HIGHLIGHTS OF VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA 8 DAYS

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam! On your first day, you can arrive in Hanoi at any time as the only activity scheduled is the airport pick up. A car driver will be waiting for you at the airport to take you to your hotel. Once you have checked in, the rest of the day is free for you to rest or explore the city and form your own first impressions of Vietnam. The airport transfer is included in the itinerary, so you don't have to worry about arranging transportation on your own. Stay overnight in Hanoi and get ready for an exciting adventure!
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Accommodation Options:

• TK-123 Hanoi - 3-star or similar
• Lenid Hanoi Hotel - 4-star or similar
• Hotel du Parc Hanoi - 5-star or similar

After enjoying a delicious breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up by our friendly guide to begin your exploration of Hanoi City. The first stop will be at Tran Quoc Pagoda, located on Golden Fish Island in West Lake. This pagoda is the oldest in Hanoi and was built in the 6th century. Admire the stunning architecture and learn about the history and culture of this important landmark.

Next, visit the Ho Chi Minh complex, where you will have the chance to see the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh. Take a leisurely walk around the garden to see the two houses where he lived and worked from 1954 to 1969. Then, visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which worships the Goddess of Mercy and is considered the most unique pagoda in the world.

Please note that Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays. If your tour falls on either of these days, an alternative itinerary will be arranged.

Afterwards, head to the Vietnam Ethnology Museum to learn about the culture of the 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam. However, if your tour falls on a Monday, the museum will be closed, and you will visit the Women’s Museum instead.

Enjoy a delicious lunch at our restaurant, where you will have the opportunity to taste some of the best Vietnamese cuisine.

After lunch, continue your tour with a visit to the Temple of Literature, the first university of Vietnam established in the 11th century. This is a great place to learn about the education system of Vietnam in ancient times.

The city tour will conclude with a visit to the Hoa Lo Prison, originally used by the French colonists in Indochina for political prisoners and later by North Vietnam for U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. During this later period, it was known to American POWs as the "Hanoi Hilton."

After an exciting day of exploring Hanoi City, you will be transferred back to the hotel for check in. Free at leisure and stay overnight in Hanoi.
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Accommodation Options:

• TK-123 Hanoi - 3-star or similar
• Lenid Hanoi Hotel - 4-star or similar
• Hotel du Parc Hanoi - 5-star or similar

After enjoying breakfast at your hotel, our private mini-van/bus will pick you up between 8:30 am to 9:00 am to begin your journey to Halong City. During the 3.5-hour drive, you will have the opportunity to view the simple countryside and rice paddy life along the way. Once you arrive at the port, you will board your private boat - an authentic Chinese Junk - and begin your amazing cruise through the stunning Halong Bay, a World Heritage Site. Lunch will be served on board and will consist of a selection of the freshest seafood.

During the cruise, we will visit "the Amazing cave" and then take a swim in the tranquil emerald waters of Halong Bay. We will then cruise further into a quiet area where we will anchor and spend the night. You will enjoy dinner and relax as the sun sets over the bay. Afterward, you are free to swim in the phosphorescent water, retire to your cabin, or even fall asleep under the stars on the top deck, surrounded by the magic of Halong. You will spend the night on the boat, taking in the stunning surroundings of the bay.
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Accommodation Options:

• Glory Legend Cruises - 3-star or similar
• Pelican Cruises - 4-star or similar
• Paradise Sails Cruises - 5-star or similar

Wake up early in the morning to witness a stunning sunrise and breathe in the fresh ocean air as we start our Halong Bay Cruise. Enjoy a delicious breakfast served on the boat as we leisurely cruise through thousands of stunning and seemingly never-ending islands. This is an incredible opportunity to capture some breathtaking photographs of the scenery. We will also make a stop to visit a floating fishing village and hear legendary stories of the fishermen's daily life.

For lunch, we will serve a delicious meal on the boat as we cruise back to the Halong City pier. From there, we will return to Hanoi. You will arrive in Hanoi around 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm. A driver will be waiting for you to take you directly to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, our staff will be ready to pick you up and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. You will have the rest of the day free to relax and explore the city at your leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
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Accommodation Options:

• Elios Hotel Saigon - 3-star or similar
• Golden Central Hotel Saigon - 4-star or similar
• Majestic Saigon Hotel - 5-star or similar

You will start your day with breakfast at your hotel before being picked up at 7:30 am for the tour. Your first stop will be the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War. You will have the opportunity to explore the tunnels and learn about their historical significance.

After the Cu Chi Tunnels, you will continue on to My Tho, a city located in the Mekong Delta region. Here, you will take a boat ride along the Mekong River, visit an orchard, and enjoy a traditional lunch with local specialties.

At the end of the day, you will be returned to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City at around 6:30 pm. You will then check in to your hotel and stay overnight in the city.
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Accommodation Options:

• Elios Hotel Saigon - 3-star or similar
• Golden Central Hotel Saigon - 4-star or similar
• Majestic Saigon Hotel - 5-star or similar

After breakfast at the hotel, the tour will start at 8:00 am to explore the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh. Visit famous landmarks such as the War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Central Post Office.

In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for a flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, our team will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel for check-in. You will have free time to explore the city or relax at the hotel. Stay overnight in Siem Reap.
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Accommodation Options:

• La Niche D’angkor Hotel - 3-star or similar
• Royal Angkor Resort - 4-star or similar
• Angkor Village Hotel - 5-star or similar

After breakfast at the hotel, we will begin our tour of the Angkor temples. Our first stop will be Angkor Wat, which is the crowning jewel of Khmer architecture and the national symbol of Cambodia. It is the largest, best-preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, impressing visitors with its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout. As you approach the temple, you will cross a vast moat and continue along a broad causeway lined with naga balustrades. Upon entering the main building, you will ascend through a series of galleries and courtyards before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway and across the surrounding countryside. Along the way, you can admire the intricate stone carvings that adorn nearly every surface, with some 1,700 Apsaras or celestial dancers sculpted into the walls. The outer gallery walls feature the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, narrating stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones.

Next, we will visit Ta Prohm, one of the most popular attractions of Angkor. Much of the jungle has not been cleared, giving the temple a mystical atmosphere, and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.

We will then continue our temple tour to Banteay Srei Temple. Seemingly miniature in comparison to the other Angkor temples, Banteay Srei is considered the jewel of classical Khmer art. Built in pink sandstone, its walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual delicacy. Because of its small size, fairy-like atmosphere, and extraordinary examples of Khmer sculpture, this temple is often a favorite with visitors.

Afterward, we will visit Takeo, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda, and Ta Prohm, one of the area's most beautiful temples. Ta Prohm has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was abandoned and swallowed by the jungle, looking very much the way most of the Angkor temples appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them.

After the temple tour, we will transfer back to the hotel for check-in. Overnight in Siem Reap.
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Accommodation Options:

• La Niche D’angkor Hotel - 3-star or similar
• Royal Angkor Resort - 4-star or similar
• Angkor Village Hotel - 5-star or similar

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, it is time to bid farewell to the charming city of Siem Reap. You are free to spend your remaining time at leisure, perhaps exploring the city one last time or souvenir shopping.

When it's time for your departure flight, your private driver will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to the airport. Please note that airport transfer is included in your tour package.

We recommend that you arrive at the airport at least 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure, to allow sufficient time for check-in and security procedures.

Thank you for choosing us for your trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia. We hope that you had a wonderful experience exploring the city's rich history and culture, and that our services exceeded your expectations. We look forward to welcoming you again on your next adventure!