The Pearls of Indochina

Upon arrival in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel. Hanoi is one of Asia's most charming cities, with its romantic tree-lined boulevards and colonial houses. The day is free for your own exploration and shopping. Overnight at hotel.

A full day spent touring Hanoi, the political, economic and cultural capital of Vietnam. Starting with the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays), which offers informative and well-documented information on the country’s 54 ethnic groups, including elaborate and colorful hill-tribe costumes. The display continues in the outside garden with fascinating examples of traditional houses from the Kinh’s to the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands. We will then visit the Temple of Literature, a temple built in honor of Confucius in 1070, and served as the first Royal National University in Vietnam founded in 1076. This temple and its beautiful garden provide an opportunity to learn more about the Mandarin education that has shaped Vietnam for 1000 years and to relax in this tranquil setting. The afternoon is spent exploring the alleys of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, visit Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple or the Jade Mountain Temple situated in the heart of Hanoi. A delightful water puppet show will perfectly wrap up our day. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, we depart to Halong Bay, passing beautiful scenery along the way full of lush rice paddies and winding rivers, typical of the Red River Delta. We will arrive at Halong’s tourist wharf around noon and embark a classic wooden junk. Lunch will be served as the boat gently cruises past numerous islands and limestone structures rising from the emerald waters of the bay. It is also an ideal opportunity to enjoy the sea breeze and refresh your soul. An experienced chef will prepare a fresh seafood dinner. Overnight on board in your private cabin.

Enjoy breakfast and savor the incredible sunrise from the sundeck while the boat sails to Luon Cave and one of Halong’s floating villages then back to the harbor. We will return to Hanoi by car where you will be brought to the airport for the flight to Hue. Overnight in Hue.

We will depart from the hotel in the morning to visit Tu Duc Royal Tomb, one of the most beautiful royal mausoleum compounds in Hue. You will then enjoy a leisurely boat trip along the poetic Perfume River and en route visit Thien Mu Pagoda also known as "Heavenly Lady Pagoda" the symbol of Hue. We will then continue the cruise toward Thuy Bieu eco-village, an ancient village situated on the bank of the Perfume River where lunch will be served.

The afternoon is reserved for cycling through the peaceful village, visiting several communal houses, ancient temples and the highlight: the garden- house, a typical and unique feature of Hue. Soaking your feet in medicinal herb water followed by an excellent blind massage will refresh them after a day of sightseeing. Back to the hotel for the night.

We will start our morning with a cyclo tour to visit Hue Imperial City, the remaining vestiges of Hue’s Citadel including: Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace and the Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh). After lunch we will drive along the Mandarin Road, a scenic journey from Hue to Hoi An, which allows you to see a picturesque Vietnam with stunning beaches and lush tropical forest. Take some photos en route before visiting the Museum of Cham Sculptures, with its many precious antique artifacts of the former Cham Kingdom on display. We will arrive in Hoi An in the late afternoon. Check into the hotel for the night.

The morning will be spent exploring Hoi An’s ancient town, once an important international trading port and now a charming riverside town. Hoi An features a fantastic combination of Chinese, Dutch, Japanese and Portuguese culture. Explores each, when visiting the Japanese Pagoda Bridge, Chinese streets, old Phung Hung houses, Hoi An’s market and ancient port, and the old house of Tan Ky. In the afternoon, we will visit a traditional Hoi An handicraft village to learn the process of making lanterns. You will have a crack at creating your own lantern. The rest of the day is yours to explore the town at your own pace and do some shopping. Overnight at hotel.

Morning transfer to Danang airport for flights to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon or "Pearl of the Far East". We will spend a day visiting the city situated on the banks of the Saigon River, famous for its wide elegant boulevards and historic French colonial buildings. The must-visit list includes: Ton Duc Thang and Nguyen Hue Avenue, the Reunification Palace or Presidential Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral built in 1877 and the Central Post Office. The tour concludes with a visit to and optional shopping spree at Ben Thanh Market, the busiest business centre in Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight at hotel.

Leaving the bustling city of Saigon behind, we will depart to the Mekong Delta considered Vietnam’s biggest rice basket. We will arrive at Hung Vuong Pier in Ben Tre and embark our boat to cruise along Ben Tre River, a tributary of the great Mekong, to explore the local lifestyle and the daily hustle and bustle. We will stop at the brickfield belonging to Mr. Tu Lo to see how bricks are made by hand in Vietnam and a coconut candy home factory located along the canal to witness the process of making this local candy and other souvenirs. You will then have the opportunity to taste bee honey tea at a local honey farm and a variety of tropical fruit that grow amply in the orchards of the Mekong Delta. You can then walk or cycle through the coconut groves and green rice paddies to soak up the atmosphere and relax in the tranquil countryside. The afternoon begins with a trip on small rowing boats through a maze of waterways shaded by two rows of palm trees. We then cruise back to the pier and disembark. Transfer to Can Tho.

At 7 am we take an early morning boat trip through the winding waterways of Cai Rang floating market, the biggest and busiest floating market in the Mekong Delta. This is the best time to visit the market, as it is crowded with hundreds of sampans that offer fruit, vegetables, plants, food and other goods for trade. This is the perfect opportunity to take photos, communicate with locals and taste fresh tropical fruit. Leave the market, and return to Saigon. On the way back, we will stop at an old Binh Thuy house 5kms from Can Tho city and Long Dinh mat weaving village where you witness the making of a mat, a very popular item closely associated with Vietnamese culture. Overnight at hotel in Saigon.

After breakfast, flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival you will be welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel. We start our trip by visiting the Roluos Temple Group built between 877-889, situated 13km outside Siem Reap. The group boasts three temples: Bakong features beautiful carvings on its lintels that remain in good shape; Preahko Temple consists of six elegant brick towers with exquisite decorations and statues of Nandi, Shiva's sacred bull; Lolei Temple is an island temple dedicated to members of the royal family and the Hindu god Shiva.

The afternoon is spent exploring the amazing World Heritage "Angkor Wat", the world's largest religious building, and Phnom Bakheng on Bakheng Hill, the first major temple to be constructed in the Angkor era, marking the move of the Khmer empire's capital from Roluos to Angkor in the late 9th century AD.

After breakfast, we will visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom also referred to as "Great City", the famous Bayon Temple built in the late 12th century and the Baphoun Temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and Phimeanakas known as "Heavenly Palace".

In the afternoon, we will tour the World Heritage site "Angkor Wat", the world's largest religious building. We continue our day with a visit to Bakheng Hill Temple and watch the sunset from the top of the hill. Back to the hotel. Dinner with special Aspara dance show. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Morning visit to the “Small Circuit” group of temples including Ta Prohm overgrown with the roots of enormous fig trees. Thommanon built at the same time as Angkor Wat, Chau Say Tevoda Temple, Banteay Kdei surrounded by four concentric walls, Srah Srang or “The Royal Baths" which was used for bathing rituals and Ta Keo known as “The Mountain with Golden Peaks” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.

The afternoon will be spent visiting the “Grand Circuit” including Pre Rup, a temple mountain with beautiful bas reliefs and excellent views of the surrounding countryside, East Mebon a large temple mountain dedicated to Shiva in honor of the king’s parents, Tasom the most distant temple of the Grand Circuit, Neak Pean a small island temple originally dedicated to Buddha, it is most photogenic during the wet season and finishing off the tour will be Preah Khan dedicated to Jayavarman VII's father. Overnight at hotel.

In the morning we will discover Tonle Sap Lake by boat. It is the largest lake in Indochina with a length of 100km. We will cruise for 1 to 2 hours and visit a fishing village where all fishermen live in floating houses. Explore the differences between these and other fishing villages around the world. We will then drive back to Siem Reap through the countryside and villages. The rest of the day is free to relax until we bring you to the airport for your flight home. The hotel room is available until noon only. Asiatica Travel’s services end at the airport.