Exploring Indochina: Vietnam and Cambodia

Begin your journey by transferring to the airport and catching an overnight flight to Hanoi, Vietnam.
(Flight Included | Airport Transfer | N)

Upon your arrival, check-in at The Ann Hotel Hanoi (or similar) for a 2-night stay. Freshen up and start experiencing Vietnamese culture and its rich tastes by enjoying a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
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Load up on breakfast this morning because a busy day of site-seeing around the capital city of Vietnam awaits you. The first stop is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a monumental marble construction honouring the national hero, President Ho Chi Minh. Next, a visit to the One Pillar Pagoda, a historic unique Buddhist temple with a royal background story. The Pagoda is followed by a visit to the Temple of Literature and then the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which showcases a captivating display of artefacts, costumes and interactive exhibits representing Vietnam’s diverse ethnic groups.

After that, a natural scenic stop is due at Hoan Kiem Lake. Experience the harmony between nature and architecture in this peaceful site. While enjoying the relaxing atmosphere by the serene lake, you have the opportunity to discover the tale of an emperor and a mystical sword, which gave the location its title of “Lake of the Restored Sword”. Continue with the relaxing atmosphere and experience the spiritual life of Vietnamese people at another serene location, the Ngoc Son Temple, located on an island in Hoan Kiem Lake.

Experience a delicious traditional Vietnamese lunch at the KOTO restaurant. KOTO, which stands for ‘Know One, Teach One’, is a sustainable centre and restaurant that provides underprivileged Vietnamese youth with the training and skills required to find a stable job.

In the evening, you can watch a one-of-a-kind entertainment show, the water puppet show (payable locally). The brightly coloured puppet show depicts Vietnamese folktales along with recreating the traditional daily life in Vietnam’s villages including fishing, boat rowing and rice planting.

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Today, board the Indochina luxury cruise for an overnight stay. Enjoy the cruise as it sails through the turquoise water of the Lan Ha. Drift tranquilly and explore the picturesque panorama while relaxing on the deck or from the comfort of your cabin.
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Start your morning with a cruise around the hundreds of towering sea rocks and karst limestone islands throughout Lan Ha Bay. Then, take a drive to Hanoi airport to catch an evening flight to Danang. Transfer to Hoi An, and check-in at the beachfront Boutique Hoi An Resort for a 3-night stay.
(B)

In the morning, go on a walking tour to explore the city of Hoi An. Even though the city has some gorgeous beaches, it is famed for its ancient town and markets. From the art galleries and souvenir stores to the numerous tailors and the mouth-watering food shops, Hoi An is a shopper’s paradise.

Experience dining at the culinary social enterprise, Streets International Restaurant. They aim to respond to the growing demand of the Vietnamese hospitality sector by implementing sustainable training programs for street children.

Spend the afternoon at leisure. Relax at the resort and unwind in the pool surrounded by lush tropical gardens, or if you are feeling adventurous, join an excursion to the mystical ruined temples of My Son (optional, payable locally).

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Spend the day doing the activity of your choice. Enjoy all that the resort has to offer from the refreshing pool to a soothing massage at the hotel’s spa. Alternatively, you can explore the graceful and historic streets of this delightful ancient town. Additionally, you can challenge the master chef within you and explore the secrets of Vietnamese cuisine by joining an optional class at the Red Bridge cooking school (payable locally).
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Begin the day with a breathtaking drive over the Hai Van Pass on your way to Hue. Make a stop at the Cham Museum which showcases around 400 artefacts sculpted by artists of the Champa Kingdom.

In the afternoon, visit the Tombs of Nguyen emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Khai Dinh’s unique architectural monument combines Eastern and Western elements resulting in a highly sophisticated structure. Tu Duc’s royal tomb on the other hand is surrounded by trees, water and birds making it a beautifully poetic mausoleum.

Enjoy a royal dining experience (either lunch or dinner) at a Nguyen dynasty restored royal home. Check-in at the Pilgrimage Village for a one-night stay.

(B, L, D)

Explore the traditional and popular transportation in Hue city and ride a cyclo tour to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Imperial Citadel of Hue followed by the Purple Forbidden City. Next, take a boat ride and peacefully cruise the Perfume River on your way to Thien Mu pagoda, one of the most iconic landmarks of Hue.

Transfer to the airport and catch a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Check-in at the Grand Hotel for a 3-night stay.

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Begin the day with an invigorating drive through the Ho Chi Minh countryside to the Cu Chi tunnels. Explore the underground complex spider-web-like tunnels once dug during wartime.

In the afternoon, take a city tour and visit the historical Reunification Palace followed by the Notre Dame Cathedral, a majestic cathedral constructed by the French in the 19th century. Wrap up the city tour with a visit to the War Remnants Museum, a remarkable and deeply moving museum giving detailed insights into the war and its long-lasting consequences.

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In the morning, take an early drive to Cai Be to witness the bustling water-bound market life. Explore this river-land mixed charming town of Cai Be located in the Mekong Delta region either by boat or on foot. The Mekong Delta is referred to as “the rice bowl of Vietnam” since it is one of the highest fresh produce-yielding regions in the country.
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Head to Ho Chi Minh airport and take a flight to the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. Check-in at the La Rose Boutique Hotel & Spa for a 2-night stay.
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In the morning, visit the splendid Royal Palace of Cambodia, the official royal residence of the King of Cambodia. Then, visit the Silver Pagoda, where various national and royal ceremonies take place, followed by the National Museum of Cambodia, hosting the world’s finest collection of Khmer artefacts and sculptures.

The afternoon takes you back to a darker time in the history of Cambodians during the Khmer Rouge regime, with visits to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields.

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Head to the airport and fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Check-in at the Tara Angkor Hotel for a 2-night stay. In the afternoon, take a journey back in time through a visit to the Angkor National Museum displaying artefacts from the Khmer civilization.
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Spend the full day exploring the largest religious structure in the world, the mystical and magnificent Angkor temples. Explore the magnificent architecture of Angkor Wat, where the walls are lined with bas-relief galleries depicting tales of Cambodian legends and history.

Enjoy lunch back at Siem Reap. In the afternoon, visit the two Royal Terraces; the striking Terrace of Elephants, an ornamental wall decorated with carved elephants and stretching over a length of 350 meters, and the Terrace of the Leper King, with carvings of dragons, demons and other mythical beings. The final visit of the day is to the richly decorated Bayon temple with its serene smiling stone faces of Brahma covering the towers.

Within the Angkor Archaeological Park, enjoy a scrumptious farewell dinner at the charming Khmer wooden house at Srah Srang.

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Start your day with an excursion to the 10th-century Cambodian temple, the Banteay Srei temple, which is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The intricate decoration carved in the pinkish sandstone covering the walls like a tapestry, along with the remote location of the temple gives it a beautiful mystical vibe. Your final visit for this journey is to the small yet mysterious island temple of Neak Pean, which translates to “The entwined snakes”.

Transfer to the airport and catch a flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

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From Ho Chi Minh airport, take a flight to London, carrying with you memories of this exciting journey across the mystical and charming countries of Indochina.
(Flight Included | Airport Transfer | N)