try the local specialties.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Victoria Sapa – Superior Room
Day 14 Trip to Sapa – Day 2
In the early morning drive to Bac Ha Market, this amazing market is where all of the local hill tribes come to trade, it is full of color and life. Try a local food called Thang Co and watch the village life happen around you. Continue from here to Hoang Yen Chao Palace and have lunch at a local restaurant. Continue to visit Thuong Temple and then return to LaoCai for dinner before taking a night train to Hanoi leaving at 9:15pm.
Overnight on the train
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15 Hanoi – Departure
You will arrive early at Hanoi Station where you will be met and transferred to the airport for your flight.
Meals included: Breakfast
Tour Rate Starting at: $3,840 double with $1,890 single supplement
Price includes:
- Air tickets Bangkok – Siem Reap – Phnom Penh / Saigon – Hanoi – Bangkok
- Boat tickets as specified above
- Accommodation as specified above
- Air-conditioned car/van with driver
- Licensed English speaking guides
- Tours and admission fees as mentioned above
- Meals as specified in itinerary, including water
Price excludes:
- Personal expenses
- Visa fees
- Airport tax
- Drinks (except water) and meals not mentioned in itinerary
- Tips