Full day tour of Hanoi: Morning, you'll head out with your guide and begins with a visit Ba Dinh Square to see Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the museum to his life and the simple cottage where he lived and worked, along with his "house on stilts" and his final resting place; and take in Hanoi's famous One-Pillar Pagoda, constructed in 1049 to resemble a lotus blossom. Continue to the Museum of Ethnology, where we'll learn about the fascinating cultural diversity of this ancient land.

This afternoon, drive through Colonial Hanoi, seeing the Opera House and other local sights.

Go inside infamous Hoa Lo Prison (“Hanoi Hilton”), where Senator John McCain and Douglas “Pete” Wilson were once imprisoned, and continue to the Temple of Literature, which dates back to 1070 and is dedicated to the cult of Confucius. Take a cyclo ride through the Hanoi’s Old Quarter, a network of narrow alleys and shop houses also known as “The 36 Streets.” This is a wonderful place to watch the local life, and peruse items from fabrics to crafts to exotic medicines. Enjoy a traditional Vietnamese water puppet performance, a uniquely North Vietnamese art form celebrating rural life and folklore for over 1,000 years, this evening.

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Transferring from your hotel at 7.00am to Mekong Delta, you will reach Cai Be at 9.30 AM. You first stop-over - Cao Dai Temple in Cai Be which is symbolizing for the local unique religion and then the Cai Be Cathedral.

After that, you will embark on the boat to visit the inland and floating markets of Cai Be to observe the daily life of local people as well as to know how the two markets different from each other.

 

You will buy fresh tropical fruits right at locals’ own boats and have chance to talk to them for exploring more their own culture value along with their daily life.

Leaving the market, you will continue with a hand-rowing boat tour to discover the exciting Mekong river life. The small boat will travel through the tiny canals and lead you to our mysterious spots here.

Back to the main tourist boat and transfer to a hosted family (located on Tan Phong Island). Take a short rest, have a drink and taste the local fresh fruits.

Next, we will cycle/motorbike around Tan Phong Island to visit Tan Phong Island. If it is on schooldays, you will also have a chance to make friends with local cute and gentle pupils in a village school. Stop at a local farmer’s house to savour a cup of tea and local specialties of banana candies. You can try plucking the fruits at the host’s garden and talk to him to understand how local farmers take care for their gardens.

Saying goodbye to the hospitable host, we keep on biking to the bang conical hat (nón bàng) workshop if they open. You will cycle back to the family for lunch with local food and break before embarking on boat to leave Tan Phong Island for the pier to come back Ho Chi Minh City at 17:30. Finish this day.

Overnight in HCMC

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Full day tour of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom & The Bayon: These temples were built from the 9th to 12th centuries by a Khmer empire that controlled not only Cambodia but large parts of what are now Laos, Thailand and Vietnam as well. With their grandeur of scale and extraordinary delicacy in detail, the temples rank among humankind's most supreme artistic expressions. Spend the early morning visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, visit Bayon temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), Baphuon (recently re-opened after years of restoration), the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King.

In the late afternoon and sunset hours, explore 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. Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks – the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond. Sunset at Angkor Wat.

After dusk, you'll be returned to your hotel with the evening free to relax or explore independently.

Optional excursion: Please contact us if you're interested.

Enjoy an Elephant Ride : Enjoy a 20-minute ride on these majestic and good-natured animals from South Gate of Angkor Thom to Bayon or around Bayon Temple.

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Dawn at Ta Prohm & tour of Preah Khan: Rise early to travel to Ta Phrom. Built in 1186, Ta Phrom was dedicated to the mother of Jayavarman VII. Its atmospheric dark gray sandstone towers and courtyards exude an aura of reverence and mystery. Unlike most of the other inner temples of Angkor, Ta Phrom has been left to the elements and looks very much as it must have when "discovered" by Henri Mouhot in the 1860s. Navigating through its narrow passages, immense kapok trees and jungle-covered ruins is an unparalleled experience and one of the highlights of Angkor.

Next, you’ll visit Preah Khan with its labyrinth of grey, decaying stone courtyards that are slowly being reclaimed by the jungle. Large kapok trees extend limbs and roots throughout the carved stonework, while raucous red-breasted parakeets screech and monkeys keep watch over the surreal setting.

Return back to your resort and relax.

Afternoon tour of Banteay Srei: Later this afternoon, journey north to visit Banteay Srei. This petite pink temple is the jewel in the crown of Angkor-era sculpture. The elaborate carvings here are the finest found in Cambodia and the name translates as ‘Fortress of the Women', thanks to the intricate detail here, considered too fine for the hands of a man. Originally believed to date from the latter part of the Angkor period, inscriptions at the site suggest it was built by a Brahman in 967. However, some architectural historians have suggested that the inscriptions may date from an earlier structure on this site and the temple is in fact later, marking a high-water mark in Khmer sculpture. Stop at a local village to visit families who are producing palm sugar.

This evening, walk up Phnom Bakheng for a sunset view of Angkor Wat and the surrounding areas. This view provides a wonderful overview of the entire area.

*Please note: The tour program is flexible. Your guide will be more than happy to adjust the tour itinerary to suit you. You can skip one site or add another if you so wish.

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Today is your final day. You are free to chill out and relax. Depending on your departure flight, your private driver will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to the airport in time for your flight to the next destination. They will ensure you are the correct gate. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey.

Suggestion: If your departure flight is in the afternoon or evening,  you can think about taking a morning tour to Lake Tonle Sap:

"This is an excursion to the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap and then take a traditional wooden boat for a ride on the Tonle Sap Lake, the "Great Lake"of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia" 

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