Vietnam & Cambodia
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Day One: Arrive in Siem Reap Welcome to Cambodia! Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, your first stop is the cosmopolitan town of Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor Wat. Your driver and private guide will meet you at the airport and you’ll travel to your hotel for check in at 2pm. If you’d like you start exploring straight away, there’s the option to take a quad bike trip through the rice fields that surround the city to admire spectacular sunset views (age 16+; no driving licence necessary). You'll have a special welcome dinner at the hotel in the evening, the perfect start to your trip.
Overnight in Siem Reap
We offer a variety of hotel classes to suit different budgets. You can choose the style that’s right for you. Classic , Premium or Deluxe when booking, and click hotel name below for more details.
Classic - The Cyclo D'Angkor Boutique
Premium - Hotel Shinta Mani Shack
Deluxe - Heritage Suites
Meals included: Dinner
Day Two: Angkor Wat Exploring; Helicopter flight Most people come to Siem Reap to visit the vast 12th-century temple complex around Angkor – your morning will start at Siem Reap Airport for your flight above it by helicopter (option), heading towards Tonle Sap and the floating village of Chong Kneas. Back on the ground, you and your guide will make for its most famous temple, Angkor Wat, swathed in exquisite carvings. At noon you’ll travel by traditional ox cart to a secret temple far away from the tourist crowds for a picnic lunch. Post meal, a foot massage will soothe your temple-hopping feet before you visit the jungle-covered Ta Prohm, which had a starring role in Tomb Raider. Your trip will end around 5pm, giving you some time to relax and grab some dinner before your evening activities. This evening, enjoy an action-packed, circus-style performance courtesy of Phare Ponleu Selpak, an NGO founded to give artistic training to poor young Cambodians.
Overnight in Siem Reap
Classic - The Cyclo D'Angkor Boutique
Premium - Hotel Shinta Mani Shack
Deluxe - Heritage Suites
Meals included: Breakfast; lunch
Day Three: Siem Reap and Temples Prepare for adventure, as you traverse Siem Reap’s surrounds by American army Jeep. First stop is the romantic sandstone temple of Banteay Srei, surrounded by a moat and covered in stunning carvings. Next, you’ll travel to the villages at Siem Reap’s very edges, to experience everyday life here: start by helping to make rice noodles for your breakfast in one village, then travel to the next to assist with the food prep while filling up on local snacks. Lastly, you’ll stop at the house of a family who makes a living from traditional palm leaf handicrafts, and they’ll help you to make your own as a souvenir. Round off the morning with an authentic lunch at a nearby family home. In the afternoon, you’ll have time to explore more of Angkor’s temples, as your guide leads you to the surreal Bayon Temple, covered in serenely smiling faces. You’ll continue on to the huge, 11th-century Baphuon temple mountain and the intricately carved Terrace of the Leper King. Later, travelling by car and boat, you’ll make your way through the countryside to Villa Chandara, a little known private house that serves delicious dinners by candlelight, surrounded by lily ponds and paddy fields. After a pre-dinner cocktail you’ll be served an unforgettable feast as you savour your surroundings.
Overnight in Siem Reap
Classic - The Cyclo D'Angkor Boutique
Premium - Hotel Shinta Mani Shack
Deluxe - Heritage Suites
Meals included: Breakfast; lunch; dinner
Day Four: Tonle Sap Lake; Onwards to Vietnam Check out this morning, bound for the vast lake of Tonle Sap. But first, bring good luck for your onward journey with a sacred Monk Blessing Ceremony in a remote temple. After being blessed with water, you’ll have the chance to chat with the monks about life in the temple, before journeying on to Kompong Khleang floating village to board a boat captained by a local, who will criss-cross the waters of Tonle Sap between tiny Khmer and Viet villages. (This excursion is designed as a half day trip, and can last anywhere between 2 and 4 hours depending on personal preference). After lunch at a village house, it’s time to say goodbye to Cambodia with a private transfer to the airport ready for your onward flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival in Vietnam, you’ll meet your local guide and driver who will take you to your hotel for check-in.
Overnight in Hanoi
Classic - Hanoi La Siesta
Premium - Silk Path Hanoi
Deluxe - Hotel de L'Opera
Meals included: Breakfast; lunch
Day Five: Explore Hanoi on foot and by motorbike Get ready for an action-packed day in the Vietnamese capital, starting with a private trip around its must-see sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed Mondays and Fridays), Museum and One-Pillar Pagoda, the 1,000-year-old Temple of literature (Vietnam’s oldest university) and leafy Van Mieu Park. This tour will start between 8 and 9am and last several hours, depending on personal preference. After this, it’s time to take a less touristy approach to the city, as you’re picked up from your hotel and whisked through its maze of narrow back streets and alleys riding pillion on a Soviet-era Minsk motorcycle (approx. 3 hours). Travelling through lesser-visited parts of the city, you’ll taste street food, meet locals and see the strange and varied produce of the sprawling black market, before whizzing past the Mausoleum again, heading for West Lake. Come evening, experience the ancient Vietnamese art of Tuong, a compelling theatrical performance telling folk stories through music, mime, acting and singing. You’ll also have the chance to meet the performers, play the traditional instruments and try on the intricate costumes.
Overnight in Hanoi
Classic - Hanoi La Siesta
Premium - Silk Path Hanoi
Deluxe - Hotel de L'Opera
Meals included: Breakfast; snacks
Please note: To be allowed to enter the mausoleum, you must wear clothes which cover your legs.
Day Six: Halong Bay Seaplane and Cruise Leave Hanoi by seaplane (option) bound for the stunning UNESCO-listed Halong Bay.* You can choose to combine your transfer with a scenic flight high above the bay, admiring its 1,600-strong collection of rocky islets. Arriving at the nearby marina, you’ll transfer to a traditional junk and spend the day cruising past craggy limestone peaks, soaking up the magical atmosphere. You’ll be served lunch and dinner made from just-caught local seafood and, after admiring a stunning sunset, you’ll get the chance to try your hand at night fishing yourself. Spend your night aboard the junk, lulled by the gentle waves of the bay.
*Please note that the seaplane transfer is weather dependent. In the case of adverse conditions, the transfer will be by road. Your flight will depart at either 9 or 10am.
Overnight in Halong Bay
Classic - Pelican
Premium - Indochina Sails Premium
Deluxe - Ha Long Jasmine
Meals included: Breakfast; lunch; dinner
Day Seven: Depart Halong Bay for Phu Quoc You’ll have time for a final cruise of Halong Bay during your last day in Vietnam. Wake to an incredible sunrise over the water (depending on the season), then set out into the bay one last time. Your private road transfer back to Hanoi airport will leave at 11am and head through a shimmering sea of paddy fields, taking in the tranquil scenery of the Red River Delta on the way (approx. 4 hours). After arrival at the airport, check in for your direct flight to Phu Quoc. On arrival in Phu Quoc you'll be picked up and taken to your chosen hotel. Rest of the day to relax and settle in.
Overnight at Phu Quoc
Classic - Green Bay Phu Quoc (Garden View Bungalow)
Premium -Chen Sea Resort (Seaview Villa)
Deluxe - Chen Sea Resort (Beachfront Villa)
Meals included today: Breakfast
Days Eight & Nine: Time to Relax Your next two days will be spent at your leisure. You could go snorkelling, explore the Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve, check out the night market at Duong Dong or simply lie on the beach and relax in the sun, it’s completely up to you.
Overnight in Phu Quoc
Classic - Green Bay Phu Quoc (Garden View Bungalow)
Premium - Chen Sea Resort (Seaview Villa)
Deluxe - Chen Sea Resort (Beachfront Villa)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day Ten: Homeward Bound After breakfast you can catch the last rays at the pool until it’s time to leave, when your hotel will transfer you to Phu Quoc international airport for your flight home (Check out 12pm).
Meals Included: Breakfast
Overall meals included: 9 Breakfasts; 3 lunch; 4 dinners
What's included:
Private English-speaking guides unless stated otherwise Private transfers and internal flights unless stated otherwise Meals as listed Mandatory taxes and service fees Entrance tickets and permits unless stated otherwise All internal transport and accommodation What's not included:
International flights to/from experience:call 0208 432 0885 for AX specially negotiated flight rates Optional extras listed Tips for guides, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff Any visa, customs, airport taxes or similar charges before or after the holiday We cannot guarantee the included hotel breakfast for early departures Drinks during meals unless stated otherwise Personal expenses, such as laundry
If you intend to travel solo, contact us on 0208 432 0885
GETTING THERE Typical flights from London to Hanoi and flights from Phu Quoc to London via Hanoi cost around £800. Your domestic flight to Phu Quoc from Hanoi is included in the experience price.
Experience start point: Hanoi (HAN). Arrive anytime. Hotel check in 2pm.
End point: Phu Quoc (PQC). Hotel check out 12pm.
All holiday departures up to 30th June 2019 are part of our Pioneers' Club promotion. Click here for more information.
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