Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Classic Vietnam & Ancient Angkor Wat


Duration: 13 days/ 12 nights
Destination: Hanoi, Halong, Hue, Hoian, Hochiminh City, Mekong Delta, Phnom Penh, Angkor Complex
Arrival City: Hanoi
Departure City: Siem Reap, Cambodia
Accommodations: 2 nights in Hanoi, 1 night in Halong Bay, 1 night in Hoian, 2 nights in Hue, 2 nights in Hochiminh, 1 night in Phnom Penh, 3 nights in Siem Reap.
Transportation: Car, Speed boat, Cruise, Plane
Tour Guide: English - Native Language
Meals: 12 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners

Tour summary
Day 1: Arrive Hanoi (D)
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour (B)
Day 3: Hanoi - Halong Bay (B, L, D)
Day 4: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hoian (B, L)
Day 5: Hoian - Hue (B)
Day 6: Hue (B)
Day 7: Hue - Hochiminh (B)
Day 8: Hochiminh City - Caibe Floating Market - Hochiminh (B, D)
Day 9: Hochiminh City- Phnom Penh (B, D)
Day 10: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap (B, L, D)
Day 11: Siem Reap (B, L, D)
Day 12: Siem Reap (B, L, D)
Day 13: Siem Reap Departure (B, L)

Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (D)
Welcome to Vietnam, on arrival at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport, our tour guide will greet and transfer you by private car to your hotel. In the afternoon, enjoy walking tour in the Old Quarter. In the evening, you will enjoy welcomed dinner at local restaurant with authentic Vietnamese cuisines. Overnight in hotel Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi (B)
After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy morning tour to Ho Chi Minh Complex including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's House on Stilt and One Pillar Pagoda, then visit Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam. Next is Vietnam National Museum of Ethnology, the vast collection of 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam. After having lunch, make your way to Hoan Kiem Lake for Ngoc Son Temple and Dong Xuan Market and in the evening, you will be entertained by Water Puppet Show and Vietnamese traditional music at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Overnight in Hanoi hotel

Day 3: Hanoi - Halong bay (B, L, D)
Today, get up early for morning Tai Chi with local people at Hoan Kiem lake, then have "Pho" the typical breakfast for Vietnamese people. Leaving Hanoi by road for Halong Bay, the world natural heritage site, drive though the rural area with scenic view of rice paddy field in the Red River Delta. On the way, enjoy Vietnamese fresh coffee at Vietnam Handicraft center. Upon Arrival, check in Vietnamese Junk. Start journey along the spectacular limestone islands, floating villages while having sea food lunch, then disembark to visit 'Sung Sot' or Surprising Cave, one of the most beautiful grottos in Halong Bay. Next stop is Titop Island where you could swim on sandy beach or climb up to the top for panoramic view. In the evening, you will be delighted by romantic candle light dinner on board with sea food. Overnight on board in Ha Long Bay.

Day 4: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Danang - Hoian (B, L)
A breakfast will be served in the restaurant with the combination of western style and local dishes. Experience the Bay up close and personal with a leisure sampan tour to Hang Luon or Lagoon Cave which allows you to see flora and fauna system of Catba National Park, then continue to Halong City. Disembark and enjoy seafood lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, go back to Hanoi International airport for short flight to Da Nang then transfer to Hoian. Overnight in Hoian hotel.

Day 5: Hoian - Hue (B)
After your breakfast, enjoy a short bike to the Ancient Town of Hoian and a walking tour to Japanese Covered Bridge, Phung Hung Ancient House, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall and Chua Ong Pagoda. Lunch at local restaurant with traditional food. In the afternoon,enjoy peaceful boat ride along the Thu Bon River to Thanh Ha Ceramic Village then leaving Hoian for the city of Hue, the former imperial capital. On the way, visit the Cham Museum and drive over the 'Pass of Ocean and Clouds'. In the evening, free at leisure. Overnight at hotel in Hue

Day 6: Hue (B)
Rise for an early breakfast, followed by a visit to the city's vibrant Dong Ba Market then The Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. After exploring the ruins of this wonderful monument, depart to the Hue Royal Fine Arts Museum. The afternoon dragon boat trip on The Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda allows you to go throught history buddhism in Vietnam then visit King Minh Mang's Tomb and King Khai Dinh' Tomb, the contrast of traditional and modern architectures. Overnight in Hue hotel

Day 7: Hue - Hochiminh City (B)
Breakfast at the hotel then transfer to the airport for a short flight to dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, followed by an orientation visit to the former Presidential Palace, the War Remnants Museum, the Colonial Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Saigon Post Office. The afternoon tour leads you to China Town where you will visit Thien Hau Temple and Quan Am Pagoda. Tonight, experience true southern hospitality at local restaurant with southern taste dinner. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 8: Hochiminh City - Mekong Delta (B, D)
After breakfast at your hotel, depart for the Mekong Delta Tour, enjoy 1 hour drive through Vietnam's picturesque countryside with its rice paddies and rural villages. Upon arrival, this morning boat trip led by a local tour guide shows you about Cai Be Floating Market, traditional villages, evergreen orchard and then move to traditional sampan which allows you to discover the smaller canals and tributaries of this region. Drive go back to Ho Chi Minh City. Tonight, your tour guide hosts a lavish farewell celebration dinner at Vietnamese restaurant. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city hotel

Day 9: Hochiminh City - Phnom Penh (B, D)
After breakfast at hotel transfer to take a short flight from Hochiminh City to the capital of Phnom Penh. Upon arrival at Phnom Penh International airport, you will welcome by our tour guide and driver for transfer to hotel for check in. Afternoon, we are start to sightseeing the Phnom Penh Tour such as: Visit to Royal Palace, situated on the site of the former citadel, it was built by king Norodom in 1966, next stop will be Silver Pagoda, home to a glittering array of Buddhist statuary. Silver Pagoda is also called the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha, it is located in the walls of the Royal Palace. Inside, its floor is made up of 5,000 silver blocks. In the center of the pagoda, there is a magnificent 17th century emerald Buddha statue made of baccarat crystal, the National Museum, the world’s leading museum of Khmer sculpture. National Museum is situated near the Royal Palace, Cambodia's National Museum offers a charming setting for the display of a stunning collection of Khmer art, and view sunset from Wat Phnom. Dinner at local restaurant Overnight at the hotel

Day 10: Siem Reap (B, L, D)
After breakfast, visit to the harrowing genocide museum at Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields of Choeng Ek, both enduring memorials to the gruesome and brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge and then Russian Market. Lunch at local restaurant Afternoon, transfer to Phnom Penh International airport for catch a domestic flight to Siem Reap, upon arrival welcome by our guide and driver who base in Siem Reap for transfer to hotel for check in. We start to visit Preah Khan is one of the largest complexes at Angkor, was built by King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century. Sister temple to Ta Prohm and then we continue to Neak Pean temple, it has a large square pool surrounded by four smaller square pools. Dinner at local restaurant Overnight at the hotel

Day 11: Siem Reap (B, L, D)
This morning, we visit to Ta Prohm, was a Buddhist temple dedicated to the mother of Jayavarman VII. It is one of the few temples in the Angkor region where an inscription provides information about the temple’s dependents and inhabitants, continue to visit Takeo, built by Jayavarman V, it was dedicated to Shiva and was the first Angkorian monument built entirely of sandstone. We also visit to Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon temples. Lunch at local restaurant Afternoon, visit to Srah Srang (Pool of Ablutions), measuring 800m by 400m. Banteay Kdei, built in 1186 by Jayavarman VII who was a Mahayana Buddhist and then visit to Eastern Mebon, this temple has large guardian elephants on each corner, and view sunset from Phnom Bakheng hill. Dinner at local restaurant Overnight at the hotel

Day 12: Siem Reap (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we journey to the Mother of all temples, Angkor Wat. Built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, this is most famous temple at Angkor. Lunch at local restaurant Afternoon, we visit to Banteay Srei, construction on Banteay Srei began in 967 and it is one of the few temples around Angkor not to be commissioned by a king, but by a Brahman who may have been a tutor to Jayavarman V. Banteay Srei means “Citadel of the Women” and it is said that it must have been built by a woman, as the elaborate carvings are too fine for the hand of a man. Continue to visit Banteay Samre, built by King Suryavarman II and dates from the same period as Angkor Wat and enjoy sunset at Pre Rup temple. Dinner at local restaurant Overnight at the hotel

Day 13: Siem Reap Departure (B, L)
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then transfer to the airport for home departure

This article written by Lanh Nguyen from Vietnam Travel Agent
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