DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN HANOI

Meals: Not available

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam!

Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport, you are welcomed and greeted by Custom Asia Travel tour guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer. The rest of the day will be free to relax or explore at your own leisure.

DAY 2: HANOI CITY TOUR

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

This day tour to learn about the capital city of Vietnam occupies your whole day with featured sites, including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his house-on-stilts, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university for the morning. Your lunch today is served at a restaurant in town with local tastes. In the afternoon, the tour continues with a visit to one of the following museums (you can pick the one you like): the Ethnology Museum, Army Museum, National Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi Hilton prison or Vietnam Women Museum). Followed by a short walk or a cyclo ride in the Old Quarter. End the day tour with a traditional Water Puppet show. Spend your second night in Hanoi.

DAY 3: HANOI - BAC NINH (OLD PAGODA & TRADITIONAL VILLAGE)

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

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After your breakfast, you are picked up again and heading Northeast to the neighboring Bac Ninh province. After 30km drive, you will arrive at Phat Tich pagoda for our first visit of the day. Phat Tich is one of the oldest pagodas in Northern Vietnam. After visiting the main pagoda, your tour guide will walk you up 200 stone steps to the Peak of Phat Tich Mountain to see a giant stone statue of Buddha. From here, you also can get a panorama over the countryside of the Red River Delta with villages and rice fields. Thence continue on another 30 kilometers along Duong River (A branch of the Red River) to Phu Lao Village where you will have a home-stay experience for tonight. After refreshment, enjoy the local lunch with the family. In the afternoon, go to visit Phu Lang Glazed Terra-cotta village. Learning the local techniques of producing different types of ceramics at some family-owned workshops. Get back to the home-stay, relax, dinner and stay for the night.

DAY 4: BAC NINH - HA LONG BAY

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: Overnight on boat

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This morning, you may be woken up by the village roosters. To start the day, you may want to stroll around the village for a while before breakfast. About 9:00 AM, bid farewell to the host family and spend the morning drive to Halong Bay. The Bay is one of Vietnam's most spectacular natural wonders and listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Upon arrival at the pier, you will board a boat for exploring the bay, the views that you get while navigating past thousands of limestone islands with rocky outcrops are incredible. Lunch and dinner are served on board. The activities of today include a swim in the bay in warmer months. You may have chance to do some as well. Overnight on board in Halong Bay.

DAY 5: HA LONG BAY - HANOI - HUE

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Homestay

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This morning get up early for some fresh-air on the open deck and join the Tai-chi class for some gentle moves if you wish. Otherwise, you are able to remain in your cabin until breakfast time. After breakfast, the crew will pull up the anchor, start the engine again for more cruising to other part of the bay. After visiting a big limestone cave, the boat is gently heading back to the pier. The early lunch (Brunch) will be served aboard. Around noon, you are ferried in and take the return drive toward the airport for the early evening flight to Hue city in the center of Vietnam. Get picked up and transferred to the hotel, check in and stay for the night.

Included Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Hotel in Hue

DAY 6: HUE CITY TOUR

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Lodge in Hue

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Hue city is one of the most cultural and historical territories of the country, once ruled by Emperors of the Nguyen dynasty. To start the day, you will embark a dragon boat at a little dock by the bank of the poetic Perfume River for a short cruise to Thien Mu Pagoda, constructed in 1601; the 21-meter stupa tower is the masterpiece of this charming pagoda. Thence getting back to your private vehicle and drive out of the city to visit Minh Mang King’s tomb. This imperial tomb is, without doubt, the best-combined natural landscape and architectural complex. It was designed on a symmetric axis. Visiting the tomb, you will be impressed by the majesty and symmetry of the architectural constructions. After that, you will enjoy a beautiful lunch at a nice garden restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will be visiting the Royal Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. The Imperial City is located in the center of the Citadel where established highest offices of Vietnam's feudalism and sanctums honoring the cult of decreased Emperors. Together with your personal guide, you will take a walk throughout the complex and enjoy the beautiful constructional works divided many sectors. Back to the hotel late in the afternoon. Overnight in Hue

DAY 7: HUE - HOIAN

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

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The morning drive to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass will occupy half of your day. Arrive at Hoi An ancient town. Check into your hotel and then go for lunch at a nice restaurant in town

Nestled a couple of kilometers inland on Thu Bon river, Hoi An is typified by the 16th century Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese architecture. The afternoon walking tour offers you a chance to see how beautiful the Old Quarter of Hoian is. The sites include the Japanese Covered Bridge; Phuoc Kien Assembly; Tan Ky ancient house; Hoi An Culture and History Museum and Quan Cong temple. The evening is free on your own to chill out at a riverside café or enjoy shopping with tailor-made clothing, shoes, and lanterns.

DAY 8: HOIAN

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

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Today is free for you to do your own things in this charming Old Town: You may be just easy at leisure to enjoy your accommodation facilities or go shopping at the center. If you fancy a swim, this is also the time for that. If your hotel in town you can easily reach a nice local beach by bicycle.

DAY 9: HOIAN - HO CHI MINH

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

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This morning, take a rustic cycling tour to the nearby countryside. View the daily life of the locals along the ride and it is also a good chance to learn some local traditional works such as noodle making and rice processing…
Back to town for lunch on your own account.
In the afternoon, transfer to Danang airport for a short flight (VN121 at 16:20) to Ho Chi Minh City in the South of Vietnam.
The evening is on your own discovery.

DAY 10: HO CHI MINH CITY & CU CHI TUNNEL

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

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After your breakfast in the hotel, start the day by visiting the War Remnants Museum and the former Presidential Palace. Then, walking to the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City: Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office. After lunch, the car will take you out of the bustling city for Cu Chi District, locates approximately 70 km northwest of Saigon. This is a beautiful green land with fruit gardens, rice paddies, and plantations. Cu Chi Tunnels are like a spider web in the soil of Cu Chi District. It consists of more than 200km of narrow underground tunnels that connecting half or total covered hideouts, shelters, fighting bunkers, hospital, school, living rooms and so on… All were built and used by Viet Cong for resistance against their enemy during the French and American wars. Thence we will drive back to the city in the late afternoon.

DAY 11: HO CHI MINH - MEKONG DELTA

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Can Tho City

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At 8.00 AM, pick-up from your hotel and depart for Ben Tre, a nice province of Mekong Delta. Arrive at the Phong Nam brick kiln, where bricks are still painstakingly made by hand. Get on boat and you will cruise along the Chet Say River (a branch of the Mekong) and stop off at various local workplaces to give you a picture of how the local economy works, including coconut activated charcoal factory where coconut shell is put into high heat kiln to produce coconut charcoal; a coconut processing workshop, where you can sample fresh coconut and see how every single part of this versatile nut is turned into food and other products.

Then the boat will cruise through the small canal, discover the local life. You will then stop at a quiet village where you can have a short walk to experience real Delta village life. Pay a visit to a mat weaving house and learn how straw mats are woven using a handloom – you can even have a go at weaving yourself. After that, you will board your xe loi (a kind of motorized rickshaw) into another village where you can see farms, rice fields, and vegetable gardens.

A delicious and filling lunch will be served at a family-run restaurant. In the afternoon, you will board a sampan for a relaxing ride along narrow canals, then take your motorized boat back to the pier. Continue on your day to Can Tho City on your private vehicle. Arrive in Can Tho, check into the hotel and relax for the night.

DAY 12: MEKONG DELTA - HO CHI MINH CITY - PHNOM PENH

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh

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The watery world of the Mekong Delta is home to many bustling floating markets. This day, we take a boat trip and exploring the vibrant floating market of Cai Rang, where the trading way is unique; each boat usually sells one particular item, whether it be pumpkins, pineapples, sugar canes. After an impressive boat trip, disembark at Ninh Kieu quay then visit an ancient house in Binh Thuy 10 km from Can Tho city. Lunch at local restaurant on the way back to HCMC then onward to the airport for taking a flight to Phnom Penh. Get picked up on arrival and transfer to the downtown for hotel check-in. The remainder of the day is yours.

DAY 13: TOUR OF PHNOM PENH

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh

This morning, gain some insight into Cambodia’s recent dark history on a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Taken over by the Khmer Rouge, this former high school was converted into a detention and torture center known as ‘S-21’. Equally as harrowing are the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. Both are grim, but important visits that allow one to dig below the surface and understand present-day Cambodia better. After learning about some of Cambodia’s tragic past, getting back to the city and go to visit the hilltop Wat Phnom Temple, the founding place of the city. Lunch is served at a nice restaurant around noon.

After lunch, embark on a cyclo tour through the most remarkable sights of Phnom Penh. Begin first with a visit to the Royal Palace, followed by the Silver Pagoda, named for the over 5,000 heavy silver tiles that cover its floors. Its original name is Wat Prakeo. Continue on to the National Museum, housing the world's foremost collection (over 5,000 pieces) of ancient Khmer artistic, archaeological, and religious artifacts from the 4th to the 13th centuries. Wrap up the tour with a boat ride for the late-afternoon refreshment. Get back to your hotel after the sunset.

DAY 14: PHNOM PENH - SIEM REAP (ANGKOR THOM VISIT)

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for a flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. On arrival in Siem Reap, meet with the local guide and head to the hotel for check-in.

The afternoon starts with a visit to Angkor. First, visit the incredible temple of Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This city is surrounded by an 8 meter-tall wall, drawing a perfect square around its perimeter. Enter the city through the ancient South Gate, an impressive carved stone gate.

From here, continue to Bayon Temple, in the exact center of the city. This temple is extremely distinct, with 54 towers, each with four faces representing the 54 provinces of the then Great Khmer Empire. The Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King are also must-visits as they are both known for their intricate bas-reliefs. After an incredible first encounter with the historical wonders of Angkor, return to the hotel.

DAY 15: ANGKOR TEMPLES DISCOVERY (TA PROM, BANTEAY KDEI, ANGKOR WAT)

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

After breakfast, explore the temples of the Small Circuit by ‘remork’(similar to Thai Tuk Tuk). Begin the day with a visit to Ta Prohm Temple, built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries. Ta Prohm is unique in that it has been left largely as it was found overgrown by jungle trees and vines, with many parts of the temple crumbling to the ground. This makes Ta Prohm one of the most picturesque and memorable of the Angkor temples. The visit will also include Banteay Kdei, a Buddhist monastery from the late 12th Century, and Srah Srang, also known as the “pool of ablutions”. Lunch is served at a restaurant in town.

In the afternoon, continue on with a very special sightseeing tour of the famous Angkor Wat. Built during the reign of King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat is constructed to symbolize Mount Meru, home of the gods. The divine residence of Vishnu, the King himself was to reside here after his death. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with stone carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. Moreover, Angkor Wat is well-known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple. Construction is thought to have taken around thirty years of intensive labor to complete.

After touring this incredible temple, return to the hotel.

DAY 19: DEPARTURE FROM SIEM REAP

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Not available

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This day is your departure day. It depends on your flight, you may have the whole morning to do your own thing or do some last shopping in Siem Reap. Get picked up and transferred to the airport for your onward flight.