The Essence of Vietnam & Cambodia
Explore the natural wonders, historic treasures and cultural heritage
Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, & Siem Reap
12 Days / 10 Nights
Small group from 10 to 18 people
October 14 – 25, 2020
Tour Program Summary
Vietnam is a country of natural beauty and charming cultures. It offers a unique blend of the East and West with plenty of sights, sounds and smell. Vietnam cuisine is a gourmet delight with a mixture of Chinese, French and a little Thai and is one of the sophisticated cuisines in Asia. The cities of Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, and Saigon are the representatives of the country’s beauty, vitality and progress.
Your trip begins in the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi. Narrow lanes and traditional shop houses invite exploration by cyclo (pedi cab), while its many beautiful public spaces – lakes, parks, tree-lined boulevards and monuments – give the city an air of elegance and harmony with nature unique among Asian capitals. Legacies of Chinese and French influence are evident in many parts of the city.
Drive through the Red River Delta and travel from Hanoi to your boat in Halong Bay. A day spent cruising gently between the imposing limestones islets is hard to beat, but an evening spent watching the stars come out over the bay is a truly magical experience. You get both, plus kayaking and swimming in the turquoise water of Halong Bay.
Take a short flight to the exquisitely preserved merchant town of Hoi An. The colorful store-front houses and temples reflect a diverse heritage, dating back to the 16th and 17th century, when it was a major port for Western, Chinese and Japanese traders. Today it is a thriving center of traditional crafts and a shopper’s paradise, best explored on foot.
Your next destination is a vibrant metropolis; Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) teems with energy, activity and motion. Everywhere you look, you see the meeting of traditional and modern life. The emerging modern skyline stands cheek by jowl with colonial buildings and traditional temples. Outside on the streets, young professionals zip by on motorcycles, chatting on cell phones; inside the quiet temple courtyards, worshippers pray amidst clouds of incense.
Cambodia is a small, unique kingdom with a rich history and fascinating heritage of Buddhist art and architecture. Common motifs in Khmer sculpture are apsaras, which have become a symbol of the Khmer culture. There’s a magic about this charming yet confounding kingdom that casts a spell on visitors. In Cambodia, ancient and modern worlds collide to create an authentic adventure.
Fly in from Saigon and end your journey in Siem Reap, the site of the crowning jewel of Khmer art and architecture – ANGKOR WAT. It is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia, or even Southeast Asia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautiful carvings and sculptures.
If you have any questions or would like to make a reservation, please give us a call at 1 (800) 788-1399, email us at info@accessasiatours.com
