Vietnam to Angkor

After completing immigration and collecting your luggage, you are greeted by your driver and transferred to your hotel in the city centre. Your hotel is ideally located in the western part of the Old Quarter, known for its authentic and charming character.

Rooms are available from 14:00. Early check-in can be arranged at a surcharge. Once settled, take time to refresh and rest.

Later in the afternoon, meet your guide in the hotel lobby for a short walk to a nearby bia hoi, a traditional Hanoi street pub where you can enjoy a local draft beer. Dinner and the evening are at your leisure.

Your day begins with a short transfer to Hoan Kiem Lake, where we board an electric buggy for an engaging sightseeing ride through the Old Quarter. We pass major landmarks including the Opera House, the Cathedral and one of the last remaining old gates, before ending at Dong Xuan Market for a brief stroll.

We then continue on foot along Phan Dinh Phung, one of Hanoi’s most elegant avenues, shaded by large trees and lined with historic buildings. A stop is made for a coffee or juice before we continue past the Northern Gate of the former Citadel and Cua Bac Church.

Your walk concludes at a traditional rice restaurant serving authentic family-style cuisine.

After lunch, we continue to the Temple of Literature. Your guide leads you through the courtyards of this historic site and explains the influence of Confucianism on Vietnamese society.

At the end of the visit, you may choose between two ways to complete your day:

Urban exploration: Continue exploring Hanoi’s alleys and markets, walking along the railway towards an old khu tap the. Enjoy a refreshment before returning to the hotel.

Historical visit: Visit the Ho Chi Minh complex, passing by the Mausoleum and exploring the President’s wooden stilt house and the One-Pillar Pagoda. Finish with a refreshing bia hoi before returning to your hotel.

The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Hanoi - Halong Bay. Be ready in the hotel lobby for your shared transfer to Ha Long City.

Upon arrival, after a welcome drink and check-in formalities, you board your boat for a 1-night cruise through the Halong archipelago. Lunch is served as the boat begins sailing among the limestone formations.

In the afternoon, the cruise heads into a quieter area of the bay. Depending on the season and weather, the programme may include relaxation, swimming or light exploration. As evening arrives, enjoy sunset from the sundeck, followed by a cooking demonstration or aperitif before dinner.

Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue. Early risers may join a Tai Chi session on the sundeck before continuing the cruise programme with a visit to one of the caves of the bay. Afterwards, return to the ship, check out and enjoy a generous brunch while cruising back to the pier.

Disembark and join the shared transfer back to Hanoi, with drop-off at your hotel.

From here, transfer without guide to Hanoi Airport for your flight to Hue.

Upon arrival in Hue, you are met and driven to your hotel within the historic Citadel.

Hue - Hoi An. Your morning begins with a walk through the Purple Forbidden City, once the private residence of Vietnam’s emperors. The visit ends at the northern gate, followed by a refreshment at a nearby café.

We then enjoy a traditional rickshaw ride through the streets of the Imperial City and beyond the walls into Kim Long village, historically home to imperial mandarins.

Around midday, we sample Hue’s traditional banh specialities at a charming garden-house eatery run by a local family.

After lunch, we travel south along the spectacular Hai Van Pass, considered one of the world’s most beautiful coastal routes, before arriving in Hoi An.

We begin with an orientation walk through Hoi An’s old town. Your guide highlights notable landmarks before we enter the market, where you meet the chef leading today’s cookery session. Together you explore the colourful stalls and learn about the herbs and spices central to Vietnamese cuisine.

We then board a boat to reach a small farm on an island in the Thu Bon River. Enjoy a hands-on cooking class and dine on the dishes you have prepared. Afterwards, return to your hotel by boat. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh. Transfer without guide to Danang Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City.

On arrival, you are met and driven to District 1. Your luggage continues directly to the hotel while you may choose to join your guide for a short walking tour featuring Saigon’s colonial landmarks, including the Central Post Office, the Continental Hotel, the Opera House and City Hall.

The walk ends at your hotel, where you check in and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.

Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh. We leave the city for a 2.5-hour drive to a quieter region of the Mekong Delta. Here, we board a private boat and begin exploring the waterways. Today is rich in local encounters and insights into daily life. After visiting a local factory, the boat continues to a small island for lunch at a local guesthouse.

In the afternoon, visit a honey-bee farm before cycling through narrow island paths. A stop at a local farm reveals the secret of Sâm jelly. Continue through orchards before boarding a small sampan to glide through the mangrove.

You then meet your driver and return to Ho Chi Minh City.

Please Note: the order of activities may vary depending on timing.

Ho Chi Minh - Phnom Penh. Meet your guide for a morning exploring lesser-known parts of the city. Begin at a historic café dating back to 1938 before walking through a lively street market and onward to the old Chung Cu apartments, a working-class area with much of its character unchanged since the 1960s.

Continue to the Ho Thi Ky neighbourhood, known for its vibrant flower market and Khmer street food. Try a small snack before moving deeper into District 10, an area full of unexpected corners. Your walk finishes on a famous street-food street in time for lunch.

Afterwards, transfer to the airport for your flight to Phnom Penh.

Meet your guide and begin the day at the Royal Palace, one of the city’s most striking landmarks. Built in 1866, it remains the official residence of the King. Explore the Throne Hall, the Silver Pagoda and its precious statues, and other notable buildings within the compound.

Continue to the National Museum, an excellent example of traditional Khmer architecture housing centuries of sculpture and artefacts. The morning concludes with a visit to Wat Phnom, the hilltop pagoda that gave the city its name.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you join a Khmer cooking class. After a visit to a local market to discover essential Cambodian ingredients, return to the kitchen where the chef guides you through traditional recipes. Enjoy the dishes you prepare for dinner. A certificate and recipe set are provided.

Phnom Penh - Siem Reap. Enjoy a relaxed morning with no services provided.

Later in the day, you are transferred with driver only to the bus station for your shuttle to Siem Reap. On arrival, meet your driver and transfer to your hotel.

Meet your guide for a visit to the Roluos Group, a set of early Angkorian temples from the 9th and 10th centuries. We explore Preah Ko, Bakong and Lolei, important monuments of the first Angkorian capital.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we visit Angkor Thom, the final capital of the Khmer Empire. Highlights include the South Gate with its monumental sculptures, the Bayon with its 216 iconic faces, Baphuon, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King.

We finish at Ta Prohm, a captivating jungle temple left largely in the state in which it was discovered, its structures intertwined with massive tree roots.

After breakfast, we travel north to visit Banteay Srei, an 11th-century temple renowned for its intricate pink-sandstone carvings. We continue to Banteay Samre, a well-restored temple from the Angkorian period.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we visit Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 12th century, the complex represents Mount Meru in symbolic form, with the towers, walls and moat reflecting the cosmic universe. We explore the temple until sunset.

Enjoy a leisurely morning with no services provided.

When ready, we transfer you from your hotel to Siem Reap International Airport for your departure flight.