Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar Adventure 22 Days, 21 Nights

Upon your arrival in Siem Reap (Cambodia), you will be welcomed by a local English speaking guide and transferred to your hotel for check in. Siem Reap is the base for exploring the fabled temples of Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer empire.

(Check in time is 14.00 – Early check in is upon availability)

Today with the help of your private guide, driver and private vehicle you will get to explore the town’s major attractions.

Angkor Thom: was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This city is surrounded by an 8 m 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.
Ta Prohm: Swallowed by the jungle where Strangler Figs and Kapok Trees have entwined themselves around the ruins. Undoubtedly, the most atmospheric ruin at Angkor with several towers, closed courtyards and narrow corridors to explore. Angkor Thom – This fortified city is flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side, which leads you through a 23- metre imposing stone entrance gate to the various temples inside.
Bayon: Beautifully crafted central towers, decorated with four opposing faces representing King Jayavarman VII. Bayon’s stone galleries display extraordinary basreliefs incorporating over 11,000 figures.
Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King: Giant viewing platforms used for public ceremonies, which served as a base for the King’s grand audience hall.
Angkor Wat: Surrounded by a 190-metre moat and taking 30 years to build, Angkor Wat represents the Khmer civilisation at its grandest. With its fascinating decorative flourishes, extensive bas-relief and multiple tiers, it is the best-preserved temple within the complex. 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. Today, Angkor Wat is figured on Cambodia’s national flag as the temple symbolizes the soul of the Khmer people.

We will end up our day by enjoying the sunset view from the top of Phnom Bakheng Hill with a panoramic view of Western Baray and Angkor Wat.

After breakfast, head out to the early-Angkor era temples of the Roluos Group, about 15km outside of 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 – enjoy the beauty on an ox cart ride to Roluos Pagoda, a great and fun way to get in touch with rural Cambodia and its friendly people. Here, in a small contemporary pagoda, Buddhist monks will celebrate a private blessing ceremony for you, wishing your health and a safe journey – a very special experience!

Return to Siem Reap where you have some time at leisure for lunch before heading to BanteaySrei. Considered by many to be the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art, BanteaySrei is cut from stone of a pinkish hue and includes some of the finest stone carving anywhere on Earth. BanteaySrei means ‘Citadel of the Women’, and it is said that it must have been built by a woman, as the elaborate carvings are supposedly too fine for the hand of a man. Classic carvings at BanteaySrei include delicate women with lotus flowers in hand and traditional skirts clearly visible, as well as breathtaking re-creations of scenes from the epic Ramayana adorning the library pediments (carved inlays above a lintel).

Finish the tour, returning to the hotel and the rest of your day is free at leisure.

Breakfast at the hotel then be transferred to the airport to catch the flight from Siemreap to Hanoi.

Arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, collect your luggage process through custom. Your private tour guide and driver will be waiting for you outside the arrival hall. It won’t be hard for you to spot your tour guide as he/she will be holding a sign with your name on.

Transfer to your hotel and relax for the rest of today.

The full day tour takes you around Hanoi’s highlights sites including the Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and his stilt house, Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda.

You also have chance to visit historic University – The Temple of Literature, that dates back to the 11th century; learn about Buddhist practices in a serene lakeside pagoda.

Visit the famous Ethnology Museum. Back to the Old Quarter to walk through the narrow streets that were famous for its specialized craft making guilds, the guild streets are named for their product or location and still bear such names nowadays.

At around 17.00, we start our excellent street food walking tour in old quarter of Hanoi along the perimeter of the local market where dozens of street hawkers sell a staggering variety of produce from live seafood to exotic fruits and spices. Your expert English-speaking local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture including details on ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes. We eat as we go, trying seasonal fruits…

Walking through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we tempt the famous dishes of Hanoi such as Bun Cha, Banh Cuon, Banh My, Nom…

To finish the street food tour, we will sample the famous Egg Coffee.

At the indicated time we will head to train station to catch the train to Lao Cai (Sapa).

Arrive at Lao Cai railway station we will head to the township of Sapa which takes approx one hour. Have breakfast at local restaurant.

At around 9:00 am, the tour will start from Sapa town, you will take a 7 km of walking down to the south east of Sapa along the side of Muong Hoa Valley to Y Linh Ho Village of the Black H’mong to see those sensual patterns of the terraces from above. And then take 3 km trekking down to Lao Chai Village, and 4 km through terraced rice fields to Ta Van Village of the Giay minority people.

Have a picnic lunch at local family, where you can see the local house architecture and witness local daily life styles and exclusive customs.

Enjoy the landscapes on the way until getting back to Sapa by car in the afternoon and free at leisure the rest of the day.

Breakfast at the hotel then take a walk down to the South-west of Sapa (around 3 km) to visit Cat Cat Village of the Black H’mong, one of the more well-known ethnic village of Sapa. Visitors to Cat Cat have an opportunity to admire a lively and colorful picture. That is the image of young women sitting by looms with colorful pieces of brocade decorated with designs of flowers and birds. When these pieces of brocade are finished, they are dyed and embroidered with beautiful designs. A noteworthy is that H’Mong women use plants and leaves to dye these brocade fabrics. Relax at the foot of the stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam.

Return to Sapa to have lunch then the shuttle bus will arive and take you back to your hotel in Hanoi.

After breakfast, you will meet your tour guide at your hotel and start a 2 hour road trip toward Ninh Binh Province.

Upon arrival Tam Coc grottoes, go ahead to take the Tam Coc boat trip to avoid busy hour, enjoy more quiet in Tam Coc that we will enjoy the spectacular scenery while gliding along the river among rice paddies and ranges of limestone mountains. After 1,5 hour on boat, stop at Thai Vi temple for cycling around mountain & village, take beautiful time to enjoy local beauty. Have lunch at local restaurant.

After lunch, we will visit Hoa Lu – The Ancient Capital and the remaining two temples of Dinh King & Le King.

After the visit, check in your hotel and relax at your own leisure in Ninh Binh.

At 08:00, you will leave Ninh Binh for Halong Bay after 3.5 hours drive and board a boat, enjoying lunch while cruise through the bay. The magical bay is home to thousands of limestone islands rising from the waves like dragons’ teeth. Later in the afternoon, you will visit an interesting fishing village with opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. Back on board, you will enjoy cocktails or cooking classes while watching the sunset, before indulging in a lavish dinner onshore. Afterwards, you can choose to do anything from joining movie night, playing board games, or relaxing at the beauty spa before retiring for the night.

Overnight on board.

Wake up on the bay to the sounds of waves, fresh air, and breeze welcoming the new day. After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto then walk back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. The boat arrives at the harbor by 11.30am and your driver is waiting to take you back to Hanoi airport for your short flight to Hue.

After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up for an adventure on a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River. During the cruise, you will visit the Thien Mu (Heavenly Lady) Pagoda with its characteristic seven-tiered tower. You will also see the Austin car which took Monk Thich Quang Duc to Saigon where he famously set himself on fire in 1963 as a dramatic protest against the unfair treatment of Buddhists by the Diem regime.

Continue on to the Hue Royal Complex, former home to the Nguyen Dynasty, the last the last Monarchy of Vietnam from 1802 – 1945. You will explore the ancient and atmospheric walled Citadel which contains the former Imperial Palace and the Forbidden Purple City.

Today you will enjoy lunch at Y Thao Garden restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will visit the final resting place – so-called the King tomb of Tu Duc.

Return to your hotel after the visit. Rest of day is for relaxing at your leisure.

After breakfast we drive approximately 4 hours to Hoian, via the scenic Hai Van Pass. En route we stop to visit the Cham Museum in Da Nang, Marble Mountain with the carving village at the foot of the mountain and My Khe Beach which was home to American GIs during the war.
On arrival to Hoi An, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a half-day walking tour of Hoi An through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter. 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, tailor shops, and cafes.

We will visit:
– Chua Ong Pagoda
– The Assembly Hall
– The 200-year-old Tam Ky house
– The Japanese Covered Bridge
– Hoi An central market

After the visit, you will check into your hotel. Rest of day is for relaxing at your own leisure in Hoi An.

You are free at your own leisure to relax.

This morning, you will be free at your own leisure until our driver transfers you to the airport for your short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, check into your hotel and relax at your own leisure for the rest of day.

After breakfast, we depart from Ho Chi Minh City and head towards the Cu Chi Tunnels. Traveling to this destination will take you about 1.5 hours. Cu Chi Tunnels, a Viet Cong Stronghold during the American War between 1965 and 1975. First constructed in 1948, during the French Resistance War, the tunnels were expanded by the Viet Cong, with the help of the local people, into a complex underground network stretching over 250 km. A visit to this place will offer you an insight into the war when Vietnamese determination and loyalty to their country overcame the hardships of the times and eventually brought the war to an end.

After the tunnel tour, we will return to Ho Chi Minh City to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine and visit all highlights of this city such as The Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office, The Reunification Palace, The War Remnants Museum and Ben Thanh market.

After breakfast, our tour guide will wait for you at the hotel lobby to start the visit to Mekong Delta.

The program will start with a visit of Cai Be floating market. Then, an optional stop can be made at local workshops where you can see how to make rice paper, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn…

The rowing boat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals and to enjoy the peaceful time. It is so interesting to see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves and see some activities of the local farmers with an opportunity to make contacts with them and see how they catch fish…

Lunch can be served at Ut Trinh home. After lunch, we can walk around and then we will enjoy some kinds of fruits when listening to the traditional music.

One more thing to do in this trip is biking ! It will be so amazing to bike on village paths to see the local farms, houses, real life and the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong Delta..

The cruise will end at Vinh Long city where your driver is waiting to take you back to Ho Chi Minh City.

This morning, you are free at your own leisure until our driver transfers you to the airport for your flight to Yangon (Myanmar).

Arrival at Yangon International Airport, collect your luggage process through custom. Your private tour guide and driver will be waiting for you outside the arrival hall. Transfer to your hotel and relax for the rest of today.

Today you will take a city tour to explore quiet and charming Yangon city. Its impressive colonial and spiritual heritage makes it one of the most fascinating cities in Southeast Asia.

The first stop is the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most famous attraction of Yangon. The professional English speaking local guide will show you around of the hidden messages of the Pagoda and tell you more about the history. Please note that you need to take off your shoes if you enter the pagoda and walk around.

Lunch at local restaurant. Then continue to the central area of Yangon, where most of the colonial buildings are standing. Walk around this area to explore Yangon City Hall, Independence Monument, former High Court Buildings, Telegraph Office and along the way you will see some street book stalls that sell the oldest books here.

You will visit Nanthida Jetty, where you can watch the busy life on the Yangon river and to see the daily communication of people from the suburbs of Yangon.

The last stop of the tour is a visit to Saint Mary’s Cathedral, an old Colonial building built in 1899. You will be transported back to your hotel safely after the tour.

Take an early flight from Yangon to Mandalay today. Upon arrival, begin a sightseeing tour of Mandalay with a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda. This pagoda is home to one of the country’s most revered Buddha images which, over the years, has been covered with so much gold leaf by revelers that it has attained a unique and iconic ‘lumpy’ texture. Get a good look at this famous Buddha image and walk around the temple grounds for a feel of its unique spiritual vibes.

Lunch at local restaurant. Followed by Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda, known for its impressive large Buddha image carved out of a single block of marble.

Continue to the Shwenandaw Monastery, or Golden Palace Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings—an amazing photo opportunity. See Kuthodaw Pagoda, home of the world’s largest book and stone slabs with Buddhist scriptures, before viewing Mandalay Palace. Watch the sunset from Mandalay Hill, 787 feet (240 m) tall, and admire a panoramic view of the city and the Irrawaddy River.

After breakfast, transfer to Nyaung Oo Airport for a flight to Heho. From Heho, a scenic one-hour drive leads to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway village to Inle Lake. Along the way, stop at the wooden Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, which features beautiful carvings and a collection of Buddha images. Also, stop in Nyaung Shwe for a trishaw tour around town, winding through quiet streets past nunneries, monasteries and local houses. Visit the ‘Tomato House’ where the lake’s freshly picked produce is sorted and then distributed throughout the country. If the local market is being held in town, stop there for a visit as well.

Upon reaching the edges of Inle Lake, board a private motorboat to head out to Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s most spectacular sights.

Pass villages built on stilts over the lake, inhabited by the local Intha people. Observe the iconic leg-rowing fishermen and see their floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles.

Continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary, which contains five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf. Explore the local crafts of Inle Lake with a stop at the weaving village of Inpawkhone and a cheroot factory, where traditional Burmese cigars are made by hand.

If time permits, there may be time to enjoy a short walk through one of the lakeside villages.

This morning the sightseeing begins with a visit to the lake’s morning market. The market rotates its location around the lake’s villages in a 5-day rhythm and is visited by lake inhabitants and surrounding hill tribes who come to sell and trade their wares. (Note: market is daily except on dark-moon day and full-moon days).

Then, continue to the western banks of the lake and travel down a small canal to Indein. Indein is a Pa-Oh village known for its stupa-covered hill at Alaung Sitthou. Spend time exploring Indein on foot, and head to the top of Alaung Sitthou. Here, wander around the weather-beaten stupas and enjoy magnificent views of the lake below.

This afternoon, transfer to Heho Airport for the flight to Yangon. On arrival, transfer to the hotel for a good night’s rest.

Free time until your driver come to your hotel to pick you up for your departure flight.