Vietnam & Cambodia Active Explorer

Hanoi

Arrive at Hanoi’s international airport, Vietnam’s lively capital known for its history and charm. After fast-track assistance at the airport, enjoy a private transfer to your hotel. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel reception, where you can receive information and coordinate your stay. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. You can relax in the comfort of your hotel rooms, which offer modern amenities, or begin to explore the city at your own pace. Take in Hanoi’s unique atmosphere, where traditional Vietnamese culture blends with French influences. Settle into your accommodation and unwind after your journey. This is a gentle start to your holiday, giving you time to recover and get ready for the exciting cultural experiences that lie ahead in northern Vietnam.

Hanoi

Explore Hanoi on a private full-day tour. Visit the peaceful Temple of Literature and the historic One Pillar Pagoda. Take a walking tour through the Old Quarter, known for its busy streets once named after ancient trades. Today, the area is filled with cafés, boutiques, and galleries. Start your morning by exploring local markets for an authentic experience of Hanoi’s vibrant culture and traditional crafts. Admire the city’s mix of Vietnamese and colonial architecture. In the afternoon, try local specialities such as pho or bun cha. In the evening, enjoy a traditional water puppet performance or attend a show at the Hanoi Opera House. This day gives you a real sense of the city’s culture, history, and daily life.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Hanoi

Halong Bay

Leave Hanoi and drive to Halong Bay for an overnight boat cruise on a luxury junk boat. Embark on a scenic boat trip, sailing among towering limestone karsts rising from emerald waters. Enjoy delicious seafood on board and relax as you take in the peaceful scenery. There are optional activities such as kayaking, visiting caves, or exploring a floating village. As the sun sets over the bay, soak in the beauty from the deck. Spend the night in your comfortable cabin, which features air conditioning for your comfort, drifting gently on the calm water. This day introduces you to one of Vietnam’s most stunning natural landscapes in perfect style and comfort.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Halong Bay

Start your morning with a tai chi session on the deck, followed by breakfast as the boat glides through the quiet waters. Spend the day exploring more of Halong Bay's hidden corners. You can kayak through narrow lagoons, swim in secluded spots, or relax on the sundeck. Visit more caves or beaches depending on the cruise route. Enjoy a second night aboard, with freshly prepared meals and starlit skies. This day offers a mix of activity and rest in a peaceful setting, allowing you to enjoy Halong Bay's beauty in a slow and immersive way.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Halong Bay

HOI AN

Wake early to catch sunrise over Halong Bay before returning to port. Transfer to Hanoi by scenic seaplane, offering a bird’s-eye view of the limestone islands. From Hanoi, fly to the charming town of Hoi An. On arrival, transfer to your beachfront resort and settle in for a three-night stay in comfortable hotel rooms featuring modern amenities. Take time to relax or enjoy a stroll along the beach. Hoi An is a UNESCO-listed old town known for its lantern-lit streets, preserved old houses, and riverside setting. This peaceful destination will be your base for cultural experiences and countryside discoveries in central Vietnam.

Meals Included: Breakfast

HOI AN

Explore Hoi An with a private guide, starting at the lively morning market, one of the local markets filled with fresh produce and seafood. Take a walking tour to visit traditional merchant houses and ancient temples, then cross the Japanese Covered Bridge—one of the town’s most iconic sights. Learn how Chinese, Japanese, and European influences shaped Hoi An’s development. Enjoy lunch in a riverside café or try a local cooking class. The free afternoon is available for shopping or relaxing. You may also wish to have clothes tailor-made from one of Hoi An’s renowned tailors. This day offers a deep cultural experience in one of Vietnam’s most beautiful towns.

Meals Included: Breakfast

HOI AN

Today is all about the countryside. Cycle with your local guide through quiet lanes lined with rice paddies, passing buffalos and farmers at work. Visit local villages where people still make pottery, mats, or noodles by hand, and immerse yourself in authentic local life. Stop to chat with families and local travellers, learning about their way of life and enjoying genuine cultural exchanges. You might take a short boat ride through water coconut groves or try planting herbs at an organic farm. Enjoy a local lunch in a village home before heading back to the resort. This day lets you experience rural Vietnam, the warmth of its people, and the vibrant local life, away from the usual paths.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Fly from Danang to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam’s largest and most vibrant city. On arrival, enjoy a private transfer to your hotel, where you’ll stay for three nights. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel reception, your main point of contact for information and services during your stay. Spend the rest of the day at leisure—perhaps take a short walk or enjoy a rooftop drink. Saigon offers a mix of colonial buildings, including notable examples of French colonial architecture such as the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, and the hotel de ville (City Hall), all of which are iconic landmarks in the city centre. Alongside these, you’ll find modern shops, street food stalls, and buzzing nightlife. After the slower pace of Hoi An, the city’s energy will feel fresh and exciting. It’s the perfect base for exploring southern Vietnam’s rich culture and complex history over the coming days.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Set out on a private full-day city tour. Visit the Reunification Palace, also known as the presidential palace and former presidential palace, to appreciate its historical and architectural significance. Learn about its role in Vietnam’s political history before heading to the War Remnants Museum to understand Vietnam’s recent past. Explore Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office, both built during French colonial times. Walk through Cholon, the city’s large Chinatown, with its temples and markets. Stop for a banh mi sandwich or a strong iced coffee. You also have the option to visit the Cu Chi tunnels, an underground network from the Vietnam War, as part of your sightseeing itinerary. In the evening, hop on a Vespa for a lively street food tour. Sample local favourites as you zip through alleyways and markets with your tour leader, who organizes the tour and ensures a smooth experience. This is a fun and delicious way to discover Saigon by night.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Leave the city for a full-day private trip to the Mekong Delta. Travel by car to a riverside town, then board a sampan (traditional boat) for a boat cruise along the waterways. Pass the be floating market, where you can observe the vibrant local trade and interact with traders aboard their boats, as well as see fish farms and stilted homes. Visit small workshops and local markets to explore indigenous goods, fresh produce, and traditional crafts, and try local snacks like coconut candy. Meet local families and learn how they live along the river. Enjoy a lunch of fresh Mekong dishes before returning to Saigon in the evening. This day gives you a close look at life in southern Vietnam’s “rice bowl,” where water and people are always in motion.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Phnom Penh

To begin your journey, book international flights to Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. On arrival, fast-track assistance and a private transfer bring you to the elegant Raffles Hotel Le Royal. After check-in, enjoy a private afternoon tour of the city’s cultural highlights. Visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, followed by the National Museum, home to Khmer treasures. Stroll along the riverfront and enjoy a sunset drink or coffee at a colonial-style café. Phnom Penh’s mix of French architecture, Buddhist temples, and bustling markets offers a different but equally fascinating experience after Vietnam. This is your introduction to Cambodia’s rich and complex history.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Experience Cambodia’s countryside with a full-day biking adventure led by a knowledgeable local guide. Cycle through peaceful villages, past rice paddies and lotus fields. Stop at small temples and chat with locals going about their day to experience authentic local life. Visit a traditional home to learn about rural life, including farming and crafts. A picnic lunch is served in a scenic spot. Your local guide will share insights into local traditions and beliefs. This relaxed and scenic day offers an intimate look at Cambodia’s landscapes and daily life beyond the ancient royal capital. Return to Phnom Penh in the late afternoon with a deeper appreciation of the country’s culture and simplicity.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Siem Reap

Arrive at Siem Reap International Airport, the main gateway to the temples of Angkor. After completing arrival procedures and a private transfer, check in to your hotel and settle into your comfortable hotel rooms, featuring modern amenities for your convenience. Begin your first look at the temples with a special sunset visit. Explore part of the Angkor complex in the golden afternoon light, perhaps seeing Pre Rup or Phnom Bakheng. Watch the sun dip behind ancient stone towers. This is a magical introduction to one of the world’s great archaeological sites. Return to your hotel for some free time to relax in your room or enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. The next two days will take you deeper into Cambodia’s most iconic and awe-inspiring cultural treasures.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Siem Reap

Set out for a full-day private tour of Angkor’s greatest temples. Begin with Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. Explore its carvings, towers, and serene lotus ponds on a walking tour led by a local guide. Visit the walled city of Angkor Thom, the ancient royal capital, and see Bayon Temple with its many smiling faces. Continue to Ta Prohm, famous for its tree roots growing over the ruins. Your local guide will share the stories behind these structures and the Khmer Empire’s rise and fall. This unforgettable day offers not only amazing architecture but a chance to reflect on the power and beauty of ancient civilisations.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Siem Reap

Siem Reap

Begin with a morning boat cruise on Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake. Pass floating homes, schools, and visit a vibrant floating market to witness traditional trading activities and the unique local way of life. Learn about the lake’s role in Cambodia’s ecology and economy. In the afternoon, choose between a countryside biking trip or a horseback ride through local villages and temples. This flexible day allows you to connect with Siem Reap’s landscape at your own pace. You may also use your free time for last-minute shopping at local markets or enjoy a traditional spa treatment. The day ends with a relaxed evening before your journey comes to a close.

Meals Included: Breakfast

SIEM REAP - DEPARTURE

Enjoy a final breakfast before a private transfer to Siem Reap's international airport. From here, you will board your international flights home. Leave with rich memories of Vietnam and Cambodia—from peaceful bays and lively cities to ancient temples and countryside traditions. This 16-day journey has offered a close and varied look at two of Southeast Asia’s most fascinating countries.

Meals Included: Breakfast