A Trail of Smiles - 14 Days - IOB01

Upon arrival in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel. Hanoi is one of Asia's most charming cities, with its romantic tree-lined boulevards and colonial houses. The day is free for your own exploration and shopping. Overnight at hotel.

A full day spent touring Hanoi, the political, economic and cultural capital of Vietnam. Starting with the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays), which offers informative and well-documented information on the country’s 54 ethnic groups, including elaborate and colorful hill-tribe costumes. The display continues in the outside garden with fascinating examples of traditional houses from the Kinh’s to the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands. We will then visit the Temple of Literature,  a temple built in honor of Confucius in 1070, and served as the first Royal National University in Vietnam founded in 1076. This temple and its beautiful garden provide an opportunity to learn more about the  Mandarin education that has shaped Vietnam for 1000 years and to relax in this tranquil setting. The afternoon is spent exploring the alleys of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, visit Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple or the Jade Mountain Temple situated in the heart of Hanoi. A delightful water puppet show will perfectly wrap up our day. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, we will drive to Tam Coc also known as "Dry Halong Bay" in Ninh Binh province. On the way, we will stop to visit  Hoa Lu, the former capital of Vietnam during the 10th century. We will arrive in Tam Coc, embark small rowing boats and discover the outstanding karst waterscape on Ngo Dong River. Tam Coc is home to three caves, all adorned with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites of different shapes and sizes, reminiscent of gemstones. While rowing, you will enjoy the tranquil scenery of rice paddies situated along the river banks. After lunch, we will cycle along winding roads past rice paddies and lotus ponds, typical for the Vietnamese countryside. Whe then pay a visit to Bich Dong Pagoda situated on a hillside. Back to Tam Coc for overnight.

Morning drive to Halong Bay, along beautiful scenery sporting lush rice paddies and meandering rivers. We will arrive at Halong’s tourist wharf around noon and mbark the elegant wooden junk. Lunch will be served while the boat gently cruises past numerous islands and limestone structures rising from the emerald water. It is also an ideal opportunity to enjoy the sea breeze and refresh your soul. A fresh seafood dinner will be prepared by an experienced chef and served on deck.  A peaceful night on board in your private cabin.

Enjoy breakfast and savor the incredible sunrise from the sundeck while the boat sails to Luon Cave and one of Halong’s floating villages then back to the harbor. On the way back to Hanoi, we will stop in Bac Ninh province to visit Vietnam's first Buddhist centre, the But Thap Pagoda, which was built in the 13th century and reconstructed during the 17th century. It is renowned for its valuable statues, the most remarkable of which is a thousand-handed and thousand-eyed Buddha considered a masterpiece of Vietnamese sculpturing. Continue the drive to Hanoi. Overnight at hotel.

The morning is yours to explore Vietnam's capital city and shop, until we head to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Saigon. The rest of the day is free.. Overnight at hotel. 

In the morning, visit Cho Lon, Vietnam’s largest China Town where you can shop to your hearts content and sample the fabulous cuisine. The central market in Cho Lon is the Binh Tay Market, which offers a wide range of products from food to clothing. Drop by Thien Hau Temple and Giac Lam Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in the city. Back to the city centre to visit Notre Dame Cathedral built in 1877 and the Central Post Office, built by the French. The tour ends with visiting the Reunification Palace formerly known as the Independence Palace. It served as the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Overnight at hotel. 

Leaving the bustling city of Saigon behind, we will depart to the Mekong Delta considered Vietnam’s biggest rice basket. We will arrive at Hung Vuong Pier in Ben Tre and embark our boat to cruise along Ben Tre River, a tributary of the great Mekong, to explore the local lifestyle and the daily hustle and bustle. We will stop at the brickfield belonging to Mr. Tu Lo to see how bricks are made by hand in Vietnam and a coconut candy home factory located along the canal to witness the process of making this local candy and other souvenirs. You will then have the opportunity to taste bee honey tea at a local honey farm and a variety of tropical fruit that grow amply in the orchards of the Mekong Delta. You can then walk or cycle through the coconut groves and green rice paddies to soak up the atmosphere and relax in the tranquil countryside.

The afternoon begins with a trip on small rowing boats through a maze of waterways shaded by two rows of palm trees. We then cruise back to the pier and disembark. Transfer to Can Tho. Overnight in Can Tho.

We take an early morning boat trip through the winding waterways of Cai Rang floating market, the biggest and busiest floating market in the Mekong Delta. This is the best time to visit the market, as it is crowded with hundreds of sampans that offer fruit, vegetables, plants, food and other goods for trade. This is the perfect opportunity to take photos, communicate with locals and taste fresh tropical fruis. Leave the market, and return to Saigon. On the way back, stop at an old Binh Thuy house 5kms from Can Tho city and Long Dinh mat weaving village where you will witness the making of a mat, a very popular item closely associated with Vietnamese culture. Overnight in Saigon.

After breakfast you will be taken to the airport for the flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival you will be welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel. We start our trip by visiting the Roluos Temple Group built between 877-889, situated 13km outside Siem Reap. They were constructed during the first Angkor settlement of the ancient Khmer. The group boasts three temples:

- Bakong is the most impressive of the three, much older than Angkor Wat it features beautiful carvings on its lintels that remain in good shape

- Preahko Temple is close to Bakong and consists of six elegant brick towers with exquisite decorations and statues of Nandi, Shiva's sacred bull.

- Lolei Temple constructed in 893, is an island temple dedicated to members of the royal family and the Hindu god Shiva. 

The afternoon is spent exploring the amazing World Heritage "Angkor Wat", the world's largest religious building, and Phnom Bakheng  on Bakheng Hill the first major temple to be constructed in the Angkor era, marking the move of the Khmer empire's capital from Roluos to Angkor in the late 9th century AD. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, we will visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom also referred to as "Great City", the famous Bayon Temple built in the late 12th century and the Baphoun Temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and Phimean Akas known as "Heavenly Palace".

In the afternoon, we will tour the World Heritage site "Angkor Wat", the world's largest religious building. We continue our day with a visit to Bakheng Hill Temple and watch the sunset from the top of the hill. Back to the hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap

Morning visit to the “Small Circuit” group of temples including Ta Prohm overgrown with the roots of enormous fig trees. This is one of Jayavarman VII's first major temple projects dedicated to his mother, Thommanon built at the same time as Angkor Wat and Chau Say Tevoda Temple, Banteay Kdei surrounded by four concentric walls, Srah Srang or “The Royal Baths" which was used for bathing rituals and Ta Keo known as “The Mountain with Golden Peaks” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.

The afternoon will be spent visiting the “Grand Circuit” including Pre Rup, a temple mountain with beautiful bas reliefs and excellent views of the surrounding countryside, East Mebon a large temple mountain dedicated to Shiva in honor of the king’s parents, Tasom the most distant temple of the Grand Circuit, Neak Pean a small island temple originally dedicated to Buddha, it is most photogenic during the wet season and finishing off the tour will be Preah Khan dedicated to Jayavarman VII's father. Overnight at hotel.

We will start our morning with a visit to Beng Melea temple located 60km east of the city, a 2 hour drive. The temple was constructed around the same time as and in the style of Angkor Wat. It is hidden in the middle of a lush jungle, an ideal place for those looking for an off the beaten track adventure in Cambodia. Picnic lunch on the way. We will then visit Koh Keh, which used to be the most remote and inaccessible Angkor temple complex, but thanks to reconstruction, the road is now in good condition. Overnight in Siem Reap.

In the morning we will explore Tonle Sap Lake, the largest natural lake in Indochina. Here we will cruise for 1 to 2 hours to visit floating villages and discover life on the water. Disembark and drive back to Siem Reap through the peaceful countryside full of quaint villages, lush rice paddies and rows of palm. Transfer to the airport for departure.