Cambodia & Vietnam explorer
| country: | Cambodia, Vietnam |
| location: | Indochina holidays |
| departures: | 2008: 15 Jul, 29 Jul, 5 Aug, 12 Aug, 26 Aug, 2 Sep, 9 Sep, 16 Sep, 23 Sep, 30 Sep, 7 Oct, 14 Oct, 21 Oct, 28 Oct, 4 Nov, 11 Nov, 18 Nov, 25 Nov, 2 Dec, 9 Dec, 16 Dec, 23 Dec, 30 Dec 2009: 6 Jan, 13 Jan, 20 Jan, 27 Jan, 3 Feb, 10 Feb, 17 Feb |
| price: | From £1395 (14 days) excluding flights, single supplement £445. Deluxe option also available. Maximum group size is 15 people. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
This tour combines two of Asia’s most alluring countries, Cambodia and Vietnam. Home to waterside Phnom Penh and the monumental Temples of Angkor, Cambodia is one of Asia’s hottest new destinations and is a true treat to the senses. In Vietnam we experience wonderful diversity, from industrious Saigon and the Mekong Delta, to picturesque central Vietnam, then beautiful Hanoi and Halong Bay. Choose our Deluxe option and stay in some of Asia’s grandest hotels.
Highlights include:
Experience sunrise and sunset at Angkor See the highlights in the shortest possible time Visit the stunning Halong Bay End your stay at the luxurious Hilton Hanoi Opera
Accommodation is in hotels and travel is by modern air-conditioned vehicles and by air. Our price includes sightseeing (excluding entrance fees), breakfasts, tour leader and local English speaking guides.
Highlights include:
Accommodation is in hotels and travel is by modern air-conditioned vehicles and by air. Our price includes sightseeing (excluding entrance fees), breakfasts, tour leader and local English speaking guides.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Phnom Penh. We begin by getting to know our tour leader and local guide over evening welcome drinks and a tour briefing. The next day we discover Cambodia’s refreshing and re-invented capital, Phnom Penh, visiting the beautiful Palace and the Silver Pagoda. Later we explore the fascinating Khmer National Museum, and end our touring at Tuol Sleng museum, a stark reminder of the horror of Pol Pot’s reign. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore this intriguing post-colonial capital. |
| Day 3-4: | Temples of Angkor & Lake Tonle Sap. We fly to Siem Reap, gateway to the monumental temples of Angkor and launching point for our afternoon cruise on vast Tonle Sap Lake with its floating villages. Before sunset, enter the Angkor complex for stunning temple views. The next day we rise early to witness sunrise over the world’s largest sacred building and architectural masterpiece, Angkor Wat. We then begin our exploration of the other main temples of Angkor. Visit the fortified city of Angkor Thom and the huge central towers of the Bayon. We also spend time at the jungle-covered Ta Prohm and the exquisitely carved Banteay Srei temples before farewelling Cambodia. |
| Day 5-7: | Saigon, Cuchi & Mekong Delta. Fly to Saigon and transfer to your hotel located in the heart of the city. Tonight, enjoy a welcome drink with your tour leader and get to know your group during your tour briefing. We explore the boulevards of Saigon, passing famous sites including the former President’s Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and Dong Khoi Street before continuing to bustling Chinatown. We travel to the remarkable Cu Chi tunnels, which were used by Communist guerrillas during the Vietnam War. We conclude our discovery of the south with a trip to the lush scenery and intricate waterways of the Mekong Delta. Sample tropical fruit, visit local farmhouses and travel by sampan through the narrow canals of the Delta. |
| Day 8-9: | Hoi An & China Beach. We fly to Danang and visit the Cham Museum with its unique, Hindu style sculptures. We drive the short distance south to famous China Beach and then to the enchanting town of Hoi An, a port town since the Middle Ages. We walk Hoi An’s narrow lanes, visit 300-year-old houses, see the traditional market, enjoy a cruise on the Thu Bon River through tranquil rural scenery and soak up the quaint atmosphere. |
| Day 10-11: | Hue. We drive over the spectacular Hai Van Pass, past stunning rural and coastal scenery, to Hue – Vietnam’s former imperial capital and a charming town set on banks of the Perfume River. We see remnants of Hue’s imperial past at the imposing former royal residence, the Citadel, continue on to the 16th century Thien Mu Pagoda, cruise the Perfume River and visit the impressive tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. |
| Day 12-14: | Hanoi & Halong Bay. Flying north, we arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam’s present day capital and one of Asia’s most attractive and interesting cities. We enjoy a cyclo ride, explore the fascinating Old Quarter, stroll along the beautiful boulevards and see the infamous ‘Hanoi Hilton’ prison. We spend a day cruising the World Heritage listed Halong Bay – a natural wonder with thousands of islands jutting out of the water, creating a unique and beautiful landscape. Finally, we return to Hanoi to visit the Ho Chi Minh Quarter and the Temple of Literature. We will also witness a performance of the unique art of water puppetry and finish the tour with a celebration at one of Hanoi’s great local restaurants. On day 14, your journey ends with your airport transfer. |
travellers' tales
The highlights were Cambodia generally and Hanoi - noisy, exciting, surprisingly attractive lakeside setting. (more)
small group adventure holiday
These small group journeys have a maximum of 15 like-minded travellers which ensures that all travellers have an amazing overall experience with the destination and that they enjoy the flexibility that comes with the small group dynamic. On this trip you will stay at boutique accommodation with character. Our numbers are discreet enough for us to interact with local families in their homes and meet people in markets, bazaars and temples – something that’s just not possible when you arrive as part of a large tour group. Along with our unique combination of Western tour leader and local English-speaking guide this will ensure an unforgettable travel experience.how this holiday makes a difference
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We believe that travel should entail an exchange of knowledge and perspectives, a sharing of wealth, and a genuine appreciation of both Cambodia and Vietnam’s beautiful natural environments. This philosophy underpins the heart and soul of our style of travel. We recognise that poorly planned itineraries or poorly informed tourists contribute less to cross-cultural understanding and less to the livelihoods of local people.
 In Cambodia we have facilitated a very significant donation to the World Monument Fund, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the maintenance of archaeologically precious temples in Angkor. We actively encourage our travellers to patronise or financially assist numerous not-for-profit organisations in Cambodia including Lotus Blanc in Phnom Penh (a restaurant which teaches skills to young people recruited from a rubbish tip), Made in Cambodia in Siem Reap (which sells items made by underprivileged Cambodians) and the Sunrise Orphanages in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Our offices also finance the Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, which provides health care services to poor Cambodians and through which we sponsor the training of a Cambodian nurse. In Vietnam we experience wonderful diversity from industrial Saigon to beautiful Hanoi. At the latter there is the opportunity to visit Koto’s (know one, teach one) – a not-for-profit restaurant and vocational training centre staffed by disadvantaged young people – to try their infamous Koto smoothie. Our offices also finance the Loretto Foundation in Saigon (which assists disadvantaged, poor and disabled children through education), and The Fred Hollows Foundation (which provides ophthalmologic services to underprivileged Vietnamese). On this journey our local guides are trained to share their knowledge of cultural and other local issues in a balanced, informative way; in this journey alone you are likely to meet several local guides from different areas in Cambodia and provinces in Vietnam. They share real experiences from their own lives and insights into their family life, influences and beliefs, thus providing our travellers with a deeper understanding of the places they visit. This is what motivates our guides, not shopping commissions. Our offices in Cambodia and in Vietnam are staffed with local people wherever possible and we have a long term aim of filling management roles with competent local staff. This presence in Cambodia and Vietnam means we are much better able to control the content, the actions of our suppliers, and the style of our small group journey. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |