Day 1 - Departure London: (D)
Buckle up for the time of your life as you board your flight to Siem Reap.
Day 2 - Siem Reap:
Once you land, you will be welcomed by a guide who will take you to your hotel for check-in. After you have unpacked, you will be free to explore the city independently. You will adore your time in Siem Reap, which is a bustling tourist destination due to its proximity to both the ancient Khmer national capital city of Angkor and Tonle Sap Lake.
Day 3 - Siem Reap: (B)
Start the day with breakfast at the hotel before heading out with your camera for a day filled with amazing sights and experiences. This morning, you will visit the ancient city of Angkor Thom, which was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. Next, you will continue to Bayon Temple in the exact centre of the city. This 12th century masterpiece boasts exterior gallery walls featuring extensive bas-reliefs. You will also have a chance to see the royal enclosure, and the Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King. Next, you will continue to Ta Prohm Temple, which unlike most other Angkor temples, has been left just as it was when it was rediscovered. Here you will find a photogenic and atmospheric maze of trees growing out of temple ruins amidst jungle surroundings, making it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors. In the afternoon you will visit the famous Angkor Wat, to view the wonderful bas-relief carvings, main towers and the moat. Finally, you will enjoy sunset at Bakheng Hill before another overnight stay at your hotel in Siem Reap.
Day 4- Siem Reap: (B)
Today you will have the chance to choose between two activities – either an excursion to go ziplining inside Angkor Archaeological Park or on a sightseeing trip to Kulen Mountain and the Chong Kneas floating village.
If you choose the first option then your day will start with breakfast at your hotel, before a shuttle bus will collect you from your hotel lobby at 10 am and transfer you to Zipline Siem Reap. Here you will experience a once in a lifetime opportunity to go ziplining and spend time in the ancient jungles of Cambodia. Please be aware that the program is not suitable for children below 100cm in height.
Check with us the pricing if you wish to go for this option
Alternatively, if you select the second option, then your day will also start with breakfast at the hotel. Next you will be taken to Phnom Kulen Mountain, which is considered by Khmers to be the most sacred mountain in Cambodia and is a popular place of pilgrimage during weekends and festival. There is a small wat at the summit of the mountain, which houses a large Buddha carved into the sandstone boulder upon which it is built.
In the afternoon, you will head out to the Chong Kneas floating village. Here you will take a boat and cruise through the floating settlement to see a floating school, farms, houses and many more curiosities. This will give you a fascinating glimpse into Cambodia’s lakeside culture and traditional family lifestyle. On the way back to Siem Reap’s town, you will stop at the Old Market, which sells a greatest selection of souvenirs and curios. Be sure to explore the area around the Old Market, which is burgeoning with shops, galleries, restaurants, and bars.
Check with us the pricing if you wish to go for this option
Day 5 - Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: (B)
Start the day with a delicious breakfast at your hotel, before you check out and are transferred to Phnom Penh by private car. Once you arrive, you will check in at your hotel at around 2pm. You will have time to freshen up before embarking on a city tour to see the famous Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. Learn how it was built in 1866 under the French protectorate and King Norodom. Then you will head to Wat Phnom Temple, to see the birth place of Phnom Penh. Finally, you will return to your hotel and spend the evening at leisure.
Day 6 - Phnom Penh to Chau Doc: (B,D)
Be sure to dress comfortably today as you set off on a full day of sightseeing. This morning you will visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. The site was a former high school, which was used as the Security Prison 21 by the communist Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 and its fall in 1979. Next, you will spend the rest of the day shopping at the Central Market and enjoy the bustling atmosphere of daily life.
After an early lunch on your own, you will board a speed boat for a five- hour cruise to Chau Doc, which is at the Vietnam border. Simply sit back and relax as you enjoy the sights. Finally, you will check in at your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7 - Chau Doc, Sadec to Can Tho: (B)
Culture vultures will be in for a treat today, as you drive to Sa Dec, and explore this charming little town, which boasts canals, narrow streets and flower fields. Here you will also visit an authentic market near the river and some old mansions and merchant homes from the colonial period. You can also visit the primary school of famous writer Marguerite Duras, who wrote “The Lover” which was later set on screen. Then you will be transferred to Can Tho, where you will check-in at your hotel and rest.
Day 8 - Can Tho, Cai Thia & Ho Chi Minh City: (B,L)
Today, you will start the day with a short boat ride to the floating Cai Rang Market to see unique fruits being sold. Next, you will journey to Cai Thia to visit Mrs Năm’s family and see how she has been making rice paper for more than 60 years. You will have the option to go on a one-hour biking trip to explore the famous village of Hoa Loc mango. You will be charmed as you see traditional houses made of wood or palm leaves in Mekong Delta. Next, you will enjoy local cakes and hot tea before heading back on the boat. You will be able to enjoy lunch as the boat heads towards An Binh Island. Then, you will enjoy some peaceful time in a small rowboat on a narrow canal. You will have a chance to make an optional stop at Út Trinh garden to see orchids and enjoy local music. Finally, you will finish the boat trip in Vinh Long and return to Ho Chi Minh for an overnight stay at your hotel.
Day 9 - Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City tour: (B)
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes today, to prepare for a busy day of sightseeing. Today, you will leave your hotel at 8am and travel to the Cu Chi tunnels. Here you will watch a short introductory video on the construction of the tunnels. Then you will send an hour exploring the maze of tunnels, accompanied by the guide. You will also be able to see the mantraps and the remains of an American tank as well as numerous bomb craters made by 500-pound bombs from B52 bombers.
You will return to Ho Chi Minh City, at around 2pm, and spend the afternoon visiting some of the city's major attractions including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the War Remnants Museum.
Day 10 - Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang & Hoi An: (B)
Today, you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Da Nang. Once you arrive, you will be welcomed by a friendly guide, who will then transfer to hotel in Hoi An. Once you have checked-in, you will have the rest of the day free to spend at leisure.
Day 11 - Hoi An, Bana Hill, Golden Bridge & Hoi An: (B)
Get ready for a day packed with adventure when you set off on a sightseeing tour today. After breakfast, you will head to Bana Hill- King Mountain, where the weather is always cool. Here you can admire the most modern cable car system in Southeast Asia, when you visit the Dream Stream Cable Car Station. Next, you will visit a French wine cellar before exploring the Golden Bridge. This winds its way around a 150-meter course, which is lined with flowers. You will also visit the famous Linh Ung pagoda and see the panorama of Danang City, before returning to Hoi An.
Day 12 - Tra Que cooking class: (B,L)
Today you will enhance your culinary skills so that you can recreate some of the amazing flavours and meals that you have encountered on this holiday. This morning, a guide will pick you up from your hotel before you cycle together to the Tiger Temple Market. Here you will buy some spices and vegetables for your cooking class. Then, you will cycle through rice field to reach Tra Que village, where you will meet your chef. Next, you will be taught how to cook Banh Xeo, which is a Vietnamese pancake, as well as Vietnamese spring rolls, and Tam Huu salad. For lunch, you will feast on the food you made before being transferred back to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will embark on a walking tour to see the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, a Chinese communal hall, the colourful market and a beach.
You will close your day by taking a boat trip on the Thu Bon River, to visit a ceramic village, before enjoying an overnight stay in Hoi An.
Day 13 - Hoi An, Da Nang half day city tour & Hanoi: (B)
This morning, you will check-out of your hotel and travel to Da Nang. Along the way, will visit Marble Mountain (Ngu Hanh Son), to discover the stunning natural caves of the mountain and enjoy the beautiful view from the top of the Marble Mountain.
Next, you will be transferred to The Cham Museum. This houses the largest exhibition of Cham sculptures in the world. The museum also displays almost 300 terracotta and stone works of art ranging from the 7th to the 15th centuries. Then you will be transferred to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Hanoi. Once you arrive in Hanoi, you will be picked up by your tour guide who will transfer you to your hotel for check in.
Day 14 - Hanoi full day city tour: (B)
Peel back the fascinating layers of this vibrant city, when you set off on a sightseeing tour today. After breakfast at hotel, you will head out to Ba Dinh Square, which is the political heart of modern Vietnam, and is where President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2nd 1945. Next, you will visit the nearby One Pillar Pagoda, which was first built in 1049 by Emperor Ly Thai Tong to mark the birth of his heir, after a dream in which a goddess gave him a son floating on a lotus. Then you will visit The Temple of Literature, which is dedicated to Confucius and was built in the 11th century. It was the first university in Vietnam and students still come here to burn incense. Here you will find a peaceful atmosphere tinged with incense smoke, and sunken lotus ponds populated by fish and turtles. Next, you will visit The Ethnology Museum, which gives an excellent overview of the country's ethnic groups, their customs and ways of life. The highlight here is the large, beautiful outdoor area featuring genuine houses and compounds as built and used by the many different ethnic groups. Finally, you will be able to enjoy a spot of shopping at the Old Quarter and the Dong Xuan Market.
Day 15 - Hanoi & Halong Bay: (B,L,D)
This morning will be etched in your mind as the day you finally visit Halong Bay, which is regarded as the ‘Jewel in the Crown of Vietnam’. Halong Bay is so beautiful that it has been compared with the landscape of Guilin in China and the limestone islets of Krabi in southern Thailand. Here you will board your luxury boat for an overnight cruise amongst the 3,000 limestone islands rising majestically out of the turquoise bay. You will pass grand rock formations and quaint fishing towns, and sample a delicious lunch of freshly caught fish and seafood. You will end the day with a spectacular gastronomic dinner, before enjoying an overnight stay on board the ship. What better way to fall asleep than to the sound of the waves.
Day 16 - Ha Long & Hanoi: (B/BL)
This morning you will enjoy a relaxed start to the day, with a calming session of Tai Chi. This will be accompanied by an amazing sunrise and the beauty of the bay’s landscape. Your cruise will pass beautiful spots such as Trong, Trinh Nu and the Me Cung Caves, and you will even have a chance to explore Surprise Cave before having buffet brunch on board. Back at the dock, you will be transferred to Hanoi to spend the rest of the day at leisure at your hotel in Hanoi.
Day 17 - Departure: (B)
Today your holiday will sadly come to an end. After a delicious breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport to travel back to the UK. As you board the flight, your mind will be buzzing with the adventures you’ve enjoyed. If you would like to travel in a premium cabin or extend your stay, then please speak with our travel specialists who will be happy to assist you.
