Travel Vietnam Cambodia In 17 Days

• English-speaking guide & Private driver
• From Noi Bai Airport – Hotel: 30km~45’ drive

• English-speaking guide & Private driver

Breakfast at the hotel, then you begin your immersion in the city of Hanoi. We start the day with a visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. Inaugurated by Jacques Chirac in 1995, this is a remarkable museum whose design focuses on presenting the customs and traditions, productive and leisure activities of the 54 ethnic groups living throughout Vietnam. You will discover numerous artifacts and reconstructions that offer a clear and authentic understanding of their history and ways of life: houses, clothing, tools, and festive traditions.

The museum also features a large outdoor area displaying full-scale, highly authentic models of traditional houses from various ethnic minorities across the country. Cooperation between Vietnamese scholars and French museology specialists has greatly contributed to the museum’s success.

Next, we head to the western part of the city to visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, located on the shore of West Lake. It is known as one of the oldest and most beautiful pagodas in Vietnam.

Lunch at a good local restaurant.

The afternoon is dedicated to visiting the Temple of Literature in Hanoi—a symbol of Vietnam’s feudal education system and a living testament to the Vietnamese passion for learning. Afterwards, enjoy a short walk to visit Ngoc Son Temple (“Jade Mountain”) on the shore of the Lake of the Restored Sword, an opportunity to admire the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake at dusk. Finally, you will pass by St. Joseph’s Cathedral of Hanoi, built by the French.

Theatrical evening: Attend a traditional water puppet show, a popular performing art over a thousand years old and emblematic of the Red River Delta.

Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel in Hanoi.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver
• Hanoi – Mai Chau: 150 km ~ 3h30’ drive

Breakfast at the hotel, you take the private car to reach the Mai Chau valley passing through a charming road and superb landscapes of green rice fields, sugar cane fields as well as ethnic villages, you pass the Thung Khe pass. It brings you amazing impressions. Stops are planned along the way to contact very hospitable locals. Arrival in Mai Chau around noon. Free lunch.

In the afternoon: You carry out a walk of around 2-3 hours through the mountains and lush vegetation. You cross several villages of the Thai ethnic group known for their characteristic stilt houses. The walk gives you the opportunity to share very pleasant moments with the villagers. You discover their way of life, local culture and their craftsmanship.

Then settling in with a local (Thai ethnic group) in a house on stilts.

Friendly dinner with the host family, night at a local’s home.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver
• Mai Chau – Ninh Binh: 160 km ~ 3h30’ drive

Breakfast at a local’s home, departure by private vehicle to Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam under the Dinh dynasty (968-980) and at the beginning of the earlier Le dynasty (980-1009). Here we visit the two temples of these kings which date from the 10th century. They retain all their beauty. We can admire the finesse of their art: sculptures, engravings on wood and stone were created by Vietnamese artists dating from the 17th century.

Lunch in a good local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you board a rowing boat for a beautiful ride on the Ngo Dong River. Along the water, in the middle of the rice fields, you admire the extraordinary landscapes of numerous limestone peaks with twisted shapes covered with lush vegetation. This is why this place is nicknamed Ha Long Bay on land. You go up the watercourse to the three beautiful caves (Tam Coc).

You then perform a nice bike ride and visit the Bich Dong Pagoda (Jade Pagoda). In front of the pagoda courtyard, you have a view of Ha Long Bay on land. Free dinner and overnight at the hotel in the town of Ninh Binh.

• English-speaking guide (does not board) & Private driver
• English-speaking guide on board
• Ha Long – Hanoi: 150km ~ 3h30’ by road
• Hanoi ✈ Hue: 1h15’ by plane

If time permits, we recommend waking up at dawn to practice Tai chi on the upper deck of the junk and for watch the sunrise which offers a picturesque view of Bai Tu Long Bay.

After a morning bath, you have breakfast on board before boarding the island of Hon Co where you visit Thien Canh Son Cave; one of the most beautiful and preserved that Bai Tu Long Bay hides.

Back on board, your junk then continues its cruise to bring you across spectacular scenery of the bay, continuation of the cruise to the most beautiful and calm corners of the bay.

Light lunch is served while the junk returns to the pier.

Return to Hanoi in the afternoon, passing the grandiose landscapes of the extensive rice fields of the Red River Delta. Transfer directly to Noi Bai Airport to pick up domestic flight to Hue. Arrival in Hue, welcome by our driver, then he takes you to the city of Hue. Free dinner and overnight at the hotel in Hue.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver
• Hue – Hoi An: 120 km ~ 3h30’ drive

Breakfast at the hotel, then departure by private car to Da Nang crossing pretty landscapes along the central coast of Vietnam.

Several stops along the way, including one on the Cloud Pass to have a beautiful view towards Lang Co beach, one of the most beautiful peninsulas of Vietnam and towards the Lap An lagoon.

Arrival in the ancient city of Hoi An Around noon, you first have lunch in a local restaurant and then you you stroll through narrow streets lined with pretty antique houses, testimonies of yesteryear from a flourishing period of the country’s foreign trade.

With its architectural and historical values, Hoi An, known in the past under its name “Faifo”, ​​was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1999. During this walk, you visit the most beautiful remains of Hoi An such as the Japanese bridge, the Chinese temple, the old house as well as the craft district…

The rest of the day is completely free for personal discovery of this ancient port city. Free dinner and overnight at your hotel in Hoi An.

• English-speaking guide
• Return bike transfer

Breakfast at your hotel then we ride our bikes in the Vietnamese countryside, far from the noise of the city, transport and tourist trails.

From village to village, you will cross immense rice fields taking winding and peaceful paths, towards the Van Lang fishing village and the Bay Mau water coconut forest.

About 7 hectares, surrounded by a mangrove forest, canals, and houses covered in coconut leaves. During the Vietnam War it was the shelter for local people and soldiers and nowadays this place is famous for providing the most seafood products.

Along the way, you stop at several key locations : the local Ba Le market, rice fields, cemeteries, schools…

Arriving at the village, you will be warmly welcomed at Mr. Han‘s where you will meet his family spanning 3 generations, you will also have the opportunity to taste green tea and stroll through the village. Later, the fishermen will take you to discover their traditional fishing techniques and their coconut forests by a cruise in “Thung chai” – (Basket boat).

Back to Mr. Han for a moment oftent with a foot massage with medicinal herbs. It is a traditional therapeutic practice. With this moment of relaxation, you will witness preparing lunch with his family which will include for example: crispy pancakes, Hoi An spring rolls, Tam huu (Pork – Shrimp – Herbs tied with chives), grilled fish in a banana leaf, etc. Subsequently, you can taste the dishes you have prepared.

After relaxing in the shade of the water coconut trees, you will take your bike back to Hoi An.

The rest of the time is free to rest. Free dinner and overnight at the hotel in Hoi An.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver
• Saigon – My Tho: 80 km ~ 2 hours drive
• Ben Tre – Can Tho: 120 km ~ 2h30 -3 hours drive

Breakfast at your hotel, then departure by car to My Tho in the Mekong Delta (the rice granary of Vietnam).

You stop on the road to visit Vinh Trang Pagoda – the national historical relic. The specific character of this pagoda is the combination of architecture from Western civilization and Asia.

Arrival at My Tho, boarding the boat for a beautiful stroll on the Tien River crossing four famous islets, each named after a sacred animal in Vietnamese culture: Long (the Dragon) – Lan (the Unicorn) – Quy (the Turtle) – Phung (the Phoenix). Along the river, you cross the fish cages to arrive on Unicorn Island where you visit the bee garden to discover the taste of honey directly from the honey boxes raised by locals. You also visit the orchid garden and taste chocolate made from cocoa beans. You also taste fruits and listen to folk music “Don Ca Tai Tu” – intangible cultural heritage of the world in the garden of Mr. Nam Chanh.

Back to the boat, you cross the canal and visit the artisanal coconut making workshop: you will see how people use all parts of the coconut and you will taste these sweets (specialty of Ben Tre). Pursuit, you do a Lambro ride “motorized vehicle”, winding under the cool shade of coconut trees on the village road to the garden restaurant where you have a good lunch with local dishes.

Then you perform the rowing boat ride between two rows of coconut trees which will take you through preserved and romantic landscapes.

The car then takes you for Can Tho crossing extensive landscapes of the Mekong Delta. Arrival in Can Tho late in the afternoon. Free dinner and overnight at the hotel in the town of Can Tho.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver
• Can Tho – Tra Su: 130 km ~ 3 hours
• Tra Su – Chau Doc: 30 km ~ 1 hour drive

After breakfast at the hotel, you take a private boat on the Mekong River to participate in the original Cai Rang floating market. It is one of the most typical markets in the southern regions of Vietnam.

You sail among local boats which transport a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from the regions. This image makes the market more lively, lively and friendly.

We leave the market and continue the ride by boat to the tropical fruit orchard. You have the opportunity to taste the fresh fruit. Then you visit making rice noodles (Hu Tieu) – a specialty well appreciated in the Cai Rang floating market.

Disembark and you then head towards the town of Chau Doc, passing through the marvelous landscapes of the south. Lunch at a local restaurant.

You discover along the way Tra Su forest and you travel by sampan through the endless waterways lined with mangroves and greenery. This ecological reserve extends over 850 hectares and is an ecological haven for fauna and flora, with more than 100 species of waterbirds. Then, it is the visit of the mount of Nui Sam which is the unique summit of the Mekong Delta where pilgrims flock to pay homage to the queen of the country during the first 3 months of the year. You admire the sunset which offers a picturesque painting of the entire Mekong Delta.

Free dinner and you spend a pleasant night at the hotel in the town of Chau Doc.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver

Breakfast at the hotel and you will be transferred to the pier for take the fast boat to reach Phnom Penh following the meanders of the Mekong, the Capital of Cambodia. After 6.5 hours of cruising, we approach the pretty city of Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia.

Arrival in Phnom Penh, you are welcomed by our guide and driver, then transfer to the city center where you settle into your hotel.

In the afternoon, we visit the Royal Palace built in 1919 where important ceremonies and coronations are held, the Silver Pagoda which is the most sacred in Cambodia, then visit to Wat Phnom Pagoda and its sanctuary which is the oldest in the city of Phnom Penh to which it gave its name. The pagoda is perched on a hill which covers approximately 5 hectares and is 27m high. It is a very popular place during Buddhist festivals.

After visiting the Russian market, dinner in a good local restaurant and overnight at the hotel in Phnom Penh.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver
• Phnom Penh – Siem Reap: 320 km ~ 5-6 hours drive.

Breakfast at the hotel then you hit the road (Without English Speaking Guide) to reach Siem Reap through the provinces of Kampong Thom and Kampong Cham. On the road you stop to visit the Skun insect market (Spider town), where you can try the local specialty: the fried tarantula. Free lunch during the visit.

Arrived in Siem Reap, you meet your English Speaking Guide, you a first discovery of the city (visit to the old market “the schoolyards”, workshop for the manufacture of Kh’mer artisanal products: silk weaving, marble sculpture, furniture….

In the evening, you enjoy a Apsara dance dinner at local restaurant and overnight at the hotel in Siem Reap.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver

Breakfast at the hotel, then you still enjoy a wonderful day of extremely enriching discovery. We let’s first visit the Angkor Thom Temple complex which consists of: the South Gate, the Bayon, the Baphoun, the Elephant Terrace, the Phimeanakas, the former Royal Palace and the Leper King’s Terrace built by King Jayavarman VII of the Khmer Empire, at the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century. The name Angkor Thom means “the great city”. It is witness to the greatness of the Empire. Lunch at a local restaurant.

We visit in the afternoon, the largest and most beautiful temple of the Angkor Wat monumental complex built by Suryavarman II at the beginning of the 12th century which was the city of monasteries, the spiritual heart and identity of the Khmer people, the temple was permeated by excellent Khmer architecture, naturalistic, complicated and full of symbols. It is one of the most stunning architectural masterpieces still in existence in the world today. You then visit Ta Prohm – temple Buddhist from the 12th century, abandoned and given over to exuberant vegetation.

Free dinner and overnight at the hotel in downtown Siem Reap.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver

Today we visit the monuments of Grand Circuit including Prè Rup from the 10th century; Oriental Mebon from the 10th century – Hindu temple, rising on the central island of Baray Oriental; Ta Som – Buddhist temple at the end of the 12th century; Neak Poan (Entwined Nagas ) formed of a square basin surrounded by four small basins and Preah Khan (sacred sword) -this one has been invaded by lianas and young trees).

In the afternoon, after your free lunch, you go to Banteay Srei (the women’s citadel), located on the site of the ancient city of Iśvarapura 20km northeast of Angkor, built in the 10th century in pink sandstone and probably consecrated in 967, during the reign of Jayavarman V and dedicated to Tribhuvanamaheśvara (the Lord of the Three Worlds). On your way back you visit Srah Srang (Ablution basin ) where you contemplate the sunset.

In the evening, you enjoy a Apsara dance dinner at local restaurant and overnight at the hotel in Siem Reap.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver

After breakfast at the hotel, departure from your accommodation to the local market in Pourk, the meeting place with Madame Theavy to buy vegetables, freshwater fish, meat, spices. The one who will help you prepare typical Cambodian cuisine.

Then you will extend visiting the floating village Méchrey. Located about twenty kilometers from Siem Reap on the Tonlé Sap lake, taking a road crossing typical Cambodian landscapes. The opportunity to observe Cambodian rural life as it unfolds alongside the water flowing through the rice fields. A walk, off the marked trails, in the village of Méchrey. A true immersion in Cambodian culture with meeting the villagers, discovering their rhythm of life and their tradition.

Return to Madame Theavy, the owner of a traditional house, then we continue to learn to cook with our hosts. Lunch with this family. It is a simple but typically Khmer meal.

Around 3 p.m., immersion in local life by bike or on foot in the heart of the Khmer countryside. Along the way, discover the colorful pagodas, the small markets, meet the children returning from school and the villagers with the help of your guide and translator. During your walk, you will discover local specificities and receive the necessary information to understand lifestyles, social realities as well as local agricultural activities, Senteur d’Angkor spice workshops. Return to Siem Reap at the end of the afternoon. Free dinner and overnight at the hotel in Siem Reap.

• English-speaking guide & Private driver

Breakfast at the hotel, then the rest of the day is free to rest or to make a personal discovery of the city of Siem Reap as well as to make your last purchases until transfer to the international airport for the international return flight.