INDOCHINA DISCOVERY

Welcome to Hanoi – Vietnam!
Upon arrival flight, the tour guide & driver will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport; it takes us 35 minutes driving to the centre of Hanoi then check-in at hotel. 
Afternoon, have an overall view of the capital by a “cyclo” visit, which will start around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, stop at Ngoc Son Temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Sword” Lake). 
Overnight in Hanoi.
Please note: Standard check in time is 14:00. Early check in is subject to availability of the hotel
Night activities suggestion: enjoy local beer at Ta Hien Streets, experience the ambience of sleepless street with life music, the young people of Hanoi and also foreign tourists. Hundred of bars and pubs in the Old Quarter are also at your disposal. Or just simple spend your time at shopping malls or various boutique Shops.
 

Today, we will start our city tour with Ho Chi Minh Complex included Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his house-on-stilts & One Pillar Pagoda. Later, we will discover Hoa Lo Prison Museum, also known as the "Hanoi Hilton", was a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners and later by North Vietnam for prisoners of war during the Vietnam War.
Afternoon, we will visit Ethology Museum to discover about 54 ethinic groups in Vietnam. Next, head onward to the Temple of Literature, an ancient collection of courtyards, gardens and architecture built in homage to the Chinese scholar Confucius. Last day, we will enjoy a unique fascinating show of Water Puppetry, a traditional stage art of Northern Vietnam
Overnight in Hanoi. 

From Hanoi, at 8AM, head East for more than 3 hours to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994. The road will pass by the Red River delta with green paddyfields and rural villages, where hard-work farmers are busy with their farming jobs, ploughing buffaloes or planting seedling. Upon arrival in Halong, we’ll take a big boat to cruise the Bay to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch of fresh seafood on board, we can visit the Surprising Grotto, stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating villages and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the boat for dinner late afternoon. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the boat near Titov Beach. 
Please note the program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose. Only Vietnamese & International food available on the boat.

You should wake up early to enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning. The Vietnamese call the "East Sea" by a point-oriented name "Eastern Sea", so you may guess how miraculous seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. After breakfast our boat will continue to cruise in marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent like Sail Island, Fisherman’s head rock, Butterfly rock or Turtle islet etc. Take our car back to Hanoi. Drop off at your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi
 

Breakfast at hotel. Time at leisure until check out time and transfer to International Airport for a short flight to Danang. 
Welcome at the airport then transfer along the coast to reach Hoi An Ancient Town. Check in hotel. Rest of the day is your free time. Overnight in Hoian.

After breakfast at hotel, you take interesting walk over the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls, enjoy the attractiveness of ancient houses or listen to folk music of Central Vietnam at old club-houses. Later we can stop at shrines or stroll into the market located by Thu Bon river, where you may find the same feelings of the artists, who see the rooftops of Hoian a magical old world of Oriental feel and source of inspiration. This is also a wonderful town to shop for lanterns, soft silk, raw silk, or get your clothes tailored within a day. Rest of day will be free on your own to discover the town or cycling along Thu Bon to Cua Dai Beach. Overnight in Hoian.
 

After breakfast and check-out hotel, we will depart from Hoian to Hue by the Hai Van Pass (the “Ocean Cloudy Mountain Pass”) and enjoy the beauty of Lang Co Beach before reaching Hue. Being recognized by UNESCO as the 1st Cultural World Heritage for Vietnam, Hue is highlighted by the old royal architectural works and the most traditional Vietnamese lifestyle. We will discover the charm of the city from the Royal Citadel, Forbidden City, Hue Royal Museum. Go on to Thien Mu pagoda and visit the Tombs of King Tu Duc – the best-reserved monuments of the Nguyen Emperors since early 19th and early 20th centuries. Overnight in Hue.
 

Relax till transfer to Hue Airport to take the midday flight to Saigon. You will be welcomed at the Tan Son Nhat airport and transfer to the hotel to check-in. Afternoon, we start the city tour at the Reunification Palace, the witness of the fierce Vietnam War ended in 1975. The grand building today is a Museum and Hall of official receptions. Nearby the Palace are the colonial-styled Central Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883 and one of the city’s major landmarks.  Have a walking tour on Nguyen Hue street to take the photos of the Opera House and the Ho Chi Minh Committee (outside). From here, walking to Ben Thanh Market one of the most typical symbol of Saigon to experience the daily life of the locals and do shopping the hand-made goods there. Dinner at your own arrangement. Overnight in Saigon.
 

Morning visit Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few remaining monuments to the Vietnam War. Beneath the ground lie 200 km of tunnels, dug by hand and inhabited by the forces of the Vietnamese guerillas during the conflict. At its peak, prior to the Tet Offensive in 1968, the tunnel complex was base to almost 10,000 troops. To this day, it remains one of the most impressive examples of how fierce the war used to be.  You even can try to crawl some dozens of m on the tunnel underground to have the real experience. 
After the visit, we transfer to the border and cross the border to Cambodia. Pickup by our local guide and driver and transfer to Phnom Penh. On arrival, check in the hotel and relax for the rest of the day. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
 

After breakfast, we visit the impressive colorful Khmer-style royal palace complex build in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom. Nearby is Silver pagoda (the emerald Buddha temple), where contain plenty of Buddha Statues decorated and made by gold, diamond, gemstone and silver. We stop at Independence monument and explore the National museum; a beautiful Khmer architecture building contains more than 5000 art antiques made by bronze, wood, gold, silver, copper, sandstone and others. We pass through the river-front park where 4 rivers met at a junction include mystical Mekong. Walk up to sacred hill Phnom Daun Penh – also the name of a pagoda and name of the capital nowadays. Last visit Central Market, a large market constructed in 1937 in the shape of a dome with four arms branching out into vast hallways with countless stalls of goods. Initial design and layouts are from French architect Louis Chauchon.
This afternoon, we visit Choeung Ek museum, where between 1975 and 1978 about 17,000 men, women, children and infants detained and tortured at S-21 were transported for the extermination. We continue to Tuol Sleng prison now is Genocide Museum, the most secret part of the Khmer Rouge regime. It’s also called S-21 (abbreviated for Security Office 21), a Khmer Rouge's premier security camp, specifically designed for the interrogation and extermination of anti-Angkor elements. Leave the relics of the bad history of Cambodia we will visit Russian market, enjoy the bustling daily activities of the locals. 
Later this afternoon, we take a cruise to see the sunset on the Mekong and Tonle Sap River in the “Four Arms” section where the Mekong meets the Tonle Sap River before

After breakfast and check out hotel, we transfer to Siem Reap with stop on the way at Skuon town to see (or even try) sautéed spiders, a local unique food. Lunch at Prek Pros restaurant (on your own account) before we depart to visit Sambor Prei Kuk. Cambodia's most impressive group of pre-Angkorian monuments, Sambor Prei Kuk encompasses more than 100 mainly brick temples huddled in the forest, among them some of the oldest structures in the country. Originally called Isanapura, it served as the capital of Upper Chenla during the reign of the early 7th-century King Isanavarman and continued to serve as an important learning centre during the Angkorian era. Continue our drive to Phnom Penh through villages and rice fields dotted with palm sugar and Khmer houses. Our last stop on the way is at Kampong Kdei to visit a beautiful ancient archaeological bridge of Angkor period “Naga Bridge”. On arrival in Siem Reap, check in hotel and relax. Overnight in Siem Reap.
 

After breakfast, we explore South Gate of Angkor Thom known as Big Angkor, 3km2 walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire, The famous Bayon Temple was an architectural muddle, in part because it was constructed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion for over a century. Terrace of the Elephants is an impressive, two and a half meter tall, 300 meter long terrace wall adorned with carved elephants and gradual that spans the heart of Angkor Thom in front of Baphuon - huge temple mountain in the heart of Angkor Thom, Royal Palace Area and Phimeanakas - impressive rite and sandstone pyramid. Terrace of the Leper King is at the north end of the Terrace of the Elephants, a double terrace wall with deeply carved nag as, demons and other mythological beings. Last visit Ta Prohm temple which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty! Giant trees have grown here for centuries! Lunch at local restaurant. This afternoon we visit Angkor Wat temple, the Cambodia's ancient temple is one of the wonders of the oriental world. Masterpieces of decorative details as well as of architectural style, its awe-inspiring ruins survive as testament to the spectacular achievements of Southeast Asia's greatest civilization. It is a replica of the universe according to the Hindu mythology. It is composed by the Mount Meru, surrounded by the continents and the oceans. Its extraordinary bas-reliefs, describe some Khmer epics and myths. Angkor Wat's five famous towers rise into the sky, a geometrical arrangement of numerous galleries, adorned with beliefs and the stone images of celestial Apsara dancers, as well as portals, chambers and courtyards.
This evening, we enjoy buffet dinner at a local restaurant with Apsara dance show – a taste of classical Khmer culture. Overnight in Seam Reap.

After breakfast, we visit Wat Thmei (Killing Field) contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. Continue to visit the "Les Artisans d'Angkor – Chantiers Ecole" the Finest Authentic Khmer Arts and Crafts. Lunch at local restaurant. This afternoon we visit Floating Villages, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia and the largest in Asia. Here we will see plenty of examples of the Khmer way of life on the Tonle Sap. Then visit Wat Bo, a highly respected pagoda founded in the 18th century, contains very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana) that are said to be from late 19th century. We continue to one of the city’s lively open markets, Psar Chars, also called the “Old Market”, where anything and everything is for sale. Overnight in Seam Reap.
 

After breakfast, at leisure until check out hotel (standard check out time 12h00) and transfer to the airport for our onward flight. On the way if time permits, we visit Puok, the real and original place of the Artisans d’Angkor silk, where we see the full process of silk producing, from the silk worms munch on the Mulberry leaves to spin their cocoons which used to make silk warp. We of course will see the weaving work and purchase the high quality silk products as a beautiful Cambodia souvenir. Continue to Siem Reap Airport for our departure flight.