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Itinerary:
DAY 1:
ARRIVAL - HO CHI MINH
On arrival at Tan San Nhat
Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is a
center of commerce, finance, culture and tourism in
Vietnam. This bustling metropolis, a contradiction of
its northern counterpart, is crowded with bikes and
motorbikes, teeming with shopping area and sidewalk
cafés. If you won't be too tired after your overseas
flight, we will stroll around the downtown to explore
the city. O/N in Ho Chi Minh.
DAY 2 :
HO CHI MINH
Today we spend a full day
exploring Ho Chi Minh City. We pass the now-demolished
wartime American Embassy before we visit the
Reunification Palace, the former residence of the
President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975.
Close to the Palace, there are some beautiful French
colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral
and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. After seeing the Jade
Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum, we continue
our trip to Cho Lon, Saigon’s Chinatown, which is
crammed with fascinating temples and mysterious, narrow
lanes. We end our city tour with a visit to the bustling
Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for
sale. O/N in Ho Chi Minh. (B)
DAY 3 :
HO CHI MINH - CU CHI - TAY NINH - HO CHI MINH
The headquarter of Cao Dai
sect is located in Tay Ninh. This religion was founded
in 1923 and now numbers over 2 million members. After
breakfast we travel to Tay Ninh to see the ornate temple
of Cao Dai and attend the fascinating mid-day service
when the followers fill the hall wearing colored robes,
a symbol of the curious combination of Confucianism,
Taoism and Buddhism. Afterwards we continue to the
well-known Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground
network of tunnels that contained hospitals,
accommodations, schools, and were used as a military
base for the Vietcong during the war. O/N in Ho Chi Minh.
(B)
DAY 4 : HO
CHI MINH - VINH LONG - CAN THO
Heading out of the town,
we travel by road to Vinh Long Province. On arrival, we
embark on our boat cruising around the tributaries of
the mighty Mekong River, a great way to observe the
local lifestyle close-up. Along the way, we visit the
vibrant floating market of Cai Be and many local cottage
industries including rice paper makers and bonsai
nurseries. A huge lunch followed with many seasonal
fruits at an orchard is part of the enjoyment of the
trip. We then weave our way through the intricate
network of canals which are the lifeblood of the Mekong
Delta before we meet up with our vehicle for a short
drive to Can Tho, our destination for today. O/N in Can
Tho. (B,L)
DAY 5: CAN
THO - CHAU DOC
This morning we depart for
Chau Doc and pass many rice fields fringed with palm
trees, fruit orchards and canals crammed with boats and
rice barges. Arriving in Chau Doc we have time to
stroll around . This is a tranquil town and less
affected by the flash and glitz of Ho Chi Minh City’s
fashionable young people although it is a major hub of
trade along the Mekong. An afternoon tour takes us to
major places of interest in this region. We enjoy a boat
trip on the Hau River to explore the local fisheries and
a Cham village. Upon disembarking, we vist the sacred Ba
Chua Temple and the nearby sanctuary of Tay An before
ascending the Sam Mountain to watch the beautiful sunset
over Cambodia and the mighty Mekong River. O/N in Chau
Doc. (B)
DAY 6:
CHAU DOC - PHNOM PENH
After breakfast we board
an express boat for a trip along the Mekong River
crossing into Cambodia and continuing on to its capital.
Phnom Penh was once considered the loveliest city of
Indochina. Despite its recent turbulent history, it
still maintains considerable charm. The private quarters
of the Royal Palace are now home to the royal family. At
the northern area of the palace grounds is Silver
Pagoda, the most sacred shrine in the country. We visit
both structures as well as the legendary temple of Wat
Phnom, a temple which reflects the history of
Phnompenh’s name. O/N in Phnom Penh. (B)
DAY 7:
PHNOM PENH
The sightseeing tour of
Phnom Penh continues with a visit to the Royal
University of Fine Arts where the young Cambodians learn
the ancient arts of their ancestors. The most
interesting part of this structure is the Dance Academy.
Here, many young children practice the graceful
movements of the beautiful national dances. We then
continue to the National Museum, dedicated exclusively
to Khmer art and sculpture. The majority of the exhibits
here are from the Angkor period (9th to 15th
Century), but some date from as early as the 4th
Century. The Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and the notorious
‘Killing Fields’ of Choeung Ek are not to be missed. A
visit to these sights provides us a deep insight into
the bloody rule of the Khmer Rouge. O/N in Phnom Penh.
(B)
DAY 8:
PHNOM PENH - SIEM REAP - ANGKOR TEMPLES
An early morning transfer
to Phnom Penh Pier. We embark on express boat and make
our way up the Tonle Sap River and into the lake of the
same name. The shallow Tonle Sap is the largest of
Southeast Asia’s lakes. Depending on the season, our
boat journey takes anywhere from 4 to 6 hours to reach
Siem Reap. This town is our base for visiting the world
famous temples of the ancient city of Angkor, the
capital of the powerful Khmer Empire from 802 AD to 1350
AD. After checking into hotel, we drive to the
archeological area to visit the South Gate of Angkor
Thom, famous for its series of colossal human faces
carved in stone, the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal
Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, and the
Terrace of the Leper King, the largest and most complete
structure of Angkor Wat. O/N in Siem Reap. (B)
DAY 9:
SIEM REAP - ANGKOR TEMPLES
The jungle covered temple
of Ta Prohm is an incredible sight. There are enormous
fig trees and gigantic creepers which embrace themselves
in the stone foundations of the structure giving the
impression of man's creation being reclaimed by the
powerful forces of nature. We explore this masterpiece
as well as its surrounding temples of Banteay Kdei, Sra
Srong, Ta Keo, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevado. Our grand
circuit includes Preah Khan, the Kravan, Neak Pean, Krol
Ko, Ta Som, East Mebon, and Pre Rup Temple, before we
ascend Phnom Bakheng Hill for a view of the stunning
sunset over these spectacular sandstone monuments. O/N
in Siem Reap.(B)
DAY 10:
SIEM REAP - BANTEAY SREI - ROLUOS GROUP
Heading out of the town,
we drive on a newly paved road to the intricately carved
and well preserved temple of Banteay Srei. On the way we
make a stopover at the Preah Dark village and the River
of 1000 Lingas, locally known as Kbal Spean. We follow
these with a visit the Banteay Samre Temple adorned with
impressive relieves depicting scenes from Vishunu and
Krishna legends. On the way back we will explore the
ancient Khmer civilization site of Hariharalaya which
flourished in the late 9th and early 10th centuries.
These were the earliest temples in the Angkor area and
are referred to as the Rolous group. O/N in Siem Reap.
(B)
DAY 11:
SIEM REAP - DEPARTURE
There is free time for
your own exploration of the town and strolling around
the shopping areas. The trip ends upon your transfer to
Siem Reap Airport for departure. (B)
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