Vietnam to Cambodia – A 10-Night Cultural Journey

Vietnam to Cambodia – A Cultural Journey 10Nights / 11 Days

11D10N HANOI – HALONG ON CRUISE – SAIGON – CAMBODIA

Overview

Discover the best of Vietnam and Cambodia on an unforgettable 10-night Indochina journey combining culture, history, city life and breathtaking scenery. Begin in Hanoi, Vietnam’s charming capital, where ancient temples, lively streets and French-colonial heritage create a fascinating atmosphere. Continue to the spectacular Halong Bay and enjoy an overnight cruise surrounded by dramatic limestone islands and peaceful emerald waters. Travel south to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), a vibrant metropolis blending historic landmarks, bustling markets and modern energy. Complete your journey in Cambodia, where rich Khmer heritage, remarkable temples and local culture offer a memorable finale. A perfect itinerary for travellers looking to experience the highlights of Vietnam and Cambodia in one exciting holiday.

• PACKAGE CATEGORY : Standard***
• DESTINATIONS COVERED : 3N Hanoi – 1N Ha Long Bay – 3N Ho Chi Minh – 3N Cambodia
• ROOM: Standard
• VALIDITY: Till 10 December 2026

HOTEL CATEGORIES Or Similar

• HANOI – Anise Hanoi Hotel / La Dolce Vita Hotel
• HALONG CRUISE – La Regina Classic Cruise
• SAIGON – Queen Ann Hotel Saigon / Prague Hotel Saigon
• SIEM REAP – JK Resident Siem Reap / Kouprey Hotel Siem Reap

DAY 1 – HANOI ARRIVAL 

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, our representative (no guide) will meet and transfer to Hanoi hotel for check-in the hotel (Standard check-in time 14:00-15:00. Early check-in is not guaranteed).

Enjoy your free time. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 2 – HANOI – CITY TOUR (B/L) – SIC

08h00-08h30: We will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter or Hanoi Opera House. In the morning, we will visit:

• Tran Quoc Pagoda located on an east side isle of the West Lake (Tay Ho district), It is considered as the most ancient pagoda in Thang Long – Ha Noi with its historical progression in 1500 years. It has a harmonious combination between the majesty, hoariness architecture and peaceful landscape of the West Lake. From the period in the Ly and Tran dynasties, it had become the Buddhist center of Thang Long.
• Visit the complex of president Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (Mausoleum and Stilt house) – Where the great leader lived and worked until the last years of his life. Here, you will have the opportunity to learn about Uncle Ho’s simple life. In addition, you will stop by One Pillar Pagoda to admire one of the 4 symbols of Hanoi.

Note: with departure days on Monday and Friday, Mausoleum Management Board will carry out maintenance of the mausoleum, you will visit only outside of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, stilt house and One Pillar Pagoda.

• Vietnam Museum of Ethnology: This is the most recent yet probably the largest and undoubtedly the most interesting Museums in Hanoi and Vietnam. There are both indoors and outdoors sections, while the in – housed exhibition is particularly informative, the outdoors display and activities make the museum stand out from the rest. There are a number of houses modeling after the traditional architecture of ethnic minorities, especially those who live in Northern and Central highlands.

On Monday, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is closed, instead of the Vietnamese Women Museum.  

Noon: Return to the Old Quarter to have lunch at the restaurant. After lunch, you will see 36 streets from the car and listen to the guide tell stories about the streets of the ancient urban marketplace.

Afternoon: We will visit:

• The temple of literature (The first university in Vietnam): Being an ancient school of Thang Long and the first university in Vietnam, Temple of Literature is acknowledged as an ancient historical-cultural heritage which gives tourists a deeper understanding about Hanoi’s years of culture and tradition.
• Hoa Lo prison: Built in 1899. The French held mainly political prisoners here, along with those awaiting sentencing at the nearby Court of Justice, as well as American pilots who had been shot down and captured as prisoners of war. The pilots sarcastically called it the “Hanoi Hilton. John McCain was held here at various times during his five and a half years as a POW.

16h00: End of Hanoi City Tour, the car will take you back to the hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 3 –  HANOI – NINH BINH (HOA LU – TAM COC) (B/L) – SIC

After breakfast, departure for Hoa Lu – Tam Coc, enjoying the beautiful sceneries of the rural areas on the way. After arriving in Ninh Binh province, the guide takes you to visit Hoa Lu – the Ancient Royal capital of Viet Nam. We will visit Dinh king temple and Le king temple, in the 10th century, finding out the heroic histories of this two Kings in Chinese Wars. After that, we go to Tam Coc (10 km far from Hoa Lu).

Afternoon, you will get on sampan boat – rowed by the local people – in Hoang Long River to visit Tam Coc (three caves) on the way. You pass through three enormous caves that provide a brief respite from the intense summer sun. It takes approximately two hours to go up and down the river and along the way, you witness local fisherfolk, village life along the river and, of course, the striking limestone karst formations that Tam Coc is famous for. Afterward we will take car back Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 4 – HANOI – HALONG BAY ON CRUISE (B/L/D) – Shuttle bus

Breakfast at hotel, transfer to Halong Bay – a UNESCO World Heritage site (160km driving one way – 3.5hrs drive). 12h00 – 12h30: Embark Halong Cruise. Enjoy welcome drink and get a brief introduction about cruise and safety guidelines. Check-in your cabin. 13h15: Have lunch while cruising in the magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay, admiring the fascinating rock and the beautiful of Halong Bay from your cruise.

• 16h00: Join a guided visit to Stalemate Cave in Ha Long Bay.
• 17h20: Return to Cruise, enjoy the sunset while relaxing with happy hours from now to dinner time at the bar.
• 18h00: Enjoy happy hours’ various drinks on discount. Taking part in a Cooking Demonstration and Food Décor Class with our Chef.
• 19h00 – 21h00: Dinner is served on cruise restaurant.
• 21h00 – 22h00: Time of second happy hours to the late night or join Squid Fishing with the crew, sing Karaoke or just laze around or relax in your cabin.

DAY 5 – HALONG BAY – HANOI – FLY TO SAGON (B/BR) – Shuttle bus

• 06h30 Welcome a new day with amazing dawn on the cruise. Refresh your body & soul by a Tai-Chi Lesson on sundeck.
• 07h00 – 08h00: Catch morning view of seascapes with a cup of tea or coffee, have breakfast.
• 08h00 – 09h00: Climb to the peak of Island for the panoramic views of the bay. Relax on the beach, swim in the emerald water.
• 09h00: Return to Cruise for freshening up.
• 09h30: Check out your cabin and continue roaming around the picturesque route toward Bai Tho Mountain near the harbor.
• 10h30: Have early lunch.
• 12.00: Arrive back at Ha Long city for disembarkation.

• Cruise itinerary and schedule are subject to change due to weather, tide levels and operating conditions. Swimming or kayaking excursions may be cancelled due to poor weather
• The above itinerary is for your reference only as each cruise will have its own itinerary and will be slightly different.

In the afternoon, transfer directly to Noi Bai Airport for flight to Saigon (no guide). Upon arrival Tan Son Nhat, our driver (no guide) will meet and transfer to hotel for check-in. Overnight in Saigon.

DAY 6 – SAIGON CITY – CUCHI TUNNLELS (B/L) – SIC

07:30 AM Take the morning trip to visit Independence Palace, also known at the Reunification palace, was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. Continue seeing the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office. Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of the both the Indochina wars. Have lunch at local restaurant.

Depart for Cu Chi tunnel, the trip will take approximately one and a half hours bus driving. Upon arrival, before exploring the tunnels, you will have some short introduction followed by introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of the war time. Then, spend your time to explore the remaining area and tunnel systems which included the special constructed living areas with kitchens, bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers helping whoever lives inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are also many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the maze-like tunnels for security purpose during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla’s food during the war) will be served. Return to Saigon. Overnight in Saigon.

DAY 7 – SAIGON – MEKONG DELTA (MY THO) (B/L) – SIC

07:30AM Leaving the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City and start your trip to depart for My Tho, the town lies on the left side of the Mekong River. Upon arrival, visit Vinh Trang pagoda which sated back to the late 19th century. Then boarding the sampan and cruising down the river around the four beautiful islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Tortoise islands. Stop over at Unicorn Island, go walking around country lane and seeing orchards, enjoy tropical fruits, folk song music which performed by the local people. Visit the fruit plantation.

Riding a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal and treat yourself in the beauty of the countryside, visit the family business, visit honey-bee farm, enjoy honey tea and coconut candy workshop. Have lunch at local restaurant. Break time.

In the afternoon, time for cycling around the Tan Thach village, meet the local villagers to experience the local daily life in the Mekong delta. Hammock relaxing and enjoy cool breeze for those can’t join the cycling trip. Return to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Saigon.

DAY 8 – SAI GON – FLY TO SIEM REAP (B)

Morning, free at leisure before transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for flight to Siem Reap (no guide).

Upon arrival, welcome by tour guide in Siem Reap, transfer to check in hotel! Overnight in Siem Reap!

DAY 9 – FULL DAY ANGKOR TOUR (B)

Breakfast at hotel, explore South Gate of Angkor Thom known as Big Angkor, 3km² walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire, The famous Bayon Temple was an architectural muddle, in part because it was constructed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion for over a century.

Terrace of the Elephants is an impressive, two and a half meter tall, 300 meter long terrace wall adorned with carved elephants and gradual that spans the heart of Angkor Thom in front of Baphuon – huge temple mountain in the heart of Angkor Thom, Royal Palace Area and Phimeanakas – impressive rite and sandstone pyramid. Terrace of the Leper King is at the north end of the Terrace of the Elephants, a double terrace wall with deeply carved nag as, demons and other mythological beings. Last you will visit Ta Prohm temple which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty! Giant trees have grown here for centuries.

Afternoon visit Angkor Wat temple, the founder of the temple was Suryavarman II who reined Cambodia from 1113 to 1152 and built the five towers in the 12th century to dedicate to the Hindu God Vishnu. The plan of the pyramidal conception of the temple combined with spaces, alleys, ditches is an ancient masterpiece of architectural design and construction. It is time for a romantic sunset view. Overnight in Siem Reap!

DAY 10 – KBAL SPEAN – THE RIVER OF 1000 LINGAS (B)

After breakfast, we will visit Kbal Spean temple – there are also carving of Buddha and Buddhist images in the rock that date from a later period than the lingas. The original River of Thousand Lingams, Kbal Spean is an intricately carved riverbed deep in the foothills of the Cambodian jungle. Lingams are phallic representations sacred to Brahmanism as symbols of fertility, and hundreds of them are carved into the rock here, as are several carvings of gods and animals above the small waterfall. Head back to Siem Reap we will visit people producing sugar from palm juice on the way.

Then continue to Preah Dak Village, a famous and popular place for souvenirs such as objects and arts. Visitors can discover beautiful places and natural life mixed with souvenirs shops. Most things are handmade. Preah Dak Village is also well known of nom ban chok noodles and palm cakes. Return back to town we will stop at Wat Preah Prum Rath, a functioning Buddhist monastery featuring a typical Khmer-style pagoda, a courtyard with statues depicting different Buddhist beliefs, and a hall surrounded by hand-painted picture walls containing a giant statue of seated Buddha and a reclining Buddha. We continue to one of the city’s lively open markets, Psar Chars, also called the “Old Market”, where anything and everything is for sale. Overnight in Siem Reap!

DAY 11 – DEPARTURE (B)

Breakfast at hotel, free leisure on own arrangement until time transfer to airport for flight onwards!

END OF SERVICES

NOTE:

• Price is quoted per person on double sharing in standard room category.
• A maximum of 2 children sharing parent’s room.
• Baby cot and additional bed available upon request.
• Check in time at 14.00 hrs. and check out time at 11.00 hrs.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

• Price valid for Mauritius Citizens only.
• Subject to availability when bookings are made.
• Above rates are subject to change due to availability and fluctuations in the rate of exchange.
• In the event, the above-mentioned property is not available at time of booking; we shall provide alternate accommodation at a similar or next best available hotel.
• In case of any currency fluctuations or amendment in Government taxes, Hotels Rate or any fuel hike, we reserve the right to adjust the tour price accordingly.
• Cancellation fees apply.

TRAVEL EXIGENCIES

• A passport that is valid for the period of intended stay.
• We recommend you check-in no later than 3 hours prior to departure.