Cambodia & Vietnam

Key Information

Cambodia

Currency: Cambodian Riel (KHR) and US Dollar (widely accepted)

Language: Khmer

Major Cities: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang

Vietnam

Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND)

Language: Vietnamese

Major Cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Halong Bay

Summary of Plan

Day	Date	Plan	Accommodation
1	Sat 25-Apr	Depart Manchester	In Flight
2	Sun 26-Apr	Arrive Phnom Penh	Sunway Hotel, Phnom Penh
3	Mon 27-Apr	Phnom Penh City Tour	Sunway Hotel, Phnom Penh
4	Tue 28-Apr	Travel to Battambang	Bambu Hotel, Battambang
5	Wed 29-Apr	Battambang Exploration	Bambu Hotel, Battambang
6	Thu 30-Apr	Boat to Siem Reap (Jacob’s Birthday)	Tara Angkor, Siem Reap
7	Fri 01-May	Angkor Temples	Tara Angkor, Siem Reap
8	Sat 02-May	Angkor Wat Sunrise (Tarnya’s Birthday)	Tara Angkor, Siem Reap
9	Sun 03-May	Beng Mealea & Banteay Srei	Tara Angkor, Siem Reap
10	Mon 04-May	Artisans School & Fly to Hanoi	Sunway Hotel, Hanoi
11	Tue 05-May	Hanoi Free Day	Sunway Hotel, Hanoi
12	Wed 06-May	Halong Bay Cruise	Jasmine Junk, Halong Bay
13	Thu 07-May	Halong Bay & Fly to Ho Chi Minh	Intercontinental Asiana Saigon
14	Fri 08-May	Ho Chi Minh City & Cu Chi Tunnels	Intercontinental Asiana Saigon
15	Sat 09-May	Mekong Delta Cruise	The Bassac
16	Sun 10-May	Floating Markets & Return	Intercontinental Asiana Saigon
17-20	Mon 11-May – Fri 15-May	Beach Relaxation Phan Thiet	Princess D’Annam Hotel, Phan Thiet
21	Sat 16-May	Fly Home	In Flight
22	Sun 17-May	Arrive Manchester	Home

DAY 01 [25/04/15] – Departure

In Flight

Depart Manchester airport at 14:45 and land in Doha at 23:45 (QR024 Qatar Airways Economy Class).

DAY 02 [26/04/15] – Arrive Phnom Penh

Sunway Hotel, Phnom Penh – night 1/2

Depart Doha airport at 01:00 and land in Phnom Penh at 15:05 (QR964 Qatar Airways Economy Class).

Freshen up, have a peek around the hotel and city if we can stay awake and then finish the day at the Kuoni welcome dinner at the Bopha Phnom Penh Restaurant.

DAY 03 [27/04/15] – Phnom Penh

Sunway Hotel, Phnom Penh – night 2/2

Today we begin our exploration of Cambodia with a cyclo tour of the city. The first stop will be the Royal Palace which was built in the mid-19th Century to serve as the residence of the Kings of Cambodia. Within the complex we will see the Throne Hall, Silver Pagoda and a solid gold Buddha.

The tour continues to the striking National Museum of Arts which was built in a Khmer-style and is host to a treasure trove of prehistoric, pre-Angkor and post Angkor relics.

This afternoon visit the sombre yet captivating Tuol Sleng Museum which was once a prison used by the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Then finish the day at the revered Buddhist temple of Wat Phnom which was originally built in the 14th Century.

DAY 04 [28/04/15] – Phnom Penh to Battambang

Bambu Hotel, Battambang – night 1/2

Breakfast and lunch included

A day of travelling to city of Battambang by road awaits (approximately 8 hours with stops). En route we visit the historic city of Udong which was the capital of the Khmer kingdom between 1618 and 1866. You will be able to witness the temples, stupas and shrines that have become a pilgrimage site for the Khmer people.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant and is followed by a visit to a hamlet in Kampong Chhnang which is renowned for its traditional pottery production.

DAY 05 [29/04/15] – Battambang

Bambu Hotel, Battambang – night 2/2

Travel south east by bamboo train and visit a local village and learn about day to day life in the Cambodian countryside.

The afternoon will begin with a visit to Phnom Sampov where nature meets religion. Sitting at the peak of the 100 metre hill stands a pagoda which is one of the most important religious sites in Cambodia and has a tragic past.

The final stop today is the village of Wat Kor, a traditional Khmer house.

DAY 06 [30/04/15] – Battambang to Siem Reap (Jacob’s Birthday)

Tara Angkor Hotel, Siem Reap – night 1/4

Breakfast included

The journey to Siem Reap today is by boat, cruising along the Tonle Sap Great Lake which takes from 6 to 7 hours. Enjoy lunch on board and take in the sights and sounds of everyday life on the lake and view the beautiful landscapes.

DAY 07 [01/05/15] – Siem Reap & Angkor

Tara Angkor Hotel, Siem Reap – night 2/4

Breakfast included

Use Siem Reap as a gateway to Angkor. Visit the Roluos group which consists of the Preah Ko, Bakong and Lolei temples, some of the oldest structures in Angkor.

Continue on to the Prolung Khmer Pottery and Weaving Training Centre.

Visit the beautifully preserved 12th Century Angkor Wat, the most popular and spectacular of Angkor’s many temples in the afternoon.

We can either take an Angkor Gondola trip to see the South Gate of Angkor Thom or spend the evening at the world famous Phare Cambodian Circus.

DAY 08 [02/05/15] – Angkor Wat (Tarnya’s Birthday)

Tara Angkor Hotel, Siem Reap – night 3/4

Breakfast included

Rise early for a chance to witness the sun rising over Angkor Wat before returning to the hotel for breakfast.

This morning there will be a half day cooking class at Siem Reap’s Champey Restaurant. Begin the class at a local market where the chef will teach you about Cambodian vegetables, herbs and spices. On return to the kitchen you will set about preparing your Khmer dishes under the guidance of the chef before tasting your creations.

The afternoon will be spent at the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which was built in the late 12th Century and served as the last capital city of the Khmer empire. A particularly fascinating site at Angkor Thom is the central Bayon temple with its massive stone faces that adorn the structure’s many towers.

The rest of the day includes visits to the Royal Enclosure, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Visit Ta Prohm temple where trees grow out of the ruins.

DAY 09 [03/05/15] – Angkor Temples

Tara Angkor Hotel, Siem Reap – night 4/4

Breakfast included

Take in the temple of Beng Mealea in the morning (approximately 2½ hours’ drive).

Head to the Angkor temples of Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre later in the day.

DAY 10 [04/05/15] – Siem Reap to Hanoi

Sunway Hotel, Hanoi – night 1/2

Breakfast included – Superior Room

The final day of the Cambodia tour begins with a visit to the Les Artisans d’Angkor arts and crafts school and artisans studio Theam’s House.

Depart Siem Reap at 17:25 and arrive at Hanoi at 19:05 (VN840 Vietnam Airlines Corp Economy Class).

Check into our superior room at the Sunway Hotel in Hanoi city. Freshen up and hit the city for dinner.

Try to sample the famous nightlife!

DAY 11 [05/05/15] – Hanoi

Sunway Hotel, Hanoi – night 2/2

Breakfast included – Superior Room

We have no fixed itinerary today so enjoy breakfast in the hotel in the morning and then travel to Hoan Kiem Lake.

Visit the Old Quarter and grab ourselves some lunch.

Visit Hanoi’s night market in the evening and buy drinks for the following day/night.

DAY 12 [06/05/15] – Halong Bay

Jasmine Junk, Halong Bay – night 1/1

Superior Cabin

Have breakfast at the hotel and then wait to be collected for our Jasmine junk cruise.

The first place we sail to is the Tien Ong Cave.

Next is the biggest and oldest fishing village in Halong Bay, Cua Van Fishing Village.

Return to the main ship for cooking lessons and watch the sun set over the bay whilst we are taught the history of the bay.

Retire for the evening in our superior cabin.

DAY 13 [07/05/15] – Halong Bay to Ho Chi Minh City

Intercontinental Asiana Saigon – night 1/2

Breakfast included – Deluxe Room

Complimentary tea, coffee and pastries are served in the restaurant followed by a Tai Chi Class on the terrace deck (07:00). We then visit Monkey Island for a dip in the clear blue bay before returning to Hanoi for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Depart Hanoi at 17:00 and land at Ho Chi Minh at 19:00 (VN255 Vietnam Airlines Corp Economy Class).

We stay in a deluxe room at the Intercontinental Asiana Saigon for the next two nights. Refresh ourselves and then find a nice place to eat dinner.

DAY 14 [08/05/15] – Ho Chi Minh City

Intercontinental Asiana Saigon – night 2/2

Breakfast included – Deluxe Room

Take a short tour of the city in the morning, visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, former Presidential Palace and Ben Thanh Market.

Explore the underground network of tunnels at Cu Chi which was once both a hideout and home for scores of Vietnamese insurgents during the war.

Spend the evening watching a water puppet performance.

DAY 15 [09/05/15] – Mekong Delta

The Bassac – night 1/1

Board The Bassac and enjoy a welcome drink along with an introduction to the ship and its crew. Depart towards Cho Lach on the Tien Giang River, enjoying lunch en route as the boat slips into the current and becomes a part of the river traffic that populates this stretch of waterway.

Glide past churches and markets and watch life unfold before you until you arrive at a village on the banks of the Mang Thit River. Meet local villagers, experience their way of life and visit the orchard or rice fields before returning to The Bassac for dinner.

DAY 16 [10/05/15] – Floating Markets

Intercontinental Asiana Saigon – night 1/1

Breakfast included – Deluxe Room

In the morning, the ship will continue to the Tra On floating market before heading onwards to the Cai Rang floating market. Here, transfer to a smaller boat to visit the market. Explore the maze of boats piled high with goods that fill the waterway and immerse yourself in this unforgettable experience. Continue on to Ho Chi Minh City, check back into the Intercontinental Asiana Saigon for a night and spend the rest of the day relaxing, possibly visit Chinatown.

Go to the A O Show in the evening.

DAY 17-20 [11/05/15 – 15/05/15] – Phan Thiet

Princess D’Annam Hotel, Phan Thiet – night 1-4/4

Breakfast included – Mandarin Suite

Drive for four hours to the Princess D’Annam Hotel in Phan Thiet where we have a Mandarin Suite with breakfast.

DAY 21 [16/05/15] – Fly Home

In Flight

Drive for four hours to the Ho Chi Minh airport. We depart at 18:45 and arrive in Doha at 23:05 (QR965 Qatar Airways Economy Class).

DAY 22 [17/05/15] – Arrive Home

We depart Doha at 01:35 and arrive in Manchester at 07:10 (QR021 Qatar Airways Economy Class).