Vietnam and Cambodia Highlights

Arrive in Hanoi, a city of unstoppable energy and faded French elegance, and take time to familiarise yourself with the capital’s street life as you wander its tree lined avenues. Around 6pm we meet our tour leader and fellow travellers to hear about the journey ahead, then share a welcome dinner at a nearby restaurant. If you would like more time in Hanoi, you can arrange extra hotel nights before the tour through your sales representative.

We make an early start for the journey of around four hours to Ha Long Bay, where roughly 3,000 limestone peaks rise from an emerald sea. We cruise among the striking karst scenery and enjoy a seafood lunch on board, then stay aboard tonight in twin cabins.

We continue our cruise this morning before returning to port and transferring about four hours back to Hanoi. The rest of the day is free – you might wander the Old Quarter’s 36 streets, each named for its traditional trade, or take a leisurely stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake. This evening, you may choose to see a water puppet performance – your leader can arrange tickets, subject to availability.

After breakfast we transfer to Hanoi Airport for our flight to Da Nang. On arrival, we climb Marble Mountain to explore large caves once used as a hospital base during the war, taking in fine views over My Khe Beach and the surrounding countryside, before continuing to the captivating town of Hoi An (about a one hour transfer).

This morning we take a walking tour of Hoi An, a former European trading port dating from the mid 16th century, now a living museum of wooden merchant houses and pagoda style temples shaped by Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European influences. It is a delightful place to roam, dip into the bustling riverside market and browse for silk. The afternoon is free – you can simply savour the atmosphere or choose an optional trip to My Son, the spiritual heart of the Cham civilisation, where despite war damage several evocative stone towers and sanctuaries remain.

This morning we transfer to Da Nang Airport for the flight of approximately 1 hr 25 min to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), an exhilarating metropolis where scooters throng the streets and temples stand beside modern developments. Devastated during the war yet now a dynamic free market city, it rewards exploration – the Saigon River and Ben Thanh market are within walking distance. This afternoon we visit the Saigon Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum, which houses a powerful photographic record of the conflict – some images are very graphic.

Today we drive north to the Cu Chi tunnels, a 150 miles (240 kilometres) underground network used during the war. The original passages are extremely narrow, though some sections have been widened for visitors to enter – those with claustrophobia may prefer to remain above ground. In the afternoon we return to Ho Chi Minh City and the rest of the day is free for your own exploration.

We bid Vietnam farewell and transfer to Ho Chi Minh City Airport for the flight of approximately 1 hr 15 min to Siem Reap in Cambodia. On arrival we meet our Cambodian tour leader and transfer to the hotel, and the remainder of the day is free for you to soak up the vibrant atmosphere of Siem Reap.

We rise early to witness sunrise at Angkor Wat, then explore the royal city of Angkor Thom, including the magnificent Bayon with its 54 intricately carved towers – a sight once described as like nothing else in the land. We also visit the less visited Ta Prohm, still draped in jungle as when it was first recorded. Rediscovered in the 1870s and now a Unesco World Heritage site, the complex is one of the world’s most spectacular archaeological zones – a magical experience and a photographer’s delight.

We travel by road for approximately seven hours to Phnom Penh, a rewarding journey through rural Cambodia with stops to stretch our legs and have lunch. En route we visit the Santuk Silk Farm, a Fairtrade enterprise providing valuable employment in a poor rural community (please note, Santuk is closed on some important Khmer holidays). We aim to arrive in the capital in the late afternoon – if you wish, you can join an optional Mekong cruise and enjoy a sundowner.

Phnom Penh’s fortunes have shifted dramatically, and the terrible years of the Khmer Rouge and the civil war of the 1970s and 1980s left deep scars. During our stay, we visit two sites that illuminate this history – the Genocide Museum, the former Khmer Rouge prison known as S–21 or Tuol Sleng, and the Killing Fields about 15 kilometres out of town. These visits may not appeal to everyone, yet they offer important context for understanding what the country endured. This afternoon, we tour the Royal Palace with its Silver Pagoda and admire fine examples of French colonial architecture as the city rises again.

The tour ends this morning after breakfast. To make departure easy, there is a free shared transfer to the airport – to use it, please request to join in advance with your sales representative. If you would like to explore further, you can speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Phnom Penh.