Day 1: Arrival Hanoi Vietnam
Our English speaking guide will meet and welcome you at Noi Bai international airport. Transfer you to Hanoi downtown for check in.
Stay overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi city tour full day (B)
After breakfast, meet your guide at your hotel and depart on tour to visit Hanoi with the following highlights:
The Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university. Constructed in 1070, the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past.
Have a 20 minute drive out of town to visit the serene Museum of Ethnology where you observe Vietnam’s diverse culture through the Museum’s unique presentation of artefacts and dress used in daily life. (Museum of Ethnology is closed on Mondays).
The Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest of all pagodas in Hanoi – located beside the dazzling West Lake. Continuing to visit Quan Thanh Temple, with its spacious and charming landscape helps highlight the ancient and romantic beauty of this area. Quan Thanh Temple is dedicated to Saint Huyen Thien Tran Vu who guarded and administered the north of the country.
Drive back to central Hanoi for an hour cyclo tour through the Old Quarter to enjoy the bustling local life. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities all around you.
Enjoy the water Puppet Show – routed from 11th century
Stay overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong. Stay overnight on board (B,L,D)
Your morning departure from your hotel in Hanoi to Halong Bay takes you on a journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta. Observe everyday life of Vietnamese Villages as you see the villagers work the local rice fields, take live pigs to market on bicycles and plough the fields with their large water buffaloes.
Arrive in Halong and board a traditional sailing junk. As the vessel sets sails, you will be greeted by the Crew Team who will aim throughout your stay at providing you with the highest standards of service for a pure pleasure and utmost comfort onboard. Discover some of the treasures disseminated across the Bay of the Descending Dragon during the afternoon: fascinating caves, pristine beaches, picturesque floating villages, fantastic rock formations rising up out of emerald water. While onboard, you can take advantage at leisure of the cruise services; surrounded by a stunning setting in motion, you could attend our chef’s cooking demonstration and try your skills in the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking.
Defined to be one of the highlights of your stay, a highly refined, innovative and varied cuisine will be presented for Lunch and Dinner in the elegant dining-room, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages (with extra charge applied) for drink).
In the evening enjoy the entertainment activities as movie night, squid fishing or just enjoying a cocktail surrounded by limestone rocks majestically springing out from silent waters in the night.
Stay overnight in a cruise in Halong.
Day 4: Halong – Hanoi airport to Siem Reap (B)
Early birds can attend a Tai Chi demonstration on the sundeck at the break of dawn. Start the day enjoying some delights with a light breakfast and follow by a colorful brunch. Continue exploring Halong Bay sailing across its 2000 islets and visiting some of its major highlights.
After the tour, transfer to Noi Bai airport for flight to Siemreap in the late afternoon.
Stay overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.
Day 5: Siemreap (B)
Initially you will explore the Small Circuit. This tour includes the huge pyramid of Takeo, and the jungle-clad Ta Prohm, made famous by the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Tomb Raider’. move on to explore the
impressive Royal City of Angkor Thom, where you will find the Bayon, a temple famed for its many gigantic carved faces smiling beguilingly down at you. You will also visit other important sites in this immense walled city, including the pyramid of Baphuon, Phimeanakas, and the royal viewing stands known as the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King.
Afternoon, it is time to further discover the magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious building. If you have the time your guide will take you to an excellent spot for watching a mesmerizing Angkor Wat sunset.
Overnight in Siem Reap, at your selected hotel
Day 6: Floating Villages & Local Crafts (B)
After breakfast, you take a short 15km drive to Phnom Krom the large hill that looms closer, and enjoy a relaxing cruise on the on the Tonle Sap lake, the largest lake in South East Asia. You will see the traditional floating village of Chong Kneas and witness the residents going about their daily life – it is quite a sight seeing a whole bamboo village complete with homes, gas stations, schools, hair dressers, and even karaoke bars floating on a lake. On the way back to Siem Reap you will call in at Artisans d’Angkor, an interesting boutique workshop where you can observe young Cambodians learning traditional Khmer handicraft techniques, such as stone & wood carving, and lacquering & gilding – a great opportunity for last minute quality souvenirs.
Stay overnight in Siem Reap
Day 7: Siem Reap departure (B)
Free time until transfer to airport for your departure flight.
