ITRAVEL WITH SUE MILOSOVA PRESENTS VIETNAM & CAMBODIA

Day 1:  SAT 10 AUG 2024
Arrive Hanoi
Welcome to Vietnam. On arrival at Hanoi airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Early check-in with breakfast is included. (B)
Hotel: Silk Path Luxury Hanoi – 3 nights 

Day 2:  SUN 11 AUG 2024
Hanoi – Full Day City Tour
Begin your city tour with an orientation drive past some of Hanoi’s unique sites including Long Bien Bridge, St Joseph’s Church & the Opera House.  Continue with a walking tour through the fascinating Old Quarter. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Quarter, dedicated to the father of modern Vietnam – Uncle Ho, to see his mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, his ‘house on stilts’ and the One Pillar Pagoda.  A short drive to look at the Citadel & Flag Tower which was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010. Continue your tour with a visit to the Temple of Literature – Vietnam’s first university now dedicated to Confucian worship. Also visit Tran Quoc and Ngoc Son Temples and then the “Hanoi Hilton”. (B)

Day 3:  MON 12 AUG 2024
Hanoi – Dong Ngac Cultural Village
Hop on our bikes and start exploring the local market’s where we buy local produce which will be served for our lunch. Visit the oldest house in the village, preserved for more than 300 years, which belongs to the Do family. We visit the Communal House, which is the venue for all the important ceremonies in the village. Participate in a private cooking demonstration, and then enjoy a tasty lunch. (B, L)

 Day 4:  TUE 13 AUG 2024
Hanoi – Halong Bay
Board a Luxury Junk and set sail for Bai Tu Long Bay passing the towns of Hon Gai and Cam Pha, extraordinary limestone karst landscapes. Explore Vung Vieng fishing village by local rowing boats to discover the interesting daily lives of its inhabitants. Enjoy our Vietnamese cooking demonstration is a great way to learn how to prepare delicious appetizers and we will guide you through the process. (B, L, D)
Cruise: Signature Royal Halong Cruise – 2 days / 1 night

Day 5:  WED 14 AUG 2024
Halong Bay-Hanoi-Da Nang-Hoi An
Enjoy the last stage of your trip in Thien Canh Son cave and islets, which is a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the World Heritage. Disembark the Halong Cruise for your minibus transfer to Hanoi, and a short flight to Hoi An. Check in to your hotel for the next three nights. (B, L)
Hotel: Ahoy Hoi An Boutique Resort & Spa – 3 nights

Day 6:  THU 15 AUG 2024
Hoi An – City tour
Drive to My Son, located 40 kms from Hoi An, My Son is the former capital of the ancient Cham civilization that ruled central Vietnam from the 2nd to 13th century. The Cham religion was primarily derived from Indian Hinduism. My Son is considered to be one of the best-preserved Cham structures in Vietnam. The complex is comprised of 70 Hindu-like towers and temples dating from the second century. This site is one of five UNESCO World Heritage sites in Vietnam. (B)

Day 7:  FRI 16AUG 2024
Hoi An
Your day is at leisure. An opportunity to luxuriate and rejuvenate at the Sound of Coral Spa. Explore the colourful market, or take a walking gastronomic tour, tasting the local delicacies. (B)

Day 8:  17 AUG 2024
Hoi An – Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh City
This morning, we will be transferred to the airport for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, a bustling metropolis formerly known as Saigon. We will meet our guide and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. (B)
Hotel: Le Meridien Saigon – 3 nights

Day 9:  18 AUG 2024
Ho Chi Minh City
Your day is at leisure, and tonight we will feast on a delicious Welcome Dinner showcasing the distinctive flavours of Vietnamese cuisine. (B, D)

Day 10:  19 AUG 2024
Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels
Take a step back in time and travel to the Cu Chi Tunnels, built by Vietnamese resistance fighters. Listen to stories of the history of the Vietnam-American war, the ingenuity of the Cu Chi residents and the daily activities of the people. Part of a larger network, the tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat. Crawl through a section for a firsthand experience of what it was like for the soldiers who lived and fought here. Return to the city and enjoy the afternoon to explore at your own pace. (B)

Day 11:  20 AUG 2024
Ho Chi Minh City – My Tho – Embark Ship – Cai Be
Insider Experience – Step out on an early morning guided walk to watch the busy streets come to life and gain a deeper understanding of what drives this urban centre. Begin with your Insider Experience then return to your hotel for breakfast. Drive to My Tho and board the RV Apsara, your boutique river ship and home for the next seven nights. Set sail from My Tho and soak in the scenery as you cruise towards Cai Be where you anchor overnight. Settle in and familiarise yourself with your suite or relax up on the Sun Deck and watch life along the river. Tonight, enjoy your special
Welcome Dinner on board with your fellow travellers. (B, L, D)
Cruise: Mekong River Cruise on RV Apsara – 7 nights

Day 12:  21 AUG 2024
Cai Be – Sa Dec – Tan Chau
Board your small tender boat, a traditional sampan for your first excursion on the banks of the Mekong. See the colonial port filled with crumbling colonial buildings and flowering gardens. Step ashore to visit the French Catholic cathedral, the tallest church in the Mekong Delta with its impressive bell tower. Afterwards, visit a rice paper and coconut candy manufacturer and learn how these tasty Vietnamese favourites are made. Head back to the ship and sit down to lunch whilst cruising to the quaint town of Sa Dec. Upon arrival, explore Sa Dec by foot and meet some sellers at the market. Continue past crumbling waterside mansions to the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le who inspired the French writer Marguerite Duras’ novel L’Amant (The Lover).  Return to the ship to unwind or relax with a rejuvenating treatment from the spa. As the sun sets the RV Apsara sets sail for Tan Chau. (B, L, D)

Day 13:  22 AUG 2024
Tan Chau – Cambodia Border Crossing – Phnom Penh
Step ashore for a rickshaw tour and weave through rambling laneways past shops and friendly locals and stop to visit a local silk and rattan weaving workshop. Later, step back in time during a visit to Vinh Hoa, also known as Evergreen Island. Take the opportunity to see traditional Vietnamese farming, where the land is ploughed by water buffalo and where you will see authentic rural Mekong life. (B, L, D)

Day 14:  23 AUG 2024
Phnom Penh
Start the day with a sobering excursion to the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Learn about the brutal Khmer Rouge regime as well as the resilience of the Cambodian people. Spend a moment to pay your respects at the Memorial Stupa, a monument erected in memory of the thousands of people who lost their lives. After lunch visit the Royal Palace built in 1866 and admire its Khmer architecture. Head inside the Silver Pagoda – named after its floors, which are designed with 5,000 silver tiles. The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure. You may wish to head to the Russian Market for souvenirs, the Central Market where you can try the local snacks or relax on board. (B, L, D)

Day 15:  24 AUG 2024
Phnom Penh – Oudong – Koh Chen – Phnom Penh
Insider Experience – Be treated to a memorable Buddhist blessing by the monks at a small monastery in Oudong. Begin your morning with an excursion by road to Oudong, Cambodia’s former royal capital from the early 17th until the 19^th century. While here, enjoy your memorable Insider Experience. En route back to Phnom Penh, take a leisurely walk to explore Koh Chen, a village specialising in the manufacture of copperware. (B, L, D)

Day 16:  25 AUG 2024
Phnom Penh – Oknha Tey – Angkor Ban
Travel by tuk tuk, pass rice fields and get a glimpse into rural life. Stroll amongst the stilt houses and gain insight into the traditional silk weaving process. Watch as the village women create the beautiful Khmer fabrics from their wooden looms. (B, L, D)

Day 17:  26 AUG 2024
Angkor Ban – Koh Pen – Kampong Cham
Insider Experience – Embark on a tuk tuk ride around the island of Koh Pen. Travel along the shaded lanes and past wooden stilted houses, tucked amongst palm and sandalwood trees. Start your day with a tour of Angkor Ban by foot. Nicknamed the ‘Lucky Village’, Angkor Ban is one of the few rural villages that escaped destruction from the Khmer Rouge. Stroll through town and see traditional wooden houses, some over a century old, and a Khmer style pagoda surrounded by stupas dedicated to Buddha. (B, L, D)

Day 18:  27 AUG 2024
Kampong Cham, Disembark Ship, Siem Reap
Insider Experience – Take your seat at Phare Circus and be wowed by the skills of the performers. Head to the jungle temple of Ta Prohm, commonly referred to as the Tomb Raider temple having featured in the movie starring Angelina Jolie.
Hotel: Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas – 2 nights

Day 19:  28 AUG 2024
Siem Reap
Insider Experiences – Witness an awe-inspiring sunset at the magnificent Angkor Wat or Dine on tantalising Khmer cuisine and watch a private Apsara performance. Set off early to explore some of the breathtaking Khmer architecture and sites at the World Heritage-listed Angkor Archaeological Park. Delve deeper into the history and significance of Angkor Wat as you wander inside the vast temple complex. Continue to Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital, built in the 12th century and head to the intriguing Bayon Temple, with its carved stone smiling faces. Visit the Terrace of Elephants, which used to be the base for the king’s grand audience hall and the Terrace of the Leper King, which housed the royal cremator. (B, D)

Day 20:  29 AUG 2024
Depart Siem Reap
Your Vietnam and Cambodia journey comes to an end after breakfast with a transfer to Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport for your onward flight. (B)

Departing August 10, 2024. Get in touch to secure this offer for your next adventure!

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