Verdant rice paddies, farmers in conical hats,
fishermen in wooden boats, shyly smiling children,
ponderous water buffalo and the spectacular
ruins of Angkor Wat are images that linger
with travellers long after they have returned
home from Vietnam and Cambodia. This Indo-China
adventure offers the opportunity to explore
dynamic cities, vibrant cultures, ancient
historical sites and stunning natural beauty.
Vietnam and Cambodia are two jewels of Southeast
Asia, regions of tropical climates and delightfully
hospitable people that showcase a vast array
of art, culture and history.
ITINERARY IN DETAIL:
DAY 01 Arrive Hanoi
On arrival in Hanoi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel to rest after your long flight.
Overnight- Hotel
DAY 02 Hanoi
After breakfast, you will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ho Chi Minh's former home. You will also see the One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature and Old Quarter. In the afternoon, visit Bat Trang ceramic village. Ceramics have been made here for almost 500 years, and knowledge has been passed down through the generations. Visitors to the village can visit ceramics workshops to see local artisans working on every process involved in the making of a ceramic item, and can try their hand under friendly local guidance. You continue to Van Van Studio, which is a sort of private museum of ceramics, the only one of its kind in Vietnam so far. Situated in combined ancient Vietnamese houses, the studio shows hundreds of valuable ceramics works by local artisans.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 03 Hanoi-Bac Ninh-Hai Phong
After breakfast, drive to Bac Ninh, the cradle of traditional Vietnamese music and theatre. On arrival, take a horse-drawn cart through country lanes to visit the Dinh Bang communal house and Do temple. En route to Hai Phong, you will stop at a small village known as the birthplace of water puppetry in the Red River Delta. There you can enjoy a water-puppet performance, eat local delicacies, and fly lanterns for good luck.
Overnight: Hotel
Meal: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 04 Hai Phong-Halong Bay-Huong Hai Cruise
After breakfast, you will drive to Halong.
Board your deluxe junk and take a delightful
cruise in Halong bay, visiting Dinh Huong
Island, Ga Choi Island, Dog Island and Sail
Island. You will visit Sung Sot cave and have
the opportunity to swim at Titov beach.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 05 Halong Bay-Hanoi
After breakfast on board, you will continue your morning cruise to Man's Head Island and Tortoise Island. You will reach Luon cave by small bamboo boat and then proceed to Bai Tu Long Bay. Enjoy lunch on board before bidding farewell to your junk and crew. You will drive back to Hanoi, stopping at local silk shops and art galleries.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 06 Hanoi-Hue
This morning, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Hue. After checking in at your hotel, you will have some leisure time to explore this charming city.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 07 Hue
Today will be spent discovering this old city, beginning with a morning boat cruise through the centre of Hue on the romantic Perfume River. Visit the seven-storey Thien Mu Pagoda, set along the riverbank, and Minh Mang King's Tomb. In the afternoon, continue to the Imperial Citadel, Tu Duc King's Tomb, Trang Tien Bridge and Dong Ba market.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 08 Hue-Danang-Hoi An
After breakfast, visit the Fine Art School in Hue before driving to Danang. The three-hour drive hugs the ocean coastline, winds through emerald-green paddy fields and climbs over the dramatic Hai Van Mountain pass. En route, you will visit the Cham Museum in Danang, which houses the world's finest collection of Cham artwork. You will also see stonecutters at the Marble Mountains, which are famed for being a Viet Cong guerilla hideout during the Vietnam War. Upon arrival in the ancient port town of Hoi An, you will check in at your hotel, with the rest of the day free to rest or explore.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 09 Hoi An-My Son-Hoi An
This morning, you will visit the extraordinary ruins of My Son, situated in a remote jungle valley. My Son was formerly the centre of the Cham Kingdom and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, with more than 20 well-preserved monuments. Upon your return to Hoi An, you will see a traditional Chinese communal house, a Hokkien temple, ancient merchants' houses, the 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge, and the colourful local market. At a workshop where artisans make Hoi An's famous lanterns, you will learn how the lanterns are made then have an opportunity to create your own lantern, from designing the frame to gluing the cloth. Finish the day with a sunset boat trip on the Thu Bon River to Thanh Ha pottery village.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 10
After breakfast, take a cooking class with Red Bridge Cooking School and enjoy your lunch before returning to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 11 Hoi An-Danang-Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast, you will have some leisure time until your transfer to the airport in Danang for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, you will take a half-day city tour, visiting the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office and Ben Thanh market. An end-of-day foot massage is a relaxing option after your tour is complete.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 12 Ho Chi Minh City-Cai Be-Vinh-Ho Chi Minh City
You'll take a scenic morning drive to Cai Be, stopping en route at the ornate Cao Dai Temple in Ben Luc. From Cai Be, take a boat trip along the mighty Mekong river and its tributaries to view the daily lives of people who work and play on the waterways of the Mekong Delta. The trip includes a visit to the floating market at Cai Be, to an ancient Delta house, and to a family-run business producing rice paper. Lunch is served in a local house set amongst fruit orchards and bonsai trees. You will return to Ho Chi Minh City in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 13 Ho Chi Minh City-Khiet Vien-Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast, visit Particular Art Gallery, Ngo An Gallery, Vinh Loi Gallery, Linh Nam Nghe Uyen Gallery of Chinese Water Colour Painting, XQ Silk Hand Embroidery.
Have vegetarian lunch at local restaurant then transfer to Kim Lien pagoda. You will have a chance to discuss Buddhist philosophy and to have a calligraphy demonstration with Su Co Khiet Vien, a Buddhist nun. You will receive a calligraphy painting by the nun.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 14 Ho Chi Minh City-Siem Reap
After breakfast, you will transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap, where the rest of the day will be at leisure. Stretching along the Siem Reap River, this small provincial capital-formerly a cluster of small villages-- forms the gateway to the Angkor Archaeological Park. The structures of Angkor represent one of the grandest wonders of Indo-China. The complex of temples, tombs, palaces, moats, reservoirs and causeways was built by various Hindu and Buddhist monarchs over a period of 400 years, beginning in the 9th century. After decades of siege by Cham and Siamese armies, Angkor went into decline and was abandoned in the 15th century. It lay shrouded in vegetation and mystery until Europeans discovered the region in 1860. The entire region was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 15 Siem Reap
Begin exploration of the ancient city of Angkor by entering Angkor Thom via the South Gate. Continue the journey by viewing the ruins at Bayon, Baphoun, Phimeanakas, the Royal Palace, the Elephant Terraces and the Leper King Terrace. In the afternoon, visit the epic Angkor Wat, viewing its extraordinary architecture and bas-reliefs. End the day with a magnificent sunset viewed from the mountain temple of Phnom Bakheng.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 16 SIEM REAP
Today is at leisure to enjoy the city of Siem Reap or to revisit the ruins of Angkor on your own.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 17 SIEM REAP-DEPARTURE
You will be transferred to the airport in time for your international flight.
Meals:
Please Note:
We will try our utmost to confirm the hotels as listed in this itinerary; however please be advised that they are subject to change. A hotel of similar quality may be substituted.
This trip itinerary represents the most current information available; however the price and itinerary are subject to change without prior notice.
**We have listed specific dates, which we have indicated as featured group departures. Group departures will operate with a maximum of 16 people; however please be advised that these departures can and will operate with a minimum of six people.
TOUR COST INCLUDES:
• Internal flights
• Twin share accommodations in hotels
as specified or similar
• Meals as specified
• Sightseeing with qualified English-speaking
guides
• All airport transfers
• All ground transportation by deluxe
air-conditioned car/coach
• All internal fees to monuments and
parks
• Baggage handling (one standard piece
of baggage per person)
• Hotels and local taxes
TOUR COST DOES NOT INCLUDE:
• International flights
• Airport and departure taxes
• Gratuities
• Travel insurance
• Visa fees
• Excess baggage
• Items of a personal nature ie laundry,
drinks, phone calls, etc.
• Additional transport required due
to any emergency situation
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Tour
Leader: Dr. Glenwood Irons |
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Professor:
Brock University
Dr. Glenwood Irons taught
in more than 15 countries
throughout Asia, Africa,
Europe and the Americas
during his 25 years of teaching
language pathology and forensic
linguistics. He is presently
Director of International
Market Development at Brock
University, in which capacity
he has travelled to Asia
on more than 50 occasions,
most recently to develop
a number of collaborative
projects throughout Vietnam.
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click
map for larger image |
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| Tour
Itinerary |
| Day 1 |
Arrive Hanoi |
| Day 2 |
Hanoi |
| Day 3 |
Hanoi-Bac Ninh-Hai Phong |
| Day 4 |
Hai Phong-Halong Bay-Huong
Hai Cruise |
| Day 5 |
Halong Bay-Hanoi |
| Day 6 |
Hanoi-Hue |
| Day 7 |
Hue |
| Day 8 |
Hue-Danang-Hoi An |
| Day 9 |
Hoi An-My Son-Hoi An |
| Day 10 |
Hoi An |
| Day 11 |
Hoi An-Danang-Ho Chi Minh
City |
| Day 12 |
Ho Chi Minh City-Cai Be-Vinh-Ho
Chi Minh City |
| Day 13 |
Ho Chi Minh City-Khiet
Vien-Ho Chi Minh City |
| Day 14 |
Ho Chi Minh City-Siem Reap
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| Day 15-16 |
Siem Reap |
| Tour Information |
| Cost: |
US$ 2995\C$ 2995 |
| Length: |
17 days |
| Limit: |
30 Participants |
| Departing: |
Various |
| Deposit: |
US$ 500\Can $ 500 |
| Note: |
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| For air fare Please
contact our office |
| Departure Dates |
Please contact our office
for departure dates and
cost. This itinerary can be
modified to suit your travel
schedule, interest and
budget. |
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Talk
to an Expert call:
