VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA EXPRESS
Indicative itinerary subject to changes until departure date
DAY 1 – HANOI
Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Hanoi is a quiet and elegant city with colonial charm and oriental flavor, its green parks and numerous lakes give it a relaxed atmosphere. Optionally, visit the mountains of Hoa Lu and Trang An. Accommodation.
DAY 2 – HANOI
Breakfast. City tour: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (exterior) and his former residence, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Tran Quoc Pagoda and the Museum of Ethnology with its exhibition on Vietnamese ethnic plurality. Lunch. In the afternoon, a visit to the Temple of Literature, a bike ride in the old town where you'll have free time to wander the streets and browse the antique stores. Then a visit to the Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake. At the end of the day, a traditional water puppet show. Accommodation.
DAY 3 – HANOI / HALONG BAY
Breakfast. Departure by road to Halong Bay. Arrival and boarding of the Junco for a long cruise that will allow you to appreciate the surroundings of the bay, with an extension of 1,500 km² and around 30,000 small islands with whimsical shapes reminiscent of animal figures or other objects. Weather permitting, you can swim in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, see the stalactite caves and enjoy the sunset from a privileged spot. Lunch and dinner. Night on board the El Junco.
DAY 4 – HALONG BAY / HANOI / DA NANG / HOI AN
On this day, you can watch the sun rise over the bay and enjoy a cruise back to Halong. Brunch on board (between 10:00 and 11:00) and return by road to Hanoi. Transfer to the airport to board a flight to Danang. Arrival and transfer by road to Hoi An. Accommodation.
DAY 5 – HOI AN
Breakfast. Hoi An was an important port during the 17th and 18th centuries and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit of the city's most picturesque area, which retains the atmosphere of its glorious past, the famous wooden covered bridge built by the Japanese community in 1593, the Phuc Kien Pagoda, the Hung merchants' house and the Quang Dong Assembly. Lunch. Afternoon at leisure to relax on the beach or go shopping in the old quarter. Optionally, we suggest you visit the famous Bridge of Hands, located in the hills of Ba Na. Accommodation.
DAY 6 – HOI AN / DA NANG / HUE
Breakfast. Departure by road to Hue, via the Hai Van tunnel. Hue was the former imperial capital of Vietnam, the city of poets and the intellectual center of the country. Visit the Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc, built according to the laws of geomancy. Lunch. Visit the Citadel to see the Imperial Palace and take a rickshaw ride. Then a boat trip on the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda, an emblematic seven-storey octagonal tower. Accommodation.
DAY 7 – HUE / HO CHI MINH
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Better known as Saigon, this city remains an important trading port on the banks of the Mekong River, a cosmopolitan city with beautiful buildings that reflect its colonial past. City tour including the old Colonial Residential Quarter which includes the City Hall, the Opera House, the Post Office and the Reunification Palace (exterior). In the afternoon, visit the War Museum, Cho Lon Chinatown, Tien Hau Pagoda and Binh Tay Market. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.
DAY 8 – HO CHI MINH / SIEM REAP
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap. Arrival and transfer to hotel. Accommodation.
DAY 9 – SIEM REAP
Breakfast. Start exploring the ancient city of Angkor by entering the South Gate to Angkor Thom, visiting the ruins of the Bayon Temple, the Royal Temple of Baphuon, the Phimean Akas (Heavenly Palace), ending with the Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King. Lunch. In the afternoon, visit to the glorious Angkor Wat, Cambodia's national emblem, built by King Suryavarman at the beginning of the 12th century. Accommodation.
DAY 10 – SIEM REAP
Breakfast. Visit to the temples of Bantey Srei, with its rare female sculptures, and Bantey Samre. Lunch. Continue to the twin temples of Thommanon and Chau Say Tevada and the unfinished “Mountain Temple” of Ta Keo, the sacred lake of Srah Srang, the Temple of Bantey Kdei and the impressive Temple of Ta Prom, famous for having been preserved as it was discovered, that is, invaded by the jungle, which gives it a romantic atmosphere. Accommodation.
DAY 11 – SIEM REAP
Breakfast. Visit to the Rolous group of temples, including Preah Ko, Bakong Mountain Temple and Lolei Temple, situated on the ancient Baray Lagoon. The Rolous group (9th century) is the main exponent of Hariharalaya, the first great capital of the Khmer empire of Angkor. Transfer to the airport.
