Vietnam and Must-See Cambodia's destinations - 20 days
 

Vietnam and Must-See Cambodia’s destinations – 20 days

per person

Discover Vietnam from North to South and the must-see destinations for a first visit to Cambodia.

This journey is designed for those traveling to Vietnam for the first time and interested in exploring the essential destinations while traveling from North to South.

In the North, you’ll cruise through Lan Ha Bay on one of our junks before exploring the land of Halong Bay (Ninh Binh) and the Northern mountains. Our guide will introduce you to Mu Cang Chai, a less-touristy area with some of the most beautiful landscapes in Northern Vietnam.

Next, you’ll head to Central Vietnam, where you’ll visit the cities of Hue and Hoi An. Our guides will delve into the rich culture of the Champa civilization in the surroundings of Hoi An. Finally, the Mekong Delta will unveil itself to you, enchanting you with its local life shaped by the longest river in Southeast Asia.

Then, you’ll journey to Cambodia to discover Phnom Penh and the Angkor site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Six days to uncover the glorious ancient history and the poignant recent history of this captivating country.

20 days
  • Destination
  • Departure
    Hanoi (Vietnam) / Siem Reap (Cambodge)
  • Dress Code
    Comfortable and rainproof clothing, hiking shoes, first aid kit.
1
Arrival in Hanoi and visit of the city center (B)
Arrival at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi. Welcomed by our driver and guide, then transferred to the hotel. You will drop off your luggage at the hotel (room available from 1:00 PM). Lunch at a restaurant in the city. The afternoon will be dedicated to exploring the Old Quarter of Hanoi and Hoan Kiem Lake. You will learn about the history of the Old Quarter, its guilds, and our guide will take you through the narrow alleyways, leading you from one surprise to another. A perfect way to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Hanoi on your first day! Among other visits, you will explore the surroundings of Hoan Kiem Lake, visit Ngoc Son Temple located on a lake peninsula, and explore Dong Xuan Market. You will end the afternoon with a traditional water puppet show. Accompanied by our guide, you will learn about Vietnamese legends! Dinner at your leisure and overnight at the Parfum d'Automne Guest House or a charming 3-star hotel.
  • Included in the day: airport transfer to the hotel, lunch, entrance tickets for visits, car transportation with driver, services of an English-speaking tour guide, accommodation.
2
Hanoi - cultural discovery (B, L)
You will have breakfast at your hotel. Our guide and driver will pick you up to explore the rest of Hanoi. The morning will be dedicated to the history of Vietnam with a visit to the Temple of Literature (symbol of Confucianism) and Tran Quoc Pagoda (the oldest Buddhist Pagoda in Hanoi). After lunch at a restaurant in the city, you will visit the Ethnology Museum, which provides a wealth of information about the 54 ethnic groups inhabiting the Vietnamese territory. In the early evening, we recommend attending My Village (optional), an impressive show combining dance and circus performances! Children will love it! Dinner at your leisure and overnight at the Parfum d'Automne Guest House or a charming 3-star hotel.
  • Included in the day: breakfast, lunch, entrance tickets for visits, car transportation with driver, services of an English-speaking tour guide, accommodation.
3
Hanoi - Duong Lam - Nghia Lo (B, L, D)
It's the day of your departure to the North! After breakfast, the driver and your guide will pick you up from your hotel. You hit the road and make your first stop at the village of Duong Lam (Mong Phu), a very typical village representing the culture of the Red River Delta inhabitants, the cradle of the Vietnamese civilization (kinh), and renowned for having several houses belonging to the same family for over 300 years. Visit some of these houses and have lunch in one of them. Visit the communal house and Mia Pagoda. In the afternoon, you continue your journey to the North and enter a landscape of increasingly higher hills covered with tea plantations. You pass through the Khé Pass and arrive at the Thai village of Muong Lo by the end of the day, situated in a vast plain surrounded by high mountains, the largest in the North after Dien Bien Phu. Dinner and overnight stay at a homestay in Muong Lo.
  • Included in the day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, private car transportation with driver, services of an English-speaking Vietnamese guide, homestay accommodation.
4
Nghia Lo - Mu Cang Chai (B, L, D)
After breakfast, you will resume your journey to Mu Cang Chai, passing through the Hmong village of Nga Ba Kim. In a car, you will then ascend, surrounded by peaks over 2000 meters in height, overlooking terraced rice fields. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will embark on a hike and visit the La Pan Tan village (well-known for having the most beautiful terraced rice fields in the north), then proceed to the village of Cau Ba Nha (2 hours of walking). You will return to the car to continue towards Mu Cang Chai. Discover beautiful landscapes along the road, with the possibility of walking depending on the weather and your desire (around the village of Phing Ho, for example). Arrive in Mu Cang Chai by late afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay at a homestay or at the Mu Cang Chai Ecolodge.
  • Included in the day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, private car transportation with driver, services of a English-speaking Vietnamese guide, overnight stay at the ecolodge / homestay
5
Mu Cang Chai - Hanoi (B, L)
After breakfast at the ecolodge / homestay, you will visit and take photos in the Che Cu Nha region (2 hours of walking). You will leave the district no later than 1 p.m. Arrival in Hanoi in the early evening. Dinner on your own and overnight stay at the Parfum d'Automne guesthouse or hotel in Hanoi.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast and lunch, car rental and driver services, English-speaking Vietnamese guide, overnight stay in Hanoi.
6
Hanoi - Ninh Binh (B, L)
After breakfast at the Guesthouse or hotel, depart with your guide to the village of Dong Dinh, near the Kenh Ga nature reserve. Off-the-beaten-path bike ride through the villages, from 5km to 15km according to your preference, followed by a boat ride or walking tour to discover the lakeside village of Dong Dinh and its inhabitants. Lunch at Mrs. Mien's. In the afternoon: traditional boat ride at Van Long or Trang An sites (depending on your choice). Dinner on your own and overnight stay at the hotel in Tam Coc.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, car rental and driver services, English-speaking Vietnamese guide, entrance tickets, overnight stay at the hotel.
7
Ninh Binh - Cat Ba island - Lan Ha bay (B, L, D)
The driver will pick you up from your hotel around 8:00 AM, heading to Cat Ba Island! You will first take a ferry to reach the island. After the ferry, to get to Cat Ba town (located about 30 km away), where our junk boat is located, we offer you a one-hour motorbike ride with a driver, off the beaten path. If you don't want to try the motorbike experience, you can opt to take the bus instead. Around 12:30 PM, you will embark on our traditional boat, La Majonq. Our junk boat first passes through the fishing village of Hang Vem in Lan Ha Bay. Sailing navigation is possible depending on the wind. Take advantage of this tour to relax, swim, and enjoy the sun on deserted beaches (weather permitting, of course). You have the option to take a kayak ride and explore a fishing village. Lunch and dinner are served on board and consist of fresh seafood (fish, shrimp, squid, shellfish) purchased from fishermen on the same day. You will spend the night on board in a cove in the middle of Lan Ha Bay.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, car rental and driver services, English-speaking guide, ferry, Lan Ha Bay entrance tickets, motorcycle crossing to Cat Ba Island, boat rental, activities, overnight stay on the junk boat
8
Lan Ha bay - Hanoi - flight to Hue (B, L)
Breakfast on board the junk boat before starting the morning program that you will have chosen with your guide the day before: a 2-hour bike ride to the village of Viet Hai or a cruise in the Bay with swimming on a beach. Lunch will be served either on the junk boat or at a local restaurant. Return to Cat Ba Island around 12:30 PM to take the bus or the car (according to your choice). Transfer to Hanoi Airport for the flight to Hue. Arrival in Hue, welcome and transfer to the city by the driver without a guide. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, car rental with driver, English-speaking tour guide, entrance ticket, accommodation, a small bottle of water per person
9
Visit of Hue (B, L)
After your breakfast, take a sampan ride to visit Thien Mu Pagoda and the mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc (Minh Mang or Khai Dinh, according to your choice), have a vegetarian lunch at Lien Hoa Pagoda. In the afternoon, visit the Imperial City of Hue: the South Gate, the Palace of Supreme Harmony, the Royal Reading Pavilion, and the temples of the Nguyen Dynasty. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, car rental with driver, English-speaking tour guide, entrance tickets, overnight at the hotel.
10
Hue - Danang - Hoi An (B, L)
Departure from Hue to Hoi An via the stunning Lang Co Lagoon and the Hai Van Pass. Visit the Cham Museum or the Linh Ung Pagoda (according to your choice). Lunch at a local restaurant in Danang. Transfer to Hoi An. In the afternoon, explore the ancient town of Hoi An: the former fishing port of Faifo, the typical market, the Japanese covered bridge, the Chinese temple, the ancient house of Tan Ky, and more. Dinner on your own and overnight in Hoi An.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, entrance tickets (My Son), private car rental with driver, English-speaking tour guide, overnight at the hotel.
11
Hoi An - My Son - Hoi An (B, L)
After breakfast, depart for My Son, known as the 'Valley of the Kings,' the site of the Cham kingdom's capital that flourished until the 10th century. Visit the archaeological site. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you have the choice between: Free time to relax at the beach; Bicycle ride to visit Cam Thanh village, interact with locals, and experience daily life. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, private car rental with driver, English-speaking tour guide (half-day or full-day), entrance tickets, overnight at the hotel
12
Hoi An - Danang - flight to Ho Chi Minh City (B, L)
After breakfast, transfer to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. You will be welcomed and transferred to the city by your driver and guide. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the Traditional Medicine Museum, Municipal Theater, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, Reunification Palace, Thien Hau Pagoda, and Ngoc Hoang Pagoda. Discover the art of lacquerware making. Take a stroll in the Cho Lon Chinatown. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, entrance tickets, English-speaking tour guide, private car rental with driver, overnight at the hotel
13
Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho - Ben Tre - Thoi Son (B, L, D)
Departure from your hotel after breakfast for a 1-hour and 15-minute journey to My Tho, the first gateway to the Mekong Delta located 70 km south of Saigon. Throughout the journey, your French-speaking guide provides you with information about Saigon, current life in Vietnam, the Mekong Delta, the Indochina and Vietnam wars, the historical and cultural ties between France and Vietnam, and answers your questions. Arrival in My Tho: Visit to Vinh Trang Pagoda, the oldest and most sacred in the region. You will discover Vietnamese Buddhism, as well as Taoism and Confucianism, these three philosophies deeply influencing Vietnamese culture, along with ancestor worship. Next, head to the port where you will board a private junk boat: crossing the upper Mekong while skirting the Dragon and Unicorn Islands located in the Ben Tre province. Small sampans then take you through small canals where you will be amazed by the local vegetation, including coconut trees and water palms. Disembarkation in the village of Tan Thach and a short walk to the village's home-stay restaurant. Enjoy a lunch of Mekong specialties amidst the orchards. Afterwards, you board sampans again for a 20-minute ride to a neighboring village. Enjoy a tasting of local fruits and honey tea. Here, you take a bicycle for a 2-hour ride along picturesque trails through rice paddies, orchards, and coconut forests. At the end, take a paddleboat ride in the canals. Finally, return to the port of My Tho by boat. Your car will pick you up and drop you off 3 km away at the Binh Duc pier, where a sampan will take you to Thoi Son Island. Overnight at a home-stay or hotel, according to your preference.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, car rental with driver, English-speaking tour guide, entrance tickets, overnight at the hotel / home-stay
  • Note: If you stay at a home-stay, dinner is included; at the hotel, dinner is not included.
14
Vinh Long - Cai Be - Ho Chi Minh City (B, L)
After breakfast, you will cross the river by boat and then resume the road journey (1-hour drive) to Cai Be, a river port where you will board a private junk boat. Visit the floating market and the craft village: discover local life, the making of rice cakes, craftsmanship, and taste local specialties (coconut candies, puffed rice cakes, honey tea from longan trees, etc.). Enjoy lunch at the Kiet family's old and beautiful traditional wooden house. You will then board the larger boat heading to Vinh Long, 170 km south of Saigon. Enjoy about 1 hour of cruising through the canals, where you can relax on hammocks and admire the scenery.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, entrance tickets, English-speaking guide, private car with driver, overnight at the hotel.
15
Ho Chi Minh City – flight to Phnom Penh (B)
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Upon arrival at Phnom Penh airport, you will be greeted by our driver and transferred to the hotel. You'll have free time at your hotel in the afternoon to rest from the journey. Enjoy a free dinner in Phnom Penh and overnight at your hotel.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, transfer by car to Ho Chi Minh City airport, flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh, welcome by your English-speaking tour guide, and transfer to your hotel.
16
Visit of Phnom Penh (B)
After having breakfast at your hotel, you will visit the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum (home to a rich collection of statues from Angkor). Lunch will be on your own in the center of Phnom Penh (you can discuss with your guide to find a good place). In the afternoon, you will visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21) and then stroll through the Russian Market. Later, you'll take a cyclo-pousse (cycle rickshaw) for a ride through the old colonial quarter located between the Tonlé Sap River and Wat Phnom Hill, where you can enjoy a sunset view of the city. Dinner is at your own leisure. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, car rental with driver, English-speaking tour guide, entrance tickets, cyclo-pousse ride, night at the hotel.
17
Phnom Penh - Siem Reap (B)
After having breakfast at the hotel, you will head to the station to catch the bus to Siem Reap. The journey takes about 6 hours. There will be a lunch break along the way (at your own expense). You will arrive in Siem Reap in the late afternoon. Our guide will welcome you at the station and accompany you to your hotel. Dinner is at your own leisure and you will spend the night at the hotel.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, bus journey from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, transfer to the hotel in Siem Reap, overnight stay at the hotel in Siem Reap.
18
Visit of d'Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat (B, L)
Breakfast at the hotel, and then the day is dedicated to exploring the most impressive sites of Angkor. You will first visit the Angkor Thom temple, which was primarily built by King Jayavarman VII at the end of the 12th century. The name Angkor Thom means 'the great city.' It stands as a testament to the grandeur of the empire. After lunch (on your own), you will discover Angkor Wat, a monumental complex built by Suryavarman II in the early 12th century. This city was the spiritual heart of the Khmer civilization during that time. With your guide, you will decipher the numerous symbols engraved in its architecture. In the early evening, you will be taken to a dinner show where you can experience the Apsara dance, a true symbol of Khmer culture. You will return to your hotel for the night.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast and dinner show, transport by car with driver, services of an English-speaking tour guide, entrance tickets, overnight stay at the hotel.
19
Siem Reap – Kompong Pluk – Siem Reap (B, L)
Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a departure to the local market in Rolous. It is there that you will meet Madame Ry. With her, you will do your shopping (vegetables, freshwater fish, meats, and spices) to prepare a typical Cambodian meal. Then, you will head to the village of Kampong Pluk on the shores of Tonle Sap, the Great Lake of Cambodia, where you will observe the life of the lakeside villages, fishing techniques, fish farms, and private crocodile farms. Each year, the water level of the lake varies from 4 to 8 meters, flooding all the land and forests in this region (from August to January). Depending on the season, we may navigate these flooded forests in wooden canoes. Return to Madame Ry's place in Prey Monty village, the owner of a traditional house, where we continue to learn to cook with our hosts. Lunch with this family. In the afternoon: a bike ride around the village, enjoying the beauty of the Cambodian countryside. Return to Siem Reap in the late afternoon. Dinner on your own and overnight stay at your hotel.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, transport by car with driver, services of an English-speaking tour guide, activities with the family, overnight stay at the hotel.
20
Sien Reap - end of the tour (B)
Breakfast at the hotel, then free time until the transfer to the airport by our driver for your flight.
  • Included in the day: Breakfast, transfer by car to the airport

TOUR LOCATION

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  • Here is the list of hotels that we propose for your 20-day trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. Of course, everything is customizable, and if you have a preference for other hotels, we can incorporate them into your itinerary.
City 3 stars hotel  4 stars hotel
Hanoi Hotel Maison d'Orient La Siesta
Nghia Lo Nuit chez l’habitant Nuit chez l’habitant
Mu Cang Chai Nuit chez l’habitant Ecolodge Mu Cang Chai
Ninh Binh Hotel Nam Hoa Bungalow Chez Loan
Lan Ha Jubk Majonq or Quatre Saisons)
Hue Rosaleen Pilgrimage village
Hoi An Green Heaven Resort Palm Garden
Delta du Mekong Nuit chez l’habitant Mékong Ecolodge
HCMV Le Duy Hôtel ou equivalent   Paragon Saigon ou équivalent
Phnom Penh Okay Boutique Hôtel Villa Langka Hôtel
Siem Reap Central Corner d’Angkor Tara Angkor Hôtel
  • Here are the prices per person in dollars.
  • This is a private tour that includes private car transfers and the services of a Vietnamese-speaking guide for each day of the itinerary.
2 pers. 3 pers. 4 pers. 5 pers. 6 pers. 7 pers. 8 pers.
Hôtel 3* 2300 1910 1745 1615 1530 1400 1370
Hôtel 4* 2765 2350 2300 2165 2100 1970 1920
The prices do not include domestic flights within Vietnam. An additional cost of between 60 and 120 dollars per flight should be expected. The price will be confirmed at the time of purchasing the ticket.

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