DLI Travel Vietnam & Cambodia 14 days Tour Itinerary

Day 1

Hanoi Arrival Program this day depends on the timing of arrival… Welcome to Hanoi! Transfer from the Airport to our hotel. Check in. In the evening Welcome Dinner in an extremely famous for locals dining venue with enormous choices of Vietnamese and Hanoi specialties: from live king size prawns to life fishes and oysters... You name it - everything is there! Located in the population Culinary Culture Sen Tay Ho, International Buffet is the largest buffet restaurant in Vietnam, can serve at the same time 1200. With an abundant menu of over 200 dishes you can find at the International Buffet from rustic delicacies to its excellent cuisine by world-class chefs show Optional: Go for a walk after the enormous meal before going to bed... : ) Overnight stay in Hanoi

Day 2

Today we will visit Hanoi city’s landmarks - Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, The Temple of Literature and Hanoi Hilton Museum. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - The embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh is preserved in the cooled, central hallway of the mausoleum. The gardens surrounding it has over 250 different species of plants and flowers from different regions of Vietnam! One Pillar Pagoda - According to the court records, Ly Thai Tong dreamt of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara who handed him a baby son while seated on a lotus flower. Ly Thai Ton ruled from 1028 to 1054. He was childless then married a peasant girl who bore him a son. He then constructed the temple in gratitude for this in 1049. Temple of Literature - The oldest Confucian Temple, also known as Van Mieu. The temple hosts the "Imperial Academy", Vietnam's first national university. The temple was built in 1070 at the time of King Lý Nhân Tông. It is one of several temples in Vietnam which are dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars. The Temple is located to the south of Thang Long Citadel. The

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various pavilions, halls, statues and stelae of doctors are places where offering ceremonies, study sessions and the strict exams of the Dai Viet took place. In the afternoon at leisure walking around Hanoi Old Quarter and then to Dong Xuan Market. We will also see beautiful lakes and temples... Dinner - in a nice restaurant with the enjoyable fresh fish dishes. Overnight stay in Hanoi

Day 3

In the morning, after breakfast, we will walk around the Old Town and then there will be the Cooking Class. We will learn the secrets to preparing a great Vietnamese dish on this half-day cooking tour in Hanoi. Your Hanoi cooking tour will begin with a quick walk to the famous Chau Long market, where you will learn more about the various ingredients that go into a Vietnamese dish. The chef will take us by cyclo (Vietnamese rickshaw) to the market to buy some meat, fishes, vegetables and other things for the cooking class. It's then onto the Restaurant Class Room for your hand's on cooking lesson followed by a chance to try your new creation. In the evening we will see Water Puppet Show. The show, which appeal to all ages, is charming, picturesque entertainments accompanied by a traditional Vietnamese traditional orchestra. Water puppetry is a tradition that dates back as far as the 11th century CE when it originated in the villages of the Red River Delta area of northern Vietnam. Today's Vietnamese water puppetry is a unique variation on the ancient Asian puppet tradition. The puppets are made out of wood and then lacquered. The shows are performed in a waist-deep pool. A large rod supports the puppet under the water and is used by the puppeteers, who are normally hidden behind a screen, to control them. Thus the puppets appear to be moving over the water. When the rice fields would flood, the villagers would entertain each other using this form of puppet play. Dinner in an authentic Hanoi restaurant, tasting mouth watering dishes. Overnight stay in Hanoi

Day 4

After breakfast we go to Halong Bay. The famous Halong Bay is one of Vietnam's most prize tourist attractions. We are going to take a 2-days cruise exploring Halong bay, where about 3,000 limestone islands rise from the clear and emerald water. Bus and guide will pick us up at our hotel for 3,5 hour drive to Halong. After arriving in Halong board Halong Oriental Sails. Lunch is served with a welcome drink while the boat is cruising the bay to enjoy the beautiful limestone seascape with Fighting cock, Dog Rock and Incense Burner. In the evening fresh fruit platter will be served followed by a Dinner. After the dinner movies watching or squid fishing are available for you. Overnight stay on the cruise

Day 5

Doing Tai-chi exercise before sunrise, then breakfast and cruise around the clear & emerald water to another part of Halong Bay with a close up view of stunning limestone peaks. Such as Drum Cave , Man's Head Islet... Having lunch on board with a variety of local foods, enjoying the rest of the boat trip before back to Halong dock. Have a full lunch and short break before en route to Hanoi. After lunch we will check out from the boat, come to Hanoi and take a flight to Danang. Note: light dinner on the way. The same evening we will be transferred from Danang to Hoian. Check in to your resort hotel. Overnight stay in Hoian

Day 6

All day visiting Hoian. We will visit Hoian Old Quarter (famous Japaneses Bridge, 200-years old Chinese traders houses and other historical temples and monuments). Old Quarter has the original street layout and architecture of old Hanoi. The area is famous for its silk shops, small artisans, and merchants. You can savor local cuisine in this area. In the evening relaxing Dinner beside the river. There is a river bank with a lot of beautiful and also historical restaurants famous for different fishes and other local cuisines. Overnight stay in Hoian

Day 7

After breakfast we will visit beautiful silk art and other different workshops. Then before lunch time we will go to the Cua Dai Beach to relax until sunset. Cua Dai literally means the 'big sea mouth'. Cua Dai beach is located in the area of Cam An Ward, about 4km to the north-east of Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province. Cua Dai Beach is over 3 km in length and up to 300 m in width. The beach boasts fine white sand, clear and blue water, moderate slopes and small waves, which make it ideal for recreational activities like swimming and other sea sports. This beach is very beautiful and is well worth a visit to cool off when the heats starts to get to you. After the sunset coming back to the hotel for refreshing, and dinner again around the riverside. Overnight stay in Hoian

Day 8

Transfer from Hoian to Danang (approx. 1,5 drive) and take the flight from Danang to Saigon. In Saigon check in to the hotel, walk around the neighborhood. Dinner in a very unique place which is extremely

popular with experts and locals as well. It’s a place with

a lot of character and a food is really out of the word

and extremely authentic. This is not just a restaurant,

it’s like a big venue packed with different open kitchens

and sitting areas which was also featured repeatedly in

different Newspapers.

Overnight stay in Saigon

Day 9

Whole day of Saigon sightseeing. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is Vietnam's largest city. The city offers 300 years of timeless historical tradition and its culture. Located on the western part is the Chinese neighborhood called Colon and the well known Notre Dame Cathedral. We will also visit the Central Post Office which is French inspired structure and to the City Hall or "Hotel de Villed". Later in the afternoon visit the war Remnants Museum. It is like taking you back time travelling to what happened to the bloody Vietnam war. Notre Dame Cathedral - Officially Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. In October 2005, it was reported that the statue have shed tears, but the top clergy of the Catholic Church did not confirmed but nevertheless still a lot of people believe that it did shed a tear. City Hall or Hotel de Ville de Saigon - A french colonial style building built in 1902-1908. It was renamed after 1975 as Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee. Once known as the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes, the War Remnants Museum is consistently the most popular museum in Saigon with Western tourists. Many of the atrocities documented here were well publicized in the West, but rarely do Westerners

have the opportunity to hear the victims of US military action tell their own stories. According to travel reports from foreign visitors, the exhibits are "blatantly one-sided" with a "a heavy dose of anti-American (and South Vietnamese) propaganda", "full of propaganda" and "need to be taken with a grain of salt", but "they do graphically portray the horrors of the Vietnam War. In the evening Dinner in a small restaurant where you will try rural cuisines. Dishes which are hard to find in big cities. Overnight stay in Saigon

Day 10

We are going for a Mekong Delta all day sightseeing (150 km away from Saigon). We will take cruise, visit different villages, farm houses. We will take small boats in the narrow canals. We’ll also visit bee farms, sugar making farms and we will see beautiful views and local people. After arrival in Cai Be, take a boat to the Floating Market. Have lunch at an Ancient Garden House, then proceed to Vinh Long, passing a small and beautiful canal with peaceful tranquil villages, the unique natural setting of Mekong Delta region. Stop at An Binh islet to visit some of the famous fruit orchards. See how local people make ceramics, popcorn and rice paper... There will be also a nice chance for bicycle riding through the village and its handicraft shops. 2 hours drive back to Saigon. Dinner; again you’ll have an opportunity to try freshly cut meat and fishes by modern Vietnamese chefs. A truly enjoyable evening. Overnight stay in Saigon

Day 11

After breakfast we will take flight to Siem Reap. Check in to the hotel, in the evening we will walk around in the Old Town area. Dinner will be in a beautiful colonial market area with beautiful restaurants with a lot of character. Overnight stay in Siem Reap

Day 12

Optional: Early morning at 5.00 am, depart the hotel for a dawn breaking at Angkor Wat where the beautiful reflection of the temple and its dramatic fiery background exposes. After breakfast visiting this amazing temples inside and out. The temple was built by a king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yasodharapura, the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Breaking from the Shaivism tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. Continue to visit an amazing temple of Preah Khan. The temple is flat in design, with a basic plan of successive rectangular galleries around a Buddhist sanctuary complicated by Hindu satellite temples and numerous later additions. Like the nearby Ta Prohm, Preah Khan has been left largely unrestored, with numerous trees and other vegetation growing among the ruins. Next we will visit a very different one, Neak Pean, ahich is an artificial island with a Buddhist temple on a circular island in Preah Khan Baray built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. Some historians believe that Neak Pean represents Anavatapta, a mythical lake in the Himalayas whose waters are thought to cure all illness. Lunch break to avoid the heat. Lunch to explore around Siem Reap town. After lunch we will have a short drive to another main highlight temple of the day, the Bayon Temple to enjoy the quietness while everyone else left to the earlier sites, we just visited. Soft light of the sun will provide you the best feeling with a lovely contrast of the giant faces. The Bayon Temple is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th century or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom. Following Jayavarman's death, it was modified and augmented by later Hindu and Theravada Buddhist kings in accordance with their own religious preferences. Dinner enjoying Khmer cuisine. Overnight stay in Siem Reap

Day 13

After breakfast we will go to visit the largest and last city of the Khmer Empire, Angkor Thom, covering the area of 12 square kilometers. The tour starts at South Gate for an great view of the moat and wall with the amazing photo of the giant faces of the gate. Jump in a car or tuk-tuk for a short drive to Baphuon, currently restored temple, and walk through to Royal Enclosure where Phimean Akas center in, walk to Elephant and Leper King Terrace. We will also visit one of the favorite Shubho & Ania’s temple which is located inside the jungle! You will see how enormous the whole complex is! After lunch we will visit a small temple of Chaosay Tevoda, found by Suryavarman II, the same period as Angkor Wat. Continue to a pyramid Ta Keo and finish at a famous temple of Ta Prohm. Evening Farewell Dinner with very beautiful Apsara Dance Show. The apsara is played by a woman, sewn into tight-fitting traditional dress, whose graceful, sinuous gestures are codified to narrate classical myths or religious stories. This show is accompanied by enormous choices of traditional Cambodian dishes and cut fruits and salads. Overnight stay in Siem Reap

Day 14

Fly out from Siem Reap to London Program this day depends on the timing of departure.

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