Tour of Bangkok, Vietnam & Angkor Wat 17 days (ATD-M09)

You will arrive at Bangkok International Airport and from there you will be taken by private transfer to your hotel in the city centre. After checking in you will spend the rest of the day at your leisure.

Overnight in Bangkok

Today enjoy a private guided tour of Bangkok visiting the capital’s key attractions. First in the agenda will be the Wat Phra Kaew, the chapel of the Emerald Buddha, which houses the world’s most precious image of The Lord Buddha, the 75cm statue of jade sits atop an 11m golden pedestal surrounded by the lavish mural and richly decorated pavilions. Next, you move on to the Grand Palace – one of the most beautiful samples of an ancient Siamese court. It used to be the residence of the Kings of Thailand, which encompasses several major buildings (the Reception Palace, the Throne Hall, the Coronation Hall, the Royal Guest House, and the Funeral Palace).

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, your guide and driver will take you to Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) for a visit before you enjoy a discovery trip into the canals of Thonburi by a long-tailed boat, passing by venerable temples among lush greenery, wooden houses built on stilts, coconut groves, garlanded shrines and spirit houses and vendors offering goods on their boats. Bangkok was given the name “Venice of the East”. Life along the river and canal has become an inseparable part of the Thai lifestyle. A boat cruise allows visitors to see the Thai way of life along both banks, scenes of a traditional lifestyle which has hardly changed over the years.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight in Bangkok

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the historical park of Ayutthaya. Arrive at the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace, built during the Ayutthaya era, you will visit the Ancient City, including;

– Wat Maha That, the heart and soul of  Ayutthaya people, a classic temple ruin of Ayutthaya and famous for the picturesque Buddha head engulfed by the Bodhi tree roots. The foundation size, remaining prangs, and towers attest to the significance during its time.

– Wat Na Phra Mane – Remains in perfect condition, as it was used as the Burmese headquarters.

– Wat Lokayasutharam which has a mysterious past, whereby its origins are unknown, to see the largest reclining Buddha of Ayutthaya at 8 meters high and 42 meters long. The Buddha image was made of brick and covered with plaster

After visiting the Ayutthaya Historical Park, you will return to Bangkok by a relaxing Cruise Trip. Lunch on board (buffet Lunch) “Delicious Meals served in the luxurious surroundings of the cruise boat.” Throughout the journey, you will be able to watch the Chao Phraya River banks scenery, either on deck in the fresh cool tropical air or from the refreshing air-conditioned passenger room. You will get an amazing ling clear view of the life of the inhabitants that dwell along the river, and the unforgettable scenery of children as they greet the visitors going by, making it an altogether worthwhile experience.

Arriving at the city, you will pass the Royal Grand Palace, followed by Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn). The temple was the former palace when the Thai capital of Ayutthaya was replaced by Thonburi.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight in Bangkok

Today you will catch a short flight from Bangkok to Hanoi, the charming capital city of Vietnam.

On arrival, you will be met and greeted by your private guide and driver, and then transfer in a private vehicle to your hotel in the centre of Hanoi.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in Hanoi

After breakfast, dive into the sights, sounds, and aromas of Hanoi. Start with Ho Chi Minh Complex including his Mausoleum (Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed all afternoon, every Monday & Friday, and from late September until December), the Presidential Palace, the historic Stilt house, and the One Pillar Pagoda.

Continuing on your journey through Hanoi, you head to Tran Quoc Pagoda (which means “Stabilizing the Nation”), the oldest pagoda constructed in the sixth century in the Westlake and also a famous attraction for pilgrims.

From there, you will proceed to the Temple of Literature. Originally built in honor of Confucius by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong in 1070, a university was added to the grounds six years later. The university provided education to the royal family and children of the aristocracy or “mandarins”.

Around 12.30: you will have lunch at a local restaurant. After that drive out of the city to visit the Museum of Ethnology, a museum of the 54 officially recognized Ethnic Groups in Vietnam (Ethnology Museum is closed every Monday).

Get back to the city center to visit Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake, the heart and soul of Hanoi.

End up your day with a fun cyclo/ rickshaw ride through the French Quarter and then enjoy a Water Puppet show, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history.

Around 18.00 – 18.30, return to your hotel where the rest of the day will be free at your leisure.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight in Hanoi

After breakfast you will leave the busy streets of Hanoi behind, bound for the serenity of Halong Bay where you will discover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscapes. The limestone karsts and tropical islets rising up from the emerald waters provide an ethereal backdrop for your leisurely cruise.

Once there, you’ll be welcomed aboard your traditional-style Vietnamese Junk boat, each with its own individual route, to begin your cruise around the bay’s rocky islands and hidden caves.

After lunch on board, you will take a small boat transfer to the Tien Ong Cave and Cua Van Fishing Village, whose residents still live in traditional floating houses.

Return to your Junk boat for a cooking demonstration with the chef or enjoy a mesmerising sunset on the top deck before enjoying a scrumptious dinner and a peaceful overnight stay in this UNESCO-listed natural wonder.

Note: If your time permits, we would highly recommend an additional night on board which gives you a lot more time to relax and take in the amazing landscape. You’ll get to cruise deeper into the Bay where it’s more beautiful and less crowded. 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight on board in Halong Bay

The graceful practice of Tai Chi eases you into your day as is the local custom. Join a ‘Local Specialist’ on the deck of the Junk boat for a morning class in exquisite natural surrounds. You’ll have time for an early morning swim at one of Halong Bay’s quiet beaches and, if you’re feeling energetic, a brisk walk to catch one last view of scenic Halong Bay before your drive to Hanoi Airport for a short flight to Hue.

Upon arrival at Hue airport, you will be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel in the city centre for check-in.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight in Hue

After breakfast, transfer to the wharf where you will embark on a traditional dragon boat trip on the Perfume River. A short distance up river is perhaps Hue’s best-known religious site, the Thien Mu Pagoda with its distinctive seven-storey octagonal tower. This pagoda is regarded as the unofficial symbol of the city, overlooking the River. You will also see the Austin car which took Monk Thich Quang Duc to Ho Chi Minh City where he famously set himself on fire in 1963 as a dramatic protest against the unfair treatment of Buddhists by the Diem regime. The photo of his self-immolation is one of the most well-known images of the war.

Continue to visit the Royal Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled the country from 1802 till 1945. You will explore the ancient and atmospheric walled Citadel which contains the former Imperial Palace and the Forbidden Purple City. You will have a chance to visit Hue Royal Antiques Museum – A collection of ornaments from the Nguyen dynasty. After that, you will proceed to visit Dong Ba Market – the famous market in Hue to discover daily life and get more experience with local people here.

Head out of town to a Buddhist Nunnery for lunch. Experience a fantastic traditional meal at this peaceful retreat and have the chance to interact with the nuns to learn more about Buddhism and gain a unique insight into their daily lives.

You will spend the afternoon exploring Hue’s famous royal tombs, illustrious examples of the Grand Dynasty’s past, and garden houses. First, we will visit Minh Mang’s tomb that is located in a tranquil setting of gardens and ponds. The next stop will be the Emperor Khai Dinh Tomb, considered as one of the most beautiful and picturesque works of architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty.

On the way back to town, you will visit a local workshop where you can see how incense sticks and traditional conical hats are made. Interact with the local people and try your hand at making some incense sticks.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight in Hue

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Hoi An, about 150km from Hue. En-route you will stop to visit Lang Co Beach, Hai Van Pass (Cloudy Pass) and Marble Mountain, a cluster of five hills made from limestone and marble in Da Nang. It’s also a well-known pilgrimage site with peaks, caves, tunnels, and temples all just waiting to be discovered. Reaching the summit, you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views.

Continue to drive to the town of Hoi An and check into your hotel nearby the Ancient town. From the 16th to the 18th century, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port. Today it is a quaint riverside town popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, and tailor shops who will make an outfit in 24 hours for you!

In the afternoon you will embark on a walking tour through the winding narrow streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting the town’s major attractions such as Chua Ong Pagoda, the Assembly Hall, the 200-year-old Tam Ky house and the Japanese Covered Bridge. You will also attend a traditional music show and explore the Lantern making factories, a traditional hand-made product of Hoi An.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in Hoi An

A charming town, Hoi An is perfect for you to spend a day wandering around, exploring the town further. You can visit the tailor shops to have clothes tailor-made to measure within 24hrs at reasonable prices or take a relaxing bike ride through local villages. You can also choose to relax at An Bang beach (5km away from the Old town) or consider joining our recommended optional experience below.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in Hoi An

After breakfast transfer to the airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon).

On arrival you will be picked up by your private guide and driver and take to the hotel for check in.

In the afternoon you will embark on the guided tour visiting the city’s top attractions;

The Notre Dame Cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880 by French colonists. It is a famous Romanesque cathedral in Southern Vietnam.

The General Post Office is one of the oldest buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. It was built between 1886 and 1891, based on Gustave Eiffel’s design, a famous French architect and has become the busiest post office in Vietnam.

The Reunification Palace (formerly known as Independence Palace) has stayed in the mind of many generations. It is a famous historical building that went through the two fierce wars. It displays many pictures, weapons, and other artifacts in the basement under the palace.

The War Remnants Museum is the most popular tourist attraction in Ho Chi Minh City. The atmosphere inside the newly-renovated museum is quiet and hushed. The museum shows the horrors and the effects of war on the people. Especially, the victims of the chemical of Agent Orange and the tiger cage display of Vietnam.

The Jade Emperor Pagoda or Phuoc Hai pagoda was built by the city’s Cantonese community at the beginning of the 20th century. This is one of the most attractive pagodas in the city, dedicated to various Cantonese divinities, in a mixture of Taoism and Buddhism styles.

Visit Ben Thanh Market where the local vendors sell a variety of products, such as seafood, vegetable, daily tools, clothes. After finishing the tour, your guide will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in HCM City

After breakfast, we will travel over 70 kilometers to the legendary Cu Chi Tunnels, which was built by the Viet Cong in the war battles for the South of Vietnam. The tunnels are a sobering insight into the dedication of the Viet Cong who lived almost entirely underground in the narrow and claustrophobic tunnels, for up to 10 years!

Upon arrival, you will have a chance to watch a brief video that will introduce you to the Cu Chi tunnels, followed by a walk through the reserve. In this walk, you can see the Secret Entrance to the tunnels, workshops for the handmade weapons, the clinic bunker, the commander bunker, the meeting bunker and the kitchen bunkers, which are all open and above ground. Nearby is a chilling exhibition of the traps and weapons used during the war. You can also experience the Cu Chi tunnels by crawling inside to see how difficult life must have been, and discover the 3 levels underground. Additionally, the small replica displayed outside will give you a perfect example of what the interior looked like.

For those who do not like the claustrophobic atmosphere, you will not have to crawl into these tunnels! The small replica displayed outside will give you a perfect example of what the interior looked like.

Finish the tour and transfer back to your hotel in the city. The remainder of the day will be free at your leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast 
Overnight in HCM City

Depart the city and drive through the lush farming land to Ben Tre town, the heart of the Mekong Delta, popularly known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam. This town is famous for its vast rice fields, numerous waterways, and beautiful landscapes.

Upon arrival, you will embark on a motorized boat trip around the scenic Ben Tre River, viewing various local industries along the way. During the boat ride, you will stop to visit the small local factories where bricks and sleeping mats are made. Take a leisurely walk along the village lanes visiting the local homes to try dry fruits, taste honey tea while enjoying a local Tai Tu music show.

Continue your morning by visiting a coconut mill workshop where the local delicacy of coconut candy is produced and a range of coconut husk and fiber products are skillfully handcrafted. You will next take a small sampan boat through palm-fringed back canals, gliding peacefully along the hidden waterways surrounded by an immense variety of tropical plants. The quiet, rural setting is a welcome and restorative retreat to the frenetic buzz of HCMC which seems far, far away. Have some fun by sitting in the back a Motor Cart (Xe Lôi) passing rice, vegetable and orchard farms while meeting with the local people.

Stop at a local restaurant by the riverside for lunch. Here you will sample some of the most delightful cuisines of the Mekong region. After lunch, you will return to the docks where the vehicle waits for your drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Arrive at your hotel in the late afternoon. The rest of the day will be yours at leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight in HCM City

At late morning check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for a short flight to Siemreap, Cambodia. You’ll meet your guide on arrival and drive straight to your hotel for check-in.

In the afternoon you will meet your guide and driver and then head out of the city to the early Angkor-era temples of the Roluos Group, about 15km away from Siem Reap. Roluos is the site of the first town built by the Angkorian kings in the 8th and 9th century and consists of three main temples: Bakong, Lolei and Preah Ko. The beautiful surrounding countryside with its paddy fields and sugar palm trees is very typical for Cambodia.

Return to the hotel and spend the rest of the day at your leisure. You explore Angkor Night market and the pub street.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in Siemreap

Start your day by a guided tour to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This city is surrounded by an 8m high wall, drawing a perfect square. Enter the city through the ancient South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with Elephants and four giant faces. On each side of the entrance path – a row of 54 gods or demons is holding the sacred Naga snake.

Continue on to the incredible 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.

In the afternoon, you will visit the legendary Angkor Wat. 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. Angkor Wat is well known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple.

End the day with a beautiful sunset view from the top of Phnom Bakheng hill. Once the sun has set, you will head back to town.

Time is on your own in the evening.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in Siemreap

After breakfast, you will embark on an interesting boat trip on Tonlé Sap Lake (Kampong Phluk area), where you will have the opportunity to learn about life on the lake. Tonle Sap is South East Asia’s largest freshwater lake with its size varying greatly depending on the season, as it swells to about four times its size during the wet season. Continue your boat trip to visit Kampong Phluck, a village where you will see houses on stilts that are submerged when Tonlé Sap Lake swells. On the way, you will pass floating houses and impressive flooded forests, portraying life on the water.

In the afternoon, you will be taken on a drive through the countryside to a local village, a beautiful small farming village where life revolves around the seasons and family, located approximately 15 minutes outside of Siem Reap. Here you will be taken on an incredible walking tour through the village and the local community, learning about their simple way of life, meet local people and you will probably want to chat with them or help them with gardening works or help grow vegetables in the gardens. The village tour guide will explain to you about Cambodian daily lifestyle, customers, cultures, and superstitions. You will also stop at a local pagoda for an intimate monk blessing (water blessing), wishing you good health and a safe journey – a very special experience!

This is a wonderful village tour that provides a lot of photo opportunities and local experiences. End of the trip, you will enjoy seasonal fruits & fresh coconut juice at a host family’s house before transferring back to the hotel. The rest of the day will be on your own.

*** Note: Today we recommend you to have proper clothes if you want to join the monk blessing at the local temple.

Meals included: Breakfast 
Overnight in Siemreap

Your private transfer greets you at the hotel after breakfast and escorts you to Siem Reap International Airport where you board your flight home or travel on to more adventures, we will help you with the planning.

Meals included: Breakfast