Day 1: Phnom Penh arrival
(Car, accommodation)
Arrival at Hanoi Airport. Welcome by the Zen Vietnam Travel driver then transfer to the hotel
Room available from 1:30 p.m.
Free time to recover from jet lag and rest
Free meals. Night at the hotel.
Day 2: Phnom Penh - City tour
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel before starting the day of exploring the city of Phnom Penh.
The tour begins with one of the most iconic temples, Wat Phnom. Erected on a small artificial hill, it is full of relics of various origins. The legend of this 600-year-old temple is fascinating and Phnom Penh owes its name to it. Continuation by visiting the National Museum. This red monument is a spectacular example of Khmer architecture. Sculptures, statues, costumes, and many other representations of Khmer art testify to the historical richness of Cambodia.
Visit of the Royal Palace built in 1866 by King Norodom, and in its enclosure, the Silver Pagoda. The latter is known for its 5,000 silver slabs strewn on the ground and for its representations of Buddha, one of which is in solid gold, inlaid with 9,584 diamonds and especially its replica of the Emerald Buddha.
The day ends at the central market, built in the 1930s in a remarkable art deco style. Return to the hotel for rest. Free evening. Night at the hotel.
Day 3: Phnom Penh - Flight to Siem Reap - Floating village
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits, plane)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Phnom Penh airport to Siem Reap. Welcome by the Siem Reap guide and transfer to the hotel.
In the afternoon, departure for the floating village of Kompong Khleang, located about fifty kilometers from Siem Reap, taking a road through typical Cambodian landscapes. The opportunity to observe Cambodian rural life happening over the water flowing in the rice fields. A walk, off the marked trails, in the village of Kompong Khleang. A real immersion in the Cambodian culture with the meeting of the villagers, the discovery of their rhythm of life and their tradition.
Departure for an excursion on the Tonle Sap through the canals. Discovery of the floating houses and the local life of the inhabitants. Return to Siem Reap. Free meals.
Night at the hotel.
Day 4: Siem Reap - Angkor Temple
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel.
The morning begins with the most emblematic of all temples: Angkor Wat. Construction began during the reign of Suryavarman in the 12th century. The complex covers nearly 210 hectares, and reveals to visitors all the majesty and beauty of its impressive architecture, its sandstone bas-reliefs, its representations of Vishnu and other Buddhist deities.
Afternoon, visit of Banteay Srei, temple built in the 10th century. Dedicated to Shiva, also called Citadel of Women, it is renowned for the finesse of its pink sandstone lintels representing Asparas dancers or scenes from Hindu mythology.
On the way back, visit Sras Srang, the "Ablutions basin" and the Ta Prohm Buddhist temple, where nature reclaims its rights, and giant roots enclose the monuments.
At the end of the afternoon, departure to join Phnom Bakheng to watch the sunset over Angkor Wat. Free meals. Night at the hotel
Day 5: Siem Reap / Angkor Temple by tuk tuk
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure by tuk-tuk for Preah Khan, a temple erected in 1191 in honor of the first Mahayanist Buddhist king of Angkor. It is remarkable for its arched corridors, its sculpted friezes, and above all because nature is omnipresent there, the lichen covers the bas-reliefs and the cheesemakers serve as a support for a large part of the temple.
Visit of the Neak Pean temples. This temple-island, also called “tangled Nâgas”, sits in the center of a large basin, itself adjoined by four smaller basins which symbolize the Anavatapta, a sacred lake in the Himalayas. Visit of the Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda temples built in the 12th century. Their Devatas, these feminine deities, as well as their sandstone lintels are of rare finesse.
In the afternoon, discover Angkor Thom, the Great City. This architectural splendor abounds in symbols. The monuments to see are numerous, among others, the Bayon, the terrace of the Elephants, the terrace of the Leper King, and countless sculpted figures. The grandeur and the foundations of Khmer civilization are summed up in this extraordinary place.
Night at the hotel
Day 6: Siem Reap - Flight to Luang Prabang
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free time without guide or vehicle for personal discovery. Free the roomss at noon.
Transfer without a guide to Siem Reap airport to board the flight to Luang Prabang. Reception at Luang Prabang airport and transfer to the city center.
Night at the hotel.
Day 7: Luang Prabang / City tour
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Note: Around 5 a.m., the monks march through the streets of Luang Prabang in search of offerings. If you wish, you get up early and witness this beautiful spiritual spectacle in Luang Prabang. Then you can visit the local market.
Return to the hotel for a shower and breakfast before visiting the city of Luang Prabang.
Discovery of the Vat Xieng Thong temple, the monastery of the City of Gold, whose ornaments, mosaics, stupas are most refined. In this temple, you can discover a spectacular reclining Buddha in a purely Laotian style.
Continuation of the visit of Luang Prabang with the historic temple of the city: the Vat Visoun built at the beginning of the XVIth century. It was partially destroyed in a fire in 1887 and the architects responsible for its renovation chose to give it an architecture inspired by the Khmer Vat Phou temple.
A few steps away, discover Vat Aham, then the city's first monastery, Vat Saen. Finally, visit the Vat May built in typical Luang Prabang architecture. Its wooden "sim" and its five-sided roof are characteristic features.
In the afternoon, it is at the Royal Palace, converted into a museum, that the history of the region and of the royal family will be told to you. The National Museum exhibits the famous Pha Bang, a golden Buddha statue. In the evening, free walk to the Hmong night market. Free meals. Night at the hotel.
Day 8: Luang Prabang - Pak Ou - Khuang Si
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Boarding a traditional boat for a cruise on the Mekong which reaches the Pak Ou caves. At the edge of the river, dug at the foot of limestone cliffs, these caves exhibit numerous statues of Buddha, left over the centuries by the Laotians on the occasion of religious festivals. Two caves stand out: Tham Ting, access to which is via the pier, and Tham Phun. It is a sacred place, one of the oldest in this region of Laos. Return to Luang Prabang by boat. Lunch at the local restaurant.
In the afternoon, depart to visit Kuang Si Falls where you can relax with a refreshing swim in the pool or stroll along the forest tracks. Return to Luang Prabang Free meals.
Night at the hotel.
Day 9: Luang Prabang - Flight to Hanoi
(guide, car, dinner, accommodation, visits, plane)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free time without guide or vehicle for personal discovery. Leave the rooms at noon.
Transfer without a guide to Luang Prabang Airport to board the flight to Hanoi.
Welcome by Zen Vietnam Travel guide and driver. Transfer to downtown Ha Noi.
An orientation walk or rickshaw ride in the old town district, otherwise known as the 36 Trades Streets of Ha Noi, as most of the shops on the same street sold the same thing: Rue des bambous, Rue Silk Street, Traditional Medicine Street, Bronze Street, etc. A truly typical and charming district, with its shops on the sidewalks, small narrow houses, scooters everywhere.
Then, you will relax with a body massage session in a local institute offered by Zen Vietnam Travel.
Installation at the hotel for the shower and rest. Warning ! hotel rooms are only available from 2 p.m.
Gourmet dinner at the famous ¨Cha Ca¨ dish in a local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
Day 10: Hanoi - Sightseeing
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Today you will start the visit of the capital Hà Nội with a very old Buddhist pagoda, the 6th century Trấn Quốc pagoda, located in a beautiful setting by the large West Lake. Then, you will visit the Quán Thánh temple at 300m.
Then, the visit of the ethnographic museum, which gives you a panoramic view of the life of the 54 ethnic groups with 54 different cultures in the territory of Vietnam.
Time for lunch at the restaurant.
In the afternoon, visit of the political district with the mausoleum of Hồ Chí Minh, the founding father of modern Vietnam, the presidential palace, the house on stilts of Hồ Chí Minh, the pagoda with the one pillar. Visit of the Temple of Literature, the first university in the history of the country.
At the end of the day, you will witness the spectacle of the Water Puppet Theater, a unique culture that you will never find in any other country in the world. Vietnam is the only country that practices this art.
Dinner at the local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
Day 11: Hanoi - Ninh Binh
(guide, car, lunch, dinner,accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel.
At 8:30 am, drive to Ninh Binh, nicknamed Ha Long Bay on land at the origin of the similarity between the landscapes and the geological formation, with thousands of rocks covered by beautiful vegetation, a succession of natural cirques linked between them by caves dug by erosion.
Arrival in Ninh Binh. Visit to Bai Dinh Pagoda, the largest Buddhist pagoda in Southeast Asia, a pharaonic building equipped with thousands of small Buddha statues, hundreds of marble Buddhist Saints statues, bronze Buddha statues of 'a hundred tons. It is a building to be seen in life.
Arrival at Dong Dinh village, a small Catholic village on the edge of a small river. Mr. Sang and his family welcome you to their home. A pleasant little moment, in a nice village, around smiling people. Lunch at Mr. Sang's.
In the afternoon, departure to the village of Tam Coc crossing the World Heritage Center of Trang An, the center of Halong Bay on land with superb landscapes. Bike ride in the village to Thung Nham for another ride but in a rowing boat. It will be a very ¨zen¨ moment to contemplate the beauty of the terrestrial Halong Bay with rocks, rice fields, caves ... Return to the hotel in Tam Coc
Dinner at the restaurant. Night at the hotel.
Day 12: Ninh Binh - Cat Ba - Cruise - Night on board
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits, private junk)
Breakfast at the hotel.
At 7:30 am, departure for Hai Phong at 150km to embark on a shuttle that takes you to Cat Ba Island, 30 minutes more bus and you arrive at the Ben Beo pier where you will board our beautiful private junk (or collective boat) and start the 24 hours on board for the discovery of one of the natural wonders of Humanity, Halong Bay.
From our ¨zen¨ criteria for trips, we have chosen the part of the south of the bay where the large mass tourism boats do not pass yet, just a few small traditional junks in this area. A part of the bay that is still very authentic and wild with thousands of rocks, wild beaches and huge floating villages that you cannot find in the other part of Ha Long Bay.
Lunch on board with seafood. Time for swimming or simply rest on the deck to admire this miracle that nature offers us. After 3 hours of navigation, we arrive at Hang Ca, a beautiful place for the kayak ride, another way to see the bay up close.
Around 5:30 p.m., we anchor in a magnificent circus in the middle of the bay where you will be alone. A hell of a time to watch the sunset over the bay.
Dinner on board and a test of squid fishing in the evening will be great memories.
Overnight on board.
Note: The order of visits during the cruise may be changed depending on local weather conditions.
Day 13: Cat Ba - Hai Phong Airport - Flight to Da Nang - Hoi An
(guide, car, lunch, accommodation, visits, plane)
An early morning awakening in a magical setting around 5 am to admire the sunrise over the bay, why not?
After a good breakfast, the junk continues to sail in the bay and take you to Viet Hai village for a nice bike ride or visit the fish farm or simply enjoy the tranquility on a beach. You choose !
Lunch on board and disembarkation around 11:30 am.
Transfer to Hai Phong airport 60 km away for the 5:00 p.m. flight to Da Nang. Arrival in Da Nang. Welcome by the guide and the driver. Transfer to the hotel in Hoi An, nicknamed the Little Venice of Vietnam. Hoi An was a former silk trading port since the 14th and 15th centuries, a town which is very very well preserved, with its ancient temples, ancient houses in various styles, from the west with French houses, to the 'Orient with Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese houses. A city of heart for most of the people who have visited it.
Installation at the hotel around 8 p.m. Free dinner
Day 14: Hoi An-Village Tra Que
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel.
This morning, you will start with a bike ride to the village of Tra Que, a village renowned for its cultivation of aromatic vegetables, salads, onions ... in an organic way. Over here, you will dress up as a peasant, participate, learn and work the land with the people of the village.
After the time to learn the profession of peasant, it will be a small cooking class with the family, to make some typical dishes of the region. Lunch in the village.
In the afternoon, continue the bike ride, through villages surrounded by rice fields, to the sea. Then, you will start another boat trip towards the old town.Hoi An island. City tour with some temples and typical houses, the Japanese bridge and also time for your shopping.
Dinner at the restaurant in the center of the old town. This outing allows you to see the city again but under the magnificent light of the lanterns.
Night at the hotel.
Day 15: Hoi An - Cloud Pass - Hue
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure around 8:30 am towards Hue via the Col des Nuages. A photo stop on the pass is highly recommended.
Arrival in Hue. Time for lunch
Hue, former capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. A charming city which has a great cultural richness with its history, its historical monuments, its imperial city, its mausoleums, its Perfume river ...., which seduced the soul generations of Vietnamese poets as well as visitors. And despite the damage due to the two wars, the renovation projects are gradually giving it back its original charm.
In the afternoon, you will visit the most important monument in Hue, the Imperial City. Built over 29 years, from 1804 to 1833, The Imperial City was the political, economic, cultural center of the country and the home of 13 Nguyen emperors and their families. The construction of the imperial city was a typical example of oriental architecture, applying with harmonization the Confucianist philosophies, fengshui and also the use of local and exotic materials.
Installation at the hotel.
Dinner at the restaurant. Night at the hotel
Day 16: Hue - Visits
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel.
The morning begins with a bike ride to visit the Thanh Toan Bridge, a cute little Japanese-style bridge, located in a small village not far from the city center. Visit of the very authentic daily market where the villagers come to shop every day. A market that stands out from the rest.
Continuation of the visit to the 2 mausoleums of Khai Dinh and Minh Mang. While the Mausoleum of Minh Mang is a typical construction of the city, strictly respecting local criteria, oriental philosophies, fengshui ... the mausoleum of Khai Dinh is an exception. Its architecture is really an original invention of this emperor and under the hands of the artists of the time, a splendid building, mixed of several styles: Catholic, Buddhist, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, and one of the most beautiful mosaic work in Vietnam. , were made.
Time for lunch.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Heavenly Lady Pagoda, the most important pagoda in Hue. Built in 1601, the Heavenly Lady Pagoda is not only a Buddhist temple but also an important ceremonial place for members of the royal family. A little discovery on local religious life. After visiting the pagoda, you will descend on the Perfume River by a boat ride, to see the landscapes on its two banks to the Dong Ba market, the largest covered market in the city. Here you find everything the locals need. A beautiful market to see.
Dinner at the restaurant. Night at the hotel.
Day 17: Hue - Flight to Saigon - Visit of Saigon
(guide, car, dinner, accommodation, visits, plane)
Breakfast at the hotel.
At 8:00 am, departure for the flight around 11:00 am for Saigon. Arrival in Saigon. Welcome by the guide and the driver. Transfer to the city center.
Saigon, today called Ho Chi Minh city, is the first city of Vietnam in several senses: economic, area, population ...
Continuation of your day by visiting the Reunification Palace which served as the Presidential Palace of South Vietnam before 1975. Visit of the central post office and Saigon Cathedral.
Discovery of the Chinese district of Cholon with in particular the Binh Tay market which is full of life and where you can find absolutely everything you can imagine, all in a warm atmosphere. Finally, visit the Thien Hau pagoda, a guaranteed atmosphere with the incense cones burning on the ceiling and all the decorative elements typical of a pagoda dedicated to the goddess of the sea.
Dinner on the Indochine Junk boat, a beautiful ride for 1h30 on the Saigon river to admire the modern beauty of the city while listening to traditional music.
Overnight at hotel in Saigon.
Day 18: Saigon - Cai Be - Vinh Long - Can Tho
(guide, car, lunch, dinner, accommodation, visits)
Breakfast at the hotel.
At 8:00 am, departure with the guide towards Cai Be for a short cruise for 1 hour on an arm of the Mekong towards Vinh Long, admiring the beautiful landscapes on both sides. Arrival in Vinh Long, a little air of the Mekong with a visit to the candy factory, rice cakes, rice alcohol ... huge gardens of exotic fruit trees that you do not know durian, rambutan, jack, apple water, applehave ...
Lunch at the gastronomy of the Mekong.
In the afternoon, continue driving to Can Tho, the first town in the Mekong Delta. Visit of the Binh Thuy house where we shot the film The Lover, a superb house.
Installation at the hotel.
Dinner at the restaurant. Night at the hotel.
Day 19: Floating market - Flight to Phu Quoc
(guide, car, plane, accommodation)
Wake up early at 6 am to visit the Cai Rang floating market, the largest floating market in Vietnam where hundreds of boats gather every morning to trade in agricultural products, fruits and flowers. The origin of the floating markets comes from the relief of the Mekong Delta with rivers, streams and canals everywhere, which really discourages land transport but which seems ideal for boat travel. Here you will see that the locals of the Mekong are as comfortable on their boats as the others elsewhere on their scooters !!!!!
On the way back from the floating market, time for breakfast and drive to Can Tho airport for the flight to Phu Quoc at 11am.
Arrival in Phu Quoc. Welcome by the driver and transfer to the hotel.
Day 20: Phu Quoc free
(accommodation)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Completely free day for your activities.
Day 21: Phu Quoc Free
(accommodation)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Completely free day for your activities.
Day 22: Phu Quoc-Flight to Saigon-Return flight.
(plane, transfer to Phu Quoc airport)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free morning. Transfer to Saigon airport, a few hours before your return flight.
End of the trip!
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