Vietnam & Cambodia Inspiration 23 Days 22 Nights

06.30: Early morning sun risers can enjoy a sundeck Tai Chi Lesson

Enjoy breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee, with the backdrop of the incredible Ha Long Bay landscape.

Visit the magnificent Amazing Cave (Sung Sot Cave) and step into another world with its huge twin chambers

Return to the cruise ship and check-out

Join our chef for a Cooking Class and learn the art of traditional Vietnamese dishes

Lunch is served on board while we cruise through the stunning Ha Lan Bay scenery back to the harbor.

12.30: Disembark and return to Hanoi by shuttle bus, with a short stop at Hai Duong Province to visit a ceramics workshop

Arrive in Hanoi, relax at the hotel or explore the city

20.30: Pick up at the hotel and transfer to the train station for the overnight train to Lao Cai

Includes: A/C cabin with soft sleeping bed on an overnight train; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; entrance fees

04.30: Arrive at Lao Cai Train Station. Pick up at the exit gate and set off for the 1-hour drive to Sapa Town. Check-in and freshen up

Breakfast in the hotel

09.00: Along with our guide, trek through the incredible beauty of the landscape to Muong Hoa Valley to visit the ethnic villages of Y Linh Ho and Lao Chai. Stop for a picnic lunch at Lao Chai and then continue trekking to Ta Van Village, situated in the lush rice paddy fields. Explore the village which offers a step back in time and a glimpse into the customs, variety of food, and the daily lives of the rural tribal people

Take a minibus back to Sapa Town. Free evening to explore and eat out in town

Overnight in Sapa

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees

07.30: Tour guide will pick you up at your hotel

Take a short drive to the entrance of the picturesque and stunning Cat Cat Village, nestled at the bottom of Muong Hoa Valley at the foot of Fansipan Peak. The village is home to the Black H'mong ethnic people and you can see the colorful traditional costumes of H’mong, Dzao, and Tay Ethnic People. Explore the village and local houses with our guide who will show you the daily life of the local villagers

Leave the village and trek to the valley bottom to a waterfall where the French built a Hydraulic Power Station. Stop for photos of the bridge and waterfall then trek back for the bus back to Sapa Town

Trekking distance is about 2.5 km and it lasts for 2 hours. Choose a Sapa homestay overnight to immerse more into the local community. 

12.00: Have lunch in the hotel

15.30: Leave for Hanoi on a comfortable sleeper bus stopping on the way for two short breaks

Arrive in Hanoi, check-in hotel.

Overnight in Hanoi

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees, sleeping bus ticket Sapa – Hanoi

8.30: Tour guide will pick you up at your hotel and depart to Hoa Binh stopping for a short 10-minute break. On the way to Mai Chau, you will pass through the lush valleys and vast green rice paddy fields

Mai Chau Town is a mountainous area of outstanding natural beauty, inhabited by White Thai and H'mong Ethnic Minority Groups

Take time for a photo opportunity of the stunning, surreal landscape of the Mai Chau Valley, with its jungles, limestone outcrops, and mountains

Enjoy a well-deserved lunch at a local restaurant

Join our tour guide for a cycle ride around the amazing valley, exploring small pathways that fan out like ribbons across the valley. Visit peaceful villages with clusters of traditional stilt houses, see farmers working in the fields, and locals weaving intricate fabrics and scarves using ancient looms. Bargain at the local market that attracts different ethnic minorities dressed in traditional clothing

Relax in the swimming pool back at your hotel

After a delicious home-cooked dinner, relax and watch a Thai Traditional Dance Performance and drink traditional wine ‘ruou can’  (wine drunk out of a jar through pipes) with the locals

Overnight in Mai Chau

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; entrance fees include bicycle & Thai traditional show

Wake up for an early start with breakfast at the hotel

Visit Buoc Village with its White Thai Ethnic Minority where you can explore the village and their unique culture and customs

Explore Chieu Cave, by first climbing the 1000 steps to reach the entrance. Chieu in Thai means ‘Afternoon’ and was given its name because the cave is most impressive when viewed in the afternoon light when sunlight fills the cave

Have lunch at a local restaurant

After lunch, we set off on the 3.5-hour journey to Ninh Binh

Arrive at Ninh Binh - one of the prettiest and most unspoiled parts of Vietnam. Hop onto a bicycle to explore the surrounding villages and the awesome beauty of the countryside

Relax and stay overnight in Ninh Binh

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees

Breakfast at the hotel

09.00: Our guide will pick you up at your hotel and depart to Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of and visit the remains of Dinh Tien Hoang, the royal temple of The Le and The Dinh Dynasties.

Visit Bai Dinh Pagoda Complex, the largest pagoda in Southeast Asia at the foot of Dinh Mountain and surrounded by amazing views of the exquisite river valley below dotted with limestone karsts. The visit ends with a walk up to the summit mountain to see the bronze statue of Buddha Shakyamuni that weighs 100 tons and witness the amazing panoramic view of the picturesque landscape and limestone karsts

Luncding natural beauty, green carpet of rice paddy fields, and majestic limestone karsts  

Climb on board a traditional sampan and down the winding river through numerous caves including Dark Cave (Hang Toi), Light Cave (Hang Sang), and Cooking Wine Cave (Hang Nau Ruou)

Every bend of the river unveils a surprise with hidden valleys and diverse fauna and flora

Return to hotel Hanoi

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees, including boat trip & electrical car

08.00: Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi for the drive to the ancient Bat Trang Pottery Village, the most famous pottery village in Vietnam. Known over the centuries for its jade enamel (Ly-Tran Dynasty), brown flower or brown enamel (Tran & Le Dynasties), cracked enamel (Le Dynasty), and royal blue enamel (Le & Nguyen Dynasties)

Stroll around the narrow alleys and streets of the ancient village and visit houses and workshops to watch the local craftsmen producing amazing and intricate pottery products. Try your hand at pottery and take it home as a souvenir

Time for lunch at a local restaurant

In the afternoon, we take the short drive to Dong Ho Folk Painting Village famous for its unique artwork. Spend the afternoon exploring the village, its narrow streets, and alleyways. Visit different homes and watch the artists create paintings using their unique process

After leaving the village, we transfer to the airport for the flight to Imperial Hue City, the Ancient Capital of Vietnam. On arrival, our guide will pick you up and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Hue

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees

08.30: Our guide will pick you up at the hotel and take you to explore Hue City including visiting the Khai Dinh Tomb and Minh Mang Tomb 

Relax and watch an exhilarating Traditional Martial Arts Display

Lunch of local delicacies

After lunch, visit the Hue Imperial Citadel, and explore the temples, palaces, and gardens

Next, we head to Thanh Tien Paper Flower Village, approx. 10 km from Hue City, famous for its traditional craft of making paper flowers

Head to the boat landing to take a Dragon Boat Trip along the beautiful Perfume River, passing lush scenery and local villages, to visit Thien Mu Pagoda

Wander through the complex and discover the amazing architecture, statues, and the impressive Phuoc Duyen Tower which was built in 1844

Return to the hotel in Hue City

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees, including Dragon boat trip

09.00: Pick up at your hotel and depart for Van Quat Dong Fishing Village in the middle of the largest lagoon in South East Asia

Take photos of the beautiful landscape and floating houses of the local people who earn their living from fishing in the lagoon

Our next stop is the Elephant Water Falls, a natural spring that cascades into the rock pools below.

Enjoy lunch on a floating restaurant in Lap An Lagoon

Head to Da Nang and its amazing attractions

icknamed China Beach by American soldiers during the Vietnam War and one of the most picturesque beaches in Vietnam

Marble Mountains, a cluster of 5 limestone peaks named after the 5 elements, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. There are pagodas and Buddhist sanctuaries and spectacular views across Non Nuoc and My Khe beaches.

Leave Danang for Hoi An Ancient Town. Check-in hotel

Enour leisure

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees

09.00: Join our Cooking Class Tour and learn how to cook a variety of local delicacies

Catch a rowing boat to visit Hoi An's Local Village. Wander through the village, stop at local houses, chat with the villagers, and sample snacks of grilled rice cakes and iced tea

The cooking class takes place in the open-air, with a backdrop of coconut trees and the beautiful river, where you can enjoy the cool breeze and peaceful setting while learning to cook

Our chefs have prepared 4 courses of traditional Vietnamese dishes for the cooking class. First, they will demonstrate how to prepare each dish, and then it's your turn to try your hand at preparing your own tasty Vietnamese lunch!! 

Around 14.00 the cooking class finishes and we return to the hotel in Hoi An Town.

The rest of the day is free for you to explore the Hoian Ancient Town. 

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Check-out. Our driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer to Danang Airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)

Arrive HCMC, our guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer to the hotel in HCMC. Check-in. 

Enjoy the rest of the evening, choose your own place for dinner.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast

Enjoy an early breakfast

08.30: Visit the War Remnants Museum, opened in 1975, with displays of old military equipment from the Vietnam War 

Next, visit Reunification Palace where, in 1975, a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the main gate, ending the Vietnam war 

This is followed by a tour of Notre Dame Cathedral, constructed between 1863 and 1880, and officially known as "Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception"

We then head next door to the historic and beautifully preserved Central Post Office, with its charming colonial architecture and ornate decorations.

Lunch at a local restaurant

After lunch explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, where the Viet Cong hid during the War. The 200km network of tunnels played a vital role in the War and were fully-functioning underground cities, including living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers

Watch a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed then spend the next hour exploring the tunnels

Afterward, enjoy tea and sample cassava, the food the guerrillas ate during wartime

Return to the hotel in HCMC and enjoy the rest of the evening at your leisure

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees

8.30: Depart from Ho Chi Minh City and take a scenic morning drive to Cai Be, stopping en-route at the stunningly beautiful and incredibly ornate Cao Dai Temple

From Cai Be Boat Station, take a boat trip along the mighty Mekong River and its tributaries to view the daily lives of people who live and work on the waterways of the Mekong Delta

Visit Cai Be Floating Market with its dozens of boats and traders, hanging samples of their goods from long wooden poles. 

We then stop at a family-run business producing pop rice, coconut candy, rice paper, key ingredients in Vietnamese Cuisine

Lunch is served on an island mid-river, in a local house set amongst fruit orchards and bonsai trees. After lunch watch a performance with traditional Vietnamese music. 

Take a traditional sampan boat ride along the river to Vinh Long.

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; entrance fees include motorized boat and sampan boat

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel

08.00: Pick up and head to the boat station to take a boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong River (Bassac River). We then stop to visit the crowded and lively Cai Rang Floating Market, one of the biggest in the Mekong Delta

Watch how the famous Vietnamese vermicelli soup is made

Then wander around exploring the village and meet and chat with the local villagers

Have a hilarious time crossing a rickety ‘monkey bridge’, formed by a single long bamboo pole suspended across the canal and is the traditional method of crossing canals and rivers

Break for lunc

Climb to the summit of the Sam Mountain to admire the panoramic view of the beautiful landscape around the Vietnamese-Cambodian Border

Visit the Tay An Pagoda at the base of the mountain, built in a mix of Indian and Vietnamese architectural styles

Head to the hotel in Chau Doc and enjoy a relaxing evening

Overnight in Chau Doc

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; entrance fees include boat trips

Rise early for breakfast

06.40: Board the Hang Chau Express Speed Boat for the final part of our Vietnam tour and continue our journey to Phnom Penh

The trip takes around 5 hours on the way passing farms, pagodas, fish farms, and the local people living along the banks of the river

Arrive at Sisowath Tourist Dock in Phnom Penh around 12.00 and transfer to the hotel and check-in

Enjoy a relaxing evening in Phnom Penh

Overnight in Phnom Penh

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast; entrance fees include speed boat ticket: Chau Doc – Phnom Penh

Breakfast at the hotel

Visit the Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 prison). This former school was used as a prison by Pol Pot’s Security Forces. More than 17,000 people held at S-21 were taken to the extermination camp at Choeng Ek to be executed

Drive to the infamous "Killing Fields" of Choeng Ek (15 km South of Phnom Penh). Between 1975 and 1978 about 17,000 men, women, children, and infants were detained and tortured at the S-21 prison and transported to the extermination camp of Choeng Ek

Visit the Russian Market (Toul Tom Pong Market), named because it was mainly visited by Russian tourists, and known for cheap clothing, souvenirs, and just about everything else. Now.

Enjoy the rest of the evening at your leisure

Overnight in Phnom Penh

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; entrance fees include tuk-tuk

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel

Check out and transfer (without guide) to Phnom Penh Airport for the flight to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat

Upon arrival at Siem Reap, pick up, transfer to the hotel and check-in

The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy exploring the lively and varied dining scene and relaxing, laid-back river town ambiance

Overnight in Siem Reap

Includes: Hotel; transport, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel

Travel to Angkor Thom the last capital of the Khmer Empire, entering through the main South Gate

Explore Bayon Temple built during the 12th and 13th centuries by King Jayavarman VII, with its 54 towers and 216 smiling faces

Visit the Royal Palace enclosure, and climb the Phimeanakas Temple tower for views of the surrounding area

View the Elephants Terrace and The Terrace Of The Leper King

Explore Ta Prohm Temple with huge trees and roots growing out of its walls, and featured in the movie Tomb Raider

The highlight of the day is exploring Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world, covering an area of almost 200 hectares, surrounded by a moat and exterior wall

Take a Tuk Tuk ride around Siem Reap Town and a blessing ceremony by Buddhist monks

Overnight in Siem Reap

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; entrance fees include tuk-tuk

Breakfast at the hotel

Visit Banteay Srei, loosely translated as the Citadel of the Women, was constructed in the late 10th century and is renowned for its delicate and intricate carvings in pinkish sandstone

En-route stop at Pre Rub (turn the body), was constructed in the late 10th century dedicated to the Hindu God Siva. The common belief among Cambodians is that funerals were conducted at the temple

Lunch at a local restaurantdedicated to his father. It is a huge, temple surrounded by a moat and occupying 138 acres. The complex served as a Buddhist Monastery and school, engaging over 1000 monks

Continue to Neak Pean, a small temple located on an island in the middle of the Jayatataka Baray. 

Farewell dinner at a local restaurant

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner; all entrance fees

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out
Our driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for the return flight
Tour ends
Includes: Hotel; transport meals: breakfast