14 DAYS - VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA HERITAGE PATH
For people who love ancient history, architecture and natural heritage, also. Heritage Trails of Vietnam and Cambodia is an optimal arrangement to travel for pathfinders. Firstly, take an insight into the hidden natural beauty of the scenery of Pu Luong with astonishing activities like water rafting or hiking. After that is Ninh Binh ancient capital with the only heritage site with both of natural and cultural values. Then a long retreat from the bustle, back to immense Ha Long bay with limestone rocks and the karst grottoes. Then, a nostalgic Hue is patiently awaiting your arrival with its hospitality. A farewell to Hoi An, the shining city of paper lanterns, you will go ahead to enter the city of temples. No one can deny the attraction of the world's biggest religious structure Angkor with galleries, columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards, and ponds.
Your trip will end with an excursion in a traditional wooden boat on the largest body of fresh water in Cambodia, Tonle Sap Lake.
BRIEF SCHEDULE
Day 1: Welcome to Vietnam - Hanoi arrival - Street food tour (D)
Day 2: Hanoi city tour - full day – water puppet show (B/L)
Day 3: Hanoi – Puluong Natural Reserve - Boat trip and water wheels (B/L)
Day 4: Puluong - Ninh Binh: Rice Paddy field hiking – Local traditional market (B/L)
Day 5: Ninh Binh beauty - Hoa Lu ancient capital - Trang An heritage site (B/L)
Day 6: Ninh Binh - Halong - the natural wonder of the world (B/L/D
Day 7: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue Ex-capital (B/L)
Day 8: Hue city tour - Exploring the most beautiful heritage sites of Hue (B/L)
Day 9: Hue - Hoi An ancient town: Hai Van pass - Hoi An lantern city (B/L)
Day 10: Hoi An town exploration - the beauty of lantern town (B/L)
Day 11: Hoi An – Siem Riep city – heritage site (B)
Day 12: Siem Riep - Discovering the mysterious temples of Angkor Wat (B/L)
Day 13: Visiting local villages and Tonle Sap Lake (B/L)
Day 14: Time to Say Goodbye - Siem Reap Departure (B)
Wish you all the best and see you soon!
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DETAIL ITINERARY
Day 1: Welcome to Vietnam - Hanoi arrival - Street food tour (D)
Welcome to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Your driver and tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Check into the hotel and have free time to explore the city at your own pace, or rest after the flight.
- Private transfer: 45 minutes
- Self - Guided Day in Hanoi: taking a walk around Hanoi old quarter, specially Hoan Kiem lake - the core of Hanoi capital, having an egg coffee, sipping cocktails on the Pan Pacific Hotel's rooftop bar and soak in sunset views over Tay Ho (West Lake) to wrap up your evening in style.
*Street food tour
On a 3-hour walking tour, you’ll explore the culture, and history of Hanoi, and step into a world full of street food vendors. Unlike big cities all around the world, street food in Hanoi is not just hot dog carts and pretzel stands, we offer an opportunity to try out 5-6 different dishes at the local food stand, family restaurants…
A rotating menu from day to day to represent the variety of delicious options, but tastings might include – but are subject to change: rice noodle soup with beef, rice noodle with chicken, rice noodle with grilled pork, snail, or dry noodle, sticky rice, along with various kinds of donut, steamed pancake or Vietnamese sandwiches.
- Hanoi Street food tour: 3 hours
- Start time: 17:30 - 18:00
Day 2: Hanoi - Hanoi full day city tour - Water puppet show (B/L)
Explore the charming city of Hanoi, often referred to as the ‘Paris of the East’, with its yellow ochre colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and scenic lakes.
Visit the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument of marble and granite built to house the preserved body of beloved revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, affectionately known to the Vietnamese as “Uncle Ho”. Visit the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built in 1049 of wood in the shape of a lotus blossom and set on a single stone pillar. Continue to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university built in the late 11th century. The picturesque temple is an example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture and is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese dong banknote. In the afternoon, visit the fascinating Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays) which houses an extensive collection of traditional costumes and artefacts from Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups. Conclude your day by watching an entertaining water puppet performance, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form said to have originated in the flooded rice fields of the Red River Delta where villagers entertained themselves by manipulating puppets over the water. The show uses colourful wooden puppets to depict scenes of rural life and episodes of national history set to music. Overnight at the hotel.
- Private group - 7 hours
Day 3: Hanoi – Puluong Natural Reserve - Boat trip and water wheels (B/L)
Have breakfast at the hotel and meet your driver, who will take you to Pu Luong Nature Reserve via a breathtaking mountain pass giving you a panoramic view of the whole valley. Have a delicious lunch upon arrival at your accommodation, and have a rest after the trip. Explore the beautiful place you stay with captivating panoramic views and a tranquil setting.
In the afternoon, you will drive to a suspension bridge over the Cham River, where you will begin your walk in search of stunning water wheels. Get close to each wheel and discover how water is moved from river to handmade bamboo aqueducts via simple constructions of all sizes. Then visit the local fisherman’s house, and have a short rest to gear up for the bamboo river rafting. Float along the calm river and enjoy the views together with learning how to paddle and steer your handcrafted rafts.
When you arrive at a scenic Tan Lap Bridge, disembark from the boat and head back to your resort to have dinner.
Overnight in Pu Luong.
Day 4: Puluong - Ninh Binh: Rice paddy field hiking – Local traditional market (B/L)
Today you will get closer to village life and interact with locals living in the hills.
8:00, Opening a new day with fresh air and majestic beauty of view from the resort.
After nice breakfast and coffee time. 8:00, driver and tour guide will take you to Pho Doan local market. We must say that it is another world: poor life but so interesting. All products are made and found by locals sold and displayed there.
Take time to feel it until you think it is enough for you then following the tour guide. He will take you along the villages, the fields, You'll have chance to engage with locals here and see their rural way of life. Sometimes, on your roads, there would be other spaces that open in your eyes. They are beautiful paddle fields or rice terraces. That moment, just stop and have your own best pics to keep something about that area.
At the end of hiking tour, delicious lunch is waiting for you.
After lunch, Driver and tour guide will take you to Tam Coc – Ninh Binh, a center of tourism in Ninh Binh province. You will see the beauty of flat land with different paddle fields.
Just check in the hotel or resort before taking time to talk a walk around. You would never be upset. That area is so lovely and poetic.
Back to hotel to take a bath and have a great dinner.
- Private transfer from Pu Luong Nature Reserve to Ninh Binh: 3.5 hours
Day 6: Ninh Binh - Halong: the natural wonder of the world (B/L/D
In the morning, check out of the hotel, and get picked up by the Cruise team. Take the most scenic route to reach Halong Bay, taking you across the Red River Delta with emerald green rice paddies stretching for as far as the eyes can see.
On arrival at the pier, you will board the cruise and enjoy the fantastic views of limestone rocks and the karst grottoes. Have an utterly delicious seafood lunch and enjoy the time at the sundeck exploring the Bay.
The cruise will stop in a secret place where you will spend time kayaking or swimming, so you can explore the karst grottoes closer. Towards the evening, you will return to the boat for an early dinner, followed by some time at leisure. You can optionally attend the activities taking part on the boat or just relax.
Overnight on cruise
Day 7: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue Ex-capital (B/L)
Rise early today to view the sunrise at the wonder of nature with breakfast served in the dining room. A Tai Chi class on the sun deck will awake your mind and muscles.
Then head off to visit the limestone cave full of stalagmites and stalactites. After your exploration return to the boat to check out and enjoy the brunch while the cruise is sailing back to the harbor. Later you will be transferred to Hanoi. Have some rest before our driver will pick you up to transfer to the airport for your flight to Hue. Upon arrival in Hue, you will be escorted to your accommodation.
- Overnight in Hue
Day 8: Hue city tour - Exploring the most beautiful heritage sites of Hue (B/L)
Hue City is the cultural, political, and economic center of the Thua Thien Hue province, and used to be an old imperial city of Vietnam under the Nguyen Dynasty. During this time, the most remarkable architectural monuments were constructed, which now are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Your guide will meet you at your hotel around 8:00-8:30 am. Start your exploration with the boat trip on the Perfume River to Thien Mu pagoda, which is the oldest pagodas in Hue. Then visit the Imperial Citadel, where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Here you will also visit the Royal Antiques Museum to see the collection of ornaments from the Nguyen dynasty. Then head to the bustling Dong Ba market.
Have delicious Vietnamese lunch. In the afternoon, we will head to Khai Dinh’s Tomb, which combines traditional Vietnamese style with a European touch, making it unique from the other tombs in Hue. Then explore Minh Mang's Tomb, which represents the Confucian style. On the way, you will also visit conical hats and incense sticks villages.
You will be back to your hotel around 16:00-17:00.
- Overnight in Hue
Day 9: Hue - Hoi An ancient town: Hai Van pass - Hoi An lantern city (B/L)
Get up early in the morning. Our team will meet you around 04:30 – 05:00 am. Drive toward the An Truyen village. On arrival, you will visit the early morning market at the lagoon. Then embark on the motor sampan to see the sunrise on the lagoon and learn about the local floating life. You will visit a family farm, where you will learn how to catch fish in a uniquely local way. Snap a couple of nice shots of the sunrise over the lagoon before stopping by a local restaurant in the village market, to enjoy some tea/coffee and a very local tasty breakfast. Back to the hotel around 07:30-08:00 am.
Then get ready for the 3 hours trip from Hue to Hoi An by private vehicle. You will drive through one of the most beautiful roads in the world - Hai Van Pass. You will be blown away by the stunning views of the mountains and the sea. Upon arrival in Hoi An check in the hotel and have free time to explore the surrounding area.
- Overnight in Hoi An
Day 10: Hoi An town exploration - the beauty of lantern town (B/L)
Once known as Faifo, Hoi An was an influential port along the Silk Road. For over 500 years, merchants from China, Japan, France, and Portugal settled in the prosperous town resulting in a distinctive blend of culture, cuisine, religions, and architecture. In 1999, the town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for having the most unique architecture in Southeast Asia.
Begin your tour on foot into the heart of Hoi An, a former trading port, that welcomed Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese, and Arab merchants between the 16th to 18th Centuries. Nowadays, Hoi An is famous for its stunning restored architecture, homemade silk, expert tailors, distinctive yellow walls, and delicious noodles and seafood. Its relaxed vibe and pedestrian streets make this town a pleasure to discover on foot.
Start with a wander through the Chua Ong Pagoda, a stunning Chinese-style structure constructed in 1653 to honor the Chinese general Quan Cong. Then, head onward to the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, famous for the Jinshang Temple dedicated to the goddess of the sea. Since the city's culture was linked closely with the sea - and the safety of merchant sailors that frequented its shores - this temple is one of the most historic and significant in the entire town.
Finally, wander onward to the 200-year-old ancestral Tan Ky House and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge. Built by Japanese craftsman and doubling as a temple. Learn about how the bridge was constructed, and now it is a major landmark in the city before the guide takes you to the local restaurant for lunch and then back to your hotel.
Overnight in Hoi An
Day 11: Hoi An – Siem Riep city – heritage site (B)
Relish the remaining moment in Hoi An before your private driver escorts you to the Da Nang International Airport to take the international flight to Siem Reap. When you arrive at Siem Reap, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation in. The rest of the time is free at leisure.
Overnight in Siem Reap
Day 12: Siem Riep - Discovering the mysterious temples of Angkor Wat (B/L)
Have breakfast at the hotel and start your sightseeing tour of the Angkor complex. Start your exploration with the wondrous ancient ruins with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone. Continue your sightseeing to the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King, and the largest as well as the most complete temple of Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. We will stroll around this massive edifice, seeing the many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards, and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple. Then visit the famous jungle-covered temple of Ta Prohm. Here the enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure giving the impression of man’s creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature.
Overnight in Siem Reap
Day 13: Visiting local villages and Tonle Sap Lake (B/L)
Have breakfast at the hotel, and be ready for your drive to Chrieve village. Admire the life of local people, take an oxcart ride, which is a great way to explore Cambodia authentically, meet a lot of encounters, and interact with local people by visiting their home gardens. Learn their ways of life, and Cambodian culture, help them with vegetable gardening, take beautiful photos, and enjoy seasonal fruits at a village house.
In the afternoon, we will visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Take a boat trip in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia, and be amazed by the unnumerous stilted houses on the way. Then visit "Chantiers Ecoles - Les Artisans d'Angkor" which provides training to young Cambodians to revive the ancient Khmer traditions of stone carving and wood sculpting. Then get back to your hotel.
Overnight in Siem Reap
Day 14: Time to Say Goodbye - Siem Reap Departure (B)
Relish a healthy breakfast on the final day of your trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. Complete the hotel check-out formalities, after which you can visit the local markets to buy souvenirs for your loved ones. Later your private driver will transfer you to the airport to take your flight back home.
The tour ends here!
Thank you and see you in other tours!
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THINGS INCLUDED
Accommodation
3-stars hotels:
Hanoi: Mina Hotel or similar
Pu Luong: Pu Luong Retreat or similar
Halong Bay: Le Journey Cruise or similar
Hue: Cherish Hue Hotel or similar
Hoi An: Kim An Hotel Hoi An or similar
Siem Reap: Hari Residence or similar
4-stars hotels:
Hanoi: Tirant Hotel or similar
Pu Luong: Pu Luong Retreat or similar
Halong Bay: Sky Cruise or similar
Hue: Eldora Hotel or similar
Hoi An: Le Pavillon Luxury Hotel and Spa or similar
Siem Reap: Saem Siem Reap or similar
5-stars hotels:
Hanoi: The Oriental Jade Hotel and Spa or similar
Pu Luong: Pu Luong Retreat or similar
Halong Bay: Era Cruise or similar
Hue: Silk Path Grand Hue Hotel and Spa or similar
Hoi An: Palm Garden Hoi An or similar
Siem Reap: Angkor Miracle or similar
Check-in room at 14:00 // Check-out room at 12:00 noon (Except Early check-in or Late check-out mentioned in the program)
Flights
Domestic flight from Hanoi to Hue, include up to 20 kg of checked luggage per pax
Domestic flight from Da Nang to Siem Reap, include up to 20 kg of checked luggage per pax
Guide
Experienced English-speaking guide
French/German/Spanish/ Russian/ Chinese speaking guides are available upon request. The surcharge will be applied
Meals
As per the tour program:
B=breakfast
L-Lunch
D-Dinner
Transport
- Door-to-door pick-up & drop-off services by private car
- Air-conditioned bus between Hanoi and Halong Bay (2-way)
- Air-conditioned bus or private cars for the excursions
Other included
– All sightseeing tickets according to the itinerary
– Tissues and water on coach
– Service charges and government tax
– 24/7 hotline support guaranteed
– Vietnam Visa letter approval
Other not included
X International flights and departure taxes
X Beverage, Personal expenses, tips, and gratuities
X Early check-in and late check-out (If not mentioned)
X Compulsory Gala Dinner on 24 Dec, 31 Dec and 21 Jan (Tet)
X Public holiday surcharge (Christmas and New Year, Tet holiday in Vietnam, Khmer New Year in Cambodia) if applicable
X Surcharge for airport cabs from 12:00 am – 05:00 am
X Visa stamping fee on arrival at the airport (Vietnam: $25/person, Cambodia: $30/person)
X Services not mentioned above
