Tour Program
Day 1: Arrive Ho Chi Minh City
On arrival at Ho Chi Minh’s Tan Son Nhat International airport, you will be greeted by our guide and transferred to your hotel in downtown. Free at the rest of the day. Meals are on your own. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnel (B,L)
AM: Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) city tour
We start the trip by visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office, followed by exploring the Reunification Palace, and the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum. Lunch in a local restaurant.
PM: Cu Chi Tunnels
Located 60km from Ho Chi Minh city, Cu Chi is now a popular spot for both Vietnamese & foreign tourists – the network of over 200km of tunnels became legendary when they played a vital role in the War. In their heyday, the tunnels were functioning underground cities including numerous trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers & kitchens.
Today, ducks and water buffalos happily co-exist in the rivers along the side of the road. However, the peaceful rural rice paddy scenery belies the area’s violent history. Visitors will find it hard to imagine the destruction, damage & defoliation over this whole area, caused by bombing and mines. There is plenty of evidence of the fierce battle that took place here during the 1960s when Cu Chi was a “Free Target Zone”.
Start our tour in the morning, before entering the tunnels visitors can watch a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed. You will spend the next hour exploring the tunnels. Afterwards, enjoy tea, cassava (guerrilla’s food during the war). Return to Sai Gon. Drop off at your hotel. Dinner is on your own. Overnight in Saigon
Day 3: Saigon – My Tho – Ben Tre – Can Tho (B,L)
Leave Saigon for the transfer to My Tho, enjoy the scenic journey along the National Highway bordered by green rice fields. On arrival at My Tho, visit Vinh Trang pagoda, take a leisurely boat ride along the river, view stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages along the river bank. Proceed to Tortoise islet, have lunch in the orchard garden. Then a boat ride to An Khanh – a less touristy attraction in Ben Tre, enjoy cruising on a hand-rowed sampan under the shade of water coconut trees along natural canals, then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of “Southern Vietnamese folk music”, performed by the locals. Visit a family business which epitomizes the idyllic rural lifestyle, taste delicious coconut candy & observe the pastoral life as you roam through the fruit plantations and villages. Proceed to Can Tho. Free time to visit the bustling Can Tho market. Dinner is on your own. Overnight in CanTho.
Day 4: Can Tho – Chau Doc – Tra Su Sanctuary (B)
Take a leisurely boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong river (Bassac River), then proceed to Cai Rang floating markets which is the liveliest in the whole religion.
Have you ever tasted Vietnamese vermicelli soup? Well, now go and see how it is made. Then wander around the village and meet the friendly local people and experience how to pass a “Monkey bridge” which is built by only one stem of bamboo. Visit the orchard garden. Stop for lunch. Proceed to Chau Doc, continue the tour to visit Tra Su, getting to the wild birds Sanctuary, cruising smoothly with small boats to discover the arrays of splendid canals deep into the forest, watching storks, cranes and other tropical birds. On the way back stop by to visit Sam Mountain, the Cave pagoda (if time permitted). Back to the Town, hotel check in. Dinner is on your own. Overnight in Chau Doc.
Day 5: Chau Doc – Express boat trip to Phnom Penh (B)
After breakfast, transfer to the boat station for your express boat trip to Phnompenh. On arrival to Phnompenh, pick up at the boat station for transfer to your hotel. Free at the rest of the day. Meals are on your own. Overnight in Phnompenh
Day 6: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap (B)
After breakfast, Discover the Phnom Penh City, capital of Cambodia located at the conjunction of four branches of Mekong River “Chaktomuk”, historical capital more than 600 years after Angkor. Visit Wat Phnom, a ancient pagoda stand up on the hill, built by a wealthy Khmer woman named Penh 1372 to house the sacred relics, National Museum built in 1917-18 is exclusively dedicated to Khmer arts. There are many artifacts from the Pre-Angkor as well as Angkor Period on display. They are made of sandstone, bronze, silver, copper, wood, ceramic and other materials. Continue to the Royal Palace built in 1866 and Silver Pagoda located within the Royal Palace compound, the majority of treasures on display have been supplied by the King of Cambodia such as gift from various other countries. Among the treasures are a solid gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds and weighing 90 kilos and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha. Lunch is on your own.
In the afternoon we will have you transferred to Phnom Penh to take your flight to Siem Reap. Upon your arrival, our correspondent will be waiting to take you to the hotel. Free at the rest of the day. Dinner is on your own. Overnight in Siemreap.
Day 7: Angkor Thom & Angkor Wat Temples (B)
Morning visit Angkor Thom (the Great City) including the Sough Gate, famous Bayon temple (12th century in the center of city remains one the most enigmatic temples of the Angkor group, composed of 54 gothic towers decorated with 216 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara; Baphuon temple lying just to the north of Bayon, a pyramidal representation of mythical Mont Meru; Terrasse of Elephants used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the king’s grand audience hall ; Terrace of the Leper King, a plateform 7m high, on the top stands a nude, though sexless statue; Phimean Akas temple means “Celestial Palace”, dedicated to Hinduism. Lunch at local restaurant.
In the afternoon, discovery the wonderful Angkor Wat temple, a part of world heritage, built in the first half of the 12th century dedicated to Vishnu, the largest and undoubtedly the most breathtaking monuments of Angkor group and also the best preserved is an architectural masterpiece; Phnom Bakheng (mountain temple) a natural stone mountain, then watching the sunset view on Angkor Wat and on the other sites. Return to your hotel in Siemreap. Dinner is on your own. Overnight in Siemreap.
Day 8: Banteay Srey and Roluos Temples (B)
In the morning, after your breakfast, drive to Banteay Srey near the hill of Phnom Dei. Located about 16 miles (25 kilometers) from the main Angkor complex, Banteay Srey once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom, and is considered a jewel of Khmer art. Admire the carvings in the temple’s red sandstone walls, and see ornate pediments that depict Khmer myths and legends.
En route, you will pass local villages where, time permitting, you can stop to learn about everyday life and how sugar is produced from the sugar palms.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, and then continue your tour at the early Angkor temples of the Roluos group. Go to Preah Ko, the first temple built in the ancient city of Hariharalaya. Preah Ko (Sacred Bull) derives its name from the 3 sandstone statues facing the temple’s central towers, representing Nandi, the white bull that served as the mount of Shiva.
Continue to the temple mountain of Bakong, which served as the official state temple of King Indravarman I in Hariharalaya, and see fragments of the original bas reliefs. The last temple on your Roluos tour is Lolei, the last of the 3 temples of Hariharalaya, best known for its beautiful carved lintels and false doors. Return to Siemreap, dinner is on your own. Overnight in Siemreap
Day 9: Tonle Sap Lake – Siem Reap departure (B)
After breakfast, you will be picked up at your hotel and drive to the fishing village of Chhong Kneas and board a private boat. Visit the floating village and discover the centuries-old lifestyle of the inhabitants of the lake. Cruise on the Tonle Sap Lake to enjoy the natural splendor of the area. Return to the port and drive back to Siem Reap. Free until time for transfer to the airport for your flight back home. Trip ends.
