Unravel Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam

Begin the journey by unravelling the glorious history of the Capital of Thailand with its highlights:

• The Grand Royal Palace complex which includes the Royal Palace and the magnificent Wat Phra Kaew (known for the Statue of the Emerald Buddha)
• Wat Pho, a giant house of the lying Buddha
• A boat trip through the lively and bustling interior canals by traditional long tail boat
• Wat Paknam, is a hidden museum with white stupa exhibition
• Beautiful part of the Khlong with a mix of old wooden houses and new modern mansion
• Orchid and fruit farm

Overnight in Bangkok
Highlight experience:Discover the beautiful architecture of the Royal Palace and Wat Pho

Soak in the final day in Bangkok:

• Enter into the famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
• En route, stop at the Train Market and Sugar Palm factory
• At the floating market, observe the locals’ lifestyles and taste delicacies: mango sticky rice or hot fishball soup

Highlight experience: Observe the locals’ lifestyles and taste delicacies on the floating market

In the morning, go to the Bangkok airport for a departure flight to Siem Reap.

A Hanoi Voyages tour guide will await your arrival in Siem Reap and take you to see the astounding cultural sites in Cambodia such as Angkor Thom which houses:

• The “South Gate Bayon” where all sides of each of the 54 towers has a face of Buddha
• The “Terrace of the Leper King” with beautiful carvings of gods, nagas, and dancers
• The “Royal Enclosure” and small temple: Phimeanakas
• The Baphuon with splendid sculptures
• The “Terrace of the Elephants”
• Taphrom

Overnight in Siem Reap
Highlight experience: Traditional Apsara dance parformances

Begin the day by traveling to see an array of Cambodia’s temples, including the world’s largest spiritual complex.

• Travel to Banteay Srei, a Hindu temple dating back to the 10th century called “the Citadel of Women”
• Visit Banteay Samre, a Hindu temple dedicated to Vihnou Shiva in the 12th century
• Uncover Angkor Wat, built in the first half of the twelfth century and still regarded as the largest religious monument in the world
• View the sunset from the top of the Phnom Bakheng hill, which offers a magnificent view over Angkor Wat
• Enjoy a relaxing Khmer massage performed by a blind masseur in Siem Reap

In the evening, attend an Apsara dinner dance show or a leather puppet show representing a very popular mode of expression for the Cambodian people prior to the Khmer Rouge period.
Highlight experience: “The citadel of women” Banteay Srei

In the morning, travel 15 kms from Siem Reap to a collection of 9th century Hindu temples called the Roluos Group. The Roluos Group represents the remains of the first capital that was founded in Angkor’s region of Roluos Hariharalaya:

• Discover the three main temples dedicated to Shiva
• Visit three Buddhist sites
• Explore the three temples that were built by King Jayavarman VII and illustrate the pre-eminence of Mahayana Buddhism during his reign

In the afternoon, board a boat from the fishing village of Chaong Kneas on the banks of the Tonle Sap Lake:

• Admire floating villages built on stilts of bamboo and straw
• Observe the locals utilize traditional fishing techniques on one of largest reserves of freshwater fish in the world

Highlight experience: Watching sunset on the mountain temples of Roluos

Brimming with beautiful colonial buildings, wide tree-lined avenues, and iconic Khmer monuments, the vibrantly charming capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, is open to discovery:

• Absorb the exhibits of pre-Angkorian and Angkorian sculptures in the National Museum of Fine Arts
• Admire the “Royal Palace” resplendent with traditional Khmer architecture
• Enjoy the “Silver Pagoda” and magnificent “Emerald Buddha”
• Visit the oldest temple of the city and the inspiration for the capital’s current name: Wat Phnom
• If time permits, stroll through the Central Market and appreciate the Art Deco architecture

Overnight in Phnom Penh
Highlight experience: Admire Khmer architectural beauty in the ancient Royal Palace

Welcome the day and the opportunity to adventure the capital of Cambodia for another day:

• Visit the Museum of Genocidal Crime which was first a high school, then a prison under the Khmer Rouge reign, and now a museum to commemorate the thousands of people lost during the regime
• Visit the Choeng Ek Killing Field where thousands of Cambodian people were murdered by the brutal Khmer Rouge

After the morning tour, leave for Vietnam by boat where border customs requirements will be required while on board and cruise for approximately 4 hrs.
When the boat docks at Chau Doc a Hano Voyages guide will be there to meet and help you with your transfer to your accommodation.
Spend the night in Chau Doc at your hotel on a mountain.
Highlight experience: Learn about Cambodia’s brutal history

• Upon awaking in the mountain morning fresh air, begin to explore the surrounding regions.
• Sam Mountain is a famous place of pilgrimage for the Vietnamese and is home to many temples under the influence of Chinese, Cham, and Khmer cultures.
• Embark on a jungle journey through the Tra Su Cajuput Forest via a sampan cruising among vibrantly green water.
• Journey to Can Tho to wander around the buzzing city.

Overnight in Can Tho

Highlight experience: Discover Mekong Delta regions

• Board a local sampan and travel on the water for a visit to the colorful and vibrant Cai Rang floating market and Ba Cong fruit orchard
• Visit the 100 year old Binh Thuy Ancient House to appreciate the historic workmanship and architecture
• Admire the lush vegetation and active life of the local people along the riverbanks
• Close the Mekong Delta trip by wandering Can Tho’s bright market
• On the return journey to Saigon visit either the Vinh Trang Pagoda or Cao Dai Temple

Overnight in Saigon

Highlight experience:Wake up in Can Tho, the largest town and trading center in the Mekong Delta, and retreat to the hidden tributaries brimming with discoveries:

Saigon (currently Ho Chi Minh city) varies from the rest of Vietnam due to its modern flair. Various cultures mesh together to create a colorful city with foreign influences:

• Built by the Cantonese congregation, Thien Hau Temple and the Binh Tay Market both reside in the Cholon district, which is presently the largest community of Chinese
• The War Remnants Museum houses a history of locals’ perspectives of the American/Vietnam War
• The old Presidential Palace is where victory was declared after years of fighting and is preserved as found with vehicles still in the garages
• The Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Saigon Post Office are both magnificent displays of French architecture
• Explore the Cu Chi tunnels
• Depart from the Saigon airport to Hanoi

Highlight experience: Explore Saigon’s bustling city life and historical buildings

Begin the journey by unraveling Vietnamese culture, history, and religion in the capital of Vietnam with Hanoi’s highlights:

• Ho Chi Minh complex which includes the mausoleum for the nation’s hero-Ho Chi Minh, his modest former residence, the Presidential Palace, and the One Pillar Pagoda
• The Temple of Literature, a fine example of traditional Vietnamese architecture founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, and dedicated to Confucius to honor literary scholars. Vietnam’s first university was also established here in 1076
• The museum of your choice either the National Fine Arts Museum, the Ethnology Museum, or the Vietnamese Women Museum
• A ride of exploration through the lively ‘Old Quarter’ (over 1000 years old) by traditional cyclo
• A water-puppet show, a traditional and ancient art form, unique to Vietnam

Transfer to the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage site, Halong Bay.

• Your cruise will navigate to Bai Tu Long Bay, a well-selected route away from the main tourist circuit. Get ready to experience the bay’s treasures and enjoy your time away from the crowd on a traditional wooden boat.
• Adventure within the fantastically formed Thien Canh Son Cave and be fascinated by the formations of the bay.
• Participate in kayaking, swimming or relax on the white sand beach of Hon Co Island.
• Taste skillfully prepared local seafood and settle into your cabin while the boat anchors for the night.

Highlight experience: Escape the crowd and relax in the Bai Tu Long Bay

For the final day in the bay, you will adventure through activities that will stick to your memories:

• Delight in breakfast with an astonishingly enchanting view under the morning sun
• Help the local people replace the soft float by plastic float to protect the environment in Halong Bay
• Visit the Vung Vieng fishing and pearl farm via a rustic row-boat
• Dive and dip into the refreshing bay
• Indulge in lunch and appreciate the local ingredients used to craft the dish
• Return to the port in the early afternoon to travel back to Hanoi

Highlight experience: Breakfast in breathtaking surroundings

Free time until your transfer to the airport for your departure flight.