Essential Vietnam and Cambodia

Today depart the UK on the Singapore Airlines flight to Hanoi.

Arrive into Hanoi where you will be met and taken to your hotel. A handsome city of tree-lined boulevards, temples, lakes, parks and a frenetic, vibrant old colonial centre, Hanoi’s charm lies in the preservation of a distinct North Vietnamese culture and way of life distinct to that of the south of the country.

After breakfast depart Hanoi where you driver will take you to Ha Long where you will board your overnight cruise. Choose from a number of different traditional junk boats that operate on Ha Long Bay, or we can organise a private charter cruise. At Ha Long Bay over 3,000 limestone-karst islands protrude from the sea to create a labyrinth of channels, secluded beaches and yawning caves. The scenery here is unlike anywhere else in the country and spend the remainder of the day cruising the bay taking in the spectacular views.

If you'd prefer to spend more time in Lan Ha Bay, there are 2-night cruise options available.

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Start the day with Tai Chi then explore beautiful Thien Canh Son Cave, one of hundreds in the bay. Arriving back in the harbour in the morning, return to Hanoi by car. Explore Vietnam’s capital city Hanoi with your guide this afternoon. Visit the compound of the former Presidential Palace to visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and house before wandering through the picturesque park and stopping at the 11th century One Pillar Pagoda. Opt to have lunch at one of Hanoi’s best pho noodle soup cafés with a cup of steaming Vietnamese coffee and end the day exploring the historic buildings and cobbled streets of the bustling old quarter.

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After breakfast depart to the airport for your domestic flight to Danang. On arrival in Danang you will be met and driven south along the coast to Hoi An where you will stay for the next two nights. The hotels we have suggested are located within the historic old town, however, there are also a number of excellent coastal resorts lining China Beach should you prefer to be beside the sea. Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s most picturesque towns and is UNESCO-heritage listed. Once a major Asian trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries it now draws international visitors to its streets, for both the history, food and the surrounding landscapes.

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The quaint, picturesque town of Hoi An with its winding cobbled streets, pretty wooden merchant houses and traditional pagodas is waiting to be explored. Spend half the day with a local guide to explore this UNESCO listed old town. Discover the colourful merchant houses, photograph the famous Japanese Covered Bridge and sample local delicacies. In the afternoon you may wish to spend time relaxing on China Beach. Visits can also be made to one or two of the local fishing villages outside of Hoi An.

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The Champa Kingdom was a once-mighty kingdom that left a lasting legacy on Vietnam. Its temples and ruins are a reminder of its power and beauty, and of a time when this region was a crossroads of cultures and trade. Today visit the temple complex at My Son. Granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999, the tower temples were the seat of the Champa Kingdom for most of its existence between the 4th and 13th centuries. Wander around the crumbling ruins, listening to stories about the Cham culture, its rulers and their impressive reign.

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After breakfast transfer to Danang Airport and fly to Ho Chi Minh City where you will stay for the next two nights. Renamed at the conclusion of the Vietnam War, the city is still known to many as Saigon. Growing from a small 15th century Khmer trading port, today Ho Chi Minh City is the modern face of Vietnam – a bustling dynamic metropolis of crumbling colonial buildings, chaotic streets, colourful markets and informal pavement cafes.

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This morning explore Ho Chi Minh City with your guide. Places of interest include Tan Dinh church, the city’s Central Post Office which was designed by renowned architect Gustav Eiffel the Opera House. Continue on to the former Presidential Palace, now Reunification Hall, which was famously occupied by the army of North Vietnam in 1975 and where it is possible to see the war room, banquet hall and presidential office. In the afternoon visit the War Remnants Museum, then end the day in colourful Cholon, the city’s Chinatown, Thien Hau Pagoda and bustling Binh Tay market.

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After breakfast leave the city behind and drive south to the town of Cai Be. Here board a small local boat and travel along narrow canals and winding waterways, gaining a glimpse into traditional delta life. Stop on the way in Dong Phu and An Binh, the location of small home-based factories producing oil, matting and sweets from coconut, and also visit an old French colonial home. Changing boats, continue to Vinh Long then disembark and drive to Can Tho, the heart of the Mekong Delta, where you will stay overnight.

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Starting early, this morning attend the town’s colourful and bustling daily floating market. Tradesmen and vendors from the neighbouring towns and villages descend on Chau Doc by boat selling everything from fruit and vegetables to clothing and household goods. Later drive to Chau Doc, a sleepy riverside town close to the Cambodian border where you will stay overnight. In the afternoon enjoy a memorable visit to the eco reserve of Tra Su Forest and travel by private sampan through narrow waterways and mangrove forest. Tra Su is home to over 100 different species of water birds and is an important habitat for bats.

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This morning board the Victoria Speedboat for the five hour journey on the Mekong River to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. On arrival you will be met and taken to your hotel where you will stay for the next two nights. A vibrant bustling city, Phnom Penh is located at the confluence of the on the banks where the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. With plenty of provincial charm, the tree-lined boulevards, elaborate temples and attractive colonial buildings make Phnom Penh one of the region’s most atmospheric cities.

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After breakfast, travel away from the city to gain an insight into Cambodia’s dark history with a visit to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This visit is a moving experience but is an important and compelling look into Cambodia’s past. For lunch, stop at Lotus Blanc, a quaint garden restaurant, who support a local organisation who train and teach hospitality skills to underprivileged children in the city Spend the afternoon visiting the National Museum which houses an incredible collection of ancient Khmer archaeological, religious, and artistic artefacts, the French-built Royal Palace complex and the city's oldest shrine Wat Phnom with its mystics, faith healers and fortune tellers. In the evening, head to Bassac Lane and discover the boutique eateries and bars housed in traditional wooden buildings.

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Leaving your hotel, this morning transfer to Phnom Penh Airport for the short flight to Siem Reap where you will stay for the next three nights. Siem Reap is the gateway to the temples of Angkor – some of the most spectacular religious monuments ever built. Capital of the ancient Khmer Empire, Angkor was abandoned in 1431 and reclaimed by the thick Cambodian jungle only to be rediscovered 400 years later by French naturalist Henri Mouhot. In the evening embark on Siem Reap’s ‘Dining for a Cause’ culinary tour where you can enjoy nibbles, cocktails and dinner at four social enterprise restaurants throughout city and help to support the training and employment of underprivileged.

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This morning visit Angkor Thom, the spacious walled capital of Jayavarman where highlights include the temple ruins of Bayon, Baphoun and Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and 12th century Terrace of the Leper King. Time will also be spent exploring the atmospheric remains of Ta Prohm which remain enveloped by thick jungle undergrowth and creepers. In the afternoon, visit the epic Angkor Wat. Explore its extraordinary architecture and enjoy the beautiful Khmer architecture and reliefs which adorn this ancient monument. Departing Angkor Wat, travel to Pre Rup, a pyramidal temple surrounded by lush rice paddies. This lesser-known and quieter temple offers visitors a peaceful setting to catch the beautiful evening light and watch the sun set behind the impressive structure.

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After breakfast travel north to the 11th century temple of Banteay Srei. Smaller in size than many of the neighbouring complexes, the site is dedicated to Brahma and contains some of the region's best preserved sandstone decorations. Leaving Banteay Srei, visit Banteay Samre which was originally based on Angkor Wat and features a lotus flower-shaped tower. In the afternoon, drive to the outskirts of Siem Reap, pass expansive rice fields and through local villages where rice and fish can frequently be spotted drying alongside the road. Next, board a private wooden vessel for an authentic boat trip along a canal that leads to the Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia's largest lake – meet local fisherman, explore stilted villages and watch young children play in the water. Tonight enjoy dinner at Haven, a training restaurant for disadvantaged young adults who are forced to leave orphanages when they come of age. Serving delicious Asian and Western food, guests can sample spectacular meals while supporting this notable cause.

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Today you will be transferred to Siem Reap Airport for your onward flight to Singapore. On arrival connect onto the Singapore Airlines flight non-stop to the UK.

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