Vietnam tour and extension to Cambodia in 15 days and 14 nights.

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Hanoi – Arrival

  Arrival at Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi), you are welcomed by our French-speaking guide and our driver. They will accompany you by private car to the center of Hanoi. The first scenes of chaotic traffic unfold before your eyes... You are definitely in Vietnam! Then, check-in at the hotel. After taking the time to settle in, we suggest a cyclo ride through the old colonial quarter and the old quarter of the 36 guilds: beautiful architecture, a jumble of vehicles, small shops, customs and habits. A very lively environment, so different from your country…

• day 2

  Hanoi – Discovery – Lao Cai

  After breakfast at the hotel, accompanied by your passionate guide and at your own pace, you tour the most beautiful monuments of the historic district: Ba Dinh Square, famous for the declaration of independence of Vietnam made by Ho Chi Minh in 1945; the Presidential Palace; the former Residence of the Governor General of Indochina and the Stilt House, the last residence of President Ho Chi Minh. You finish with the One Pillar Pagoda, a testament to the height of Vietnamese Buddhism in the 11th century. This afternoon, after a meal in a good local restaurant, you visit the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, which was the first university in Vietnam. It is also one of the oldest monuments in the capital. The visit of Hanoi continues towards Hoan Kiem Lake, the "Lake of the Returned Sword", in the heart of the city. You visit the Ngoc Son Temple, "the Temple of Jade Mountain", and in front of the courtyard of this temple, you have a beautiful view of this magical lake at dusk. At the end of the afternoon, you stroll through the lively Dong Xuan market. Dinner is at your leisure, then we take you to the central station of Hanoi. An unusual night awaits you aboard the ORIENT EXPRESS train to Lao Cai (luxury, air-conditioned and comfortable cabin).

• day 3

  Lao Cai – Bac Ha Ethnic Market – Sapa

  Lao Cai is a city that has a border post with Yunnan, in China. It is also a very favorable starting point for discovering charming small towns in Upper Tonkin, inhabited by ethnic groups wearing brightly colored clothes. Arrival in Lao Cai early in the morning, you have breakfast before departing for Bac Ha, where we will take part in a very exotic and rustic ethnic market! Clothes of all colors, pigs, buffaloes, horses, dogs, rice and corn alcohol, fruits... You can feel a bit of the atmosphere of a market from the past! It is also the meeting place for various minority ethnic groups who seem out of time: Red Dao, Black H’Mong, multicolored, Xapho, Bo La, Tay, Zays... After the market, lunch is free. In the afternoon, a beautiful hike in the village of the multicolored Hmong (Ban Pho village) allows you to admire magnificent landscapes of terraced rice fields and plum trees. Still by private car, you then leave for Sapa. Arriving at the end of the afternoon, you can take the time to rest at the hotel or still freely enjoy the place and discover, for example, the Church, an impressive monument of Sapa, or the market corners mainly occupied by women in very colorful clothes. The evening continues in a good restaurant in the city, and ends at the Sa Pa hotel.

• day 4

  Sapa – Cat Cat Village – Muong Hoa – Hanoi

  If the town of Sapa is pretty, it is also very small! It is above all the valleys and the surrounding villages that attract all your attention! After breakfast at the hotel, you follow a small path to descend into the Cat Cat valley where a H’Mong village is nestled. This place preserves its ancestral way of life and culture. At the bottom of the valley, you can also enjoy a stop to take photos in front of a beautiful waterfall. You can also attend a show of folk dances and songs performed by the girls and boys of the village. Lunch break in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you head towards another valley around Sapa: the Muong Hoa valley, stretching along the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, promises to offer unique scenes for your camera: terraced rice fields appearing like masterpieces sculpted into the earth, roofs of rudimentary houses on the tops of hills, paths winding from one village to another… It is in this valley that you will take a very pleasant and surprising hike, and meet members of many ethnic groups: H’Mong, Giay, Dao… At the end of the afternoon, you return to the city of Lao Cai where you will enjoy a brief visit to its Vietnamese-Chinese border post to take beautiful photos. Dinner on your own before taking the ORIENT EXPRESS train to Hanoi. Overnight on the sleeper train.

• day 5

  Hanoi – Ha Long Bay - Cruise

  Arrival in the early morning in Hanoi, you have a hotel room available until 07:45-08:00. After a shower and breakfast, you head towards Halong Bay, still in a private car, taking a charming road through the vast landscapes of the Red River delta, the rice granary of Northern Vietnam, cradle of Viet civilization. You will finally arrive in Ha Long around noon. You can now board your traditional oriental-style junk, equipped with all modern comforts so that you are at ease during your cruise to discover the 7th world wonder recognized by UNESCO. Lunch will be served while our junk cruises through breathtaking landscapes. While eating delicious seafood, enjoy the view: the thousands of islands and islets of various shapes promise a unique landscape! In the afternoon, our junk arrives at the most beautiful area protected by UNESCO where you visit the largest and most beautiful cave in the bay: the Surprise Cave. A white sand beach will be your next stop; an ideal place for walking, swimming, and relaxing. Dinner is served with excellent fresh seafood on the menu. You then spend a pleasant evening and night on board the junk.

• day 6

  Ha Long Bay – Cruise – Hanoi

  Nothing is more fascinating than getting up early in the morning to admire the first rays of the sun, which offer a picturesque painting on the clear waters, before enjoying breakfast. Then, your junk begins a new and beautiful day of cruising to sail among the thousands of karst rocks whose shapes are constantly changing. You will go to the calmest and most sublime corners and nooks, hidden in Ha Long Bay. Before your disembarkation, a final meal will be served to you on board. Now is the time to leave this place to return to Hanoi. Stops are planned along the way, including one in Dong Trieu province to discover a traditional pottery workshop. Arrival in Hanoi at the end of the afternoon. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel in the city center of the capital.

• day 7

  Hanoi - Hue / Discovery

  After your breakfast at the hotel, it is time to leave Northern Vietnam to take your domestic flight to Hue. Hue was the capital of Vietnam between 1802 and 1945, one of the most eventful periods in the country's history. The architectural and historical heritage, preserved intact in the city, deserves all your attention. Upon your arrival in Hue, you begin the discovery of the city's most majestic relic: the imperial city, the only example of a Vietnamese imperial city still existing today. Time has passed, but it retains all the beauty of an original Viet-Chinese architecture. This discovery promises to be extremely enriching. After your lunch in a local restaurant, the afternoon looks rather relaxing: you first visit the beautiful Pagoda of the Heavenly Lady, perched atop a hill overlooking the Perfume River. A lovely private boat ride on this romantic river is then planned. You sail to the imperial mausoleum of Tu Duc, then disembark to visit this sumptuous tomb, surrounded by frangipani and pine trees, built according to the plans established by the Emperor himself. Returning to the city at the end of the afternoon, you visit the Dong Ba market, where you will find products showcasing the skill of the women of Hue, such as the famous conical hats! Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel in the city of Hue.

• day 8

  Hue – Hai Van Pass – Da Nang – Hoi An

  After breakfast at the hotel, you leave Hue to go to Hoi An, crossing beautiful landscapes along the central coast of Vietnam. Several stops along the way, including one at the top of the Hai Van Pass, allow you to enjoy a beautiful view of Lang Co beach, one of the most beautiful peninsulas in Vietnam. The first stop is in the city of Da Nang, to visit the museum dedicated to Cham arts, renowned for their glorious past. Upon your arrival in the ancient city of Hoi An around noon, you first have lunch in a local restaurant, then stroll through small alleys lined with pretty old houses, witnesses of a flourishing period of foreign trade a few hundred years ago. With its architectural and historical values, Hoi An, known in the past as “Faifo”, has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. During this walk, you visit the most beautiful remains of Hoi An such as the Japanese Bridge, the Chinese temple, the Phung Hung house, as well as the handicraft district… In the late afternoon, a beautiful private boat ride on the Thu Bon River will allow you to watch the sunset and you will certainly come across various fishing scenes animated by the locals. The rest of the day is free for you to rest or make your own discoveries. The city is also great for shopping! Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel in Hoi An.

• day 9

  Hoi An - Da Nang - Saigon

  This morning, after your breakfast at the hotel, you are transferred to Da Nang airport for a domestic flight to Saigon (renamed Ho Chi Minh City). Saigon is an active, bustling, rebellious, commercial, and casual city; it remains the economic heart of the country. Arrival in Saigon and, after checking in at the hotel, you begin a wonderful day of discovery, starting with charming colonial buildings: Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Ho Chi Minh post office, the municipal theater (viewed from the outside). These monuments tell you about the latest historical episodes of Saigon. Lunch in a good local restaurant. The afternoon is dedicated to visiting the Giac Lam pagoda, which is among the most beautiful and oldest pagodas in the region. Then, we head to the typical Chinatown district to discover another aspect of the city. We notably visit the very lively Cho Lon market and the Thiên Hau temple, which is dedicated to the worship of the Goddess of the Sea. The evening is free and you spend the night at the hotel in the city center.

• day 10

  Saigon – Ben Tre - Can Tho

  Breakfast at the hotel, then departure by private car to the Ben Tre region, located in the Mekong Delta (the rice bowl of Vietnam). Upon arrival in Ben Tre, boarding a private boat for a beautiful ride on the river. This excursion will take you through preserved and romantic landscapes. Several stops are planned to allow for interactions with the local inhabitants. You will then cross the canal and visit a workshop for the artisanal production of coconut-based products. A walk along the trails is planned, with a stop at the farmer's house to discover the artisanal making of mats. We will then take a pleasant bike ride through the paths of Nhon Thanh village, passing through typical tropical gardens of Southern Vietnam. Lunch of local specialties with a family. In the afternoon, departure for Can Tho, crossing the vast landscapes of the Mekong Delta. Arrival in Can Tho at the end of the afternoon. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel in Can Tho.

• day 11

  Can Tho – Cai Rang Floating Market – Saigon - Siem Reap

  After breakfast, we take a private boat to visit the Cai Rang floating market. It is one of the most typical markets in the southern regions of Vietnam. You will navigate among a multitude of dugout canoes, rowing boats, and other small fishing boats carrying a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, rice, and local handicrafts. This scene makes the market very lively. We slip into the small canals shaded by tropical fruit orchards. Here, you have the opportunity to taste fresh fruit picked on the spot. You then disembark to return to Saigon and have lunch along the way. Arrival in Saigon in the late afternoon, you are transferred to Tan Son Nhat Airport (Saigon) to take the flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, you are welcomed by our local driver for check-in at the hotel. Dinner is at your leisure and overnight at the hotel in the heart of Siem Reap.

• day 12

  Siem Reap – Roluos Group and Small Circuit

  Today, in Cambodia, you have a whole day to discover the famous monuments of the Angkor site. After your breakfast, you begin the discovery of the Roluos group, the location of the ancient Cambodian capital. This area includes the temples of Preah Ko, Bakong, and Lolei. In the afternoon, after lunch in a local restaurant, you visit the Angkor temples of the Small Circuit: Kravan, Banteay Kdei, Ta Prohm, and Takeo. Dinner is at your leisure and overnight at the hotel in the city of Siem Reap.

• day 13

  Siem Reap – Grand Circuit – Ta Prohm – Banteay Srei – Sras Srang - Discovery

  After breakfast at the hotel, you visit the temples of the main circuit with "Prè Rup" dating from the 10th century; the Hindu temple "Mébon" rising on the central islet of Baray; Ta Som, a Buddhist temple from the end of the 12th century; Neak Poan (Entwined Nagas), formed by a square basin surrounded by four small basins; and Preah Khan (sacred sword), which has been overrun by vines and young trees. In the afternoon, after your local lunch, you visit Ta Prohm, a 12th-century Buddhist temple, abandoned and overtaken by lush vegetation. Next, you go to Banteay Srei (the citadel of women), located on the site of the ancient city of Iśvarapura 20 km northeast of Angkor, built in the 10th century in pink sandstone. This last site was consecrated in 967, under the reign of Jayavarman V, to Tribhuvanamaheśvara (the Lord of the Three Worlds). On the way back, you visit Sras Srang (Ablutions Basin), where you watch the sunset. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel in Siem Reap.

• day 14

  Siem Reap – Angkor Thom – Angkor Wat

  Breakfast at the hotel, then the whole day continues with the discovery of the impressive monuments of the Angkor Wat site. We first visit the temple of Angkor Thom, the Bayon, the Baphuon, the Terrace of the Elephants, the Phimeanakas, the ancient Royal Palace, and the Terrace of the Leper King. These buildings were constructed by King Jayavarman VII of the Khmer Empire, from the end of the 12th century to the beginning of the 13th century. The name Angkor Thom means "the great city." It is a testament to the grandeur of the Empire. Lunch at your leisure. In the afternoon, you visit the largest and most beautiful temple of the complex: Angkor Wat, which was built by Suryavarman II at the beginning of the 12th century. The temple was imbued with Khmer architecture, excellent, naturalistic, complex, and full of symbols. It is one of the most astonishing architectural masterpieces still existing in the world today. After so many discoveries, you will enjoy a dinner accompanied by an Apsara dance show at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Siem Reap.

• day 15

  Siem Reap / Departure flight

  After breakfast, the rest of the day is free for you to rest or to explore the city on your own, as well as for your last shopping. This, until the transfer to Siem Reap airport for the return flight.