Vietnam & Cambodia holiday
| country: | Cambodia, Vietnam |
| location: | Indochina holidays |
| departures: | Departs most Saturdays throughout the year |
| price: | From £1555 (21 days) excluding flights, single supplement available. We can arrange flights from the UK. Maximum group size is 15 people on this Vietnam & Cambodia holiday. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This Vietnam & Cambodia holiday has quickly become one of our most popular with travellers and tour leaders alike. It combines some of Vietnam’s major highlights with an in depth exploration of her more remote areas in the northern mountains and the Mekong Delta. We end with Asia’s most memorable sight – the temples of Angkor.
Our Vietnam & Cambodia holiday is a journey for those seeking a deeper experience of rural Vietnam, a taste of her vibrant cities and of the enchanting country of Cambodia.
Suitable for travellers with above average levels of fitness and mobility and a keen sense of adventure.
Vietnam & Cambodia holiday highlights include:
Mai Chau Reunification Express My Son Saigon River speedboat to Cu Chi Lovely riverside Victoria Hotel in Chau Doc Mekong River journey from Vietnam to Cambodia Overland on ancient royal highway to Siem Reap Rarely visited Boeng Mealea temple
Vietnam & Cambodia holiday accommodation is in hotels, guesthouses and an ancient house (some basic accommodation in remote areas). Travel is by modern air-conditioned vehicles, boat, domestic flights, overnight sleeper train (basic, 4 berth shared), cyclo tour of Phnom Penh, tuk tuk (motorised trolley) temple touring at Angkor and fixed tethered balloon at Angkor. Our price includes breakfasts, 4 lunches, tour leader and local English speaking guides throughout.
Our Vietnam & Cambodia holiday is a journey for those seeking a deeper experience of rural Vietnam, a taste of her vibrant cities and of the enchanting country of Cambodia.
Suitable for travellers with above average levels of fitness and mobility and a keen sense of adventure.
Vietnam & Cambodia holiday highlights include:
Vietnam & Cambodia holiday accommodation is in hotels, guesthouses and an ancient house (some basic accommodation in remote areas). Travel is by modern air-conditioned vehicles, boat, domestic flights, overnight sleeper train (basic, 4 berth shared), cyclo tour of Phnom Penh, tuk tuk (motorised trolley) temple touring at Angkor and fixed tethered balloon at Angkor. Our price includes breakfasts, 4 lunches, tour leader and local English speaking guides throughout.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-3: | Hanoi & Hilltribe villages. Arrive Hanoi and transfer to your hotel. Tonight, meet your tour leader and fellow travellers over a drink during the tour briefing. We travel west from Hanoi, stopping at the excellent Ethnology Museum en route to the remote region of Mai Chau. We pass Muong and Meo minority villages and stay with a White Tai family, sleeping in their longhouse and enjoying the local hospitality. The following morning we walk through lush rice fields surrounded by the stunning mountain scenery before returning to Hanoi. In the evening we visit Hanoi’s famed water puppet theatre. |
| Day 4: | Halong Bay & Hanoi. A highlight of our journey in north Vietnam is the World Heritage attraction of Halong Bay, with thousands of islands creating a unique and beautiful landscape. We cruise the bay, pausing at caves and grottoes, swim and relax before returning to Hanoi for some free time. |
| Day 5: | Hanoi & the Reunification Express. Tree-lined boulevards, parks and lakes, magnificent French colonial architecture and a fascinating Old Quarter combine to make Hanoi one of Asia’s most interesting cities. We visit the mausoleum and house of Ho Chi Minh, the Temple of Literature, the Old Quarter with its street market atmosphere, as well as the infamous Hanoi Hilton prison, before boarding the Reunification Express bound for Hue. |
| Day 6-7: | Hue. Hue is known as the centre of Buddhism in Vietnam, but most famously as the last imperial capital of the country. The Citadel is the dominant sight and we look behind its walls to see elegant royal remnants such as the throne room, plus the devastation from battles such as the Tet Offensive in 1968. We continue by boat along the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda and visit the elegant tomb of the 4th emperor, Tu Duc. |
| Day 8-9: | Hai Van Pass & Hoi An. Driving on one of Vietnam’s most scenic routes, we cross Hai Van Pass, stopping at the Cham Museum, the famous China Beach and the Marble Mountains before arriving in the medieval port town of Hoi An. We take a cruise along the Thu Bon River, explore the ancient houses, authentic market, narrow streets and friendly atmosphere of Hoi An and indulge in its delectable local cuisine. There is plenty of free time to visit the beach, or bargain for art or silk. |
| Day 10-12: | Saigon & Cu Chi. Fly south to Saigon. The bustle and excitement of Saigon is a whole new world. See Chinatown and the huge Binh Tay market then famous sights such as the former President’s Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and Rue Catinat, now Dong Khoi Street. Explore the amazing tunnel system built by guerrilla soldiers at Cu Chi, and spend the remainder of your time in Saigon as you please. |
| Day 13-14: | Mekong Delta Adventure. We depart early and travel into the heart of the Mekong Delta to Can Tho. On a boat journey outside Can Tho, we cruise past fishermen and floating markets to islands with tropical fruit orchards and welcoming local farmhouses. We travel on to colourful Chau Doc and climb Sam Mountain for impressive views over Cambodia and the Delta. |
| Day 15-16: | Phnom Penh. This morning we travel up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh. In the early afternoon we begin with an orientation tour of the city with visits to Wat Phnom and the central market. The following day we contrast the impressive Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, with the chilling Tuol Sleng Museum and Killing Fields. You will have free time to explore the waterside ambience, colonial architecture, and the fine restaurants of this riverside town. |
| Day 17-19: | Overland to Siem Reap and the Temples of Angkor. We travel six hours to Siem Reap on a new road that follows an ancient Angkorian highway and takes us past beautiful rice paddy landscapes dotted with sugar palms. The next day we begin our exploration of the magnificent temples with a dawn visit to Angkor Wat, and discoveries of the fortified city of Angkor Thom, and the eerie Bayon. Late afternoon we cruise the ecological marvel, great Tonle Sap Lake. The following day we set-out by tuk tuk for jungle enshrouded Ta Prohm and Preah Khan temples, and end with some free time and a fun Khmer cuisine cooking demonstration. |
| Day 20-21: | Outlying Temples. Today we journey to extraordinary Boeng Mealea, slowly disappearing under encroaching jungle and only recently opened to the public. Explore Banteay Srei, a near perfectly preserved example of bas reliefs and temple detail – a photographer’s delight – and beautiful Banteay Samre, before returning to Siem Reap for a farewell dinner. On day 21, your journey ends with an airport transfer. |
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 Vietnam and Cambodia’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.
 This journey combines two of Asia’s most alluring countries. Commencing in Vietnam we experience wonderful diversity from beautiful Hanoi to industrial Saigon. In Hanoi 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. Travelling west we enjoy the hospitality of the Muong and White Tai minority people in Mai Chau and stay overnight in a traditional family house. 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). In Cambodia we take in riverside Phnom Penh before moving on to the monumental temples of Angkor. Here we have facilitated a very significant donation to the World Monument Fund in Cambodia, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the maintenance of a select number of archaeologically precious temples in Angkor. During this journey we actively encourage our travellers to patronise or financially assist numerous not-for-profit organisations in Cambodia including Friends Restaurant in Phnom Penh (which trains and is staffed by disadvantaged young people), 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. 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 provinces in Vietnam and areas in Cambodia. 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 Vietnam (Saigon, Danang and Hanoi) and in Cambodia (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap) 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 Vietnam and Cambodia 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 led 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. |