Essential Vietnam and Cambodia

Itinerary

Day 1 Hanoi

Arrive in bustling Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. As passengers will be arriving at various times today, there are no planned activities. Some suggestions include: Taking a walk through Hanoi's Old Quarter – a maze of street, each one traditionally devoted to a different product or industry. In the evening attend a performance at the famous Water Puppet Theatre. Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) or Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and Museum. The Mausoleum houses the remains of Ho Chi Minh, the founding father of the unified Vietnam (the mausoleum and museum is closed in October-December). You will have a scheduled group meeting in the evening,normally at 6pm. Please check at the reception desk or look for a G.A.P Adventures notice board with details of the meeting time.

Day 2-3 Halong Bay (2B,2L,1D)

On day 2, a 3 hour drive takes us to Bai Chay Harbour, the entrance of Halong Bay.Thousands of islands rise dramatically from the waters of Halong Bay, where the limestone karst formations are hollowed and carved into intricate caves. Aboard your sailing junk visit some of the islands and bays, perhaps followed by a pre-dinner swim and a peaceful night beneath the stars. In the morning continue the cruise past Man's Head Island and visit Luon cave by small bamboo boat. After an early lunch on board the boat, head back to Hanoi with time for shopping or further sightseeing until our overnight train to Hue(approx 13 hours).

Day 4 Hue

Arrive in the morning to Hue, which was once the imperial capital. We can visit Tien Mu Pagoda and the tomb of one of the Nguyen Emperors. On the morning of day 5, take a tour of the Citadel which contains the Forbidden Purple City, modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing. Badly destroyed during the Tet Offensive in 1968, significant restoration work has since occurred. After the tour, we board our bus to Hoi An.

Day 5-7 Hoi An (3B)

After a tour of Hue's Citadel, we drive over the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An, possibly stopping as well at Lang Co Beach. Just north of Hoi An is Danang, a major US military base during the war and site of an excellent museum documenting Cham art and history. (4 hrs total)The picturesque port town of Hoi An, once known as Faifo, was an important trading town with strong south Chinese influence and connections. Take a walk of this living museum which includes the Museum of History and Culture, the Tan Ky house, the Japanese bridge, the Fujian Assembly Hall and try some lunch at a riverside restaurant to sample some of the local delicacies. Hoi An is also a shopping mecca for tourists in the region – tailors can produce virtually anything overnight – clothing, silk lanterns, lacquer ware and other crafts abound. And 4kms outside town is Cua Dai Beach for the sun worshipers.

Day 8-9 Ho Chi Minh City (2B)

Drive to Danang for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, the sprawling metropolis that once was the capital of South Vietnam and remains the country’s commercial center.You can take a tour by cyclo (rickshaw) to various sights around town seeing Notre Dame Cathedral, Gustav Eiffel's Post Office, the Opera House, Rex Hotel, and town hall. During your free time, you may wish to visit the War Remnants Museum or the Reunification Palace. On day 9, visit the Cu Chi tunnels west of Ho Chi Minh City. With our guide, explore the underground network of man-made tunnels dug by the local Vietnamese to hide and fight during the war.

Day 10 Mekong Delta Day Trip (B)

Travel by bus down to the start of the Mekong Delta, where the mighty Mekong River approaches and empties in to the sea. Board a boat and navigate through the small canals, witnessing local lifestyle and the cottage industries of this fertile area. After a day of touring, return to Ho Chi Minh City in time for dinner.

Day 11-12 Phnom Penh (2B)

Day 11 we cross in to Cambodia by public bus.The drive to the border takes about 2-3 hours. After processing all the formalities, we continue on by bus to Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital arriving mid-afternoon. After years of civil strife and political turmoil Cambodia is open for visitors. Late afternoon we take a short Cyclo ride around the city.With our local guide on day 12, we witness the dark side of Cambodian history with visits to Choeng Ek, the site of the infamous Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng prison, the notorious Khmer Rouge prison where thousands of Cambodians perished. In the afternoon, explore the cities many sights including the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum. There is also time to visit the huge Russian Market packed with souvenirs and all the necessities of daily life. Late afternoon is a great time to visit Wat Phnom where the sanctuary for which the city is named once stood. It is a Buddhist shrine, although a Taoist goddess and numerous monkeys also reside here, and one of the pleasure spots for residents of the city. A drink in one of the many riverside café’s watching the sunset is a fitting finale to the day.

Day 13-15 Siem Reap (2B)

A short flight across the Tonle Sap, the largest lake in South-east Asia brings you to Siem Reap. After checking into our hotel we set out for a first visit of South-east Asia's most famous archeological sight, the temples of Angkor. The 100 or so temples are the sacred remains of what was once a much larger administrative and religious centre built between the 9th and 13th centuries to glorify a succession of Khmer kings. Most of Angkor was abandoned in the 15th century and the temples were gradually cloaked by forest until they were rediscovered by French archeologists. Start the next day with an early departure for a full day temple tour including Angkor Wat Sunrise, Angkor Thom, the Bayon, the Gate of Angkor Thom, Baphuon, the Terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of the Elephants amongst others. We also visit Ta Phrom, known as the 'Tomb Raider' temple.Day 15 is a free day. Options include a bicycle trip to villages and temples outside Siem Reap, a last visit to Angkor or a short trek to Kbal Spean, the ‘river of 1000 lingas’.

Day 16-17 Bangkok (B)

A long day's bus ride takes us from the countryside of Cambodia to the modern kingdom of Thailand. Please note that the road on the Cambodian side is mostly unsealed and very bumpy (5 hrs), the border crossing formalities can take up to two hours as well. Yet, once we reach the Thailand side, the roads are smooth for our drive to Bangkok (4 hrs). Please note that road conditions in Cambodia can deteriorate very quickly during the rainy season. We have noted approximate driving times in the itinerary above but please be prepared for possible delays. In extreme circumstances the road is impassable and we will have to fly to Bangkok.We have time to check into our centrally located hotel and then off for an evening meal and with time to take into the local nightlife. Departure is after breakfast on day 17, when our tour ends.